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01/24/2013 11:18 am ET Updated Mar 26, 2013
Europe's 'Coal Renaissance' Masks Industry Downfall
The coal industry has pointed to Europe's increasing coal use and imports as evidence of coal's inevitable future. Reporters have had a field day with this: The clean energy bastion is now home to rising coal use. The problem is reality doesn't match the rhetoric. The truth is coal's future in the EU is bleak. Here's what's happening.
First things first, new coal build in the EU is very similar to the U.S.: It's not happening. Of the 112 power plants proposed since 2008, only three have actually broken ground. Another 73 have been abandoned and as the international coal movement grows in strength the likelihood that the rest will go anywhere is exceedingly low. Every month projects are abandoned or shelved. Here's the fate of the wave of new coal plants planned in 2008 in the EU:
But wait you are a liar! I hear the Germans are building new coal to replace all that nuclear power. Nope. Twenty-four new coal plant proposals have been abandoned in Germany since 2008. A small number of announced projects remain but it is widely expected none of these will in the end be permitted and some remain just on paper.
The increased coal burn that has occurred (and it has) comes from existing units. But this is due to short term economic factors, not a long term revival of coal's economics (which are terrible). In the EU, coal use has been growing since 2009 (after a steep drop in the preceding two years) but it is still below 2007 levels and well below increases in renewable energy generation.
There's a lot of reasons for this short-term bump. The most important are: 1) strict new air pollution rules that ensure a huge amount of coal-fired capacity will be retired or constrained by 2016; 2) rock-bottom carbon prices; and 3) national level coal policies. But some of these same factors will conspire to have the exact opposite effect in the long run.
Let's look at the effect of the new air pollution rules first. These rules allow operators to use their coal plants at higher rates today because they will be forced to shut down tomorrow (thus the bump in coal use). The problem is this won't last forever. Ten percent of existing operators will close by 2015 because of existing air rules (20 GW). In 2016, new rules enter into force, and only 40 percent of coal-fired capacity will be able to comply. The rest will either close or undergo costly retrofits, with lots of operators expected to opt for closure. This means beyond the 20GW of capacity about to close there will be a further wave of coal capacity closure.
In addition to the short-term effect of these rules, coal has received a boost as European carbon dioxide emissions have plummeted. This has led to an oversupply of carbon dioxide emission permits, which cratered prices. But just like air pollution regulations, the European Emissions Trading System (ETS) is up for changes. The next phase of the ETS will see 100 percent auctioning of permits and will likely see the total supply corrected to adjust for these low prices. When that happens, coal traders will see a change in their fortunes as renewable energy additions and coal capacity retirements eat into coal-fired generation.
These low prices are increasing burn of the dirtiest form of coal -- lignite. Because lignite is more carbon intense the carbon price is a major factor in determining whether it is economic to sell lignite-electricity onto an electricity market or not. Because of the EU carbon price collapse lignite has been favored and it is the increased use of lignite that accounts for the increased generation of 'coal' fired electricity in Germany in the last 18 months. Given that lignite is the mainstay of much European coal use, it is the carbon price factor, which is vital to determining coal burn. When the ETS is adjusted, the economics for lignite coal will collapse.
On top of air rules and carbon pricing, national policies will also be important in dethroning king coal. The UK is introducing a floor price for carbon and a de facto ban on new coal (a carbon dioxide limit on new power plants that conventional coal cannot meet). The Dutch are introducing a coal tax, Denmark has announced a coal phase out and Finland is contemplating it. On top of that, the Spanish economy cannot sustain coal subsidies in the face of harsh austerity measures and German renewable energy growth will further reduce the available market for hard coal. All told, these policies create significant headwind for coal.
So you can see that this short-term 'renaissance' maks a long-term disaster for the coal industry. The real underlying trend is decreasing and less profitable conventional thermal generation (i.e., coal and gas). This of course is a long-term boon to the economic engine of the 21st century -- clean, renewable energy.
This post was co-written by Lauri Myllyvirta of Greenpeace International.
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Geoengineering climate requires more research, cautious consideration and appropriate restrictions
Geoengineering - deliberately manipulating physical, chemical, or biological aspects of the Earth system to confront climate change – could contribute to a comprehensive risk management strategy to slow climate change but could also create considerable new risks, according to a policy statement released by the American Meteorological Society (AMS) today.
According to the Society, geoengineering will not substitute for either aggressive emissions reduction or efforts to adapt to climate change, but it could help lower greenhouse gas concentrations, provide options for reducing specific climate impacts, or offer strategies of last resort if abrupt, catastrophic, or otherwise unacceptable climate-change impacts become unavoidable by other means.
However, AMS scientists caution that research to date has not determined whether there are large-scale geoengineering approaches that would produce significant benefits, or whether those benefits would substantially outweigh the detriments.
The Society notes that geoengineering must be viewed with caution because manipulating the Earth system has considerable potential to trigger adverse and unpredictable consequences.
"We can't escape the need to dramatically reduce our greenhouse gas emissions starting immediately," said Paul Higgins, AMS senior policy fellow and chair of the statement drafting team. "But even our past emissions bring us to uncharted territory and create risks so severe that we must responsibly consider all options."
Geoengineering proposals differ widely in their potential to reduce impacts, create new risks, and redistribute risk among nations. For example, techniques that remove carbon dioxide directly from the air would confer global benefits but could also create adverse local impacts. Reflecting sunlight would likely reduce Earth's average temperature but could also change global circulation patterns with potentially serious consequences such as changing storm tracks and precipitation patterns.
Even if reasonably effective and beneficial overall, geoengineering is unlikely to alleviate all of the serious impacts from increasing greenhouse gas emissions.
Still, the threat of climate change is serious. Mitigation efforts so far have been limited in magnitude, tentative in implementation, and insufficient for slowing climate change enough to avoid potentially serious impacts. Furthermore, it is unlikely that all of the expected climate-change impacts can be managed through adaptation. Thus, it is prudent to consider geoengineering's potential benefits, to understand its limitations, and to avoid ill-considered deployment.
The AMS statement has three specific recommendations:
AMS policy statements advocate a position on science and technology issues of concern to AMS members; provide analysis, articulate the state of scientific understanding, or express the concern of the scientific community about issues pertinent to a current public policy issue; raise awareness of a scientific issue with potential future policy implications; and make policy recommendations based on the professional and scientific expertise and perspectives of the AMS. All AMS statements are online at
The AMS is the nation's premier professional organization for those involved in the atmospheric and related sciences.
Stephanie Kenitzer | EurekAlert!
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Home » Site Map » Blog » Loans » Financial Literacy 101: How Economic Education Helps Americans
Financial Literacy 101: How Economic Education Helps Americans
Financial literacy should be taught in grade school. I’m convinced of that. In states like Pennsylvania, providing a firm economic education is mandated. I entirely agree with that mandate. Not only does it helps Americans build better lives for themselves and their family, but financial literacy saves the public money.
If more citizens handle their own personal finances better, then the public doesn’t need to bail out its taxpayers as often. Financial crises don’t happen as much, because people know pitfalls to avoid. Economic collapse and spiraling public debt is less likely.
What Is Financial Literacy?
You might wonder what financial literacy is, so I’ll define my terms. According to Investopedia, here is what financial literacy is:
• The possession of knowledge and understanding of financial matters.
• Is mainly used in connection with personal finance matters.
• Financial literacy often entails the knowledge of properly making decisions pertaining to certain personal finance areas like real estate, insurance, investing, saving (especially for college), tax planning and retirement.
Of course, teaching is one thing, but learning is another. People have to understand and apply the lessons they are taught. The simplest lesson of financial literacy is this: earning is only half the equation. Spending and consumerism are the other half of personal finance. Having a sound household budget helps you retain the income you make. Having two people with similar incomes, but different spending habits, is like having two governments which have the same size tax base. If one institutes liberal fiscal policies and the other conservative fiscal policies, then one is likely to prosper more than the other.
Common Sense Strategies
Personal finance often comes down to common sense, but it’s harder to practice good reasoning when it comes to something as personal as your own financial well-being. Mistakes can happen for the strangest reasons.
Many people are intimidated by financial planning, so they ignore the process and procrastinate important decisions. Others set up good goals and start to act on the planning, but lose their way because of various emotional, psychological, and social factors.
I had an old supervisor who used to say, “Oh, what a tangled web we weave, when we practice to deceive.
Financial Literacy Month
April is Financial Literacy Month.
It was a good phrase, though he would throw that phrase out at almost any time around the business place, even when it was completely inappropriate. I used to think that was an odd thing to say in an office full of people, but when I think about the people amending their personal finance goals, I think they do weave a tangled web.
Most of the time, that web is woven through self-deception, though.
Some of the smartest people I know have serious psychological and social reasons they do really dumb, self-destructive things. They know what they’re doing is bad and likely to blow up in their faces, but they have a compunction which (almost) forces them down a certain path. I’m not excusing what they do; it’s entirely their own fault. But it brings me to my point: just clearing your head is a skill worth its weight in gold.
My own mantra is this: don’t let your mind be your enemy.
Set Financial Goals Which Work for You
In the mind of a rational person, a certain balance and moderation lead to prosperity. No matter what your own personal finances look like, always have financial goals you’ve set. Your budget and money are so important that you should always have a game plan.
“Having financial goals” might mean a plan to get out of debt. If you have no debt, it might mean building up your savings account with some sort of retirement plan.
If you already have a 401(k) or IRA building for you future and you still have some wealth to spread around, it might mean taking your cash out of a standard savings account and investing it in some targeted stocks and stock funds.
If you already have a stock portfolio, then planning financially might mean diversifying by investments in other securities like bonds, commodities, or more differentiated hedge funds. Maybe new investment planning means dipping your foot into the sometimes treacherous waters of the hedge funds, or learning about the futures market, Forex, or real estate.
The point being, now matter where you are with your finances, you should have a plan for how to build wealth. This is so much a part of all our lives that we shouldn’t leave this up to the ungentle winds of fate.
Protect What You Have
Whatever your savings are, make certain these stay put in your bank and continue to grow. Compound interest works miracles over time, if you have the foresight, discipline, and wherewithal to stick with the plan and leave the money alone.
When you put money in the bank, set it in your mind that the money does not exist. Have a hard-and-fast rule that the money is never touched, under any circumstances. Now I can understand that there is always some point where cash you have saved is taken out under emergencies, but have this understanding with yourself that nothing is worth raiding your savings. If that worst-case scenario happens, you’ll know when savings take second-seat to your family, but having this rule in place assures it’s really a worst-case scenario.
Have an Understanding with Your Spouse
Those who have a husband or wife has to take into account their spending practices, their financial discipline, and their overall good sense when it comes to money. It does no good for you to have tremendous self-control when it comes to spending if your spouse is just as undisciplined and out-of-control. So you have to have a plan.
Talk about your financial goals. Set goals together and have an understanding that these are bedrock principles, not airy dreams. Make it understood that the savings account is a sacred part of your plans for the future. When I say “sacred”, I mean pristine, inviolate, and (in a word) untouchable. Your husband or wife cannot touch the savings account, certainly not before discussing the subject.
In every single marriage, one spouse is better with money than the other. One is more spendthrift and profligate, while the other is more frugal and/or stingy. Even if the difference is one of degrees and not of miles, there’s still one of the two of you who has more economic and budgetary discipline. That person has to be the iron hand when it comes to building up your finances.
Trust Your Instincts, Not Your Friends
I learned this one all too well as a younger man. Your gut instincts tend to be a whole lot more perceptive than what you might imagine, so listen to them. If a friend, neighbor, or family member comes to you about a loan, an investment, or some other scheme to get you to fork over money, don’t be afraid to say “no”.
You aren’t the one imposing on the other here. They are the ones broaching the subject of money with you–not the other way around. Evaluate their plans as if they were a complete stranger trying to get you to split with your savings. If red flags are raised, say no and don’t feel bad about it.
The best thing you can do for a friend in this situation is to tell them you think their plan is batty. If you don’t have the kind of personality which makes that easy, simply beg off on the proposition and leave it at that, hoping this causes them to reevaluate their plans. But if you have sincere, profound doubts about their proposal, don’t ever give them the money, sign the check, or co-sign the loan. That’s the surest way to ruin your friendship–I’m not lying.
Speaking of Which: Don’t Lend Money to Friends
It becomes harder when the friend or loved one is asking for a loan because they’re in some kind of financial hardship, but the quickest way a friendship ends is when one party loans money to the other party. Friendly lending is going to add another dynamic to the relationship. Suppose the person tells you they intend on paying you back in 60 days. Two months go by and they don’t pay you back. What then?
More times than not, that’s exactly what’s going to happen. A friend thinks less about paying back a friend than they do the bank, the payday loan company, or the credit union. It’s informal, without interest, and completely unenforceable on your part. I bet you’d never consider having them sign paperwork on this loan, while they’d probably be offended if you asked them to sign a contract on this lending. They shouldn’t be.
The truth is, if the person was a good borrower, they wouldn’t have to ask you for money. They came to you because they don’t think they could get a loan from a legitimate bank, credit union, or other method. That should be the red flag you need there. Banks and lending institutions have imperfect, yet scientific, ways to determine who should get a loan. When I say “imperfect”, I only mean it’s not infallible. In fact, banks and credit card companies can predict pretty well when a person is a credit risk or not, so if they’re staying away, so should you.
Imagine a friend is asking for $1,000 to help with assorted house payments, car payments, and utilities. If they can’t pay that amount now, your thousand dollar loan isn’t likely to stave off default, insolvency, and bankruptcy. What you’re going to earn is a letter saying you’ll get in legal trouble if you discuss your friend’s debts with them again, because they just declared bankruptcy and listed you as a creditor. How’s that going to stick in your craw?
This is especially true of the younger generation, because everything is new and fresh. That means the classic manipulation tactics like obligation and guilt are more likely to work on you, because you might not have been burned by manipulators before. I’m not saying you should not practice goodwill and charity; I’m saying you have to be smart. As you get older, you’ll realize that a handful of the people who seem like your friends are actually skilled manipulators who are good at seeming friendly. They use fear, obligation, and guilt to keep you in a fog.
ABCs of Financial Literacy
When it comes to money matters, if you want to give to charity, give it to prove foundations with a track record of helping people. Give your friends time and help in finding the tools they need to succeed; don’t give them money. I’ve learned this the hard way. You probably will, too, because I wouldn’t have listened to me when I was your age.
Since I’m talking to the younger generation, this video provides advice for college students and millennials wanting to learn basic financial literacy. This video from Alpha Zeta Eta of Phi Theta Kappa provides the ABCs of Financial Literacy.
Getting a college education is only part of the success you’ll have in life. I would say two other aspects of your decision making are almost as important, if not as important.
(1) Educating yourself in financial literacy.
(2) Making good decisions in the people you surround yourself with.
Someone once said that you become a mixture of the 5 people you spend most of your time with. If those people have positive traits, it has a positive effect on your life. If those people have negative traits, they’ll have a negative effect on your life. Some people are a vortex of negativity, creating a whirlpool effect on the people surrounding them. Reach out a hand to help them out and they’ll drown you in their wake.
Instead, find people who embody good traits: naturally energetic, exuding positivity, building trusts, doing nice things with no expectation of rewards, having confidence, remaining humble, and making sensible choices with their money. Avoid braggarts, liars, people who assign blame, people who criticize others endlessly, people who make everything about money, people who spend money to be a big shot, people who spend money to make themselves feel better, people who can’t take criticism, and people who seem to view you as an extension of yourself.
Once you start to educate yourself, it helps you avoid both deception and self-deception.
Avoiding Self-Deception in Money Matters
It’s easy to give common sense advise in personal finance. It’s so much harder to maintain your discipline, go full steam ahead, and deal with the nonsense which comes your way. You never know when and from where the next challenge will emerge, but you can be sure it’s going to appear. Avoiding self-deception in personal money matters lets you make wise decisions, presenting opportunities by simply avoiding mistakes. In business as in sports, success often comes down to eliminating mistakes and executing your plan when everyone else is getting distracted and falling to pieces. It’s the same way with personal finance. Simply avoid the simple mistakes and you’ll go far.
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Playing Field Measurement Manual
Edited by Rajesh Vaidhya, Prerna Prakashan, 2006, 202 p, ISBN : 8189102478, $20.00 (Includes free airmail shipping)
Playing Field Measurement Manual/edited by Rajesh Vaidhya
Contents: 1. Construction of grass fields. 2. Archery. 3. Athletics. 4. Baseball. 5. Badminton. 6. Billiards. 7. Basketball. 8. Bowling. 9. Boxing. 10. Cricket. 11. Curling. 12. Diving. 13. Equestrian. 14. Fencing. 15. Football. 16. Golf. 17. Gymnastics. 18. Handball. 19. Hockey. 20. Ice hockey. 21. Judo. 22. Kabaddi. 23. Kho-kho. 24. Netball. 25. Shooting. 26. Swimming. 27. Softball. 28. Table tennis. 29. Tennis. 30. Volleyball. 31. Water polo. 32. Weight lifting. 33. Wrestling.
"The present book Playing Field Measurement Manual is a painstaking effort by the author in the field of physical education and sports. All the measurements, court dimensions of various famous sports popularized all over the world are described in a lucid form with relevant illustrations for better understand the texts.
The texts are written in simple English keeping in mind the language difficulty of the students. Hopefully, the present book will be useful and essential for the students, teachers of physical education and sports, prospective coaches, layperson, sportsperson, and those interested in sports and games." (jacket)
Copyright 1996-2013 Vedamsbooks. All rights reserved
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Eating For Two!
woman visiting pregnant friend( — Congratulations!!! You’re about to be a Mommy! Maybe this is your first time or maybe it’s your fifth. Who cares? Being a mother is a blessing. Pregnancy is a joyous occasion, but it is also an occasion that requires a lot of precautions. During pregnancy what you eat, your baby eats, which is why it’s extremely important to learn how to eat for two.
A nutritious diet will provide you with the 40 or so essential nutrients needed by your body and for your baby’s health. The following is a list of the food groups, the suggested serving sizes and examples of servings for each group for pregnant women.
Bread, Grains and Pasta (6-11 servings)
• 1 slice bread
• 1 pancake
• 1 tortilla
• ½ bun
• 1 bagel or English muffin
• 1 small muffin
• ½ cup cooked rice, pasta or cereal
• 1 roll
Vegetable Group (3-5 servings)
• ½ cup chopped raw or cooked vegetable
• 1 cup raw leafy vegetable
• ½ cup vegetable soup
• 10 french fries
• 1 medium potato
Fruit Group (2-4 servings)
• 1 piece fruit
• ½ cup juice
• ½ cup chopped, cooked or canned fruit
• ¼ cup dried fruit
• ½ grapefruit
• ¼ cantaloupe
Protein and Meat Group (2-3 servings)
• 3 ounces cooked meat
• ½ cup cooked beans
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup nuts
• 2 tablespoons peanut butter
Dairy Group (2-3 servings)
• 1 cup milk or yogurt
• 1 ounce cheese
• ½ cup pudding
• ½ cup ice cream
• ½ cup cottage cheese
Folic acid or folate, is a special vitamin. This vitamin has been shown to significantly reduce the risk of having a baby with neural tube defects, such as spina bifida, a defect in the spinal column. Folate helps develop the neural tube that becomes the baby’s spine. The neural tube starts to develop shortly after conception and is closed at 28 days. Foods rich in folate include citrus fruits and juice; dark, green, leafy vegetables like spinach; whole grain and fortified breads and cereals; wheat germ; nuts; legumes; lentils; and lima beans.
Even if you are eating a healthy diet, your doctor may recommend a prenatal vitamin. This supplement will contain additional necessary nutrients including folate, iron and calcium. Some women experience less morning sickness complications such as nausea and vomiting if they begin a prenatal supplement before conception. The nutrient zinc, also found in the supplement, may help with fertility.
