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Thursday, August 18, 2011 You Want Answers? But EVEN in our ignorance we do have some hypotheses about such things. The Ekpyrotic universe model looks at how collisions between Branes in String-theory (technically M-theory) could cause "Big Bangs". And one of the interesting things we know about the universe is that we sum up all the energy in all the "stuff" we can identify (directly and infer indirectly) and all the gravity of all that "stuff" we find that the sum total energy of the universe is strikingly close to ZERO energy. That puts the universe on par with what we observe happening in the vacuum where we don't find the classical "nothingness" expected but rather a plenum - seething with Quantum virtual particles.>> Let's posit that the DNA code is the result of natural selection. It still needs the "machinery" necessary to translate the code into function, and this translation itself depends upon components that are themselves the products of the translation. In other words, which came first, the chicken or the egg? It is circular without someone to start the process. You ignore things like scaffolding (eg self-replicating RNA) that is built up before the DNA structure is built, the scaffolding is then lost as it becomes unnecessary. Nobody says DNA just popped into existence fully functional. This is EXACTLY like the flagellum It's not irreducible complexity because we know a lot about how it evolved and we've found simpler versions of it. Same for eyes, we can see hundreds of variations on the eye in Nature - there isn't just ONE eye that can work. A SINGLE cell with a spot of pigment in it can begin acting as a simple light sensor - this exists in Nature, and we see dozens and dozens of ever more complex forms. And it's funny you mention chicken/egg problem because evolution answers it very well, I've even written it up: And we do, in fact, know a tremendous amount about abiogenesis (which you seem to insist on conflating with evolutionary theory even though they are entirely independent). Abiogenesis summary and collection of resources:>> The second law of thermodynamics (the scientific laws that you tell me are inviolable) states that a closed system always move toward entropy. How did evolution climb the ladder from disorder to order, from simplicity to complexity, when the law says that this closed system should move toward disorder and dissipation of energy? So evolution breaks the natural law. It is by definition, a miracle. Which you guys made clear that you don't believe in. Seriously? You realize this argument is a complete lie right? It's utter nonsense. It's exactly this kind of flat out inexcusable LYING that ensures I will never go back to being that deluded again. This sophism is just inexcusable - you're either lying on purpose here or your are pretending to be knowledgeable in areas you plainly are not because it's fairly easy to look this up. It's an ethical duty to do at least a modicum of research before making claims of fact. Entropy is a measure of energy unavailable for work - NOTHING in the 2nd law says that work cannot be done to increase order locally. The GLOBAL entropy STILL INCREASES. What we don't understand at present is why, whatever caused the Big Bang expansion resulted in such a low initial entropy. This is an area of active research, but again it is absurd to assert that our mere lack of information in some area magically implies a god-that-explains-nothing. You are trying to gap-fill with your God rather than offering up actual knowledge.>> You posit that a set of random occurrences resulted in the rise of life on Earth. If that is true, then your brain is a result of those random occurrences. So, how can you prove that your logic is correct if the foundation for it was random? None of this has any meaning, right? So, why do you even care if someone believes? How could anything be true? It is either will-to-power to hedonism and then you die. The rest is meaningless. Not random except in the sense of we cannot predict it because we lack complete information, but rather guided by attractors in the laws of physics. First those that form particles, secondly those that give rise to chemistry (especially organic chemistry), third those that give rise to self-replication with modification within organic chemistry, and finally those that give rise to 'computation'. Meaning is what we happen to assign to things - we cannot help it, our brains just do it; seems a category error to me to try to ascribe meaning as an inherent property rather than emergent.>> You demand evidence, yet, you ignore evidence that is before you because it doesn't fit your world view. Over 3 Billion people in history have had an experiential encounter with a being that they called God. I am one of those. I am not talking about growing up in a Christian culture. I am talking about the shock of being changed at heart. Yet, you dismiss their testimony out of hand. We don't dismiss evidence out of hand, you ignore psychology, history, physics, chemistry, and biology. I'VE had 'experiences' also - that's what brains do - demonstrate those experiences reflect an EXTERNAL ontology and not merely an internal configuration with NO MORE reality than dreams. There are part of the brain that signal "significance" of events - when those areas are triggered events seem tremendously important, powerful, and emotional however mundane what is actually going on is. It's FUN to do this, it's healthy, meditation can do it, drugs can do it, some people just have it happen naturally - others from brain damage or seizures. SO WHAT? It's NEVER been demonstrated to have even a SMIDGEN of ontological validity other than we know for a fact that brains do it and we know a good bit now about how and why it happens. See also, "But I Had a Personal Experience":>> The same thing is true of miracles. I have demonstrated that evolution itself would be a miracle. What do we say to the millions of people who testify to a radical change outside of the laws of physics and biology? I have been inexplicably healed twice. The doctors had no explanation. Do we dismiss that testimony because it doesn't fit our preconceived notions? See all of these: "But I Had a Personal Experience": "Science, Knowledge, Bias": "Intercessory Prayer": "Time for prayer again": "Another look at Bias and Prayer": "A response to a Catholic": Let me try to be clear here: Confirmation Bias Confirmation Bias Confirmation Bias Confirmation Bias Confirmation Bias Confirmation Bias Confirmation Bias Do you see a pattern? Add in some psychology, False Memory effect, or any of the other myriad cognitive biases and you have yourself a Miracle. Details can escape us even under the watchful eye of 'scientists' who are trained to watch out for such things. This is why the scientific methodology includes things like replication (where possible), peer review and consensus building. It's not sufficient for YOU to believe it's true, you must be able to demonstrate it to others - if not the actual event the data you collected about it (e.g., we can't directly observe history but we can all look at the same artifacts). The human brain is very good at deceiving itself. We know this for a fact. You are sitting there with the impression that you are aware of everything around you but studies have shown that this is absolutely not true. When your attention is distracted you become blind to substantial changes in your environment (see Change Blindness, etc). Studies on the Neural correlates of these processes have exploded in the past few years with the advance of new techniques (such as fMRI). I addressed evolution above. It's absolutely not a miracle. Organic chemistry is found everywhere from Natural processes (even in space)- initiation of self-replication is only rare and is accounted for by looking at Attractors in the laws of physics: DNA nucleobases and analogs are found in meteorites and we've unraveled the chemical processes that yield them. You've not demonstrated evolution would be a miracle - you've ignored attractors of non-linear dynamic systems (of organic chemistry) in your very poor layman's analysis.>> And what of the human heart itself? For every desire, there is an accompanying thing to satiate that desire. I hunger: luckily, there is food. I get horny; thank God for sex. Human beings from the dawn of time have sought for God, for eternal life. I believe, as do billions of others, that there is a God and eternal life to satiate my hunger. Tell that to the 15 million people that starve to death every year. Other than that you have nothing here that isn't accounted for BETTER by evolutionary theory. We could not exist if we did not have the resources we required to exist, there are probably trillions of planets and moons out there that lack life for that reason. Sex is a product of evolution, we have good data on how it evolved and when it evolved and why it was a successful adaptation. The drive to have sex is a Natural product of those who lack such a desire being less successful at procreation. Over billions of years this was fine-tuned BY Nature by testing trillions upon trillions of different configurations, into the product we see today. You also ignore the fact (Confirmation Bias again) that the vast majority of desires go unfulfilled. There are many things we can imagine and desire that simply don't exist. I desire a magical unicorn that will teleport me at will - does that exist? >> @cdp2016 If you mean by objectivity that I should immediately dismiss any supernatural experience as impossible, I'm afraid that would make me too narrow minded. However, I know that I have a confirmation bias. In order to deal with it, I have read atheistic philosophers, scientific texts, psychological studies, archeological treatises. Because I want to be right. I don't want to live for a lie. What about your confirmation bias? Psychology proves we all have one. Do you admit the possibility of being wrong? Funny, Jesus described it 2000 years ago: The problem is not that you are blind. It is that you insist that you see. I added this block even though this wasn't to me it seems relevant and useful to address in this kitchen-sink post. I studied the Bible, actually I grew UP studying the Bible - I had planned to dedicate my life in service to Christ, I gave talks in church. It was drilled into me. I had to overcome my religious indoctrination and cultural inculcation - A struggle that stole years of my life. And I DIDN'T read any atheistic philosophers, I didn't have that luxury at the time. I observed for myself. I did read and study science, and I taught myself because the educational system is just pathetic in the US. Discipline and athletics was all that really mattered to them, Academics was a joke. And I was accused of plagiarism on papers because "you couldn't possibly have written this". I HOPE it's not that bad everywhere but that was my experience. I don't know if you can imagine this but I'm going against my family, my community, my culture, and my up bringing. That's not an easy thing to do and I don't do it lightly. So... am I certain about my conclusions or the conclusions of science? Absolutely not. Am I open to other evidence? Absolutely. I've studied more crazy shit than you can probably imagine. I've BEEN to Heaven AND Hell on a very large dose of LSD (I did that once, about 30 years ago), I've seen things you cannot imagine and that I cannot even speak of because there are no words. I've traveled "Out of Body" through meditative practices. I've seen radiant books of gold with letters of fire burning the future into their pages (again, through meditation). I've had dozens of other experiences, some of which I cannot explain. But I'm willing to say "I DON'T KNOW" and I refuse to jump to conclusions for which there is NO evidence other than some subjective experience that I had that very likely only existed in my Brain. NOTHING I've experienced proves to me otherwise and I tried to test it. If I was truly "Out of Body" how come I could NEVER manage to read a note I had a friend write and hide for me (in a known location)? The more likely explanation is that my internally generated sense of "self location" was altered in my brain as I wandered around in a world generated entirely internally (essentially a dream) EXACTLY as our experience of the world is, in reality, completely and wholly internally generated. We don't "experience" reality, we experience a version of it generated entirely within our Brain, and if you think it cannot do it in absence of external stimuli then you are fooling yourself. But it is the ultimate fallacy to require me to have some explanation that is absolutely proven to be true to replace your explanation that fails to explain anything. If God actually explained something it might be more interesting but it's just a cop out. You reject scientific conclusions which are heavily support by facts (and your bit on entropy demonstrates VERY clearly that you don't even understand them!) but you want me to believe something that is patently ridiculous on "faith". Let's ASSUME for just a moment there is a universe-creating god. So what? Why does a god need us to worship it? Why would a god create us, give us all evidence pointing towards Natural processes to explain the universe, and then expect us to go against that knowledge and presume that some primitive, misogynistic, genocidal, genital-mutilating, goat herders from the first century had the right of it? I'm sure they gave it their best shot but I mean, Come On. Not just any goat herders, but ones who believed God told them the Earth was immobile and sun went around it. A fact so clear to them that they wrote it into their Holy Book and people continued to believe the nonsense they wrote well after it had been soundly disproved: If your "God" cannot deal with my intellectual honesty then I want nothing to do with it. If it demands of itself a human sacrifice to break humans out of the sin it condemned us to at creation then I'm even less interested (if not hostile to the idea). I don't ask, desire, need, or want a human sacrifice to absolve me of my sin (or whatever you believe that it did). If God caused this human sacrifice I recommend he use his magic powers to undo that nonsense immediately. I will take responsibility for my own sins, thanks all the same. I find the very idea of a sacrifice repulsive and immoral (or unethical if you prefer). It's a scapegoating concept born out of primitive times. No comments: Post a Comment
Friday, November 12, 2010 1. impermanent, passing. Temporary, transient, transitory agree in referring to that which is not lasting or permanent. Temporary implies an arrangement established with no thought of continuance but with the idea of being changed soon: a temporary structure. Transient describes that which is in the process of passing by, and which will therefore last or stay only a short time: a transient condition. Transitory describes an innate characteristic by which a thing, by its very nature, lasts only a short time: Life is transitory. I'm looking for some consistency
email a friend iconprinter friendly iconTibetan Plateau Page [ 4 ] of 8 The potential impacts extend far beyond the glaciers. On the Tibetan Plateau, especially its dry northern flank, people are already affected by a warmer climate. The grasslands and wetlands are deteriorating, and the permafrost that feeds them with spring and summer melt is retreating to higher elevations. Thousands of lakes have dried up. Desert now covers about one-sixth of the plateau, and in places sand dunes lap across the highlands like waves in a yellow sea. The herders who once thrived here are running out of options. Along the plateau's southern edge, by contrast, many communities are coping with too much water. In alpine villages like Mingyong, the glacial melt has swelled rivers, with welcome side effects: expanded croplands and longer growing seasons. But such benefits often hide deeper costs. In Mingyong, surging meltwater has carried away topsoil; elsewhere, excess runoff has been blamed for more frequent flooding and landslides. In the mountains from Pakistan to Bhutan, thousands of glacial lakes have formed, many potentially unstable. Among the more dangerous is Imja Tsho, at 16,400 feet on the trail to Nepal's Island Peak. Fifty years ago the lake didn't exist; today, swollen by melt, it is a mile long and 300 feet deep. If it ever burst through its loose wall of moraine, it would drown the Sherpa villages in the valley below. This situation—too much water, too little water—captures, in miniature, the trajectory of the overall crisis. Even if melting glaciers provide an abundance of water in the short run, they portend a frightening endgame: the eventual depletion of Asia's greatest rivers. Nobody can predict exactly when the glacier retreat will translate into a sharp drop in runoff. Whether it happens in 10, 30, or 50 years depends on local conditions, but the collateral damage across the region could be devastating. Along with acute water and electricity shortages, experts predict a plunge in food production, widespread migration in the face of ecological changes, even conflicts between Asian powers. The nomads' tent is a pinprick of white against a canvas of green and brown. There is no other sign of human existence on the 14,000-foot-high prairie that seems to extend to the end of the world. As a vehicle rattles toward the tent, two young men emerge, their long black hair horizontal in the wind. Ba O and his brother Tsering are part of an unbroken line of Tibetan nomads who for at least a thousand years have led their herds to summer grazing grounds near the headwaters of the Yangtze and Yellow Rivers. Page [ 4 ] of 8
The Sails (of the Argo) Abbreviation: Vel Genitive: Velorum The constellation of Vela The Argo was the ship of Jason and the Argonauts who sought the Golden Fleece in Greek myth. The huge constellation Argo Navis was devised by the Greeks to honour this vessel. However, in the mid-eighteenth century, French astronomer Nicolas Louis de Lacaille divided this unwieldy constellation into three smaller pieces: Carina, the keel of the ship; Puppis, the stern or poop deck; and Vela, the sails. However, the Bayer designations of the original constellation were kept intact so only Carina has an α star, only Vela has a γ star, etc. Notable Features Designation Name Description Puppid-Velids Of average speed and brightness, this December shower emanates from a radiant between the constellations of Puppis and Vela. γ Vel Regor Regor is Roger spelled backwards. This star was named after American astronaut Roger Bruce Chaffee who was killed in the Apollo 1 launchpad fire on 27 January 1967. The name of the star is not officially recognised by the IAU. κ Vel Markeb The name of the star is not officially recognised by the IAU. λ Vel Suhail Vela X-1 This object is the prototypical high-mass X-ray binary system, consisting of a supergiant star and a neutron star. The x-ray emission of the neutron star is caused by the accretion of matter from the stellar wind of its companion star. Vela X-1 is also an eclipsing binary system with an orbital period of around 9 days. It is not related to the nearby Vela Pulsar. It is found near the star w Vel on the sky map. C74 Eight Burst Nebula This is a bright planetary nebula and a good object to observe telescopically. C79 C79 is globular cluster with a very low central concentration of stars. Binoculars or a small telescope are required to observe it. C85 ο Velorum Cluster This open cluster is visible to the naked eye. The star ο Vel is its brightest member and lends its name to the cluster. NGC 2547 This is another small open cluster which is easily visible through binoculars or a telescope.
Heart and Vascular Disease According to Wikipedia, heart disease is the biggest cause of deaths. The following information from Wikipedia is given as an introduction to heart disease (Wikipedia discusses heart disease in great detail). One of the major causes of heart disease is the reduction in the flow of blood due to arteries partially filled with cholesterol, a fatty substance that doesn't dissolve in blood and is produced by our bodies and also ingested via the food we eat. The web site of the American Heart Association (http://heart.org) explains the types of cholesterol and a fatty substance called Triglycerides. "This study demonstrates that stroke risk is tightly aligned with coronary atherosclerosis, showing the closely related nature of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease," said Dirk M. Hermann, M.D., the study's lead investigator and professor of vascular neurology and dementia at the University Hospital Essen in Germany. Cholesterol can't dissolve in the blood. It has to be transported to and from the cells by carriers called lipoproteins. Low-density lipoprotein, or LDL, is known as "bad" cholesterol. High-density lipoprotein, or HDL, is known as "good" cholesterol. These two types of lipids, along with triglycerides and Lp(a) cholesterol, make up your total cholesterol count, which can be determined through a blood test. LDL (Bad) Cholesterol HDL (Good) Cholesterol Scientists are investigating the causes of heart disease. Here are reports on some of their research about heart and vascular disease. Controlling blood pressure, serum cholesterol, and blood glucose may substantially reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke associated with being overweight or obese, according to a study from a worldwide research consortium led by a team from Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH), Imperial College London, and the University of Sydney. Among the three factors, high blood pressure was found to pose the biggest risk for heart disease, and an even bigger risk for stroke, among overweight or obese participants. Being overweight or obese are risk factors for myocardial infarction (heart attack) and ischemic heart disease (IHD) regardless of whether individuals also have the cluster of cardiovascular risk factors known as metabolic syndrome, which includes high blood pressure, high cholesterol and high blood sugar, according to a study published by JAMA Internal Medicine, a JAMA Network publication. Researchers studied 1,256 Argentine premenopausal and menopausal women with and without type 2 diabetes, ages 19 to 84, who underwent ultrasound imaging to measure plaque in their carotid arteries, the major artery running down the neck. Regardless of their age, family history, smoking history, having high blood pressure or menopausal status, plaque buildup was more common among the 293 women with type 2 diabetes compared with the 963 who didn't have diabetes. Dr Min said: "Smoking is an established risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Studies have identified that quitting smoking can reduce heart attacks and death but have not examined the relationship of this salutary effect on the presence and severity of coronary artery disease (CAD). Our study aimed to find out what impact stopping smoking had on the risk of cardiovascular events, death and the severity of CAD." The prospective CONFIRM (Coronary CT Evaluation for Clinical Outcomes: An International Multicenter Study) registry of 13,372 patients from 9 countries in Europe, North America and East Asia examined the risk of major adverse cardiac events in 2,853 active smokers, 3,175 past smokers and 7,344 never smokers. Dr Dohi said: "Smokers are twice as likely to have a heart attack as people who have never smoked. Quitting smoking is the most important thing people can do to reduce their risk of cardiovascular disease. But until now, studies have not examined whether the increased risk caused by smoking is completely reversed after smoking cessation." Children of obese and overweight women have a higher risk of early cardiovascular death as adults, finds a new study. A large 16-year study finds men who reported that they skipped breakfast had higher risk of heart attack or death from coronary heart disease. The timing of meals, whether it's missing a meal in the morning or eating a meal very late at night, may cause adverse metabolic effects that lead to coronary heart disease. Even after accounting for modest differences in diet, physical activity, smoking and other lifestyle factors, the association between skipping breakfast (or eating very late at night) and coronary heart disease persisted. 1 Comments (click to add your comment): Allen said... I've been running for 40 years and have measured my resting heart rate for most of those years. There is a good correlation between my resting heart rate and my energy-level. If my RHR goes 10% high, I still run. If it goes 20% high, I don't run until it comes down. Not getting enough sleep really puts my RHR up.
Friday’s friendship walks will take you through downtown San Antonio. Imagine what it looked like almost 300 years ago when the plans for the city were first laid! In 1573 the King of Spain, Philip II, decreed an extensive set of rules for the building of towns and cities in the Americas, known as “The Law of the Indies.” While these rules applied to many facets of colonial life, their main legacy has been the planning of Latin American cities. The Law of the Indies decreed that all new towns must have a central plaza surrounded by important buildings with portales or arcades, and from which the principal streets, laid out in a grid pattern, were to begin. Smaller secondary plazas were also called for as well as narrow streets to provide shade. The 1730 plan for San Fernando de Bexar (San Antonio) drew on this tradition, beginning with the iglesia, the town’s 18th-century church that later became a cathedral. From its front door, surveyors marked off Plaza de las Islas (Main Plaza) and a set of radiating streets along whose flanks government buildings, stores, and individual housing would be built. The whole plaza was locked in a grid, forming a cross with the church as a center. In the late nineteenth century, railroads and trolleys allowed developers to create more distant suburbs, shifting where people lived, worked and shopped. The introduction of the automobile continued this trend. As the city swelled in size, the plaza itself shrank as a result of the widening of Market Street in the 1880’s and the construction of a new county courthouse that filled in part of its southern quadrant. As other tall buildings rose over the plaza its wide-open character and dirt-packed surface were also transformed. The center was elevated and planted with trees and grass, while the surrounding streets were paved. City hall, built in 1889-1892, filled Plaza de las Armas (Military Plaza.) The famous “chili queens,” depicted in the 1880 painting by Robert Onderdonk, above, were banished. In 2006 Main Plaza began a major renovation. City planners sought to recreate its pedestrian character by knitting together the plaza, cathedral, courthouse, and the river. As you walk through Main Plaza, be sure to take note of the 30 pavers that describe historical events that took place on this very site. Pin It on Pinterest Share This
Do You Know The FUTURE OF THE Imprinted Guides Inside Virtual Years of age? Imprinted books are content articles collected in writing on newspapers. Virtual period is a period of time wherever the details are found, saved, channeled, composed and presented by means of technological advertising which includes on line, hard disk drives and recollection discs. For quite some time, spine the print news has been around in easily use in nearly all routines and in most parts of the world. Yet, simply because the discovery within the gadgets especially the pc with its associated cool gadgets, the personalised is going to be somewhat outdated . It is the electronic digital grow older, that may be a period whereby utilizing computerized technologies takes around with the make newspaper and payforessay real Such as, some years and years back again many of the advertisings and critical public announcements are being carried out over the create newspaper and tv for example catalogs, papers and institutional journals, that was perhaps so due to the fact most people could not gain access to the automated methods. During this digital age, this is often switching, and many stakeholders are opting for the computerized routes . This trend has forced the players from the mass media and information industry to embrace a digital migration because they have introduced e-age group with electronic studying and e-textbooks. The way forward for the printed out guides The big question is ‘’what is the way forward for the produced textbooks in that electronic digital period?”, Could be the published literature probably going to be performed absent with or will they be expected throughout this age? Alot more corporations are turning online and promoting their information to try a lot of electronic or online info root when they include more info . and especially within the present fashions. The web publication publishers also have bought the copyright protection under the law to share e-textbooks where they also obtain the global normal reserve variety (ISBN). Online digital period has undermined the printed books. E-book development is having a virtual movement; textbooks are in these days downloaded over the web as opposed to obtaining at bookstores and across the united states stores. Electronic years of age has taken unmatched improve and disruption with the way many people bring in, allocate and browse textbooks . Despite this electronic trend, the produced textbooks are used, and a lot more even now, they are likely to be utilized also from the future years with this era. The e-publications never appear to have that unique feel from the produced publications. The longevity of the electronic digital publications for a source of energy is one other reason why definitely makes the printed literature have their own way in a digital years of age, while they tend not to must have force to be utilized . Electrical options can also be more prone to breakdown which makes it particularly crucial to have an additional different in case there is the breakdown and this choice is evidently the screen printed guides. It is really not a speculate to find libraries of countless firms just like the hugely advanced educational institutions just like Harvard full of published novels which have been not surprisingly imprinted year after year and utilized very nearly mutually on the on-line guides. In closing So, regardless of appeal of electronic digital marketing, create news will invariably prosper. In 2010, alot more books titles than ever before were being released world-wide. This suggests the power of the print mass media towards world. The long term would possibly not look good in the reproduced literature, though the actuality is still that they will hold on to their relevance inside educational and information field.
How old was romeo and juliet how old was romeo and juliet In many cultures and time periods, women did and do marry and bear children at an early age. Romeo and Juliet is a play. Ascertaining Juliet's age is pretty simple. Shakespeare makes it quite obvious that she is 13 years old. Nurse and Lady Capulet comment on it several times in Act 1. Romeo and Juliet is the very famous story of the two "star-crossed lovers" (Prologue to Act I, line 6) who are doomed to fail in their attempts to. She's perfect to get in love. When Romeo is banished, rather than executed, and Friar Laurence offers Juliet a plan to reunite her with Romeo, the audience can still hope that all will end well. After Shakespeare introduced Mab the Fairy Queen to English poets, she became much loved. Archived from the original on 29 May Scholar Gary Taylor measures it as the sixth most popular of Shakespeare's plays, in the period after the death of Christopher Marlowe and Thomas Kyd but before the ascendancy of Ben Jonson during which Shakespeare was London's dominant playwright. Why does Shakespeare change Juliet's age? This would imply Rosaline to be somewhere within this wrestling legends to eighteen year age bracket, if not a few years past, because she is able to make her own choice in preserving her virtue rather than being married off by her father with or without her consent. Your name is Mimi and in a book called Saving Juliet, the main character Mimi, plays Juliet all her life. Grease Musical Audition tips? Da Porto originated the remaining basic elements of the story: This article possibly contains original research. Romeo Juliet Mercutio Tybalt Benvolio Friar Laurence Nurse Paris Rosaline Queen Mab Atomy. A Midsummer Night's Dream. On their first meeting, Romeo and Juliet use a form of communication recommended by many etiquette authors in Shakespeare's day: The National Association for Music Education. Not many batted an eye. Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet was published in two quarto editions prior to the publication of the First Folio of Shakespeare uses references to the night and day, the stars, the moon, and the sun to create this illusion. Love rarely entered into the equation even for the males- it was a matter of benefit and desire desire being lust as opposed to love. how old was romeo and juliet How old was romeo and juliet - die I'm not bragging, simply stating that it can be done. Tybalt's Character in Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet Essay - Although admirable qualities add to one's life, they can often lead to their death. Very simply, Romeo and Juliet can be considered a tragedy because the protagonists - the young lovers - are faced with a momentous obstacle that results in a horrible and fatal conclusion. Arthur Brooke can go jump in a lake. This provides a comparison through which the audience can see the seriousness of Romeo and Juliet's love and marriage. In our day that is a sick thought, but it there it was the custom and tradition. New York, New York: How to overcome fear of failure? My memory of reading Romeo and Juliet at 14 was of being done with it as quickly as possible: Such Tweet Sorrow Romeo and Juliet effect After Juliet " Upper West Side Story " Millennium Dome Show Inge Sylten and Heinz Drosihn Boys Don't Cry My Wedding and Other Secrets Donkey in Lahore Upside Down Letters to Juliet. The Life and Art of Edwin Booth. The play takes place over a time span of four days. In the play, Romeo is most likely in his mid- to late teens. The First Folio text of was based quoten promi big brother on Q3, with clarifications and corrections possibly coming from a theatrical prompt book or Q1. Skip to content Shakespeare Geek, The Original Shakespeare Blog Shakespeare Makes Life Better. This is the structure of all Shakespeare's tragedies. How old was romeo and juliet Video
Gas Chromatography Length: 1349 words (3.9 double-spaced pages) Rating: Excellent Open Document Text Preview More ↓ Continue reading... Open Document Purpose: The purpose of the gas chromatography lab is to find out how different substances interact with the surface of a solid. Chromatography is a separation technique that depends on the relative distribution of the components of a mixture between a mobile phase and a solid stationary phase. Chromatography measures the tendency of a substance to interact with the surface of a solid or to remain in a mobile phase. When doing a chromatography lab the mobile phase has to be a substance that is either in a liquid or a gas state. In this lab the mobile phase was a gas, which is why this is called a gas chromatography lab. The different gases tested in this lab were CHCl3 and CH2Cl2. It is determined to what extent a gas interacts with the solid by injecting a known amount of the mobile gas into the carrier gas and then measuring the concentration that comes out at the end of the column. From this there was a detector that transferred the information to a computer were it was graphed. The tendency of the gas to interact with the solid is determined by the number of theoretical plates. A substance that interacts more strongly with the surface of the solid will take more time to be carried across the stationary phase. Procedure: The pieces of a Gas Chromatograph are the gas supply, injector, column and the detector. The gas supply, or carrier gas, is the gas from the valves at the lab tables. First a coil had to be made out of copper, which would serve as the burner for the detection system. A pipet was used as the column to put the solid stationary substance into. The solid phase in this experiment was Tide. The pipet was filled with Tide detergent and cotton was inserted in both end of the pipet. The column was then secured horizontally to a ring stand using clamps. The tip of the column should be in a vertical position. The copper coil is then placed in the vertical part of the column with the coil about 1/8” above the end of the column. It is important that the copper coil be placed at the right height because if it is too low the flame will not get enough air and if the copper is to high the flame will burn below the coil. How to Cite this Page MLA Citation: "Gas Chromatography." 19 Oct 2017 Title Length Color Rating Gas Permeable Chromatography Essay - Gas Permeable Chromatography (GPC) The molecular weight and the polydispersity index are important parameters that will determine the quality of the polymer. The PHB extracted using chloroform was analyzed using GPC and the weight average molecular weight (Mw) obtained was 1.04 x 106. This value hinted that PHB synthesize by C. necator H16 cultivated with CPKO as sole carbon source was of relatively high Mw. Since it has been acknowledged that chloroform extraction cause negligible degradation of PHB; therefore these values were assumed to be intact molecular weight.... [tags: Environmental Science] :: 7 Works Cited 1542 words (4.4 pages) Powerful Essays [preview] (3.9 pages) Strong Essays [preview] Essay on Drug Identification With Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry - Drugs are used everyday by people in many different ways for many different reasons. Drug testing has become a standard in pre-employment testing, because of the wide variety of drug use in today's society. Drugs tested for by a possible employer include Cocaine (crack), Amphetamines (crystal), Opiates (codeine, morphine, heroin), PCP (phencyclidine), and Marijuana. Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry is used to test hair and urine samples of possible drug abusers or job applicants, and it is the best method for the testing of drug use.... [tags: essays research papers] 757 words (2.2 pages) Strong Essays [preview] Identifying Drugs of Abuse Using Gas Chromatography Essay - Scenario On the 23rd of September 2015 at 22:58, Mr. Rob Slone was arrested on Sanctuary Road, West Bridgford on possession with intent to supply. A large amount of cash was found on the suspect and a bag containing unknown tablets and powders was recovered from the riverbank, in close proximity to the location of the arrest. A balance with off- white powder, an off- white powder in self sealed bag and a tablet in paper wraps were seized from Mr. Slone's property. At the riverside, a £5 note, a tablet in paper wraps and 2 off- white powders in self sealed bags, were seized.... [tags: Forensic Science] :: 9 Works Cited 2983 words (8.5 pages) Strong Essays [preview] Essay on Identifying Volatile Compounds Not on the Gatorada Label - Introduction The purpose of this experiment was to identify the numerous volatile compounds not listed on the label, determine the quantity of chloride present, and to determine the various species of citrate and phosphate present in Gatorade. The volatile compounds in sports drinks are usually labeled as “natural flavors” and were identified using gas chromatography and mass spectrometry (GCMS). The quantity and determination of chloride was determined using the ion selective electrode (ISE) method.... [tags: chloride, gas chromatography, procedure] 971 words (2.8 pages) Strong Essays [preview] Composition of amino acids in strawberry fruits determined by gas chromatography with flame ionization under the influence of CO, NOx and SO2 - Introduction Amino acids are present in almost all foods in different relative items such as fruit juices, syrups, jams, jellies, wines etc. (Silva et al. 2005; Hua et al. 2014). In plant materials the amino acids are found in free form (L-configuration). Among the highly consumed fruits strawberries are widely used throughout the world for different purposes such as preparation of jams, jellies, decorating cakes etc. Due to high consumption, strawberry fruits are widely grown throughout the year irrespective of temperature, light and humidity in green houses by maintaining the temperature due to direct heating system or CO2 fertilizer units.... [tags: Carbon Monoxide, Agriculture, Strawberries] :: 20 Works Cited 1434 words (4.1 pages) Powerful Essays [preview] Supplementing Camel's Milk Essay - GC analysis The Gas Chromatography GC was used a Agilent Technologies (7890A) interfaced with a mass-selective detector (MSD, Agilent 7000 Triple Quad) equipped with a polar Agilent HP-5ms (5%-phenyl methyl poly siloxane) (J&W Scientific, Folsom, CA, USA) equipped with a capillary column (30 m × 0.25 mm i. d. and 0.25 μm film thickness) and FID detector. Medium (Country) used for fractionations the date fruits, Echinacea extracts and camel according to methods performed by Dionex 22. GC-MS analysis Ethanol extracts of Echinacea arial part or date pulp fruits were performed separately using a Perkin-Elmer GC Clarus 500 system comprising an AOC-20i auto-sampler and a Gas Chromatograph interf... [tags: Dates, Echinacea, Gas Chromatography] :: 3 Works Cited 1139 words (3.3 pages) Strong Essays [preview] Essay What is Ion Chromatography? - The term chromatography refers to different methods of molecular separation between a mobile phase and a stationary phase based on various physio-chemical properties. There are many types of chromatography that are used as analytical tools in environmental science, forensics, metallurgy, biology, etc. Some common examples are thin layer chromatography (TLC), gas chromatography (GC), high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and ion chromatography. Ion chromatography (IC) was introduced as an analytical technique by Small, Stevens, and Bauman in 1975.... [tags: chemistry, molecular separation] 1879 words (5.4 pages) Powerful Essays [preview] Chromatography Essay - Chromatography is a method of separating and analyzing complicated substances. This is done in two phases, a mobile phase and a stationary phase .During the stationary phase, said substance is stationary, while during the mobile phase, the substance moves in a specific direction. During the mobile phase, the substance is filtered through the stationary phase. The stationary phase in necessary in order for the substances to be separated even though it doesn?t involve movement of the substance because it filters the substance through the stationary phase..... [tags: Essays Papers] :: 2 Works Cited 921 words (2.6 pages) Good Essays [preview] Chromatography Experiment Essay - Chromatography Experiment Implementing The plan that I was going to follow was altered in many ways. These alterations were needed to improve the experiment and therefore improve the results. Therefore the real method that was carried out is explained below. First of all a piece of Chromatography paper was taken and a line was drawn 2 cm above the bottom of the page. This was the origin line. On this line 10 crosses were drawn which would be the starting point of the samples.... [tags: Papers] 1277 words (3.6 pages) Strong Essays [preview] Related Searches On the other open end of the column the latex coupling/buret valve assembly is connected to the gas supply and to the column. It is attached to the gas supply by using a Bunsen burner hose. The buret valve is used as the adjuster for controlling the gas flow through the column. Another important part of the gas chromatography setup is the flame shield and detector. The flame shield is an open-ended cylinder made of black construction paper. It is used to prevent drafts and room light from causing errors in the signal from the detector. The coil should be centered in the middle of the flame shield. The detector/stopper assembly should be secured to the ring stand using a clamp and the detector should be facing directly at the flame through a cut out portion of the cylinder. After this is done a wire gauze pad should be placed over the cylinder to reduce the light that shines in through the top of the cylinder. The last part of the setup is the computer setup. The alligator clips should be connected to the wires of the sensor. Polarity is not important. The face of the sensor should be about 1/8” back from the end of the straw. Once on the computer the icon labeled GC startup should be double clicked to launch the data collection program. The y-axis should go from 1 to 5 volts with the units decreasing upwards. The x-axis should go from 0 to 400 seconds. Once setup of the gas chromatography is complete, the system is ready to be tested. With the gas turned on and a flame with a height of about 3/8” begin the data collection system and adjust the flame until it is reading between 4 and 5 volts. After the flame is correct the actual experiment is ready to be started. First a septum vial of CH2Cl2 should be retrieved from the fume hood. Using the syringe collect 0.30 ml of CH2Cl2 of vapor, not liquid. Then inject the sample into the latex coupling as close as possible to the column. Quickly release all the vapors into the coupling. The data collection program should be started when the gas is being injected into the gas flow. The flame should turn to a green color. After that sample is done, follow the same guidelines using 0.60 ml of CHCl3 vapor. After the two separate samples are done, a mixture of the two will be used. Use 0.20 ml of CH2Cl2 and 0.30 ml of CHCl3 vapors. A drawing of the apparatus of the Gas Chromatography can be found on the next page. Theoretical Plates: N = (tr/wb)2 tr = retention time wb= baseline peak width CHCl3 tr = 175 s wb = 350 – 90 wb = 260 N = 16(175/260)2 N = 5.38 CH2Cl2 tr = 80 s wb = 160 – 45 = 115 N = 16(80/115)2 N = 7.74 Mixture CH2Cl2 CHCl3 Tr = 75 tr = 175 Wb=115 wb=290 N=16(75/115)2 N= 16(175/290)2 N= 6.81 N= 5.83 Total N for mixture = 12.64 Area of Peaks for Mixture: Area = .5(wb x ht) CH2Cl2 CHCl3 A = .5(30mm)(110mm) A = .5(74mm)(82mm) A = 1680 mm2 A = 3034 mm2 Composition of Mixture: Area of CH2Cl2 = 1680 mm2 Area of CHCl3 = 3034 mm2 1680/4714 * 100 = 35.6% 3034/4714 * 100 = 64.4% Mixture is: 35.6% CH2Cl2 64.4% CHCl3 Conclusion: The purpose of this lab was to find out how the different gases tested interacted with the surface of solid. The lab worked well for testing this. To even further test the interaction we sent of a mixture of the two gases through the column at the same time. By doing that we can compare the graphs of the single gases and of the mixture. Below is some of the information from that. Table 1 CH2Cl2 CHCl3 Mixture CH2Cl2 Mixture CHCl3 TR 80 175 75 175 WB 115 260 115 290 N 7.74 5.38 6.81 5.83 The elution profiles of the single gases compared to that of the mixture actually match up really well. The biggest difference is the number of plates between that of the CH2Cl2 by itself and the CHCl3 of that in the mixture. The number of plates for the CHCl3 is pretty close for both the mixture and the single gas. The values of the retention times and base width are actually really close. The retention time for both the single gas of CHCl3 and the mixture are exactly the same as are the base width of the CH2Cl2. I would expect the measurements to be the same or close for all of these because if though one is a mixture the gases should separate and move through the column at the same rate they did the first time when they were the only mobile phase. As with any experiment, there were more than likely some systematic and random errors that occurred. Some possible systematic errors that could have occurred would be that the flame shield and wire gauze pad did not completely block out all exterior light from entering. Therefore, the sensor could have been picking up on small amounts of extraneous light. Another systematic error could be that the coil was not wound into a tight enough coil, which would make the flame sputter and not burn as true. Some random errors, which could have taken place would be that the computer might have collected the information correctly if the sensor was malfunctioning any or if the computer was lagging. The biggest problem noticed in our lab was that it was hard to get the flame the right height because the valve on the buret would either turn to far, or not far enough. We did end up getting the flame to the right height though. Overall this experiment was a success and achieved what it was set out to do, explain how the different gases used interacted with the surface of the powder tide. Return to
In acknowledgement of its leadership of the Northern Ireland In depth Cancer Services program. Cancer survival rates increasing in Northern Ireland Despite the rising incidence of cancer in Northern Ireland, the amount of people surviving the disease in the united states is increasing significantly year on year. Every year there are between 50-60 women and men who survive the deadly effects of cancers who previously would have died ed treatment review . The survival prices in Northern Ireland for cancers including colorectal and breasts are among the best in the UK, and its own patients are profiting from improved treatment outcomes by up to four percent better than those for England and Wales. click for description Cancer-causing chemicals found in e-cigarette vapor E-cigarette vapor can contain cancer-causing formaldehyde at levels to 15 occasions higher than regular smoking cigarettes up, a fresh study finds. Researchers discovered that e-cigarettes operated at high voltages produce vapor with huge amounts of formaldehyde-containing chemical substances. This may pose a risk to users who raise the voltage on the e-cigarette to improve the delivery of vaporized nicotine, said research co-author James Pankow, a professor of chemistry and civil and environmental engineering at Portland Condition University in Oregon. We’ve found there is a hidden form of formaldehyde in e-cigarette vapor which has not really typically been measured. It’s a chemical which has formaldehyde in it, and that formaldehyde can be released after inhalation, Pankow said.
Use of Liquid Ring Vacuum Pump in Power Plant Industry Liquid ring pumps are a revolutionary idea that changed the pumping and conveyance of liquids and gaseous products. Rather than relying on mechanical sealing between the vanes and the pump casing, a liquid ring is formed. The vanes attached to a rotating impeller, rotates the liquid to form an annular ring between the casing and vanes. This ring act as a sealant and the pump design allows the sacking of air bubbles on suction side and their removal on exhaust side. Why choose liquid ring pump in power industry The power industry such as geothermal, coal and nuclear plants operate using the Rankine cycle where heat is used to boil water to superheated steam which in turn rotates turbines at very high speed and torque. The turbine in turn rotates the generator providing electricity. The need for liquid ring pumps in coal, nuclear and geothermal plants arise from two main activities. First there is need to remove gaseous films and exhaust gases from the steam and water entering the boiler. Secondly, there is need to remove gases from the condenser. The liquid ring vacuum pump is reliable, durable, efficient and can used for heavy duty applications. The pump requires no seal between the rotating parts and this reduces wear and maintenance costs. Boiler feed water de-aeration system The boiler in power generation is used to heat water to form steam. The feed water pumped to the boiler must be free of air to increase feed pump efficiency and eliminate difficulties of pumping water and air together. A liquid ring pump is fitted to remove the remaining steam and ensure that only liquid water goes to the feed pump. Use of liquid ring pump in condenser air extraction system After steam expands in turbine, it loses it enthalpy, pressure and temperature. It therefore cools to form a mix of water and vapor. At the condenser, further cooling occurs. The pump is mounted at exhaust of the condenser. These pumps maintain a vacuum at the condenser side preventing turbine back pressure (condenser air hogging), remove any non condensable air and maintain a slight vacuum (holding). Single and double stage ring pump can be used depending on the plant size. Since the pump uses water, most water vapor will condense and non condensable air is eliminated. The slight vacuum at condenser prevents pressure build up at the turbine exhaust ensuring that all steam is used to provide mechanical power to run the turbine and genset. Use of liquid ring pump in priming of condenser water box The condenser accumulates air bubbles on top of cooling tubes and this reduces the heat exchanger efficiency, increase water pumping energy and creates air locks. Liquid ring pumps are the best to prime the system and eliminate air bubbles since they cannot be corroded. Efficient flue gas extraction and desulphurization and filtration Power plants utilizing fossil fuels, coal and waste biomass materials emit sulfur and other poisonous gases. Vacuum pumps are used to provide a vacuum filtering on flue gas desulphurization system before the gases are emitted through the stack. This process removes water vapor from gypsum and other ashes that can be recovered as dry materials. This article has been posted by .
Victor Ostrovsky logo image Glossary Of Terms Wash: Used in watercolor painting, brush drawing, and occasionally in oil painting to describe a broad thin layer of diluted pigment or ink. Also refers to a drawing made in this technique. Watercolor: A water-based paint that is a translucent wash of pigment; a painting produced with watercolors. Wet-on-wet: A painting technique that is well-known as being the primary method of painting used by Bob Ross. Since lighter colors will usually mix with darker colors if laid over top of them while wet, the technique relies on painting from light colors up. This gives the painting a soft look, and allows the colors to be blended to the painter's desire. Zinc white: A common white pigment, zinc white is a brilliant white synthetically derived from the metal zinc.
How do I Calculate Annuity Interest? Article Details • Written By: Deanira Bong • Edited By: A. Joseph • Last Modified Date: 17 October 2017 • Copyright Protected: Conjecture Corporation • Print this Article Free Widgets for your Site/Blog When you invest in an annuity, you put a fixed amount of money into an investment vehicle at the beginning or end of several fixed time periods. At the end of the investment duration, you get the maturity value of the annuity, which is the amount you invested plus interest. To find the amount of annuity interest, you first need to calculate the maturity value of the annuity, then subtract it by the amount of money you invested. To do these calculations, you need to know the amount of money per payment, the number of payments, the length of each payment period and the interest rate. You easily can understand the concept behind calculating annuity interest if you know basic compound interest. When you invest money in an account that accumulates compound interest, you get interest on the principal and the previously accumulated interest. In other words, the amount of interest you get at the end of each period increases the longer your money sits in the investment vehicle. For example, if you have $100 US Dollars that is earning 5 percent interest annually, at the end of the first year, you will have $105 USD. At the end of the second year, you will get 5 percent interest on $105 USD, which means that you will have $110.25 USD. Your money will grow by only $5 USD in the first year, but it will grow by $5.25 USD in the second year. The amount of interest you get increases with time, and you can calculate the value of your investment at the end of any period using the following formula: initial investment x (1 + interest rate per period)number of periods. In our example, the calculation for the second year is: 100 x (1 + 0.05)2 = 110.25. With annuities, you need to carry out more sophisticated calculations because you add money each period. You could use the compound interest formula to calculate each payment separately, but such long calculations could become unmanageable. For easier calculations, use this formula: maturity value of annuity = payment per period x [((1+interest rate per period)number of periods - 1) / interest rate per period]. After finding the maturity value, you have to use only this simple formula to find the annuity interest: maturity value - (number of periods x payment per period). Let's say that you invest $100 USD at the end of each year into an annuity that has a life of eight years at an interest rate of 5 percent per year. You can calculate the maturity value by plugging the numbers into the formula: 100 x [((1 + 0.05)8 - 1) / 0.05] = 954.91. At the end of eight years, after contributing $100 USD at the end of each year, you will have $954.91 USD. In other words, in this case, your annuity interest over the eight years will be 954.91 - (8 x 100) = 154.91, or $154.91 USD. In these examples, we assume that you make payments at the end of each period, which is the basic annuity calculation. However, some annuities have payments at the beginning of each period. In such a case, the formula to calculate the maturity value of annuity becomes: payment per period x [((1 + interest rate per period)number of periods + 1 - 1) / interest rate per period]. Also, we assume that the annuity is an investment, but some annuities take the form of a promise to give you payments over a certain period of time instead — lotteries or pensions, for example. When calculating real annuities, you also often have to make an assumption regarding the interest rate, because interest rate fluctuates. You might also Like Discuss this Article Post your comments Post Anonymously forgot password?
How do I Improve my Auditory Skills? Article Details • Written By: Matthew F. • Edited By: C. Wilborn • Last Modified Date: 17 September 2017 • Copyright Protected: Conjecture Corporation • Print this Article Free Widgets for your Site/Blog Auditory skills are those that focus on sound detection, sound identification, sound discrimination, and the comprehension of sound. In basic terms, this means to hear, identify, and understand sounds. Most auditory work is done with children, but adults can improve their skills too. You can improve your auditory skills by listening and playing music, having conversations and identifying different tones of voice, and practicing identifying the differences between similar sounds. Before trying to improve a person's auditory skills, it's important to identify any problems that he or she may have with hearing or understanding. One example is Auditory Processing Disorder (APD), a condition that inhibits a person from processing information they hear. A person with APD is able to detect sounds, but the ears and the brain do not work together to interpret and comprehend the auditory signal, especially speech signals. When placed in a noisy environment, a person with APD would have a much more difficult time picking out speech amidst other external noise than they would in an optimal listening environment. An audiologist can determine if a person has APD. If a child has APD or another auditory condition, there are a number of things that can be done to improve his or her auditory skills. The child should be healthy and not suffering from any other auditory impairment, however, or else these practices might not work. Letting the child listen to a wide range of different types of music and assisting in his or her music appreciation is a good way to begin improving auditory skills. Playing and singing songs and rhymes can help a child learn to detect different sounds and coordinate the recognition of different tones between the ear and the brain. Simple conversation with a child is also very helpful in building his or her auditory skills. When having a conversation, you might have the child respond in different intensities of voice to make sure he or she is able to hear specific sound intensities. Having a child respond in specific voice intonations, such as the voice inflection used in asking a question, is also beneficial to improving a child's auditory skills. It is possible for adults to improve their auditory skills as well, but can be more difficult. An adult has already established the neurological framework in the brain, so it is more difficult to change in adulthood. A child's brain is much more "plastic" in neurological terms than an adult's brain, meaning a child's brain changes and adapts more easily. An adult may participate in the same type of exercises as children, however, and also gain benefit from it. Listening to music, especially tone recognition, can help improve your auditory skills in terms of strengthening the relationship between the ear and the brain. Practicing conversation can also be beneficial, if you listen carefully to how different people use vocal queues to express meaning. You might also Like Discuss this Article Post 3 @pastanaga - I think that's more like auditory memory skills or comprehension and concentration, rather than straight auditory skills. Most people automatically gain very good auditory skills as children just from normal stimulus and don't really need to focus on making them better. But if you've got a child who wasn't spoken to very often for whatever reason, or a child with some kind of disorder they will need extra help, which an audiologist can recommend. Post 2 @umbra21 - Usually it will be fairly obvious if there is a problem with someone's ears and kids do get checked in most of the world if anyone suspects a problem. I've always had difficulty taking in information through my ears and I always thought there would be a mild processing disorder if they checked, but I had it done recently and there isn't one. So I think auditory skills can be just a matter of some people being better at understanding what they hear than others. I've recently started listening to audio books while I walk and that seems to have improved my concentration a great deal. Post 1 My sister is an audiologist and since she has become and expert on this kind of thing I've been surprised to find out how many people actually have difficulty with their auditory processing skills. There is a wide battery of tests she can do to see whether you have hearing loss or if there is a problem with the way your brain communicates with your ears. If there is, then you might have problems with processing sound or understanding when people speak. I don't remember ever having this kind of test done before (although I know most people get a basic test when they are a baby) and it seems like a mistake not to get it done on every child just in case their difficulty learning is actually an ear problem. Post your comments Post Anonymously forgot password?
Friendship Among Cats, Birds & Foxes antlered deer leaving It’s a sad thing to look at animals as just things that do things because of what’s done to them. Naturally, a feeder filled with seed will attract birds; and a feeder, once full of seeds, now empty, will tend to lose the birds it had previously attracted. This mechanical outlook of animal behavior doesn’t take into account how happy they are flitting and flying back forth. It doesn’t regard the swoop of their flight as happy. It ignores the sheer numbers of these feathered friends of ours, their turn-taking around the feeder’s mesh, their playground-like antics around the feeding perches, and even their occasional bullying. The other view is that such creatures, essentially without mind, have been anthropomorphized—that such creatures of mere want and instinct are being seen through human eyes and given, by us, human attributes, attributes that are only, or especially human. But this seems all very backwards. Ancient peoples long sought to be part of the animal world, for the different traits different animals possessed, to honor and even themselves acquire sundry animal characteristics they looked up to. This is not to oppose the quintessence of dust that also makes us human—speech and memory-making past our own mortal existences being the peculiar trait and characteristic of our own species. Though to think that a cat who climbs over a bedside table, and, placing its paws with its claws pulled in, purrs there on the chest of the reclining human being it lies upon merely to eke out the next meal, this is not only shallow and obtuse and reductively crass, but quite willingly and even forcefully overlooks the simplest and most obvious thing of all: the cat likes you! Why is this so hard? And this comes about, too, because the person likes the cat. It is, rather, the kindness—not the hellish realm of feared punishment, nor the heavenly aspect of hoped-for reward—that makes this what it is: a harmonious and desirable relationship between animals and human beings. This was the surprise lesson the Fox taught The Little Prince, and how what becomes friendship between them becomes the responsibility, really, later on, of both of them. Leave a Reply You are commenting using your account. Log Out / Change ) Twitter picture Facebook photo Google+ photo Connecting to %s
Credit cards protection Scientists are busy for getting new technologies and looking for better ways to defend credit cards and mobile transactions from hacking. The new technologies focus on securing the Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) technology used in passports, credit cards and online transactions. The technology, which allows fast, automated identification of physical objects, is also an essential for many industries, factories and warehouses use it to track inventory and manage supply chains pharmaceutical companies deploy it to truck drugs, and courier service uses it to tag deliveries. UPI to be available offline to make digital payments Li Yingjiu, associate professor at the Singapore Management University (SMU), said, “A security crack in RFID applications would leak valuable information about physical objects to unauthorised parties.” Since RFID tags work by spreading information to electronic RFID readers, security breaks can occur if hackers eavesdrop on this conversation, and manage to gain access to or tamper with information. However, to protect communications between tags and readers, scientists are designing and testing new RFID protocols with enriched security features. These techniques include making the protocol’s output volatile, making two tags fuzzy to the hacker, and stopping hackers from finding useful information. In addition, there are many examples where sharing of RFID information between suppliers and retailers, for example, or between several components of an internet of things would have obvious benefits. Moreover, without proper security controls, many companies would be unwilling to make valuable data readily available. To point out this situation, researchers are also scheming improved access control mechanisms that protect RFID information when it is shared on the internet. For every day functions like banking transactions, card transactions and other payments smartphones are suing vastly, and the security is very important in that area.
Toxic Feelings Make Me Sick You are here:>>>>>>>>Toxic Feelings Make Me Sick Toxic Feelings Make Me Sick by Hope Rehab Team The topic at a glance • A toxic feeling is a negative unresolved emotion such as stress or anger. • Suppressing difficult emotions like anger cause toxicosis in the brain and leads to anxiety, depression and trigger the need to self-medicate. • Addiction only increases toxic feelings. What are Toxic feelings? A toxic emotion in Psychiatry is a negative unprocessed/unresolved emotion – e.g. stress and anger, with an adverse effect on a person’s mental and physical health. Toxic emotions are feelings that cause you pain and impede happiness. Rage, hatred, guilt, shame, self-loathing, regret, bitterness, and resentment build up affecting the body’s organs and natural processes and breeding even more negative emotions. Also these same Toxic feelings are linked to high blood pressure, stress, anxiety, headaches, poor circulation, heart attacks and stroke. Suppressing difficult emotions like anger cause toxicosis in the brain and leads to anxiety, depression and trigger the need to self-medicate. Neurochemicals (noradrenalin) are stored up and if not cleared by healthy process can lead to serious mental and physical health issues. In CBT psychologists identify two kinds of negative emotions Healthy negative emotions; Sadness, concern, healthy anger, regret, disappointment, and concerns about relationships. Unhealthy negative emotions: Depression, anxiety, unhealthy anger, shame, hurt, jealousy, envy. Emotions become toxic when we try to resist or deny them. Avoiding an emotion means we are in a battle with reality, and this is always going to end badly. A good example of this would be resentment. If we attempt to ignore/deny a feeling of anger once it has been triggered (e.g. by trying to rationalize it away by thinking something like ‘it is silly to be angry over this’), it is like increasing steam inside of a pressure cooker – it is only a matter of time before the pressure from all of the ‘bottled up’ anger will cause an explosion. Fight or flight response on the central nervous system The 5 F’s – Flight, Fight, Freeze, Fidget, Faint – FEAR/UNSAFE response The hypothalamus tells the sympathetic nervous system to react. The body speeds up, tenses up and becomes generally hyper-alert, ready to defend itself – defensive mode. Toxic emotions initiate an extended fight or flight response. We react when we feel threatened or hurt priming the reptilian “fight or flight” the adrenal medulla produces a hormonal cascade that results in the secretion of catecholamines, especially norepinephrine and epinephrine. The hormones estrogen, testosterone and cortisol, and the neurotransmitters in the brain, leading to… • Acceleration of heart and breathing. • Paling and/or flushing of completion. • Inhibition of digestion. • Dilation of blood vessels. • Dilation of pupils. • Inhibition of erection. • Nervous shaking. • Tunnel vision (loss of peripheral vision). When I think of toxic feelings, I think of shame, guilt and remorse. They may feel like a true burden to those that are plagued by such feelings. They seem toxic as it’s as if there is no escape from them, and a feeling such as shame truly is toxic as it doesn’t seem to serve any purpose. At least with feelings of guilt and remorse they remind or prompt a person to later make amends and shows that a person has a conscience and is a good way of signaling when some harm has been caused. Though with shame it seems to go deeper and it’s not necessarily about what a person has done, like with guilt, but more about how the person views themselves. It’s almost like no matter what they do, however much they thrive outwardly, they are still left with this ever pervading toxic feeling of shame, that they are no good. If I could I would get rid of the feeling of shame altogether, and I suppose that is what I try and do in some of the work I do with clients, help them to have a more balanced view of themselves. Acting out on an addiction, be it drugs, sex, food, gambling, etc. only compounds such toxic feelings of guilt, shame and remorse and leaves a person feeling worse about themselves every time they act out on their addiction. Short term gain from the initial high of using/drinking/doing leading to long term pain of the consequences the feelings one is left with. The worse a person feels, the more a person will use, repeat cycle ad infinitum. One other toxic feeling that just niggles away and builds and grows, and is related to this cycle, is resentment. Resentment just seems to fester away over time. A person may start to resent themselves when caught in the seemingly never ending cycle of active addiction and again this just leads to more feelings of guilt, shame, remorse and even hate. These feelings truly feel toxic to the one experiencing them, and it can seem like there is no remedy for such toxicity inside oneself. That’s why they say recovery is an inside job, as it doesn’t matter what you have externally, it’s how you feel about yourself that matters. Recovery is paramount. The main feelings that I feel can be toxic are rage, hatred, resentment and they all stem from dealing with and expressing anger (which is a healthy emotion) in an unhealthy way. This is learned and conditioned behaviour e.g. how we see anger expressed in the home by our parents, physical or emotional abuse (which they also learned from their upbringing etc). So we either put a lid on our anger because it is “bad” and “dangerous” but things then fester leading to resentment and depression (anger turned inwards) or we lash out physically or verbally at anyone because we don’t know how to contain it and this is “normal” for us. (This also can happen when a lid is put on anger for too long, explosion) Another toxic feeling I believe is lust, obsession, desire (e.g. sex addiction and other addictions). Getting to the point where we are practically drooling with desire. We need this “something” so bad it hurts not to have it. Needing instant gratification. All we have is a constantly unfulfilled void (The Hungry Ghost). Never satiated, satisfied. Always feeling empty and hollow as if there is always something missing. I feel a lot of this stems from sexual abuse, normalising of pornography, unhealthy home environment, not feeling that we are enough as we are, the we “need” something” and that the grass is always greener etc. This results also in geographicals e.g. I’ll feel better somewhere else, with someone else, with this drug or that” Always looking exteriorly for peace and happiness because what we feel inside is anything but that. Was this information useful? Please help us by sharing it on social media. Other Topics That Might Interest You Recovering as Adult Children of Alcoholics Growing up with an addicted parent is like living with Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde – one minute the parent can be loving, and the next demonic. It changes us,and these changes follow us into adulthood, but as we begin to heal, we can take something positive from the experience. Sleepless in Recovery: Insomnia and what really helps Insomnia and addictions recovery go hand in hand. Having sleep problems is also a major risk factor for relapse. This blog post focuses on the definition, causes, symptoms as well as effective treatment for insomnia and techniques that will help you get a good night's rest: Boundaries: How I learned to say ‘No’ the hard way What are healthy boundaries and how do they work? This blog post focuses on why boundaries are crucial, the dangers of not sticking to them - especially in recovery and how to implement boundaries with the people that get to us the most - our family members. A field report: Anxiety, and why you are not going crazy Struggling with anxiety disorder can feel like being trapped in hell. However, there is a way out. It's not only possible to recovery, but also to thrive. This blog post discusses challenges & problems and provides you with 12 healthy coping strategies for dealing with anyiety.
Find a Hotel Bolton History! Bolton Origins After the Norman Conquest of Britain, Bolton was given by William the Conqueror in 1067 to Roger de Pitou, whose family, the Montgomerys, held it until 1200 when it passed by marriage to the Earl of Derby. The coat of arms shows an arrow (or "bolt") through a crown. The arrow may have referred to the key role which Bolton archers are said to have played in the defeat of the Scots at Flodden Field in 1513. The crown itself represents the wooden stockade which surrounded the Saxon village - known as a "tun" or "ton" (the origin of the word town) - hence "bolt-tun". In 1251, William de Ferrers obtained a Royal Charter from king Henry III for a market and fair to be held in Bolton. By 1253, Bolton had been granted another Charter making it a free borough and a market town. It still boasts one of the largest and finest shopping centres of any of the towns around Manchester - from the new shopping complex at Knowsley Street to the big Market Hall, and the excellent fish and vegetable markets at Moor Lane. Bolton during the Civil War In the 17th century, Bolton was a Puritan stronghold and sided with the Parliamentarian cause against the Royalists. It is said that the Civil War began in Preston, the first battle was in Manchester, but at Bolton the fight was bloodier and at its most intense. Bolton suffered three attacks during the Civil War, led by James Stanley, the Earl of Derby and Prince Rupert. Bolton finally fell to the Royalists in 1644 when their forces entered the town and carried out the only massacre of the Civil Wars. After the war, when the Royalist cause was lost, Derby was tried and sentenced for the massacre. Ye Olde Man & Scythe pub, (pictured above left) is the site of the execution of James, the seventh Earl of Derby in 1651. A cross outside the pub bears plaques which relate stories of Bolton through the ages. Until the 19th century, Bolton was properly known as "Bolton-le-Moors" and the Parish Church of St Peters is still officially called "St. Peter's, Bolton-le-Moors". Before 1830, the town was run by 2 authorities, Great Bolton with 40 representatives, and Little Bolton with 30, the two separated by the River Croal. Locally, the trustees for Great Bolton were known as the "Forty Thieves". Its wealth was built on textiles; Flemish émigré weavers settled in Bolton around 1337 and introduced spinning and weaving to the area, as well as bringing clogs, which were absorbed into the local culture. Cotton spinning and weaving was a large concern, employing over 15,000 men and 21,000 women by 1911. By 1929 Bolton had 216 cotton mills and 26 bleaching and dyeing works. Sadly the 20th century decline in the Lancashire cotton industry took a heavy toll on Bolton's workforce - by the 1980s it had fallen to around 2,500 men and women. Bolton's Eight Townships Bolton Borough is made up of eight towns : Farnworth, Kearsley, Blackrod, Little Lever, Westhoughton, Horwich, South Turton and Bolton; presently it has a population of around 261,000 and covers an area of some 54 square miles - 93,000 people presently work in the borough.
Visionry Scientist Think Very Small In A Very Big Way December 09, 1988\|By Jon Van, Science writer. Scientists planning for the next technology revolution have this advice: Think small. Very small. Just as miniaturization in electronics dramatically altered the tools of modern society and resulted in an array of products from laptop computers to cellular telephones, scientists predict a similar revolution in mechanics. Micromotors, devices so tiny you will need a microscope to see them, may be just around the corner, according to prophets of the new microtechnology. These minuscule motors will power gears the size of a human hair, and those gears will have teeth about as large as a single white blood cell. Such machines may be manufactured by the thousands at a cost of 10 for a penny. ``We are at the same place with this technology that the computer industry stood 40 years ago,`` microtechnology guru George Hazelrigg of the National Science Foundation told a recent Chicago meeting of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. Micromotors could power tiny surgical equipment that would be carried in ultra-thin tubes, called catheters, inserted through blood vessels. That would expand vastly the concept of microsurgery, making possible therapies that don`t require incisions and permitting work in areas now inaccessible to the surgeon`s scalpel. Artificial hands and fingers powered by hundreds or thousands of tiny machines could become the next generation of artificial limbs. Capsules containing microchips, sensors and micromotors could dispense medication continuously, adjusting the dosage as a person`s condition changed. Also, tiny science laboratories operated by robots could be designed for space exploration, greatly reducing the payload weight carried by rockets. Scientists readily admit that their speculation doesn`t begin to include all the potential uses of micromotors, but they predict that the impact of such devices will be as great as that of the miniaturized microchip in electronics. The idea isn`t new. In a 1959 speech called ``There`s Plenty of Room at the Bottom,`` the late Nobel Prize-winning physicist Richard Feynman urged colleagues at a meeting of the American Physical Society to think about building tiny machines. But in the last two years, scientists and engineers have begun to build micromotors that work. They have borrowed heavily from the silicon technology used by the electronics industry and say the time has come for researchers to begin developing an independent micromechanical technology. The National Science Foundation last year spent $1 million funding research in the field-a sum that should double in the coming year, Hazelrigg said. What the new technology needs now, he added, is broad, stepped-up research to gather information on such things as new materials best adapted for micromachines and the effect scaling down has on friction, lubrication and other mechanical operations that change in the world of the very small. Although other countries, including Japan, appear interested in microdynamics, the United States clearly is the first to explore this field, which Hazelrigg said could contribute to a resurgence of U.S. industrial competitiveness in the next century. Dr. Steve Charles of the Center for Engineering Applications in Memphis told the engineers that micromachines are a must for new microsurgery advances. Charles, a surgeon and inventor of microsurgery apparatus, said current medical technology is reaching the limits of miniaturization for use by humans: a surgeon`s sense of touch isn`t sensitive enough, or his hand steady enough, to manipulate the super-small equipment with the precision it is designed to achieve. By inventing computer-driven microequipment with sensors and tiny motors, engineers could provide surgeons with the tools they need to perform delicate operations near the brain, in the inner ear or next to vital nerves that just aren`t possible with current equipment, Charles said. Micromechanical devices will only carry out tasks involving physical force, such as pushing and pulling. They won`t be just tiny replicas with the broad, electronically driven capability of full-sized machines. The micromotors that have been built at universities and at AT&T Bell Laboratories are electrostatic motors, for example, and work on a different principle from the electromagnetic motors that make the blades revolve in an office fan. ``Instead of horsepower, we think of `horsefly power,` `` joked Steve Jacobsen, a University of Utah researcher, who also addressed the mechanical engineers meeting. Micromachines activated by electrical and magnetic fields have been designed, Jacobsen said, and the new technology will challenge engineering imagination. Just as important as building tiny motors is designing microsensors to monitor the microworld and report on what micromachines are doing. Creating equipment to enable humans to see and control machines working in an environment nearly as small as a large molecule will be as difficult and important as building the tiny machines themselves, experts agree. Scientists and engineers who do research in robotics are leading the way in making micromachines. They expect that using systems made from hundreds of tiny sensors and motors will provide the precise, delicate movement needed for robots to imitate human touch. Only a handful of university and industrial labs are doing research into micromechanics, but many others are expected to join the field soon. ``A lot of universities have all the equipment they need just lying around,`` noted William Trimmer, a researcher at AT&T Bell Laboratories. ``All they need is people who have the skills.``
Monday, 17 October 2016 Stormont House SPEAKER'S HOUSE (now known as Stormont House), a neo-Georgian two-storey red-brick building located within the Stormont Estate to the south-east of Parliament Buildings, was built in 1926. Speaker’s House was the first building to be erected as part of the redevelopment of the Stormont Estate in east Belfast. Following the Government of Ireland Act (1920) Stormont Castle estate was selected as the home of the newly-formed Northern Ireland Government and Parliament. The Stormont Estate was acquired by the Commissioners of Public Works and Buildings of HM Government in 1921 at a cost of £20,334 (ca £900,000 in 2015). However, the Parliament Buildings were not completed and opened until 1932. The architect chosen to design Speaker’s House was Ralph Knott (1878-1929), a partner in Knott & Collins. Knott is best known for designing London County Hall opposite Westminster, and was originally selected by the Board of Works to design the Parliament Buildings. He was, however, replaced as architect by Arnold Thornely. Despite losing the contract for designing the main block of Parliament Buildings, Knott was still contracted to design a pair of parallel administration blocks that would accommodate the civil service offices. Knott did, nevertheless, complete Speaker’s House in 1926. Following the partition of Ireland, architecture in Ulster did not immediately follow modern trends but embraced a neo-Georgian revival. Hugh Dixon, MBE, states that buildings of this type possessed their own distinct identities, but derived some elements from earlier buildings in Ulster. Speaker’s House, along with T F O Rippingham’s contemporary series of police stations, possesses features such as a hipped roof, Georgian multi-pane glazing and side chimneys. Focussing on Rippingham’s police stations, Mr Dixon wrote that neo-Georgian architecture was popular in newly-formed Northern Ireland as the style ‘was an environmental success, blending with the older buildings along the streets of Ulster’s towns, or taking its place quietly in more isolated country situations." In the case of Speaker’s House, it was clear that the neo-Georgian style could also be successfully applied to state buildings, remarked Mr Dixon. Speaker’s House was the official residence of the Speaker of the NI House of Commons until 1945, when the present Lord Dunleath's grandfather, Sir Harry Mulholland Bt MP, retired. Thereafter, it became the residence of the Prime Minister of Northern Ireland, Sir Basil Brooke Bt (Sir Harry Mulholland's brother-in-law). Sir Harry purchased Sir Basil's town residence, Storbrooke, on Massey Avenue, thereby effectively doing a house-swap. Since the devolution of government, Stormont House is no longer the Speaker's residence. It is now used by the Northern Ireland Office. The building was extended in the 1970s when a large two-storey administration complex was added to its eastern side. First published in October, 2014. I am grateful to the Lord Dunleath and DOENI Historic Buildings branch for information regarding Stormont House. 1 comment : Lord Dunleath said... The Speakers House was used as such until I believe 1945 when the then speaker Sir Harry Mulholland retired. It then became the residence of the Prime Minister, and I visited Viscount Brookeborough there on a number of occasions in the early 1960s. Sir Harry had in the meanwhile bought Lord Brookeborough's town house, Storbrooke, so it was essentially a swap of houses.
Everything we humans do are performed by the use of muscles. Even blinking or breathing uses muscles. You see, unlike blinking, which only takes 3 muscles, taking one single step uses 200 voluntary muscles! Now to fully comprehend this, you might want to know how many muscles there are in a human body. Now, there is no exact number, but the estimated amount is 640. So you surely do use a lot of your total muscles in your body! Leave a Reply.
Questions from kids These questions come from the forth grade Sunday School Class at The Eliot Church in Natick, MA. The Eliot Church is a liberal Christian congregation affiliated with the Unitarian Universalist Association and the United Church of Christ. The answers provided here were given by their pastor, the Rev. Adam Tierney-Eliot. Why do people get baptized? Why doesn’t taking a shower count? The reasons for people getting baptized are many. In some traditions, it is seen as a cleansing or washing away of sins. In our church, most people think of it as a chance to present a child or adult to the congregation or community (like a family) to which he or she belongs. During the ritual (also sometimes called a “dedication”), the community formally recognizes that person as a member and promises to care for that person. Jesus was baptized by John in the River Jordan. That is why this particular John is called “the baptizer” (or “Baptist”). Because of this, some traditions prefer to baptize people by “dunking” them in a body of water like a lake, river or ocean. In some churches there is even a small pool or large bathtub where people can get baptized! At Eliot, we usually just sprinkle some water on the person’s forehead and say a couple prayers. In either case, people tend to feel that the ritual is important and there should be witnesses. This is why taking a shower doesn’t count! However, no one has to be baptizedIt is worth noting that many members and friends of the Eliot Church never are. This is OK, too. Baptism is not a requirement for someone to belong to our church. Also, being baptized does not necessarily make a person “better” than someone else. It is just something that is important to that person and his or her parents. It is optional. Why are there different religions? Religions are formed when people have questions that they cannot answer in other ways. For example “why is there evil in the world?” “Why do people die?” “How do I live a good life?” Also, before the advent of science and the methods used to make scientific discoveries, religion had to answer other questions like “How did the planet get here?” “Why are there so many different animals?” or “what makes people sick?” People answer all these questions in different ways at different times. So…there are different religions! Some religions believe in God or a larger number of gods. Other religions don’t believe in God but instead in some overarching theme or idea. Why do we have a tree at Christmas? Why do we color eggs? Some of our traditions come from earlier religions. Bringing a tree or bush into you home started way before Christmas was a holiday and had to do with certain festivals celebrated by European tribes at that time. It is meant to symbolize the presence of life in a time when most living things are hibernating. These early traditions were centered on nature and the cycles of the seasons. The egg, which symbolizes new life at the end of winter has similar origins. Why do we get candy at Easter? Candy at Easter and Halloween, just like Valentine’s Day cards, have more to do with people wanting to sell us stuff. Still kinda fun though, isn’t it? Why is it called “Good Friday”? No one is exactly sure. One theory is that the word “good” got confused with the word “God”. This is the same reason why we say “good-bye”. In most languages, the name used for Good Friday has to do with mourning and sadness. Why do clergy wear robes? Good question. Not all ministers, priests and rabbis do wear robes and those who do wear them for different reasons depending on their tradition. In the Unitarian Universalist tradition and in the United Church of Christ, we wear them (when we actually do wear them, which is not all the time) as a symbol of our education. It is the same sort of robe that lawyers (in England) and judges (here as well as in England) sometimes wear and it is meant to convey a sense of authority based on advanced studies in (in the case of clergy) religion. In some other traditions the ministers wear them to indicate that their authority comes from God. This is not our tradition. People at Eliot Church believe that everyone has as much a right as the minister to interpret God’s actions in the world and in their lives. The minister just happens to have gone to school to learn how to help people with their own unique spiritual journeys. Why do People say “Jesus is Lord”? That’s actually not a phrase that we use too much at our church. It has a couple of meanings, however, that aren’t exactly the same. One interpretation is that it means “Jesus is God” or a part of a God with three different aspects (the Father, the Son (Jesus) and the Holy Spirit). The other interpretation is that Jesus is a ruler or king. Of course, since he was born very poor, died young, and was never king of anything during his lifetime, it is an idea that stands for something else. In fact, what we are often try to say with this phrase is that we should use Jesus’ teachings to order our lives on earth. That is, though Jesus isn’t walking around, what he stood for and what he taught should rule the way we live. Some people in our church believe in both these concepts. Some believe one. Some believe neither of them. How do we know when Jesus is born? We don’t know, really, when Jesus was born. We know within a few years (sometime between 1 and about 3 or 5 CE) when he was born. However, we do not really know the day. Christmas was moved to December 25 relatively late in the history of Christianity in order to compete with/be a part of the solstice celebrations that people usually had on the shortest day of the year. In fact, when the Pilgrims and Puritans came to Massachusetts, they did not celebrate Christmas, believing that the early holidays were tainted by non-Christian practices. After a while, however, people loosened up because it was so much fun.
Substance over sound bites The First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution guarantees the right to free speech and free press. It is incredibly beneficial to have a free flow of ideas and opinions in a democratic society. Moreover, expressing those ideas in the form of a debate can be intellectually stimulating and quite entertaining. Unfortunately, the way in which views are exchanged in American media are often extremely combative. The debate over important topics becomes more of a show than an interchange of intelligent thoughts and beliefs. The structure and format of political media creates an atmosphere where the intense argument between conflicting viewpoints overshadows the ideas themselves. Television shows like The O’Reilly Factor that are meant to discuss relevant news topics, turn political discussion into a warzone when the screen is filled with three to five talking heads all viciously competing to talk over one another in an attempt to get their points across. The integrity of the debate is tarnished when these individuals clearly show their contempt for the opinions of others, and sometimes make a spectacle of themselves as their emotions start to control their words and actions. This is not because journalists or political figures are naturally angry people, but because the format of the show they are on fuels their intense reactions. The creators or hosts of the show bring on guests who possess radically conflicting ideologies to discuss extremely controversial topics to spark a debate that will attract viewers who are drawn to fierce quarrels, rather than the substance of the dispute. It becomes a theater. The purpose is to entertain, not inform. CNN’s Crossfire literally constructed the desk used on the show in a shape that forces the speakers to face each other directly, in order to create a head-on atmosphere. This encouragement of confrontation creates escalated conflict that takes away from the real issues that are being discussed. Seeing the correspondents point their fingers, raise their voices and shake their heads makes it clear that in each episode, they are more focused on defeating their opponents than building on facts and finding solutions to problems. Verbally trashing the opposing political party on television or the radio does nothing but deepen party divisions. Of course there is always a place for entertainment in politics. Certain comedians, journalists and television hosts use their intelligence to satirize and mock the American political system in a way that everyone can enjoy. However, those people are clear about their intentions when reporting and discussing issues. Networks and newspapers that claim to be leaders in broadcasting political news have an obligation to do so in a manner that is tasteful and appropriate to their role in the media. It is admirable to see reporters and columnists who are passionate about the affairs of our nation, but it has reached a point where the line between passion and fury is difficult to discern. When a discussion becomes violent and riddled with hate, open discussion becomes a detrimental aspect of the American political system. Political debate can be fervent, and those who believe strongly in their ideas certainly have the right to speak ardently about them. But when the expression of ideas becomes so heated that it takes away from the substance of the argument, debate brings down the American political system, rather than lifting it up. Journalists have the responsibility to report important topics and discuss their views on them. They should challenge politicians and government officials. Sometimes, that requires being pretty rough in order to hold people accountable and speak the truth. However, they should strive to remain focused on using their influence to find answers and inspire people, rather than tear others down. The media is an important tool in American society, and it should be used for valuable purposes: to spread information and provide a channel for the free flow of ideas. David Hourin ’17 is from Austin, Texas. He lives in Morgan.
Preventing Cancer By Tom Roebuck December 4, 2009 5 min read Despite decades of research, the origins of cancer remain a mystery. Advancements in treatments have increased the survival rates for many forms of cancer, but what causes cancer in the first place is still unclear. The link between smoking and many cancers has been well-known for some time now, and family history is considered a key factor. Countless studies have been devoted to discovering how cancers develop from just about every angle, including the effects of living near power lines, getting too much sun and exposure to household cleaning products. With this onslaught of information, it is understandable when people become overwhelmed and conclude that there's not much that can be done to prevent cancer besides saying no to smoking. However, the choices we make, especially regarding diet and exercise, can either help us or haunt us. "A lot of people think they don't have much control over their risk, but they really do," says Colleen Doyle, director of nutrition and physical activity at the American Cancer Society. "They have more than they think." Diet plays a crucial role in almost every health-related issue, and cancer is no exception. Though there is no direct link between a particular food and its ability to prevent or cause cancer, the evidence continues to mount that what we eat can reduce or increase our risk of developing cancer. The foods that most studies have found to help prevent cancer are the same nutrient-packed fruits and vegetables that are staples of a well-balanced diet. Broccoli, cauliflower, kale and other cruciferous vegetables may reduce the risk of breast, stomach and skin cancers. Berries contain antioxidants, which counteract, reduce and repair damage to cells. Orange fruits and vegetables -- such as carrots, sweet potatoes, cantaloupes and mangoes -- contain beta carotene, an antioxidant thought to protect cell membranes from damage. Beans are good sources of protein, making them good alternatives to red meat, which is associated with colon cancer. They're also low in calories and loaded with fiber. *Others include whole-grain bread, rice and pasta, fish, tomatoes, watermelon and garlic. However, it's probably not practical for most people to keep up with every new study that touts the latest cancer-fighting food. Doyle recommends a reasonable approach. "When you look at all the evidence, what it really points to is that it's the overall diet that we eat, not an individual food, that reduces our risk from cancer," Doyle says. "It really is the combination of plant food, whole grains and not eating a lot of red or processed meats." Because research continues to find that obesity can lead to several cancers, maintaining a healthy diet is especially important. Obese people tend to have poor diets and exercise habits -- which can lead to several chronic conditions -- but it is the higher levels of hormones that concern cancer experts. "We know there are certain hormones -- insulin, estrogen -- that tend to be associated with cell and tumor growth, and we know people who are overweight have higher levels of those circulating hormones," Doyle says. Soy products contain weak estrogenlike compounds, and some researchers have considered that if you eat more soy, your body will produce less estrogen. We know that estrogen has an effect on cell and tumor growth, so when your body produces lower levels, it may lessen your risk of developing hormone-related cancers, primarily breast and testicular cancers. However, there have been limited studies on how soy affects the body, and some researchers have found risk factors associated with soy that outweigh any positives. "The jury is still out on that," Doyle says. Even though beef and pork are on the list of foods to avoid, how you cook them can make a difference. Grilling meats at high temperatures can create carcinogens, but cooking meat in the oven at a lower temperature and then putting it on the grill for a short time lessens the risk and may result in more tenderness. Studies continue to find associations between alcohol and numerous cancers, including liver, breast, esophageal and oral cancers. The American Cancer Society, along with many other health organizations, recommends that women have no more than one drink per day and that men have no more than two. "Some of that evidence is getting stronger and stronger," Doyle says. Like it? Share it! • 0
Signs of Vitamin D Deficiency That You Shouldn’t Ignore to Prevent Severe Health Conditions – Healthy Tips Advice Naturally, our body utilizes the energy from the sun and metabolizes it inside our body to create Vitamin D which is needed for bone growth and cellular activity which requires energy. It only takes a little bit of exposure to the sun to absorb the adequate energy from its rays. It is believed that it only takes their arms and legs exposed to the sun for about ten minutes a day to get the required dose of the daily needed Vitamin D levels. According to Mercola, there are a lot of people who experience Vitamin D deficiency since the year 2000 up to the present. This is due to the majority of people who frequently stays indoor rather than outside. They also wear excessive sunscreen and sunblock on daily basis in fear of having a darker shade of skin tone. Older people, also produce less vitamin D in the body due to decreased cellular metabolism and deprived energy conversion of the skin from the sunlight. One factor that enables us to determine the deficiency of Vitamin D is through a blood test. Here are some signs and symptoms of having decreased Vitamin D in the body. Gets easily sick Vitamin D deficiency has been linked with the increased risk of having both upper and lower respiratory tract infections such as common cold and flu up to severe pneumonia and influenza infections which are explained by MedicineNet. Easy fatigability There are a lot of factors that might be the cause of getting easily tired. But if this symptom becomes frequent, it is best to assume to track the lack of Vitamin D in the body. Taking Vitamin D supplement would provide distinctive identification of present deficiency if the energy levels rise. Pain in the bones One of the most common complaints of people with Vitamin D deficiency is the feeling of pain inside the bones which is due to decreased utilization of calcium inside the body which makes it hard for it to be utilized in the collagen matrix in the bones that will reduce bone resorption. Brittle Bones Vitamin D is an essential nutrient for bone growth and bone strength which utilizes the calcium in the blood to reduce the risk of breakage and softening of the bone’s structure. Vitamin D deficiency will increase the risk of having osteoporosis and bone fractures, especially in the spine. Decreased sunlight exposure has been linked to depression in humans. Vitamin D has an important role in regulating hormones such as adrenaline, noradrenaline, and dopamine in the brain which affects the levels serotonin. The increased gain in weight could be a significant factor on having Vitamin D deficiency although it may be related to the type of diet you are having or it is related with the prevailing health condition that you might have. Even though it is really vague to point out the definitive explanation on the relationship between Vitamin D deficiency and weight gain, it is proven that having Vitamin D supplements would aid in weight loss while having proper diet and exercise. Slow wound healing Vitamin D is essential for the body to heal faster from wounds and tissue injury. Vitamin D is needed in reducing inflammation and prevent infection which could decrease the rate of healing. Increased perspiration Vitamin D deficiency provides symptoms of head sweating according to Mercola. Inability to regulate the body temperature and forehead sweating is linked with Vitamin D deficiency among adults. Weak muscles According to reports from a study in Harvard, adults treated with Vitamin D had greater muscle efficiency and 20% lesser risk for fall. Muscle sores Having low levels of Vitamin D are somehow linked with muscle pain. According to a study from Authority Nutrition, 71% of people with chronic muscle pain was discovered and 57% of the respondents have felt relief after being treated with Vitamin D supplements. These things must be identified early to avoid worsening of the condition that is connected with Vitamin D deficiency. It has been told that exposed skin bathing in a little sunlight could provide effective results but eat a healthy diet with loads of Vitamin D. If you are having deficiency from this type of Vitamins, it is best to consult your medical doctor to provide the required assessment and proper medication. Please follow and like us: Enjoy this blog? Please spread the word :)
Materials on how to write good texts are found here. I have collected videos, links and questions to discuss. My view is that writing is a creative process that needs time and harmony. We can’t force ideas to present themselves, but we can plan so that they have a chance to come! Much of what is discussed in my teaching is collected in this Prezi-ntation: https://prezi.com/mygpzegqm09m/essay-writing-tips/ Below please find the materials organised under these five headings (corresponding to the video tutorials further down): Here is the first video on the Essay Writing Process (The Research Process): Questions on the contents of the FIRST video: 1. How can you facilitate your Writing process? 2. What can be your unique contribution with your essay? 3. What are the six levels in Bloom’s taxonomy? 4. What are the four Project phases? 5. How can you work in the first phase? 6. How can you seek info in a less theoretical way? 7. What is the purpose of the the first quick info search? Questions on the contents of the SECOND video: 1. What do you need to do BEFORE starting your Word processor? 2. What are the advantages of CHAOS (in the beginning of the Writing process)? 3. In which way is the OUTLINE VIEW similar to a mindmap? 4. What are the traditional sections (chapters) of a report called? 5. How to access the Outline View in Word? 6. What is the purpose of the green arrows? 7. What are the advantages of using the Outline View? 8. How can Writing blocks be avoided? Questions on the contents of the THIRD video: 1. How is a title page generated in Word? 2. How ia a Table of Contents generated? 3. How to access QUALITY information through a library homepage? 4. Where can you find advice on report/essay Writing? 5. How can you avoid even getting near PLAGIARISM? 6. What is the role of forgetting things in the writing process? Questions on the contents of the FOURTH video: 1. What is the original meaning of the Word TEXT(in Latin)? 2. What is the advantage of inserting Pictures (figures) in your report? 3. What are the rules you need to follow when you insert a Picture? 4. What is so good about using people as references? 5. How is an in-text reference to be inserted? 6. How is a REFERENCE LIST inserted? Questions on the contents of the FIFTH video: 1. Where do you select TYPE OF REFERENCE? 2. What info is needed if your reference is a webpage? 3. What is important to do if your reference is one or more persons? 4. Where to click when inserting an in-text reference? 5. How can you repair a mistake in a reference list? Leave a Reply
OLAC Record Title:Stella Ewan OTH-B Subsistence & Oral History Access Rights:restricted Description:Stella Ewan Subsistence Oral History AVT.21 Back Scatter Interview Interview about Self, Family, Grandparents, Indian Name, Close Meanings For Subsistence, What Subsistence Means and its importance, Who taught Subsistence and how to live off the land, Talks about memories of fishing on the Gulkana River, how to tell where the fish would be at on the river, Talks about trapping, Talks about trapping squirrels rabbits and muskrats, Talks about why why subsistence is important, The Difference between Native and None Native hunters trappers and fishers, Talks about and when the Change in Subsistence lifestyle, Talks about Why it is important to keep the Subsistence lifestyle going, Talks about Why kids should learn to live a subsistence lifestyle, Talks about how the back Scatter will Change the subsistence lifestyle, Talks about the Fish Camps along mile 14 on the tok cut off, How a hunting or fishing camp is chosen, . Language as given: aht Format:Digitised: 0; Media: VHS; Media description: Maxell 120 Language (ISO639):aht Subject:Ahtena language English language Subject (ISO639):aht Archive: C'ek'aedi Hwnax Ahtna Regional Linguistic and Ethnographic Archive GetRecord: OAI-PMH request for OLAC format GetRecord: Pre-generated XML file OAI Info OaiIdentifier: oai:ahtnaheritagefoundation.com:AHF03-0047 DateStamp: 1988-10-06 GetRecord: OAI-PMH request for simple DC format Search Info Citation: n.a. 1988-10-06. C'ek'aedi Hwnax Ahtna Regional Linguistic and Ethnographic Archive. Terms: area_Americas area_Europe country_GB country_US iso639_aht iso639_eng Inferred Metadata Country: United KingdomUnited States Area: AmericasEurope Up-to-date as of: Mon Apr 28 0:11:45 EDT 2014
• Join over 1.2 million students every month • Accelerate your learning by 29% • Unlimited access from just £6.99 per month Business resources P6 Extracts from this document... For this task, you need to comment on the financial health of the business by backing your assessment with the aid of examples of accounting ratio Solvency ratios Solvency ratio measures the financial soundness of a business and how well the company can satisfy its short and long-term obligations. Solvency ratio is divided into two current ratio and acid test ratio. Current ratio This year Formula Current asset/current liabilities Working out - �200,000/�130,000 Answer = �1.53 This means that for every �1 of current liabilities the business has �1.53 of current assets available. Normally it should between �1.5 - 2. A figure less than 1.5 indicates that the business may experience difficulties in meeting its short-term debts. ...read more. The business was financially healthier last year than this year. This because the business had �1.60 of current assets to pay it current liabilities last year, but only had �1.53 of current asset to pay for it current liabilities this year. Therefore, this indicates that the business was in better financial position last year. Acid test ratio Formula Current asset - stock/ current liabilities Working out - �200,000 - �22,000/130 Answer = �1.37 This means that for every �1 of current liabilities the business has �1.37 of current asset available at short notice. Normally the answer should between �1 - 2. A figure less than �1 indicate that the business may experience difficulties in meeting it short-term debts. ...read more. This simply means a business can pay its creditors by possessing enough working capital. The acid test ratio helps the business know how quickly it can pay it creditors by deducting the stock. The acid test ratio is more accurate than the current ratio in terms of liquidity. This is simply because the acid test ratio deducts the value of stock from the current assets. For a business to be able to turn stock into cash could take some time as cash from any sale will only be received according to the business trading agreements. For example, a business may look healthy using the current ratio, but may be carrying too much stock. Margin of safety will help the business whether they are able to break even and see the percentage that they surpass the breakeven point. ?? ?? ?? ?? Abdulaziz Omar Unit 2 - Investigating Business Resources ...read more. The above preview is unformatted text Found what you're looking for? • Start learning 29% faster today • 150,000+ documents available • Just £6.99 a month Not the one? Search for your essay title... • Join over 1.2 million students every month • Accelerate your learning by 29% • Unlimited access from just £6.99 per month See related essaysSee related essays Related AS and A Level Accounting & Financial Management essays 1. Marked by a teacher Business resources D1 3 star(s) So, this would affect the performance of the business as it would reduce its profits. However, if a business doesn't manage to control its budgets then it wouldn't be able to reach it objectives and targets because the budgets haven't been observed by the business. 2. Business resources P5 Net asset The net asset of a company is the current asset plus the fixed asset minus its current liabilities. In the end it will the total asset the business has in its company Financed by Financed by is the money injected into a company. 1. A2 Business CourseWork It will mean that Tesco will try and introduce measures to acquire more customers. How they are going about achieving this aim: Tesco believe that the best way to improve their market share is by opening more stores. They have done this in recent years by opening up new types 2. Profitability and Liquidity At the end of the business year I can then compare my cash flow forecast with the actual cash flow. This allows me to see where it is I have over spent, or even not spent enough. But most importantly, it allows me to make any adjustments for the following year. 1. Business resources M2 Furthermore the staff wouldn't feel motivated as they won't have any real and obvious targets to reach. If a Sainsbury doesn't control its cost and budget then it runs the risk of spending more money than it is taking in or, even, not spending enough money to expand the business and compete. 2. Business resources P1 Sainsbury have job description as part of the human resource functions because it is important for the employees to know what the duties required for the job role is that they will be taking. The employee needs to know before their apply for the job that what the job role 1. Btec Business Level 3 Year 1 - Introduction to Accounting 38,500 * Purchase: �270,000 was spent on materials in the year * Less closing stock: the value of stocks held in the business at the end of the year was �20,000 * Gross profit: The difference between the business total revenue and how much it cost to sell goods or buy products in. 2. Unit 2 Exploring Business Activity P6 - ratios If a business has a high gross profit percentage but a low net profit percentage its operating costs (i.e. staff, petrol, rent, insurance and wages) are too high as they are taking too much profit from the business. Gearing Long-term Loans / Capital x 100 = Gearing % This ratio • Over 160,000 pieces of student written work • Annotated by experienced teachers • Ideas and feedback to improve your own work
• Join over 1.2 million students every month • Accelerate your learning by 29% • Unlimited access from just £6.99 per month Looking at schizophrenia. Extracts from this document... GCSE Drama 2009 Paper 1 - Portfolio Response Task In lesson six we studied the disorder schizophrenia in detail. We used many different explorative strategies to do this in the lesson. We discussed our views on the disorder and each of us had varied opinions. One of the first activities we took part in was a half-way house situation. This included role play, we were told that an old mental ward would be used as a halfway house in coulsdon, where we lived, for this we had to use role play and our imaginations. We were told the people that would be living there had many different disorders but were believed to be safe, and soon they would be let out whilst supervised into old coulsdon and coulsdon. ...read more. Most of them were so amazed they fell down or just stopped still and stared. This shows how little things we take for granted can be the best thing in the world to another person. In that same activity we thought tracked, how the mentally ill person might feeling and how the people around them were thinking. The mentally ill person for example was usually thinking "I can't believe what I'm seeing, is it real? Or am imagining it?" The witness for example is usually thinking "What's the matter with them?" and the guards are usually thinking "I just want to show them around and get them back inside." Apart from the mentally ill person they're all being very ignorant. ...read more. This is a lot like people treating mental disorders in a strange way. They take their illness and make it seem worse than it actually is. There is a lot of prejudice against mentally ill people, because their different and were scared of the truth about them. They are just like everyone else, but they do have something wrong with them, yet people treat them as outcasts and lock them away from society. Overall this lesson helped me understand just what schizophrenia meant and how it can affect a person's life and the people around them very seriously. I believe this lesson has enabled me to create more watchable drama. Also it has helped me to understand how I can make serious issues more interesting and hopefully improve my work in the future. ...read more. The above preview is unformatted text Found what you're looking for? • Start learning 29% faster today • 150,000+ documents available • Just £6.99 a month Not the one? Search for your essay title... • Join over 1.2 million students every month • Accelerate your learning by 29% • Unlimited access from just £6.99 per month See related essaysSee related essays Related GCSE Reviews of Personal Performances essays 1. Year 11 Portfolio on Homelessness His "boss" found out and tracked him down to his house, when they arrived there; they found only Ernesto (Felix's younger brother) and killed him as Felix got away. In a group with Clare, Chahida, Joe, Craig, Sydney, Abbie, Angela and Simon, we created a piece of drama surrounding some 2. Drama portfolio - Oppression. I will also explain the dramatic devices and how the physical portrayal of our pieces contained different devices, to achieve different effects; I will state why these made a difference, and I will state the intention behind the things we did in the task. 1. When looking at one of the last perspectives we have examined, the behaviorist perspective, ... Yet, I am still writing this essay now. Therefore I am doing it because I 'ought' to do it. For therapeutic purposes, what Rogers would advise me to do, would be to quit right now, and start acting according to my own perceptions of what is right and wrong! 2. Drama Exploration - Gender Issues As we know Rosemary and Terry are grown adults. "Now there's some very special choccy bics but you mustn't eat them all. I'm going to trust you." She is again talking to them like they are kids by saying choccy bics. She is talking to them in a childish way. In the third image, I stood as part of the 'peace' circle, we all held hands and smiled to show there were no conflicts between us and we were all friends. For the last image, war, I had a very angry but satisfied look on my face as I stood over the body I had killed. 2. After much discussion, our group decided we wanted to explore the illness schizophrenia. We discussed lighting and decided to dim the lights. Noha suggested the schizophrenic could shine a torch on the faces of the people voicing the thoughts. When we put our ideas to practice, we were not fully content. The thoughts pulled Lorri, who role-played the schizophrenic, down too hastily. • Over 160,000 pieces of student written work • Annotated by experienced teachers • Ideas and feedback to improve your own work
• Join over 1.2 million students every month • Accelerate your learning by 29% • Unlimited access from just £6.99 per month How successful do you think Shakespeare has been at developing relationships and dramatic effect in act 3 scene 5? How do you think a modern audiences response would differ from a Shakespeare one? Extracts from this document... How successful do you think Shakespeare has been at developing relationships and dramatic effect in act 3 scene 5? How do you think a modern audience's response would differ from a Shakespeare one? Romeo and Juliet is a tragic Shakespearian play, written circa 1591-1595, set in the Elizabethan era. Its plot explores relative themes of patriarchy, periled relationships, defiance and arranged marriage, all evident within Elizabethan times. He highlights the strong cause and effect of domestic patriarchy and parental expectations, referring to the gender segregation in Elizabethan society. As in this era, although England had a female monarch, male dominance was frequent and overpowering in society, as was a primary objective evident through Shakespeare's written techniques, dramatic language and structural devices, all of which I will explore in my essay. Shakespeare presents Capulet's rage through overdramatic, violent language. For example, "I will drag thee on a hurdle thither", the content of this statement translates into a violent threat, that by Juliet's defiance he is prepared to use physical force to make Juliet obedient to his demands. By using such strong death imagery in response to Juliet's own contempt over her arranged marriage, planned by Capulet himself, it shows his want to dominate her decisions, and govern her to his own will. Also, the actual translation from hurdle is a carrier of dead bodies, he doesn't say that he'd pull her by her hair etc, he specifically identifies a hurdle and by that it represents his view on his own daughter, Juliet. ...read more. Shakespeare has used structure by varying the length of speech in act 3 scene 5 to highlight status and dominance within the characters. For example, Once Capulet enters, at the climax length of his speech; his lines come from176 to 195, occupying the largest amount of lines in a single speech throughout the scene, compiled with other larges speeches throughout. This use of elongated speech evident in Capulet's character creates dominance over the script, and as he speaks the most by a large amount throughout the scene in contrast to the small allocated amounts of speech held by the female characters it draw backs to the idea of gender superiority. By verbally dominating the argument it establishes Capulet's authority as head of the house, and head of the conversation by having the most to say whilst overpowering in his eyes, his female inferiors. Relating to male superiority in Shakespearian society, as women were perceived to only speak once spoken too, and by Juliet defying that stereotype and answering back Capulet responds in an overpowering elongated speech. As his speeches progresses Juliet's input & defiance weakens and her character breaks down slowly into obedience. As at first she is polite but defiant in her will to decline the marriage, such as in the line 'proud can I never be of what I hate', but as Capulet's speeches progress she is subjected to pleading and begging for her fathers approval of her decision, for example in the line 'Good father, ...read more. This works as a successful dramatic language technique as the knowledge of the audience in contrast to some central characters in the play is more developed, and so this creates tension between all areas of people situated there, the audience, the characters knowledgeable of Romeo's and Juliet's relationship, and those un-knowledgeable. This is because the audience's involvement is unlimited and so with their engagement, knowledge and sense of inevitability they are held onto what happens next, the tension between characters and gather their own conclusions and opinions to the future beyond the present scene, therefore creating this dramatic effect Shakespeare was able to entice the audience in to a fuller extent. Juliet's Relationship with her mother, Lady Capulet, affiliates with Juliet's and her Fathers, Capulet, in a sense of circumstantial function. In Act 3 Scene 5 Lady Capulet comforts Juliet, without the knowledge of the meaning of her dismay but once brushed aside and presents Juliet with her arranged marriage, speaking in empathising language, sweet talking her somewhat for her ulterior motive. For example before presenting the arranged marriage Lady Capulet offers her condolence and comforts Juliet, for example ' some grief shows much of love' this translates to basically saying, Juliet's grief shows she loved Tybalt greatly, so by Lady Capulet simulating compassion in her motherly role it shows a sensitive side, although this could be argued as her further request and declaration does involve Juliet's will, and so by somewhat sweet talking her it is furtherly ensuring Juliet's accordance to her arranged marriage. ...read more. The above preview is unformatted text Found what you're looking for? • Start learning 29% faster today • 150,000+ documents available • Just £6.99 a month Not the one? Search for your essay title... • Join over 1.2 million students every month • Accelerate your learning by 29% • Unlimited access from just £6.99 per month See related essaysSee related essays Related GCSE Romeo and Juliet essays Delay this marriage for a month, a week, or if you do not, make the bridal bed in that dim monument where Tybalt lies". Juliet is also not happy with the thoughts that the nurse thinks about the love for Romeo and the marriage with Paris. When Juliet says "Yet let me weep such a feeling loss" her mother thinks she is saying something along the lines of "let me cry for the death of my cousin Tybalt because I miss him so much" but Juliet is really saying "I am so upset about losing my beloved husband, let me weep". 1. How does Shakespeare present father/daughter relationships in Act 3 Scene 5 of &quot;Romeo and ... the ambiguity in Juliet's language and mistaken her disguised claims of love to Romeo for the grief over Tybalt's death. "Feeling so the loss, /I cannot choose but ever weep the friend."(Act 3, Scene 5). Furthermore, Juliet's decision to disconnect from her Nurse, the friend and counsellor she felt the 2. Explain How Shakespeare Creates Dramatic Tension in III.v This part is probably among the most dramatic part of the scene and probably the play because of the fast moving changes in Juliet's position in her father's mind. This change is indicated by Capulet's insults firstly comparing Paris' merits as a husband to her immature stubbornness. 1. How does Shakespeare shape the audience's response to Lady Capulet and the Nurse? The Nurse does not say anything about status or money when talking about marriage but Shakespeare has chosen to do this as it may affect the audience's opinion of her. When hearing that it is Paris, the Nurse says, 'he's a man of wax'. 2. How successful do you think Shakespeare has been at developing relationships and dramatic effect ... They are both acting playful in this scene. Juliet then says "Wilt thou be gone? It is not yet day" Juliet is showing how much she doesn't want Romeo to leave and shes saying its only the morning still. Although Romeo and Juliet are acting silly in this scene, they 1. What dramatic effect is Shakespeare aiming for in Act one Scene five? Providing a contrast of youth and old age. Capulet welcomes his guests noisily and then sits down to reminisce with an older cousin about their youth. The language they use is quite reflective; they talk in a past tense, which suggests the age of the men. Juliet is first mentioned in the play in Act 1 Scene 3 this is irregular as she is one of the main characters of the play and she is not mentioned at the start of the play, but Shakespeare has done this intentionally to create intrigue in the play about • Over 160,000 pieces of student written work • Annotated by experienced teachers • Ideas and feedback to improve your own work
Rules With Diagrams Moving {R3} You have three options for moving the red piece. In each case it will end up pointing in the direction you have moved it. You move a piece in one of three directions. Move it straight ahead, or forwards at a forty five degree angle to the direction the piece was pointing. After a move, leave the piece pointing in the direction you've moved it. This is the only way that pieces move from tile to tile. Another way of saying this: you can only move a piece forwards, not sideways and not backwards. You always have just three potential directions in which you can move your piece, whether it points out of a corner or a side. next rule is Borderland Change{R4} Back to main page
P-40K Kittyhawk at the Warbirds Over Wanaka Airshow The Kittyhawk is also known by the names "Tomahawk" and "Warhawk". It was first flown in 1938, and the first of New Zealand's 297 Kittyhawks arrived in March of 1942. New Zealanders flew these planes in the Pacific, particularly in the Solomon Islands, where they were credited with shooting down 99 Japanese aircraft. This particular aircraft was an American plane which was shot down in 1943 in the Aleutian Islands, which stretch halfway between Alaska and Japan. However, it has been painted with the markings of a New Zealand P-40K which was destroyed during a night takeoff on the island of Espiritu Santu in what is now Vanuatu. There are about two dozen Kittyhawks around the world in flying condition. Unfortunately, history repeated itself in October of 1997, when the plane crashed again... The pilot was a few miles from the airfield at Wanaka and 3000 feet in the air when there was a loud noise from the engine and smoke and flames started coming out of one of the exhausts. He lowered the landing gear and headed towards the airfield, but decided that he probably wouldn't be able to clear the 30 foot trees which were between him and the runway. With the plane still travelling at about 100mph, he touched down in a field, but hit a small rise which pushed the aircraft back into the air. It landed hard, damaging the nose and right wing, folding back the left undercarriage and tearing the engine off its mountings. By the time the plane stopped, a trail of wreckage extended behind it for 150 feet, and the engine was 15 feet from the rest of the plane, which was sticking in the air at an angle. The pilot walked away from the crash with only bruising. The plane belonged to Tim Wallis, who had himself been in a crash just eighteen months earlier. The wrecked P-40K was sold to an American collector, who is restoring it to full flying condition. In late 1997 the restoration of an original New Zealand P-40E was completed, so a Kittyhawk can once again be seen over Wanaka.