Once you begin taking the prenatal supplement, you should STOP taking other supplements. Excessive amounts of certain nutrients can be toxic and hazardous to your health and the baby’s development. It is a good idea to discuss, with your doctor, any herbal supplements, teas, or products that you may be taking. Some of these products may be harmful to your baby.
Would you take a home HIV test?
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Amore, Amour, любовь, die Liebe, 喜爱, 愛, meilė, kærlighed,zamiłowanie, 애정, dragoste, حُب, ást, mīlestība, kärlek
Have you ever felt that certain feeling? The one that makes me feel so alive, and yet make you want to tear your heart out. The confusion, the sadness, gleeful moments, heart-splitting craziness…..
Someone is likely to explode with all of these feelings!
Yes my friends, I am talking about Love.
Seeing that Valentine’s Day is coming up, I would like to share this feeling with you. This tricky little devil can be amazing at one moment and a complete disaster the next.
The definition of love had a few versions:
-a profoundly tender passionate affection for another person
-a sexual passion or desire
-a feeling of warm personal attachment or deep affection
Is love a concept, feeling or action?
How do we find ourselves in love? What makes it so great?
Here’s a look on the Victorian Era of Valentine’s Day:
Credit to:
“Valentine’s Day reached its height of celebration in the Victorian Era.
Valentine cards were more cherished that Christmas cards (which weren’t printed commercially until 1846), perhaps because of the sentimentality attached to them. Due to this popularity, designing cards became a highly competitive market, with a vast array of motifs and verses. Suddenly, cards were being produced in tens of thousands, from whimsy and slightly vulgar, to truly sentimental, their designs included lace paper, embossed envelopes, glass or metal mirrors, ribbons, dried ferns and fake advertisements, bank notes and marriage licenses.
Valentine cards were so popular that their production became a flourishing trade amongst cheapjack printers in central London. Commercially printed valentine cards quickly superseded home-made offerings of earlier times. They reached the height of their popularity during the 1870s and 80s. Yet even though they were mass-produced, they still featured birds with real feathers, posies of dried flowers and spun-glass hearts, all trimmed with ribbons and gold lace.
Some valentines were so thick with embellishments, they came in presentation boxes. Some unfolded like fans, while mechanical valentines had levers or disks which made figures dance, hands move and birds flutter their wings.
The lyrics in these cards were as effusive as the decorations. Whether sent by a steady beau or a secret admirer, these cards were unabashedly sentimental, pleading for affection and pledging undying devotion happily ever after. Even men kept these tokens of affection hidden in their bureau drawers.
But as times changed, so did customs. And as less became more on the advent of World War I, valentine cards became a dying art.”
I could talk about Love all day long. It’s a feeling that can be shared, touched, cherished…the list can go on and on. Whether you prefer to share it with the whole world or keep it between a few significant others, Love is a feeling we can all relate to.
Poems, Songs, Verses, Plays, Movies, Memories…. you can find millions about the feeling of Love. There are all sorts of Love: Forbidden Love, Dying Love, Ever-lasting Love, Romantic Love, Puppy Love, Tough Love. Again, the list can go on and on.
Let’s remember what Love is like. Not just on Valentine’s Day, but every day! Show your friends and family how much you care for them~
Some Vintage Valentine Cards
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8 Disadvantages and Advantages of Suspension Bridges
8 Disadvantages and Advantages of Suspension Bridges
A suspension bridge is a unique style of bridge where the deck is hung with suspension cables. The design for this type of bridge only came around in the early 19th century, but it certainly changed the way the world looks at bridges. Some of the most famous and well known bridges in the world are suspension bridges, which makes you wonder…why? These beautiful bridges offer style and functionality, but at what price? Let’s take a deeper look into the advantages and disadvantages that suspension bridges offer.
The Advantages of Suspension Bridges
1. Cost Effective
There is a very minimal amount of materials needed in order to construct a suspension bridge. The only other costs incurred are with the labor involved in building it.
2. Can Be Built High Up
Suspension bridges can be built very high up over waterways. This is essential for any area that needs to be able to allow passing ships to come through.
3. Span Great Lengths
The way that suspension bridges are constructed, and the materials that are used, allow them to be able to span a great distance with minimal materials.
4. Has Flexibility
One common reason that the choice to build a suspension bridge is reached is if it is being built in a high earthquake zone, like California. This is because suspension bridges are flexible due to the cable system they are held up by. The bridge can “move” with the wind and during natural disasters such as an earthquake.
5. Simple Construction
No access is needed from below the bridge while it is being constructed, making it a great choice for areas that ships and waterways need to stay clear.
The Disadvantages of Suspension Bridges
1. Soft Ground Issues
If the suspension bridge needs to be built in an area that has soft ground, like over water, very extensive foundation work in order to make it safe for heavy loads.
2. Too Flexible
Flexibility of the suspension bridge design is a major advantage, until conditions become severe. Underneath extreme winds or very heavy the load the bridge can move so much that the bridge would need to be closed.
3. Cannot Support High Traffic
Since very little support is needed underneath the deck of the bridge, and the cables are light, the bridges are very light weight. This restricts the amount of traffic and the weight of heavy loads that can use it.
Go Get it Now for Free
Important Facts About Suspension Bridges
• Underspanned is a variation of a suspension bridge where the cables are under the bridge instead of above.
• The Akashi-Kaikyo bridge in Japan is the longest spanning suspension bridge in the entire world. It has a length of 6,532 feet!
• The very first versions of these bridges where used in primitive times and consisted of vines linking together. These primitive types of suspension bridges are still used in rural places.
• Multiple instances of cables breaking and sending the suspension bridge into the water have happened. One nicknamed “Galloping Gertie” did just that in the 1950’s.
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Bears are typically shy, solitary animals. Most prefer to avoid humans, and if they see, smell or hear a person, they usually retreat unless they are trying to protect their young.
Most encounters between bears and humans occur with the human unaware it even happened. Bears sometimes become bolder, however, if they are hungry or have become “habituated” to humans. Most commonly, habituation happens when bears learn to associate humans with food, often around campsites. Most problems can be avoided, however, by following a few precautions.
Smart campers store all foods, including dog food and horse feed, in closed, bear-resistant containers or suspended above the ground. A pulley system and rope in camp can be used to hang food and/or game out of reach at least 10 to 15 feet above the ground and 4 feet out from the supporting structure.
You also should keep sleeping bags, tents and sleeping areas free of food and beverage odors. And don’t sleep in clothes that were worn while handling game or cooking.
Handling Game
For those fortunate enough to harvest a game animal in bear country, there are additional precautions to take.
• Wear gloves and an apron when dressing game to reduce odors on clothing.
• When gutting an animal, separate the carcass from the entrails. Then quickly remove the carcass from the area. The longer a carcass is left in the field, the greater the chance of a bear-human conflict. Don’t leave entrails within one mile of a trail, campsite, picnic area or parking lot.
• Don’t store game carcasses too close to camp or near a trail.
• Hang game so it can be seen from a distance. This allows hunters to observe it when returning. If a bear has claimed the food for itself, the bruin can be avoided. Surrender the carcass to a bear if he has already begun feeding on it.
• Knives and other tools used when dressing game should be washed thoroughly and stored with the game.
Bear Encounters
Even with an individual’s best efforts, it is still possible encounter a bear in camp. Usually the bear will detect the person first and leave the area. But if one meets a bear that doesn’t retreat, here are suggestions:
• If a bear stands, it is trying to see, hear and smell the person better. Speak softly while backing away to a place of safety and avoiding direct eye contact. Watch what the bear does, and adjust actions accordingly.
The best way to defend against a bear attack is bear pepper spray. Misplaced gun shots may just wound the animal, making it even more dangerous.
• Don’t run or make sudden movements. Running may cause the bear to charge. Besides, humans cannot outrun bears, and bears can climb trees.
If a Bear Charges, Spray, Don’t Shoot
If a bear seems aggressive and won’t retreat, experts say the best defense is use of bear pepper spray. Everyone who camps or hunts in bear country should keep a full can where they can quickly get to it.
Always carry the can in the field and in camp. Keep it in a hip pouch or chest holster where it can be quickly reached. In a tent, keep spray next to a flashlight. Read accompanying instructions and know how to properly use the spray.
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B Hawking radiation of a charged black hole
1. Mar 18, 2017 #1
I was thinking about the title but after searching Arxiv, PF and the internet in general, my confusion has only increased. I have a few questions:
1. Often I see units where ##G=c=\hbar=1##, but what is the charge of an electron in these units? Everyone says M=Q as if it was somehow obvious how much charge corresponds to 1 kg.
2. Does a charged black hole, far away from other matter, keep its charge, or does it get rid of the charge by emitting more electrons than positrons (or the reverse)?
I don't quite understand https://arxiv.org/abs/1503.04944v2 but it seems to say that the charge is constant:
but the last page of https://arxiv.org/abs/hep-th/0602146 clearly has equations for outgoing current flow. Again, the actual math is well outside my knowledge.
3. If I throw matter into a black hole, and gather the outgoing radiation, and convert it into matter, have I just violated the conservation of lepton number and baryon number?
While I am at it,
4. If I surround a black hole with a charged (metal) sphere, will its Hawking radiation be the same as without the sphere, namely, will it emit charged particles? (If needed for the answer, the excess opposite charge is stored in a space station orbiting the sphere.)
2. jcsd
3. Mar 18, 2017 #2
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See the table here:
It gives the conversion factor from conventional charge units (SI) to geometric charge units (length).
It depends on what model you're using. If you're using classical GR + classical Maxwell's Equations, the charge of the hole is a constant. If you want to try to model the possibility of the hole emitting charged particles, you would have to use quantum gravity; the papers you link to appear to be trying to construct such models. This is an open area of research so I don't think we have any firm answers at this point as to what actually happens.
I assume you're referring to Hawking radiation? Yes, as far as we know the process of forming a black hole and then letting it evaporate by Hawking radiation violates baryon and lepton number conservation. But we don't really know the correct theory for this process, so we can't be sure.
4. Mar 18, 2017 #3
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Kinematic Equations (Constant Acceleration)
1. Oct 16, 2012 #1
The speed limit in a school zone is 40 km/h (about 25 mi/h). A driver traveling at this speed sees a child run onto the road 13m ahead of his car. He applies the brakes, and the car decelerates at a uniform rate of 8.0 m/s^2. If the driver's reaction time is 0.25 seconds, will the car stop before hitting the child?
vo=25mi/h or 11.1 m/s
a=-8.0 m/s^2
2. Relevant equations
x = xo + 1/2(v + vo)t
x = xo + vot + 1/2at^2
3. The attempt at a solution
I changed all the values to mi/h to m/s. I tried to plug in the variables to one of the equations but I am just getting crazy answers that don't make any sense. I have no clue what time is and where the reaction time fits in
2. jcsd
3. Oct 16, 2012 #2
The drivers reaction time would be the time between spotting the child and applying the brakes. During that period, the driver travels some path with full speed.
Hint for time:
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Main changes to Quantum entanglement experiments since 1948?
1. Jan 20, 2017 #1
Could the Dion Quintuplets miracle birth in Quebec in the 1930s be an example of how Quantum “Entanglement” occurs? My personal celebration of Einsteins recent birthday, a layman’s argument in support of Einstein's statement “God Does not Play Dice With the Universe”
By Sid H Belzberg
When analyzing the data of “entangled” photons produced by the annihilation of an electron to produce a comparatively rare event of “pair of entangled photons” instead of just a pair of photons at first it appears that at great distances one particle appears to act on the other, even at speeds faster then light. To Einstein this was something that would go against his special relativity theory that has it that the speed of light is constant and nothing goes faster (a Universal speed limit).
On the basis of this theory we get famous equations like E = mc 2 proven to be correct by the existence of nuclear energy and sadly nuclear bombs. Einsteins original argument in 1935 to explain how one photon could influence another at what appears to be faster then the speed of light was that that behavior of the pair of particles is pre determined thus the behavior of one photon on the other is not one influencing the other at all but simply that one is predetermined to behave in a certain way.
In 1935 the existence of entangled photons was a thought experiment. Today data from many experiments demonstrates that entangled pairs of photons do in fact exist.
In fact I found that it was in 1948 that the very first Quantum entanglement experiment, performed by Ernst Bleuler and H.L. Bradt and independently by R.C. Hanna in 1948, using Geigers counters for photon detection.
A pair of geiger counters that would click simultaneously when a pair of entangled photons were detected from an electron annihilation event (a decaying radioactive chemical like sodium 22 is a typical source of electron annihilation events) and in fact based on the photons theoretical path they would take when they bounced off materials such as aluminum you would get more events of simultaneous clicking when you made sure the pair of geiger counters detectors were positioned in such a way that they would be in the opposite theoretical paths that a pair of theoretical entangled photons would take. This simultaneous clicking was greater then you would get from random coincidences and even if the geiger counters were placed at slightly different angles then the theoretical path a pair of entangled photons would take the rate of simultaneous clicks would go down.
In the 1960’s John Bell published interesting papers on the probabilities of coincidental simultaneous photon detections versus non coincidental. This was one of the so called loopholes to explain that the detection of entangled photons was simply a coincidence.
When Einstein was trying to argue that the behavior of a pair of entangled photons was predetermined thus it had nothing to do with one photon influencing the other his famous statement (“God does not play Dice with The Universe”) came about and that the whole so called Copenhagen model of Quantum mechanics based on probabilities was in fact incomplete in his view.
An interesting question might be that most of the time photons behave randomly and behave according to the Copenhagen model but anomalous pairs of photon particles properties are predetermined depending on how exactly the electron annihilation event occurs. The event of “entangled” photons is a rare event where most pairs of photons indeed scatter off in what appears to be random directions.
Once in a while we get a very rare instance of a pair photons that appear to behave in exactly equal but opposite ways. To an observer it appears miraculous that something at the opposite end of the planet appears to always behave in an equal and opposite way to its “entangled” counter part. Einstein called it “spooky action at a distance”. He was being facetious and simply thought it was nonsense. In essence he said everything is predetermined and one particle acting on the other (particularly at a velocity greater then the velocity of light) is nonsense, the two particles are predetermined to act in a certain way. This argument seemed to be carried to an extreme where everything is predetermined.
But does it have to be that way? Why not a universe where some things are random and some things are not such as pairs of “entangled” photons are indeed predetermined. For example in human populations we see a huge genetic diversity but once in a while we get a very rare event of identical twins being born or even an ultra rare event like the identical Dion quintiplets born in Quebec Canada in the 1930’s.
The Dions grew up for the most part appearing identical into their adult hood. Clearly most of the cells in their bodies were preprogrammed to act in an identical manner at the same times. The phenomena of identical quints is a function of how things occur at the cellular level in prefetal development. We don’t go around assuming that it is either an improbable coincidence that they grew up identically or that somehow one quint influences how the other grows even if they are separated by vast distances. The DNA in their bodies (the preprogrammed instruction part of their cellular growth”) was all identical based on unusual occurrences in the mothers prefetal development.
The miracle of the Dions was how the birthing event progressed. Could a pair of rare preprogrammed photons simply be a function of how the electron anihillation event that produced the two photons occurred in the same way the Dion Quints identical DNA was a function of how the prefetal birthing event transpired?
2. jcsd
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Relative Postion Calculation using Accelerometer
1. Apr 22, 2012 #1
I am starting to learn Mobile Phone Application Development.
Suddenly this idea clicked in.
The app starts with the Phone in rest on your living room table.
Now, the phone is picked up from the living room and transported to the dining room.
Could the app be able to tell this?
Here is how I think it.
If I constantly monitor the acceleration in all three axis, I could be able to tell the instanteneus velocity about those axixes. Then time integral should provide me the displacement?
Is there flaw somewhere?
Can the mobile phone accelerometer be fast and accurate enough?
2. jcsd
3. Apr 22, 2012 #2
The acceleration vector described by the phones accelerometers will be the sum of 2 component vectors, the actual acceleration of the phone, and the force of gravity. In order to make your idea work you need a way to figure out the orientation of the phone at every instant so that you know the direction of the gravity vector (you already know the amplitude is 9.8 m/s2). Once you know the gravity component you can subtract it from the vector measured by the phone to obtain the acceleration. Then you could, in principal, integrate over time to keep track of relative displacement.
The tricky part is finding the direction of the gravity vector. I can think of no way to do it. someone more clever then I might have an idea though.
4. Apr 22, 2012 #3
Theoretically, it's very possible.
Practically, there's a problem. Accelerometers aren't perfect, which means that the larger the displacement (especially when the discplacement occurs in all directions in the three dimensions), the larger the error. Using only an accelerometer, you have no way of knowing how large this error is.
5. Apr 22, 2012 #4
Yeah, the rotation thing is what is bothering me too.
Lets suppose the Phone starts flat on the table, with x-acceleration = 0, y-acceleration = 0 and z-acceleration = 9.8m/s.
Now, if our kind volunteer would always transport the phone, with its plane parallel to the ground (like in the initial condition), then we could always subtract 9.8m/s from z-acceleration.
But what if he rotates the phone? What acceleration is felt during the rotation? Can I distinguish rotation from translation?, and if yes, can I find the new orientation, and thus be able to correctly subtract the gravity?
6. Apr 25, 2012 #5
what other sensors does it have? magnetometer? gyro?
7. Aug 1, 2012 #6
Many phones have gyroscope sensors and some have magnetic compasses but those have decreased accuracy indoors
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Smooth curves
1. May 3, 2014 #1
Determine where r(t) is a smooth curve for -pi <t<pi
R(t)= (x(t),y(t))=(4sin^3(t), 4cos^3(t))
2. Relevant equations
3. The attempt at a solution
To be honest I have no idea where to start. I know what a smooth function is but my understanding is that the sin(t) and cos(t) functions over all of t are smooth. No corners.
Any starting help would be appreciated.
2. jcsd
3. May 3, 2014 #2
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Yes, but you are NOT asked if sine and cosine are smooth- you are asked if F is smooth. What happens if the denominator of a fraction goes to 0? What fraction is involved here?
4. May 3, 2014 #3
The function is not continuous at that particular point that makes the denominator go to zero.
Perhaps we could rewrite in the complex plane?
5. May 3, 2014 #4
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No, it is not necessary to work with the complex plane. What is the definition of "smooth curve"?
6. May 4, 2014 #5
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As someone on mathstackexchange said, a smooth curve is a curve with no stubble, like this: :bugeye:
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How do planets spin and move simultaneoulsly?
15 November 2009
What is it that keeps planets spinning, as well as keeping them moving in their orbits?”
We posed this question to Dr Matt Balme...Well, it's a fairly simple piece of physics. One of the things that keep on moving their orbit, there's nothing to stop them. I mean, they're not hitting anything, so to speak. So they're not losing any energy, and they're not losing, more importantly, angular momentum. So angular momentum is a conserved thing. It can't just be taken away by, just by wishing it away. It has to be taken away by things, and the Earth is just sitting there, rotating. Nothing's taking its angular momentum away except the Moon. The Moon is actually going to steal some of the Earth's angular momentum, slow it down, and at some point in the future, the Earth and the Moon will be locked together they would both have lost angular momentum. At the moment, we only see one face of the Moon. In the future, only one face of the Earth will be facing the Moon. So we'll only be able to see the Moon from one side of the Earth, and vice versa.
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233 Morrill Hall
Department of Animal Biology
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
(217) 244-4298;
How do genomes change over evolutionary time? Numerous questions fall under this rubric, such as:
1. Is the state of a genome in the present defined by an accumulation of large numbers of infinitesimally small substitutions, or, are there large, disruptive changes that, in short periods of time, can erect barriers to recombination and facilitate speciation?
2. How does the functional genome grow via the acquisition of genes and conserved non-coding elements?
3. How do some genomes excise non-coding DNA while others accumulate huge amounts of it?
These questions can be addressed at several different scales, from whole genome duplication over millions of years to structural variation within a species over thousands of years, to somatic evolution and cancer within an individual over a handful of years. The research strategy of the Catchen Lab is to apply novel algorithmic developments to the questions of genome evolution.
The lab's work is mostly focused on teleost fish. Teleosts represent the most species rich vertebrate clade and within the teleosts lie laboratory model organisms, such as zebrafish, and several fascinating natural evolutionary models, including the threespine stickleback.
Julian Catchen, Principal Investigator
Shane Campbell-Staton, Postdoctoral Research Associate
Nicolas Rochette, Postdoctoral Research Associate
Stacks is a parallelized software system that can assemble and genotype tens of thousands of restriction enzyme-based markers in thousands of individuals. Stacks can be used to develop ultra dense genetic maps, or it can be used to identify evolutionarily divergent segments of the genome using population genomic statistics such as π and FST.
Chromonomer is a program designed to integrate a genome assembly with a genetic map.
The Synteny Database is a system to identify regions of conserved synteny within teleost species and between teleosts and other outgroups such as mouse and human. Conserved synteny refers to the preservation of a gene neighborhood between two organisms, indicating an ancestral relationship between the two regions.
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Sunday, 18 December 2011
Java: String Formatting (Pictures!) and the Switch Statement
Okay so, apparently no pictures is a huge no-no, so I'll briefly show you how string formatting works with the power of screenshots! And yeah, looking back on yesterday's post, I agree, it was kinda shitty, so, sorry about that :P
So, string formatting! First, we need to formulate a template string in which data will be entered later!
Then we need to somehow calculate the data to put in, same as you would with any other output that takes a variable, and finally, we format the string! Let me show you how:
Okay, Line 114 is our template. As you can see, there are 3 percentage signs followed by a letter, so the template has 3 spaces for data in it, The "%s" denotes a string, and "%d" denotes a decimal integer!
Note: If you want to print a percent sign, you must place 2 of them in a row so the computer doesn't read is as trying to place a formatted spot in
Our data can be collected however, a prompt from the user, or a method that performs some calculation. For the sake of ease, on lines 116-118 I've just created the Strings and integer directly! Sure, I could have put both names into 1 string, but then I don't get to illustrate what happens when you have 2 of a data type in the strong.
Next, we want to call the String.format method on our string (Lines 120-121), taking 1 parameter plus the number of formatted spots. In our case, 3 formatted spots means 4 parameters! Each parameter after the first corresponds to a formatted position, in order of appearance.
So FIRST_NAME takes the spot of the first %s, LAST_NAME takes the spot of the second %s and USER_AGE takes the spot of the 3rd formatted space, which is a %d.
Note: If you have the wrong data type in place (Say I mixed up USER_AGE and FIRST_NAME, heads will roll, and programs will crash!
String.format returns the string given, but fully formatted, so either print it directly, or save it to a variable, as I have, then print it as in line 123.
At the bottom of the screenshot, in the black box, is the output, if you needed to visualize that, too!
Much better than typing "System.out.println( "My name is" + FIRST_NAME + " " + LAST_NAME +..." don't you think?
I really hope that was a sufficient explanation this time! Let me know if you're still having trouble!
Second half of today's post: A quick refresher on switch statements! Okay, so they're basically if-statements for larger groups, where typing else if {... a bunch of times can get really annoying! The general way this works is having a switch as the opening for a block of statements, followed by a bunch of case keywords, like so...
Here, I have a method that takes an int that's composed entirely of a switch-statement, on Line 16 we can see the declaration which takes some value as it's argument. This value doesn't need to be an integer, it can be anything, as long as the cases correspond to it!
For each position that a special message appears for, I create a case (Lines 17, 20 23), each followed by the value of position that they're triggered on. Inside each case block is a statement (or sequence of statements) to be executed in that case, followed by a break to leave the switch (If you already determine position to be "1", why go through all the other cases?).
If the position is 1, print out first place, if 2, print second and so on. Not necessary, but often used, is the default keyword. This is invoked if none of the cases match the switch-variable! In our case, if you're not of the top 3, you're a damn loser! Got it? Let's test it out now!
The second part of our picture is a simple for-loop, going through 0-4 and calling our method for each value. The final part of the picture shows the integer put into the method followed by the output!
I had pictures, that means I was coherent this time, right? Right? Let me know if there are still any troubles though, by any means! All questions and comments welcome, see you tomorrow for an actual switch statement in action!
1. Yeah, photos help, or at least visuals or something. Hehehe
2. Well this post certainly made up for the last one! I appreciate the time you put into this.
3. It actually took me almost an hour to gather everything up nicely, glad it shows! Probably wouldn't have been needed if I wasn't being lazy with the last one, though!
4. But what if your age is James and your name is 21 Heddin?
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the insertion of synthetic fibers or human hair into the scalp to cover baldness.
Read Also:
• Hairiness
• Hair lacquer
noun 1. another name for hairspray
• Hairless
[hair-lis] /ˈhɛər lɪs/ adjective 1. without hair; bald: his pink hairless pate. /ˈhɛəlɪs/ adjective 1. having little or no hair 2. (Brit, slang) very angry; raging adj. 1550s, from hair + -less. Related: Hairlessness.
• Hairlike
[hair] /hɛər/ noun 1. any of the numerous fine, usually cylindrical, keratinous filaments growing from the skin of humans and animals; a pilus. 2. an aggregate of such filaments, as that covering the human head or forming the coat of most mammals. 3. a similar fine, filamentous outgrowth from the body of insects, spiders, etc. […]
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(video) Harmonica repair mistakes #8 - Temperament Tantrum
Here's a way to fix tuning problems that goes straight to the heart of the problem. Don't worry about temperament. Forget about the numbers. Use your ears to figure out what's wrong.
The goal here is to only tune the worst one or two reeds on the reed plate.
The trouble with "hunt-and-peck" tuning is that you can make things worse if you tune reeds at random. If two reeds are out-of-tune with one another, which one do you adjust? Do you focus on chords or on single notes?
Use this opportunity to decide what sounds good to your ears. If you have trouble deciding if something sounds good, an out-of-tune harp will make it easy for you to hear what sounds bad!. This will help you identify what is in tune and replicate it to the rest of the reed plate.
- Divide the blow plate into three octaves. Play 456 as a chord. How does it sound to your ears? Do the same with 123 and compare. Which one sounds most in tune? If you are in the habit of playing chords on the top octave, try the 789 and 10 hole chord.
- If one octave's chord is much better than the others use it as a reference. If all the chords are bad, break down the 456 chord by intervals (tonic octave - 1-4 blow, thirds - 4-5 blow, and fifths - 4-6 blow). Consider what reed in the 456 you need to change to make it sound nice. Use a piece of paper to write down your plan.
- Play a melody in the middle octave and try to notice if any notes sound off. If you can accompany yourself using a jam track, do so.
If you are in the habit of playing in positions other than First, Second or Third, play a melody in that position and listen to what notes sound out of tune. Compare the same melody in another octave (use the same position.)
- Decide which problem is worse: Do I need to fix chords? or Do I need to fix individual notes?
- Play all the octaves on the blow plate and find the ones that are our of tune.
You have already determined what reed(s) are the culprit in the earlier steps. Example, if the 1-4 octave sounds bad, but you like all the notes of the 456 chord, then tune the 1 reed to agree with the 4.
- Pick the one or two worst reeds on the plate and fix them. Don't aim for perfection, just make things sound good.
Remember: "Better" is the enemy of "Good". If the tuning is "good", move on and forget about making it "better".
- The process is almost the same for the draw plate. Focus on the 234 draw chord; do not consider any other chords on the draw plate. Play the chord and play a melody. Identify whether the chord or the individual notes are out-of-tune. Adjust individual reeds by using the following octaves:
Would you like me to make a video about your "best" mistake? Contact me and let me know your ideas!
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Carey and the combination of the Biblical and the Classical
Carey writes about how in religious thinking much is inherited from Plato. The philosophical tradition is more spiritual than that of many religions. More so even then Christianity. Platonic spirituality - Aristotle bristled against this. Aristotle disliked the forms of the world in nature being differentiated from the 'other' world. Aristotle points to the world to understand god, as does Genesis - the physical is good. But Christians and Jews can at times embrace this and also at times want to escape it in that they point away from the physical and yet God declared this good and so there is a tension there. Is Platonism more spiritual than Christianity. There is very little detaching ourselves from the world in Christianity so it is not essentially Christian to seek our divorce from nature, the world and the body.
History - God revealed something to us in history, embodied.
Plato says our realm is transient and shadowy and we escape this when we leave the cave. But God doesn't create a universe of such splits.
Plato's sun which takes us into the light can be worshipped for being beautiful but we do not entertain a personal relationship with this entity.
How does Plato's idea differ from the image of a personal Yahweh. Israel worshipped a God so involved with the people of Israel. He responded, he changed. He became embodied. (See Placher)
But the philosophers of Greece spoke of an unchanging agent. This is what has happened in Western intellectual history.
What are these Greek philosophers reacting against? They are reacting against the fickleness of the gods. This has polluted their understanding of the Christian scriptures. In the pagan attack, the philosophers believed that the Christians had anthropomorphised the divine.
So the apologists (Justin Martry) etc made an account of God and the world to explain Hellenistic thinking. The original world view - the correct interpretation is God's.
See A Radical Orthodoxy by Stephen Shakespeare.
John Millbank Head of Theology at Nottingham University says it is about going back to the classical origins of theological thought. Behind it all is a platonic idea about existence.
James Smith believes that we shouldn't give Plato such a prominent role. Philosophy is too world and body denying.
Grenz describes how humans are given to Platonic dualism. He is probably the first philosopher to think in these terms of a split. The Greek myths did not have a strict dualism of body and mind, it was more complicated. you would go to Hades and a shadow existence at the end of a life. There is no strong dualism in the old Testament, you go to Sheol, a shadowy place. There is something in common between the philosophers and the church's interpretation of the New Testament in the sense of leaving this earth for a transcendent existence in Heaven.
Platonism is a way for the mind and the rational order of things in a world whose order is not apparent. The search is a call away as it contemplates the reality of the universal - as immortal soul, he flees the body to where ideas exist and do not change but are permanent God is the name of the explanation of the rational order.
Socrates' pacification of those who are concerned as he lies dying from drinking hemlock, entails him arguing for the soul being riveted to the body and it will be a relief for him to leave it - this material world.
In pastoral ministry we will enagage with the platonic split of the body and the soul. They will believe that the Spirit of their loved one has departed and they are only left with the shell, we will hear nothing of the redeemed body and the new heavens and the new earth.
Recommended reads:
Resurrection by Kevin J Madigan and Jon D Levenson
Resurrection by NT Wright
Where do we find the idea of the resurrection of the dead?
Where does the idea of the resurrection come from? It is not something borrowed from Greek thought as is suspected. It is a reality of the Bible and not Greek thinking where there was no resurrection. Being dead in the world of Homer is a dark and gloomy experience, says Tom Wright, the descent into Hades is into a shadowy place and there is horror there as people are consumed by fire and trying to tether ever-fleeing souls. Jesus spoke of Gehenna so that people would choose 'the light' - was he speaking into a world who needed these pictures so that they could understand life without God in images that they understood?
What does all this do for our grasp on New Testament truth? It certainly upsets any concrete notions of a literal truth. A place where we might burn and suffer after death because we are not in Christ? What does it do to this thinking?
The idea of a bodily resurrection is negated and instead we are left with a dualistic split if we do not follow carefully enough the New Testament.
Origen's cyclical scheme envisages the training of the fallen spirits in a physical world who are going to be brought back into unity by their contemplation of the divine and their escape of the body. How much has Origen been influenced by the Greek world view.
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Friday, January 1, 2010
This is a particular problem for longhaired rabbits in the summer. Flies lay their eggs in the soiled fur under the tail. The maggots hatch out 12-24 hours later and burrow into the flesh. Flystrike can lead to death, so check every day to make sure your rabbit, its hutch and its bedding, is clean and fresh.
I have experienced this for myself and lost 2 rabbits to this problem. It literally happens overnight. The most common time of the year will be summer when it is warm and ideal temperatures for flies to strike.
It is quite a distressing site to see as the rabbit will be covered in maggots around its back end and these quite literally crawl up inside the rabbit and kill it.
You need to seek immediate medical attention (even if this means calling a vet out at the weekend or at night) as the rabbit will surely die if the maggots are not removed immediately. You can provide temporary relief by bathing the rabbit in cool water and trying to kill as many of the maggots as you can.
The risk of Flystrike can be minimised by stepping up cleaning regimes in summer and checking rabbits at least twice a day. Rearguard (avavilable for vets) prevents maggots developing so can save a bunnies life!
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Monday, July 26, 2010
Modes of the Major Scale
Q: I read forums all the the time and I'm always confused about modes. I'm not sure anyone can really explain it without confusing me. Can you give me a hint?
A: I'll do my best. Take your time and read through this really slowly. Obviously you want to learn how to use the modes properly but first you need to understand a few different things first. You can't put the cart before the horse regarding the modes. First you will have to have a very good understanding of the major scale and the diatonic system. Ask yourself these questions:
1. Can you write out all the major scales? If you can, move on to the next question. If you can't, go here >>>
2. Do you understand intervals? If you do, go to the next question. If you don't, go here >>>
3. Do you understand the harmonized diatonic system? If you do, go on. If you don't, go (half way down the page) here again >>>
4. Can you play the major scale and improvise in all keys with little problem? If you can, go on to the rest of this article. If you can't, go here >>>
OK, if you are here, you should be able to:
1. Write out your major scales. For example: what are the notes in an E major scale? E-F#-G#-A-B-C#-D#. What are the notes in a Bb major scale? Bb-C-D-Eb-F-G-A. etc.
2. Be able to identify intervals. For example: What is a perfect 5th from A? E. What is a major 7th from Eb? D. etc.
3. Understand the diatonic system. For example: what is the "V" chord of D major? A or A7. What is the "ii" chord in F major? Gmin or Gmin7. etc.
4. And be able to play and use the major scale. Although it may not be completely necessary, I would strongly suggest that you know all five (the conventional) patterns of the major scale. You should be able to play over diatonic progressions using the scales.
If you don't understand these things and can't improvise using the major scale, I'm not sure that getting involved with modes will do you a lot of good. So let's assume that you've reached the point where we can move on. If you haven't gotten to that point yet, don't worry, this post will be waiting here for you.
Now, let's try to understand modes theoretically first. You have probably already heard this and it is one reason you are confused, but it is important to get this first Make sure you read to the end of this article or you will stay confused.
What are Modes?
Modes are scales based on different degrees of the major scale (and other scales like the harmonic minor or more commonly the melodic minor scale). There are seven notes in the major scale, so there are seven different modes. The first is easy enough:
The Ionian Mode - The major scale based on the first note. Silly right? Look at these examples:
C Ionian: C-D-E-F-G-A-B
G Ionian: G-A-B-C-D-E-F#
F Ionian: F-G-A-Bb-C-D-E
It is important to understand the notes by what they translate to in intervals:
The C major scale: C-D-E-F-G-A-B. The intervals are: 1-2-3-4-5-6-7 (or 1-M2-M3-P4-P5-M6-M7-M7). You have to learn to look at scales this way or it is impossible to understand their uses and how to apply them.
This is easy enough, the Ionian mode is simply the major scale. Next let's move on to the dorian mode. The dorian mode is a scale based on the second degree of the major scale. Now to find the proper major scale or (parent scale) all you need to do is remember a simple formula. The formula for the dorian mode is:
Dorian = Major Scale Down a M2
So let's say you want to write out or play a D dorian mode. Now you promised me that you know your intervals so you should be able to do this right? What is a Major 2nd down from D? The answer is C, so D dorian = C major. See if you can do more of these:
1. B dorian = ?
2. E dorian = ?
3. F# dorian = ?
4. A dorian = ?
5. C dorian = ?
Answers: A, D, E, G and Bb major. Where you able to do it? Good. Now going back to D dorian as our example, D dorian carries the same key signature as C major right? So write out a D to C scale using the key signature of C and you'll get what you are looking for:
D Dorian: D-E-F-G-A-B-C. Let's do some more:
1. B dorian:B-C#-D-E-F#-G#-A (The major scale down a M2 from B is A and the key signature for A is F#,C#, G#)
2. E dorian:
3. F# dorian:
4. A dorian:
5. C dorian:
B dorian: B-C#-D-E-F#-G#-A
E dorian: E-F#-G-A-B-C#-D
F# dorian: F#-G#-A-B-C#-D#-E
A dorian: A-B-C-D-E-F#-G
C dorian: C-D-Eb-F-G-A-Bb
What we have done is find the mode using a derivative method. We basically found the dorian mode by finding the parent scale. Now this is fine and dandy for finding the scale quickly but it doesn't show you what it is and how to use it. To do this you absolutely have to understand it from a parallel point of view. We already did this with the major scale (or ionian mode), now let's do it with the dorian mode as well. Using D dorian once again:
D dorian: D-E-F-G-A-B-C. Now what does this translate into intervalically? 1-2-b3-4-5-6-b7 (or 1-M2-m3-P4-P5-M6-m7).
Now you can see what the scale actually is. It looks like a:
1. natural minor scale with a major 6th (or)
2. major scale with a minor 3rd and minor 7th
if you told the truth and also understand the diatonic system, you know that this scale will harmonize to a min7 chord. The "ii" chord in C major is Dmin or Dmin7 so obviously the dorian scale harmonizes to the same chord:
So What?
You may know this much and might be asking yourself what the big deal is. There is no big deal really. But there are some important points to remember. A lot of aspiring guitarists mistakenly make the assumption that you are playing a different mode over every chord in a diatonic progression. In other words, over a Cmaj7-Amin7-Dmin7-G7 progression you would be playing a C ionian, A aolian, D dorian and G mixolydian mode. This is not really correct and is a waste of brain power. The chord progression revolves around C, the "I" chord and the "I" chord has what I call tonal gravity. You do not hear any of the other three chords as the tonal center so you hear the progression as C major. The trick to modal music is that you have to hear the music's tonal center as the chord that corresponds to the mode in question. The ear decides but personally I find that anytime you get a functioning "V" chord, in other words a "V" chord going to a "I" chord, you lose the sense of anything modal. The less chords the better actually. So you will want to play the D dorian scale over a ii chord vamp (Dmin7), ii-iii (Dmin7-Emin7) or ii-V (Dmin7-G7) progression. You can experiment and see what you think.
More common misconceptions
1. You have to start on the root of the mode. In other words, to play D dorian, you have to start on a D note. This is:
False. You have to hear the tonal center as D dorian only. Hearing the tonal center is to the largest degree due to the chord vamp or chord progression. A C major scale played over a static Dmin chord (not one in the middle of a diatonic progression) is dorian. It might have have been true back in the ancient modal days when there were no chords that your melody had to start on D for it to be dorian (wouldn't want the king of the ancient kindgom of Doria to chop your head off) but in regards to modern modal music, it certainly doesn't make much difference.
2. You can start on any note you want. A C major scale over a static Dmin7 chord or progression which is perceived as centering on D minor is Dorian.
Partly true. Just because you are technically playing a mode, it certainly won't sound good if you aren't putting emphasis on one of the notes in Dmin (D-F-A) or Dmin7 (D-F-A-C). This goes for improvisation on any level.
3. You have to play over a one-chord vamp for it to be modal. The chord has to be static.
False. The tonal center of gravity has to be the modal chord but it doesn't have to be static. Granted, static probably works best because there are no gravitational tonal distractions but it doesn't have to be a one-chord vamp. But the more chords you add to the mix, the less you will hear what you are doing as modal.