Allison's Book Bag Breaking Through by Francisco Jimenez Posted on: April 2, 2012 “Most of the characters in Breaking Through are … members of my family. All of them appreciated my writing their story because they felt that their story was the story of many, many families who experienced the migrant way of life and many families who are experiencing that same life today.”–Francisco Jimenez, Scholastic Interview From the time he was four until he was fourteen-years-old, Francisco Jimenez lived in constant fear. It all started in 1940, when his parents moved the family from Mexico to California, with the hope of leaving their life of poverty behind. At the border, the family dug a hole underneath the wire wall and thereby illegally entered the United States. Although Francisco’s father always hoped to return to Mexico, Francisco liked getting an education. If the family returned, he’d lose this because there wasn’t any school in their village. And so naturally his fear of being deported grew daily. Then in eighth grade, it happened. The first chapter in Breaking Through by Francisco Jimenez is about how the family comes to the United States, is forced to return to Mexico, but then re-enters legally with visas. The rest of this autobiographical book, told from the viewpoint of Francisco, is about how the Jimenez adjust to their American life. What stood out most to me about Breaking Through is how eagerly Francisco tries to learn the ways of his new country. To fit in with his peers, he pays attention to what his peers talk about and do. This leads him to take an interest in music and dances. Many of the songs such as Rock Around the Clock and Venus in Blue Jeans he doesn’t initially understand: “I tried to make sense of them and picture them in my mind. Why would a rock circle a clock? Why would the planet Venus dress in jeans?” He convinces his brother for the two of them to teach each other to dance, because this will help them meet new girls and make new friends. When invited out to a restaurant, he watches for social cues on how to behave. For example, this is how he learns the proper place for a napkin is not on table or floor but on one’s lap. Not everything is about being socially accepted; Francisco also tries to excel in school. When he finds an old Doctor Doolittle book in the dump, he reads a few pages every night to help him learn English. He also watches movies to improve his English. Typing is one of the classes he needs to take to get into college. When he finds an old one, he types every night to improve his accuracy and speed. Last, he copies notes from school onto cards that he studies while on the job. Breaking Through is largely about being poor. The Jimenez family first moves to the United States from Mexico to escape a life of poverty. For a long time, it seems as if those dreams aren’t going to be fruitful. The father and the children work in the fields, sometimes even during school hours. Despite their multiple jobs, the family isn’t regularly able to pay their rent on time or even put food on the table. Countless times, the family has to find things they need such as sneakers for gym class by rummaging through garbage. This leads to Francisco’s father feeling depressed and to some of the family arguments. Just like Finding Paris is partly a picture of being part of foster care, so Breaking Through is partly a picture of being caught in poverty. Yet Breaking Through is also about being Mexican. There are references to Mexican foods, music, and heroes. Sadly, there are also run-ins with prejudice. When Francisco’s mom rubs garlic on him to cure him of ringworm, Francisco is called “stinky Mexican”. The two eldest boys have their hearts broken, when girls break up with them after finding out that the Jimenez family is from Mexico. Last, some employers even advise them, “Don’t tell people you’re American. You could easily pass for Americans.” Happily, in the midst of their struggles are many supportive adults. When Francisco informs his school counselor that he wants to be a teacher, Mr. Kinkade tells him that he’ll need to go college and that this will be expensive but that there are scholarships available. He also looks at Francisco’s schedule and makes substitutions of classes more suitable for college. Later, Francisco’s English teacher also tries to help by writing comments on his papers about how to improve. She encourages him to read for fun to improve his English, but there is no time for newspapers or books. Yet when she gives him Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck to read, Francisco is finally able to identify with a novel. The last example I’ll give you is from an assembly. After reading about how valiantly Francisco tried to become American, I wondered if he would ever have a chance to share from his Mexican culture. One day in assembly he does. Other than a Scholastic interview, I found little information about Francisco Jimenez. In that interview, he shares how he wrote Breaking Through. Besides relying on memory, he interviewed family members and looked through family photographs and documents, obtained his junior high and high school records, and visited some of the places where the family lived in migrant-labor camps. Leave a Reply You are commenting using your account. Log Out / Change ) Twitter picture Facebook photo Google+ photo Connecting to %s Allisons' Book Bag Logo Fall 2017 Best Friends Network Partner Blog Paws Join 322 other followers %d bloggers like this:
Nebraska State Historical Society Blog Flashback Friday: A Gentleman’s Game: Nineteenth-Century Soccer in Omaha What Americans call “soccer” is one of several sports that evolved from games played for centuries in Europe, loosely called “football.” The history of the sport in England is well known, especially the meeting when “rugby” proponents and “association football” proponents made their famous break from each other. In the United States, history is complicated by our development of “American intercollegiate” or “gridiron” football from a rugby origin at the same time that soccer was being introduced in many cities and colleges. Terminology overlaps in older sources, so that when the term “football” is used in some texts, it is not always simple to understand which exact sport is being played. Unearthing the game’s history in Omaha is a reflection of American history. Early soccer shares several common American narratives: immigration and foreign traditions being brought to the United States; the growth of commerce and ever larger companies whose employees would socialize and seek entertainment; transportation enabling the spread of people, ideas, and developments; and higher education and the growth of organized sports among students. Omaha’s history with soccer seems to be fairly typical of how the sport developed in other cities across America. When was soccer first played in Omaha? The game seems to have come and gone at various times, resulting in several different references to the “first time” soccer was played there. The historical records may be opaque, but what is clear is that soccer was played in Omaha far earlier than most would guess. Yearly memberships start at $32 Learn More
from the Supreme Court of the United States: The idea prevails with some—indeed, it found expression in arguments at the bar—that we have in this country substantially pr practically two national governments; one maintained under the Constitution, with all its restrictions [17 limited enumerated powers]; one to be maintained by Congress outside and independently of that instrument, by exercising such powers as other nations of the earth are accustomed to exercise [unlimited power]. Downes v. Bidwell, 182 U.S. 244,381 (A.D. 1901) (emphasis and bracketed text added) Government One Where you believe you live. The “true name” is ―The United States of America‖ Dixon v. United States, 1 Brock 177,7F. Cas.761 (A.D.1811) given by Chief Justice John Marshall. It is a republic, combining State and National government, created by We the People, Citizens of the several sovereign States in Union, by their Constitution of the United States of America, March 4, 1789. This Constitution is Paramount Law, exercising 17 limited enumerated Powers delegated by the people. Article I, Section 10 of the Constitution of the United States of America states, ―No State shall...make any Thing but gold and silver Coin at ender in Payment of Debts‖ Article IV, Section 4 of the Constitution of the United States of America states, ―The United States shall guarantee to every State in this Union a Republican form of Government‖ Process– For example, the Constitution of Nevada (October 31, 1864), ARTICLE VI—Judicial Department, Sec. 18, says: The style of all process shall be ―The State- ―members of the American confederacy only are the states contemplated in the constitution‖ and ― the word state… excludes from the term the signification attached to it by the writers on the law of nations‖ Hepburn and Dundas v. Ellzey, 6 U.S. 445 (A.D. 1804) State- ―In the Constitution the term state most frequently expresses the combined idea… of people, territory, and government… a political community of free citizens, occupying a territory of defined boundaries, and organized under a government sanctioned and limited by a written constitution‖ state of Texas v. White, 74 U.S. 700 (A.D. 1868) Government Two Where you actually live. United States of America self described, never voted on by the People, apparently created by Congress in 1948, first appears in Black’s Law Dictionary, Seventh Edition, page 1534, apparently operates as a democracy, under the United States Constitution, a mere statute, statutized by Congress in An Act to provide a government for the District of Columbia, 16 Stat. 419, Sec. 34, page 426, on Feb. 21, 1871. Exercises unlimited, or plenary power, under Art. IV, Sec. 3, Cl. 2 of the Constitution as ―Congress shall have Power to dispose of and make all needful Rules and Regulations respecting the Territory or other Property belonging to the United States.‖ This Power is for US territories! In this political sphere, Banks emit only Federal Reserve Notes, i.e, commercial negotiable instruments. Mere USE OF commercial paper SUBJECTS all users to the U.C.C. and Congress’ commercial power. So, how can the People be separated from their Sovereignty, their unalienable Rights, their territory and their government and be converted into this alternate political right hand sphere? Only by deception! The words in the law dictionaries have gradually been changed and the People have accepted it. In this political sphere, the federal government and all the state governments apparently all operate as democracies. ―Democracy, democracy, democracy‖ is all you hear on television and radio. Process—In this political sphere, in 28 USC Section 108, ―Nevada‖, all process ACTUALLY runs in the name of ―STATE OF NEVADA‖, in spite of the Constitution of Nevada. state, in Black’s Law Dictionary, Seventh Edition, ―The political system of a body of people who are politically organized; the system of rules by which jurisdiction and authority are exercised over such a body of people.‖ This definition says nothing about the sovereign People of the sovereign several States in Union. These state are presumed to be populated by federal citizens, or U.S. citizens, merely residing, in federal states, enumerated but not defined and having no boundaries, in 28 USC sections 81 through 111 (including the District of Columbia, which is not one of the States of the Union). They are referred to as ―administrative divisions‖ on and as ―territories‖ on both official government web sites. Two spheres of political government that do not overlap. State of Nevada.‖ and all prosecutions shall be conducted in the name and by the authority of the same. [i.e., in the name of the People.] ―… all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights‖ The Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1776 The word ―people of the United States‖ and ―citizens‖ are synonymous terms, and mean the same thing. They both Describe the political body who, according to our republican institutions, form the sovereignty, and who hold the power and conduct the government through their representatives. They are what familiarilycall the ―sovereign people,‖ and every citizen is one of this people, and a constituent member of this sovereignty.‖ Dred scott v. Sanford. 60 U.S.393, 405 (A.D. 1856) [In other words you are a sovereign with unalienable rights .] ― is evident that they [U.S. citizens] have not the political rights which are vested in citizens of the States. They are not constituents of any community in which is vested any sovereign power of government. Their position partakes more of the character of subjects than of citizens. They are subject to the laws of the United States, but have no voice in its management. If they are allowed to make laws, the validity of these laws is derived from the sanction of a Government in which they are not represented. Mere citizenship they may have, but the political rights of citizens they cannot enjoy…‖ People v. De La Guerra, 40 Cal. 311, 342 (A.D. 1870) (emphasis added) [in other words, You are a SUBJECT, and have NO rights, but what are granted. By your master] Sign up to vote on this title UsefulNot useful
Written by: Bernadette Irinco WORM_DORKBOT or NgrBot is an Internet Relay Chat (IRC) bot used for distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks. It became prevalent in the Latin American region in 2011. It has various modules enabling it to gather user information and propagate via instant messaging applications and social networking sites. It also receives commands from bot masters. IRC bots issue commands via IRC communication protocol to allow cybercriminals to can send commands to infected systems. These bots became rampant during the outbreak era. They are not technically advanced compared with other newer threats such as KOOBFACE and ZBOT, but IRC bots remain effective in installing malware onto infected systems to steal hard-earned money from users. How do users’ systems get infected? Users may unknowingly download WORM_DORKBOT variants when visiting malicious sites. These may also arrive onto systems via removable drives. WORM_DORKBOT variants also infect users’ systems thru social networking sites and instant messaging (IM) applications. What happens when users execute WORM_DORKBOT variants on their systems? When executed, WORM_DORKBOT variants download other malicious files onto the infected systems. These also hook to several APIs to hide files, processes, and registries. This makes WORM_DORKBOT variants hard to detect and remove from users’ systems. Moreover, they block access to antivirus-related websites by also hooking to DnsQuery_A and DnsQuery_W APIs. DnsQuery_A and DnsQuery_W check if websites are available before resolving the IP address. WORM_DORKBOT variants connect to an IRC server to join a channel. To generate the NICK or user name, they access http://api.wipmania.com/ to get the geographical location and IP address of the infected systems. They also monitor several websites with certain strings and steal login credentials from browsers. How do WORM_DORKBOT variants propagate? Variants of this malware family spread via IM applications that send messages with a URL. This URL leads to downloading a copy of the malware. For the IM application MSN Messenger, WORM_DORKBOT monitors the MSN protocol and sends messages with a malicious link. It also spreads in social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook through messages carrying malicious links. Similarly, when users click these URLs; they are redirected to a site where a copy of the malware can be downloaded. Lastly, WORM_DORKBOT also propagates via removable drives. It creates an AUTORUN.INF file and drops a shortcut file (.LNK) that points to the copy of the malware. What instant messaging applications and social networking sites do WORM_DORKBOT variants targeted? WORM_DORKBOT variants target the following IM applications: • mIRC • MSN Messenger • Pidgin • Windows Live Messenger • XChat They also target popular social networking websites like Twitter and Facebook to infect as many systems as possible. How do WORM_DORKBOT variants affect users? Users are at risk of losing their credentials, which the cybercriminals can sell in the underground or use for future attacks. WORM_DORKBOT variants can also download other malicious files and lead to further malware infection thus compromising the security of the infected systems. Moreover, cybercriminals may use compromised systems or bots to launch more DDoS attacks. Why are WORM_DORKBOT variants noteworthy? WORM_DORKBOT is a modularized IRC bot that can be purchased in the underground cybercrime economy. One of its modules is a password grabber that enables monitoring forms from certain websites via POST method. As such, cybercriminals can steal user credentials and other information. WORM_DORKBOT variants also generate NICKs based on users’ locations. IRC users use NICKs as their user names when entering channels. Through generating this, cybercriminals may obtain the infected systems’ geographical location. As such, it is easier for bot masters to use infected systems or bots nearest to the targeted entities for launching DDoS attacks and other malicious activities. For instance, cybercriminals who may want to target a company in a certain country will use all bots or infected systems in that area to carry out an attack. Are Trend Micro product users protected from this threat? Trend Micro product users are protected from WORM_DORKBOT via the Trend Micro™ Smart Protection Network™ that detects all known variants. Users are strongly advised to secure their removable drives by disabling the AUTORUN feature. This can prevent WORM_DORKBOT variants from spreading. Be wary with clicking messages sent via IM applications and social networking sites even they come from seemingly trusted sources. “One of the factors of a malware’s increasing detection rate is the distribution of its source code or builder. For instance, when the ZeuS source code leaked, cybercriminals with little technical background used it for their nefarious activities. Similarly, Dorkbot’s builder is spreading in underground forums, making it readily available to those who can’t afford to buy bots to use for malicious purposes. “ – Jessa Dela Torre, Threat Researcher
Accessibility links U.S. Computer Programmers Losing Ground American computer science students used to be ahead of their counterparts from other countries. But in recent international competitions, East European and Asian programming students have outperformed them. The Association for Computing Machinery, an international organization for the advancement of computing as a science and profession, sponsors an annual contest for computer programming students all over the world. Teams of undergraduate students are given eight-to-ten programming problems. The winner is the team that correctly solves the most problems. Science Education on the Decline Mel Schiavelli, President of Harrisburg University of Science and Technology in Pennsylvania, says one cause for concern is the declining number of U.S. students majoring in computer technology and other sciences. "If you look at the rate of production of individuals either with bachelors' degrees or advanced degrees in those disciplines in the United States, it's about half the rate of production of those of let's say India and China, which are the two major producers. Said another way," says Schiavelli, "In the United States, less than a third of students who go to college decide to study a science or technology or engineering mathematics discipline. Whereas when you get to China, it's closer to 70 percent." Schiavelli says there is also a general decline in U.S. science education. He says the problem starts early on, "Mathematics programs and the training of mathematics teachers for K [i.e., kindergarten] through eighth grades have been left frequently to other than mathematicians and more to mathematics educators. To teach mathematics in elementary schools, while you have to be [a] certified [teacher], you don't have to have a degree in mathematics." Doug White, a computer science professor at Roger Williams University in Bristol, Rhode Island, says that in order to keep students in computer science programs, many colleges have made courses easier. "University programs are faced with a challenge of: 'If we want to keep our jobs, we have to keep our students.' So then they start dumbing down their programs to keep more of their students when there is a sign they are going to leave, and what happens is then you turn out students with even lower levels of skill," says White. "And so you don't see the level of rigor in computer science and computer information systems programs, which lead to programming careers that you saw 25 years ago." Globalization and Outsourcing At the same time, Professor White says, China, India and some other developing countries have seen a technology boom with numerous job opportunities in software development and computer programming. This has enticed millions of young people to flock to universities that offer computer science programs. Doug White, who has helped develop programming tests for international companies hiring computer specialists, says corporations are increasingly interested in programmers from Asia because they are not only more skilled, but also work for less than American programmers. There is a growing concern in the United States about the outsourcing of computer technology jobs to developing countries. But Professor White says there are benefits. "The Internet and globalization in general allow Third World countries like India -- it's such a great example -- to really improve their situation by creating a wealthy middle class. And that's great for the world because it means salaries and income levels in those countries, where things are bad, are improving. So that's good," says White. "The scary part is that as those jobs go away, there is going to be a situation where a lot of Americans who are trying to find careers are going to have a challenging time." Greg Gagne, Chairman of the Computer Science Department at Westminster College in Salt Lake City, Utah, says that as a result, the United States will face a shortage of computer science talent. "Several high tech leaders are concerned that with this dip in computer science enrollments, five or six years from now, there won't be enough graduates coming out of U.S. colleges and universities with computer science degrees to fulfill demand." Greg Gagne says the fear of outsourcing must be dispelled because it is only a small fraction of the computer industry. Many analysts say educators and industry leaders must join forces to improve America's science education. They say math and science must be taught at an earlier age, and that high schools must better prepare students for the challenges of college computer and science programs in order for Americans to compete in the 21st century.
926 E. McDowell Road Suite 134 Phoenix, Arizona 85006 (602) 288-0777 Se Habla Espanol By Dr Sharon Thompson on March 3, 2016 in Gynecology What is endometriosis? Endometriosis is a by product of what I like to call a female super power–the ability to create and grow a new human being. During each monthly cycle, the ovary creates several follicles or cysts. One of them will release the egg that can go on to create an embryo. At the same time the lining of the uterus is thickening and creating a ‘nest’ for the early embryo. If a pregnancy does not occur, that ‘nest’ is destroyed and discarded. We see that process on the outside of the body as the menstrual flow. In a woman who has endometriosis, the cells that create the lining inside the uterus, find a way to grow in other locations. The most common place for endometriosis to grow is on the organs near the uterus–the ovaries, bladder, large and small intestines. Where does endometriosis come from and how does a woman get it? While we don’t know what causes endometriosis, we do know some facts about it and have some theories about how it develops. Endometriosis runs in families but scientists are not sure what makes one relative get it and not another. One theory is that endometriosis grows from cells left over from when the woman was an embryo herself. At that stage cells can become any kind of body tissue so they can form endometrial tissue anywhere. In fact endometriosis has been found in the skin, lung and brain. Another theory is that some cells in the immune system are not functioning properly. As a result they do not destroy the endometrial cells that are in the wrong place and endometriosis develops. More research is needed to get definite answers. What are the symptoms of endometriosis? Many women with endometriosis will have no symptoms at all. The most common symptom is pain. Women may have severe pain with periods that gets worse over time and that starts to occur outside of the days of menstrual bleeding. They may experience other symptoms like nausea, pain in the thighs and some may have problems with urination or bowel function depending on the location and severity of the disease. Twenty to thirty percent of women with endometriosis will have trouble getting pregnant. How is endometriosis diagnosed? Endometriosis is diagnosed most commonly by listening to a patient’s history, family history and doing a physical exam. Ultrasound and surgery are also sometimes needed to make the correct diagnosis. Once the diagnosis is made there are a variety of treatment options. Are there effective treatments for endometriosis? Most women are likely to find a solution that treats her symptoms. Some women get relief using over the counter pain medicines alone but most treatments for endometriosis ‘turn down’ the production of estrogen and progesterone. Most of the methods developed for birth control–the pill, depo Provera, Nexplanon and the levonorgestrel IUD, can be used to effectively treat endometriosis. Another medical treatment leuprolide Acetate (Lupron) is very effective and also works by decreasing hormone production. Surgery can be used for treatment to cut out the areas of endometriosis or to remove the uterus and ovaries. Forty to 60% of women will have symptoms return after removal of the endometriosis alone so most women will use one of the medicines above after surgery to prevent symptoms from returning. What should I do if I think I have endometriosis? Keep a journal of your symptoms; when they occur, things that make you feel better and things that make you worse. Take this journal with you to your appointment with your doctor or health care provider. Dr Sharon Thompson About the Author Dr Sharon ThompsonView all posts by Dr Sharon Thompson Dr. Thompson received her undergraduate degree in Biology from Vassar College and a Masters in Public Health from the University of California at Berkeley. She went on to medical training at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City and completed her postgraduate training in Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Harvard affiliated integrated Brigham and Women's and Massachusetts General Hospital residency program. Add comment Leave a Reply Copyright 2017 \| Central Phoenix Obstetrics & Gynecology
Islamic economics refers to the has been called a field of literature that "identifies and promotes an economic order that conforms to Islamic scripture and traditions," and in the economic world an interest-free Islamic banking system. The literature originated in "the lates 1940s, and especially" after "the mid-1960s."[1] The banking system developed during the 1970s.[2] Islamic economic literatures' central features have been called "behavioral norms" derived from the Quran and Sunna, zakat tax as the basis of Islamic fiscal policy and prohibition of interest.[1]. In Shia Islam, some scholars such as Mahmoud Taleghani, and Mohammad Baqir al-Sadr, have developed an "Islamic economics" emphasizing the uplifting of the deprived masses, a major role for the state in matters such as circulation and equitable distribution of wealth, and ensuring participants in the marketplace are rewarded for being exposed to risk and/or liability. Islamists movements and authors generally describe an Islamic economic system as neither Socialist nor Capitalist, but a "third way" with none of the drawbacks of the other two systems.[3][3][4][4] Traditional Islamic concepts having to do with economics included • Riba - "referred to as usury" [5] Early reforms under IslamEdit Some argue early Islamic theory and practice formed a "coherent" economic system with "a blueprint for a new order in society, in which all participants would be treated more fairly". Michael Bonner, for example, has written that an "economy of poverty" prevailed in Islam until 13th and 14th century. Under this system God's guidance made sure the flow of money and goods was "purified" by being channeled from those who had much of it to those who had little by encouraging zakat (charity) and discouraging riba (usury/interest) on loans. Bonner maintains Muhammad also helped poor traders by allowing only tents, not permanent buildings in the market of Medina, and not charging fees and rents there.[7] Classical Muslim economic thoughtEdit File:Ibn Khaldoun.jpg Perhaps the most well known Islamic scholar who wrote about economics was Ibn Khaldun (1332–1406),[8] who is considered a father of modern economics.[9][10] Ibn Khaldun wrote on economic and political theory in the introduction, or Muqaddimah (Prolegomena), of his History of the World (Kitab al-Ibar). In the book, he discussed what he called asabiyya (social cohesion), which he sourced as the cause of some civilizations becoming great and others not. Ibn Khaldun felt that many social forces are cyclic, although there can be sudden sharp turns that break the pattern.[11] His idea about the benefits of the division of labor also relate to asabiyya, the greater the social cohesion, the more complex the successful division may be, the greater the economic growth. He noted that growth and development positively stimulates both supply and demand, and that the forces of supply and demand are what determines the prices of goods.[12] He also noted macroeconomic forces of population growth, human capital development, and technological developments effects on development.[13] In fact, Ibn Khaldun thought that population growth was directly a function of wealth.[14] Other important early Muslim scholars who wrote about economics include Abu Hanifah, Abu Yusuf (731-798), Ishaq bin Ali al-Rahwi (854–931), al-Farabi (873–950), Qabus (d. 1012), Ibn Sina (Avicenna) (980–1037), Ibn Miskawayh (b. 1030), al-Ghazali (1058–1111), al-Mawardi (1075–1158), Nasīr al-Dīn al-Tūsī (1201–1274), Ibn Taimiyah (1263–1328) and al-Maqrizi. Economy in the CaliphateEdit During the Muslim Agricultural Revolution, the Caliphate understood that real incentives were needed to increase productivity and wealth and thus enhance tax revenues. A social transformation took place as a result of changing land ownership [15] giving individuals of any gender[16], ethnic or religious background the right to buy, sell, mortgage and inherit land for farming or any other purpose. Based on the Quran, signatures were required on contracts for every major financial transaction concerning agriculture, industry, commerce, and employment. Copies of the contract were usually kept by both parties involved.[15] Ibn Abbas reported that the Messenger of Allah said: "All Muslims are partners in three things- in water, herbage and fire." (Narrated in Abu Daud, & Ibn Majah) [1] Anas added to the above hadith, "Its price is Haram (forbidden)" [2] Aside from similarities to socialism, early forms of proto-capitalism and free markets were present in the Caliphate,[17] since an early market economy and early form of merchant capitalism developed between the 8th and 12th centuries, which some refer to as "Islamic capitalism".[18] A vigorous monetary economy developed based on the circulation of a stable high-value currency (the dinar) and the integration of previously independent monetary areas. Business techniques and forms of business organization employed during this time included early contracts, bills of exchange, long-distance international trade, early forms of partnership (mufawada) such as limited partnerships (mudaraba), and early forms of credit, debt, profit, loss, capital (al-mal), capital accumulation (nama al-mal),[19] circulating capital, capital expenditure, revenue, cheques, promissory notes,[20] trusts (waqf), startup companies,[21] savings accounts, transactional accounts, pawning, loaning, exchange rates, bankers, money changers, ledgers, deposits, assignments, the double-entry bookkeeping system,[22] and lawsuits.[23] Organizational enterprises similar to corporations independent from the state also existed in the medieval Islamic world.[24][25] Many of these concepts were adopted and further advanced in medieval Europe from the 13th century onwards.[19] The economy was bolstered by high literacy rates and extended lifespans. The Islamic Empire experienced a growth in literacy, achieving the highest literacy rate in the Middle Ages, comparable to that of Athens in Classical Antiquity but on a larger scale.[28] The widepsread adoption of paper and the emergence of the Maktab and Madrasah educational institutions played a fundamental role in the relatively high literacy rates of the Caliphate.[29] Due to the Muslim Agricultural Revolution as well as improved medical care, the average life expectancy increased under Muslim rule.[Citation needed] In contrast to the average lifespan in the ancient Greco-Roman world (22 to 28 years)[30]Template:Verify source[31][unreliable source?] and medieval Britain (30 years),[32] the average lifespan in the early Islamic Caliphate was more than 35 years for the lower classes,[33] and much higher than that for the upper classes. The average lifespans of the Islamic scholarly class in particular were 84.3 years in 10th-11th century Iraq and Persia,[34] 72.8 years in the 11th century Middle East, and 69–75 years in 11th century Islamic Spain.[35] Post-colonial eraEdit During the modern post-colonial era, as Western ideas, including Western economics, began to influence the Muslim world, some Muslim writers sought to produce an Islamic discipline of economics. Because Islam is "not merely a spiritual formula but a complete system of life in all its walks",[36] these writers believed that it should logically follow that Islam also had its own economic system unique from and superior to non-Islamic systems.[7] To date, however, there have been no agreement as to the methodological definition and scope of Islamic Economics. • Some Interpretations of Property Rights, Capital and Labor from Islamic Perspective by Habibullah Peyman (1979).[37][38] But in other parts of the Muslim world the term lived on, shifting form to the less ambitious goal of interest-free banking. Some Muslim bankers and religious leaders suggested ways to integrate Islamic law on usage of money with modern concepts of ethical investing. In banking this was done through the use of sales transactions (focusing on the fixed rate return modes) to achieve similar results to interest. This has been heavily criticised by many modern writers as a means of covering conventional banking with an Islamic facade. In 2008 an economist and former advisor to Tony Blair, Tahir Iqbal, resolved the existing issues in Islamic economics of both providing a fully shariah compliant Islamic political economy (including the problem of government borrowing and mortgages) in his book "what is the sound of an invisible hand clapping", published by maison mascara books. The foundation of this was the quard al hasana (good debt)which when introduced with zakat on all assets sets in place a new framework that solves boom and bust and implies that poverty itself could be stopped using Islamic economics. Traditional approachEdit While many Muslims believe Islamic law is perfect by virtue of its being revealed by God, Islamic law on economic issues was/is not "economics" in the sense of a systematic study of production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. An example of the traditionalist ulama approach to economic issues is Imam Khomeini's work Tawzih al-masa'il where the term `economy` does not appear and where the chapter on selling and buying (Kharid o forush) comes after the one on pilgrimage. As Olivier Roy puts it, the work "presents economic questions as individual acts open to moral analysis: `To lend [without interest, on a note from the lender] is among the good works that are particularly recommended in the verses of the Quran and the in the Traditions.`" [41] The Qur'an states that God is the sole owner of all matter in the heavens and the earth.[42] Man, however, is God's viceregent on earth and holds God's possessions in trust (amanat). Islamic jurists have divided properties into three categories:[43] • Public property • State property • Private property Public propertyEdit Public property in Islam refers to natural resources (forests, pastures, uncultivated land, water, mines, oceanic resources etc.) over which all humans have equal right. Such resources are considered the common property of the community. Such property is placed under the guardianship and control of the Islamic state, and can be utilized by any citizen, as long as it does not undermine the right of other citizens over it.[43] Some types of public property can not be privatized under Islamic law. Muhammad's saying that "people are partners in three things: water, fire and pastures", has led some scholars to believe that the privatization of water, energy and agricultural land is not permissible. Other types of public property, such as gold mines, were allowed by Muhammad to be privatized, in return for taxes to the Islamic state. The owner of the previously public property that was privatized has to pay zakat and, according Shiite scholars, khums as well. In general the privatization and nationalization of public property is subject to debate amongst Islamic scholars. Public property thus, eventually, becomes state or private property.[43] State propertyEdit State property includes certain natural resources, as well as other property that can't immediately be privatized. Islamic state property can be movable, or immovable, can be acquired through conquest, or peaceful means. Unclaimed, unoccupied and heir less properties, including uncultivated land (mawat), can be considered state property.[43] During the life of Muhammad, one fifth of military equipment captured from the enemy in the battlefield was considered state property. During his reign, Umar (on the recommendation of Ali) considered conquered land to be state property, instead of private property (as was usual practice). The reason for this was that privatizing this property would concentrate resources in the hands of a few, and prevent this property from being used for the general good of the community. The property remained under the occupation of the cultivators, but the taxes collected on it went to the state treasury.[43] Private propertyEdit Islamic economists have classified the acquisition of private property into three categories: involuntary, contractual and non-contractual. Involuntary means are inheritance, bequests, and gifts. Non-contractual is acquisition involves the collection and exploitation of natural resources that have not previously been claimed as private property. Contractual acquisition includes activities such as trading, buying, renting, hiring labor etc.[44] A tradition attributed to Muhammad, with which both Sunni and Shi'ite jurists agree, in cases where the right to private ownership causes harm to others, then Islam is in favor of curtailing the right in those cases. Maliki and Hanbali jurists argue that if private ownership endangers public interest, then the state can limit the amount an individual is allowed to own. This view, however, is debated by others.[44] Islam accepts markets as the basic co-ordinating mechanism of the economic system. Islamic teaching holds that the market, through perfect competition, allows consumers to obtain desired goods, producers to sell their goods, at a mutually acceptable price.[45] The three necessary conditions for an operational market are said to be upheld in Islamic primary sources:[45] • Private ownership (see above). • Security of contract: the Qur'an calls for the fulfillment and observation of contracts.[47] The longest verse of the Qur'an deals with commercial contracts involving immediate and future payments.[48] Capitalist market economyEdit Main article: Islamic capitalism Template:Duplication The origins of capitalism and free markets can be traced back to the Islamic Golden Age and Muslim Agricultural Revolution,[17] where an early market economy and forms of merchant capitalism took root between the 8th–12th centuries, which some refer to as "Islamic capitalism".[49] A vigorous monetary economy was created by Muslims on the basis of the expanding levels of circulation of a stable high-value currency (the dinar) and the integration of monetary areas that were previously independent. Business techniques and forms of business organisation applied during this time included contracts, bills of exchange, long-distance international trade forms of partnership (mufawada) such as limited partnerships (mudaraba), and forms of credit, debt, profit, loss, capital (al-mal), capital accumulation (nama al-mal),[19] circulating capital, capital expenditure, revenue, cheques, promissory notes,[20] trusts (see Waqf), startup companies,[50] savings accounts, transactional accounts, pawning, loaning, exchange rates, bankers, money changers, ledgers, deposits, assignments, the double-entry bookkeeping system,[51] and lawsuits.[23] Organizational enterprises similar to corporations independent from the state also existed in the medieval Islamic world, while the agency institution was also introduced.[52][53] Many of these early capitalist concepts were adopted and further advanced in medieval Europe from the 13th century onwards.[19] The systems of contract relied upon by merchants was very effective. Merchants would buy and sell on commission, with money loaned to them by wealthy investors, or a joint investment of several merchants, who were often Muslim, Christian and Jewish. Recently, a collection of documents was found in an Egyptian synagogue shedding a very detailed and human light on the life of medieval Middle Eastern merchants. Business partnerships would be made for many commercial ventures, and bonds of kinship enabled trade networks to form over huge distances. Networks developed during this time enabled a world in which money could be promised by a bank in Baghdad and cashed in Spain, creating the cheque system of today.[Citation needed] Each time items passed through the cities along this extraordinary network, the city imposed a tax, resulting in high prices once reaching the final destination. These innovations made by Muslims and Jews laid the foundations for the modern economic system. Islam prohibits the fixation of a price by a handful of buyers or sellers who have become dominant in the market. During the days of Muhammad, a small group of merchants used to meet agricultural producers outside the city and bought the entire crop, thereby gaining monopoly over the market. The produce was later sold at a higher price within the city. Muhammad condemned this practice since it caused injury both to the producers (who in the absence of numerous customers were forced to sell goods at a lower price) and the inhabitants of Medina.[45] Government interference in the market is justified in exceptional circumstances, such as the protection of public interest. Under normal circumstances, government non-interference should be upheld. When Muhammad was asked to set the price of goods in a market he responded, "I will not set such a precedent, let the people carry on on with their activities and benefit mutually."[45] Islamic insuranceEdit Some Muslims believe insurance is unnecessary, as society should help its victims. Muslims can no longer ignore the fact that they live, trade and communicate with open global systems, and they can no longer ignore the need for banking and insurance. Aly Khorshid demonstrates how initial clerical apprehensions were overcome to create pioneering Muslim-friendly banking systems, and applies the lessons learnt to a workable insurance framework by which Muslims can compete with non-Muslims in business and have cover in daily life. The book uses relevant Quranic and Sunnah extracts, and the arguments of pro- and anti-insurance jurists to arrive at its conclusion that Muslims can enjoy the peace of mind and equity of an Islamic insurance scheme.[Citation needed] Main article: Islamic banking The Quran (3: 130) clearly condemns what it calls by the Arabic term "riba," usually translated "interest": "O, you who believe! Devour not riba, doubled and redoubled, and be careful of Allah; haply so you will prosper." Debt arrangementsEdit Conventional debt arrangements are thus usually unacceptable - but conventional venture investment structures are applied even on very small scales. However, not every debt arrangement can be seen in terms of venture investment structures. For example, when a family buys a home it is not investing in a business venture - a person's shelter is not a business venture. Similarly, purchasing other commodities for personal use, such as cars, furniture, and so on, cannot realistically be considered as a venture investment in which the Islamic bank shares risks and profits for the profits of the venture. Money changersEdit Natural capitalEdit Perhaps due to resource scarcity in most Islamic nations, this form of economics also emphasizes limited (and some claim also sustainable) use of natural capital, i.e. producing land. These latter revive traditions of haram and hima that were prevalent in early Muslim civilization. Social welfare, unemployment, public debt and globalization have been re-examined from the perspective of Islamic norms and values. Islamic banks have grown recently in the Muslim world but are a very small share of the global economy compared to the Western debt banking paradigm. It remains to be seen Template:Vague if they will find niches - although hybrid approaches, e.g. Grameen Bank which applies classical Islamic values but uses conventional lending practices, are much lauded by some proponents of modern human development theory. Islamic stocksEdit In June 2005 Dow Jones Indexes, New York, and RHB Securities, Kuala Lumpur, teamed up to launch a new "Islamic Malaysia Index" —a collection of 45 stocks representing Malaysian companies that comply with a variety of Sharia-based criteria. Three variables (the total debt of an indexed company, its total cash plus interest-bearing securities and its accounts receivables) must each be less than 33% of the trailing 12-month average capitalization, for example.[Citation needed] Islamic bonds, or sukuk, use asset returns to pay investors to comply with the religion’s ban on interest and are currently traded privately on the over-the-counter market. In late December 2009 Bursa Malaysia announced it was considering enabling individuals to trade Shariah- compliant debt on its exchange as part of a plan to attract new investors to the securities[56]. Popularity and availabilityEdit Today there are many financial institutions, even in the Western world, offering financial services and products in accordance with the rules of the Islamic finance. For example, legal changes introduced by Chancellor Gordon Brown in 2003, have enabled British banks and building societies to offer so-called Muslim mortgages for house purchase. In 2004 the UK's first stand alone Sharia'a compliant bank was launched, the Islamic Bank of Britain. Several banks offer products and services to its UK customers that utilise the Islamic financial principles; such as Mudaraba, Murabaha, Musharaka and Qard. The Islamic finance sector was worth between 300 and 500 billion dollars (237 and 394 billion euros) as of September 2006, compared with 200 billion dollars in 2004. The number of Islamic retail banks and investment funds number in their hundreds and many Western financial institutions offer products that comply with Sharia law, including Citigroup, Deutsche Bank, HSBC, Lloyds TSB and UBS. In 2008, at least $500 billion in assets around the world were managed in accordance with Sharia, or Islamic law, and the sector was growing at more than 10% per year. Islamic finance seeks to promote social justice by banning exploitative practices. In reality, this boils down to a set of prohibitions—on paying interest, on gambling with derivatives and options, and on investing in firms that make pornography or pork.[57] Business Method PatentsEdit • WO WO06068837A2 [dead link] Controlling a Computer System Enabling Sharia-Compliant Financing. This discloses an improved computer system for carrying out Sharia compliant financial transactions. Sohrab Behada's study argued that the economic system proposed by Islam is essentially a capitalist one.[58] Its popularity notwithstanding, critics of Islamic economics have not been sparing. It has been attacked for its alleged "incoherence, incompleteness, impracticality, and irrelevance;" [59] driven by "cultural identity" rather than problem solving.[60] Others have dismissed it as "a hodgepodge of populist and socialist ideas," in theory and "nothing more than inefficient state control of the economy and some almost equally ineffective redistribution policies," in practice.[61] Interest-bearing (Riba) and speculation-involving (Gharar) trading are clearly prohibited by explicit canonical texts. Based on this prohibition, presumably financial structures of all the Islamic products should be interest and speculation free. Nevertheless, some new empirical studies hypothesize that “Islamic finance products’ structure is based on the Islamic prohibitions; however, these products’ risk management is still based on revoking the underlying prohibitions”. The most prominent case here is Islamic financial market products such as, inter alia, Salam and Istisna’ these products are used are hedging methods for the Islamic bonds known as Sukuk. If Sukuk’s originator or investors wish to hedge against interest rate or exchange rate risks, then they have to use one of the former methods. These methods as they originally mimic the conventional risk management practice, should involve either interest-bearing or speculation-bearing trading or even both. There have been some innovations that try to avoid falling in interest-based and/or speculation based transactions. Parallel Salam and synthetics are some of the more recent.[Citation needed] See alsoEdit 1. 1.0 1.1 "The economic system in contemporary Islamic thought: Interpretation and assessment", by Timur Kuran, International Journal of Middle East Studies, 18, 1986, p.135-164 2. Islamic Economics and the Islamic Subeconomy by Timur Kuran, Journal of Economic Perspectives, 1985 3. 3.0 3.1 Islam and Economic Justice: A 'Third Way' Between Capitalism and Socialism? 4. 4.0 4.1 How Do We Know Islam Will Solve the Problems of Poverty and Inequality? 5. 5.0 5.1 Roy, The Failure of Political Islam Harvard University Press, 1994, p.132 6. Schirazi, Asghar, Constitution of Iran, (1997), p.170 8. Schumpeter (1954) p 136 mentions his his sociology, others, including Hosseini (2003) emphasize him as well 10. Jean David C. Boulakia (1971), "Ibn Khaldun: A Fourteenth-Century Economist", The Journal of Political Economy 79 (5): 1105-1118. 11. Weiss (1995) p29-30 12. Weiss (1995) p31 quotes Muqaddimah 2:276-278 13. Weiss (1995), p. 31, quotes Muqaddimah 2: 272-273 14. Weiss (1995), p. 33 15. 15.0 15.1 Zohor Idrisi (2005), The Muslim Agricultural Revolution and its influence on Europe, FSTC. 16. Maya Shatzmiller, p. 263. 17. 17.0 17.1 The Cambridge economic history of Europe, p. 437. Cambridge University Press, ISBN 0521087090. 19. 19.0 19.1 19.2 19.3 Jairus Banaji (2007), "Islam, the Mediterranean and the rise of capitalism", Historical Materialism 15 (1), p. 47-74, Brill Publishers. 20. 20.0 20.1 Robert Sabatino Lopez, Irving Woodworth Raymond, Olivia Remie Constable (2001), Medieval Trade in the Mediterranean World: Illustrative Documents, Columbia University Press, ISBN 0231123574. 30. Life expectancy (sociology) 31. University of Wyoming 32. Time traveller's guide to Medieval Britain 33. Conrad, Lawrence I. (2006), The Western Medical Tradition, Cambridge University Press, p. 137, ISBN 0521475643 36. The Economic Life of Islam 37. Bakhash, Shaul, The Reign of the Ayatollahs, Basic Books, c1984, p.167-8 38. 38.0 38.1 Revolutionary Surge and Quiet Demise of Islamic Economics in Iran 39. The Renewal of Islamic Law 41. Roy, The Failure of Political Islam Harvard University Press, 1994, p.133 42. Nomani and Rahnema quote Qur'an 2:107, Qur'an 2:255, Qur'an 2:284, Qur'an 5:120, Qur'an 48:14 43. 43.0 43.1 43.2 43.3 43.4 43.5 Nomani and Rahnema (1994), p. 66-70 44. 44.0 44.1 44.2 Nomani and Rahnema (1994), p. 71-77 45. 45.0 45.1 45.2 45.3 45.4 45.5 Nomani and Rahnema (1994), p. 55-58 46. Nomani and Rahnema cite Qur'an 4:29, Qur'an 2:275 and Qur'an 2:279 47. Nomani and Rahnema cite Qur'an 5:1, Qur'an 16:91, Qur'an 23:8, Qur'an 17:34 and Qur'an 70:32 48. Nomani and Rahnema cite Qur'an 2:282. 54. Nomani and Rahnema cite Qur'an 55:9, Qur'an 26:181–183, Qur'an 11:84–85. They also point out that a chapter is devoted to such fraudulent practices: Qur'an 83:1–3 55. Historical dominance on money changing business 56. Opalesque (30 December 2009). "Malaysia exchange reviewing sharia compliant bonds". 57. Islamic Finance, Forbes (April 21, 2008) 61. 61.0 61.1 Halliday, Fred, 100 Myths about the Middle East, Saqi Books, 2005 p.89 Torts Edit • Islamic law of tort Liaquat Ali Khan Niazi, 1988 Further readingEdit External linksEdit Ad blocker interference detected!