The method I first described is the "derivative" approach or point of view. What this means is that we refer everything back to the major scale (the mother scale, so to speak).We used D dorian as our example, and I taught you to think: the dorian mode is the major scale down a major 2. This is handy for coming up with what you need on the spot. If you need to play a D dorian mode, you can simply play the major scale that is down a 2nd (C major in this case). This works for all the modes:
Dorian = major scale down a 2nd. (Ex: C dorian = Bb major)
Phrygian = major scale down a 3rd. (Ex: C Phrygian = Ab major)
Lydian = major scale up a 5th. (Ex: C lydian = G major)
Mixolydian = major scale up a 4th. (Ex: C mixolydian = F major)
Aolian = major scale up a minor 3rd. (Ex: C aolian = Eb major)
Locrian = major scale up a minor 2nd. (Ex: C locrian = Db major)
You get a chart and it says by the word "Guitar Solo" Cmaj7. You want C lydian, all you have to do is remember the rule (lydian = major scale up a 5th) and play a G major scale being sure to start on a chord tone (C, E or G) and you'll be playing lydian. Some guys who I call the mode nazis bitch and moan about this method of locating the mode. You get these guys all the time on forums and I wouldn't listen to them. My experience is that these guys generally don't play modal music and take the whole thing too seriously. The proof is in the pudding as I always say and if you like the way I do modal improv, you can take my method as a a fine and dandy way of approaching it. Look here, me playing dorian:
And me playing phrygian:
More Silly Questions I Have Heard on Various Forums
Q: I don’t know what this Juergensen cat is talking about. He says that if you want to play a G mixolydian scale, you should think “up a 4th” I thought the mixolydian mode was the 5th mode. Why does he want to make it so hard?
A: Quit being a complete dingbat and use your head. Using your logic, which is right by the way, G mixolydian is the 5th mode of what scale? C major. OK easy enough. But unfortunately when you get a chart and it is your time to solo, it doesn’t say on the chart next to the word solo “play mixolydian, the 5th mode of C major” it only says G7 and you have to figure out on your own what the hell to play. My logic says:
G7 = mixolydian, up a 4th from G7 is C, G mixolydian = C major.
It is the same thing in reverse: the 5th degree of C is G mixolydian and a 4th from G7 is C major.
You only get the chord, so thinking about what degree of what scale is a big waste of time. It is much faster thinking: major scale up a 4th.
Parallel is the point to understanding
Using the derivative method might be easier to locate and play the mode, but to really know what is going on with modes, you absolutely have to see things from a parallel viewpoint as well.
You have to think of the mode as a separate scale all together (which in all reality it is). This point of view would say that the dorian mode is, compared to the parallel major scale, a scale with a fixed set of intervals: 1-2-b3-4-5-6-b7. The advantage is simple, it shows you clearly what the scale is, its intervals, its tonality and the harmony born from it. It is clear and direct. The disadvantage is that to play it using this method of classification means that you have to learn a separate scale pattern for every mode. I mean, lets say you are playing a tune and the chart tells you that it is time for you to play a solo and gives you a Cmin7 chord to solo over. You would have to think; "Okay, Cmin7, that means I can use the dorian mode, let me think here, the root is C, a 2nd from that is D, a b3rd from the root is Eb, the 4th is F, the 5th is G, the 6th is A and finally the b7th is Bb." It is a lot of thinking to do if you are not yet familiar with all five of the dorian scale patterns. Using our first method, the derivative approach, you would simply say to yourself in the same situation; "I have to solo over a Cmin7 chord, so I need to play the C dorian mode, let's see, a 2nd down is Bb so if I play a Bb major scale everything will be cool." This approach takes a lot less effort. Regardless it is important to look at the modes from the "parallel" standpoint in order to truly understand the nature of each individual mode. The parallel system works for all the modes:
Dorian = 1-2-b3-4-5-6-b7
Phrygian = 1-b2-b3-4-5-b6-b7
Lydian = 1-2-3-#4-5-6-7
Mixolydian = 1-2-3-4-5-6-b7
Aolian = 1-2-b3-4-5-b6-b7
Locrian = 1-b2-b3-4-b5-b6-b7
I personally believe it is important to understand both these methods. I tend to teach beginners using the first method for finding and applying the mode simply because it allows someone with little experience to get immediate results with little effort. The student simply needs to know the major scale. By knowing five patterns of the major scale and a few rules you can play every mode. By using the "parallel" method, to get the same results, the same student wound need to know thirty-five different patterns (five patterns x seven modes). Using the "parallel" method you would think of the dorian scale pattern like this (black notes are the "dorian" root):
Eventually what happens is that both these concepts begin to overlap and you stop thinking about it overly. Especially in regards to modes you play often. For example, in the dorian video above, I'm practically not thinking at all. I have played dorian enough over the last three decades for it to be very natural. But in the second video, I am thinking almost completely using the derivative method. In other words, I am thinking" Ok, I've got to play over this Csus4(b9) chord here, down a major 3rd from C is Ab, so I'll play an Ab major scale making sure to start on some chord tone from the chord (C, F or G). Oh, here comes a Db major chord, let me grab a Db, F or Ab on the first beat." The reason I have to do this for phrygian and not dorian is simply because I don't play phrygian very often, it certainly isn't something I do everyday like I might dorian.
Anyway, if you want to get into this mode by mode. Follow the links:
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
The Whole Diatonic Picture
Q: Somebody was telling me that charts only give the bare minimum regarding chord symbols and you are expected to play something "bigger." How do I know what liberties I can take with certain chords?
A: The trick is to understand the diatonic system with each chord harmonized to its full extent. For example, when we look at the seven harmonized triads from the diatonic system, we notice that there are three major triads, the I, IV and V chords. But when we harmonize to 7th chords the same three chords that were once all the same, we now get two maj7 chords ( I and IV) and one dominant chord (V). The more you harmonize, the more each chord becomes unique until all seven are completely different.
I first noticed years and years ago after finding 9th chords that while the ii and vi chords sounded nice as min9 chords, the iii chord sounded wrong to me played as such. I didn't know why at the time but after some investigation I figured it out. Using the chart up there, you can see why. It is because while the ii and vi chords harmonize to minor chords with a major 9th interval (in other words, min9 chords), the iii chord has a flat 9th.
The I and IV chords become different only till we get to the 11th. The IV chord has a #11. Players always ask me; "How did you come up with that chord in that song?" And I always answer that it is simply because I know what the chords could possibly be fully harmonized and take advantage of that information. This means that in any given song, even a simple one, I could take a IV chord for example, and play it as a maj7#11 chord while most other guys would stick to the chart and play a triad or maj7. You have to be careful but you can certainly take liberties.
Taking a simple song like "Stand by Me," what could you do? The song is basically a I-vi-IV-V progression. You could try taking advantage of the IV chord and adding in a #11. Or maybe make the V chord into a 9sus4 chord. Knowledge is power.
6 chords - The chart up there will give you some insight but there are certain things you should know (the gray boxes). While a dimb6 chord seems weird enough, it sounds pretty good. But the reason is simply because, it looks like a G7/B chord (B-D-F-G). 6 chords look the same as 7th chords in 1st inversion and in that respect are tricky. the vi chord being a minb6 chord spells out the same as a Fmaj7/A chord.
7 chords - All these are fine and there is nothing to confuse or trip you up here.
9 chords - Gotta watch out for the iii chord, the min7(b9) chord. It isn't a very attractive sounding chord and as I said before, a min9 chord will not work here. Just avoid playing 9th on iii chords and stick to a min7 chord even if you play the other minor chords (ii and vi) as min9 chords. There are however certain things that you pick up with experience. For example, the min7(b9) chord is pretty lame but if you get rid of the minor 3rd and add in the 4th, you get a very nice chord, a 7sus4(b9) chord. You can remove the b7 as well and you get a sus4(b9) chord which is sometimes known as the "phrygian" chord. The viio chord harmonizes to a min7b5(b9) chord... Gross. Again it sounds like a G7 in 1st inversion but this time the C note (b9) sounds like a 4th in the G7 chord which clashes against the B in the chord.
11 chords - beware of major 3rds and natural 4ths in the same chords. That is why the I chord is written as a sus4 chord. With the natural 4th in the chord, you are best to get rid of the 3rd all together (thus making it a sus4 chord rather than a maj11 chord). There are certain voicings that work but be weary. Same with the V chord. You will want to get rid of the 3rd here as well making the chord a 7sus4 or 9sus4 chord. The viio chord sounds ok as a 11th chord. It sounds like a G13 in 1st inversion.
13 chords - similar to 6 chords but with the 7th included.
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Friday, October 23, 2009
Sci Fi idea
Faster-than-light travel, wormholes, transporters, putting people in stasis so a trip only feels like a few days or hours: all that stuff doesn't work to get people moving long distances across space. The fastest we can actually get people going with rockets and ship-bound propulsion is not very fast, only a small fraction of light speed. Instead, the only way to get ships going fast (that is, close to light speed, which at an interplanetary scale is still pretty slow) is to create massive rings around stars that use photosynthetic energy to rapidly accelerate a ship, then release it to wherever it is supposed to go; gravity will be the brake at wherever it is going. Because people are going to be on these things for years, they've got to be big, which means the accelerators have to be big and thus difficult and time-consuming to build.
It takes months or years to get from one habitable planet to one of these star-bound accelerators, and then years from one solar system to another. So communication is slow, and actual contact is even slower. Wars revolve around controlling these accelerators, because that's what lets you get to other solar systems, but it takes months to make any kind of move even on these relatively nearby targets. So wars are long, Hundred Years War long, and people are in the midst of wars whose origins are older than anyone alive, which nobody can really remember.
1 comment:
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Image courtesy:
Evidence and current research
Advanced studies of implicit memory began only a few decades ago. Many of these studies focus on the effect of implicit memory known as priming. Several studies have been performed that confirm the existence of a separate entity which is implicit memory. In one such experiment, participants were asked to listen to several songs and decide if they were familiar with the song or not. Half of the participants were presented with familiar American folk songs and the other half were presented with songs made using the tunes of the same songs from group 1 but mixed with new lyrics. Results show that participants in group 1 had a much higher chance of recalling the songs as being familiar, even though in both groups, the tunes of the songs were the same. This study shows that people are even implicitly making connections amongst their memories. Much memory study focuses on associative memory, or memories formed between two entities, linking them together in the brain. This study shows that people implicitly make a strong associative connection between a song's tune and its lyrics that they can't separate later.
Current research
According to Daniel L. Schacter, "The question of whether implicit and explicit memory depend on a single underlying system or on multiple underlying systems is not yet resolved." The findings display such a variety of phenomena that there has not yet been a theory to account for all of the observations. Instead, two theories have been presented to explain different subsets of the data.
There are usually two approaches to studying implicit memory. The first is to define a characteristic associated with explicit memory. If a person with a normal working memory can solve the task (e.g. remembering a list of words), then they are consciously recalling a memory. The second approach invokes neither a conscious nor an unconscious response. This approach is dependent on many independent variables which affect the response of a person's implicit and explicit memory.
Empirical evidence suggests infants are only capable of implicit memory because they are unable to intentionally draw knowledge from pre-existing memories. As people mature, they are usually capable of intentional recollection of memory, or Explicit memory. However, amnesic patients are usually the exception to developing memory, but are still capable of undergoing priming, to some extent. Since procedural memory is based on automatic responses to certain stimuli, amnesic patients are not affected by their disability when behaving habitually.
Activation processing
Activation processing is one of two parts in Mandler's dual processing theory. According to Mandler, there are two processes that operate on mental representations. The first is activation, where increased activity causes a memory to be more distinctive. This increases the familiarity component of the memory, which explains results from priming effects. The second is elaboration, which is a conscious memory used to encode explicit memories that involves activation, but also creating new relationships amongst existing memories.
Multiple memory system
The multiple memory system theory ascribes the differences in implicit and explicit memory to the differences in the underlying structures. The theory says that explicit memories are associated with a declarative memory system which is responsible for the formation of new representations or data structures. In contrast, implicit memories are associated with a procedural memory system where memories are just modifications of existing procedures or processing operations.
Illusion-of-truth effect
As the illusion-of-truth effect occurs even without explicit knowledge, it is a direct result of implicit memory. Some participants rated previously heard sentences as true even when they were previously told that they were false. The illusion-of-truth effect shows in some ways the potential dangers of implicit memory as it can lead to unconscious decisions about a statement's veracity.
Procedural memory
A form of implicit memory used every day is called procedural memory. Procedural memory lets us perform some actions (such as writing or riding a bike) even if we are not consciously thinking about it.
It is debated whether implicit attitudes (that is, attitudes people have without being consciously aware of them) belong under the category of implicit memory or if this merely involves a pragmatic approach to asserting knowledge. In some ways, implicit attitudes resemble procedural memory as they rely on an implicit, unconscious piece of knowledge that was previously learned.
Evidence for the separation of implicit and explicit memory
Implicit memory in amnesic patients
Other evidence for differences between implicit and explicit memory
Besides the study of amnesic patients, other evidence also indicates a separation between implicit and explicit memory. Basic patterns that exist for explicit memory development do not apply to implicit memory, implying that the two are two different processes. Children tested at various increasing ages, in different stages of development, do not exhibit the same increase in performance in implicit memory tasks the way they always do with explicit memory tasks. The same is true for elderly people. Studies show that as people grow older, their performance on explicit memory tasks declines, however their performance on implicit memory tasks does not decline at all.
A later study showed that attempts to interfere with the memory of a list of words significantly impacted subjects' ability to recognize the words in a test of explicit recognition, but the interference did not have a similar effect on the subject's implicit memory of the words. Also, there seems to be no statistical correlation between a person's ability to explicitly remember a list of words and their ability to subconsciously use the priming effect to aid performance in identifying previously seen words in tests of word completion. All of these results strongly indicate that implicit memory not only exists, but exists as its own entity, with its own processes that significantly differ from explicit memory.
Look up Implicit memory in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
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Further Resources
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Choose Your City
Change City
Tune-ups just aren’t what they used to be
With the widespread use of computerized engine controls, the regular “tune-up” is now a thing of the past.
With the widespread use of computerized engine controls, the regular “tune-up” is now a thing of the past.
Modern vehicles don’t have ignition points and there are no carburetors to adjust. But there is still an important wear item that needs to be replaced periodically — the spark plug.
Replacing worn or fouled spark plugs can improve engine starts, lower emissions, and even boost acceleration. What’s more, according to the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence, a misfiring spark plug can reduce fuel efficiency by as much as 30 per cent.
Spark plugs take the electrical current from the ignition coil and send it across a gap between the plug’s electrodes. That spark ignites the air/fuel mixture, which powers the engine. Keep in mind that all this happens in a very harsh environment. Up to 40,000 volts cross this gap, and combustion temperatures can reach 3,000 C.
Even with the greater durability of platinum- or iridium-tipped electrodes, as used by some spark plugs, these components eventually wear out. They also can become fouled due to poor gasoline quality, or excessive oil entering the combustion chamber from worn engine parts.
Fouling can even be caused by prolonged engine idling that prevents the spark plugs from reaching their proper operating temperatures.
Be sure to replace your vehicle’s spark plugs on a regular basis. It’s one of the most economical ways to maintain an efficient engine and avoid wasting fuel.
Consider AlsoFurther Articles
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Wednesday, April 24, 2013
The sinc(x) function (as seen on IFLS)
Last Thursday, this image was posted on the Facebook page "I F***ing Love Science".
Photo: This is how mathematicians do arts and crafts.
Via: andiejulie on Imgur
I immediately recognized it as the sinc function. It's a function that is extremely important in digital signal processing, and one that I see just about every day I'm in the lab. The sinc function is defined as:
{\rm{sinc}}(r) = \frac{{\sin (r)}}{r}
In the case of the picture above, r is equal to:
and therefore, sinc(r) is equal to:
{\rm{sinc(}}r) = \frac{{\sin \left( {\sqrt {{x^2} + {y^2} + {z^2}} } \right)}}{{\sqrt {{x^2} + {y^2} + {z^2}} }}
This is the partially obscured equation that you see in the picture. I noticed there was a bit of confusion about this equation in the comment section of IFLS, so I thought I'd clear a few things up.
Many people assumed that the formula written on the front is incorrect. They noticed that plotting a function with x, y, and z variables would require a 4-dimensions. While that is true, it doesn't mean that the function is incorrect as written. The function is still correct as long as the z is defined as a variable that is not connected to the cartesian (x,y,z) coordinate system. In other words, z could be a time dependent variable or even a constant. When z = 0, the plot will look like this:
Which looks like the plot from the picture on IFLS. When we let z vary between 1 and 100 you can get a time dependent plot that looks like this:
This is a good example of why it's important to define your variables. If you don't define your variables they could mean anything. A variable can look familiar and mean something completely different. In this case, z is not the Cartesian coordinate z that you're used to seeing. Remember, a variable means nothing until you've defined it. c does not always mean the speed of light, r does not always mean radius, and so on.
Now to the fun part!
I used matlab to make a printable version of this craft. I suggest you print these pictures out on cardstock or the paper will droop down. Print each of the pictures (in order) and have fun putting them together!
Send me a picture of your finished product and I'll post it for everyone to see.
(If I get at least 5 submitted pictures I'll post pictures of the sad attempt that my 6 year old and I made)
Aaaaaannnnnnd GO!
This final picture is a possible "base" for your plot. It's only half done (there should be blue lines along the entire axis). Cut two or three of these out and space them equal apart. Each tic mark along the x axis is where you should cut to place the cross sections you already cut out. This way the sinc(r) wave will be equally spaced in both directions (if you don't use this you could get an oval instead of a circle).
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q126y q126y - 1 year ago 46
Java Question
Java Multithreading : changing variable from multiple threads
Say I have class
public class OuterClass
public static WorkerClass worker;
In thread 1
The following command is executed
while the
is executed, in thread 2
Outerclass.worker = new WokerClass();
What will happen to the
in thread 1?
Will the
Object referenced by thread 1 be garbage collected, only after the
is complete or can it be abruptly terminated to garbage collect
Edit :
I think it should be GC'ed, since it is no longer referenced. But what will happen to the
? will it be terminated abruptly?
Answer Source
The Java garbage collector (GC) reclaims objects that are not traceable starting from a set of GC roots. That is, if object A is referenced by object B, and object B is referenced by object C, and object C is referenced by a root, then objects A, B, and C are all safe from the garbage collector.
So what are the roots? I don't know the complete answer, but I do know that the root set includes every local variable and parameter in every running thread.
So, if some local variable or argument in thread 1 still has a reference to the original WorkerClass instance, then the instance will continue to live.
The original WorkerClass instance will only be reclaimed when it is not referenced by any local or arg in any thread or, by any field in any traceable object. When that happens, it won't matter to your program any more because your program will no longer have any means to access the object.
P.S., "arguments and locals" includes hidden variables that are part of the Java implementation, and it includes implicit variable such as the this reference in every object method. Your original WorkerClass instance can not be reclaimed as long any method call on it (e.g., doLongRunningOperation) still is active.
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Turing Machines and Undecidability
Jeffrey Ullman is a professor of Computer Science at Stanford. He is famous for his book Introduction to Automata Theory, Languages, and Computation. He teaches the Automata course in Coursera, and I’ve just finished the most recent edition.
Ullman’s research interests include database theory, data integration, data mining, and education using the information infrastructure. He was Sergey Brin’s PhD advisor and won the Knuth Prize in 2000 [1].
We divide this post in two parts. In the first part, we’ll provide a brief overview of automata theory, including basic concepts and terminology. In Part 2, we’ll focus on the limitations of automatons by discussing undecidability.
Part 1: Automata Theory
In the following sections, we’ll go from the more limited automata, to a push-down automata and then to a turing machine.
Finite automata
We can think of a finite automaton as a state machine. It’s represented by a directed graph where the nodes represent states and each edge (u, v) connecting two states has a label, which is a symbol from a given alphabet \Sigma. Consider an initial state q_0, a set of final states F and a string w of the alphabet \Sigma.
To be more generic, we can describe the edges of the graph as a transition function. It takes as input a state p and a symbol c and outputs a new state q. We denote such function as \delta, so we have \delta(p, c) \rightarrow q.