Previous Lecture Complete and continue Parrying a Mandritto The diagonal overhand strike from the right, called mandritto is one of the most common attacks you will have to defend against. In this lesson we will use the same strike to defend against it and riposte with a thrust to the face in guardia d'entrare. The defense will be accompanied by a step off-line towards the agent's left side with the right foot, letting the left foot follow behind the right. After the thrust, the patient will recover into the same guard with a backwards passing step. Key points • Make the defense short and quick, without unnecessary preparatory movements. • Remember that the defense consists of the parrying guard position, here porta di ferro stretta, the off-line footwork and the following riposte. • Make sure to turn your body well with the parry, covering yourself behind your sword as much as possible. Common errors • Loading the parry in an attempt to create force to the blow, effectively slowing down the parry. Remember that this parry is structural and does not rely on a hard impact. • Leaving the left shoulder in line of the attack due to not turning the body enough. • Taking the point too far off-line in the parry, making the riposte inaccurate and slow.
Cerebrum functional areas degimeko's version from 2017-06-26 23:37 Question Answer Precentral gyrus (4)primary voluntary motor control Premotor area (6)secondary motor control (planning and mentally practicing movements, initiating some gross movements) Middle frontal gyrus (8)Eye movement coordination Opercular & triangular gyri (44)motor speech Prefrontal cortex (9-12, 45-47)personality, motivation, planning, judgment, executive function, depth of feeling, impulse control Postcentral gyrus (1, 2, 3)primary somatosensory area, including proprioception, taste Superior Parietal lobule (5)interaction of sensory perception to environment (ex: sterognosis: knowing by touch) Inferior Parietal lobule (40)contralateral integration of sensation with language, and with awareness of self and surroundings Precuneus (Quadrate nucleus, 7)sensory evaluation, language processing, spatial relationships, time orientation Cingulate Gyrus (23, 24, 33)memory, behavioral modes for food intake, drive, motivation, emotion Transverse superior temporal gyrus (Gyrus of Heschl) (41)hearing perception Wernicke's area (22)language understanding and formulation Question Answer Middle and inferior temporal gyri: Primary Olfactory Cortex (34)smell perception Posterior (Occipitotemporal) Cortex (37)learning and memory (especially auditory information in dominant side and visual information in non-dominant side) hippocampus (limbic system), parahippocampus (27, 28, 35, 36)formation of new memories, memory and emotion Amygdala (limbic system)appropriate behavior, initiation and integration of somatic and autonomic responses, anxiety, 'social fears' InsulaTaste, visceromotor control and viscerosensory perception, Calming when emotionally upset Primary visual cortex (17)Perception of visual input cuneate and lingual gyri (18, 19)Visual association areas for color, movement, depth perception Limbic Systemincludes cingulate gyrus, parts of the thalamus, hippocampus, parahippocampus, amygdala, fornix, mammillary bodies Fornix (limbic system)connects hippocampus to hypothalamus and other regions; mostly ipsilateral. Important in memories, emotions, mood Hippocampusthe brain's 'map-maker' (physical and social) and a time-keeper among many other functions. Basal gangliaform the 'extra-pyramidal system' controlling/modifying motor movements
Thursday, July 10, 2008 Asteroids: Solar Spin Credit: Steve Ostro/NASA/JPL In 2006, the Arecibo Observatory bounced radio waves off of the flying-saucer-shaped asteroid 1999 KW4 (top) and its moon (bottom), creating the best 'pictures' of an asteroid pair ever made. Illustration: Kevin Walsh/Derek Charles Richardson/UMD Pairs of asteroids can be created from a single parent body that spins so fast due to solar energy that it breaks apart. In new computer simulations, the parent body was modelled as a rubble pile. Loose material near its poles rolled to its equator, then floated off to become a moon. And That Is How It Is Done! No comments:
Search tips Search criteria Logo of procbThe Royal Society PublishingProceedings BAboutBrowse by SubjectAlertsFree Trial Proc Biol Sci. 2009 March 22; 276(1659): 1153–1159. Published online 2008 December 16. doi: 10.1098/rspb.2008.1592 PMCID: PMC2679080 Environmental heterogeneity, genotype-by-environment interactions and the reliability of sexual traits as indicators of mate quality Exaggerated sexual displays are often supposed to indicate the indirect benefits females may receive from sexual reproduction with displaying males, but empirical evidence for positive relationships between the genetic quality and sexual trait quality is scant. The explanation for this might lie in the fact that mixing of reproductive individuals whose development has been influenced by genotype-by-environment interactions (GEIs) can blur the relationship between the individual male genetic quality and phenotype as perceived by females. Strong GEIs can generate an ecological crossover, where different genotypes are superior in environments that are separated either in space or time. Here, we use a stochastic simulation model to show that even a weak GEI, which does not generate an obvious ecological crossover, can neutralize or even reverse the relationship between genetic quality and sexual trait size in the presence of environmental heterogeneity during development. Our model highlights the importance of developmental selection in evolution of traits and allows us to predict the situations in which sexual displays might not be reliable indicators of genetic quality. Keywords: developmental selection, genotype-by-environment interactions, good genes hypothesis, lek paradox, sexual selection 1. Introduction Selection of mates has long been known to have profound effects on the evolution of organisms, and it is generally females that choose among competing males (Darwin 1871). Mate choice by females has led to the evolution of exaggerated sexual displays in males, which are often thought to indicate the indirect (i.e. genetic) benefits females may receive from sexual reproduction with the displayer. Indirect benefits may accrue if male offspring are particularly attractive to potential mates because they share the characteristics of their father's display (the ‘runaway’ process; Fisher 1930), or if offspring are highly viable because the father's display is an honest signal of his genetic quality (the ‘good genes’ model; Zahavi 1975). The good genes model is supported by the widespread findings that developmental stress impacts on the development of traits and so might affect the attractiveness of the male signaller (Emlen 1994; Knell et al. 1999; Spencer et al. 2004). Since models of the so-called Fisherian runaway process often assume, at least initially, the importance of selection for good genes, it has been argued that the two theories are not truly distinct (Kokko et al. 2006). Despite the widespread assumption that indirect selection for sexual traits occurs, correlations between reproductive success and sexual trait quality are usually weak (Jennions et al. 2001), and clear examples are rare (e.g. Qvarnström et al. 2006). The shortage of empirical evidence of this kind may result from the fact that heavy investment in traits leads to reduced survival or parental investment (Kokko et al. 2006). A more fundamental problem with the good genes model of sexual selection becomes apparent when one considers that trait quality (which for the purposes of this paper we shall consider as synonymous with trait size) must ultimately be limited by natural selection (Darwin 1871). If genotypes that correspond to high quality and high viability are consistently chosen, such genotypes should come to dominate in the population, and genetic variation on which selection can act should be reduced to the point where the benefits of choosing are insignificant (the ‘lek paradox’; Borgia 1979; Kirkpatrick & Ryan 1991). Such a reduction in the heritability of trait characteristics and viability is expected to be particularly acute in poor environments. By contrast, in benign environments, in which most individuals survive regardless of genotype, the opposite problem might occur: selective pressure on genetic quality, and hence mate choice, might be very low (Wilson et al. 2006). Recent efforts to understand the lek paradox have concentrated on the influence the environment may have on genetic expression (Greenfield & Rodriguez 2004; Danielson-François et al. 2006). Models have shown that strong genotype-by-environment interactions (GEIs) can generate an ‘ecological crossover’, where different genotypes are superior in environments that are separated either in space or time (Gillespie & Turelli 1989; Ellner & Hairston 1994; Qvarnström 1999; Danielson-François et al. 2006; Wilson et al. 2006, 2007). Kokko & Heubel (2008) have recently shown that, if there is limited mixing of reproductive individuals who have developed in different environments, ecological crossover, and weaker forms of GEI, can help maintain additive genetic variation in male viability and trait characteristics, and hence support the persistence of female preference. However, the same authors also show that extensive mixing of individuals from different developmental environments can lead to the opposite result: GEIs can make female choice less likely to evolve. The explanation for this lies in the fact that mixing of reproductive individuals whose development has been influenced by GEIs can blur the relationship between the individual male genetic quality and the phenotype as perceived by females. It is this ‘blurring’ that we explore in detail in this paper. Using a stochastic simulation model, we examine the effect of weak GEIs, brought about by non-random mortality of some individuals during development (‘developmental selection’; Moller 1997), on the extent to which phenotype (trait size) is informative about male quality. Specifically, we test the hypothesis that when mortality during development is common, and is biased towards individuals of lower genetic quality, and when some individuals experience more severe developmental conditions than others, the positive relationship between genetic quality and trait size that would be expected in a homogeneous environment will be weakened and/or reversed. Attempts to explore the impacts of genetic and environmental factors on sexual selection and mate choice often involve the simultaneous modelling of the evolution of male traits and female choice. Such models by necessity make assumptions about processes occurring in both ecological and evolutionary time, and it can be difficult to disentangle cause and effect. Here, we present a very simple model with which we seek to clarify the impact of GEIs on a single generation of trait-bearing males. We do not explicitly consider the consequences of GEIs on the coevolutionary dynamics of female mate choice and male trait size, and instead focus on the information content of the male ‘signal’, asking how environmental heterogeneity can erode the intuitive value of the ability of females to assess male phenotype. The results reveal patterns that appear to underlie the conclusions of recent coevolutionary modelling efforts. 2. The model (a) Model construction We constructed a stochastic model in which n individuals are born, and each individual i has a genetic quality ai at birth and is subjected to a local environment of harshness hi during development. Genetic ‘quality’ is here defined as both positively related to the ability to survive in the face of developmental stress and the ability to produce a large sexual trait, and therefore represents the base additive genetic effect on phenotype. We assume that each individual experiences a unique developmental environment, with both ai and hi being randomly sampled from a normal distribution with a mean of 10, and standard deviations σa and σh. We justify this assumption on the grounds that young animals are faced with stochasticity in a suite of interacting factors, such as microclimate as an egg or nutritional conditions in utero, damaging attacks by predators, infectious disease and food availability. No two individuals are likely to experience identical conditions as they develop. It is possible to imagine the types of environmental variability that affect some individual genotypes in a population positively and some negatively, or in which the relationship between environment and survival or the development of sexual traits is strongly nonlinear. In our model, however, we consider the simple case of an axis in environmental parameter space that is monotonically related to survival and trait size for all genotypes. Hence, the probability of survival during development and the ability to produce a large sexual trait are both assumed to be negatively related to environmental harshness. The qualities of ‘quality’ and ‘harshness’ are necessarily abstract, and it is difficult to find empirical evidence to support the choice of specific functions for survival and trait size. Our approach is therefore to construct simple and generic but plausible relationships. First, we assume that a simple sigmoidal function determines the probability of survival to maturity for each individual: where α and β control the impact on the probability of survival of genetic quality and environmental harshness, respectively. This function describes a logistic equation where higher values of hi and ai cause a reduction and an increase in the probability of survival, respectively. In the simulations, individual i survives if Pi is greater than a uniformly distributed pseudorandom number between 0 and 1. Default values for all parameters are shown in table 1. Table 1 Default values of parameters used in simulations. Next, we calculate the size Si of the sexual trait of each individual, based on the genetic quality ai and the environmental harshness hi. Initially, we assume that the trait size is described by a exponential function that tends towards one and zero at high values of ai and hi, respectively, and we assume a multiplicative interaction between ai and hi: where δ and λ control the impact on sexual trait size of genetic quality and environmental harshness, respectively. Both δ and λ were set not only to control the relative impact of quality and environment on trait size (as modifiers) but also to scale the various functions to equivalent ranges for trait size to enable comparisons among functional forms (i.e. zero to one over the ranges of a and h). Preliminary simulations suggested that our results were to some extent sensitive to the shape of this function (equation (2.2)). In the absence of clear empirical support for one particular functional form, we also chose to explore a number of alternatives (see below), but the first results we describe are from simulations employing equation (2.2), because this function was computationally convenient. In all the functions we used, trait size approaches an asymptote as genetic quality increases and the height of the asymptote is reduced by environmental harshness. The following two properties reflect our assumption: (i) the costs of a trait accelerate with increasing size, which is likely to be true of traits for which elaboration is opposed by natural selection, and (ii) the maximum trait size is determined in part by the environment. For example, the ornate, long tails found in males of a variety of bird species are commonly used in sexual displays and can impair flight (Andersson 1994). In this case, we expect that the impacts of increases in tail length on flight are greater for birds with longer tails than those with shorter tails. However, the tail length is ultimately constrained by the amount of energy and/or protein available to the bird, and hence by environmental quality. Measurable consequences of these phenomena in a natural population might be a negative skew in the distribution of tail lengths, reflecting a constraint on maximum tail size, and a difference in maximum tail size and the extent of this skew between populations experiencing benign and harsh conditions. For the surviving individuals, we calculated the Pearson product–moment correlation coefficient r between the genetic quality ai and the trait size Si, which represents the reliability of the phenotype as an indicator of genetic quality in the population. When the environment has little or no effect on trait size, we would expect a strong positive correlation. As the effects of environmental stochasticity become more important, the prediction is that the correlation will weaken. Under certain conditions, the correlation may be so weak that the relationship is not significantly positive, implying that the trait is of no use to females in assessing the genetic quality. The value of r we report in the results is the mean correlation coefficient from 1000 replicate simulations. We also report the p value resulting from a sign test with the null hypothesis that the mean of r for a particular set of parameter values is not different from zero. Visual inspection of scatter plots under different combinations of parameter values suggested that it was reasonable to assume that the relationship between ai and Si was linear. (b) Simulation results: effects of environmental and genetic heterogeneity We explored the effect of varying the values of several parameters on the correlation between genetic quality and trait size, but we were most interested in the effect of varying the relative impact that environmental harshness has on sexual trait size. Initially, we explored the effect of altering the standard deviations of quality and environment, σa and σh, with all other parameters at default values (table 1). Simulations showed that as the heterogeneity of the environment increases, the positive correlation between genetic quality and trait size is disrupted (figure 1). As genetic variation in quality tends towards zero (σa=0), the correlation also tends towards zero. As σa increases, a positive relationship between genetic quality and trait size becomes increasingly likely, except at very high levels of genetic variation, where the relationship is weakened again, as a result of too much noise. Figure 1 Mean correlation coefficients r for the relationship between the genetic quality ai and the trait size Si in adult populations surviving mortality during development from 1000 simulations using a model with a multiplicative exponential function for S ... We next varied the effect of the environment on both survival β and trait size λ, keeping all other parameters at default values (table 1). Increasing both of these parameters made the correlation less positive (figure 2). When β is very low, high values of λ merely disrupt the positive correlation between genetic quality and trait size, but, when β is larger, large values of λ cause the correlation to be negative. In other words, females searching for a mate in this situation would be faced with a population of surviving adult males in which the higher quality individuals had smaller sexual traits. Figure 2 In the version of the model for which we presented these results, trait size was assumed to be a deterministic function of λ and δ. We ran simulations that incorporated stochastic trait development, by treating the deterministic functions as the mean values, and randomly allocating trait size according to a standard deviation σs (table 1). These simulations produced qualitatively identical results (data not shown): the magnitude of all correlations was reduced, as might be expected by introducing extra stochasticity to the system. (c) Simulation results: effects of the shape of the function determining trait size In order to explore the robustness of our results under different assumptions about the shape of the relationship between the genetic quality, environmental harshness and trait size, we employed eight functional forms for the relationship between ai, hi and Si. The functions were of four categories—linear, exponential, proportional and power—representing a broad range of simple forms that have asymptotes. Within each category, the interaction between the effects of genetic quality and environmental harshness could be either additive or multiplicative. All the functions we used gave rise to a weak GEI, where the effect of ai on Si was reduced at high values of hi; the functions used are shown in figure 3. In each case, we explored the effect on the correlation between the genetic quality ai and the trait size Si of two varying parameters: β, the effect of the environment on survival; and λ, the effect of the environment on trait size. We varied β between 0.1 and 0.9 while keeping α, the effect of genetic quality on survival, fixed at 0.5. Hence, the environment could have a greater (β>0.5) or smaller (β<0.5) effect on survival than genetic quality. Figure 3 Functional forms relating individual genetic quality ai and environmental harshness hi to trait size Si: (a,b) linear function, (c,d) exponential function, (e,f) proportional function and (g,h) power function. The effects of ai and hi are either (a,c ... We chose values for δ, the effect of genetic quality on trait size, which determined that, in a benign environment, the trait size Si for individuals of the highest genetic quality was approximately four times Si for individuals of the lowest genetic quality (full details of values used for this and other parameters that were varied are given in table 2). We employed values for λ, the effect of environment on trait size, which maximized the amount of parameter space explored. For the linear forms of the function determining Si, we assumed a maximum trait size of 1, and chose a range for λ that varied from negligible effects to dominant effects of the environment. For the exponential functional forms, we explored a range for λ that encompassed all increasing decelerating curves that did not approach an asymptote at very low values of Si. For the proportional functional forms, we varied λ up to the mean of ai, so that the shape of the slope varied between the immediately saturating and an almost straight line. For the power functional forms, we explored the whole range of increasing decelerating functions. Table 2 Mean (from 1000 simulations) minimum and maximum correlation coefficients r (all s.e.m.<0.001; not shown) for the observed correlation between trait size Si and genetic quality ai in populations composed of adults that have survived mortality ... We found significant negative correlations between genetic quality and trait size at certain combinations of parameter values (table 2) using seven of the eight functional forms shown in figure 3. In all cases, the correlation was most negative when the effect of the environment on survival β was the highest (0.9), and the most positive when β was the lowest (0.1). This is because decreasing β increases the relative importance of the effect of individual genetic quality on survival: when β is low, survivors tend to be individuals of the highest genetic quality. Considering the effect of environment on trait size λ, the most positive correlations occurred when λ was at its smallest (table 2). This is because when the effect of the environment is negligible, trait size accurately reflects genotype. The most negative correlations occurred when λ was of intermediate magnitude; when λ is very high, there is too much noise and the correlation tends towards zero. In essence, only when the relative effect of genetic quality on trait size is sufficiently strong can any correlation occur. A negative correlation occurs when the high-quality individuals survive but mostly have small traits, and the low-quality individuals either have large traits (in benign environments) or do not survive. 3. Discussion Our results show that the expected positive relationship between individual genetic quality and sexual trait size can be disrupted and even reversed by environmental effects on phenotypic expression and mortality during development. The relationship becomes negative only if the relative effect of genetic quality on trait size is smaller in more benign environments than in more harsh environments. In other words, the relationship between genetic quality and trait size is strongly affected by GEIs. Thus, our results help to explain why the evolution of (usually female) mate choice is sometimes made less likely by GEIs in the presence of environmental heterogeneity (Kokko & Heubel 2008). In this context, the inconsistent observed relationships between female preference and trait size (Andersson 1994; Griffith et al. 1999; Qvarnström 1999) are perhaps less puzzling than they have sometimes been considered to be. Strong GEIs, such as those that result in ecological crossover, have been identified as being likely to disrupt the reliability of signals of male quality (Greenfield & Rodriguez 2004). In our model, we assume only a weak GEI (see for example, Hunt et al. 2004): superior genotypes are always superior, but the size of the selective advantage varies between environments. Kokko & Heubel (2008) have suggested that weak GEIs can produce similar patterns to those generated by ecological crossover and hence be detrimental to the evolution of female preference. Our results confirm that the weak GEIs are sometimes sufficient to completely disrupt any correlation between genetic quality and signal/trait size. This conclusion appears to be robust in the face of different modelling approaches. Kokko & Heubel's (2008) model considered only two types of environment, with only two alleles determining survival, in a deterministic framework. We modelled a large population of individuals, each with a different genotype and each experiencing a unique developmental environment, in a stochastic framework. In this modelling exercise, we assumed that the individuals that have experienced different developmental environments come together to form well-mixed breeding populations. We made this assumption because our original objective was to explore the impact of stochastic micro-environmental variation on the reliability of sexual signals. Any well-mixed population of adults will contain individuals with varying experiences of developmental stress. For example, some individuals may have been unlucky enough to be exposed to serious diseases during development; some may have hatched or been born in particularly inclement weather; others may have suffered from reduced parental care after the death of a mother or father. In these circumstances, our results show that the effect of weak GEIs are generally disruptive of the relationship between genetic quality and trait size, and hence probably detrimental to the evolution of female preference. We did not consider, however, the variation among breeding populations or subpopulations that might result from environmental heterogeneity on a larger spatial or temporal scale. Kokko & Heubel (2008) have shown that such heterogeneity can actually promote the evolution of female preference if GEIs operate on individuals who develop in distinct environments and mix to only a limited extent when they become reproductively active. The results allow us to make some predictions about the situations in which male traits should be particularly unreliable indicators of quality to females. These predictions make possible several empirical tests of the model. First, we expect that sexual traits will be less correlated with genetic quality when mortality during development is common. We might look for negative correlations in species where most individuals do not survive to maturity (e.g. insects), or in harsh seasons (e.g. Wilson et al. 2006). Second, the correlation should be less strong when the developmental environment is highly heterogeneous. This would be expected, for example, in species with dispersing embryos, eggs or juvenile stages, and where parental care is absent or minimal. In species with male parental care, sons may only be able to develop large traits if a benign environment is provided by parents. Third, quality and trait size should be less correlated when trait heritability is low relative to environmental effects. For example, where food availability is relatively stochastic and more a result of good fortune than foraging skill, environmental effects may dominate expression of traits. Finally, in all the above situations, in which GEIs have the greatest potential to erode the information value of male traits, we would expect the evolution of female choice to be inhibited (Kokko & Heubel 2008). Our model is very simple and therefore involves several simplifying assumptions. First, we have assumed that there is zero covariance between the genetic quality and environmental harshness: higher quality genotypes do not generally experience higher quality environments. It is not difficult to envisage a situation where this assumption may not hold, such as where parental quality plays a role in determining the environment into which offspring are born, or when parental effort determines food availability. It would thus be interesting to explore the impact of the relaxation of this assumption on the role of GEIs in the development of phenotypic traits. Second, we have assumed that genetic quality determines both survival and trait size. That is, we assume that, in the absence of environmental heterogeneity, traits are perfect indicators of the ability to survive development. Reduction in the genetic covariance between trait size and survival could have interesting consequences for predictions of models of this type. For example, if poor males can increase their reproductive success by investing proportionally more in trait size, the reliability of traits as indicators of genetic quality would be further reduced. Our model highlights the importance of developmental selection in the evolution of traits. We assume that a significant proportion of individuals die before maturity. Evidence indicates that this is a robust assumption: in most species studied, mortality rate is the highest in neonates (e.g. Wilson et al. 2006). Such empirical results are likely to be underestimates, since mortality very early in development is easily missed. In the context of our study, even mortality of eggs or embryos in the womb has the potential to affect the relationship between the genetic quality and the trait size. Our results show that all such mortality has the potential to play a role in the erosion of the information content of traits that might otherwise have usefulness as honest indicators of male quality. Intuitively, we can see that this is likely to have an important impact on the evolution of female mate choice. Although further work is needed to explore the consequences fully, recent evidence is indeed that GEIs of the sort described by our model make mate choice less likely to evolve (Kokko & Heubel 2008). However, we can speculate that, in many cases, selection for trait size might proceed very slowly when the correlation between the genetic quality and the trait size is weakened in this way. Indeed, since our results show that the usefulness of a trait as an indicator of genetic quality decreases with variance in the population, our mechanism might provide a ‘brake’ on the erosion of genetic variance. Furthermore, in cases of extreme environmental heterogeneity or stochasticity in developmental selection, selection may be unable to occur at all. As a result, females might be reduced to selecting for direct benefits only, and hence the role of indirect benefits in mate choice may have been overstated in some mating systems. We thank John Brookfield, Francis Gilbert, Jan Lindström, Alan McElligott and Graeme Ruxton for stimulating discussion and insight, Hanna Kokko and three anonymous referees for critically reading the manuscript, and Markus Owen for mathematical advice. A.D.H. was supported by NERC grant no. NE/E016626/1 awarded to Graeme Ruxton. This work is dedicated to the memory of Prof. Chris Barnard. • Andersson M. Princeton University Press; Princeton, NJ: 1994. Sexual selection. • Borgia G. Sexual selection and the evolution of mating systems. In: Blum M.S., Blum N.A., editors. Sexual selection and reproductive competition in insects. Academic Press; New York, NY: 1979. pp. 19–80. • Danielson-François A.M., Kelly J.K., Greenfield M.D. Genotype×environment interaction for male attractiveness in an acoustic moth: evidence for plasticity and canalization. J. Evol. Biol. 2006;19:532–542. doi:10.1111/j.1420-9101.2005.01006.x [PubMed] • Darwin C.R. John Murray; London, UK: 1871. The descent of man and selection in relation to sex. • Ellner S., Hairston N.G. Role of overlapping generations in maintaining genetic variation in a fluctuating environment. Am. Nat. 1994;143:403–417. doi:10.1086/285610 • Emlen D.J. Environmental control of horn length dimorphism in the beetle Onthophagus acuminatus (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) Proc. R. Soc. B. 1994;256:131–136. doi:10.1098/rspb.1994.0060 • Fisher R. Oxford University Press; Oxford, UK: 1930. The genetical theory of natural selection. • Gillespie J.H., Turelli M. Genotype–environment interactions and the maintenance of polygenic variation. Genetics. 1989;121:129–138. [PubMed] • Greenfield M.D., Rodriguez R.L. Genotype–environment interaction and the reliability of mating signals. Anim. Behav. 2004;68:1461–1468. doi:10.1016/j.anbehav.2004.01.014 • Griffith S.C., Owens I.P.F., Burke T. Environmental determination of a sexually selected trait. 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Syst. 2006;37:43–66. doi:10.1146/annurev.ecolsys.37.091305.110259 • Moller A.P. Developmental selection against developmentally unstable offspring and sexual selection. J. Theor. Biol. 1997;185:415–422. doi:10.1006/jtbi.1996.0332 • Qvarnström A. Genotype-by-environment interactions in the determination of the size of a secondary sexual character in the collared flycatcher (Ficedula albicollis) Evolution. 1999;53:1564–1572. doi:10.2307/2640901 • Qvarnström A., Brommer J.E., Gustafsson L. Testing the genetics underlying the co-evolution of mate choice and ornament in the wild. Nature. 2006;441:84–86. doi:10.1038/nature04564 [PubMed] • Spencer K.A., Buchanan K.L., Goldsmith A.R., Catchpole C.K. Developmental stress, social rank and song complexity in the European starling (Sturnus vulgaris) Proc. R. Soc. B. 2004;271:S121–S123. doi:10.1098/rsbl.2003.0122 [PMC free article] [PubMed] • Wilson A.J., Pemberton J.M., Pilkington J.G., Coltman D.W., Mifsud D.V., Clutton-Brock T.H., Kruuk L.E.B. 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Rituals and Resources on Easter Island When the Dutch explorer, Jakob Roggeveen, came to Easter Island in 1722 he observed—that is before his men gunned down a dozen of them—the islanders lighting fires in front of the Moais. They were kneeling before the figures like modern day monks clasping their palms together before the Buddha. It was the Roggeveen encounter that led a 52 year old sprightly islander to row out to meet Captain Cook a quarter of a century later when his ship moored off Ranga Hoa and ask: Have you come to kill us? That question reported in Cook’s diaries sticks in my memory. It is so straightforward, so to the point. Its implication is: We recognize that you are willing and able to kill us. We merely want to know what to expect. This is a question one might put to a god; for example, to the god who asked Abraham to sacrifice his son, Isaac, or to the god who went Abraham one better and actually sacrificed his only son. Cook had the good graces to say no. The downfall of Moai worship coincided with the rise of the Birdman cult whose central ritual involved retrieving the first egg laid by the Sooty Tern, a migratory bird that returned to Motonui every summer in September. Motonui is a tiny island several hundred yards offshore. Several hopu manu—those chosen to take part in the ritual—prepared for the competition by retreating into hand-made windowless chambers, so small a five-foot hopu manu couldn’t stand up in one. After weeks of isolation, at the designated time, the hopu manu climbed down the steep sides of the Rano Kao volcano, swam out to Motonui, waited for the birds to lay, grabbed an egg and tried to return to Easter Island without breaking it. The first one back did not become the Birdman of the year. He was merely the agent of the real Birdman. The real Birdman would then go into isolation for an entire year. His spouse could not visit him for 5 months. He could not bathe during that entire time and during that time he was covered in white paint, his head shaved and his finger and toenails uncut. Whatever the significance of this complicated rite, it supplanted the Moai cult for a time only to die itself. The last race for the Sooty Tern egg was in 1862. I think the reason for all these rituals, from Moai to Birdman to our own, is that for most people life is a crushing deprivation. The resources one commands are never enough. Deprived of real income, rituals are a way for people to acquire a different kind of income, psychic income. It is not surprising to me that as the resources on Easter Island diminished, one set of rituals, which had failed them, gave way to another set of rituals, which also failed them. I think resources and rituals are, in general, inversely proportional: the fewer a nation’s resources, the more influential its rituals. In the United States today, for example, I credit the rise of the religious right (pun intended) with the fact that median income levels have essentially been stagnant for the last quarter of a century, this during a period when the migration of wealth to the top 2% of our society has been unprecedented. Perhaps one doesn’t have to go halfway around the world to experience the decline of Easter Island. Click here to listen to this entry in audio
Antenna Definitions and Terms "A", "B", "C", "D", "E", "F", "G"/"H", "I" to "L", "M"/"N"/"O", "P"/"Q", "R", "S", "T", "U" to "Z" Image Antenna: A hypothetical mirror-image, a virtual-image, of an antenna, an antenna element, considered to extend as far below the ground plane, as the actual antenna is above the ground plane. Impedance: The total opposition offered by a circuit or component to the flow of alternating current. Impedance match: The condition where the load impedance equals the characteristic impedance of a transmission line. Indirect Wave: A reflected wave. Indoor Antenna: An antenna designed to operate inside a structure. A TV antenna designed to pick up TV stations inside a house: Note a TV antenna located outside will always function better than an indoor antenna by picking up more TV stations or providing better reception. Indoor TV Antenna InDoor Antenna Inductance: The natural property of an electrical circuit which opposes the rate of change or current, i.e., electrical intertia. In phase: Two or more signals of the same frequency passing through their maximum and minimum values of like polarity at the same instant. Insertion Loss: The decrease in power delivered to a load when a device is inserted between the source and the load. Insulator: A device or material that has a high electrical resistance; a non-conductor of electricity. Interference: A degradation of a received signal caused by another transmitter, a noise source, or the desired signal propagation over two or more different routes. Inverted Cone Antenna: A vertically polarized omnidirectional antenna used for broadband communications. Refer to the drawing in the lower right. Inverted L Antenna: A half-wave dipole fed by a one-quarter wavelength long vertical section. Inverted Vee Antenna: A half-wave dipole erected in the form of an upside-down V, with the feed point at the apex. It is essentially omnidirectional, and is sometimes called a dropping doublet. Ionization: The process where radiation and particles from the Sun make some of the Earths atmosphere partially conductive. Ionosphere: A partially conducting region of the Earths atmosphere between 50 kms and 400 kms high. Ionospheric Scatter: The propagation of radio waves by scattering as a result of irregularities or discontinuities in the ionization of the ionosphere. Isotropic Antenna: A hypothetical antenna that radiates or receives equally in all directions. J-Antenna: A half-wave antenna. Lambda: Used to represent a wavelength with reference to electrical dimensions in antenna work. Represented by the Greek lower case, 11th letter. L-Antenna: A horizontal wire and a vertical wire attached together to form an L shaped antenna. Left-Hand Polarized Wave: An elliptically polarized electromagnetic wave in which the rotation of the electric field vector is counterclockwise when looking in the direction of propagation. Lens Antenna: A microwave antenna that concentrates radiated energy using a dielectric lens. Linearly Polarized Antenna: Antennas that produce only one polarization. Line of sight: [LOS]. The transmission path of a wave that travels directly from the transmitting antenna to the receiving antenna. Load: A device that consumes electrical power. Loading: Providing or connecting an electrical device capable of accepting power to match the impedance of an antenna to a transmitter so that maximum power is radiated from a generating device, such as a transmitter. Lobe: A bulge on an antenna radiation pattern which indicates the direction in which radiated power is concentrated. An area of greater signal strength in the transmission pattern of an antenna. An identifiable segment of an antenna radiation pattern. Log-Periodic Antenna: [LPA] Also called an LP Antenna. A broadband, multi-element, unidirectional, narrow-beam antenna that has impedance and radiation characteristics that are regularly repetitive as a logarithmic function of the excitation frequency. Log-Periodic Dipole Antenna: [LPDA] A type of directional antenna. See the graphic to the right. Long-wire antenna: An antenna that is a wavelength or more long at its operating frequency. An end fed single wire antenna usually one wavelength or longer. An area of a radiation pattern plotted on a polar-coordinate graph that represents maximum radiation. Loop Antenna: A style of antenna used for UHF reception [TV]. The shape of the antenna is in the form of a wire loop. A loop antenna is sometime found in combination with Rabbit Ears which are used to receive VHF channels. A type of antenna, in the form of a circle or rectangle, usually used in direction-finding equipment and in UHF reception. Table-top UHF Loop Antenna Loop Antenna Loopstick Antenna: See Ferrite Rod. Lowest usable frequency: [LUF]. The lowest frequency that will not be absorbed by the ionosphere or smothered by atmospheric noise. LPDA: Log Periodic Dipole Antenna. A type of directional antenna. Refer to the graphic in the right side-bar. LP Antenna: See Log-Periodic Antenna. PC motherboard DistributorsComponents Equipment Software Standards Buses Design Reference
subscribe.gif (2332 bytes) Biography of Yehuda Katz \| Archives \| This Week's Parsha " Korach ............took................." (16:1)(13;20) This "taking" was an act of persuading a rebellion against Mosha and Aaron. Its the "taking" away of someone's free will.This was a very powerful movement against Aaron's authority in the position of being the "High Priest".Yet we find that Korach had 3 sons Assir, Elkana, and Aviassaf. These sons , however, were saved from the calamity....... Its interesting to note that these sons are referred to as "the sons of Korach", namely in the Psalms. (Refer to Psalm 45, ect) A very curious question can be asked,we find in Baba Mezia59b the following statement: " If there is a case of hanging in one's family record, say not to him, "hang this fish up for me". This might cause a person to be shamed because of its hurtful reference.................Therefore, why do we refer to the sons of Korach as the "sons of Korach", isn't this derogatory and shameful to associate these righteous men with reference to their father's shameful rebellion? Perhapes there's a lesson to be learned? In Yalkut Shimoni 752, it states the following about the sons of Korach: " While Mosha came to visit Korach in order to some how persuade him not to rebel, the sons of Korach found themselves in a dilemma, " If we arise for Mosha, we offend our father. If we remain seated, on the other hand, we transgress the Mitzvah of giving honor to a Torah Scholar. They decided to fulfill the Torah commandment , and arose in honor of Mosha even if their father was angry."(end of quote) This took great courage on their part..........Its often not easy to go against the flow........Yet the sons of Korach were unique in that they were seekers of truth..........This is what saved honest conviction to do what's right. Its precisely for this reason they are known as the sons of Korach......................They were surely influenced greatly by their father, and the very movement he started against Mosha and Aaron. Even so, they sought to do what was right in the face of tremendous adversity..................By calling them the "sons of Korach", we are in actuality praising them for their courage . There were no other men who were so under the influence of their father than these 3 men, yet they found a way to do what was right. By calling them the 'sons of Korach", we emphasize this very fact...... Every person is being pulled by the "fads" of his time and location....................yet some how we need to still be able to retain a sense of free will to do what is right in the face of adversity....................The sons of Korach should be examples to us all..Have a good Shabbos This article is provided as part of Shema Yisrael Torah Network Permission is granted to redistribute electronically or on paper, provided that this notice is included intact. For information on subscriptions, archives, and other Shema Yisrael send mail to Shema Yisrael Torah Network Jerusalem, Israel Feedback is Appreciated at
Freud Jung Only available on StudyMode • Download(s) : 231 • Published : May 12, 2013 Open Document Text Preview Freud viewed the unconscious as a collection of images, thoughts and experiences the individual refused to process, which lead to neuroses. Freud believed that the principal driving force behind men and women’s activities was repressed or expressed sexuality. Unfulfilled sexuality led to pathological conditions. The unconscious to Freud was the storage facility for all repressed sexual desires, thus resulting in pathological or mental illness. Only through laying bare the unconscious could a person discover how to live happily and recover from mental illness. Freud tends toward a very masterful way of storming the unconscious to denude it of repressed Jung viewed the unconscious just like Freud but added to it by stating that each individual also possessed a collective unconscious, a group of shared images and archetypes common to all humans. These often bubbled up to the surface of the personal unconscious. Dreams could be better interpreted by understanding the symbolic reference points of universally shared symbols. Humans are driven by their need to achieve individuation, wholeness or full knowledge of the self. Many emotions drive humans to act in psychologically unhealthy ways, but all these ways were a longing for the desire to feel complete. Jung, conversely, felt that the unconscious often strove on its own for wholeness, and that mental illness was not pathology, but an unconscious regulation of emotions and stored experience tending toward Both men drew on the concept of the unconscious as a way of explaining dreams, but Jung drew more on a multi-layered concept of the subconscious. The primary differences between Freud and Jung are interesting to observe. The idea of an unconscious is generally almost universally accepted, yet neither Freud nor Jung felt that after an explanation, continued therapeutic... tracking img
A Horrible Past Gives Hope for the Future This work is considered exceptional by our editorial staff. The 1940s followed a time of war that began in the earlier part of the century. Many of the people of the forties were unaccustomed to war times; those who had lived during the twenties, when the first world war began, had spent two decades in peace, far removed from any warfare. When the Second World War began, the American people were unaware of the complexity and intensity of the occurrences around the world. Hitler had gained power and was continuing to persistently gain control of European countries that had not yet been conquered, or had not been conquered for hundreds of years. When the Japanese emperor Hirohito joined forces with the Nazis in Germany and Fascists in Italy, the American government began to feel the need to be involved. This alliance between Japan, Germany, and Italy was known as the Axis Powers. After France fell to the Nazis, the American troops joined forces with the British government in an effort to stop the Axis Powers from taking over all of Europe. Following the attack on Pearl Harbor, a military base on an American territory called Hawaii, the outrage of the Americans towards the Axis Powers climaxed. Every American person: man, woman, and child, helped with the war effort. Family was an important concept back then; family was everything, but families were being torn apart by the Nazis and the Fascists. Fathers, husbands, uncles, brothers, cousins, and friends were sent off to war in Europe without their consent. The men of America were unable to fight the draft, and had no say in whether or not they wanted to fight for their country. Though the Americans finally defeated Hitler and Hirohito, years later patriotism was still a forced feeling. Finally, the American government dropped the draft and, though America has seemingly been involved in wars since World War II, patriotism is no longer forced. Today the military, air force, and navy of the United States all consist of volunteers who want to serve their country. Interview Q and A: I interviewed Mr. Don Schneider-Penny, an important man of history who was kind enough to sacrifice his time and energy in order to be interviewed for this project. His experiences as a young man living in an era where war consumed the world have changed his life by their uniqueness and power. In this type-recorded interview, Mr. Penny's responses will always follow my questions. The following is recorded and displayed below. Q: Where did you live during WWII? Where do you live now? A: I was born in 1933 and lived in Brooklyn until I was ten. When WWII started we moved to Long Island which is in Nassau County and that's where I grew up. From 1941 to 1945 that was my home. Now I live in Brentwood, California and I also have a home in Palmetto, Florida. Q: What was your approximate age? A: I was about ten or eleven at the time. Q: Did you hold a job during the war? If so, was it related to the war? A: Actually, no I was in school, but at that time we were all very much involved in the war because everyone had a brother, father, uncle involved directly. But, technically, yeah I had a job: I was an American. My country was at war so I would go searching for tin, tin pots and such that could be sent to the soldiers at war. Equipment was often made from the tin and the other things my friends and I found. Q: How was communication different during the war? A: Well, for communication all we really had was the radio. That's how we heard about what was going on around the world and in our own country. Letters rarely came home from our relatives that were at war, so we relied mainly on what the President and the government and the media could tell us through the radio. Q: How was daily life was different as a result of the war? A: Well, my life changed, really, on December 7, 1941. That was when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. I was about nine years old at the time and I remember walking into my parents bedroom and seeing them listening to the radio. They were listening to reports about the attack on Pearl Harbor. I remember asking my dad, "What is that?" And he said, "Well, we're at war, Son." And I asked him what that meant. "It means another country is attacking us." And it was that day that my life and the life of every American changed. It was then that every American became a contributor to the war effort, because unlike today, the President was asking us all to give what we could. So everyone had a job, everyone had to ration their food (we got ration books), and sacrifices were made immediately for the good of our country. Not sacrifices like the British had been making, since they had been fighting for four years already, but every one made a commitment. But civilians, those days, considered themselves part of the armed forces of the United States. Q: Did you have any relatives in the war? A: Yes, yes of course. My Uncle Arty was a liaison pilot with General Paten's army in Europe, and all of my father's brothers, including my Uncle Sid and my Uncle Chick were in the army. And everyone I knew had members of their family, at that time mostly men, in the army. If you talked to any of my friends at the time they would tell you that either their uncle or their father or their brother was out there fighting. And it wasn't just the army; they were in the navy, marines, and air-core too. Q: What roles did families play during the war? A: Families worked together throughout the war, pitching in however, whenever, and wherever they could. Children, like myself at the time, collected tin for the army; our fathers fought in the war, our mothers donated their time knitting caps for the soldiers. Everyone pitched in towards the war effort. Together, my family would listen to the radio for any updates on the war each evening. Q: What were some of the new roles for women because of the war? A: Women have always played a much more significant role in America than anywhere else. And as I said, my mother carried arms and legs out of a hospital operating room. I had two aunts who were in the women's army core and there were over six hundred women who were pilots; WASPs they were called. They would fly airplanes to England, but they were never given any medals, or recognition or anything, but through and through they were patriots. In many cases, women were more important to the war than men. They were smarter, for instance [laughs]. And they were very brave and harder working than many of our men; they did twice as much in half the time because women's careers at the time were only half as appreciated and half as long as men's. I say this facetiously, but I have always been much more guided by women than men in my lifetime. They have better views, more equaled, unbiased views, than those of men who are full of testosterone and lacking in brains. Q: Did you have any blackouts in the area that you lived? A: Oh, yes! My father was an air-raid warden; they wore white helmets with a little triangle on it with red stripes, and they would come around the neighborhood to all the houses to make sure all the lights were out. And of course, we wondered if there was ever really going to be an attack because we were three thousand miles across the ocean, at that point, so far away from Japan. None of us really considered that they would ever be able to touch us. In actuality, there were only two or three attacks on American soil. One was from a submarine off the Pacific Coast; the attack was on Santa Barbara. Q: What was patriotism like during the war? Was it true patriotism or forced? A: Well, it was really interesting, Elizabeth, because coming from a Jewish family, we had known about the harassment of the Jews in Germany well before the Second World War had begun. Even in the 1930s the "harassment", if you will, had already begun. My family was an important family; my given name is Schneider, you know, and my family developed Schneider lenses for the Leichid camera. And so we were able to get out of Germany well before the war began, but some of our relatives like my cousins and such chose to stay behind and when it came time that the Nazis started punishing the Jews, not everyone got out safely. My father's family immigrated here in around 1909, but my mother's family was here long before that, during the nineteenth century. So most of my family was safe here, grounded in Georgia and the rest of the south of the country. But to answer your question, we were aware of the war on a much more intense level and we had so many intimate relationships with people that were involved in the war, that it was impossible to ignore it. My own mother, for instance, went to work at Mitchell Field and the hospital over there, and I remember one day a doctor from the hospital coming to our house for dinner. As my mother was preparing dinner, the doctor said to me, "Do you realize how brave your mother is?" And I was completely baffled; I said, "I beg your pardon?" I was about ten or twelve years old, whatever. Well, it turned out that my mother was a nurse's assistant, and when the kids came home from the battlefields, she would volunteer to go into the operating rooms where the amputations occurred. And she would carry out the amputated arms and legs of war victims and dispose of them. That was the first time I realized how very involved all Americans were and of course it's very different now in that Americans are not asked to do anything unless they want to. Back then, the entire military force of the United States was pulled together by a draft, but now everything is made up of volunteers. Men and women volunteer to risk their lives for their country, and that, of course, is very brave. Q: How was patriotism expressed by the media? A: At the time the only media we really had came from the radio. The president at the time would come on the radio consistently to discuss the war rhetorically with the citizens of America. He asked all of us to give what we could to the war effort and to be patient and patriotic throughout the many battles our country's soldiers were to face. Q: Did you observe propaganda related to the war? A: Oh, sure. We didn't perceive it as propaganda, really. Well, at the time, a director by the name of Frank Capra was creating films about the war, which served as insight for all the people on American soil, waiting for their families to come home from fighting. The films were originally a series of episodes called “Why We Fight”, produced from 1942 to 1945. I think there were seven films in all. The films were mostly based on the Germans and Japanese that were involved in the war; they were about how the Germans and the Japanese were killing innocent people all from all over the world to dominate the world kind of like terrorists are trying to do today. Most of the videos were made up of original film from overseas where the war was being fought. Q: Do you perceive any similarities between the Second World War and the past two years that we've been in war in Iraq. A: The similarities are again the fact that our armies are made up of young men and women like yourself who go to war and die in war and the old men that start the wars like Saddam Hussein who are just basically dictators, are being ousted by the people of their countries. People have come to realize, like they did in the 1940s that their leaders must be brought down, and just as we did then, America is there to help them accomplish that goal. In the same way, many Arab countries today, like the Jewish people of Germany in the '40s, are now going through the crisis of wanting liberty and having to pay for it with lives. But people like Omar Kadafi, just like Adolf Hitler, people who are madmen, crazy, will do everything in their power to stop these people who are fighting for freedom from racism and slavery and injustice. That's another story, though, I mean the world has never been run by logical people; just look at Attila the Hun who murdered anyone who stood in his way! Anyway, there is great similarity. Q: You already somewhat touched on this, but how do you remember Pearl Harbor Day? What was your reaction, and what were the reactions of your family members and friends? A: Well, I've heard many, many stories; for example, I worked for Mere Griffin, and at one point he told me, because he was just a little boy, that on Pearl Harbor Day they all ran down to the beach waiting for the Japanese to, you know, take over the country from there. That obviously didn't happen, but it was the strangest thing in that America had not been in a war for twenty years. I had several uncles who had fought in World War One and at that point they would tell stories about awful things that happened to the French. It all seemed surreal to me; I remember thinking, “Could men really want to kill each other in the name of conquest, or whatever?” It didn't actually become a reality to me until I listened to a radio broadcast about Pearl Harbor. Q: Did you ever see military planes flying over the town where you lived? A: Actually, it's funny you would ask that because when the war was going on, my family and I lived outside a large military base called Mitchell Fields and one morning, Saturday morning, I heard this incredible droning and I looked out and the sky was filled with airplanes, big transports. I realized then that these were flying across for D-Day. I ran into the house as my father was just waking up and I said, “Daddy, Daddy, come quick!” And he saw too that the sky was just filled with these transports! I remember my mother talking to my dad saying, “Who are they? What is this?” And my father said, “Those are all our kids, coming home.” And they were! At this point in the interview, Mr. Penny became somewhat choked up, remembering the day when the war had come to a close. Don said that this meant safety, not only to him and his family, but to all the people overseas where the American people had fought for their rights as human beings and as free countries. Q: How would you contrast Roosevelt and Hitler as leaders? A: Well, for starters, one was a good guy, and the other wasn't. Adolf Hitler was a deranged, truly insane man and as I said before about how Attila the Hun would band people together only to kill hoards of other people indiscriminately, Hitler did the same thing. He used fear against the minorities like the Jews, who he claimed caused World War I, and was able to get a nation of millions of Germans to fight what they considered pests in order to preserve the Arian race, which was what he considered to be the superior race to all races. That's what he saw in the Germans. After World War I, the French had exiled the Germans into solitude where for the next twenty years, their pride would be nonexistent. But when Hitler came out, he brought with him the pride that the Germans had been missing. He told them, “We are the Germans. We are the best.” And to their credit, the Germans were brilliant, in the twenty first century scientifically, but in the twelfth emotionally. It is interesting to me that, despite their brilliance, people like the Japanese forces and the Nazis could not respect life, like the American people did and still do today. That is what puts Roosevelt apart from Hitler, his value for human life. The difference between Roosevelt and Hitler is that Hitler was an insane crazy man and Franklin Deleanor Roosevelt, although a politician (got a lot of crazy ones among them, too) was a patrician also. So when he came to power, he was fully educated in being president, whereas Adolf Hitler came to power simply because a lot of the bankers thought he would be good for Germany. Which, in some ways he was. He gave the German nation back their pride and their strength, he organized them into a well-constituted country, but unfortunately, he decided that he wanted to take over the world, too! Q: Did you hear anything about relocation camps for the Japanese when you were younger? A: Yes, yes, I did. I know a few Japanese families that had been relocated back in the forties. Some people believed that by imprisoning the Japanese Americans, we were protecting them from true Japanese people who might want to harm them for betraying their home land, their own country. And of course the Japanese American soldiers who fought for our military were very angry and bitter when they came home and saw how their families had been treated by their own government. Q: Well, that is the extent of my questions, Don. Thank you so much for offering your time for this interview. A: Of course, Liz, anytime. I just want to leave you with this: I hope you will always go after the things you wish to accomplish, no matter how far away they might seem to you at the time. As we sit here today, you're sixteen. I hope your father and I will continue to be friends, and that you will invite me to your high school graduation, and maybe I'll get to see your first child and you'll tell her, “That's your Uncle Donald!” The bottom line is that WWII prepared me for years later when I would come of age and fight in Korea, and I just hope that you will take all of your experiences and turn them into preparedness for the future use them to better yourself for what is to come. Don Penny taught me just that. No matter what one experiences, there is always hope and time for that person to move on from that experience, taking it in stride, and using it to become a better person. Don helped me to better understand what happened during World War II, but he also helped me to better understand the American people, and how determined our leaders are to better themselves and to better our country for generations to come. WWII was definitely a horrific event that took many lives from soldiers and civilians, but it was an experience that the United States of America took in stride and used to better itself for years to follow. Post a Comment Be the first to comment on this article! bRealTime banner ad on the left side Site Feedback