Figure 1: Sample DFA
We can then decide if input w is accepted by this automaton by simulating it on the automaton. That consists in consuming each character c from w at a time and moving from one state to another by following the edge labeled c. If there’s no such edge, we can assume it goes to a dead-end state where it gets stuck and is rejected. If after consuming all the input it is in one of the final states, we say it’s accepted, otherwise it’s rejected.
If there’s always at most one edge to take at any point of the simulation, we have a deterministic way to decide wheter w is accepted, so we call such class of automaton, determinist finite automata or DFA for short. In case it has multiple choices, we have a non-deterministic finite automata, or NFA.
Surprisingly, a DFA is as powerful as a NFA, because we can simulate a NFA with a DFA, though such DFA might have an exponential number of states. DFA’s are also as powerful as regular expressions, which is out of the scope of this post.
We define a set of strings as a language. We say that an automaton defines a given language if it accepts all and only the strings contained in this language.
In the case of finite automata, the class of languages that they define is called regular languages.
Push-down automata
A push-down automata is essentially a finite automata equipped with a stack. The symbols that can go into the stack are those from the input and also some additional ones. In this automaton, the transition function takes as input, the state p, the input symbol c and the element at the top of the stack X. It outputs the new state q and the new top of the stack that will replace the top X, which can be more than one element or event the empty symbol, meaning that we didn’t put any element on top.
This type of automaton can be shown to be equivalent to a context-free grammar (CFG), which is out of the scope of this post as well, but it’s very common for describing programming languages.
The set of languages for which there is a push-down automata that define them, is called context-free languages, which contains the regular languages.
Turing machines
What could we accomplish with a finite automaton with 2 stacks? Quite a bit. Such automata are called two-push down stack automata. It’s possible to show that a finite automaton with 2 stacks is equivalent to a Turing machine.
So, what is exactly a Turing machine? It’s a device with an state, an infinite tape and a needle that points to a given position on this tape. The input w is initially written on the tape and the needle points to the first character of w. All the other positions in the tape contains the blank symbol.
Figure 2: A concept of the Turing Machine
The transition function that takes as input the state p and the input symbol pointed by the needle c and it outputs the new state q, the new symbol that will be written replacing c and the direction that the needle moves after that (either right or left). In case there’s no defined transition function for a state and input symbol, we say that the machine halts.
There are two main flavors of TM regarding when an input considered accepted: On options is that the TM has a set of final states and whenever we get to one of that states, we accept. The other option is by accepting when the TM halts.
It’s possible to show that in the general case both versions are equivalent, in the sense that both define the same class of languages, which was historically denoted by recursive enumerable languages.
An algorithm for a decision problem is a special type of TM that accepts by final state and it’s always guaranteed to halt (whether or not it accepts). The class of languages that are defined by algorithms are called recursive languages.
Extending Turing machines
We can simulate more general TMs using our definition of TM. For example, we can model a TM with multiple tracks. Instead of having a single element, each position on the tape can contain a tuple, where each element of the such tuple represents the element on each tape with the same position.
We can even have multiple needles, by using a dedicated tape for representing the current position of each additional needle.
Part 2: Undecidability
In this second part of the post we’ll discuss about undecidability. A problem is said undecidable if there’s no algorithm to solve it, that is, no TM that is guaranteed to halt on all its inputs.
The Turing Machine Paradox
Question: Are Turing machines powerful enough so that for any language there exists a corresponding TM that defines it?
Not really. We will next define a language that creates a paradox if a TM exists for it. Before that, we first discuss how we can encode TM’s as strings so it can be used as input to other TM’s.
Encoding Turing machines. Given a description of a Turing machine (the input, the transition functions), it’s possible to encode it as a binary string. Each possible Turing machine will have a distinct binary representation. We can then convert these strings to integer. Since two strings can be converted to the same integer because of leading zeroes (e.g. both 010 and 10 map to 2), we append a 1 before all the strings (e.g. now 1010 maps to 10 and 110 to 6).
We can now order all Turing machines by their corresponding integer representation. Note that some integers might not be encodings of an actual TM, but for simplicity, we can assume it’s a TM that accepts the empty language.
Since a TM can be seen as a string, we can say that a TM accepts itself if it accepts the corresponding encoding of itself as a binary string. We can even define a language as the set of TM encodings that don’t accept themselves:
L_d = \{w | w \mbox{ is the encoding of a TM that doesn't accept itself} \}
So we want to know whether there is a TM T_d for L_d. Suppose there is. Then we ask: does T_d accepts itself?
The self-referencing property is the origin Russell’s Paradox. It essentially defines a set S that contains all elements (which can also be sets) that do not contain themselves. The paradox is that if S contains itself, then there’s a set in S that do contain itself, which is a contradiction. On the other hand, if it doesn’t contain itself, S left out a set, which also contradicts the definition of S.
We can use the same analogy for TMs. If T_d accepts itself, then it is accepting a TM that doesn’t comply with the constraints. If it does not, it left out the encoding of a TM that doesn’t accept itself.
The only assumption we made so far is that there is such TM for language L_d, so we can conclude this was a wrong assumption and thus L_d is not a recursive enumerable language.
The Universal Turing Machine
Question: Is there an algorithm to tell whether a Turing Machine accepts a given input w?
To answer this question, we’ll first define a special type of turing machine. The Universal Turing Machine (UTM) is a TM that takes as input a TM M encoded as string and an input w as a pair (M, w) and accepts it if and only if the corresponding TM accepts w. We denote by L_u the language of the UTM.
We can design the UTM as a TM with 3 tapes (see multiple tapes TM on the Extended Turing Machines section),
* Tape 1 holds the M description
* Tape 2 represents the tape of M
* Tape 3 represents the state of M
The high-level steps we need to carry over (and for which we have to define the proper transition function, but we’re not doing here) are:
1. Verify that M is a valid TM
2. Decide how many “bits” of the tape it needs to represent one symbol from M
3. Initialize Tape 2 with input w and Tape 3 with the initial state of M
4. Simulate M, by reading from Tape 1 the possible transitions given the state in Tape 3 and the input at Tape 2.
5. If the simulation of M halts accepting the string w, then the UTM accepts (M,w).
We can now answer the question in the beginning of this section by the following proposition:
Proposition: L_u is recursive enumerable, but not recursive.
Proof: It’s recursive enumerable by definition, since it’s defined by a TM (in this case the UTM). So we need to show that the UTM is not guaranteed to always halt, that is,.
Suppose there’s such an algorithm. Then we have an algorithm to decide whether a string is in L_d. First we check if w is a valid encoding of a TM. If it’s not, then we assume it represents a TM that defines an empty language, so obviously it doesn’t accept itself and thus should go into L_d.
Otherwise, we ask our hypothetical algorithm whether it accepts (w, w). If it does, then the TM corresponding to w accepts itself and should not go into L_d. On the other hand, if our algorithm doesn’t accept, it should go into L_d. We just described an algorithm that defines L_d, but in the previous section we proved that L_d has no TM that defines it. This contradiction means that our assumption that an algorithm exists for L_u is incorrect.
This is equivalent to the halting problem, in which we want to know whether a program (a Turing machine) will halt for a given input or run forever.
Post Correspondence Problem
Question: What are other problems undecidable problems?
We can show a problem is undecidable by reducing an already known undecidable problem to it. In particular, if we can show a particular problem can be used to simulate an universal Turing machine, we automatically prove it undecidable. We’ll now do this with a fairly simple problem to describe and that has no apparent connection to turing machines.
The post correspondence problem (PCP) can be stated as follows. Given n pairs of strings of the form (a_i, b_i), 1 \le i \le n, the problem consists in finding a list of indexes R = \{r_1, r_2, \cdots, r_k\} such that concatenating the pairs in this order leads to the same string, that is, a_{r_1}a_{r_2} \cdots a_{r_k} = b_{r_1}b_{r_2} \cdots b_{r_k} (note that an index can be used more than once in the solution).
There’s a stricter version of this problem in which the first pair of the input must be the first pair in the solution, which we’ll refer to MPCP. This doesn’t make the problem harder because it’s possible to reduce it to the original PCP.
It’s possible to simulate a TM by solving the MPCP so that there’s a solution to the MPCP if, and only if, the TM accepts an input w. We provide the detailed reduction in the Appendix for the interested reader. This means that the if there exist an algorithm for PCP (and thus for MPCP), we have an algorithm for any TM, including the UTM, which is a contradiction, and thus we conclude that PCP is undecidable.
Many other problems can be proved to be undecidable by reducing the PCP to them. The list includes some decision problems regarding Context Free Grammars. For example, given a CFG, tell whether a string can be generated in more than one way (whether a CFG is ambiguous); or whether a CFG generates all the strings over the input alphabet; or whether a CFL is regular;
So far this is the second course I finish on coursera (the other one I did was the Probabilistic Graphical Models). I’m very glad that classes from top tier universities are freely available on the web.
Automata theory was one of the gaps in my computer science theory base, especially Turing machines. I’ve done an introductory course on theoretical computer science, but it was mostly focused on intractable problems and cryptography.
[1] Wikipedia – Jeffrey Ullman
[2] Slides from Automata Course – Coursera
Proposition. It’s possible to decide whether an universal turing machine accepts a string by reducing it to MPCP.
Sketch of proof. We won’t give a formal proof of the reduction, but the idea is pretty neat and after understanding it, the reduction becomes more intuitive.
First thing, let’s define a snapshot from a simulation of a TM. A snapshot is a compact description of the TM in a particular simulation step. We can represent it by placing the needle to the left of the tape position it points to. We can omit both the right and left infinite endpoints that are composed eintirely by blanks.
Thus, the first snapshot is represented by q_0 w_1\cdots w_n. If we move the needle to the right writing X to the current position and changing the state to p, the snapshot becomes x p w_2 \cdots w_n. If instead from the first snapshot we moved to the left, writing X and changing the state to p, we would have p \square x w_2 \cdots w_n, where \square is the blank symbol and we need to represent it because it’s not part of the contiguous infinite blanks block anymore.
And each incomplete solution of the MPCP, we have the first part one step behind the second part. With that, we can “tie” to snapshots together by a pair, which can be use to encode the transition function.
The instance we’ll build for the MPCP will consist of the following classes of pairs:
First pair, represent the initial snapshot:
(1) (\#, \#q_0w\#)
Delimiter pair, to separate adjacent snapshots:
(2) (\#, \#)
Copy pair, to copy tape symbols that are not involved in the transition function. For each tape symbol X we create the pair
(3) (X, X)
Transition function pairs
For a move to the right, that is, for each \delta(q, X) \rightarrow (p, Y, R) we create the pair
(4) (qX, Yp)
For a move to the left, that is, for each \delta(q, X) \rightarrow (p, Y, R) we create the pair
(5) (ZqX, pZY)
In case X is the blank character, the right movement, that is \delta(q, B) \rightarrow (p, Y, R) will become:
(6) we create (q\#, Yp\#)
The left movement, that is \delta(q, B) \rightarrow (p, Y, L) will become:
(7) (Zq\#, pZY\#)
Final state pairs
For a final state f and for all tape symbols X, Y we add the following auxiliary pairs, from (8) to (10):
(8) (XfY, f)
(9) (fY, f)
(10) (Xf, f)
(11) (f\#\#, \#)
Simulation – Example
The solution will have to start with pair (1), because it’s the first pair and we’re solving the MPCP.
\#q_0 w_1 \cdots w_n
We can now simulate a movement. For example, say we have a right move defined by \delta(q_0, w_1) \rightarrow (p, x, R) by applying the corresponding pair (4) (q_0 w_1, x p), which will lead us to the partial solution
\#q_0 w_1
\#q_0 w_1 \cdots w_n \# x p
for now, we can only use the pairs (3), because we need to match w_2, w_3, \cdots w_n, so we apply those pairs until we get
\#q_0 w_1 \cdots w_n
\#q_0 w_1 \cdots w_n \# x p w_2 \cdots w_n
Now, the only pair that can follow is (30, that is, (\#, \#), which will finish the snapshot:
\#q_0 w_1 \cdots w_n \#
\#q_0 w_1 \cdots w_n \# x p w_2 \cdots w_n \#
Note that the pairs of form (3) are only used to copy the remaining part of the tape. That’s because the transition function itself is local, in the sense that it doesn’t know about the tape values that are not involved its definition.
This movement is analogous for the other transition functions.
The remaining case is when the reach a final state, in which we want to accept my making the first part of the partial solution to catch up with the second part.
Say we are in this stage:
\cdots \#
\cdots \#ABfCDE\#
where f is a final stage. We first apply the copy pair (3) on A:
\cdots \#A
\cdots \#ABfCDE\#A
and then use pair (8) as (BfC, f) to get
\cdots \#ABfC
\cdots \#ABfCDE\#Af
we can only copy and finish the snapshot using (3) and (4):
\cdots \#ABfCDE\#
\cdots \#ABfCDE\#AfDE\#
we need the pair (8) again, now as (AfD, f) to get
\cdots \#ABfCDE\#AfD
\cdots \#ABfCDE\#AfDE\#f
again, by copying and finishing the snapshot we have,
\cdots \#ABfCDE\#AfDE\#
\cdots \#ABfCDE\#AfDE\#fE\#
now we use the pair (9) as (fE, f) to obtain
\cdots \#ABfCDE\#AfDE\#fE
\cdots \#ABfCDE\#AfDE\#fE\#f
ending another snapshot
\cdots \#ABfCDE\#AfDE\#fE\#f\#
finally we use the closing pair (11)
\cdots \#ABfCDE\#AfDE\#fE\#f\#\#
Note that the final closing is carried over using several auxiliary snapshots that don’t actually correspond to the actual simulation, but it’s easy to obtain the right snapshots from a solution to the MPCP.
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Open source malware is actually a possibility
For a long time we’ve assumed that, if the software that we use is open source, we’re safe from malware. It was too difficult, and the reward was too small compared to traditional forms of distributing malware. But as open source software is gaining popularity, and more and more single-handed projects are popping up, this may not be true anymore. Today, it would in fact be feasible for an open source trojan to exist, which disguises malware inside another, seemingly innocent and presumably useful enough to be attractive, application. And why has this really become so much easier? Because users and developers alike don’t pay enough attention to the code they’re running.
Why do we assume that open source software is safe?
Let’s start with why we naturally assume that open source software is safe and free from malware:
• The code is written by a team of independent developers. If one developer tries to slip malware into a project, it’ll be caught by the other developers.
• The code is publicly available, meaning that if there was malware hidden within it someone would find it.
• If malware is hidden in some open source code and someone does find it, the code can be traced back to the developer who wrote and distributed it. Most developers don’t want to take that risk.
• The code is reviewed by the package maintainers of popular Linux distributions before they compile it to produce packages for their users. If there is any malware hidden in the code, they should find it.
Unfortunately, these all rely on one assumption: people actually read the code. There are a number of other reasons why these points don’t necessarily apply, though, so let’s look at them in turn and see how an open source trojan could actually exist.Read More »
BIID, Therianthropy, and a family of Identity-mismatch Disorders
The following is something that I have been wanting to discuss for over six months now. It has taken me a long time to find the right way to explain the topic, and in terms of content it happens that every time I come close to completing it, I discover more relevant information. Fortunately for me, a reader of my blog asked me about this matter, which I hinted at in the postscript to one of my previous posts, and I was thus forced to put it down in words. As such, I finally found myself with the basis for a blog post on the topic.
This is a matter which I have been thinking about for quite a long time. Many people with BIID, or who spend time in BIID communities, are probably familiar with the frequent comparisons between BIID and GID. It’s been suggested many times that maybe BIID and GID are one in the same thing, just different variants. As inconclusive as those discussions normally are, I found it hard to accept that they could not be the same thing – after all, I was able to take the DSM-V criteria for GID and replace “gender” with “disability” and then fit almost all the criteria myself. But yet, how can gender identity and disability identity have anything in common?
And then I found the key. Or rather, I experienced the key first-hand. When my BIID involuntarily went away, I found myself with another identity-mismatch. Not a mismatch of my non-disabled body to a disabled identity. And not a mismatch of a male body to a female identity. This was something different.
Enter Therianthropy.Read More »
Why aspies don’t swear
Swear words are redundant
Swear words are imprecise
Swear words are meaningless
Swear words are lazy
Swear words are offensive
Three requirements for BIID treatment
• One’s state of being
• The way one experiences oneself
• The way one is experienced by others
Thus effective BIID treatment must allow the sufferer to:
• Take on the physical state of having the required disability
• Experience oneself as having the required disability
• Be experienced by others as having the required disability
I’m going to look more in depth at these and then look at how potential treatments relate to these criteria.Read More »
Why wheelchairs are triggering
As regular readers of my blog will know, my particular BIID variant concerns blindness, not paraplegia. So why are wheelchairs triggering to me? Why does seeing someone in a wheelchair, or talking about wheelchairs, make all my BIID feelings return?
I have spent considerable time contemplating this, and I have come to the conclusion that there are a number of different reasons:
When I read about paralysis-variant BIID sufferers, I draw comparisons with my own feelings about blindness
This is perhaps the most obvious one. In reality, the wheelchair has nothing to do with it but what’s actually going on is that I’m reading about their feelings about paralysis and their experience of being in a wheelchair, and I think about my feelings about blindness and my experience with pretending to be blind. I read their account of getting their first wheelchair, and I think about how I felt when I got my white cane. In short, reading about other BIID sufferers – whatever variant – reminds me of my own feelings, for better or for worse.
Seeing a wheelchair user reminds me of BIID
This is an extension of the previous situation. Because most of the BIID literature concerns wheelchair “wannabes”, either because of amputation or because of paraplegia, one who reads a lot of BIID literature starts to associate wheelchairs with BIID. So seeing a wheelchair user reminds me of BIID, which reminds me of my feelings.
As a BIID sufferer, I am a lot more aware of disability issues
As someone with BIID, I spend a lot of time reading and thinking about disability in general. When I’m in a public place, I think about the accessibility issues that people with different disabilities – not just blindness – may have. Furthermore, I am a lot more aware of disability issues because I have read a lot about the issues faced by both naturally disabled people and disability pretenders. And for me, disability is strongly linked with BIID, and thinking about disability tends to remind me of BIID. So seeing or talking about wheelchairs (or any other disability or assistive aid or anything related to disability in general) is likely to remind me of BIID.
Self-harm, play piercing, and endorphin regulation
A lot of aspies self-harm. Even more used to, until they were told to stop by either their parents, their therapists, or their inner conscience. Most of those that do wouldn’t admit to doing it. But yet they all feel the need to, and they all carry on doing it even when they want to stop. They like the feeling of pain. They need the feeling of pain, and the mental state that it brings with it. And it truly helps them to feel better.
Then you get the neurotypicals who poke needles through their skin because they like the way it feels. They call it play piercing, and they say that they not only enjoy the physical feeling but that it gives them this intense rush of happiness inside, which gets ever increasingly intense as they add more and more needles, sometimes hundreds all over their body.
What do these have in common? They’re both in some way penetrating their bodies in a way that causes pain. And they both like that feeling of pain. But it’s not just the pain that they’re after; it’s the brain’s response to the pain that they associate with the pain, and which makes them seek more pain. A sensation of pain causes the brain to release chemicals called endorphins, and the endorphins inhibit the transmission of the pain sensation. In short, endorphins are natural painkillers, which the brain releases in response to pain. So by causing pain intentionally, one can intentionally cause the release of endorphins.
But it’s not the painkilling aspect of endorphins that self-harmers and play piercers seek. Endorphins have other effects too, and one of those other effects is that they invoke a feeling of happiness. In fact, endorphins are the chemicals that control happiness – when we’re in a situation that makes us happy, our brain releases endorphins and that causes us to experience happiness.