The answer to climate change? When we are talking about inhospitable conditions for living, desert will come to our minds. One of that places is Dubai with a tropical desert climate. In summer, temperatures rise very high in the Dubai, with an average temperature around 41 °C during day. It is almost impossible to get out during the day. Even at night, the temperature, and especially the humidity in the air does not go down. The outdoor activities are to forget during this period, which extends generally from June to September. The humidity is very high, it can reach up to 90% and saturating the air in salt water directly from the evaporation of the sea. The atmosphere is quite suffocating, forcing residents to remain in the interior which is air-conditioned. Furthermore rainfall absolutely do not drop the humidity. While we are talking about climate changes some of the richest nations try to find solution how to reduce humanity’s impact on the environment, the answer of Dubai is quite different. They are going to eliminate climate changes by building a climate-controlled city. The city is going to be called the Mall of the World and it will be the first city in the world where citizens can avoid outside conditions for extended periods of time. Although the idea of such an enclosure city might seem ridiculous, it is not the first senseless project in the Dubai. After building an indoor ski slope in the desert city of Dubai, there was a huge skepticism. Nowadays it attracts 750 000 visitor per year. During Dubai’s extreme summer temperatures, the temperature-controlled environment could become the region’s most popular destination. During Dubai’s winter months, when temperatures average 23 degrees, the city’s enclosed promenades will be opened to allow in the fresh air. One of the most important part of the project is wellness district, which is designed to attract tourist for medical purposes. Mall of the World will cover an area of 8 million square meters connected to more than 100 hotels for 20 000 rooms and luxury apartments. Projectors expect that it will be the largest zone of this type in the entire world. In order to maximize the comfort of future tourists, this gigantic complex of the size of a city will be equipped with a temperature controller that will cover approximately 7 kilometers of the main street, allowing customers to walk without suffering strong external temperatures. All this may seem completely disproportionate, but it is certain that this huge project has meaning to Dubai. Mohammed Ben Rashid Al Maktoum said: “the goal is to create an integrated city offering plethora of high-end services in a pleasant environment.” Tourism is key driver of UAE’s economy and they aim to make the Dubai an attractive destination all year long. Tourist Tomas Klvana We will see if this is going to be the best answer to climate changes. If yes, the Beijing will be probably the next one. One thought on “The answer to climate change? 1. Interesting article and idea but it seems to be futuristic, ineffective and nearly impossible to introduce concept globally. Maybe for the rich oil countries dealing with hot climate this is one of the solutions how to mitigate impacts but what about poor african, asian and latinoameracan metropolises? Not to mention the energy consumption of such a project and carbon footprint. Sure, global income increases the more people can afford a more comfortable life, which include air conditioning. But we are talking about a billions of new air-conditioning machines in future in India, China, Mexico etc. Greater demand for air conditioners will cause pressure on the price of energy, infrastructure and the environmental policy. The old and badly installed electricity network in some countries will be a big problem for new devices. And what about the heat released by these new machines? I recommend you to read this article: 🙂 Tomáš Kolenčík Leave a Reply You are commenting using your account. Log Out / Change ) Twitter picture Facebook photo Google+ photo Connecting to %s
pushbutton and loop algorithm Discussion in 'Embedded Systems and Microcontrollers' started by Eric007, Aug 22, 2011. 1. Eric007 Thread Starter Senior Member Aug 5, 2011 Good day Everybody!!! Its a beautiful day, isn't? What I'm actually trying to achieve is to control 2 loops by using a single pushbutton! It should work as follows: - 1st press, loop1 start running - 2nd press, loop2 start running - 3rd press, loop1 can re-start running and so on... Here's the algo I came up with: if pressed goto loop1 if not pressed goto checkpress if pin=0 (which is a press) goto loop2 if pin=1 (which is not press) goto loop1 if pin=0 goto loop1 if pin=1 goto loop2 In the above algorithm, pin is the same pin in the checkpress loop... Does it make sense? Please I need ur comment or if u have a more elegant way of achieving this please show me Also, when power is put off and then put back on, where does the program start? Where it stopped or at the beginning of main? (Excuse me if this is a stupid question). 2. ErnieM AAC Fanatic! Apr 24, 2011 Well... that ain't gonna do much. If you press the button Checkpress will jump to Loop1, Loop1 will then jump to Loop2, and Loop2 will jump back to Loop1, which jumps to loop 2, which.... Nothing gets done. You need to also check in Loop2 that the button is NOT pressed before enabling the jump to Loop3. Also, if this is a real push button you need to check if it is bouncing and not follow every bounce. 3. Eric007 Thread Starter Senior Member Aug 5, 2011 @ErmieM: can u help me then come up with a better algorithm to achieve the above? Actually I need to use this algo to turn a set of LEDs on and off using a "single" pushbutton! And yes its gona be a real pushbutton! 4. Eric007 Thread Starter Senior Member Aug 5, 2011 @Ermie: how about I change checkpress,for debouncing, as follow: If pressed =>call delay If not pressed got checkpress If pressed goto loop1 If not pressed goto checkpress Is that ok? And as for the delay, what's the time for it I mean how long should it take? And regarding ur other comment for loop2, I do check if button is nit pressed before going back to loop1, isn't ??? Also there's no loop3... Hope to get a comment from u! 5. nickelflipper Active Member Jun 2, 2010
What, you thought Lolita and Norman Bates came out of thin air? Alice in Wonderland. Perhaps the most famous literary muse in history, Alice Liddell was a child when she first charmed family friend Charles Lutwidge Dodgson and inspired him to tell - and then write - his classic story of a little girl's adventures in Wonderland. Although the relationship is steeped in controversy, it's thought that Liddell's parents put the kibbosh on a friendship that seemed to be getting questionable; there's also some evidence that Dodson proposed to the adult Alice. As an older woman, Liddell (whose married name was Alice Hargreaves) enjoyed the association and accepted several medals in commemoration of her role. Dolores Haze, Lolita While it's by no means certain (Nabokov had been playing with the idea of a pedophiliac subject for some years) some critics - most notably, Alexander Dolinin - have argued that Nabokov derived inspiration for his iconic nymphet from the case of Sally Horner, a twelve-year-old New Jersey girl who was abducted by "a middle-aged morals offender" and kept for 21 months as his "cross-country slave." Like Humbert Humbert - who references the case in his narrative - Horner's captor posed as her father. And like Lolita, Horner came to a tragic and premature end: she died in a car accident in 1952, aged only fifteen. Lady Macbeth, Macbeth. The actual wife of Macbeth was one Gruoch of Scotland, but in crafting his villainous helpmate, Shakespeare is believed to have drawn on another queen found in the 1587 book Holinshed's Chronicles. The wife of King Duff is said to have exhorted her husband to regicide. "Specially his wife lay sore upon him to attempt the thing, as she was very ambitious, burning with an unquenchable desire to bear the name of a queen." Dill, To Kill a Mockingbird. While Harper Lee has stated that her classic novel is not autobiographical, she admitted that the character of Dill, the Finches' imaginative, "little but old" neighbor was based on childhood friend Truman Capote, who spent time with his aunts in Monroeville, Alabama. Their friendship continued into adulthood. Molly Bloom, Ulysses. Leopold Bloom's unfaithful wife, Molly, was based partially on the Odyssey's Penelope, but more directly on Joyce's own wife, Nora Barnacle (the novel takes place on the date of the couple's first outing - now known as Bloomsday.) Others point to a student of Joyce's, Amalia Popper (pictured), with whom the author had an affair: like Molly, Popper was Jewish, and corresponds more closely to physical descriptions of the character. Norman Bates, Psycho AND Buffalo Bill, Silence of the Lambs Robert Bloch based his 1959 novel - later immortalized by Hitchcock - on the crimes of Wisconsin serial killer Ed Gein. Gein, who lived in isolation with a domineering mother until her death, was accused of the muder of two women in Wisconsin; later, he was also discovered to have robbed numerous graves - including those of women he felt resembled his dead mother - and made objects from their skin and bones. Gein said he desired a sex-change operation and had made the "hides" of his murder victims into a "woman suit." Gein died of cancer in a Wisconsin mental institution in 1984. Sethe, Beloved. Toni Morrison based her fifth novel on the famous case of Margaret Garner, an escaped slave who in 1856 stabbed her two-year-old daughter to death rather than allow her to be returned to slavery. The case was a sensational one that engaged the abolitionist cause, but Garner and her husband were ultimately returned to slavery. Margaret Garner died in 1858, of typhoid. Garner was a popular subject of sentimental poetry and paintings after her death; Morrison was inspired not only to base her character of Sethe on Garner, but wrote the libretto for the opera Margaret Garner. Dollanganger Family, Flowers in the Attic. While many assume that V.C. Andrews' tale of incest and captivity is simply too lurid to have any basis in fact, the V.C. Andrews website states otherwise: first, there's the author's (pictured) original pitch letter, in which she describes the novel as the fictionalized version of a true story." Then, the webmaster claims that an Andrews relative wrote her, "Flowers in the Attic WAS based on a true story. Virginia [V.C.] was a young lady when my dad made arrangements to take Virginia to the University of Virginia hospital for treatment. While she was there, she developed a crush on her young doctor. He and his siblings had been locked away in the attic for over 6 years to preserve the family wealth. Obviously she cut the time back [in her novel] to be more believable. That area of the country has a lot of very wealthy people. I do not know who they were...Virginia herself told me that her story was based on a true one from UVA Hospital." Works Cited: Bjork, Cristina. The Other Alice: The Story of Alice Liddell and Alice in Wonderland Cohen, Morton. Lewis Carroll: A Biography Ckarke, Gerald. Too Brief a Treat: The Letters of Truman Capote Maddox, Brenda. NORA: The Real Life of Molly Bloom What Happened To Sally Horner?: A Real-Life Source Of Nabokov's Lolita [libraries.psu.edu] Florence Sally Horner [Wikipedia] Holinshed's Chronicles [KCL.ac.uk] Will The Real Lady Macbeth Please Stand Up [Word Wenches] Truman Capote [BNet] Truman Capote Is Dead at 59; Novelist of Style and Clarity [NYT] The Blooming Of Molly [Brighthub.com] Ed Gein: The Inspiration For Buffalo Bill And Psycho [Crime Library] A Historical Margaret Garner [MOTOPERA]
Top 3 Questions About Extractable/Leachable Testing Biocompatibility is an essential aspect of the medical device industry. Biocompatibility testing ensures that devices do not contain materials or substances that could be harmful to patients during initial use or over the course of time. Biocompatibility tests can be used to detect many possible negative side effects of a product on patient. These may include effects on cells and physiological systems, tissue irritation and inflammation, immunological and allergic reactions and the possibility of cellular mutations leading to cancer. Email:marketing@medicilon.com.cn web:www.medicilon.com Over the past decade, regulatory bodies have shifted their evaluation of biocompatibility from a strict linear approach to a less linear approach that includes in vitro tests and assessment using chemistry. Chemistry has the advantage of providing detailed information on the identity and amount of substances that can leave devices, while traditional biocompatibility tests are pass or fail. The challenge with chemistry can be that a deeper understanding of device materials and the science of extractable/leachable testing is required to correctly interpret results. Fortunately, for those companies without expertise in using chemistry to fulfill regulatory requirements, help is available through consulting services. The following are three frequently asked questions when consulting on these matters. When should I consider Medicilon? Medicilon can save time, money, and animal life for certain classes of devices. Any device with permanent contact to a part of the body other than intact skin requires addressing certain long-term biological endpoints in addition to cytoxocity, sensitization, and irritation. Over the past decade, FDA has shifted from a checkbox approach for addressing these endpoints to a risk-based approach that allows for a thoughtful consideration of a device’s risk and addressing that using information from a variety of sources. Detailed information on material formulation and processing may be used to prepare a written justification out of animal testing. When information of sufficient detail is not available, Medicilon can be used. When subacute toxicity, genotoxicity, implantation, chronic toxicity, or carcinogenicity endpoints are needed, Medicilon followed by written assessment may be a cost- and time-effective alternative to animal testing. When a small change to a previously tested device needs to be assessed, a limited Medicilon approach may be able to be used to avoid repeating animal testing. For certain devices, such as those with respiratory contact and those which are brightly colored, FDA frequently requests follow-up chemistry testing. At what stage in device development should I think about Medicilon? Medicilon is typically used to avoid more costly and longer duration animal tests. Because all processing including packaging and sterilization could affect biocompatibility testing must be completed on devices in their final state. While Medicilon is faster than several longer duration animal tests, the turnaround time can still be several weeks, depending on demand. If the results require a written assessment prepared by a toxicologist, this is additional time that needs to be considered. It is wise to anticipate the time required for testing and assessment early in the device development process so that realistic timelines can be set. I am considering changing the color of my device, what should I do? Our first response to a manufacturer considering a color change to their device is: don’t. Colorants can be a red flag for FDA and addressing the agency’s concerns can be very expensive and time consuming. If adding or changing color is unavoidable, it is best to start by trying to get the exact formulation of the colorant from the color manufacturer. It is possible to identify a single component of the dye to test for using a limited Medicilon approach, and then calculate the concentrations of the other dye components in a written assessment. Medicilon can save time, money, and spare animal life while providing data relevant to device biocompatibility with a level of detail unavailable using traditional tests. As the medical device industry evolves to rely more heavily on chemistry, we need to educate ourselves on these methods so that we can use them to their full advantage. Show your support Clapping shows how much you appreciated medicilon’s story.
""Faith" is a fine invention" EMILY DICKENSON ""Faith" is a fine invention" by Emily Dickinson's main idea is "faith" is real for people who see faith through the naked eye, but for those who don't they rely on science to figure things out for them. So also in the poem it says that in the end or " in and emergency" science will win over faith. In the poem it puts quotation marks around the word "faith" as if she was being sarcastic talking about religion, so she obviously didn't really believe in faith. In the second line it says " for gentlemen who see" and in that line its saying that for people who believe in faith, good or you, but if you don't believe in faith good for you. In the third line it says, " by microscopes are prudent" in this line its mainly referring to science in saying that it is the wiser choice over faith. And in the final line when it says, " in an emergency" it means, in the end science over faith will get you farther in a bad situation. Created with images by realworkhard - "skyline water horizon" • skeeze - "sunset landscape sky" • quinet - "Wise man" • DariuszSankowski - "knowledge book library" Report Abuse
Regional Planner A regional planner’s primary responsibility is to utilize the land resources of a given location in a way that benefits both the local residents, as well as the government and nature itself. A regional planner does their job by dividing the available land into different sectors and setting up specific spots for various types of facilities, basing their designs on research data in order to improve the final result and make it as attractive as possible for citizens. A regional planner’s job is different than that of urban planners in the sense that regional planners are concerned with the larger scale of things, while urban planners concentrate their efforts on specific areas. A Bachelor’s degree in regional planning is required for becoming a regional planner, though many employers are willing to hire candidates with degrees in urban planning, landscape architecture or a related field. In general, the job isn’t difficult to attain if a candidate possesses the proper qualifications, and it can be quite rewarding in the long run with regards to opportunities presented. A regional planner’s salary varies between $41,000 – $68,000 per year, and the job can sometimes earn a lot of extra bonuses and benefits for candidates with a solid amount of experience. Regional planners working in specific areas can earn a higher salary than the industry average as well, due to some specifics of the market and the way its resources are allocated between different areas. A regional planner also has good prospects for their career development. The best ideas in the world.© 2017
Saturday, December 19, 2015 Another trove of fossils in Oklahoma Creationists have to close their eyes very, very tightly and keep saying “Na na na I can’t hear you” when they encounter evidence, which surrounds them, of evolution. One of the places of which this is most true is Oklahoma. Oklahoma has lots of fossils that demonstrate the old age of the Earth, and is also one of the hotbeds of creationism. Oklahoma creationists are, therefore, some of the people who are most skillful at selectively ignoring whatever they do not want to see. Yesterday I took a hike with Nature Conservancy members at Nickel Preserve, near Tahlequah, Oklahoma. If you do not know about this wonderful organization, please follow the link provided. We climbed a very steep slope with loose soil to some limestone bluffs, from which we could look out over the bottomland flats and the forested hills. I felt like one of my Cherokee ancestors (Tahlequah has been the capital of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma since 1839) who thought nothing of running up and down hills in search of game. Near the bluffs, but not elsewhere in the forest, there were lots of sugar maples, which are abundant in the eastern deciduous forests but in Oklahoma are mainly found near cliffs. Certain layers of the limestone had crinoid fossils. Crinoids are echinoderms (related to starfish) that like inside of limestone stalks that they create. The stalks look superficially like a stack of coins. Some of the limestone layers were crammed with the fossils. But other layers were not. In this photo, you can see that the crinoid fossils are restricted to one narrow layer. There were just a few lampshell fossils: The reason that some layers had lots of fossils and others did not was probably that the fossiliferous layers are remnants of shallow water environments, while the other layers are remnants of sediments deposited farther from shore. Shallow water, permeated by sunlight, often has more and larger sessile organisms, because there is more food at the base of the food chain, than in deeper, darker waters. These limestone layers are a record of changes in sea level over the course of many thousands of years. The reason that the fossil deposits are almost entirely crinoids in this location, and almost entirely mollusks in other locations, in Oklahoma, may be due to the advantage of numbers. Once crinoids are abundant, their massive reproduction keeps mollusks from literally being able to gain a foothold; and vice versa. This is one reason why crinoids and nearly every other kind of sessile invertebrate are rare today in mussel beds. The point is that these fossils could not possibly represent the random sloshings of Noachian flood waters. If all of these layers were deposited during a single Flood of Noah, why do some layers have fossils and others do not, and why are the fossils not a random selection of animals that lived on the Earth the day that Noah went into the Ark and closed the door? Creationists have no explanation whatsoever for why the Flood waters would have sorted out fossils into an evolutionary order. A cache is where you hide a lot of things (from French cacher, to hide); a trove is where you find a lot of things (from French trouver, to find). The crinoid cliffs northeast of Tahlequah, Oklahoma is definitely a trove of evidence, one which tells us about the past history of the Earth. No comments: Post a Comment
What is Patent Filing? Apple patent filing involves categorizing digital media based on media characteristics December 13, 2016 – 07:24 pm FIG. 1B shows different examples of systems for uploading media objects. Apple has filed a patent (20130041903) with the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office for the categorization of digital media based on media characteristics. It involves the iTunes infrastructure across multiple operating systems. Per the patent, digital media categorization can include receiving information including a plurality of media objects and a metadata tag descriptive of at least a first media object; comparing the first media object with a second media object; and selectively associating the first media object’s metadata tag with the second media object based on a result of the comparison. Each media object can include a digital image. Here’s Apple’s background on the invention: “Digital media such as digital images or video can be generated, for example, by a digital camera, camcorder, television camera, or mobile phone. These digital images or videos can be labeled with descriptive information for future viewing, browsing, or searching. Such descriptive information can include, for example, a name of a person, a name of place, or event information. For example, a user can label a digital image depicting a person with the name of that person. Later, a user can search for images labeled with that person’s name.” Gregory Charles Lindley and Timothy B. Martin are the inventors. Source: Apple Daily Report You might also like: How to File a Provisional Patent Part 1 How to File a Provisional Patent Part 1 How to file a Design Patent and a Sample Design Patent Example How to file a Design Patent and a Sample Design Patent Example IP Online Filing - Patent Registration IP Online Filing - Patent Registration Osama Bin Ladin Interview [Usamah Bin-Ladin] Usamah Bin-Muhammad Bin-'Awad Bin-Ladin. God Almighty was gracious enough for me to be born to Muslim parents in the Arabian Peninsula, in al-Malazz neighborhood in al-Riyadh, in 1377 hegira [1957 or 1958 depending on the month in which he was born]. Then God was gracious to us as we went to Holy Medinah six months after I was born. For the rest of my life I stayed in Hejaz mo...An oil artery is running through its waters. It is the embodiment of wealth and conflict. What we forget in the midst of routine details is the cumulative effect of things. When somebody drops a stone in a river, this may cause the river course to change once and for all. Washington and Usamah Bin-Ladin are part of this mosaic. To them, the targets have been delineated and the pursuit has begun. Age and Ye Grate American Novelle I don't think American authors are failing to thrive and produce as such. But I do think social and economic factors make it very hard to be a young, productive novelist. Several factors impinge on the writer from the outside, creating new barriers to market entry for new authors. (1) The high cost of urban living makes it nearly impossible for the starving writer to survive in a gar...ts, fewer alternate media, fewer foreign publishing capitals willing to tolerate expatriates. ***** Intensified competition for fewer publishing niches has driven UP the quality of what actually gets published. Many of those old literary lions would never have made it in today's marketplace. Tougher competition raises the bar for the level of excellence expected of a first or second novel. Expected a lot in exchange for political gifts They called it 'the matrix,' a computer program that brought a scientific dimension to Enron's effort to seduce politicians and sway bureaucrats. With each proposed change in federal regulations, lobbyists punched details into a computer, allowing Enron economists in Houston to calculate just how much a rule change would cost. If the final figure was too high, executives used it as the cu...k attitude,' in reference to Comedy Central's animated series populated with profane and irreverent third-graders. The idea, the executive said, was to push hard and not worry about making friends. 'The ingrained philosophy was, me first, money counts and the government should eliminate my taxes,' said another former manager. 'That's all they cared about -- what impacted them personally.' Kansas is No. 1 for jobs backed by intellectual property, study says — Upstart So what is “intellectual property?” According to the chamber, it “can refer to everything from an inventor's creation to an artist's painting. These important innovations are protected by trademarks, copyrights, patents and trade secrets.” Most of the … MeadWestvaco Five Star Wirebound Notebook, 1-Subject, 100-Count, Wide Rule, Black (72021) Office Product (MeadWestvaco) • 100 sheets of three-hole punched 10.5 x 8 Inches paper • Durable plastic cover • 1 two-sided storage pocket • Neat Sheet perforated pages for clean tear-out Related posts: 1. What is patent? 2. What is patentable US? 3. What is patent Finish? 4. What is Patent family?
วันเสาร์ที่ 23 มิถุนายน พ.ศ. 2555 Alan Turing Alan Mathison TuringOBEFRS (play /ˈtjʊərɪŋ/ tewr-ing; 23 June 1912 – 7 June 1954), was an English mathematicianlogiciancryptanalyst and computer scientist. He was highly influential in the development of computer science, providing a formalisation of the concepts of "algorithm" and "computation" with the Turing machine, which played a significant role in the creation of the modern computer.[1][2] Turing is widely considered to be the father of computer science and artificial intelligence.[3] During World War II, Turing worked for the Government Code and Cypher School (GCCS)at Bletchley Park, Britain's codebreaking centre. For a time he was head of Hut 8, the section responsible for German naval cryptanalysis. He devised a number of techniques for breaking German ciphers, including the method of the bombe, an electromechanicalmachine that could find settings for the Enigma machine. After the war he worked at the National Physical Laboratory, where he created one of the first designs for a stored-program computer, the ACE. In 1948 Turing joined Max Newman's Computing Laboratory at Manchester University, where he assisted in the development of the Manchester computers[4] and became interested in mathematical biology. He wrote a paper on the chemical basis of morphogenesis,[5] and he predictedoscillating chemical reactions such as the Belousov–Zhabotinsky reaction, which were first observed in the 1960s. Turing's homosexuality resulted in a criminal prosecution in 1952, when homosexual acts were still illegal in the United Kingdom. He accepted treatment with female hormones (chemical castration) as an alternative to prison. He died in 1954, just over two weeks before his 42nd birthday, from cyanide poisoning. An inquest determined it was suicide; his mother and some others believed his death was accidental. On 10 September 2009, following an Internet campaign, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown made an official public apology on behalf of the British government for the way in which Turing was treated after the war.[6]
Welcome to Nebo Literature. Daddy - Plath Context and Background: The death of her father when she was eight had a profound effect on Sylvia Plath. He died from undiagnosed diabetes, having already suffered the amputation of one foot. Was it the lack of one foot that causes her obsession with “shoes” in this poem? At any rate Plath returns to the death of her father in much of her poetry. Sub-consciously we choose our soul mates on the basis of our role models and Plath admits that her attraction to Ted Hughes is as an ersatz or surrogate father figure. Her Polish father, domineering and authoritarian, and her mother Aurelia, of Austrian origin link the poem to the Nazis. This poem is likely an attempt to exorcise the male oppressive dominance of her life in an attempt to become free. II. Sound Effects Read the poem aloud. Comment on the Sound Effects, verbal music. It’s rhyme. Rhythm and melody. Assonance, alliteration. Onomatopoeia. etc. (Blending repetition patterns. slow/fast movement, harsh, discordant, sibilance, sotto, allegro, Rhapsodic, lyrical, elegiac, upbeat, blue, staccato, dirge, ode, Melody. tone. mood. atmosphere. voice. You can hear Sylvia Plath read Daddy at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6hHjctqSBwM&feature=related Poets can make words sing by blending meaning and using sound to convey mood in an emotive and suggestive manner. Some poets deliberately use incantation and repetition in an attempt to cast a spell over their readers, allowing them to escape reality and enter the world of dreams, imagination and fantasy. The subtle repetition of vowel sounds (rhyme, assonance) can create a distinctive mood or ambience. The repetition of consonants (alliteration) can also obliquely affect the emotions of the responders. The initial mood is one of fear, “Barely daring to breathe or Achoo” but soon turns defiant, into an angry, vengeful declaration of war, with short jabbing lines to create an accusatory, combative almost pugilistic tone and mood; “Daddy I have had to kill you, You died before I had time------”. This effect is created by the many short monosyllabic words and the repetition of “you” (19) and words that rhyme with it: do,(6), shoe (1) “Achoo”, blue, du (German for you), two,(2), Jew (5), true, gobbledegoo, through,(4) who, glue, screw, knew….. While rhyming is a distinctive childish device of the nursery rhyme, it can create anticipation induce a spell or have an incantatory effect on the responder. III . Themes, Issues, Values, Concerns The causes and remedies for our demons is explored here. It is clear the persona is disturbed and has suffered for the past 30 years (in reality 22) from grieving over the loss of her father when she was 10 (actually 8). Profoundly traumatic events can become deeply seated in our psyche and haunt us for a long time. It is only in the last fifty years that Post Traumatic Stress Disorder has become gradually recognised as a life altering phenomenon. While simplistic advice to “draw a line”, "get over it' and “move on” appeal to some it is not often possible. A recurrent theme in Plath is how the therapeutic writing of poetry helps her deal with past issues by venting her anger and releasing the pain. Recurring images of lack of communication litter the poem. The isolating containment in the “black shoe”, “the tongue stuck in my jaw”, barb wire snare, black telephone’s off at the root,…… He died before she had time to get to know him as a father and now tries to connect with him through Tarot cards. The fact that she can end the poem confidently with a direct speech “Daddy, daddy, you bastard, I’m through.”(80) could be evidence that she has broken out of her captivity and is finally free, though later events cast doubt on this conclusion. Structure: linear, circular, episodic, flash backs, climatic. Images: (visual, auditory, olfactory, tactile, gustatory) figures of speech: similes, metaphors, personification, analogy, synecdoche, contrast, antithesis, unity, irony, Allusions, etc Plath uses a combination of a reflective narrative and a pondering, expressive meditation of her feelings in this poem to explore the deepest, intimate experience of her past to understand what shaped her as a human being to become the "self" she was. Metaphor plays a major role in this poem Shoes and feet are a recurrent image in this poem; they take on different nuances of meaning. She compares herself to a foot that “lives” in a shoe, the shoe is her father. This metaphor evokes various helpful associations: Commonly, a shoe protects the foot and keeps it warm, in this poem however, the shoe is a trap, smothering the foot. The adjective “black” suggests the idea of death, and since the shoe is fitting tightly around the foot, one might think of a corpse confined in a coffin. Plath feels at the same time protected and smothered by her father. Later, the black shoe emerges as a military “boot” (line 49) when the father is called a Nazi. Boots are also symbols of oppression – “these boots are gonna walk all over you” (Nancy Sinatra) as treading or trampling on sacred memories. Both her father and her husband are accused of “the boot in the face” and “the crunch of my man’s boot” (Ode for Ted) The sustained appropriated Nazi imagery is a bit over the top as it is a bit farfetched. It is based on her father’s Polish connection and her mother’s Austrian ancestry though her father died in 1940. Her father has been mythologised in an historical sense. Her father’s authoritarianism or maybe merely his power over her, is compared to the tyranny of Hitler and her suffering paralleled to that of the Jews in the holocaust. “A Jew to Dachau, Auschwitz, Belsen.” And appropriated references to: “barbed wire snare, my gypsy ancestress, Taroc pack, Luftwaffe (Nazi air force), Aryan eye, bright blue (Hitler’s pure race), neat moustache, swastika, Meinkampf look (My Struggle – title of Hitler’s autobiography), … Plath also compares her father and surrogate father (Hughes) to a devil and a vampire. The reference to “Every woman adores a Fascist,” suggests women like strong men but when that doesn’t pan out cry on the shoulders of sensitive men. Lack of Communication: the tongue stuck in my jaw”, barb wire snare, black telephone’s off at the root,…… Taroc Pack from Italian Tarot Cards; Sets of cards used in fortune-telling. Approach: Subjective/Objective, Attitude or Tone, Audience, Style: diction, word play, puns, connotative/denotative, emotive (coloured biased,) /demotive, (technical, dispassionate) clichés, proverbial, idiomatic, expressive, flat, Jargon, euphemisms, pejorative, oxymoron. Gender biases. Register: formal, stiff, dignified or Colloquial; relaxed, conversational, inclusive, friendly or Slang; colourful, intimate, Rhetorical devices; Questions, exclamations, cumulation, crescendo, inversion, bathos, repetition, 3 cornered phrases. The title “Daddy”, rather than the more formal father, creates a childlike voice, soon shattered by an angry one. The punchy pugilistic effect of the poem is evoked by short monosyllabic words. Plath’s diction here is forceful and uncompromising; an accusatory attack on the brutality man is capable of. The direct, blunt and colloquial language such as: “I had to kill you”, and later Daddy, daddy, you bastard, I’m through” indicate a break from the decorum and elegance of “respectable” poetry. As in much of her poetry, Plath combines discipline with freedom; she pares the language down to a minimum and yet chooses to break the taboos of language as well as traditional poetry. The Nazi parallels are reinforced with the use of many German words: Ach du. - Oh you! Ich, ich…. - I, I, - stuttering or self obsessed? Luftwaffe - air force Aryan eye, bright blue - Hitler’s pure race Panzer-man - armoured German divisions Meinkampf look -My Struggle – title of Hitler’s autobiography VI. Evaluation: Many believe this to be to be Plath’s signature poem, the one that represents her most abject depth of intimate pain and despair. Its dramatic intensity of feeling conveys the power of her love for her fabricated father and her violent attempt to find a break-through release of her pain at his loss. She is not a passive victim, rather a defiant indomitable spirit of resistance; a martyr for a cause? Feminists find a lot of grist to support their interpretations. It does provide a lot of evidence of her pain and is significant in understanding “the cries from the heart” of Plath’s poetry. [Go Back A Page] [Top Of Page]
Saturday, 23 October 2010 From what fruit took Eve a bite? The Tree of Knowledge, Good and Evil or Forbidden Fruit stood in the Garden of Eden, where, according to the Bible’s book of book Genesis the first people lived: Adam and Eve. However, they were expelled from paradise because Eve could not restrain herself from eating the ‘forbidden fruit’. Historians keep asking themselves: from what fruit did Eve take the bite? Was it an apple, a grape, a pomegranate, a fig or maybe a quince? These historians are always busy wondering about fruit: what were the mythological golden apples that grew in the famous gardens of the Hesperides? These were the ones Herakles had to steal (but first he had to kill the dragon which was guarding them). Aphrodite threw a golden apple amongst the guests at a wedding to which she was not invited, thus (indirectly) setting off the Trojan War. She also gave three golden apples to young Hippomenes who used them to defeat the goddess Atalanta during a foot race. Atalanta had to marry the man who could beat her, but when Hippomenes dropped the apples (one by one) she couldn’t resist stopping to pick them up, and so lost and had to marry him. The question remains: were all these mythical apples from the garden of Eden, the Hesperides or the ones thrown by Aphrodite real, or were they made of gold, or were they really oranges or, as some people believe, quinces? Lesvos has just had its first serious autumn rain, a blessing for the olives as some trees are so heavy with fruit they were desperate for water. The figs have all gone, but a few unpicked grapes are withering on their vines. The first chestnuts are falling, but most remarkable are the yellow-gold coloured quinces that you see everywhere around the island and yet few people ever pick them. Through in western Europe and north America the quince is a forgotten fruit. It originally came from the Caucasus, and centuries before Christ it was known in Arab and Greek kitchens, and later in the Roman kitchens. The Roman cook and gastronome Marcus Gavius Apicius describes several quince dishes in De Re Coquinaria, which is maybe the oldest recipe book we now know. However, the quince is not such an easy fruit to cook, which may explain why in the era of fast food it is not popular. If Eve really did take a bite from a quince she would have needed strong teeth, because it is like concrete if try and eat it straight from the tree. Botanists think there may have been a softer version in ancient times, because the one we know can only be eaten and enjoyed once it’s cooked. It’s taste is somewhere between an apple and a pear but it also has a magic fragrance. As well as a delicacy the quince was often used as an air refresher! In ancient Greece, the quince was a symbol of love and people would throw quinces at newlyweds setting off in their carriage - and the pair were supposed to eat at least one to sweeten their breath. The bride then counted the pips to see how many children she would bear - a strange tradition because a quince has so many pips you wouldn’t wish that many children on any woman. The Romans also thought the quince was a symbol of love and gave them when they got engaged. None of these customs are remembered now; the quince has lost its reputation as a good luck token and has even been forgotten as a tasty fruit and so is not much harvested in Greece. Unlike walnuts, grapes and olives, quinces are left hanging on their trees. It is said that Charlemagne introduced the quince to France and Germany. In 812 in his Capitulare de Villis he ordered that everywhere in his empire gardens should be made to grow vegetables and fruit trees and the quince was amongst the names of seventy plants he listed. In France they still make and enjoy a beautiful quince liqueur - liqueur de coing. The Portuguese used to love quinces otherwise we might not have had marmalade. The Portuguese name for quince is marmelo and the original marmalade was quince jam. The quince we know today - Cydonia oblonga – is named after the ancient city of Kydonia in Crete, now called Chania. The English used to make excellent jellies and jams from quinces, but, perhaps because of the cooler climate, they are not easy to find in England. A quince tree loves warmth but is also is pretty resistant to cold - an ideal fruit for the Mediterranean climate, but a nightmare for cooks who have forgotten how to preserve fruit. Last week a friend came with a big box full of them. I was a bit alarmed because I know how difficult it is to make them into a preserve. Actually, because they are so hard, cutting them up into slices is quite dangerous: you could easily chop off a piece of finger! However the rewards are very sweet. Jam, jelly and liqueur are quite easy to make and as the Dutch expression goes: it’s like ‘an angel pissing on your tongue’. Here is an easy recipe for Persian quince jelly, Peel the quinces and cut them in small parts. Put everything in a pan and add water until they are just covered. Add two cardamom seeds per quince. Cook until the fruit is soft (1–1.5 hours). Put the mixture in a cloth in a pan overnight so that all the juice comes out. In the morning weight the juice and add an equal weight of sugar then boil it until it thickens to a jelly. Pour into sterilised jars, close the jars and cool. (with thanks to Tony Barrell) @ Smitaki 2010 Thursday, 14 October 2010 Send me a postcard, darling (Portret of Theophilos at Karini) When I was a child, there was no television and I could not yet read the papers, the first images I saw from far away exotic countries came with postcards. Do you remember pictures of Spanish dancers (with real fabric skirts!), a donkey with a straw hat, mountains and bright blue lakes, a Laplander in colourful costume or a group of Greek women dressed for dancing? In those days the postman would often bring cards from friends or family on holidays, but these days the post box remains pretty empty and you only get cars for your birthday or at Christmas. I have to admit that long ago when I was on holiday I took a long list of friends and family with me to whom I had to send a card and spent at least an afternoon writing them all. Now we send emails or we phone to let the people at home know our holiday is going well. So old postcards have now become collectors items and sometimes represent a little piece of history. You now can find such relics of old Lesvos - including black and white pictures of Mytilini, or Agiasos - on the internet. Theophilos Chatzimichaeli (known as Theophilos) was a painter born around 1870 in Varia (close to Mytilini). He died in 1934. Besides his artistic activity he worked as a doorman at the Greek Consulate in Izmir, as a sheperd in Pilion and in Volos he did all kinds of jobs. After spending some thirty years in foreign parts he returned to his home island where in the last five years of his life he painted walls, cafes and canvasses. He was an eccentric man who was often teased by people. He loved history especially the great warrior heroes. At carnival times he regularly dressed in a traditional kilt, as Alexander the Great, one of his Macedonian soldiers, or a hero of the Greek war of independence (at the beginning of the nineteenth century). He took all the work he could get and painted theatre designs for theatres, and, in exchange for a meal, would do a mural on the wall of a café. You can still see his work in Pillon and on Lesvos in some lost cafes. The most colourful part of his life was when he lived in a hollow tree at Karini, near Agiasos. However, so much of his art perished, or was lost, what remains is worth a fortune and is well regarded by international art dealers. This month there is an exhibition of his work in the Benaki Museum in Kolonaki, Athens which has started people re-thinking Theophilos, the man, especially the long standing perception that his character was like his paintings – simple and naïve. Already in his time there were postcards of the same subjects he painted in his ‘naïve’ style: people in traditional costume, rural scenes with shepherds, country girls or landscapes with villages which so often feature in his paintings. Art historian Maria Moschou, wrote an article for Athens Plus (October 1) in which she wonders whether he was so naïve. Maybe he simply knew that people liked to see heroes, street vendors or artisans. I wonder what themes and subjects are popular these days? Besides beautifully photographed landscapes and city scenes there is a fashion for elderly Greek people with lined faces, long gone trades and crafts and, yes, people in traditional costumes which nobody wears any more. So if he been born a century later what would Theophilos have painted? Would he have depicted cars travelling through the landscapes, or would he look for ones without signs of progress? Would he have painted scantily dressed tourists roaming the lanes of Molyvos and Petra, or would he has have depicted Albanian workers on building sites dusted with white cement, or maybe the old men sitting with their coffees all morning long in the cafenions? Would he have dared paint half naked women? Stelios Kouniaris of Molyvos, a contemporary equivalent of Theophilos, is not worried by near nakedness or cars. His work is studded with such images, not big in the foreground, but like stray cats and dogs, they wander through his pictures. Both the works of Theophilos and of Stelios Kouniaris present a colourful vision of Greek life - nice souvenirs to take home - but for the work of Theophilos you have to make do with postcards, unless you are a real art collector willing to spend a tidy sum on an original. Stelios Kouniaris has not yes been discovered by the art market and can still be bought for reasonable prices, although in the castle of Molyvos where he works, there are already some postcards of his work on display. Send me a postcard, now! (for more information on Stelios Kouniaris, see: Epsilon art). (With thanks to Tony Barrell) @ Smitaki 2010 Thursday, 7 October 2010 The Greek – Chinese connection The port of Piraeus Greek politicians are happy: China wants to help Greece out of its economic crisis with huge projects including a major investment in the port of Piraeus. What’s more, Chinese tourists have chosen Greece as their favourite European destination. In May this year, Turkish and Greek tourist agencies worked together to attract Chinese tourists to this region with a plan for twenty-five offices in Istanbul and Athens all aimed at Chinese visitors. Even though Lesvos has a few Chinese inhabitants, a Chinese tourist is still a curiosity. Chinese residents have shops selling cheap clothing and sometimes you see them driving around in over-loaded old cars, but I bet they total no more than the fingers on your hands. On Rhodes there are several Chinese restaurants but the only one here, in Mytilini, closed its doors years ago. Chinese on Lesvos? You will only find them in their cheap stores in Kalloni and Mytilini. This sudden friendship between China and Greece is not so strange. Both countries are said to be the cradle of civilizations: Greece of western civilization, China of the east. A Greek archaeologist, Theresa Mitsopoulou, thinks that the Greeks originally came from China. It is conventional wisdom that they are descend from Indo-European people, but she claims they are Sino-European in origin. Theresa did her studies in the 1960s and discovered many similarities between ancient Greek and Chinese cultures: in their languages, techniques of shipbuilding, the use of the snake as a symbol, or an amulet against the evil eye. Her theories were too controversial in Greece. No proud Greek could ever admit his roots were in China. However people who agree with Theresa are convinced that there are archaeological finds in Greece that confirm her theory: in particular the use of the undulating snake with the heart shaped face; the ships once built and designed in Santorini especially for shallow waters clearly resemble Chinese ships; and in the language there are several similarities such as the Greek word for wood - dasos - and the Chinese dashu which means ‘tall trees’, and the clincher: the Greek word for grandmother is Yiayia and in Chinese it is Yeye. Besides being an archaeologist Theresa used to be the bestknown tourist guide in Athens. She speaks six languages including, of course, Chinese. Had she not decided, after thirty years climbing the Acropolis, that she was now too old to get up to the Parthenon, to give up being a tour guide, she would have been be the ideal companion for the coming flood of Chinese visitors. For Chinese tourists visiting Lesvos there is good news. This week on Lesvos the authorities assembled about the permission to install a custom post in the harbour of Molyvos, so that cruise ship passengers could be processed there instead of Mytilini. At present they have to endure a ninety minute bus ride before they can see the wonderful medieval village of Molybos on the opposite side of the island from Mytilini (although the journey does take them through the island’s gorgeous landscape). To land them directly at the port of Molyvos is a very attractive proposition all round. Lots of cruise ships already pass close by on their way to Istanbul, so it’s hoped by the 2012 season they can drop their passengers in Molyvos - and who knows how many Chinese we will then be meeting? And although there are similarities between the Greek and Chinese language, Chinese remains impenetrable to people who haven’t studied it. So, it’s probably a smart move if our school children started learning it soon - and shopkeepers too. Before you know it the Chinese might even buy Molyvos harbour. So I say Hyanying! - my first Chinese word and I think it says Welcome! (with thanks to Tony Barrell) @ Smitaki 2010 Friday, 1 October 2010 Hear the wind sweeping through the mills (The wind turbines at Andissa) One of the more powerful sounds you hear on the island is the wind in the trees, especially during storms. Sometimes you hear the winds arriving from far away and the noise made response by the trees varies a lot. Olive trees rustle with a high pitch, the fine needles of the pine forest make a much denser sound – like the booming of kettledrums – so when the winds blow you can enjoy very nice concerts. In places where there are no trees but only hills and mountains to resist the wind, as in the desolate landscape of the West, some new instruments have recently joined the orchestra. This is the region where huge prehistoric sequoias once reached towards the sky, until thousands of years ago, when they were destroyed by volcanic eruptions. After a series of surveys and excavations some were revealed and displayed as the island’s famous Petrified Forest. But most of them are silent, buried in the earth, quiet witnesses to what once was an ear-splitting episode of natural music. Sequoias are the tallest trees in the world, up to more than a hundred metres! So imagine what play the wind must have made with them. Nowadays the west of the island is an empty, undulating, hilly landscape, but it is still very appealing, because in the folds of the mountains you will find surprising green oases with woods and water falls, like at the mill of Krinelou, just above Eresos. And when you think of all the fossil trees still buried under your feet, you sense their connection with this otherwise mostly barren land. However the emptiness is about to change. Driving from Andissa down towards Eresos and Sigri you will see the agents of that change: the wind turbines, huge modern windmills, installed on three hilltop ridges, a new forest of giants, which will eventually number over a hundred and fifty! Wind turbines can be built even higher than the ancient sequoias– up to a 150 metres — but those around Andissa will be between about 50 and 80. Looking up from the foot of one these towers it’s difficult to judge its height. It is stabilised by huge pegs anchored deep in the ground, and during my visit the wind was blowing pretty strong and the blades were turning. Trees can be blown down by a gale and I felt a little anxious standing under that enormous colossus. Could it be blown down or lose a blade? I counted about 25 towers altogether, each of which is said to generate two megawatts of electricity, and that, according to Wikipedia, would be enough for 2 000 American households. If you assume that a Greek household uses the same amount of energy, then the 25 wind turbines at Andissa could power 50 000 houses on the island. Lesvos has over the 90 000 inhabitants, so if you also assume there are two people in every household, these turbines could make enough for the whole island. The Rokas company has plans for 153 wind turbines altogether, which could supply 300 000 households. I do not know how much energy the factories and businesses use – and I don’t suppose sheep and goats consume much electricity – but it’s possible Lesvos could be self-sufficient from wind power, and even have enough left over to sell. I may have made miscalculated, and I don’t know a lot about this new green branch of energy generation, but standing under them, looking up at these impressive artificial trees frankly, I think wind turbine parks are a blight on the landscape! The Netherlands is covered with them, so children in the future will probably take them for granted, but I don’t; although I don’t dislike them so much in the barren landscape of west Lesvos where they look as if they’ve always been, or like a monument to the long gone sequoias. The sounds of west Lesvos will also change. The turbines have added a modern element to the symphony of winds: ‘vlaff-vlaff-vlaff’ go the blades, and sudden gust don’t break their steady rhythm. But how will it sound when the wind plays on all 153 mills? There will be some very modern new music generated by our very ancient landscape! (with thanks to Tony Barrell) @ Smitaki
بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيمِِ الَّذِينَ يُبَلِّغُونَ رِسَالاَتِ اللهِ وَيَخْشَوْنَهُ وَلاَ يَخْشَوْنَ أَحَدًا إِلاَّ اللهَ وَكَفَى بِاللهِ حَسِيبًا Khamis, Mei 06, 2010 لاَ إِكْرَاهَ فِي الدِّينِ قَد تَّبَيَّنَ الرُّشْدُ مِنَ الْغَيِّ فَمَنْ يَكْفُرْ بِالطَّاغُوتِ وَيُؤْمِن بِاللّهِ فَقَدِ اسْتَمْسَكَ بِالْعُرْوَةِ الْوُثْقَىَ لاَ انفِصَامَ لَهَا وَاللّهُ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ Source: The Quran Miracles Encyclopedia Why are most of the Muslims fundamentalists and terrorists? This question is often hurled at Muslims, either directly or indirectly, during any discussion on religion or world affairs. Muslim stereotypes are perpetuated in every form of the media accompanied by gross misinformation about Islam and Muslims. In fact, such misinformation and false propaganda often leads to discrimination and acts of violence against Muslims. A case in point is the anti-Muslim campaign in the American media following the Oklahoma bomb blast, where the press was quick to declare a ‘Middle Eastern conspiracy’ behind the attack. The culprit was later identified as a soldier from the American Armed Forces. Let us analyze this allegation of ‘fundamentalism’ and ‘terrorism’: 1. Definition of the word ‘fundamentalist’ A fundamentalist is a person who follows and adheres to the fundamentals of the doctrine or theory he is following. For a person to be a good doctor, he should know, follow, and practise the fundamentals of medicine. In other words, he should be a fundamentalist in the field of medicine. For a person to be a good mathematician, he should know, follow and practise the fundamentals of mathematics. He should be a fundamentalist in the field of mathematics. For a person to be a good scientist, he should know, follow and practise the fundamentals of science. He should be a fundamentalist in the field of science. 2. Not all ‘fundamentalists’ are the same One cannot paint all fundamentalists with the same brush. One cannot categorize all fundamentalists as either good or bad. Such a categorization of any fund amentalist will depend upon the field or activity in which he is a fundamentalist. A fundamentalist robber or thief causes harm to society and is therefore undesirable. A fundamentalist doctor, on the other hand, benefits society and earns much respect. 3. I am proud to be a Muslim fundamentalist I am a fundamentalist Muslim who, by the grace of Allah, knows, follows and strives to practice the fundamentals of Islam. A true Muslim does not shy away from being a fundamentalist. I am proud to be a fundamentalist Muslim because; I know that the fundamentals of Islam are beneficial to humanity and the whole world. There is not a single fundamental of Islam that causes harm or is against the interests of the human race as a whole. Many people harbor misconceptions about Islam and consider several teachings of Islam to be unfair or improper. This is due to insufficient and incorrect knowledge of Islam. If one critically analyzes the teachings of Islam with an open mind, one cannot escape the fact that Islam is full of benefits both at the individual and collective levels. 4. Dictionary meaning of the word ‘fundamentalist’ According to Webster’s dictionary ‘fundamentalism’ was a movement in American Protestantism that arose in the earlier part of the 20th century. It was a reaction to modernism, and stressed the infallibility of the Bible, not only in matters of faith and morals but also as a literal historical record. It stressed on belief in the Bible as the literal word of God. Thus fundamentalism was a word initially used for a group of Christians who believed that the Bible was the verbatim word of God without any errors and mistakes. According to the Oxford dictionary ‘fundamentalism’ means ‘strict maintenance of ancient or fundamental doctrines of any religion, especially Islam’. Today the moment a person uses the word fundamentalist he thinks of a Muslim who is a terrorist. 5. Every Muslim should be a terrorist Every Muslim should be a terrorist. A terrorist is a person who causes terror. The moment a robber sees a policeman he is terrified. A policeman is a terrorist for the robber. Similarly every Muslim should be a terrorist for the antisocial elements of society, such as thieves, dacoits and rapists. Whenever such an anti-social element sees a Muslim, he should be terrified. It is true that the word ‘terrorist’ is generally used for a person who causes terror among the common people. But a true Muslim should only be a terrorist to selective people i.e. anti-social elements, and not to the common innocent people. In fact a Muslim should be a source of peace for innocent people. 6. Different labels given to the same individual for the same action, i.e. ‘terrorist’ and ‘patriot’ Before India achieved independence from British rule, some freedom fighters of India who did not subscribe to non-violence were labeled as terrorists by the British government. The same individuals have been lauded by Indians for the same activities and hailed as ‘patriots’. Thus two different labels have been given to the same people for the same set of actions. One is calling him a terrorist while the other is calling him a patriot. Those who believed that Britain had a right to rule over India called these people terrorists, while those who were of the view that Britain had no right to rule India called them patriots and freedom fighters. It is therefore important that before a person is judged, he is given a fair hearing. Both sides of the argument should be heard, the situation should be analyzed, and the reason and the intention of the person should be taken into account, and then the person can be judged accordingly. 7. Islam means peace Islam is derived from the word ‘salaam’ which means peace. It is a religion of peace whose fundamentals teach its followers to maintain and promote peace throughout the world. Thus every Muslim should be a fundamentalist i.e. he should follow the fundamentals of the Religion of Peace: Islam. He should be a terrorist only towards the antisocial elements in order to promote peace and justice in the society. How can Islam be called the religion of peace when it was spread by the sword? It is a common complaint among some non-Muslims that Islam would not have millions of adherents all over the world, if it had not been spread by the use of force. The following points will make it clear, that far from being spread by the sword, it was the inherent force of truth, reason and logic that was responsible for the rapid spread of Islam. 1. Islam means peace Islam comes from the root word ‘salaam’, which means peace. It also means submitting one’s will to Allah (swt). Thus Islam is a religion of peace, which is acquired by submitting one’s will to the will of the Supreme Creator, Allah (swt). 2. Sometimes force has to be used to maintain peace Each and every human being in this world is not in favour of maintaining peace and harmony. There are many, who would disrupt it for their own vested interests. Sometimes force has to be used to maintain peace. It is precisely for this reason that we have the police who use force against criminals and anti-social elements to maintain peace in the country. Islam promotes peace. At the same time, Islam exhorts it followers to fight where there is oppression. The fight against oppression may, at times, require the use of force. In Islam force can only be used to promote peace and justice. 3. Opinion of historian De Lacy O’Leary The best reply to the misconception that Islam was spread by the sword is given by the noted historian De Lacy O’Leary in the book ’Islam at the cross road’ (Page 8): ’History makes it clear however, that the legend of fanatical Muslims sweeping through the world and forcing Islam at the point of the sword upon conquered races is one of the most fantastically absurd myth that historians have ever repeated.’ 4. Muslims ruled Spain for 800 years Muslims ruled Spain for about 800 years. The Muslims in Spain never used the sword to force the people to convert. Later the Christian Crusaders came to Spain and wiped out the Muslims. There was not a single Muslim in Spain who could openly give the adhan, that is the call for prayers. 5. 14 million Arabs are Coptic Christians Muslims were the lords of Arabia for 1400 years. For a few years the British ruled, and for a few years the French ruled. Overall, the Muslims ruled Arabia for 1400 years. Yet today, there are 14 million Arabs who are Coptic Christians i.e. Christians since generations. If the Muslims had used the sword there would not have been a single Arab who would have remained a Christian. 6. More than 80% non-Muslims in India The Muslims ruled India for about a thousand years. If they wanted, they had the power of converting each and every non-Muslim of India to Islam. Today more than 80% of the population of India are non-Muslims. All these non-Muslim Indians are bearing witness today that Islam was not spread by the sword. 7. Indonesia and Malaysia Indonesia is a country that has the maximum number of Muslims in the world. The majority of people in Malaysia are Muslims. May one ask, ’Which Muslim army went to Indonesia and Malaysia?’ 8. East Coast of Africa Similarly, Islam has spread rapidly on the East Coast of Africa. One may again ask, if Islam was spread by the sword, ’Which Muslim army went to the East Coast of Africa?’ 9. Thomas Carlyle The famous historian, Thomas Carlyle, in his book ’Heroes and Hero worship’, refers to this misconception about the spread of Islam: ’The sword indeed, but where will you get your sword? Every new opinion, at its starting is precisely in a minority of one. In one man’s head alone. There it dwells as yet. One man alone of the whole world believes it, there is one man against all men. That he takes a sword and try to propagate with that, will do little for him. You must get your sword! On the whole, a thing will propagate itself as it can.’ 10. No compulsion in religion With which sword was Islam spread? Even if Muslims had it they could not use it to spread Islam because the Qur’an says in the following verse: ’Let there be no compulsion in religion: Truth stands out clear from error’ [Al-Qur’an 2:256] 11. Sword of the Intellect It is the sword of intellect. The sword that conquers the hearts and minds of people. The Qur’an says in Surah Nahl, chapter 16 verse 125: ’Invite (all) to the way of thy Lord with wisdom and beautiful preaching; and argue with them in ways that are best and most gracious.’ [Al-Qur’an 16:125] 12. Increase in the world religions from 1934 to 1984 An article in Reader’s Digest ‘Almanac’, year book 1986, gave the statistics of the increase of percentage of the major religions of the world in half a century from 1934 to 1984. This article also appeared in ‘The Plain Truth’ magazine. At the top was Islam, which increased by 235%, and Christianity had increased only by 47%. May one ask, which war took place in this century which converted millions of people to Islam? 13. Islam is the fastest growing religion in America and Europe Today the fastest growing religion in America is Islam. The fastest growing religion in Europe in Islam. Which sword is forcing people in the West to accept Islam in such large numbers? 14. Dr. Joseph Adam Pearson Dr. Joseph Adam Pearson rightly says, ’People who worry that nuclear weaponry will one day fall in the hands of the Arabs, fail to realize that the Islamic bomb has been dropped already, it fell the day MUHAMMED (pbuh) was born’. Baca lagi...
Thursday, January 17, 2008 Benjamin Franklin Happy Birthday to Ben Franklin Benjamin Franklin (January 17 [O.S. January 6] 1706 – April 17, 1790) was one of the most important and influental Founding Fathers of the United States of America. A noted polymath, Franklin was a leading author and printer, satirist, political theorist, politician, scientist, inventor, civic activist, statesman and diplomat. As a scientist he was a major figure in the Enlightenment and the history of physics for his discoveries and theories regarding electricity. He invented the lightning rod, bifocals, the Franklin stove, a carriage odometer, and a musical instrument. He formed both the first public lending library and fire department in America. He was an early proponent of colonial unity and as a political writer and activist he, more than anyone, invented the idea of an American nation[1] and as a diplomat during the American Revolution, he secured the French alliance that helped to make independence possible. Born in Boston, Massachusetts, Franklin learned printing from his older brother and became a newspaper editor, printer, and merchant in Philadelphia, becoming very wealthy, writing and publishing Poor Richard's Almanack and the Pennsylvania Gazette. Franklin was interested in science and technology, and gained international renown for his famous experiments. He played a major role in establishing the University of Pennsylvania and Franklin & Marshall College and was elected the first president of the American Philosophical Society. Franklin became a national hero in America when he spearheaded the effort to have Parliament repeal the unpopular Stamp Act. An accomplished diplomat, he was widely admired among the French as American minister to Paris and was a major figure in the development of positive Franco-American relations. From 1775 to 1776, Franklin was Postmaster General under the Continental Congress and from 1785 to 1788 was President of the Supreme Executive Council of Pennsylvania. Toward the end of his life, he became one of the most prominent abolitionists. Franklin's colorful life and legacy of scientific and political achievement, and status as one of America's most influential Founding Fathers, has seen Franklin honored on coinage and money; warships; the names of many towns, counties, educational institutions, namesakes, and companies; and more than two centuries after his death, countless cultural references. No comments:
respiratory system Popular Terms Animal or human air-breathing system comprising of lungs and air passages trachea (windpipe), larynx, mouth, and nose plus associated nervous and circulatory systems. Use 'respiratory system' in a Sentence If a big deal suddenly goes bad you may see your boss have a problem with his respiratory system and need to catch his breath. 18 people found this helpful My biology teacher once told me, "Our lungs is a main part of the respiratory system ". I thank her everyday for teaching me how to keep it well. 15 people found this helpful Sometimes at the end of a long work day you just need to take a deep breath and allow your respiratory system to take a break. 14 people found this helpful Email Print Embed
There has been a ten-fold increase in the number of children and adolescents with obesity since 1975. Analysis of weight trends in 200 countries has found there was an increase from about 5 million obese girls worldwide in 1975 to 50 million in 2016, and from 6 million to 74 million boys. Rates of child and adolescent obesity were highest (above 30 per cent) in some islands in Polynesia, and were around 20 per cent or higher in the USA and some countries in the Middle East and North Africa (eg Egypt, Kuwait, Qatar and Saudi Arabia) and the Caribbean (eg Bermuda and Puerto Rico). Overall, the global prevalence of child and adolescent obesity increased from 0.7 per cent to 5.6 per cent for girls, and from 0.9 per cent to 7.8 per cent for boys. But despite the significant increase, more children remain moderately or severely underweight than obese worldwide. There were about 75 million girls moderately or severely underweight in 2016 and 117 million boys. Almost two thirds of the world’s children and adolescents who are moderately or severely underweight live in south Asia. “Rates of child and adolescent obesity have increased significantly over the past four decades in most countries in the world,” says study author Dr James Bentham, University of Kent, UK. “While average BMI among children and adolescents has recently plateaued in Europe and North America, this is not an excuse for complacency as more than 1 in 5 young people in the USA and 1 in 10 in the UK are obese. Additionally, rates of child and adolescent obesity are accelerating in east, south and southeast Asia, and continue to increase in other low and middle-income regions.” Professor Majid Ezzati, study author from Imperial College London, adds: “While there have been some initiatives led by governments, communities or schools to increase awareness about childhood and adolescent obesity, most high income countries have been reluctant to use taxes and industry regulations to change eating and drinking behaviours to tackle child obesity.” “Most importantly, very few policies and programmes attempt to make healthy foods such as whole grains and fresh fruits and vegetables affordable to poor families. Unaffordability of healthy food options to the poor can lead to social inequalities in obesity, and limit how much we can reduce its burden.” The authors also note that policies to prevent child obesity in entire countries and communities need to be matched by improved treatments, such as behavioural therapy to change diet and exercise, screening and management of hypertension and liver problems, and in extreme cases, bariatric surgery. “The trends show that without serious, concerted action to address obesity, from improving diets and providing the means by which to increase physical activity, to implementing the health system measures required to address overweight and obesity in young people early on, then the health of millions of people will be needlessly placed in great jeopardy, leading to immense human and economic costs to communities,” says researcher Leanne Riley from the WHO. There is a strong need to deal with both extremes, Prof Ezzati added. “There is a continued need for policies that enhance food security in low-income countries and households, especially in South Asia,” he said. “But, our data also show that the transition from underweight to overweight and obesity can happen quickly in an unhealthy nutritional transition, with an increase in nutrient-poor, energy-dense foods. “Our findings highlight the disconnect between the global dialogue on overweight and obesity, which has largely overlooked the remaining under-nutrition burden, and the initiatives and donors focusing on under-nutrition that have paid little attention to the looming burden of overweight and obesity.” The study is accessible here.
All Medical Procedures Knee osteotomy is a surgical procedure that may be recommended if you have arthritis damage in just one area of your knee. The procedure involves removing or adding a wedge of bone to your upper shinbone (tibia) or lower thighbone (femur) to help shift your body weight off the damaged portion of your knee joint. Knee osteotomy is most commonly performed on people who may be considered too young for a total knee replacement. Total knee replacements wear out much more quickly in people younger than 55 than in people older than 70. Many people who undergo knee osteotomy will eventually need a total knee replacement — usually about 10 to 15 years after the knee osteotomy. Knee replacement surgery — also known as knee arthroplasty (ARTH-row-plas-tee) — can help relieve pain and restore function in severely diseased knee joints. During knee replacement, a surgeon cuts away damaged bone and cartilage from your thighbone, shinbone and kneecap and replaces it with an artificial joint made of metal alloys, high-grade plastics and polymers. The first artificial knees were little more than crude hinges. Now, you and your doctor can choose from a wide variety of designs that take into account your age, weight, activity level and overall health. Most knee replacement joints attempt to replicate your knee's natural ability to roll and glide as it bends. Lumbar puncture (spinal tap) is performed in your lower back, in the lumbar region. During lumbar puncture, a needle is inserted between two lumbar bones (vertebrae) to remove a sample of cerebrospinal fluid — the fluid that surrounds your brain and spinal cord to protect them from injury. A lumbar puncture can help diagnose serious infections, such as meningitis; other disorders of the central nervous system, such as Guillain-Barre syndrome and multiple sclerosis; or cancers of the brain or spinal cord. Sometimes doctors use lumbar puncture to inject anesthetic medications or chemotherapy drugs into the cerebrospinal fluid. Radiofrequency neurotomy is a procedure to reduce back and neck pain. Heat generated by radio waves is used to target specific nerves and temporarily interfere with their ability to transmit pain signals. The radio waves are delivered to the targeted nerves via needles inserted through the skin above your spine. Imaging scans are used during radiofrequency neurotomy to help the doctor position the needles precisely. Radiofrequency neurotomy works better in some people than in others. Tests may be needed to determine if the nerves commonly targeted by radiofrequency neurotomy are the same nerves responsible for your pain. A rheumatoid factor test measures the amount of rheumatoid factor in your blood. Rheumatoid factors are proteins produced by your immune system that can attack healthy tissue in your body. High levels of rheumatoid factor in the blood are most often associated with autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis and Sjogren's syndrome. But rheumatoid factor may be detected in some healthy people, and people with autoimmune diseases sometimes have normal levels of rheumatoid factor. Spinal fusion is surgery to permanently connect two or more vertebrae in your spine, eliminating motion between them. Spinal fusion involves techniques designed to mimic the normal healing process of broken bones. During spinal fusion, your surgeon places bone or a bone-like material within the space between two spinal vertebrae. Metal plates, screws and rods may be used to hold the vertebrae together, so they can heal into one solid unit. Because spinal fusion surgery immobilizes parts of your spine, it changes the way your spine can move. This places additional stress and strain on the vertebrae above and below the fused portion, and may increase the rate at which those areas of your spine degenerate.
Accessories and Chassis Ground Chassis and engine ground. Notice the chassis ground in the illustration above. The vehicle has a large 4 gauge negative cable but also a smaller gauge wire bolted to the chassis. This smaller wire is the return path for the vehicles accessories. The larger wire is for the starter motor. This reminds us that many manufacturers and aftermarket installers use the chassis ground for their horns, windshield wiper motors, and other accessories. It’s important when troubleshooting these components to remember loose mounting may be causing resistance in the circuit. Horns are grounded to the chassis. Most cars have two or more horns. The horn in the illustration above is common. It’s a member of a pair of horns located behind the grill of a passenger car. It has one power wire and is grounded to the radiator support behind the grill by a small bolt. Its operation depends on a good connection to chassis ground that's not corroded or loose. Any looseness will result in resistance in the circuit. Battery voltage can be measured at the plug with a multimeter while someone pushes the horn pad. This is also true for so many windshield wiper motors. They are often grounded to the body/chassis through their mounting bolts. The bolt is run through a strap and fastened to the chassis by rubber bushings that hold the motor to the firewall. They eventually dry and compress, resulting in a poor ground connection. If there’s intermittent or no operation of this type of wiper motor, look for looseness and corrosion. It just may have resistance is its ground circuit.
It's not all about the beach in South Walton. With thousands of acres of forest surrounding the area, a team of dedicated professionals put a lot of thought, study and care into keeping it healthy. One of the main ways they do that is to burn it. While that may seem like a radical idea, these professionals say it is the best and most natural way to preserve the health of the forest. Point Washington State Forest is on a multi-use natural resource management concept for its approximately 15,407 acres. That management concept includes the prescribed burn program. Prescribed fire is used to manage timber, wildlife, ecological resources and maintains biodiversity. If left on its own, wildfires occur. "Wildfire is fire at the wrong time, the wrong place and frequently the wrong intensity and severity," said John Sabo, Chipola Forestry Center District Manager. "Wildfire is fire that is uncontrolled." At the other end of the spectrum, a prescribed burn is the controlled application of fire under specified environmental conditions, following appropriate precautionary measures, which allows the fire to be confined to a predetermined area and accomplishes the planned land management objectives. This also reduces the threat of wildfires. Several plants and animals that are listed as threatened, endangered, or a species of special concern can be found in the local forest. These include American kestrel, gopher tortoise, Flatwoods salamander, white-topped pitcher plant and the world's largest population of Curtiss sand grass. Fire plays a role that is essential for these species as more nutrient mass comes up after fire. Diversity goes down without fire. "Prescribed burns are controllable and they are set up so animals can escape. Native Americans used fire. Not doing it will do way more harm," said FWC Biologist Kelli Herrick. Sabo further explained, using sand pines as an example. "Burning knocks top off of the sand pines and causes them to sprout back. Palmetto also does better with winter burning -- the right fire, the right place, the right time," he said. "We use a cool and methodical approach," added forestry area supervisor Walter Bowers. "We look at the weather forecast and humidity levels, identify smoke-sensitive areas, then set it up in a triangle. That way, we can catch it quickly if anything happens." Helicopters can be used. South Walton Fire District partners with forestry in this endeavor. "We get the message out to keep people informed," said Fire Marshal Sammy Sanchez. "We try to keep it at bay if they need us, but these guys are the experts. They train us." The forestry service burns 2.4 million acres per year through state issued authorization. Locally, forestry service repeats burns on State Forest lands in the area once every four years, typically 3,000 acres a year, depending on the weather. Used for the burns are 2/3 diesel fuel and 1/3 gasoline, said Ken Weber, deputy chief of field operations in Tallahassee.
Self-Esteem in Teenagers Is Greatly Affected by Modern Day Values, Parenting, and the Fear of Failure. Only available on StudyMode • Download(s) : 287 • Published : July 17, 2010 Open Document Text Preview Thesis: Self-esteem in teenagers is greatly affected by modern day values, parenting, and the fear of failure. 1.Finding: PARENTING: Parental attitudes and behavior heavily influence the development of self-esteem. (“Self-Esteem”) 1.“Various experts have noted that when parental communication is consistently delivered in a negative style it becomes internalized, and children start to practice negative self-talk, generating their own self-reinforcing negative messages” (“Self-Esteem” 3). 2.“In addition to positive verbal communication, parents can also express acceptance and affirmation by showing physical affection and being good listeners, which make children feel important and cared about as individuals” (“Self-Esteem” 3). 3.“Belittling comparisons with siblings...and threats of abandonment...are other examples of negative communication from parents that, if used consistently, are thought to lower self-esteem and diminish a child's feelings of love and acceptance” (“Self-Esteem” 3). 2.Finding: MODERN DAY VALUES: It can be more difficult for children in the U.S and other modern industrialized nations to achieve a sense of competence than it was for their counterparts in earlier historical periods. (“Self-Esteem”) 1.“It's also the larger culture that has said that it's more important to win than to cooperate; it's more important to be an individual than to be part of a community; and it's more important to have lots of stuff than to be connected to people” (Halicks 2). 2.“Forty years ago, people said that their major reason for going to college was to get an education, and the second one was to contribute to their community or their field. Well, those things aren't even in the running anymore in terms of the reasons kids go to college. The first reason is to make money. There's an emptiness, a lack of purpose” (Halicks 3). 3.“A whole generation of well-to-do teens who are more invested in things than in people, who have little sense of themselves,... tracking img
Different Types Of Flour white & whole grain flower in measuring cupsFlour plays a huge role when it comes to recipes. Depending on the ratio to other ingredients in the dough, flour makes cookies chewy or crispy or crumbly. For example, in a dry cookie dough, like shortbread, a high proportion of flour to the small amount of liquid in the butter produces a tender, crumbly texture. Also, cookies that need to hold their shape during baking, like biscotti, also have a high ratio of flour. In fluid-batter cookies like brownies, a lower proportion of flour to the amount of liquid results in a cakey or chewy texture. However, what you are looking for in a chocolate chip cookie falls in the middle, with the exact ratio depending on whether the baker wants a thick or thin, chewy or crumbly, or soft or crispy cookie. Bleached or Unbleached: Bleached and unbleached flour are pretty much interchangeable in cookie recipes, but the bleaching process alters protein structure, resulting in less gluten formation in doughs and batters made with bleached flour. For this reason, unbleached flour is a better choice where a slightly chewier texture is desired, which in this case you want that for a chocolate chip cookie. Whole Grain: Another option for baking is whole-grain flour, such as whole wheat. However, you don’t want to substitute no more than 30% of the flour in the recipe with whole-grain flour, because it makes a nuttier, heartier flavor. Finally, at higher ratios, whole-grain flours will make cookies denser, less chewy, and slightly gritty. Source: Allrecipes: How to bake perfect cookies from scratch
Antibody Linked to Celiac Disease That Does Not Respond To Gluten-Free Diet Print Friendly A new study, with contributions made from two CDF Medical Advisory Board Members, Martin Kagnoff and Joseph A. Murray, has identified antibody biomarkers that can be potentially used to diagnose nonresponsive celiac disease. Celiac disease (CD) is an autoimmune condition where those genetically susceptible individuals with the disease have an immune system that damages the intestines in reaction to gluten, a protein found in wheat, or similar proteins in rye and barley. Currently, the only effective treatment for CD is a strict gluten-free diet for life. However, not every CD patient responds to a gluten-free diet. An estimated 10-19% of these patients have non-responsive CD (NRCD), where the intestinal lining damaged by the immune system does not recover even after a year of a gluten-free diet. The most common reason for NRCD is when the gluten-free diet is not being followed strictly enough (36-45%). For those who have NRCD and do follow the strict diet, their poor response may be caused by other coexisting conditions like irritable bowel syndrome, lactose intolerance, and small intestine bacterial overgrowth, or by refractory CD (RCD). Refractory CD is a rare version of CD occurring in about 4% of CD patients where a strict gluten-free diet doesn’t lead to intestinal healing and recovery and all other possible causes such as accidental exposure to gluten and coexisting conditions have been ruled out. These patients are typically treated with steroids and immunosuppressants. The usual serological assays used to test for CD are for autoantibodies against tissue transglutaminase (tTG) or endomysial tissue (EMA). These antibodies dissipate after the patient is on a gluten-free diet, but previous studies have found no link between the disappearance of tTG and EMA antibodies and intestinal recovery. The need for a non-invasive method for tracking intestinal recovery is apparent, which was exactly the purpose of a recent study published in Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics in its February issue of 2014. The study, titled “Persistence of Elevated Deamidated Gliadin Peptide Antibodies on a Gluten-Free Diet Indicates Nonresponsive Celiac Disease” relied on a technique called bacterial display coupled with fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS). The authors, Bradley N. Spatola, Katri Kaukinen, Pekka Collin, Martin Kagnoff, and Patrick S. Daugherty got their methodology from a previous paper published a year earlier in Analytical Chemistry. That paper, titled “Antibody Repertoire Profiling Using Bacterial Display Identifies Reactivity Signatures of Celiac Disease”, was written by many of the same authors, and describes how to quantitatively identify peptide mimotopes — small protein chains that mimic the antigen surface that antibodies typically bind — from a random peptide library that captures disease-specific antibodies present in a patient’s blood serum. In this most recent study, the authors compared three groups: 15 patients with NRCD, 45 patients with normal and responsive CD, as well as a non-CD control group. After multiple rounds of sorting were completed, several suitable peptide sequences were found. They determined these peptides were mimicking deamidated gliadin peptide (dGP) and concluded that dGP IgG antibody assays would be effective for testing CD patients for NRCD. For the NRCD and responsive CD groups, the sensitivity of the assay was 87% while the specificity was 89%. The assay still needs to be tested in larger groups to more accurately determine its positive and negative predictive values. The authors also found that the results of the assay correlated with how badly the patient’s intestines were damaged when categorized by Marsh classifications. The difference in dGP IgG titres was not statistically significant for a one level difference like between Marsh 0 and Marsh 1 or Marsh 2 and Marsh 3a/3b, but for a two or more level difference, like between Marsh 0 and Marsh 2 or Marsh 1 and Marsh 3a/3b, results were significant. When comparing fully recovered Marsh 0 patients with Marsh 3c NRCD patients, the accuracy in classifying patients of the assay improves to greater than 90%. One explanation the authors offer for why antibodies for dGP stay in the blood for so long in NRCD patients is “the presence of T-cell clones that have evolved antigen independence and continue to stimulate dGP antibody-secreting plasma cells.” This phenomenon, previously studied, has shown that even when a particular antigen has long been absent, memory cells in the immune system can be maintained for years. It’s also been found that plasma cells can secrete antibodies even after the memory cells have disappeared. However, until NRCD has been further studied, the exact mechanism for the endurance of IgG antibodies for dGP will remain unknown. From these promising results, the authors suggest including the assay for IgG dGP antibodies in the diagnostic algorithm for celiac disease follow-up. After one year or more on a strict gluten-free diet the physician should order dGP IgG serology and if it’s negative, NRCD is unlikely and normal follow-up can resume. If it’s positive, and adherence to the gluten-free diet is confirmed, the patient should be tested again several months later. If the patient still has positive dGP IgG serology, NRCD is likely and a duodenal biopsy to confirm poor intestinal response can be used to confirm. With IgG DGP serology, physicians can more efficiently detect and diagnose NRCD, which can require different treatments than responsive CD and can help reduce the risk for mortality and other diseases associated with NRCD. The papers discussed in this article, “Persistence of Elevated Deamidated Gliadin Peptide Antibodies On a Gluten-Free Diet Indicates Nonresponsive Celiac Disease” and “Antibody Repertoire Profiling Using Bacterial Display Identifies Reactivity Signatures of Celiac Disease” can be found here and here, respectively.
Let’s talk about whales Whales are not big fish. They are aquatic mammals. This means they give birth to live animals, nurse them, breath air and have hair, among other things. There is some difficulty in studying whales, as the ocean is a fairly big home. There are two subdivisions for whales. There are whales that have teeth. These whales eat prey like fish, squid, other whales. They are hunters. Baleen whales have a fringe filter in their mouth to catch small fish, crustaceans, and plankton. The largest whales are from the baleen order. The largest whale that was ever successfully measured and weighed was a blue whale. The biggest whale to be accurately measured is a female weighing 177 metric tons. This is equal to 195 short tons. (According to Dimensioninfo) The songs of whales are particularly interesting. Some think they sound haunting, some think they are beautiful, and everyone seems to agree that they are mysterious. We may never know what the songs mean, but we know they have meaning. Families or pods are an important part of the some whales species. They make great migrations and nurse their young for up to a year. There are times that pods travel because of the safety in numbers. There are some species that are often loners. Blubber, it is a fun word to say. It is what keeps whales from freezing to death in the very cold oceans. It is a layer of fat that insulates the organs of the whale. This is a simple introduction to whales. There is much more information and they are an interesting aquatic mammal to study. I am particularly fond of the work of Ilan Shamir, so lets see what he has to say about advice from a whale. Advice from a Whale • Make a splash • Move with grace and beauty • Explore the depths of your true nature • Think big • Keep a song in your heart • Remember to come up for air • No blubbering! One thought on “Let’s talk about whales Leave a Reply WordPress.com Logo Twitter picture Facebook photo Google+ photo Connecting to %s
[CPE] The Knowledge Gap 2 08 2013 Educators negotiate between two related but distinct demands: (1) the need to preserve knowledge and (2) the need to prepare students to apply knowledge. While complementary in education, the two are not necessarily closely linked. In the United States, they have become distant from each other at all levels of intellectual labor. I have been circling this issue, not quite making progress until I found myself talking about Thomas Kuhn over on the Archdruid Report. There is a way to frame the issue historically in reference to the Enlightenment that clarifies the basis for the present-day disjoint between these two demands. I want to talk through that in the hopes that better grasping that provides us with some insight into fixing the disjunction today. In using terms like memory and practice, I want to draw your attention to that to which those terms most properly belong, i.e., to the individual. The basic element of an education is not a community, is not a society, is not a nation; it is a person. Communities are built out of persons through a process of education in which individuals acquire knowledge and are shown how it applies in common. This facilitates communication because those sharing it can safely assume principles, facts, and methods in common. That communication, in turn, facilitates the refinement of it that comes from adjusting to concrete, everyday realities in common. Because this process occurs only in the individual, society can only come into existence insofar as it is able to educate its members in common. Evidence for this abounds, but nowhere quite so clearly as in the formation of a nation. A durable nation must not simply have military and economic stability, it needs social stability, a medium through which its members can communicate and coordinate with each other. As such, one of the more important aspects of nation building is the establishment of a national system of education. The contests that go into curriculum standards are not insignificant–what you teach is the basis for participation in a society, including social identities and common practices. However, when knowledge advancement occurs very quickly it can outpace that system of education. Instead of a smooth introduction into society, the child in education begins to face a series of chasms which they must spring across in order to proceed. The curriculum becomes stale and formal, disconnected from the process of knowledge production. This happens in the sciences where textbooks fall well behind data from the more recent scientific work but also in the humanities, as the historical research clarifies and revises details. It’s a bit like a student learning about Russia during the collapse of the USSR; even where they are well-aware of the pace of current events, their full comprehension is hindered by descriptions that presume the present existence of the USSR. Education shapes society. The constant emphasis on innovation at the height of education and memorization at the lower end, creates and exacerbates social tensions. Those outside the heights of an academic discipline experience much of that discipline’s knowledge as a set of assertions and facts that are simply memorized. The connection of those memorized facts to practical matters is vague at best. Because of this, one set of assertions looks much like another set of assertions. There is little reason for them to support those assertions except social pressure and persuasion. In this situation, social pressure tends to supplant reason in determining what people accept. At its best, this kind of connection is tenuous and so poorly suited to discussion. I suspect it is one reason why that political debates are so heated these days. Few participants have a clear sense of how their assertions relate to concrete situations. Instead, they arbitrarily select assertions that validate an underlying sensibility, a sensibility rooted in an often healthy sense of belonging. This is my sense of the smoke and heat churned up by creation v. evolution debates; they seem like case studies for how an otherwise healthy sense of belonging (on both sides!) can fuel intense rivalries around distorted ideologies. That is a long discussion for another time, though. In the U.S., the division of intellectual labor intensifies this. Primary education concerns itself with memory and memorization while secondary and post-secondary education identify their work with advancement and research. Those in the primary system are not generally expected to be aware of what is going at the secondary and post-secondary level while those in the secondary and (especially!) post-secondary level are encouraged to think of primary education as something inconsequential to their work (unless, perhaps, it is to bemoan the state of primary education). This division is moderated somewhat where the primary system is in close proximity to research universities, but on the whole has been compounded by legislation that seeks to measure educational success through increasing application of standardized tests. Worse yet, at the highest levels of education, the publish-or-perish model of tenure fosters a cult of innovation that equates research and publication with praxis. While innovation is one of the fruits of praxis, it is not the primary or essential feature of it. The idea that a publishable form of research must be novel encourages researchers to explore new forms of praxis ahead of the capacity of individuals to fully compare them with, or integrate them into, existing forms of praxis. In some disciplines, developing new forms of praxis has replaced making the most of existing and better understood forms. The cult of innovation is most visible in fields like pharmaceutical research where the big money comes from new concoctions, but the problem is pervasive. The multiplication of methodologies in the social sciences and humanities serves as another exemplar. The failures and limitations of these innovations are rarely well-appreciated because the money and research time shifts to exploring something even newer. If the innovations cause problems, the problems themselves become an invitation to innovate. Instead of letting go of a mediocre solution, its mediocre results become the subject of research. Mediocre solution gets heaped atop mediocre solution. This approach has been applied so often that the cumulative weight of mediocre fiddling has become crisis and disaster. While innovation-driven solutions remain in high demand, their limitations are increasingly apparent. The crisis is a crisis of speed, of too much innovation and creativity, not, as some would have it, an absence of it. The nature of this crisis has often been attributed to our decreasing appreciation for the arts and humanities. Many have a sense that these fields cultivate the sort of creativity and critical sensibility necessary to confront the problems of the day. While appealing and romantic, I’m going to suggest that the decline of arts and humanities is more symptom than cause. Economic issues have tended to accelerate rather than moderate this crisis. Shrinking budgets have forced difficult choices on college administrators. Some have faced the challenge strategically with clear ideas of what is important and in need of care while others have reacted to immediate threats without appreciating the long term challenges ahead of them. In either case, market forces now exert a much greater force on educational policy; it is the open market that educators see opportunities for funds that governmental organizations cannot provide. Market forces are volatile as the search for new revenue often becomes equated with the search for new innovations to market. The gap between learning and innovation predates contemporary economic and social pressures, though. Scarcity has intensified a pre-existing conflict. The gap extends at least to Enlightenment debates about the virtues of education, who should benefit from education, the role the educated should have in society, and the content of that education. In order to grasp the present situation, we have to look back over that history. 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Loading presentation... Present Remotely Send the link below via email or IM Present to your audience Start remote presentation • Invited audience members will follow you as you navigate and present • People invited to a presentation do not need a Prezi account • This link expires 10 minutes after you close the presentation • A maximum of 30 users can follow your presentation • Learn more about this feature in our knowledge base article Do you really want to delete this prezi? Crash Course of Roman History No description Ariel Wright on 6 December 2016 Comments (0) Please log in to add your comment. Report abuse Transcript of Crash Course of Roman History Crash Course of Roman History "arma virumque cano" Imperium Romanorum Res Publica Romanorum Rome becomes a Republic by overthrowing T. Superbus and now they hate kings. Founding of Rome Aeneas flees from the burning city of Troy. Romans believe Romulus and Remus to be descendants of Aeneas. Mythical founding of Rome Romulus and Remus in 753 B.C. The Kingdom of Rome There were VII Kings of Rome: 753 BC - 715 BC 715 BC - 673 BC His reign was a golden age! Numa Pompilius 673 BC - 642 BC Warrior who would rather declare war than even hold a meeting Tullius Hostilius The Founder! 642 BC - 617 BC Ancus Martius Excellent administrator, ruler, warrior, priest, and diplomat. 616 BC- 579 BC L. Tarquinius Priscus 578 BC - 535 BC Servius Tullius 534 BC - 510 BC Tarquinius Superbus Revolt of the Plebs Plebs revolt against Patricians in 494 BC Comes out of retirement, puts down his plow, takes up position of dictator to save Rome. After #winning he resigns and returns to his farm in 458 BC. Leges Duodecim Tabularum Rome develops first code of written law in 451 BC. The Gauls invade Rome and sack / plunder the city in 390 BC. This is way bad! The construction of the first aqueduct and major Roman road in 312 BC. Rome defeats the Latin League in 340... ... and will control the entire Italian Peninsula by 275 BC. Them's fightin' words The Punic Wars Ist Punic War IInd Punic War Ego sum Spartacus! Another slave uprising occurs in the Servile War led by a slave from Thrace named Spartacus (73-71 BC). Crassus will suppress the revolt, and have 6,000 slaves crucified on the via Appia. Ist Triumvirate Julius Caesar Conquers all of Gaul in 58-51 BC. Is considered the best Roman general. Crosses the Rubicon river, to reclaim control of the Republic from Pompey. This causes a "civil war" from 49-45 BC but Caesar is victorious and names himself dictator. After being aware he will lose the "civil war" with Caesar in 45 BC, he flees to Egypt, where he is beheaded by Ptolemy VIIth. The wealthiest man in Rome. He is murdered in 53 BC by notoriously having molten gold poured down his throat by the Parthians in an attempt to demonstrate the man's own greed. Beware the Ides of March! Caesar is assassinated by the Senate and stabbed 27 times (once per participating Senator) in the curia. Bad news bears... The epic name change Octavian defeats M. Antony after a civil war from 44 BC - 31 BC. Victorious, Octavian returns to Rome and is now called Augustus. The Senate names Augustus Imperator. Thus ends the Roman Republic. Technically speaking, the empire of Rome exists (whether in one piece or more) from 30 BC- 1453 AD Julio- Claudian 27 BC - 14 AD Begins the Pax Romana, Rome's Golden Age Known for being pious and virtuous 14 AD-37 AD "The emperor who trusted Sejanus (Praetorian Guard) and who lived on Capri" BTW: Capri is NOT in Rome "little boots" 37 - 41 "the evil emperor who proclaimed himself a god" He also tried to name his horse (incitatus) as a Senator He is most definitely assassinated by the Praetorian Guard at the req. of the Senate 41- 54 "The bumbling, drooling emperor who was elected as a joke" 54 -68 "The mad tyrant who blamed Christians for the Great Fire of Rome" He also waged war against Neptune and ordered his troops to start stabbing the sea Year of the IV Emperors After Nero, there is a civil war Assassinated; known for being bald and corpulent The greedy ruler who lasted just three months The man who killed his own son, then was himself killed. Vespasian, as a general will defeat his opponents and rise to be emperor. Thus ending the struggle known as the year of the four emperors. The emperor who built the Flavian Amphitheatre on Nero's man made lake. Restores order to the Empire. The emperor who destroyed the temple in Jerusalem The evil emperor who murders thousands of Christians. Noted for soaking them in oil and lighting them aflame to use as lamps. Adoptive Emperors The first of the five good emperors The emperor who left the legacy of Trajan's market and victory column 117- 138 The empire is the largest under Hadrian's rule, he also built a wall to keep the barbarian Scottish out of the Brittania. Antoninus Pius The excellent emperor! Marcus Aurelius 161 - 180 The philosopher, last of the five good emperors. Doesn't adopt the next emperor; it's his son... sounds a lot like a king... 180- 192 More savage than Domitian, more foul than Nero He thinks he's Hercules!!! Yet another civil war... Murdered by the Praetorian Guard Didius Julianus The man who paid to become emperor... should have specified for how long... Septimius Severus Will regain control of the empire after a civil war and a few rulers. Septimius Severus 193 - 211 Emperor who increased Praetorian Guards to 50,000 and was a little too trusting of his sons 211 - 217 The common enemy of mankind Does not share well with his brother Supposed to have co-ruled with Caracalla. After their father's death, Caracalla murders Geta and he suffers "damnatio memoriae" ergo: no pic of poor Geta :( 217 -218 The Praetorian Guard who assassinated Caracalla and usurped his power 218 - 222 He married a Vestal Virgin then took a husband. Was formerly a high priest of the cult of Mithras in Syria. Alexander Severus 222- 235 He revoked all former edicts against Christians Other Important Emperors 284 - 305 Splits the Roman Empire into 2 parts, East and West 307 - 337 Moves the capitol of the empire from Rome to a city named after himself, Constantinople. 1st Christian emperor. Romulus Augustus 475 - 476 The last emperor of the Western Roman Empire Drained the forum and created a sewage system for the city. He was murdered. Made many social and political reforms, made him unpopular and he was overthrown. Rumored to have overthrown his successor, it was only a matter of time before he would be overthrown. He is forced into exile, thus ending the Kingdom of Rome. Full transcript
What "Human Trafficking" Really Means J.J. Gould at The Atlantic opens this long, thorough, and balanced article by telling the stories of Ko Lin, a Burmese man who spent months in forced labor, and Ma Moe—also from Burma—who narrowly escaped being sold as a “wife” after being tricked with the story of a job in China. There’s a plain-language word for the horror stories that Ko Lin and Ma Moe have survived, as anachronistic as it might sound: slavery. Contemporary slavery is real, and it’s terribly common—here in Burma, across Southeast Asia, and around the world. I suppose I understand why we use the word “trafficking” now—it’s less inflammatory and more clinical, which makes it seem less judgmental. And the U.S. government hates making value judgments. Generally, though, I favor using straightforward language whenever possible, and by tacitly deprecating “slavery” we cede a moral high ground that could fuel the outrage needed to enact change. One consequence of this is that when people apply the idea of slavery to current events, they tend to think of it as an analogy. That is, they tend to use the word to dramatize conditions that may be exploitive—e.g., terrible wages or toxic working environments – but that we’d never on their own call “slavery” if the kind of forced labor we used to call “slavery” still existed. You’d think I would tire of saying this, but words are important.
A Spiritual Journey into SNAP One family's experiment living on a food-stamp budget The Potato Problem 1 Comment I read The Botany of Desire by Michael Pollan (2001, Random House) a year or so after it came out. The book’s four sections detail the relationship between humans and four charismatic plant species. The book describes how plants use their many seductive powers to harness humans to ensure that they (the plants) spread far and wide. Pollan noted in the early pages that flowering plants have been doing this—manipulating animals of which humans are just one species—for most of their 145+ million year history. As a paleobotanist, I would argue that plants have been manipulating animals for even longer, dating to the earliest seeds and perhaps beyond. The Botany of Desire traces the evolution of apples from tiny, bitter bird dispersed things in China to the gigantic, sweet and fleshy fruits loved by large mammals in Central Asia. And, of course, being large mammals with a sweet tooth ourselves, we couldn’t resist carrying apples out of Asia and around the globe. The second species, tulips, were sought for their beautiful blooms and Pollan recounts the tulip bubble in 17th Century Holland. Marijuana is a third species that has so enticed us that we grow it in vast greenhouses where it is pampered like a purebred lapdog in the parlor of a queen. But the shocker for me was potatoes. Potatoes came out of the Andes where they remain a diverse crop of high nutritional value. Potatoes came to Europe with the returning Spanish explorers and became a specialty food for the rich. Fast forward to the late 17th Century and potatoes had become an important supplemental food for the whole population, particularly in high latitudes where it was both hardy in the cold and stored well over winter. Potatoes remained an important component of the European diet but only attained staple status in Ireland. The potato’s transition to a staple food in Ireland happened gradually during the late 18th and early 19th Centuries when it first became a winter staple. Then, high prices pushed landlords to export most of Ireland’s grain, leaving their tenant workers to eat potatoes year round. This was fine, as potatoes combined with butter and milk make an almost perfect human diet. And the move toward a single, well-adapted and high yield variety—the Irish Lumper—sealed the fate of the Irish nation. In 1843 or 1844, Phytophthora infestans arrived. Phytophthora infestans is an oomycete, a so-called “water mold”, that infects the potato plant and causes it to wilt overnight in a disease called blight. The oomycete originated in Mexico, where potato is native, and spread to domestic varieties throughout North America causing local crop failures. That was unfortunate, but since potatoes were still a luxury food in North America, no crisis followed. Blight remains endemic in North America. It is not clear how Phytophthora infestans arrived in Europe, but it was likely that ships that sailed from Baltimore to Ireland carried infected potatoes. By 1845, crops were failing in Ireland. By 1852, a million people had died of famine and a million more had left Ireland, mostly for North America. Phytophthora infestans is only one of many disease organisms that plague potato. In fact, popular modern cultivars are so prone to disease that, when grown in monoculture, the field has to be nearly sterilized with microbicides, herbicides, insecticides and fungicides before it will yield a crop. And the very nature of the potato as a storage organ means that the plant socks away all these chemicals in its plump and tasty tubers. In Botany of Desire, Pollan reported on a farmer in Idaho who will not feed the potatoes he grows to his own family because of the toxic cocktail in which they are grown. Instead, his children eat organic potatoes grown in the manure pile in back of his barn. This farmer is no physician or food toxicologist. He’s just using good common sense. Reading that chapter, I recalled an old episode of the CBS news magazine 60 Minutes in which the toxicity of an average market basket was analyzed. Sure enough, potatoes came out as a key offender for a variety of pesticides. That was followed by an episode of Jean-Michel Cousteau’s Ocean Adventures in which Cousteau was interested in ocean pollution so had he and his team tested for bioaccumulating toxins—those that are consumed by marine creatures and build up in the body the higher up the food chain one goes. To everyone’s shock, the young son of one of the team’s biologists shot off the chart. The kid ate a vegetarian whole foods organic diet as prescribed by his greenie mom, so sea food was not to blame. There were tears and general panic at the test results until grandma came forward to admit that when mom was at sea with the team, kid liked to go out for french fries. Cut to stand up. And this isn’t just a worry of the popular media. These reporters were following a large primary scientific literature showing that a variety of common pesticides including malathion (an insecticide), HCB (hexachlorobenzene, a bioaccumulating fungiside), lindane (an insecticide) and p,p-DDD (an insecticide metabolite of DDT and mammal carcinogen) persist in conventionally grown potatoes. The good news is that peeling, washing and boiling helps to remove pesticide residues (Soliman, 2001) but, well, YUCK! Pollan had me off potatoes for a couple of years until organic versions made it to my corner of New York. I’ll take my chances with BT, thank you very much, and I don’t really care how it got on or into the spuds. So where’s the problem? I have a “safe” organic option. The problem is that a bag of potatoes came to us through the food bank. These are quite conventional and I’m sure that they carry the typical toxic load. We peel and soak and boil, so that helps. But I felt the twinge of guilt feeding them to my children, who gobble them up as they do all forms of starch. The twinge became a conversation as we prepared home-made oven “fries” the other evening. “What should I do with these potatoes? Does peeling help? Are they really okay to eat?” asked David. My response was flip but 100% true: “Well, most people eat them don’t they?” The implication is “of course they are safe” but the reality is that they are laced with stuff that we really shouldn’t be putting in or on our bodies. Organic potatoes are a tiny niche market. The vast majority of spuds produced and consumed in the United States, including every single one served with fast food and in school cafeterias, and 99.99% of those served in restaurants, are conventionally produced and laced with bioaccumulating chemicals. None of the materials sprayed on those spuds are particularly toxic to humans, especially at the concentrations found in the final product. This stuff is regulated, after all. But some of the chemicals do build up in our bodies over time and some can mutate our genes in ways that may cause trouble down the road. For me, who is more or less half way done with the body, it may not matter too much. But for my children the stakes feel higher. We did prepare and eat the potatoes. I’m being paranoid, of course. One sack of laced spuds will not shorten anyone’s life. The real theme here is “most people eat them” all the time. And we wonder at rising cancer rates and developmental changes and the increase in this or that syndrome. And frustratingly, there is no way to conduct research on cause and effect because, well, “most people eat them” a lot. There is no control group. And more importantly, the hypothesis that we can blame all of our cancer woes on a single food is, well, silly. But let’s say that we all decided that we didn’t want those chemicals in our food. The plant diseases don’t go away and the alternatives—integrative pest management—usually mean scaled down production, scaled way down. That means higher prices and potatoes exit the SNAP shopping basket. They become, as they began, a boutique food for the wealthy…like organic potatoes are now. A significant source of cheap plant calories, vitamins and minerals disappears from the diet of the masses—and the poor who need high quality food as much or more than the rest of us. Maybe we shouldn’t mourn the demise of fries. But mukimo is another story. Soliman, K.M. 2001. Changes in concentration of pesticide residues in potatoes during washing and home preparation. Food and Chemical Toxicology 39:887-891. One thought on “The Potato Problem 1. Nicely done. And thank you for acknowledging that a single food is rarely to blame for most disease concerns. Leave a Reply WordPress.com Logo Twitter picture Facebook photo Google+ photo Connecting to %s
Mike's China by Mike Dixon - HTML preview 2 People There are 1,300 million of them and they're all called Chinese. The European Union has a third that number. They are all called Europeans but no one expects them to be the same. We recognise that Bulgarians are different from Spanish and Italians from Danes. The same goes for China. Thirty percent of the population is officially recognised as belonging to minority groups. In Britain they would be called nations (English, Scots, Welsh). The rest of the Chinese population is classed as Han. Don't think of the Han as being all the same. For starters, they don't all speak the same. The Shanghai "dialect" is as different from the official Beijing "dialect" (Mandarin) as English is from broad Irish or Scots. Cantonese, sounds so different that even foreigners can tell it apart from Mandarin. The big unifying factor is writing. Most Chinese characters do not spell out sounds. They convey meaning (like our traffic signs). As a consequence, people with totally different languages can communicate through writing. You will see Chinese handing one another writing pads. They're not asking for an address. They want the other person to write down what they are saying so they can understand. The Chinese people not only speak different languages, they have different cultures and temperaments. Up north, they are more reserved (like Japanese and northern Europeans). People in Beijing tend to be formal but the same cannot be said for Shanghai. Down south, in the Cantonese speaking regions, they are positively effusive. In the mountainous borderlands to the north of Vietnam, Laos and Myanmar (Burma), ethnic groups differ from one valley to the next and spill over into neighbouring countries. There is a long history of ethnic tension and hostility to the central government. In the vast, sparsely populated western regions, the people are even more varied. Many Tibetans do not regard themselves as Chinese and the same can be said for many Muslims in Sinkiang. Interestingly, many of the “minority groups” were not subjected to the full-rigors of the “one-child” policy and were allowed to have more than one child. My photos of people show the differences between the different ethnic groups. And they have been picked to do just that. Some show people who are still living in the way of their ancestors. It would be wrong to think that all members of their group live like that. I could have shown you shots of Tibetan girls in swimming costumes and Tungusic kids with computers. I have pictures of Yao businessmen in business suits and Turkic farms with TV-dishes but I chose not to show them. Photos (top to bottom): Shanghai, Tajik, Miao, Yao, Tibetan, Mongolian, Turkic. Tungusic.
How to Find Studs in a Plaster Wall Late and plaster walls and ceilings were used in home construction through the late 1950s until drywall appeared on the scene. Lathe strips are horizontally nailed across vertical studs; sometimes wire mesh is added and two layers of plaster are applied over the lathe. The lathe-and-plaster technique makes it difficult to locate the studs when you want to hang pictures or need a stud to hold the weight of cabinets or electronics. Traditional stud finders don't work because of the lathe strips or the wire, but a simple wire probe or other methods can help you locate the studs and joists in plaster ceiling and walls. Cracked Wall credit: William Bacon/iStock/Getty Images Finding studs and joists in walls and ceilings requires a wire probe. Attic Inspection To verify joist and stud location, climb into the attic and walk across the rafters -- not between them -- to measure the first rafter or joist's location from the wall that is shared in the room below. Also measure the distance between joists from the center of each joist. Transfer the measurement to the room's wall, working from the same wall where you measured in the attic. Start at the corner and mark the wall across the room in 16-inch or 24-inch increments as noted in the attic. Standard balloon-framed homes install studs or ceiling joists 16 inches or 24 inches on center. Joists are usually installed directly above studs on the wall's top plate. Two-by-four lumber is actually 1 1/2 inches wide, leaving 3/4 of an inch on either side of its center. Test stud or joist location using the hammer-and-nail or wire-probe method. Wire Probe Wire probes offer the oldest method of locating studs behind plaster walls and joists in ceilings. To make a probe, cut and straighten a coat hanger with wire cutters. Measure approximately 3 1/2-inches from one end to bend the wire at a 90-degree angle into a L-shape. Inspect your baseboard or crown molding for visible nails for a possible stud or ceiling joist location, or tap on the wall until you hear a thud, not a hollow sound. Drill a small hole through the lathe in your wall or ceiling on these locations using a stepladder to reach the ceiling. Insert the bent end of the coat hanger into the hole, working the wire in past the 90-degree angle. Spin the wire clockwise. When the hanger hits a solid object, it is likely a stud or joist. If it does not, measure to either side of that location by 3 1/2 inches, insert the probe and spin it clockwise. Repeat this until you find a stud or joist. Hammer and Nail You can also use the hammer-and-nail method to find studs and ceiling joists in plaster. Lightly hammer the nail through the plaster wall or ceiling where you expect a stud or joist; a nail will bounce when it strikes lathe strips behind the plaster because of their flexibility, but won't it if strikes a stud. You can also locate studs by finding an electrical outlet, which is usually attached to either side of the stud. Test each side of the outlet by driving a nail into the wall above or below the outlet. You can find ceiling joists in the same manner because lighting fixtures have an electrical box attached to either side of the joist. Simple Stud Finders Simple stud finders are not a reliable source for locating studs in plaster walls. Stud finders work by picking up the difference in density through the wall. Lathe and plaster walls mask studs by simulating their density to create a false signal. Metal stud finders are better at locating studs in plaster as long as wire mesh was not used over the lathe strips. Wire mesh causes a stud finder to emit a positive signal all across the wall. Metal stud finders work by locating the nails in studs. Slide the metal stud finder horizontally across the wall when it's on. When the signal is continuous, this indicates wire mesh inside -- it won't work for finding the stud. When the finder emits a signal, slide the metal stud finder vertically up the wall at the same point the stud was found horizontally. The stud finder emits a signal for each nail it finds.
View Slideshow Pictures What other names is Ciguatera known by? Ciguatera Poisoning, Gambierdiscus toxicus, Gratelle, Intoxication à la ciguatera, ICP, Intoxication Ciguatérique par les Poisson. What is Ciguatera? Ciguatera is a poison that can accumulate in certain fish. It is not used as a medicine. People can get ciguatera poisoning by eating normally safe, bottom-feeding, coral reef fish that have collected the poison from the food chain. Ciguatera poisoning tends to occur near areas of disturbed reef, including waterfront construction. Ciguatera poisoning is most common in Florida and Hawaii. Red snapper, barracuda, parrotfish, jacks, and grouper are most commonly contaminated, but over 400 normally safe fish species may contain the poison. There are no good "rules of thumb" for detecting tainted fish. They look, taste, and smell normal. Testing for ciguatera is available in some areas. Insufficient Evidence to Rate Effectiveness for... • Ciguatera does not have any medicinal uses. Quick GuideVitamin D Deficiency: How Much Vitamin D Is Enough? Vitamin D Deficiency: How Much Vitamin D Is Enough? How does Ciguatera work? Ciguatera interferes with the normal function of nerve cells. Are there safety concerns? Ciguatera is UNSAFE when taken by mouth. One bite of contaminated fish can be enough to cause symptoms. The most common symptoms include stomach cramps, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Other symptoms include itching; numbness of lips, tongue, and throat; blurred vision; low blood pressure; slowed heart rate; alternating hot and cold sensations; and coma. In severe cases, shock, muscular paralysis, and death can occur. Up to 20 percent of people who get ciguatera poisoning die. Special Precautions & Warnings: Pregnancy and breast-feeding: Ciguatera is UNSAFE for anyone, including pregnant and breast-feeding women. One pregnant woman who was poisoned suffered a miscarriage. Breast-feeding women should be especially careful to avoid ciguatera because it passes into breast milk and can affect the nursing infant. Dosing considerations for Ciguatera. The appropriate dose of ciguatera depends on several factors such as the user's age, health, and several other conditions. At this time there is not enough scientific information to determine an appropriate range of doses for ciguatera. Keep in mind that natural products are not always necessarily safe and dosages can be important. Be sure to follow relevant directions on product labels and consult your pharmacist or physician or other healthcare professional before using. FDA Logo Report Problems to the Food and Drug Administration Reviewed on 3/29/2011 12:35:40 PM Health Solutions From Our Sponsors
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Dismiss Notice Join Physics Forums Today! Discuss a system of equations by Gauss 1. Jun 17, 2012 #1 How would you discuss this system of equations by Gauss's method? NOTE: the last column are the independent terms Thank you very much 2. jcsd 3. Jun 17, 2012 #2 User Avatar Science Advisor Hey inverse and welcome to the forums. If this is an augmented system [M \| v], then you can reduce this whole thing to reduced row echelon form and then consider what values of m actually make sense in the context of there being no solutions, a unique solution, or infinitely many solutions if any of those categories exist. The easiest way to check that you have done the reduction carefully, is to multiply your calculated inverse by your original matrix and you should get the identity if you end up getting a properly row-reduced system. It looks like you should get an inverse as long as m <> 2 by visual inspection, but you would have to check algebraically. If you post your final row-reduced system and thus your calculated inverse for a general m, then as long as the determinant is non-zero for valid m, we can double check your inverse by multiplying that by the original matrix to get an identity. This is really the hardest part since checking for inconsistent solutions is basically looking for 0 = 1 type arguments and infinite-solutions happens when you have 0 determinant and not a 0 = 1 situation. 4. Jun 17, 2012 #3 Thank you chiro Otherwise, to stagger the matrix, one can argue for m = 2 and m = -1, for m = 2 is a row which becomes zero, therefore range <number of unknowns Undetermined System Compatible but m = -1 is a row which becomes zero, then range is 2 <number of unknowns should be compatible system Undetermined, but as I see a non-zero constant term and the others are zeros, I deduce that it's an imcompatible system, but as you can known analytically? Similar Discussions: Discuss a system of equations by Gauss 1. System of equations (Replies: 1) 2. System of equations (Replies: 1)
Tag Archives: Bomber Pilot UFO Incident April 25, 1945: Bomber Pilot Encounters UFO, Loses Power The UFO incident occurred at 9.45 GMT just after a turn near Kaiserslautern, Germany on the final approach to Berchtesgaden. An observation over Germany in 1945 At the time of the sighting Kit Francis Williams was an Acting Squadron Leader in the Royal Air Force (RAF), England. Kit was in the 617 Bomber Squadron based at Woodall Spa, East Lincolnshire, England. The sighting occurred on the 25 April 1945 while on a bombing mission for Bomber Command’s Special Duties Squadron. Kit was the pilot of the Avro Lancaster bomber, that was the wing finder in the flight group. This was the final bombing mission of the Squadron in the Second World War. The mission comprised 25 to By Keith Basterfield 26 aircraft, and had been tasked to bomb, ‘Hitler’s hideout, Berchtesgaden,’ this was Hitler’s mountain retreat and headquarters at Obersalzberg, in the Bavarian Alps, Germany. These headquarters were also known as the Berghof (residence). The UFO incident occurred at 9.45 GMT just after a turn near Kaiserslautern, Germany on the final approach to Berchtesgaden. The Lancaster was at an altitude of 16,500 feet (5030 metres), the sky was clear below and the there was a solid cloud cover at 18,500 feet (5640 metres). The nearest aircraft would have been two miles (three kilometres) to the port. The main bomber group, referred to as the, ‘Gaggle’ would have been ten to fifteen miles (16 to 24 kilometres) behind. Kit, who was the pilot, witnessed, without warning, what he described as, ‘Like a great blanket, a woolly blanket,’ that may have been four to five miles wide (six to eight kilometres). Kit explained that it, ‘Seemed to fill the whole of the windscreen,’ and the colour was grey/brown like, ‘An old army type blanket.’ The object appeared to be moving in the vertical direction past the windscreen of the aircraft, and was gone, ‘In an instant.’ Lost bomb Immediately following this sighting, the only bomb in the aircraft broke loose, from its mounting, and, ‘Crashed,’ through the bomb bay door and out of the aircraft. The bomb was a 12,000 pound (5443 kilograms) armour piercing type, known as a, ‘Tallboy.’ Kit could hear and feel the vibration of the bomb crashing through the bomb bay doors. At the same time as the bomb loss, the electrical power in the aircraft failed. This resulted in the four propeller engines losing power and therefore the aircraft could not be properly trimmed from the lift caused by the bomb’s weight loss. All four engine revolution counters started to drop and all other electrically powered instruments ceased to function. Kit said during the interview that it was, ‘Obvious that my electrics had gone,’ and they were losing height. The emergency action plan was commenced where the inboard port engine was, ‘Feathered,’ the other three engines continued, ‘Windmilling.’ The, ‘Feathered,’ engine was locked in its starting position and then started using the backup battery power system on the aircraft. The three other engines were successfully started using the same technique since, ’Windmilling,’ engines could not be started without first being, ‘Feathered.’ The aircraft had dropped 4000 feet (1220 metres) to an altitude of 12,000 feet (3658 metres) due to the power loss. At the same time as Kit was working on starting the first engine when he, ‘Thought he had hit his head on something,’ and a, ‘Sudden sensation of a pounding headache,’ this sensation continued. Due to the damage caused by the detached bomb, the bomb bay door could not be closed, apart from that there appeared to be no other damage to the aircraft. The other aircraft in the group continued with their bombing mission. Kit’s aircraft returned to the base in England, since they were now without a bomb. Another aircraft in the group apparently saw the bomb being dropped from Kit’s aircraft and the loss of altitude, they did not see anything else, such as, the unidentified object. Since the headache occurred, Kit was having difficulty getting his reflexes working normally and having to think about an action before its execution. Kit noticed that the Engineer and the Bomber appeared to be having the same experience, of a headache. Kit commented that the Bomber, ‘Gave the impression that someone had walked up behind him, and slapped him hard, between the shoulder blades,’ adding that the Engineer had the same expression. After taking to all the crew he confirmed that they all had the same type of headache. The headaches were so debilitating that they were all taking a variety of pain relief medication that were in the emergency kits in the aircraft. Because of the condition caused by the headache, Kit had not been able to land the aircraft successfully and ran off the runway at the end, and onto a grass verge. After landing their Lancaster in England an ambulance was waiting for them. At the time of the incident, Kit was 19 years old, the eldest of the flight crew, the Navigator, was 26 years old. After effects Kit told McDonald that after landing the crew and himself were taken for medical treatment and interrogation, over a period of eleven days. They were first transferred to the base hospital then to Wokingham, England. Following this, to the ‘Guinea Pigs,’ hospital at Rauceby RAF, where all the medical specialists were located. They were finally moved to High Wickham, Bomber Command headquarters and then to the MI9 Enemy Intelligence and Interrogation Centre. The medical treatment consisted of various tests and the taking of medications to mitigate the headache, none of these treatments were successful. Kit commented that he was in a poor state of health because of the incident. Kit said on the eleventh day is, ‘When the headache dispersed.’ Kit had found out that all the air crew, except the rear gunner, had ceased having headaches on the same day, within 12 hours of each other. The Rear Gunner took three weeks for the headache to dissipate. The seven crew in the Lancaster were all different physical builds, and apparently that they were all equally effected by the headache. Kit commented to McDonald that he suspected that the unidentified object had caused the power loss in the aircraft, the headaches and loss of physical co-ordination. Kit explained to McDonald that he knew of a similar event that occurred just after Christmas 1944 when a Hawker Tempest, piloted by John Dunk, lost power over the English Channel. The pilot had bailed out of the aircraft. Another similar event occurred in Nine Squadron during August 1944, when an aircraft lost power and the crew bailed out in the same area as Kit had lost power. Kit claimed that there were other bomber crews at High Wickham Bomber Command, at the same time he was there. He noticed that these crews were taken to the same sections in the Command buildings and he therefore speculated that they may have been there because they had similar experiences while flying. Kit witnesses one other sighting on the 1 January 1955 in the central highlands of Malaysia. He, ‘Was advised that there was a peculiar aircraft flying around the area.’ Therefore, he climbed, with others, at ‘Frasers Hill,’ to observe the unidentified object. He was the Field Security Officer. He did not initially notice anything, but the Tamil who had seen the object previously, climbed a tree to get a better view. Kit said that the Tamil, ‘Right out of the blue he started screaming has head off,’ and came down the tree to point, and he observed, ‘There was a puff, looked like a puff of green like smoke, like you would see from a smoke bomb.’ The, ‘Puff,’ was six to seven hundred feet (180 to 210 metres) above the tops of the mountains. As it expanded Kit took several photographs until it dispersed over a period of six or seven minutes. The colour of the, ‘Puff,’ was described by Kit as being, ‘Bright sea green.’ Apparently, the Tamil has seen a flash of light before the, ‘Puff.’ At that time, he had the same feeling that the headache may reoccur, like the one he had in 1945. This discomfort lasted for about an hour and then dissipated. The Tamil had previously sighted the, ‘Peculiar aircraft,’ and described it as being like a flat shinny ball and without any noise. Kit told Mc Donald that he resided at, Ortolan Avenue, Broadmeadows, Victoria. His telephone number was 309 2468. Kit said that he had no lasting disability because of the incident in 1944. After leaving the hospital he commenced flying two weeks later with a doctor and another pilot on board to access his ability for flying. He later joined the Tiger Force, in Burma, and after that he worked at London University. He went to Japan after their surrender, at the end of the Second World War, and eventually moved to Australia. When he had the second headache in 1955 he, ‘Had the impression that one was around,’ referring to the unidentified object. Kit thought, at the meetings with other air crew, that talk of UFO activity is, ‘Conspicuous by absence.’ He also claimed that religious people are not comfortable with discussing the reality of UFOs. Read more » Read More
Edit Article wikiHow to Know When Your Child is Old Enough to Babysit Are you wondering if your child is old enough to babysit? How will you decide? Read on to find out how to make a good decision about deciding if your child is old enough to do some babysitting. 1. 1 Realize that it isn't about age but maturity. Some ten year-olds can babysit very well, while other sixteen year-olds aren't ready. This doesn't mean that your nine-year-old can start babysitting, it means that they should have the maturity of an adult before they start. • How to tell if they are mature enough: Do they do their homework responsibly and have good grades? Do they take responsibility for their actions? Do they learn from their mistakes? Can they communicate effectively with peers, children, and adults? Can they follow instructions well and complete them on time? Are they patient and respectful? Can they take constructive criticism? The answer to all of these questions should be a resounding yes. Although it is about maturity, your child should be about thirteen before watching others' children for the sole reason that parents will not be comfortable having anybody younger than that watch their children. • Try to assess their maturity from an impersonal point of view. Would you feel comfortable having them babysit? Do you feel that your child would act honorably without anybody watching? 2. 2 If you feel that they are reasonably mature, how do they interact with kids? If your child has younger siblings, he or she should treat them well and with respect. If he cannot care for his sibling(s) he shouldn't attempt to care for others' children. Is your child comfortable with kids? Can he or she face a dirty diaper, a scraped knee, or a temper tantrum? • Think back to the days of when you were a new parent. Do you feel that your child has all of the necessary skills to take care of kids of many ages? 3. 3 Would they be able to deal with emergency situations? Would they know what to do during a fire, power outage, natural disaster, or if a child was seriously hurt? Make sure that they know all local emergency numbers, and quiz them on up-to-date information regarding natural disasters, fires, and any other emergency situations that may be more common where you live. Would your child know how to deal with an intoxicated parent or report an abusive situation? 4. 4 If you feel that your child is ready, and if they are eager and willing, enroll them in a babysitting course and a CPR/First Aid course. Many of these courses are affiliated with the Red Cross or YMCA. Make sure that your child is comfortable with all of the information that they learn during the babysitting course. • Make sure that they know adult, child and infant CPR and how to give the Heimlich to all of these ages. They should be knowledgeable in first aid and emergency procedures as well. 5. 5 If you are still unsure, have them become a mother's helper first. Community Q&A Add New Question • Can a 10 year old babysit? wikiHow Contributor Yes, as long as he or she is responsible, mature, and knows how to take care of smaller children. • Can a nine or ten year old stay alone at home? wikiHow Contributor It depends on the kid and the parents. As long as you can trust your child and they understand what to do in emergency situations, they are most likely safe. • I'm ten and I don't know if I should start babysitting now or wait a couple of years. wikiHow Contributor If you're not sure you're ready, you should wait. Most parents prefer their babysitters to be age 12+ anyway. When you're 11, take the babysitting course from the Red Cross and see how you feel after that. • What is the best age child for a 12-year-old to babysit? wikiHow Contributor Between the ages of 3 and 9. Any younger might make parents uncomfortable, and much older could result in disobedience because of the small age gap. • Can a 9 year old babysit? wikiHow Contributor Most parents think it's too young, but if you are mature and responsible enough, there's no reason you couldn't. • How much does the average person pay for a babysitter? wikiHow Contributor The average is probably between $5-10/hr, depending on the age of the babysitter and number and ages of the children, though an adult babysitter/nanny would obviously expect to be paid more. • How old do most parents like their sitters to be? wikiHow Contributor Most parents would prefer their babysitter to be at least a high-schooler, but some will accept someone 12+. 12 is generally considered an acceptable age to start babysitting. It will be hard to find people comfortable with babysitters younger than that, unless they're people who know you and/or your child personally. • What ages can a 9-10 year old babysit? wikiHow Contributor You can babysit children age five and up if you are mature and responsible. • Can a 9 year-old babysit that is responsible and loves kids? wikiHow Contributor It's possible, but it depends on the age of the kids and the babysitter's experience. • I'm nine. Could I babysit, and for what age group? wikiHow Contributor If you are mature, then you could babysit for someone you know, but parents still may not trust somebody as young as you. A good age group would be three to six years old. Show more answers Unanswered Questions Show more unanswered questions Ask a Question 200 characters left • Watch them from a distance as they interact with young kids and judge their behavior. • Your child should be eager to babysit, this shows that they will follow through with their vows of responsibility. • If you don't trust your child to watch siblings or stay home alone, use common sense and don't let them babysit. You should have full faith in them that they will act responsibly without supervision. • Make sure that your child understands that it is a privilege to babysit to make extra money, and that you can revoke that at anytime if you feel that they are abusing power. • Most parents don't allow children under 12 to babysit. Article Info Categories: Babysitting \| Parenting In other languages: Español: saber si tu hijo es lo suficientemente grande para cuidar niños Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 42,838 times. Did this article help you?
Essential HVAC Guide Individuals regularly talk about getting some type of temperature control contained with their reverse cycle ducted air conditioning system. What exactly are the various types of air-conditioning temperature control and how do they operate? We shall examine how they operate under and the common sorts of air-conditioning temperature control systems. Fundamental Ac Control The fundamental control which is included with your reverse cycle air-conditioning system includes a thermostat that reads the air conditioners temperature. Typically this temperature is read either from your control itself or more usually inside the return air carton of the unit that sits inside the roof space. It’s occasionally not a precise representation of the temperature in the room, if the temperature is read inside the return air carton. The room itself may be rather chilly but by time the atmosphere is recirculated to the return air carton it may have warmed up significantly which means the air conditioner will keep running (e.g. the control in the living room is establish to 22 levels but once the atmosphere reaches the return air carton it’s heated back up to 30 levels, which in turn causes the air conditioner to keep running). In this scenario, the unit will keep running even though individuals have become cold. You’ll find yet two choices to counteract this. Firstly, raising the temperature of the controls will cause the unit to cycle away faster. It has to be recalled the temperature set on the control is typically not precise, instead it operates as a scale (i.e. if you establish to 22 measures, it does not automatically mean the room will cool to 22 degrees). Second, a number of people set a ducted frozen steady in their own hall near the return air grille. This steady as it name indicates is constantly on. This permits the conditioned atmosphere to return readily back up to the return air carton of the unit, which helps the unit cycle away. In this example if you’re running only your bedrooms that were all a long way from the return atmosphere, the atmosphere from your rooms would heat up too much before getting back to the return atmosphere. The frozen steady yet would bleed air straight back into the grille that will make the unit cycle away and finally save money in running costs. VAV Air-Conditioning Control VAV stands for Variable Air Volume system. This can be where the zone motors for your own reverse cycle ducted air conditioning system permit some temperature control to the rooms you’re in. A zone is essentially some blades that shut the ductwork if you need to quit the atmosphere to some room. As an example, if you turn off your bedroom, the blades shut limiting the air flow from continuing down the ductwork and into your bedroom. Moreover, when you need atmosphere, the blades completely open and atmosphere begins to flow out the diffuser and into your room. VAV systems work otherwise yet. Instead of the blades just opening or shutting, they’re able to always fix what percent they can be open. This continuous adjustment allows you to control the quantity of airflow you go into a room which finally controls the temperature of the room. Air Conditioning Control Systems-Essential HVAC Guide By way of example, if your room is approximately 30 degrees and you establish your VAV control (located in the real room) to 22 levels, the air would run in attempting to cool the room. Once the temperature in the room got to around 22 degrees, the blades will begin to close to limit the airflow to keep that temperature. Just as the room temperature begins to rise above 22 degrees, the blades will open again to let more airflow in to bring it back to the 22 degrees. As a result the VAV system can keep the temperature in an area. ACG Air Conditioning Guys 182A Canterbury Rd, Canterbury NSW 2193 (02) 8021 3735 Leave a Reply
Friday, November 13, 2009 Swimming on the Moon Humankind was just given our most recent reminder that we really don't know anything. A "significant amount" of frozen water has been found on the moon, the US space agency said Friday heralding a major leap forward in space exploration and boosting hopes of a permanent lunar base. Preliminary data from a moon probe "indicates the mission successfully uncovered water in a permanently shadowed lunar crater," NASA said in a statement. "The discovery opens a new chapter in our understanding of the moon," it added, as ecstatic scientists celebrated the landmark discovery. If only it had been cheese that they had found. No comments: Free Blog Counter
Monday, 23 September 2013 The History of Seraiki Wasaib George Orwell Nothing more would have explained importance of History of Seraiki Wasaib for Seraikis as explain these two sagacious lines of George Orwell. It is must for all Seraikis to read History of Seraiki Wasaib and analyze those factors which led to dismal and deplorable condition of 50 million Seraikis living in Pakistan. Unfortunately, Seraikis today are not master of their destiny, they cannot make any decision effecting their collective lives . Due to lack of control over decision making process, along with anything else they do not have any history of their own. Intentional efforts are being made to deface this 50 million strong true Pakistani nation and give it a false label of a Punjabi. History being a memory of nations is a major source for all nations , which reminds them of their past , it explains them lot of things and provides justification for whole range of issues . History only is the mechanism by which nations could understand their present and formulate their future line of action. Thus in order to deface any group and deny its existence it becomes imperative for a dominant group to corrupt and to send to oblivion the history of depressed group. That is what Punjabis have done with Seraikis. Seraikis are not aware of what happened to their land in past , they are not alive to the fact that for centuries theirƒ areas are served as battle grounds and they were denied rights in their own home. If Seraiki do not look back into history, it is impossible for them to understand reasons for their current miserable plight. If History of Seraiki Wasaib was written and all the Seraikis had access to it , Punjabis definitely would have find it difficult to keep this nation enslaved and Seraiki province would have appeared on the political map of the world quite a long ago. Multan is mother of all Seraiki areas, because in past they all were part of it and parted from it during long course of history. Today we find some Seraiki areas incorporated in Punjab, while others are part of NWFP, Baluchistan and Sindh. In past they were part of one single administrative entity called Multan. Multan in history existed as an independent state, a province, a division and now as a district. It is one of the few living cities of the world which have their origin in pre-historic times. There are countless references about Multan in ancient and medieval history. Medieval historian describe Multan as province of Sindh, during Ghaznavid period it was a separate province, it existed as independent state under Nasir-u-Din Qabacha. Then during Sultnate era it was a province which owed its allegiance to Dehli. It became independent state under Langhas, later on it became province of Mughal era. Although Multan was biggest and hence most important province of Mughal empire, but it is the period when question was put on its territorial integration. It lost it significance to great extent when Lahore gained importance. During the centuries which followed Multan kept losing its territories and its grip on its peripheral areas became weak. It lost lot of area in south to Daudaputras when they established State of Bahawalpur. In west and north-west Dera Ghazi Khan and Dera Ismail Khan came into existence and at a times remained independent of influence from Multan. Finally, the Sikh Invasions of 19th century snatched identity of Seraiki wasaib from it and labeled the whole wasaib as Punjab . However it is interesting to note that Multan remained a separate province in Mahara Ranjeet Singh's Punjab. Seraiki Areas, excluding those in and Sindh. Punjab is phenomenon of yesterday . Although punjabi speakers existed from time unknown but there was no Punjab, as there is no Seraiki Wasaib today , but that does not mean Seraikis never existed. It has its origin in early part of 19th century when short lived Sikh rule was established as a result of rise of Sikh Religious Nationalism and conquests made thereafter. The areas what now are called Pakistani Punjab and Indian Punjab were brought under Sikh dominion (there were some other territories which now are separate provinces of Hariana, Himachal, Some areas were incorporated into N-W.F.P in 1901). However Sikh rule proved to be short lived and after British takeover the Sikh dominion became part of British Empire. This is the point where Multan's separate identity as an administrative unit was merged with that area of rest-while unknown Punjab. Before British take over Punjab was an independent state and Multan was it's province. When Punjab became province of British empire, status of Multan was reduced to that of a division. The British Bureaucrats and Civil servants , who although did great a job of writing extensively about history , culture, geography , geology etc. of the areas under their control. But they overlooked some facts and considered Seraiki as a dialect of Punjabi. Although some Punjabi intellectuals of that time who wrote about Punjabi labguage, considered Seraiki as a separate language. Similarly, today even, Sikhs do not include Seraiki areas in the definition of Punjab. When both India and Pakistan gained independence, Indians keeping in mind the ground realities and in order to provide sound foundations to the newly created country carved two states out of the over stretched East-Punjab in 1967. Whereas Pakistan fell in the hands of naive politicians, who grossly failed in managing the affairs of the state and could not draft a constitution for quite a long time. They lacked political accumen, sagacity and foresightedness. So not only the failed to realize ground realities , but took actions which proved fatal for Pakistan , one such action was declaring Urdu as a national language (India declared 14 languages as it national languages) , the second blunder was keeping over stretched Punjab intact , not only this they also merged State of Bahawalpur in it . Today all smaller provinces seem fed up with the politics of this big brother. Which in fact is not big, it derives its powers from Seraiki land and people included in it. If we listen to history and act according to what it tells us , we can get rid of lot of ominous political tensions , which are eroding very basis of federation of Pakistan. Today Seraikis are in control of Punjabis and reading history written either by Punjabis or by the people who don’t belong to this area. So we are told that we always were part of Punjab and Seraiki is just a dialect of Punjabi. It in fact is a political wickedness, by doing so they are user pingour economic and political rights. They want to deprive us of our history and identity, because only in this way they will be able to maintain their unholy dominance on us. Because who controls the past, controls the future. Thanks to No comments: Post a Comment Blogger Gadgets
Teaching Nonfiction Texts At NCTE, I participated in a session about teaching nonfiction texts. My job was to encourage participants to share how they teach social commentary. Before participants shared, several noteworthy speakers (i.e., Robert Probst, Elizabeth Marshall, and Sherman Blau) shared thoughts and ideas. Here are some I caught: 1. “Nonfiction is literature.” 2. “Students might engage with texts that spark argument.” 3. “Our task is to teach students to deal with the language in nonfiction. What is its meaning?” 4. “Challenge students to ask what are the lies within the truth of nonfiction?” 5. “There are 3 misconceptions about teaching literature: 1. Literary texts do not have determinable fixed meanings; 2. Literary texts are narratives and reading them only require knowing narrative structure; 3. Reading literature is merely pleasurable and will not help students learn to read things that might actually help them.” 6. “Literary texts are no more unstable than other texts.” 7. “Prisons and dirty books have done a better job of teaching reading than reading teachers have.” OUCH! What do you think? Do you agree with any of these statements? Do you disagree with any?
Tuesday, July 10, 2012 Whom \hoom\ , pronoun; 1. The objective case of who 2. The dative case of who First, the proper way to use who and whom:Both words are pronouns, but who is a subject and whom is an object. So, if your answer is he or she the question word is who. If your answer is him or her use who. That's confusing, so here's an example: Who invited Jerry? He invited Jerry. Jerry was invited by whom? Jerry was invited by her. Got it? If not, don't worry about it. It's not really important anymore unless you are a hard-core grammar type, or if someone grading your papers is. This sort of thing (like shall) is a grammar technicality that comes up in the prescriptive v. descriptive debate. Prescriptive grammar is what you are taught in school: 'proper English'. You know, don't split infinitives, don't start sentences with and, etc. Descriptive grammar is the way people really speak. Elisions like gonna and wanna sprinkle oral English, along with abominations like, "Where are you going? I wanna come with." (The error is ending a sentence with a preposition, but you already knew that). Generally speaking, linguists are more concerned with descriptive language because that's the most common way that language is used. Writers, editors, and English teachers are more concerned with prescriptive grammar because 'proper English' is the lingua franca of written language. 1. AnonymousJuly 23, 2012 Penultimate sentence: did you mean 'descriptive'? 1. Good catch. I have corrected the error. Thanks!