So by intentionally causing oneself pain, one can intentionally trigger the release of endorphins, which will make one feel happier. Indeed the experience of happiness resulting from self-harm does not feel the same as true happiness, but superficially it is similar and it is similar enough for both groups of people to keep wanting it over and over, just as one wants to feel happy.
So what the play piercers are doing is triggering an intense endorphin “rush”, leading to a sudden feeling of happiness, which they enjoy. And what the self-harmers are doing is releasing endorphins into their body to make up for the absence of other happiness.
Here then is the link between self-harm and depression: depression either causes or comes as a result of a lack of endorphins. In either case, increasing the concentration of endorphins in the brain will help the depressed person to feel better. By self-harming, the depressed person feels a little better, and can continue getting through life. Here, too, is the link between self-harm and Asperger’s: aspies tend to feel depressed easily as a result of their more intense emotions. By self-harming, they can balance out their depression and feel a little more positive about life.
So let’s put the play piercers aside now and think about self-harm and depression: by intentionally releasing endorphins, one can reduce depression, thus endorphins can be considered a kind of natural anti-depressant, and self-harm can be considered a natural way to regulate one’s endorphin level to keep oneself from sinking too deep into depression. See what I did there? Yes, self-harm can be used to manage depression.
And that’s the point here: we need to stop thinking of self-harm as a negative behaviour and instead start viewing it as the body’s natural response to depression. Is it a better anti-depressant than medication? Is it better to let a depressed person manage their depression themselves, through self-harm, as necessary? Is self-harm actually a protection mechanism, just like shivering when one is cold, rather than a way to mutilate oneself out of hate for one’s own body? The truth is, we don’t know. And we won’t know until more research is done. But that research won’t get done until we stop viewing self-harm as something to be stopped as soon as possible.
The fact that the depressed person instinctively turns to self-harm as a way of dealing with their depression tells me that it’s supposed to work as a way to regulate one’s emotions.
Hypersensitivity vs Hyperawareness
As part of a recent assessment, I was asked a number of questions about my sensory experience. One of the questions was “Do you tend to notice sounds that others don’t notice?”.
Of course the answer is “yes”, but when I went into more depth and started analysing *why* I notice sounds that others don’t, I realised that it is probably somewhat related to why I see things that others don’t. No, that sounds like I hallucinate; what I mean is, that I notice things in my field of vision that others don’t, just like I notice sounds that others don’t.
The seemingly logical assumption for the reason why one would notice sounds that others don’t notice is that they are hypersensitive to sound – as in, their ears (or perhaps their brain) experiences aural stimulation as louder than how other people experience it. They notice these sounds simply because, while for other people the sounds are below the threshold for “being heard”, the sounds come through “loud and clear” for people who are hypersensitive.
So why then do I see things that others don’t? Visual hypersensitivity generally causes everything to appear brighter than for a normal person, just like aural hypersensitivity causes things to sound louder than for a normal person. Indeed, many visually hypersensitive people find a well-lit room to be painfully bright, and I can’t say that I don’t experience this at times myself too. But just because things are brighter doesn’t mean that I’m going to see things that others don’t – indeed things that “hide in the shadows” for normal people may be clearly visible for me, but that doesn’t even begin to account for the number of extra things that I notice.
The key, thus, is in the word “notice”. It’s not necessarily that the things are more prominent due to being louder/brighter; my hypothesis is that it’s to do with sensory awareness. Whereas normal people may well see/hear these things, they filter them out because they focus only on the input that they are actively processing – such as a conversation that they are having – and ignore anything else. And that’s a good thing at times, too: it certainly means that they can have a conversation even if there is a lot of background noise, unlike me who can’t even hear what the other person is saying! So thus we can conclude that I *don’t* filter out other sensory stimulation; I process absolutely all of the stimulation that enters my senses. That’s why I see things that others don’t: they don’t even notice them because they are not processing that stimulation; I do notice them because I am processing all of the stimulation that I receive. That’s why I call it “hyperawareness” – I am exceptionally (excessively?) aware of background sensory input.
That’s also why I can’t hold a conversation when there’s too much background noise: I can’t block out the background noise and separate out the person’s voice!
Custom Debian systems
Ever set up a new Ubuntu installation only to then attempt to remove most of the installed packages? I have, when I wanted to put a small, fast-to-boot, command-line only live Linux system on the backup hard drives to facilitate backing up the computer without an optical drive. And it was a real pain, because I pretty soon had a broken Ubuntu system which nevertheless had a lot of clutter left behind from packages that I didn’t even know were there until I removed a dependency thereof. Fortunately I gave up on trying to “slim down” an Ubuntu system and turned to Google for an answer.
This should have been much easier to find, but it wasn’t, and that’s why I’m posting it here: Debian. Debian live, to be precise. Yes, unless you specifically choose a version that includes a graphical desktop, you get just a basic command-line interface with a number – but not an excessive number – of common Linux tools included. Exactly what I needed.
But the real power of this “base” Debian system is not how little software comes pre-installed, but rather how much software is available. You’ve got the full Debian package repositories available – the same repositories that projects such as Ubuntu are based off of – and combined with the slim system that you get either in the live environment or after installation, you’ll be building up your perfect system from modular blocks rather than stripping it down from a pile of bloat.Read More »
“Blocking” does more harm than good
For a long time now, almost all online communications platforms have had some kind of “blocking” functionality, whereby one is able to “block” or “ignore” content from a specific user. Even as far back as IRC, the /ignore command allowed one to choose to no longer receive posts from a particular user, and despite email not having any such functionality in itself, a lot of webmail services and email clients offer the ability to automatically delete any emails from a particular email address. Social networks allow one to block a specific user from messaging them or reading their posts, while forums usually allow one to “ignore” a user whereby their post is made visible but the content is hidden by default. Skype similarly allows one to block all calls from a particular user, such that one never even sees that the calls were made, while Android, iOS, and even most feature phones allow one to automatically ignore or reject calls from a particular number.
But is all this control over other people’s ability to contact you a good thing?Read More »
The following is a piece that I originally wrote for an English assignment in college. It appears here somewhat late due to technical issues with my computer which have subsequently been resolved.
If there is one lesson that I have learnt in life, it’s that one should never set a goal, expect to achieve it, and expect to find such a thing fulfilling. People often talk about having a “goal in life”, but I find that having “goals” only makes life more disappointing. Most of the time, the goal is and can never be met. In the rare case that it is met, it is often tainted in some way. And when one seldom does achieve exactly what they wanted, it comes at such a high cost that you feel no better off.
Now, of course, the idea of “success in life” closely relates to one’s goals. After all, success means to achieve something, and in the generalised sense that something is always going to be a goal of sorts. Thus to succeed means to meet one’s goals.
But I disagree. To me, true success does not mean meeting goals; to me, success is to be happy and content with one’s life. Meeting goals for me is only a stressful frustration, but when I feel content in life, that is what feels like success to me. That is what makes me feel strong. That is what makes me feel like I have a life, and that I can achieve whatever I want.
So I conclude that success does not come from having a goal in life, but from being content with where you are as of now. Yes, right now. Are you happy with how your life is? If yes, then I call it success, and you should too. If not, then think about how you could change it. The ultimate goal in life is, after all, happiness, and if success means to meet one’s goals, then to be happy is to succeed.
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Capel Garmon
Hidden in a hollow in the landscape behind Tyn-y-Coed Farm is Capel Garmon Burial Chamber. This is of the Cotswold- Severn type of chamber, an unusual design for this area of Wales, and has created some debate on why it so far north.
Capel Garmon 170508
The outline of the cairn shown by the stones. Looking at the Western forecourt.
The first excavation was undertaken by the then Ministry of Works in 1924. Late for such a monument as the antiquarians usually had a go in the 18th and 19th centuries. But something had to be done as trees were growing out of the mound, and damage caused in the 19th century by the tomb having been used as a stable. Following excavation the outline of the tomb was marked with stones showing the size of the mound.
Capel Garmon 170508
The southern chamber
The size of the cairn that covered the tomb would have measured 27m long and 13 m wide, and narrows towards it’s western end. The wider eastern end is thought to have had a false entrance, and the two arms would have created a forecourt that could have been used for ceremonies. It is this forecourt area that makes it similar to the Severn-Cotswold group of chambers further south.
Most of the burial mounds in Wales are aligned north-south, but Capel Garmon is orientated east-west. This suggests that migration of people or ideas from further south along with local practices may have influenced the design and siting of the cairn here.
The passage into the tomb leads to a divided space from which branches of to two other chambers. Excavations did not reveal many findings, probably because the chamber had been cleared to allow it’s use as a stable. A single piece of Ebbsfleet pottery was found in the passage, unworked flints and a a human bone were also excavated. The monument could have been in used for over 1500 years as two late Neolithic/early Bronze Age beakers were also found.
Capel Garmon 170508
The single remaining capstone
There is only one capstone remaining, but this is impressive in it’s size. I have no idea how they would have moved these massive rocks into place. The organisation and effort would have been tremendous. Despite the time since it was built, and the deprivations it has been exposed to, it is still possible to see the quality of original dry stone walling of the main chambers.
Capel Garmon 170508
A view of the dry stone walling in the chamber still covered by the capstone.
Lligwy – 3 Ages in Stone
There are not many places where you can find evidence of more than 5000 years of continual human activity in such a small area. But on the eastern coast of Angelsey there just such a place. 5000 years set out in stone and human endeavour, both spiritual and pragmatic. Today Lligwy, hidden up a narrow single track road that only adds to the sense of isolation, is a group of buildings that include a Neolithic burial chamber, an Iron Age village and an old abandoned church.
Neolithic megalithic tomb chamber, comprising eight stones of differing shapes, all supporting a massive capstone, 5.9m by 5.2m and 1.1m thick. The capstone is estimated to weight 25 tons. The tome constructed over a natural fissure in the rock so that the chamber had a height of about 2.0m. The shear size of the capstone and the fact that it is built over the fissure gives the tomb a squat appearance. There is no trace of the original cairn, although over the centuries soil has crept up around the stones. The chamber was excavated in 1909, when two layers of deposits were recorded, separated by a layer of paving. The deposits contained unburnt bone, human and animal, pot sherds and some flints and the upper deposit was covered by a layer of limpet shells. Between fifteen and thirty individuals were represented in the tomb chamber. Some of the pottery appears to be Bronze Age and at least one of the layers may represent the re-use of the tomb (1).
Lligwy Burial Chamber.
About 400m away, hidden in a small woodland is another amazing find. The secret here is a small settlement with the foundations of the round huts, and perimeter wall still visible. Huge upright slabs of stone create the entrances to each building. When this was occupied is still not absolutely clear. Din Lligwy is a later Prehistoric type walled settlement set on the summit of a limestone plateau close to its precipitous northern edge. The internal buildings were cleared from 1905 onwards when significant quanties of Roman material were recovered, mostly of the late third-fourth century (2).
Looking along the edge of the perimet wall which includes one of the rectangular bulidlings. Taken from the North Eastern corner of the settlement
There are two circular buildings within the walls. Excavations within the hut areas revealed coins, pottery, glass and a small silver ingot (3). The other rectangular buildings may have been workshops or animal shelters.
The foundations and lower walls from the circular hut in the North Western part of the aettlement.
The perimeter wall cannot be considered defensive and the settlement probably belonged to a farming community. That said the clearly defined outlines of the huts and other buildings can, with a little imagination, give a picture of how people lived so long ago. In fact the place feels much older than the 4th Century, and may well be as shards of flint have a been found on site. This is hardly surprising considering the proximity of the burial chamber.
A aerial view adapted from an Apple Maps satellite picture from the iPad. I do use products other than Apple honest!
As you walk from the road to Din Lligwy you pass Lligwy Chapel in the field to your right. This is now a ruin, but in its setting it is difficult to ignore as it over looks Lligwy Bay to the north. It’s close proximity to bothe burial chamber and Iron Age settlement adds it its gravitas. Little is known about it’s origins and dedication as the written history is very sparse. The oldest parts of the chapel date from the first half of the 12th century, and it is mainly built of rubble stone, with very little dressed so tone visible in its walls.
Following years of Viking raids many churches on Anglesey in north-west Wales were built in stone and the Norman influence also dictated more permanent buildings as they sought to gain control of the island. It has been suggested that the chapel may originally have been a memorial chapel, or connected to a royal court nearby (4). Though after the Normans gave up trying to secure the island Gruffudd ap Cynan (d 1137) and his successor Owain Gwynedd (d. 1170) built many churches on the island, and Capel Lligwy fits in with this time frame (2). Equally it may have been built to serve an expanding population in medieval times (5). Despite this, it seems to have remained as a chapel of ease rather than become a parish church in its own right. There may be something in this theory as there are no burials around the church.
That said the 19th-century antiquarian Angharad Llwyd claims that a fox had once taken shelter in the ruins, and when it was dug out, a vault was discovered, “containing several human skeletons, which crumbled into dust, when exposed to the air”. She added that further exploration of the vault then revealed “a large mass of human bones, several feet in depth” (6). Whatever the history, it is just that now – history. Despite the fact that we live in a world of access to instant fact and disinformation, there are still mysteries that Amy never be fully explained. Now where is my time machine?
1. Coflein.;
2. Williams, D.M. (2001) Angelsey: A guide to ancient monuments of the isle of Angelsey. CADW.
3. CADW.
4. Jones, G. I. L. (2006). Anglesey Churches. Gwasg Carreg Gwalch.
5. Yates, M. J.; Longley, David (2001). Anglesey: A guide to ancient monuments on the Isle of Anglesey.
6. Llwyd, A. (2007) [1833]. A History of the Island of Mona. Llansadwrn, Anglesey: Llyfrau Magma.
Carn Goedog and Stone Henge: Welsh 100 No 35
A few weeks ago Aunty and I were careering around West Wales adding to our list of 100 things to do in Wales and our last expedition of the week was a short walk up into the Preselli Hills. These hills are. It especially high, or difficult to climb, but they do have a mythical past and may have been important to the people who,lived here during the Neolithic period. Evidence of this is still present in the number of cromlech scattered around the area, and especially Pentre Ifan. However, it is thought there is more to these hills. The stone outcrops visible throughout the area are thought to be the origin of the Bluestones used in Stonehenge.
Now Stonehenge is nowhere near the Preselli hills. It’s about 180 miles away in fact. The second and most dramatic stage of Stonehenge started around 2150 BC when about 82 bluestones were used in its construction. It been acknowledged for some time that the likely source of the bluestones is the Preseli mountains. Recent advances in geological,sciences have been able to pinpoint the origin of some of the stones specifically to Carn Goedog. A paper published by Bevans and Pearce provide evidence based on compatible element geochemistry and Principal Component Analysis’ which has recently been published in the Journal of Archaeological Science suggests that although there are at least two geographical sources in the Preseli Hills and perhaps more, Carn Goedog is the source of the numerically largest group of dolerite orthostats. Carn Menyn, for a long time the favourite site for the spotted dolerite bluestone quarry, was found not to be a match for any of the Stonehenge bluestones.
So how did the stones get from here to there?
There are two main theories. One proposed and supported by Brian John and discussed in a series of lectures proposes that the stones were carried from West Wales towards the Stonehenge area via a Glacier that flowed eastwards up the Severn Estuary. When the glaciers melted the stones were left in situ. The bluestones were then collected from around the area and used in the earlier stages of Stonehenge.
The more mundane theory of carriage of the stones by glacier is feasible, but I preference the heroic version that has these stones, some weighing 4 tonnes each, dragged on rollers and sledges to the headwaters on Milford Haven and then loaded onto rafts. From here they were carried by water along the south coast of Wales and up the rivers Avon and Frome, before being dragged overland again to near Warminster in Wiltshire. The final stage of the journey was mainly by water, down the river Wylye to Salisbury, then the Salisbury Avon to west Amesbury. This astonishing journey covers nearly 240 miles. Once at the site, these stones were set up in the centre to form an incomplete double circle. But a reconstruction recently showed exactly how difficult this would have been with the technology available during the Neolithic period.
I supposed you make your own choice on how they really were transported. Either by by nature or man. Which ever way it happened, the remoteness of the hills is striking, along with the views over the sorrounding valleys. As ever in The Welsh hills the weather can change. One minute the sun was shining and the next the wind came up and it rained hard, only for the sun to come out again five minutes later.
Pentre Ifan
Dyffryn Ardudwy Neolithic Burial Chambers
Hidden behind the school in small village of Dyffryn Ardudwy is one of the largest Neolithic ritual burial monuments in north Wales. On a west facing slope it comprises two east-west orientated, portal dolmen-type chambers that open up-slope to the east.
Dyffryn Adudwy Burial Chamber - Both Chambers
The extent of the area that both tombs covered is clearly seen here. The older western chamber is in the foreground.
The chambers are set within a well-defined phased cairn, which is roughly trapezoidal in shape and aligned SW-NE. When taken together this is an impressive site, and when covered fully by the stones must have been an impressive sight. One clearly designed to awe the visitor, and emphasise the distinction between the land of the living and the after life.
The later and larger eastern chamber. The capstone has had to be supported by a modern column.
This monument was first excavated in 1960 and was one of the first where multi-period building was recognised and was central to the understanding of the portal dolmen group in the UK and Ireland (1). Portal dolmens are the most common type of tomb in this part of Wales. They stand in the centre of farmland, a focus for the community almost like parish churches of today. The forecourts belonging to the two chambers are oriented eastwards towards the uplands of Merionethshire.
Smaller and older western chamber.
Smaller and older western chamber.
Archeologists have identified two clear construction phases, each phase comprising a chamber and associated cairn. The earliest section of the monument was the smaller western chamber, probably originally a portal dolmen incorporated into an oval or round cairn mound, similar in morphology to nearby Gwern Einion. The first monument phase — the western chamber — comprises a rectangular stone chamber 2.5 m × 1 m which is closed-off with a blocking slab (forming a distinctive H-plan setting). Both the chamber and the forecourt area were enclosed by an oval cairn measuring c. 8.5 m × 9 m. East of the blocking slab are the remains of a well-defined V-shaped forecourt that contained what seems to have been a shallow pit. Within the pit were found Neolithic shards belonging to several vessels.
Using Aunty as a measure it's possible to see the size of the timbs. Although not the largest of capstones, the engineering required was still a major uundertaking.
Using Aunty as a measure it’s possible to see the size of the tombs. Although not the largest of capstones, the engineering required was still a major uundertaking.
To accompany the earlier western chamber was a larger eastern chamber, located around 10 m to the north-east. This is a large trapezoidal cairn constructed of rounded boulders made from water-lain local Palaeogene and Neogene rocks (referred to as the Cambrian grits) and measuring 28 m × 15 m, encloses both chambers and the original western oval cairn. When excavated no bones were found in the older western chamber, and those in the eastern chamber came from a Bronze Age cremation burial placed there at a later date. Two small finely polished plaques made from Mynydd Rhiw stone were found in the eastern chamber. Their purpose remains unclear (1).
Series of engraved semicircles on the larger upright of the western tomb
Series of engraved semicircles on the larger upright of the western tomb
1. Lynch F. A Guide to Ancient and Historic Wales: Gwynedd [Internet]. H.M. Stationery Office, 1995 [cited 2015 Apr 12] .Available from:
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Behaviour Change
Monday, February 17, 2014
Always want what you can’t have?
The scarcity rule is a marketing technique designed to make us panic buy when we think things are of reduced availability. We’re around it all the time: ‘closing down sale’ (the shop is still open 2 years after), ‘get it before it’s gone’, ‘for a limited time only’, it never ends. We’re currently facing our yearly plight as I write this blog: how many creme eggs do I buy if they are only available until April? ‘Here today, goo tomorrow’- well, April. But we buy into it don’t we? Even though these eggs are around for four months of the year (yes, that is almost half of the year), we scoffulate quicker than Bruce Bogtrotter, for fear that we won’t be able to taste this delectable goo enveloped in creamy chocolate until next year. I even want some right now, and I’m allergic to dairy.
Brock (1968) created the commodity theory, and scarcity was the central focus. It was hypothesised that “any commodity will be valued to the extent that it is unavailable”. This would make a certain amount of sense, because if something is deemed to be very limited in availability, we naturally believe there is a reason for this. We usually come to the conclusion that the item is good, and therefore many people have already purchased it, hence we value it more, and our desire to own this item increases. Fromkin, Olson, Dipboye, & Barnaby (1971) found that subjects placed greater value on an item that was scarce as opposed to when it was in abundance, therefore supporting this theory.
Worchel, Lee and Adewole (1975) looked at the effects of scarcity within food by asking subjects to rate the value and attractiveness of cookies that were either in abundant supply or in scarce supply. In their first experiment, which I will focus on, 146 female students were asked to sample various items and rate them on a number of dimensions (122 pieces of data were eventually used due to extraneous variables). It was only the cookies that were measured and there were varying conditions including:
-Another researcher asking for additional cookies for their group due to high demand (demand condition)
-Another researcher exchanging jars as they had accidentally took the experimenters cookies (accidental condition)
-Another researcher came to check cookies and left (no change condition)
So what did they find?
It was found that scarcity led to an increased liking for the cookies, as subjects showed a stronger desire for the cookies that were in the demand condition, rather than the no change condition, F (1, 122) = 13.45, p < .001. Cookies were considered more desirable even against the cookies that were accidentally taken, F (1, 122) = 6.39, p < .05.
Commodity theory was also supported due to the fact that cookies in the demand condition were deemed more attractive compared to those in the no change condition, F (1, 122) = 17.84, p < .001.
There were no significant differences between conditions regarding taste. This study effectively shows us how our perception of certain items, particularly food, can change when we believe there is a high demand and there is not much left. We deem things to be more attractive, and therefore want it more.
Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to embark upon a love affair with some creme eggs, I ONLY HAVE UNTIL APRIL!!!!!!! #whatallergy?
Amber Kalejs
Brock, C. (1968). Implications of commodity theory for value change. In A. G. Greenwald, T. C. Brock, & T. M. Ostrom (Eds.), Psychological foundations of altitudes. New York: Academic Press.
Fromkin, H. L., Olson, J. C., Dipboye, R. L., & Barnaby, D. A. (1971). A commodity theory analysis of consumer preferences for scarce products. Proceedings of the 79th Annual Convention of the APA, 6, 653-654.
1 comment:
1. Great blog. I literally laughed out loud at the words 'and I'm allergic to dairy'!
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posted by .
I forgot to add the following sentences. Thank you.
1) When they came back home, they were much more respectful of their parents,didn't use any bad language and behaved correctly in class.
2) Their week (out of home)taught them to trust themselves and shoulder their responsibility.
3) Walt Whitman: Leaves of Grass (italics) “I hear America singing”
(title of the poem in inverted commas)
• English -
2) out of home = away from home
3) or Capitalized differently here:
I Hear America Singing
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Ottoman-Arab War
Loyal Italy
Date April 11, 1920-March 1, 1921
Location Arabian Peninsula, Mesopotamia, Palestine, Egypt, Red Sea
Arab victory
• Treaty of Kuwait
• Ottoman loss of land in the Arabian peninsula and Mesopotamia
• Ottoman democratization and neutrality
• Dynastic disputes among several families fighting for land
• Ottoman Empire
• Protectorate of Egypt
• Support from Germany
• Rashidis
• Saudis
• Hashemites
• Idrisis
• Other Arab rebels
• Greek Volunteers
• Support from Britain
Cause of the War
The war was caused by several factors, which resulted in a coalition of native Arab families leading revolts against the Ottoman Empire. The Ottomans had just fought World War I and then had to continue with the Third Balkan War, thus weakening their army. Britain offered funding to the rebels in order to ensure a weakened Central Powers and attempt to increase its colonial power following the Great War. This drove the Saudis, Rashidis, Hashemites, and Idrisis, in addition to other powerful families, to unite and gather armies to fight the Ottomans.
Hejaz Front
The Hashemites and Idrisis were generally in charge of regaining Arab control of the Hejaz. The first battle of the war was a popular revolt, demonstration, and attack against Ottoman rule in Yanbu. While the Hashemites lead a revolt in the Hejaz, the Idrisis fought a revolt in Asir, where they took control of Abha. The fighting continued, and in July, the Hashemites launched an attack on Medina, gaining the city. The Idrisis and Hashemites agreed to meet at Al Bahah. The Idrisis, though, saw issues as their leader died and they lacked unity and a strong military. The British then stopped funding them and instead only funded the Hashemites in the Hejaz. As a result, the Idrisis soon fell out of power in Asir, but retained power until April of 1921. The Hashemites went from Medina south, and began by capturing Jeddah before attacking Mecca. Mecca had been fully fortified and guarded, and the Hashemites required help from the Idrisis, Saudis, British funding, and some Greek Volunteers who favored limiting the power of the Ottoman Empire. In a large show of urban warfare, the Arab rebels were forced out of the city, but they proceeded to besiege it. The siege lasted a month, from late September to the end of October. By the end, however, the Ottomans guarding the city surrendered after severe hunger and some revolts by civilians in the city after the Ottoman troops forced civilians to give up their food to the soldiers. The Masjid al Haram was now controlled by both Hashemites and Saudis, as many of the reinforcements for the Battle of Mecca were loyal to the Saudis. With the Ottoman army in the Hejaz vastly outnumbered, the Saudis and Idrisis sent their troops to conquer the southern part of the Hejaz, while the Hashemites were sent North. By January, all of the Hejaz had been conquered, as had most of the Asir. Furthermore, in January, the Hashemites attacked Tabuk, the final large Ottoman city in the Hejaz and their final large access point to it. However, the Ottomans sent a large force to stop the Hashemite attack, and the Battle of Tabuk was the third largest battle of the war, following only Amman and Mecca, but the Ottomans eventually withdrew. The Hashemites had their army so depleted that they did not advance past Tabuk, and instead held firm. Following the Battle of Tabuk, Asir was secured, and the Hejaz was successfully pried from the Ottomans.
Jordan Front
The Rashidis were tasked with conquering land in OTL Jordan and southern Syria. The Ottomans decided to focus on a strategy of waring out the Rashidi army until they would gather a larger army and launch a major assault, catching the Rashdis off guard. The Ottomans were focused on not losing Jordan, Syria or Palestine, and led a series of minor ambushes and some German-funded artillery fire at the Rashidis. However, the Rashidis managed to conquer all of OTL Northern Jordan, in addition to the southern portion of Syria, including Damascus. However, in November of 1920, the Ottoman army gathered and launched a major attack at the Rashidi forces, which had been centered at Amman. The largest battle of the war ensued and the Ottomans won with major casualties on both sides. As a result, the Rashidis left OTL Syria, and instead kept a policy of border patrol similar to that of the Hashmeites, though the Rashidis did successfully fight another Ottoman assault at Qurrayat.
Mesopotamian Front
Treaty of Kuwait
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Colonial Cooking
Workshop Shows Early Residents Had To Have Hearth
March 22, 1990|By SHARON CROWDER Staff writer
Ever wonder what it would be like to cook without a stove or oven? Can you imagine whipping up onion soup - much less a puff pastry - without standardized measuring cups or a thermostatic oven control?
Fifteen participants in an open-hearth cooking workshop recently held in Colonial Williamsburg got the chance to find out. In a kitchen behind the Benjamin Powell House, they made 10 dishes from authentic 18th-century "receipts" using only hearth fires and the tools and implements available from that time. The workshop, part of a weekend of demonstrations, tours and lectures called "Pease, Porridge, Pot: Foodways at Colonial Williamsburg," was the first formal hands-on hearth cooking class ever offered to the public.
"Foodways," a term coined by CW researchers, includes all historical aspects of food: procurement, consumption, preparation, distribution and preservation. Rosemary Brandau, manager of historic food programs at CW and organizer/instructor of the workshop, says food research is ongoing. Historians, anthropolgists, archaeologists, interpreters and curators combine their expertise "to find out what early Virginians were eating."
The weekend program offered a unique look into the lives of early residents through their food. Participants included university and high school history teachers, a restaurant owner, museum curators, a magazine writer and others with a healthy dose of curiosity about food history.
"This is definitely hard work," said Frank Russo Jr., a history teacher with Fairfax County Public Schools, as he hand-creamed butter for pound cakes. Sweating from physical exertion and proximity to the hearth, Russo had more difficulties ahead. The next step in the receipt was beating in the flour for an hour. Extensive beating lightened the batter in lieu of baking powder, which was then unknown.
Participants divided the labors necessary to create a finished menu that included onion soup; boiled Virginia ham; roast beef; oyster loaves; hominy with beans; apple fritters; johnnycakes; sweet potato pudding; syllabub (a frothy mixture of sweetened whipped cream, sherry and white wine); and pound cakes.
While the menu may sound extensive, Betsi Drumbore, a workshop instructor and historic interpreter for CW, explained that it was typical for the 18th-century gentry to have a very big "dinner."
Served between one and three in the afternoon, dinner was the main event of the day, usually lasting two or three hours. Dinner always consisted of at least two courses. Before guests entered the dining room, dishes of food were set out on the table in a symmetrical arrangement.
First course included soup and a fish dish, along with large cuts of meats like ham, venison or beef, plus lighter meats like squirrel and game birds. Vegetables, salad and breads also were served. "Made dishes," or dishes of mixed ingredients, were suitable for the first course as well. Drumbore compared made dishes to modern-day casseroles, emphasizing, however, that only the finest ingredients and spices would do.
At the conclusion of the first course, the table was cleared and reset with the second course - essentially a dessert course. Baked sweets, puddings, pies, cakes, jellies and syllabubs were appropriate for this course. Sweetmeats, like candied orange peel, brandied cherries and sugared nuts, were sometimes included in the second course, though they also might comprise a separate or third course. If, for instance, the lady of the house expected 12 diners, about nine dishes in each course would be considered "adequate."
By Colonial standards, then, the workshop menu might be called modest. Still, participants had their work cut out for them. It was necessary to replenish the wood in the two separate hearths of the two-room, brick-floored kitchen. A separate, outdoor brick oven was fired for baking and had to be tended. Two large, water-filled wooden tubs were used for cleaning and rinsing dishes, while another served as garbage disposer for "dry scraps" like onion skins and peelings. These would eventually end up as slops for pigs and chickens.
Cooking implements were familiar and quite adequate in selection. There were sturdy wooden-handled knives of varying shapes, wooden rolling pins, wooden and pewter spoons, marble mortars with pestles, metal graters that rested neatly on the sides of shallow stoneware, earthenware and pewter bowls, long-handled spoon-type strainers, tin colanders and several cake pans and molds.
Susan Borchardt of Lorton said she preferred some of the older tools to the ones she used. Grating sweet potatoes with a large semicylindrical grater, she noted it was "easier to hold than mine at home."
However, one participant surmised, "It must have been back-breaking to have to cook like this on a daily basis." Though the workshop was held on a cool, springlike day, those in charge of frying, baking over the coals or stirring the hominy pot over the fire quickly became flushed.
Daily Press Articles
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Debunking myths on genetics and DNA
Friday, May 11, 2012
Flat tori in 3D
Sorry, I'm joking, let's get serious again.
1. That's very cool.
The flat torus is actually the initial rubber square with the property that as an object moves across the surface of the flat torus, if it hits an edge, it will appear at the opposite edge.
When you convert the flat torus to the "donut" you loose the distances as they stretch. The picture then shows the initial flat torus formed into a 3d structure with the distances (isomorphism) kept intact.
Very neat, thanks for pointing this paper out!
1. Thank you! Wait, I'm a little confused now, can you explain it to me: I thought that by "flat torus" they meant an isometric embedding, hence the square, though it is a flat embedding of the torus, isn't really a flat torus since it doesn't preserve the distances... so maybe one should specify "isometric flat torus"... right?
2. Ooohh... you're saying it's the other way around...
2. Here's a link to the project site that visually shows the flat torus:
So (I think) the problem is going from the flat parallelogram with "identified" edges to a three d representation. Conversely, you could go from that 3d representation of the flat torus (in the picture above) to the flat parallelogram isomorphically.
To put it another way, with this technique you could take a piece of paper (not stretchy), and glue the top and bottom together to get a cylinder. By carefully! corrugating the surface, you could then glue the ends of the paper cylinder together without tearing the paper. I'm not sure if paper would actually allow for the proper "corrugations" in reality, but it is a fun concept.
You can get various packages that make your computer monitor work like a flat torus--your mouse will go to the bottom of the screen when you move it off the top instead of just stopping--just like the old video game Asteroids.
3. Steve, thanks for the link and for the insight, I totally get it now and actually, now that you've pointed this out, I can totally see how it becomes a fractal... way cool! thanks!
4. antisocialbutterflieMay 11, 2012 at 4:49 PM
This is pretty awesome. Spatial puzzles are pretty much part and parcel with my field but we never get to play with cylindrical shapes. It's cool to see the math behind it.
5. "Well, it turns out, there's a famous theorem, the Nash embedding theorem, that states that any Riemannian manifold (replace that with the torus we were talking about) can be isometrically embedded into ^^^^^the^^^^^ Euclidean space."
Change the "the" to "a". It doesn't mean 3-d. The theorem says that for any riemannian manifold there exists a finite "n" such that this manifold can be isometrically embedded in Euclidean n-space. For the flat torus it is 4-d if you want to preserve curvature and C2 surface smoothness. Since surface curvature is not definable in this fractal embedding it seems somewhat presumptuous to call it a *flat* torus. It is a fascinating result though.
1. Done, thank you. I thought the flat torus was the starting surface, then once you embed it it's probably no longer flat since the embedding is a fractal embedding...
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Thursday, 25 February 2016
Fantastic voyage: Research: How bacteria becomes resistant to antibiotics ?
• RNA means:
Ribonucleic acid, a nucleic acid present in all living cells. It principal role to act as a carrying instructions from DNA for controlling the synthesis of proteins, although in some viruses RNA rather than DNA carries the genetic information.
• Development of resistance - Higher tier
The main step in the development of resistance are :
1. Antibiotics kill individual pathogens of the non resistant strain
2. Resistant individual pathogens survive and reproduce
3. The population of the resistant pathogens increases.
The rate of development of resistant of bacteria can be slowed down. One way to do this is to avoid using antibiotics for infections that are not serious, such as mild throat infections.
• As you might think bacterial infections are caused by bacteria, and viral infections are caused by viruses. Perhaps the most important distinction between bacteria and viruses is that antibiotic drugs usually kill bacteria, but they can't effective against viruses.
Giving antibiotic for virus do not work and can resistance if over used but GP are sometimes under pressure by patient to hand over antibiotic.
BBC (2014) GCSE Bitesize: Antibiotic resistance. Available at:
(Accessed 25 February 2016)
Bacterial vs Viral infections: How do they differ? What's the difference between a bacterial infection and a viral infection? (2014) Mayoclinic: Available at:
( Accessed 25 February 2016)
1 comment:
1. Good stuff Dinesh - now have a go at sketching how you think this cycle might look.(Don't worry about designing the 'characters' of the cells/antibiotics etc, just show that you can picture how the cycle works)
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Thursday, October 29, 2009
Various Kinds Of Trademarks
By Margaret Brown
The term trademark stands for certain logos or texts that differentiate the products of one firm from the other. The main objective of trademarks is to make sure that the consumers are not under any confusion with respect to the origin of the product.
A trademark must be unique and remarkably distinct for the customers to identify it easily even amongst a crowd of similar goods in the market. The uniqueness of a trademark can be assessed by placing it in one of the trademark classifications - suggestive, descriptive, generic and arbitrary.
A descriptive mark is representative of the essential quality or some other characteristics of the product like its function or form. However, marks that are descriptive are not as unique as some other marks and therefore, they are not normally capable of being trademarked. however, if the mark has acquired a secondary meaning that is more popular among the consumers, it can be successfully trademarked.
Suggestive marks are indicators towards a certain product feature or quality. However, consumers might have to use their imagination to identify the real relationship between the product and the mark as there is no evident connection between the two. For instance, footwear named 'Hush Puppies' are suggestive of cosy shoes, which make sure that your feet do not become sore. The creative reason behind such a name is that the problem of sore feet is known as 'barking dogs' in certain American states.
Fanciful marks on the other hand have no relationship whatsoever with the any quality or feature of the product. For instance, the use of the mark 'Apple' for computers is entirely disconnected from the product. Similarly, arbitrary marks are those that come from the creative mind of certain people or come from old languages like Latin and Greek.
Finally, generic marks are those that represent a general category of the item such as 'olive oil', and they cannot be granted any protection under trademark laws.
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Saturday, June 27, 2009
The Mathematics of Measurement
We are surrounded by measurement devices. The modern world is abound with instruments providing values for temperature, humidity, weight, time, speed, force, pH, radioactivity, power, height, voltage, current and even our attractiveness to the opposite sex ! It is a naive person indeed who accepts a measurement on face value. Accurate and reliable measurement of any quantity is difficult and errors, whether they be random or systematic, are normal.
For example, if you are told that the temperature of your house is 26.56632 C, a thinking person would ask:
How do you know the value to such accuracy ?
At what time did you take this value and does it vary with time ?
Is the value an average of many values taken from many positions in the house or is taken from a set position in the house ?
If taken from one position, is this value representative of the "house" as a whole ?
If it is an "average" value, how precisely is this average calculated ?
Are there any corrections made for the way the thermometers are distributed in the house ?
For example, if there are ten thermometers in the basement and only one in the front lounge, wouldn't a straight averaging of these values give a distorted figure ?
How much variation is there in the values "averaged" ?
Does this variation in the case of multiple values relate to the position of the measurement or is apparently random ?
Have the thermometers been calibrated against a standard ?
These questions all converge onto two main points: What does the measurement tell us about the system we are studying and how accurate is the measurement ?
Mathematics is highly useful in evaluating many of these issues. For example, statistics can be used to evaluate variation in measurements and calculus can be used to "average" values and quantify variation. Above all, mathematics can ease the hand waving and provide quantifiable answers to these questions.
For example, imagine you are calculating the distance travelled by a trolley moving at constant velocity, using the very simple formulae:
distance (m) = velocity (m) x time (m) or D = V x t
The velocity has been measured as 22.35 m/s and the time has been measured as 10.00 s. What is the error associated with this calculation ?
Given there crude measurement, we can assume that there the random error of the measurement is one half of the last graduation of the device. Simply put, if you are using a mm graduated ruler, we can assume that the error associated with the rule is +/- 0.5 mm. This may not be correct, for example, if my sight is poor the error may become larger or if the graduations on the ruler have been badly printed, this assumption may also be too low. Another possibility is that I incorrectly placed the ruler and introduced a large systematic error (as opposed to the "random" errors I have been discussing) However, without any more information the "half the smallest graduation" principle is a reasonable starting point for our deliberations.
Therefore, in this calculation, we can assume the that the velocity is 22.35 +/- 0.005 m/s and the time was 10.00 +/- 0.005 s.
Method 1.
We know from the fundamental derivation of calculus that dD/dt is approximately equal to (small change in D/small change in t) or more simply put the gradient of the curve at a particular point is approximately equal to the ratio of a small change in the resultant variable to a small change in the independent variable. This principle can be used to approximate the error using the following formulae:
error in D = dD/dt x error in t = V x error in t = 22.35 x 0.005 = 0.11175 m.
Therefore, we have the result of 223.5 +/- 0.1 m. This approach ignores any error in the V value, as it treats the problem as being D = f(t). This would be fine if V was truly constant or the error associated with V was very small compared to that associated with t. This approach is particularly useful when the function is complex (e.g. D = Vcos (t^2)) and other methods are difficult to use.
Method 2.