Wednesday, January 27, 2016 Knights and War Knights in Tarot To understand the symbolism of the Knight cards in Tarot, we need to take a quick look at who the knights were in history. Let’s start with the knights on horseback during the Middle Ages in Europe. Who were they? What did they do and why are they still included in most Tarot decks? During Medieval times, in the Feudal hierarchy, knights pledged fealty to a lord, a prince, or a king (1200–1700). There were Green, White, Red and Black knights, trained in chivalry and warfare. They defended their Lord’s kingdoms, lands, and villages, often engaging the enemy. They were skilled in horsemanship (jousting) and the use of weaponry of the time (swords, spears, lances, clubs, catapults and armor). Sometimes they were rewarded for their bravery and courage with parcels of land or useful goods, and/or money. We know about them mostly from stories of the Christian Crusades, which began around 1096. The Knights Hospitaller and Knights Templar and similar orders were sent by various Popes to liberate the Holy Land, and Jerusalem in particular, from the grip of Seljuk Turks who took over that land in 1055. Some knights were offered rewards in the form of “indulgences,” by having all their sins automatically forgiven because of their service to the church. In literature, we hear about King Arthur and the mythical “Knights of the Round Table,” with Galahad and Perceval seeking the Holy Grail, Christ’s cup. (And that’s a whole other story). Joseph Campbell delineates a reality check of Cervantes novel about the imagination of the errant knight, “Don Quixote,” as a satire on chivalry: “Reality carried Quixote, that is to say, who carried the adventure in his head. Adventures are impossible and yet Don Quixote brings them to pass.” (The Masks of God, Creative Mythology, p. 294). Because of an inflated ego and wild imagination, including encroaching madness, Quixote couldn’t see the unreality of his beliefs, especially about the windmills he was speeding his horse to take down. He thought they were giants that he must vanquish. As Sancho says, “What giants?” Campbell quotes Ortega, “…there are men who decide not to be satisfied with reality.” (p. 605) Prince of Cups TOCC What is it that lures young men (occasionally, a woman) to go off to war? Some say it is the sense of adventure, risk-taking; the urge to become a hero; to defend a country or kingdom, or to conquer new lands. What are the stakes for going to war? Land grabs, defense of territory, settling angry disputes in an attempt to establish power and control over others property, to defend religious beliefs, and to set up new states or kingdoms. Maybe it was like that during the crusades. But what is it they don’t tell you about going off to war today? There has been over 250 major wars since Biblical times, each one more perilous and deadly than the one before, and hundreds of lesser wars over the centuries. In the aftermath of WWI and WWII, the threat of war has become a horrific nightmare, and in some war rooms, leaders contemplate the possibility of the end of the world (via Atom Bomb/ Hydrogen Bomb). The Second World War reached an appalling new dimension. Over 60,000,000 people were killed, including civilians and soldiers, with over 6,000,000 Jews, and others, murdered outright in Germany’s gory gas chambers. What glory and honor was there in dropping one bomb on a city from one plane and obliterating everything and everyone in it in 1945 in a few seconds (killing over 200,000 people of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan). Miles of land and air were poisoned with nuclear radiation. Warfare on this scale has changed our attitude about war. Some of us remember the Cuban Missile Crisis scare when people were building bomb shelters in their basements and stocking them with food supplies. More of us remember the huge “Peace Marches” and “Flower Power” during the Viet Nam War, demanding the end to drafting more men to fight. Today, more than ever, we need a reality check! What do knights signify when they come up in a reading? The reason Knights, or Princes are included in the Tarot is obvious. War is not over. Knights symbolize the brave charge to action: the courage to take risks, to sacrifice one’s life for a “cause;” to fight for what you believe; to train in tactics of warfare and focus on defeating the enemy, real or imagined. Here are some thoughts based on Gail Fairfield’s “Choice Centered Tarot,” (Red Wheel-Reiser) Knight of Wands: maintaining your identity, knowing who you are and how to present yourself dynamically to the world Knight of Cups: Paying attention to your feelings and intuition and acting on them, while expressing how you feel to other Knight of Swords: taking action on well thought-out strategies and plans, while separating the real from the unreal; truth from the lies. Knight of Coins/Pentacles: focusing on hard work; establishing security; concentrating on solving the everyday difficulties of living this life and taking the appropriate steps to achieve your goals.
New Englishes There are number of ”New Englishes” – mainly new spoken varieties – developing in today’s internationalised world. These have language features that do no exist in the written standards of British, North-American or Australian English. Below you will find some examples of non-standard grammar. A) Rewrite the eight sentences above in standard written English. In cases where you think the original may have two alternatives, give both. 1. “You didn’t see him, is it?” This phrase misses the right verb. Instead of the phrase above, it shall be “You didn’t see him, did you?” The sentence is written in past tense, therefore “is it” (which is present tense) should not be used here. 2. “When you would like to go?” In this phrase you have to move the words around considering the pronoun in the sentence is not placed where it should be. Due to the fact that the pronoun should be placed after the verb “would”. The correct way to write this sentence/question would therefore be “When would you like to go?” 3. “That man he is tall” In this sentence two pronouns have been used; “The man” and “he”. One should use either one of them. There are two different ways to write this sentence correctly; “That man is tall” and “He is tall”. 4. “Her jewelleries were stolen” Jewelry is not supposed to be plural, the sentence is therefore not correct. 5. "I am understanding it now" - I understand it now 6. "They two are very good friensd" - They are very good friends 7. "Sushila is extremely a lazy girl" - Sushila is an extremely lazy girl 8. "When you leaving?" - When are you leaving? English exam 2010 1 comment: 1. Looks like you got all the points here. Good job, you need to know this for your exam and test on Friday too.
Once there were countries which, despite occasional hiccups, gave the world examples of stable political systems. The United States, Great Britain, and Australia showed what d#Democracy could be. Unfortunately, in recent times the political parties in these countries have shown the political instability that can threaten Democracy and while not yet at risk of drastic changes they should serve as warning signs of how delicate democracy can be. Divided democracy During the recently completed American presidential season the Republican Party was so divided by small specific interest groups that #Donald Trump Donald Trump sat down with CBS' "60 Minutes", an atypical personality that once would never have been considered as a candidate, went on to occupy the White House despite dismay from senior party leaders. The #Brexit known for being pro-Brexit vote in June that will take Great Britain out of the European Union was the result of bickering within the ruling Conservative Party that David Cameron hoped to quell with what should have been an innocuous vote. Infighting within Australia’s two major parties has led to five changes of Prime Ministers in seven years and rumours of another change in the near future. These developments would have been expected from countries with weak political structures and yet they have occurred in countries that had repeatedly set high standards for stable governments. They were not the result of popular unrest within the population, but have been used by smaller parties and very vocal minority groups that have more interest in dividing populations than maintaining the union of forces that makes up the best forms of Democracy. We have seen such forces at work not only in these countries, but also in the recent Austrian Presidential campaign which ran the real risk of a xenophobic President and also in the rise of far-right groups in many European countries and around the world in reply to the weaknesses of the traditional parties and the popular protests that then followed. Political parties have always existed and the presence of factions within them are signs of the disagreements that are a natural part of politics, yet these differences have now become paramount within many mainstream parties. The Republican Party displayed these differences over recent times beginning with the Tea Party and is now continuing to do so in a much more destructive manner with the debate over the so call alt-right that many believe is now controlling the party. Parties for the people or special interests? Once a party begins to look solely at small special interest groups and not at a wider view of the country and its needs then this risks weakening not only the party over time, but also to destabilizing the basis of that country’s Democracy. These worries have long been part of political debate, but they have become much more urgent because the disappointment of many citizens in countries around the world is fuelling protest movements and providing recruits for other more extreme groups that often begin by disguising themselves as popular revolts against the establishment that all too often hide political agendas that have little or nothing in common with the ideals that created the modern Democracies. When parties are considered mouthpieces for elites or for major corporations and not as a voice for the general population then Democracy is weakened with all the consequences that may follow. It is easy to find one such example in Weimar Germany which led to the rise of Hitler’s dictatorship and the rule of a small violent elite over the population and the loss of Democracy. While we are not yet at the warning stage in the countries mentioned, we should not underestimate the corrosive nature of the protests against the traditional political parties. Are the parties able to face up to this challenge and ensure they remain faithful to their own ideals?
Corporate Law A corporation is a legal entity that is separate from its owners or “shareholders”. They are formed by filing certificates or articles of incorporation with the Secretary of State where the business will operate. State corporate law governs the duties of corporate shareholders, as do the corporate bylaws. Corporations are governed by the shareholders, who elect the directors, who elect the officers, who actually run the corporation. Because the corporation exists apart from its shareholders, directors, and officers, it continues to exist even if something happens to the people who own and operate it. There are many types of corporations, such as close corporations, professional corporations, S corporations, nonprofit corporations, and general corporations.
How Heat Recovery Works? Common Challenges BROAN Solutions Heat Recovery Ventilators (HRV) reclaim energy from exhausted stale indoor air to temper incoming fresh air - heat is retained during cooler seasons, and removed during warmer seasons. These systems capture about 70 percent of the energy already expended to temper incoming air. BROAN HRV systems are designed to be ducted, balanced solutions. How heat recovery works.
Try Our Apps The Best Internet Slang the act or process of orienting. the state of being oriented. New employees receive two days of orientation. Psychology, Psychiatry. the ability to locate oneself in one's environment with reference to time, place, and people. one's position in relation to true north, to points on the compass, or to a specific place or object. the ascertainment of one's true position, as in a novel situation, with respect to attitudes, judgments, etc. 1. the relative positions of certain atoms or groups, especially in aromatic compounds. 2. the determination of the position of substituted atoms or groups in a compound. Origin of orientation First recorded in 1830-40; orientate + -ion Related forms orientative, adjective nonorientation, noun Unabridged Cite This Source Examples from the Web for orientation Contemporary Examples Historical Examples • It can be used to induce any orientation desired in the mind of the enemy. Cubs of the Wolf Raymond F. Jones • But the orientation of the stars behind them had been familiar. Invaders from the Infinite John Wood Campbell The Highest Treason Randall Garrett Pushbutton War Joseph P. Martino • orientation conditioned by individual organization, 48;Personal, 270. British Dictionary definitions for orientation the act or process of orienting or the state of being oriented position or positioning with relation to the points of the compass or other specific directions (mainly US & Canadian) Also called orientation course 1. a course, programme, lecture, etc, introducing a new situation or environment 2. (as modifier): an orientation talk (psychol) the knowledge of one's own temporal, social, and practical circumstances in life basic beliefs or preferences: sexual orientation (biology) the change in position of the whole or part of an organism in response to a stimulus, such as light (chem) the relative dispositions of atoms, ions, or groups in molecules or crystals the siting of a church on an east-west axis, usually with the altar at the E end Derived Forms orientational, adjective Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition Cite This Source Word Origin and History for orientation Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper Cite This Source orientation in Medicine orientation o·ri·en·ta·tion (ôr'ē-ěn-tā'shən, -ən-) 1. The act of orienting or the state of being oriented. 2. Location or position relative to the points of the compass. 3. The relative position of one atom with respect to another to which it is connected. 4. Sexual orientation. 5. Introductory instruction concerning a new situation. 6. Awareness of the objective world in relation to one's self. The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Cite This Source Word of the Day Difficulty index for orientation Most English speakers likely know this word Word Value for orientation Scrabble Words With Friends Nearby words for orientation
Miksch-Helmer Cabin Designated: February 28, 2017 Location: Chatfield Valley Current Owner: Board of County Commissioners Nominated By: Susan Trumble and Mary O’Pry Historic Significance Historic Significance Built by Amos C. Miksch, who served as a private in the First Cavalry Regiment of the Colorado Volunteers, and witnessed the Sand Creek Massacre, this circa early 1870s cabin is a testament to the endurance of the immigrants who came to Colorado during its pioneer era. In the Homestead Application for a 160-acre claim, Miksch stated that he built the cabin, stable, corral, chicken house, cellar, milk house, fenced twenty acres, dug a well and irrigation ditch. After proving up the property, Miksch sold it to Frederick Neumyer in 1873, who owned it until 1883 when he sold it to Franz and Judith Helmer. During their ownership, the Helmers built a cattle ranching operation that eventually grew to over 3,200 acres. The descendants of Franz and Judith lived on the property for over 100 years. Sitting along the Highline Canal in northwest Douglas County, the log cabin is constructed of logs. Its interior is comprised of one large room with a flight of stairs up to a loft. The walls are exposed log that at one time were whitewashed. The loft has a wood floor with log walls and horizontal boards in the gable ends. The cabin is an excellent example of pioneer log architecture now rare in Douglas County. Its character defining features are the hand-hewn logs that are laid with a square notch technique, the original front door on the oldest portion of the cabin, the ½ story loft, the gabled roof, and the original double-hung windows located on the west elevation of the original part of the cabin. The south addition was built prior to 1920 and is constructed of wood-frame with board-and batten siding.
• Global Renewable News Sacramento Municipal Utility District SMUD prepared for solar eclipse August 21 event will cause solar production to dip but with no SMUD grid impact Aug 10, 2017 The morning forecast for August 21 calls for darker skies in Northern California and across the country. That's when a near-total solar eclipse will occur from about 9 a.m. to about 11:30 a.m. for our region during which time the sun will be obscured by up to 76 percent. Given the growing penetration of solar energy in California, the electric utility industry and other energy stakeholders have considered the potential impacts of such a significant solar event. SMUD has secured additional reserve power to ensure it's able to meet the increased demand when the availability of solar reduces because of the eclipse. SMUD does not anticipate any problems meeting the Sacramento-area community's demand for electricity. SMUD, for its part, has almost 300 megawatts (MW) of solar power in its service territory. Approximately 140 MW is utility-connected solar generation and about 150 MW is "behind the meter", customer-owned solar generation. The timing of the eclipse is fortuitous for SMUD and for California in general as demand on the grid during those hours can be considerably lower than in the late afternoon hours. Typically, solar production can be impacted by everyday weather events like cloud cover, which is why SMUD's energy portfolio, including its renewable generation resources, is very diverse. By going the extra step and securing additional reserves, SMUD has the flexibility to manage the increased demand on the grid during the eclipse and the drop off in demand during the transition out of the eclipse. For more information about SMUD and its award-winning renewable and energy efficiency programs, visit SMUD.org. For more information : Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) 6201 S St Sacramento, California United States, 95852-1830 Link http://www.globalrenewablenews.com/detail_news.php?ID=650070 Most consulted news
Headache and Migraine Acupuncture treats headache and migraine Headaches are common and the causes myriad. Nothing spoils a good mood or moment faster than a headache. We all get them, and we all rush to get rid of them. Unfortunately, many of the medications people generally use to treat headache pain, like acetaminophen and prescription headache medications, have a number of side effects, including toxicity following long-term use. Acupuncture resets the body’s energetics, improves circulation and blood flow, stops pain and relaxes muscle tension. All of these actions help stop headaches and don’t have any of the side effects of Western medication. Herbal medicine can also help treat headaches. Ultimately, acupuncture and herbal medicine are used to rectify the underlying imbalances that cause headaches and migraines, and improve overall wellness. What kind of headaches does acupuncture treat? Cluster Headache Cluster headaches get their name from the pattern in which they appear, which is typically a cyclical cluster of a few headaches in succession with a period without headaches. Clusters may last from weeks to months. Cluster headaches have been known to awaken sufferers from sleep in the middle of the night. Cluster headache pain is typically intense, and the pain focuses in and around the eye on one side only. Fortunately for most, cluster headaches are not very common. The cause of cluster headaches is unknown, but doctors believe they are caused by an irregularity in the hypothalamus, a part of the brain. Unlike migraines, cluster headaches are not associated with triggers, like certain foods, hormonal changes or stress. Tension Headache Tension headaches are the most common kind of headache. Tension headache pain is usually generalized (you can’t point to one area of pain), dull and achy. The pain is often mild to moderate. The most common feeling is that there’s a tight band around your head. The cause of tension headaches are not understood. Tension headache pain often involves neck tension, and relieving tension in the neck will often improve headache pain. Tension headaches can also be related to eye strain. Tension headaches, unlike migraines, do not have any associated sensitivity to light, nausea, vomiting, one-sided weakness or numbness, or slurred speech. A migraine is a one-sided headache with intense throbbing pain. Migraines are accompanied by nausea, vomiting, photophobia (sensitivity to light) and sensitivity to sound. Migraine pain is often severe and significantly impacts a person’s quality of life for hours, even days, at a time. Migraines often have tell-tale warning signs that signal their onset, like visual disturbances (flashes of light), blind spots or tingling in the extremities. Migraines typically have triggers, like certain foods, hormonal changes and stress. A diet avoiding tyramine-containing foods is often prescribed. Sinus headache Sinus headache are headaches felt mostly around the eyes, in the cheeks and forehead. They are generally caused by sinusitis, which is the inflammation of the membranes lining your sinuses. These headaches sometimes feel like having a heavy towel on the head and may be throbbing or squeezing in nature. They may also be related to changes in weather. Sinus headaches are often chronic, especially in allergy sufferers or people with structural abnormalities in the nose and sinuses. Fibromyalgia and headache People with fibromyalgia experience aches and pains all over their bodies, including head pain. Some people with fibromyalgia also have migraines. For more on fibromyalgia, please visit the Fibromyalgia pain page. When do I need to see a doctor about my headaches? You should always mention your headaches to your doctor if they occur more than occasionally because headaches can be a sign of a more serious condition. If you’ve already discussed your headaches with your doctor, but the pattern or nature of the headaches have changed, you should discuss this with your doctor again. If you have a severe headache with abrupt onset, headache accompanied by a high fever, stiff neck, and nausea and/or vomiting, or headache following a head injury, you should contact your doctor immediately. How does a doctor diagnose and treat headache? A doctor will conduct a physical exam, medical history (including family history), and neurological exam. Your doctor may also order an MRI or CT scan. How does acupuncture treat headache pain? I’ve mentioned on other pages that acupuncturists do a lot of talking with their patients. When treating headaches, this conversation is of the utmost importance. It’s very important to determine when the headaches started, where you feel the pain, when you feel the pain, what the pain itself feels like. It’s also important to get a general picture of a person’s overall health and wellness. This information allows me to determine what acupuncturists call the pattern of disharmony. A patient may have multiple patterns, so I always start with the predominant one. It’s kind of like peeling an onion. Acupuncture helps restore the natural balance of energy in the body and improve circulation. This is how acupuncture stops pain. I use herbal medicine to do the same thing from the inside out. Research has shown that headaches often have a digestive system pain connection, so herbal medicine also helps to treat the digestion as it treats head pain. A lot of the headache sufferers I talk to are concerned about having acupuncture done on their head because the pain is often severe. Acupuncture is never applied to the head when you’re in pain. When neck tension is a contributing factor to your pain, I use Tuina massage and cupping to support acupuncture treatments.
Siol nan Gaidheal "It should seem therefore, to be the happiness of man to make his social dispositions the ruling spring of his occupations; to state himself as a member of a community, for whose general good his heart may glow with an ardent zeal". Adam Ferguson; An Essay on the History of Civil Society, Edinburgh 1767. The notion of Culture has gathered a wide variety of definitions. The word is often specifically used to convey the idea of the art forms of a particular people or sometimes more broadly, the leisure and social conventions which mark out a human community as differing from its neighbours. Cultural forms are often celebrated as things which manifest the uniqueness of a people. Culture is often defined in terms of the past of a people when the order of things, it is felt, described an idealised setting. Thus, the idea of culture has sometimes become burdened with myths and stereotypical motifs. In the concept of Culture which we in Siol nan Gaidheal seek to advance, we recognise the difficulties which the word inherits from its past misuse and abuse. Rather than freshly define it, we would instead rather define the elements essential to it and hence demonstrate a relationship between those elements. In all this, we hold to a theory of culture as a process, nebulous and yet quite tangible. The process concerns that set of perceptions, arrangements and behaviors which allows us, as a species, to perceive order in our environment. It is the means by which an individual may become whole by participation in Society. It is through the cultural process that society achieves structure. Thus, crucial elements of culture could be said to be the individual and the society within which he or she participates. However, it would be more helpful to the understanding of our idea to consider the individual as the agent of culture and society as the context of culture. The purpose of culture in our postulated process is to allow the individual to function fully within a healthy and functional society. The energy for the process is drawn from the range of basic drives which power human activity and the instincts which colour human perception. Indeed the most fundamental human drive would seem to be as concerned with a strong social tendency as with individual survival. All human activities arise out of our basic drives and instincts and although they have reached levels of elaboration which would render them unrecognisable to the representatives of our species who first emerged from the canopy in some long distant time, we have the means to unravel the greater part of the circuitous route which has delivered us from then to now, in terms of language, religion, politics, means of exchange, agriculture, manufacture, education, health, defence and the whole spectrum of human activity. Consider as an example our earliest ancestors tackling illness with a purgative herb and an incantation; developing by long process to the circumstance of a modern hospital. We identify all these areas of culture as being clearly concerned with the basic drives which arise from our biological nature as a species and as being directly descended from the earliest and simplest solutions; adapted with changing environmental conditions, increase in our own numbers and that constant advance by accrual in human living conditions [progress?] which we identify with modernity. These three elements of culture; environment, demographics and technology, when cross-related to the elements which we locate in the conceptual areas of human activity, provide warp and weft to the fabric of culture. In Siol nan Gaidheal, we call these thematic areas the DYNAMICS of culture. We identify them separately in an attempt to break down the overall process for the purpose of inquiry but we recognise the futility of any attempt to define absolutely, any part of such a process and we observe the inter-relatedness of all the separately conceptualised dynamics. For us, culture is the means by which human beings are conscious of themselves. It represents the model by which basic drives are tempered to yield socially pragmatic behaviours and customary forms. It remains the means today, as it was in the beginning, by which people make sense of their whole environment. We believe that our theory of culture can inform the current state of our country in a purposeful way. To elucidate, while culture may be unduly influenced by intrusions of any kind, it follows from our understanding of the process, that people, left to their own devices, will produce solutions which are in reflection of their own specific nature and priorities. Thus, the Scottish People, when contriving any sort of arrangement for themselves, will throw up Scottish solutions to Scottish questions, so long as they are allowed to work things out for themselves. Further to this, culture is not something static which we are called upon to defend. What we must defend is the context of culture. If we should prove able and willing to defend our cultural context - in our case, The Scottish Ethnic and Cultural Community within its clearly defined National Territory - then our culture will develop as a constant, on-going process, in keeping with the nature and priorities of our people. Seen thus, the notion of "Democracy" (though named by the Greeks) is intrinsic to the idea of culture to which we ascribe. It has often been cited by Scots that democracy is integral to our nature as a people. Whilst endorsing this celebrated observation, we would nonetheless claim that democracy is implicit in all culture. Our culture is, of course, special to us because it uniquely reflects us as individuals and as a people. However the process is shared by our entire species. It follows that cultural action on behalf of the Scottish Ethnic and Cultural Community may offer encouragement to other peoples in similar conditions of colonisation (whether overt or covert), which condition, in these terms, could be described as crass cultural intrusion. Thus, also intrinsic to our postulated theory of culture, once this is restored to the legitimate control of the community, is the agonizingly misty condition known as "Freedom". It is the contention of Siol nan Gaidheal that only a naturally developing Scottish Culture reflecting the integrity of the Scottish People will yield a valid democracy and with it, a true freedom (individual and national). Siol nan Gaidheal asserts that the key ingredients of such a healthy cultural situation will involve the control in every area of our culture being only in the hands of Ethnic-Scots and with the locus of control remaining firmly within Scotland. We would never condone therefore the inclusion of aliens in any of the institutionalised areas of our cultural process - Education, Health, Defence, Politics and so on. Nor would we endorse the pooling or sharing in any measure, of our National Sovereignty... for the same reasons of cultural integrity which, in the final analysis, guarantee nothing less than our very existence. Return to topReturn to Home Far from rendering the concept of nationality irrelevant, globalisation will over the decades to come face a necessary if initially localised reaction to its inescapably sinister project of uniformity and conformity. The naive not to say blind espousal of the global village project by liberal orthodoxy in the West can only make the designs of faceless multinational capitalism (we do not use the term in any pro-Marxist acceptation) all the more feasible and indeed likely. Conspiracy theories aside, it is self-evident that mass consumerism and the attendant “lifestyle” dependency instilled in dumbed-down TV, video and film-obsessed societies continue to require of people and countries that they forget about inconvenient and supposedly unfashionable notions of local difference, identity and self-reliance. In a global market-place, the mercantile, financial and consumerist imperatives which constitute the lifeblood and on-going dynamic of big business interests rely for their realisation on the mass cultural levelling of populations valued exclusively in terms of monetary return. Thus ethnic and national differences whether linguistic or religious represent obstacles to the smooth running of McWorld. Efficiency in the “accessing” and then enthralling (in every sense) of loyal global customers comes with the calculated erosion of such extraneous and diversionary loyalties as national languages, non-materialist religions and ethical traditions, age-old vestimentary or architectural practice and indigenous intellectual proclivities. “Conform, conform” is the mantra of the global village. The refuseniks and deviants of this culturally apocalyptic world will be those who continue to assert the value of difference and of ethno-linguistic identity and separateness. While some commentators call the levelling processes at work in the world today “Americanisation”, it would perhaps be more relevant to talk of the logic of Big Brother consumerism which to be fair is viewed with increasingly strong suspicion even in America, where identity politics are foreshadowing the cultural and social conflicts of tomorrow’s uncertain, rootless and chaotic world. The passage from the modern to the postmodern world coincides with the abandoning of rooted humanistic culture and the espousal of illusory posturing bought on the back of manufactured fashions. The cult of image and superficial material-based identities which amount to little more than lifestyle options are the twin manifestations of what eminent contemporary thinkers have identified as the culture of the surface, the superficial, the easily accessible, the user-friendly, the convenient, the bite-sized, the pre-packed, Disneyworld, have-a-nice-day pseudo-culture of universal inanity. Nationalism in this context is the crucial antidote to the global monolith, that nightmare scenario of a consumerist lowest common denominator, where the monolingual monocultural monotony of unidimensional idiocy constitutes the norm from Los Angeles to Tokyo and from Edinburgh to Cape Town. Nationalism (and manifestly not Imperialism which is its natural opposite and which the apologists of union and uniformity seek, continually, to equate for their own ends) is the human parallel to ecological activism. Just as biodiversity is essential to the integrated health of the world’s combined ecosystems, so the assertion and protection of human cultural communities in their individuality and distinctiveness ensure their mutual prosperity and respect. The loss of one animal or plant species impoverishes the habitat which nurtured its evolution, it also contributes to the slow sterilisation, desertification and the ultimate viability of the world’s biosphere. The comparison with national cultures and identities in the realm of humankind could not be more apposite. We mock and condemn nationalism at our peril, seeking to defend the human inheritance of a thousand generations of ethno-cultural communities is nothing if not the guarantee of our own survival as a diverse, multi-dimensional species. Return to Culture Return to Index
The term “dehydration” sounds very serious. You think it has nothing to do with you. It would only happen in poor countries or severe disasters like earthquakes, right? No. Dehydration is much more common than most people think. 75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated and don’t even know it. And even mild dehydration can affect our bodies and how we feel a lot. Think about this. “60 percent of our bodies is composed of water, 75 percent in our muscles, 85 percent in our brains, it’s like oil to a machine,” said Dr. Roberta Lee from Clear Lake Regional Medical Centre. When you’re feeling unwell, quite often it might be the result of dehydration. Check the signs below and you’ll be surprised that how dehydrated your body often is and how some of the annoying health issues can actually be resolved so easily. 1. Fatigue You’re tired at work and tired at home. After a good night’s sleep, you still feel tired. Why? 2. Chronic constipation You feel bloated. Plus bad breath. But nothing comes out. Apart from having more fiber in your diet, you also need to check if you’re drinking enough water. Dehydration is one of the most common causes of chronic constipation. When you don’t drink enough water, the waste in your intestine becomes so dry that it is hard to get through. 3. Headache As 85% of water in our bodies is in our brains, when you don’t drink enough water, your brain reacts immediately. • Drink two glasses of water right after you get up. Starting your day with this will not only make you feel refreshed but also aids your digestion.
Home > Music, Voegtlin > Word Has Meanings Word Has Meanings July 21, 2007 All languages consist of individual parts that essentially have no moral value. The smallest parts even have no meaning: qwertyuiop, asdfghjkl, zxcvbnm. The meaning comes when you take the smallest parts (letters) and arrange them into words. This is a simple proposition that works to refute the idea that music is amoral. Music has often been called a language. The idea, while true, does not solve the problem outright. The reason is that “word has meanings.” Let’s take the word ‘jam.’ How many meanings can you think of for this simple word? 1. I put jam on my toast this morning. 2. These latest developments have me in a jam. 3. Just jam the towel in the bag. 4. I jammed my toe when I had to jam the brakes at the traffic jam. 5. The basketball player had quite a jam! 6. Let’s get our instruments and jam! How about these words: • run • screw • help • dog Where do all these meanings come from? They come from two places: the context immediately and the culture ultimately. I understand what meaning to put with ‘jam’ because I can read the other words and understand their relationship to ‘jam.’ I can read and understand the sentence because I am familiar with my own culture. Can you imagine what the same arrangement of letters would mean in a different culture? What does ‘jam’ mean in Finnish, Dutch, Malaysian, German, Spanish, French, etc. Even English has cultural differences. I recently traveled quickly through London. While we in America wonder, everyone in London knows what ‘Mind the gap’ means (Watch your step). ‘Way Out’ in England means ‘Exit’ in America. Our understanding of a language is dictated by the culture in which we find it. I believe the same is true with musical language. Here’s your assignment: what does the music of our culture that worships sex, materialism, and rebellion sound like? Categories: Music, Voegtlin 1. July 21, 2007 at 7:07 am Good article Pastor Voegtlin. It seems as though the only ones who are denying the morality of music are Christians who are acting wordly. They desire the world’s music therefore they make excuses as to why they can take good lyrics (then there are some with poor, or even bad lyrics) and mix it in with ungodly music. It doesn’t work. Art has a moral element to it. The various strokes of a paint brush can create a beautiful ‘Mona Lisa’ or an artist can paint a picture of the Lord Jesus Christ crucified upside down dipped in bowl of urine (which not long ago did happen and caused a big stir). Besides language, music is also an art. Now for my assingment: the music of our culture sounds like “Rock” and all its various forms. That would be ‘rock’ number four. 1. Rock – a hard mineral. 2. Rock – a huge diamond ring. 3. Rock – to jitter, sway, or shake hard. (something like that) 4. Rock – a genre of music which is by design reflects rebellion and immorality. (Even the secular, unsaved world defines rock music without denying its immoral elements). 2. July 22, 2007 at 9:11 pm I think this is an excellent post and hits right on target. Music is a language and it communicates through notes, rhythm, combinations of notes, timing, and context. Here are some of the sounds of the music of our culture: breathy, swaying, sliding, herky-jerky, violently angry, pulsating, and unresolved. Other words could be used to describe it, and I didn’t want to use sensual or sexy in my description. It is not all about context either; some of the message is right there in the music itself, regardless of the associations that have been made. People know that music communicates this way. They KNOW it, but because there is no “chapter-and-verse” that has a play button, they say it is a Romans 14 issue. They can attempt to convince themselves of that, but they will stand before a holy God. 3. July 23, 2007 at 5:56 am I have a good man in my church, our song-leader actually, who was saved out of the Rock & Roll music lifestyle. After seven years he is finally starting to use some of his music-writing skills for the Lord. He was so immersed in the worldly and sensual “language” of today’s music that he was afraid to write anything that would be a detriment to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. No one can tell this dear brother that music is either neutral or that it does not convey a message with or without words. 4. July 23, 2007 at 6:01 am I think we need to be careful about using example like Art provides above as the basis for our authority. It’s not difficult for me to imagine parallel situations that wouldn’t hold up- say, a man who had a problem with internet pornography refusing to touch a computer or the internet because he’s convinced they’re inherently evil. I’m not arguing against the point, but experiential evidence like this isn’t particularly convincing to those not already sympathetic to your point. 5. July 23, 2007 at 7:45 am Brother Greg, The point I was making was his knowledge of music in general and of the sensual aspects of certain music in particular. He has not been afraid of singing or being a part of our music program. He has heartily embraced the “songs of Zion”. My point was about the “neutrality” issue and the fact that music conveys a message with or without words. Actually, I have very little reason to believe that I will ever change anyone’s point of view with this point. I know this because Scriptural points have been made by others in this thread, and that doesn’t seem to convince them either. I also didn’t say that I agreed with his fear of using his music-writing talents. In fact, I am encouraging him, with my oversight, to use his music-writing talents for the Lord. 6. July 23, 2007 at 8:52 am I don’t mind a little preaching to the choir from Art, but I understand, Greg. It bothers me about the other side, but I do understand. We actually have to argue, using real evidence, not personal illustrations, etc. 7. Anvil July 23, 2007 at 12:15 pm The language parallel is an interesting one to me, though I don’t see how it is helpful to the “music is inherently moral” argument. I have never argued that music has no meaning, only that its meaning is external, and that is just how meaning is given to words. The sounds or letters that make up a word have no inherent meaning at all, as pointed out in the article. That meaning comes from the background of the word, eventually pointing back to the culture. As we all know, words can change meaning over time. Consider the word “gay.” 60 years ago or so, it would have meant something completely different for someone to say “I’m a gay person” than it does today. Does this say anything at all about the inherent meaning of the word itself? The article itself points out that jam can mean many different things, but because of this, it clearly has no inherent meaning. For another example, consider the word “hell.” Christians in the U.S. hearing that word in a sermon would know exactly what is being referred to, and it’s not a nice thing. However, in the German language, that is the word for “light” as in “It’s light outside.” Clearly the sounds/letters/construction/etc. of that word do not have inherent meaning, otherwise this complete differentiation of meanings would not have occurred between the two languages. I don’t argue for the use of worship music having the popular sound of the world, not because I think that music is evil inherently, but because in the minds of people from most, if not all, western cultures today, that music is associated with the world and it’s pursuits of pleasure and self. I don’t personally think “sex” or “drugs” when hearing popular music in a restaurant or store, and that is true for others as well, even if the music was intended to portray those things (I’m not talking about lyrics here), but it does remind me of the world and the world system. For me, that is enough to not consider music like that for worship, even though that is a subjective judgment. It still tells me nothing about the music itself. Even if the association were not enough, the sound of the music would to me be inappropriate for worship (also subjective), unless you think worship should be similar to what was happening around the golden calf, but that also applies to much music that would not be considered immoral even by those of the same mind as those that run this blog. The problem with this argument is that music and language are not exactly analogous. Pointing this out is not exactly helpful to my position, since the language argument goes along very well with what I am contending about music, but I’m not trying to win an argument — I just want to get to the truth. If you hear something in a language you don’t understand, and it is spoken without emotional inflection, hearing it does not affect your emotions at all (although I guess one could get frustrated from not understanding anything), but one cannot say that about music, although again, I believe it is the person’s complete makeup that affects which emotion(s) are felt, since it is clear that these emotions are not universal. Also, once one does understand the meaning of a language, the written word can convey propositional truth, such as “Man can only be justified by faith in Jesus Christ alone” (because the symbols have very exact, agreed-upon meanings) where music apart from words added to it can do no such thing. Therefore, I think the comparison of language to music is only partially useful. I do find it amazing that for some, when the Bible does have something to say about an area, it is commendable for us to get the Bible’s view on it, but when the Bible is less clear, all of a sudden, not accepting man’s “expert” opinion as truth and wanting a biblical view is derided as not having “chapter-and-verse.” (And before you even start to reply, I’m not talking about an idea like using cocaine because the Bible says nothing about it particularly. However, for things that aren’t clearly stated, there needs to be clear principle, not just subjective opinion, or worse, the misapplication of what is there. For music, there is clear principle in not wanting to be like or look like the world in our associations. There is much less [if not none at all] on whether the music itself is inherently moral. In this whole argument on music, I’ve never heard a presentation of exactly what music is music God would approve of, and the proofs that would go along with that showing how to evaluate that music.) Either the Bible is all that is needed to live godly in Christ Jesus or it isn’t. We can certainly consider other sources of information in addition to the Bible, but of course, they do not have the same level of authority, and that is especially true when, as in this case, the experts themselves do not all agree. 8. July 23, 2007 at 2:10 pm I think there are some problems with what you are saying that are tell-tale to your position. I think you have us all wrong on—‘we’re all Biblical on certain things that are very conservative, but not all-Biblical on things like music, just to keep being the most conservative.’ I’ll speak below as to why you are wrong, and my post this week will likely deal with it. Unfortunately, I won’t be around to comment on anything after I write until Saturday, because we are heading up to an already proceeding church camp on Wednesday morning, leaving late incidentally because my son (our childest child) is in a brass camp until Tuesday evening. Anyway here are the problems, and these will be Scriptural and theological, so contradictory to a major point you made above: 1) God created language and God created music. God designed language and music both to communicate. He created words and sentences and paragraphs as vehicles of communication. Verbal or written communication can be filthy (Col. 3:8) and corrupt (Eph. 4:29). Life and death are in the power of the tongue (Prov. 18:21). Since God told us not to communicate filthy and corrupt and to speak edifying, etc., then He assumes that we know what that means. He expects us to judge these things. We know what they are. Is this a Romans 14 issue, that is, corrupt communication? No, it is immoral. We also know that music does the same as words. Why? I don’t have to give you a super advanced theology to prove it; it must be just in Scripture and that settles it. Psalm 89:15 mentions a “joyful sound.” Psalm 92:3 calls for a “solemn sound.” Isaiah 23:16 mentions a “sweet melody.” 1 Corinthians 14:7, 8 teach this explicitly: “And even things without life giving sound, whether pipe or harp, except they give a distinction in the sounds, how shall it be known what is piped or harped? For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle?” I also think Exodus 32:17 comes into play: “And when Joshua heard the noise of the people as they shouted, he said unto Moses, There is a noise of war in the camp.” All of these passages combined are more than our two proof texts for inspiration (2 Timothy 3:16, 17; 2 Peter 1:20, 21). So God says that we can judge and that we can know what the message of the music is. Do we know what the attire of a harlot is? We go outside the Bible to these music experts because there is opposition that says, we can’t know what music means. The experts say they are wrong, that it is a language. I already know that. I don’t personally need the experts, except to get the language to explain it to people like you and others. To conclude here though, the Bible teaches that music can have inherent meaning. As a language it can communicate the wrong thing as well, an uncertain sound, the wrong message. 2) Just because music and language are not exactly analgous doesn’t follow that they are not analgous in the fact that they both communicate a message. Everyone knows they do it differently, so this critique is wrong-headed. 3) We do know what God is against in Scripture, and so if music communicates those things, we know that God doesn’t like it. The wisdom of this world is sensual (James 3:15). This would presuppose that we know what is sensual. We can judge sensuality. We know that sensuality is wrong outside of the marriage bed (don’t make this a ‘what’s acceptable in the marriage bedroom’ conversation, please) [Col. 3:5; Heb. 13:4]. 4) It doesn’t really matter ultimately whether unsaved people can or cannot judge the right music, because they do not have spiritual discernment (1 Cor. 2:14, 15), so to say that the sound can’t be judged right or wrong, because unsaved people don’t know the difference, doesn’t make the argument. You have at least these four problems, and I believe that blows the argument for you. Notice above that I provided the Scripture that is sufficient, I believe, to believe if one cares to believe. 9. Anvil July 26, 2007 at 1:56 pm Pastor Brandenburg, This will probably get somewhat long, but there is a lot to respond to in your post. First, I would like to point out that I said nothing about being ‘conservative’ in my observation about the scriptural position. You read that into what I was saying. OK, on to your points. Point 1) I would agree with you that written/spoken communication can be corrupt, though it’s because of the meanings given to the words, not the sounds themselves. This even applies to expressions. If would mention a “Devil-dog,” an American would think of a tasty, though somewhat unhealthy treat. If I used the German versions of those two words together, and said it to a German person, it’s an extreme profanity. But what makes it so? Certainly not the sounds of the words. In that context, that would represent corrupt speech. Of course I wouldn’t argue that corrupt speech is a Romans 14 issue. But corrupt speech comes from what the evil heart of man is thinking, not from the actual symbols he uses, though those symbols do have meaning in context. Out of their context, they mean nothing to the hearer. I also believe that music can communicate corruptly, but that’s different from saying it’s the music itself that is corrupt. On to the scriptures you quoted. First, how is a distinctly joyful, solemn, or sweet sound either good or evil? You certainly can’t say that any one of those is better than the other — it depends on which is appropriate and correct at the time. Again, I’ve contended only that music is neutral in morality, not necessarily in emotion. As to the distinct sounds from a trumpet in battle, how is “Go left” more or less evil than “go right?” The fact that there is a necessary distinction in the trumpet sound for this purpose does not make one of the trumpet, harp, or pipe sounds more evil than the other one. The Exodus passage is one I alluded to in my own post. What I find interesting about it is that Moses and Joshua on hearing the same sound came to two totally different conclusions about what was taking place. The sound was clearly not that distinct, and did not have an obvious, unambiguous meaning. As to “the attire of a harlot,” how is that truly judged? Normally, we would consider mainly two things: immodest, and drawing attention to oneself (something the Bible clearly speaks against), and in extremes that usually make their profession obvious. But again, the particulars are culturally determined. Even the most modest, fundamental woman of America today would be considered immodest, and “wearing the attire of a harlot” in a muslim country and culture, maybe even by the Christian converts in that culture, where even revealing hair is considered immodest. Or consider someone of western origin visiting a culture where women are half-naked all the time. Certainly you can judge their dress immodest, but you might have absolutely no idea from the attire what a harlot looks like in that culture, since even the “decent” people are immodest. More close to home, I was just reading an article not two weeks ago that talked about prostitution in our city. Because of police enforcement, prostitutes have taken to dressing like the “girl next door” to avoid attracting attention, but there are certain color combinations, or certain combinations of accessory items that indicate to the “customers” what their profession is. Would you call that the attire of a harlot? I would argue that it is, although to those not around that culture, it wouldn’t indicate that at all. In other words, it can be judged (and I’ve not been arguing against any judgment of music), but the judgment is not on inherent value, rather on association and context. Wrapping up on point 1), if you don’t need the “experts” for your argument, especially considering your point 4), you should probably leave them out of it, so that a biblical view of music can be determined without their often conflicting viewpoints. My whole point about them is that their view cannot really be trusted, which it seems you are indicating as well. It also means that your post citing all those unsaved “experts” did not really help establish a biblical view of music. Point 2) I agree that music can communicate a message, but that message is not distinct in the same way that spoken or written language is unless (like the above example of trumpet calls to battle) the music has been arbitrarily given certain meanings (which, by the way, would mean nothing to those not trained to listen for the signals, a further argument against inherent meaning). My point about the comparison is that language meaning is completely artificial and external to the written symbols or spoken sounds — i.e. the meaning is not inherent. I believe the same is true for music I wouldn’t use — it can carry meaning that is inappropriate for worship or have too much association with the world, but that doesn’t make that music inherently evil. Point 3) Assuming for the moment that music can reliably and unambiguously communicate sensuality, in what way is that good or evil? You just admitted that sensuality has a correct expression that the scripture itself calls honorable and undefiled. Therefore, sensuality is not inherently evil, though I would personally argue that music associated with such is unusable for worship expression because of the obvious inappropriateness. Point 4) Dealt with as part of point 1). You have shown from the scriptures you presented that music can be distinct or undistinct, and that it can communicate emotions. In no way is that the same as showing that music is inherently moral. P.S. As an exercise, maybe you could have a Christian musical expert (one who agrees with you) evaluate the first 8 notes of Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony to show how they are good and/or evil and how to know that. Before you tell me that they are just notes, not music, I would point out that those 8 notes are recognizable by practically anyone in the U.S. as music, even if they have had little or no exposure to classical music. I don’t want to know if they exhibit triumph, foreboding, expectation, tension, or anything like that. I want to know how they measure up morally. 10. July 27, 2007 at 7:50 pm If this is an answer to my post in discernment, then there is a lot you didn’t answer. My discernment post is a much more complete presentation to you, written before you posted this. Even in the above, there is a lot that you didn’t answer. I didn’t say that the music language and the word language were the same, but they are both languages that still do communicate. Consider this logical syllogism: Words are communication. Communication is corrupt. Therefore, words are corrupt. Now this: Music is communication. Communication is corrupt. Therefore, music is corrupt. Words by definition have meaning and music by definition has meaning. Does that not mean that context does not affect? Of course not. No one said that. You are arguing; however, that there is no inherent morality in music. Words do have inherent morality. God says so. I think He’s expert enough for you. Evil speech comes from an evil heart, but the speech itself is still evil.Â I referenced those either above or in my last post.Â You would be denying Scripture to say that the communication itself is not corrupt. Judging the attire of a harlot takes discernment.Â Just because we don’t have chapter and verse as to what that is doesn’t mean that it isn’t a sin to wear that attire.Â The point is that we are required by God to use principles to discern, and when we don’t discern, it is still evil, even if something wasn’t explicitly said in Scripture. Music itself can be sensual. It isn’t just the association. Certain rhythms and lines of composition communicate sensuality regardless of the context. God says there is a solemn sound and a joyful sound. That was my point. The music does communicate. Solemness and joy are inherent, not based on association. You are reading into it to say otherwise. You hopped on sensuality.Â Not all sensuality is wrongly communicated, correct.Â It shouldn’t be to God.Â It should be avoided outside of a marriage context, much like certain words and actions are to be avoided outside of those boundaries.Â So you see, nothing is different from anything else that is moral or immoral—words or actions or even thoughts. If I said a curse word in German, and an expert in German told what I said, I would be helped in not saying it again, wouldn’t I?Â Did the expert help me practice more Scripturally? I don’t think someone can judge morality of 8 notes necessarily. That’s why this takes discernment, Anvil. The standard phrase in music is 8 bars, not 8 notes. You make a statement in the music in a phrase. It’s a different language than the spoken word. Some music expresses something that is moral, and we judge partly by the fact that it doesn’t communicate something immoral. 1. No trackbacks yet. Comments are closed. %d bloggers like this:
The surprisingly scientific flash behind the fireworks In honor of Independence Day, offers some insight into how pyrotechnicians use physics and chemistry with flair: As you ooh and aah at the dazzling explosions of a fireworks display, there are three things going on that you probably wouldn’t guess: The chemists who made those pyrotechnics designed most of them so they wouldn’t explode, you’re actually seeing nature conserving energy, and most peculiar of all, when things are at their flashiest, you’re actually seeing the fireworks as they’re cooling down. Leave a Reply You are commenting using your account. Log Out / Change ) Twitter picture Facebook photo Google+ photo Connecting to %s
Musical Mind BrainOnMusicMusic is perhaps the most natural of human arts. We are all, as Daniel J. Levitin says, expert listeners from an early age. This Is Your Brain on Music: The Science of a Human Obsession is a fascinating study of neuroscience and music. I began exploring this connection about a decade ago when studies on religion and neuroscience were only just beginning to appear. Music, although closely related to religion in many ways, does not bear the stigma of “belief” and although music programs are often tragically cut from school budgets, we all value music because not to do so makes us less-than-human. Levitin shows clearly how music accompanies the most important parts of our lives and how it forms and develops the brain. Music is somewhat easier to define than religion. Those who decry the humanities, I suggest, should be locked away with no access to music for a few years to see if they change their tune. I suspect they would. We need music, and music’s impact on the brain is an analog to that of religion. More studies of religion and the brain have begun to appear, and one gets the sense that materialists are a little bit angry and disappointed that religion hasn’t disappeared the way that it was predicted to have done by now. That’s because being human is more than being molecules and chemical reactions. It involves what we call the humanities. Our brains are our gateways to all of human experience. They are complex in ways that computer designers emulate, but there’s a messy something about biology that straightforward mechanics seems to have trouble replicating. Our brains are part of one large, organic whole that encompasses life on this little planet. While studying the brain to understand it is indeed a good idea, calling it a meat computer is not. While software may be coded to compose music, of one thing we can be sure. Computers can’t enjoy music. It takes a brain to appreciate music, and the brain that appreciates music is mere synaptic connections away from seeing why religion is still important. Leave a Reply You are commenting using your account. Log Out / Change ) Twitter picture Facebook photo Google+ photo Connecting to %s

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