We estimate the error by calculating the answer using the most pessimistic values and take this answer away from the value calculated without considering the error. In this case:
(22.355 x 10.005) - (22.35-10.00) = 223.66175 - 223.5 = 0.16175m
Therefore, the answer is 223.5 +/- 0.16 m.
Method 3.
It can be shown by a simple proof, that when the errors associated with measurements are relatively small, that when two values are multiplied together, the relative error (absolute error/value) of the new value is the sum of the relative errors of the original values. In our example, this results in:
error in D = D ((error in V/V)+(error in t/t)) = 223.5 ((0.005/22.35)+(0.005/10)) = 0.16175 m
Therefore, the answer is 223.5 +/- 0.16 m.
Clearly, the first method underestimated the error and the results from the final two techniques should be used in this case. This simple example illustrates some of the complexity in determining what a measurement really means and how mathematical approaches are useful and dealing with the complex issues associated with measurement.
Sunday, June 7, 2009
The Business Mathematics Connection
Niall Ferguson's "The Ascent of Money" is a highly entertaining history of business that seeks to explain how business practice has had a profound effect on human history. The title of documentary series is a deliberate pun on the influential BBC TV series "The Ascent of Man" from the 1970s. This series presented a grand overview of the history of human civilisation, in which commerce was barely mentioned, where as Greek mathematics and Galileo's trail by the church were described in great detail. Apparently, a young Niall felt that something was missing and decided that once he had become a world famous economic historian he would have his revenge ! I, for one, enjoyed the pun !
In one episode, Ferguson traced the history of lending, arguing that the fortune generated by the business innovations of the Medici family and other Italian businessman effectively funded the Renaissance. This claim may somewhat under estimate the importance of artistic and scientific ideas but is certainly an effective counterbalance to the traditional dis-taste and dis-interest that many historians have shown towards the influence of commerce on human affairs.
Of particular interest to me, was Ferguson's emphasis on the impact of the introduction of "Arabic" numerals to Europe (which we now know came from India) on the ability for traders to effectively barter and exchange currency and goods. As Ferguson explained, Roman numerals, was practically useless for large commercial transactions and that Southern European traders found the counting systems used by their counterparts from the Muslim world to be far more practical. In this way, business lead a revolution in mathematics.
This link between business and mathematical innovation is profound. The very business of counting in groups of numbers (binary, decimal or duodecimal) is almost certainly linked to the growth trade in the ancient world. The concept of exponential functions is similarly linked to the development of interest calculations and banking practices in the late middle ages. It is also well established that basic concepts of probability and statistics were developed in a business context, in particular, around the complicated calculations of insurance and risk assessment in the 19th century. This interaction between business and mathematical innovation continued in the 20th century with the development of game theory and other techniques of discrete mathematics.
I'm personally not surprised by this profound link. In my own experience in small business, the back and forward of everyday commerce is a fertile ground for innovation and new ideas. The atmosphere is very different from academia, where often new ideas can be squashed by petty snobbery's, ideological positions, intellectual fashions and just plain conservatism. In business, the attitude often is, if it works, than lets use it ! This, of course, means that lots of mediocre ideas also fly but that's part of territory.
I look forward to the next episode of Ferguson's "The Ascent of Money" and learning more about the link between "dirty money" and mathematics !
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Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Treaty of Waitangi
Once there was a country called New Zealand and there were lots of different Maori tribes that lived in peace and harmony. Until the Europeans came and ruined everything with their muskets then all the maori that lived in peace went into war with each other. Some Europeans are cruel and cold blooded but some Europeans are generous and nice and they traded stuff without force. But 100 years ago all Europeans were mean and cold blooded they made the Maori trade lots of food for muskets and guns. When the treaty was signed everything changed Europeans were nicer to Maori.
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TABSTEP is a read-write integer system variable which determines how the TAB key, and the , delimiter in a PRINT statement, work. It contains a value between 0 and 16, inclusive. The default value is 4.
When the TAB button is pressed, the cursor moves to a column which is the next multiple of TABSTEP columns from the left-hand side (unless there is no such column, in which case the cursor will be at the end of the line, but the next character that gets printed will be at the very left of the next line down, with the screen scrolling up if necessary). In particular, if TABSTEP is 0, the TAB key essentially does nothing.
The , delimiter in a PRINT statement uses the value of TABSTEP in a similar way. If the text cursor is at the left of the screen, TABSTEP is 4, and the command PRINT"AB","CDEFG","H" is issued, then the system will print "AB", then two spaces (because the comma will move the cursor to the next multiple of 4), then "CDEFG", then 3 spaces, then "H". If the same command were issued when TABSTEP were 6, then it would print "AB", then 4 spaces, then "CDEFG", then 1 space, then "H". If TABSTEP were 5, it would print 5 spaces after "CDEFG": as long as TABSTEP is positive, a , will always print at least one space character, then the minimum number of extra spaces to bring the cursor to a column that's a multiple. If TABSTEP is 0, then no spaces will be printed: essentially, the , delimiter will work identically to the ; delimiter.
When assigning a value to TABSTEP, the value is rounded down if it is not an integer, then changed to 0 if it is negative or changed to 16 if it is greater than 16.
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Play Online Games! www.Putidea.Info
The Game is Structured Playing, Usually Undertaken for enjoyment and sometimes used as an educational tool. Games are distinct from work, which is usually carried out for remuneration, and from art, which is more often an expression of aesthetic or ideological elements. However, the distinction is not clear-cut, and many games are also considered to be work (such as professional players of spectator sports/games) or art (such as jigsaw puzzles or games involving an artistic layout such as Mahjong, solitaire, or some video games). Online Games From the very earliest days of networked and time-shared computers, online games have been part of the culture. Early commercial systems such as Plato were at least as widely famous for their games as for their strictly educational value. In 1958, Tennis for Two dominated Visitor's Day and drew attention to the oscilloscope at the Brookhaven National Laboratory; during the 1980s, Xerox PARC was known mainly for Maze War, which was offered as a hands-on demo to visitors. Modern online games are played using an Internet connection; some have dedicated client programs, while others require only a web browser. Some simpler browser games appeal to demographic groups (notably women and the middle-aged) that otherwise play very few video games.
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Tuesday, January 16, 2007
Action Worksheets
Action Worksheets
Project Worksheet #1: Selection
Instructions: Write an Action description for your 6 Sigma Action, then evaluate the statement using the criteria below.
Action description:
Action Worksheet #2: Team Charter
Instructions: Use the tables below and on the next page to capture notes for your team’s charter. Not all of the questions may be pertinent to you, but the more questions you can answer, the better off you’ll be.
Time: 15 min.
Suggested questions
to consider Your notes
Action Description
· What problem is the team addressing?
· What problems do customers have with the process output?
Expected Business Results
· What will be the business impact of improving the process?
· How will team members benefit from successful completion of this work?
Scope (Focus and Direction)
· How will the team focus its work? What information will you collect to identify urgent problems?
· What areas are inside and/or outside the work of the team? What are the boundaries (start and end points)?
· What specific parts of the process will you focus on?
Action Worksheet #2: Team Chart, cont.
Suggested questions
to consider Your Notes
Goal and Measure
· What must the team deliver to be successful?
· Does the team goal link to the key performance parameters established by the sector leadership teams?
What is the baseline performance?
· What are the milestones for the Action?
· By when will you be able to complete each phase of the 6 Sigma process?
Team Members
· Who is the team accountable to?
Who is your Sponsor?
· Who is on this team?
· Who can the team turn to for expert guidance?
· Has the process owner been identified?
Required Support
· What additional resources does the team need?
What obstacles does the team see, and how can they be resolved?
Expected Customer Benefits
· How will this Action help the customer of the process?
· Could improvements have a negative impact on the customer?
Action Worksheet #3: Potential Impact
Instructions: Make rough estimates of the impact your Action is likely to have.
Expected improvement
Benefit of that improvement
Expected business impact
Action Worksheet #4: Preliminary Communication Plan
Instructions: Identify some of the people who will be involved in or affected by your Action. Ask them or guess at what their main concerns are and make some preliminary decisions about how you will keep them informed through the Action. Be prepared to discuss your ideas with the class.
Time: 15 min.
(names of people
or groups)
(When and how you
will communicate with them)
Team Leader
(if someone other than yourself)
QF Manager
Other Stakeholders
Action Worksheet #5: SIPOC Analysis
Instructions: Select one process (preferably the one you will be studying) and fill in the table below. You may not need to use every blank—or you may need to add some.
Other Notes:
Action Worksheet #6: VOC Data Collection Plan
Action Worksheet #7: Generating CTC’s
Instructions: Use the blank tree diagram to translate a customer need from your Action to a CTC requirement. Be prepared to discuss your work with the class.
Time: 15 min.
Action Worksheet #8: Data Collection Plan
Action Worksheet #9: Prioritization Matrix
Output Variables
Process/Input Variables
Action Worksheet #10: Time Ordered Data
1. Do you have any data now on your process that you could analyze using a time plot, individuals chart, or X and R Chart?
2. Which chart would be better?
3. What do you think you could learn?
4. What questions do you want to answer where a time plot or individuals chart might help? What data could you collect?
5. Revise your data collection plan, if necessary.
Action Worksheet #11: Other Data
1. Do you have any data now on your process that you could display on a Pareto chart or frequency plot?
2. Which plot would be acceptable? Why?
3. What do you think you could learn?
4. What questions do you want to answer where a frequency plot or Pareto chart might help? What data could you collect?
5. Revise your data collection plan, if necessary.
Action Worksheet #12: Presentation Worksheet
Action Worksheet # 13: DoE Planning
Action Worksheet # 14: Involvement Matrix
Instructions: Use the matrix to help you identify the people who should be involved in developing and implementing solutions.
The matrix above will help you think about who should be involved in the different steps needed to make change a reality, and what level of involvement is appropriate for them. Those you list for the first two rows would be involved in the tasks described in this module.
Action Worksheet # 15: FMEA
FMEA Analysis
Original Date:
Revised Date:
Item or Process Step
Potential Failure Mode
Potential Effect(s) of Failure
Potential Cause(s)
Current Controls
Recomm. Action
and Target Date
“After” Action Taken
Risk Priority Number =
“After” Risk Priority Number =
* S = Severity, O = Occurrence, D = Detection, R = RPN
Action Worksheet # 16: Commitment Planning
Identify the people and systems whose commitment you need.
Identify the level of commitment needed from them in order for the solution to receive a fair test. Put a dot (l) in the box where that group must be.
Estimate where their commitment levels are now. Put an 6 in the box where you think the group would be if they heard about the planned solution today.
• Draw an arrow from the 6 to the l.
• Develop a plan for closing the gap between where they are currently and where you need them to be.
• Create a process to monitor your progress both in obtaining and in keeping that commitment.
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Tuesday, April 30, 2013
What Is State-Sponsored Terrorism?
State-Sponsored Terrorism. State-sponsored terrorism is the active involvement of a foreign government in training, arming, and providing other logistical and intelligence assistance as well as sanctuary to an otherwise autonomous terrorist group for the purpose of carrying out violent acts on behalf of that government against its enemies.
State-sponsored terrorism is, therefore, regarded as a form of surrogate warfare and is a critical aspect to be analyzed, since more than 20 countries are suspected of proliferating nuclear, biological, and
chemical (NBC) weapons technology. However, several things work against state sponsorship in providing WMD to terrorist groups.
These include the prospect of significant reprisals by the US against the state sponsor, the potential inability of the state sponsor to control its surrogate, and the prospect that the surrogate cannot be trusted; even to the point of using the weapon against its sponsor. It is significant that, to date, there is no evidence that any formal link exists between terrorist groups and state-assisted NBC programs.
Related Link:
Terrorist Groups. A terrorist group is defined as a collection of individuals belonging to an autonomous nonstate or subnational revolutionary or antigovernment movement who are dedicated to the use of violence to achieve their objectives. The reasons terrorists may perpetrate a weapons of mass destruction (WMD) attack include a desire to kill as many people as possible “to annihilate their enemies,” to instill fear and panic to undermine a governmental regime, to create a means of negotiating from a position of unsurpassed strength, or to cause great social and economic impact. Such groups are seen as having at least some structure and command and control (C2) apparatus that, no matter how loose or flexible, provides an overall organizational framework and general strategic direction.
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Tutorial 3 - Populate Surface
From TOI-Pedia
The Result of this tutorial
A strong feature of Grasshopper is it's ability to populate surfaces. In this tutorial we will populate a double curved surface with structural triangles. At first we will start making the component, which we will then use to populate the surface.
The Design
Before we start building the grasshopper model we should determine some of its basic properties. In the introduction we already stated that we want to populate a double curved surface with structural triangles. But to study different results we need to have different input. Therefor we need to determine some variables/parameters that will influence the different results.
These variables/parameters could include:
• number of triangles in both directions
• open/closed
• specific shape variations (round corners, etc.)
• etc.
In this tutorial we will try to keep it simple, so we skip the complicating variables (for now).
Building the grasshopper model
Step 1 - Starting the grasshopper model
Create a surface
First of all we need to define the triangles. We do this by creating two triangles on a base surface. So first of all we need this surface. We could use a surface created within Grasshopper, but as this surface is just temporary we use a surface created in Rhino instead.
Surface » Plane » Corner To Corner
The size of the surface does not matter that much, but it is easiest to make it more or less the estimated size of the final triangles that will make the surface.
Create the surface in Grasshopper
Now we start using Grasshopper. In Grasshopper we open a Surface to be able to link to the surface we created in Rhino.
Params » Geometry » Surface
Set the surface created in Rhino
We need to set the surface.
RMB on the surface » select “Set one Surface” and click on the surface we created in Rhino
Decompose the surface into its components
We want to create triangles between the corners of the surface. Therefore we need the data of the corners. We get this data by decomposing the surface.
Surface » Analysis » BRep Components
Connect the two together
By connecting the Surface with the BRep Components we get to see the preview of the surface with its corner points.
The list containing the data of the corner points
Hovering over the V of the BRep Components shows us the list containing the coordinates of the four corner points.
Retrieve a specific item from the list
We need to split the data of the corner points so we can use them individually. To do this we need a List Item. Sets » List » List Item
Connecting the data with the List Item
Connect the data of the BRep Components with the L input of the List Item. We need the four corner points, so we need four List Items. We can just copy and paste the first List Item.
Connecting the data with the List Item
For the four List Items we need to set which item from the list we want. By default it is set to 0, which responds to the first item of the list. For the second, third and fourth List Item we need to change this to respectively 1, 2 and 3.
RMB on the i in the List Item » select “Set Integer” and set to respectively 1, 2 and 3
Creating the Polyline
To create the triangles we will use the Poly Line option.
Curve » Spline » Poly Line
Connecting the Polyline
We connect three of the List Items with the Poly Line to create one of the triangles (after connecting the first, we connect the second and third by holding down the shift key).
To make sure it's a proper triangle we need to take care of the order of connecting the List Items. There is a difference when you pick the points clockwise (negative direction) or counterclockwise (positive direction).
Pick the points clockwise. Later we will explain why.
It might be useful to also visually change the order of the List Items in the Grasshopper window. To close the triangle we need to close the Poly Line.
RMB on the C in the Poly Line » select “Set Boolean” and set to True
Model with the created triangles
Our Grasshopper model should now look something like this.
Step 2 - Shaping up the triangles
Offset the triangles
The triangles are only curves so far, so we want to give them some thickness. First of all we are going to offset the curves.
Curve » Util » Offset
Number Slider for the distance
The Offset will need a distance, so it would be nice to be able to change this distance easily. Especially because we don't know exactly how big everything will be in the end. To change the Offset distance we use a Number Slider.
Params » Input » Number Slider
Three point plane to determine the position of the triangle
Right hand rule
The triangles are going to populate a double curved surface. Thus the plane on which the triangles are positioned should be different for every triangle. To achieve this we have to determine the positioning of the plane.
Create a plane through three points. Use the right hand rule. Your thumb is the Z-axis, make sure it points upwards, your index finger the X-axis and your other fingers is the Y-axis.
Vector » Plane » Plane 3Pt
The actual offset of the triangles
For each triangle we use a Plane 3Pt and an Offset. The distance for the offset is the same for both triangles so we use one Number slider that connects to both Offsets. For the Plane 3Pt we use the three corner points of the triangle and use its output to determine the direction of the Offset. With the Plane 3Pt we need to take care with the order of the input, because it influences the direction of the offset.
As you remember you made the triangles with a closed polyline in clockwise (negative) direction on a global coordinate system with Z-axis up. With Plane 3Pt you created a local coordinate system with Z-axis up.
With this knowledge a positive offset on a postive closed lines would be in outer direction. And a positive offset on a negative closed lines would be in inner direction.
Planar surface
We will use a planar surface to actually create the face of the triangle.
Surface » Freeform » Planar Srf
Connecting the triangles to the Planar Srf
We want to make a planar surface between the original triangle curve and the offset curve, therefore we connect both to the Planar Srf.
Problem with the Planar Srf
There is only one problem. Instead of making one surface between the two curves, it makes two surfaces. This has to do with the data streams (more on data streams later). Grasshopper data works in a very hierarchical way and if components are not in the same hierarchy-layer they will not work together.
Flattening the data
By flattening the data we more or less flatten the hierarchy. This makes sure the components are in the same hierarchy-layer and therefore they can work together.
RMB on the E of the Planar Srf » click on “Flatten”
Flattening the data
Now the triangles are how we want them. The component to populate the surface with is now ready.
Step 3 - Populating the surface
Curves to create a surface
Now all we need is a Surface to populate the triangles onto. We can do this in many different ways, but in this example we start with drawing three curves in Rhino. Curve » Free-Form » Interpolate Points
Curve component
In Grasshopper we create a Curve component.
Params » Geometry » Curve
Linking the Rhino curves to the Curve component
We link the curves we drew in Rhino to the Grasshopper Curve component.
RMB on the Curve » click on “Set Multiple Curves” and select the curves top to bottom
Loft component
We are going to create a lofted surface through the curves.
Surface » Freeform » Loft
Connecting the curves to the Loft
We connect the curves to the Loft component.
Creating an Isotrim
Next step is to divide the surface we created by doing an Isotrim.
Surface » Util » Isotrim
Adding a Divide Domain2
Isotrim needs input values with the actual number of divisions. An easy way to achieve that is to use Divide Domain2.
Math » Domain » Divide Domain2
The finished divided surface
The Grasshopper model of the divide surface is complemented with two sliders to control the subdivisions.
The finished divided surface
The surface now looks more or less like this.
The finished divided surface
The interesting part is the output of the Isotrim component. If we look closely we see that its a list of surfaces.
The finished divided surface
Our original triangles had a surface as input, so all we have to do is connect the output of the Isotrim with the input of the triangle and it will populate the surface with the triangles. The sliders give us the opportunity to adjust some variables and therefore study several design alternatives. Changing the input curves of the surface also gives us this opportunity.
Plane chaos
If your result is looking like the image at the right, don't think you did anything wrong immediately. The messy grey geometry you see are the planes generated by the plane3pt component. You can change the size of the planes by going to the display tap of grasshopper in the top. Then click on the plane radius button and change it to a lower value till it looks fine. You can also just turn the planes off by right clicking on the plane3pt components and unclick preview.
Plane radius reduced
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Hugo Junkers (1859 - 1935)
Hugo Junkers
Hugo Junkers (source: Bundesarchiv, picture 183-1985-0529-541, photografer: unknown)
Hugo Junkers (1859–1935) was a German engineer and businessman. In 1919, he founded the Junkers works in Dessau, where the first all-metal airliner, the Junkers F 13, was built. Another model, the Ju 52, also went into serial production and became the most widely produced airliner in the world at the time. Junkers also established the airline Junkers Luftverkehr, which subsequently merged with Deutsche Aero Lloyd to create Deutsche Luft Hansa. Junkers was dispossessed by the Nazis. The Junkers works were transformed into a major arms company against his will.
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Sentence Examples
• Some require that the voter shall be able to read and understand the Constitution.
• There was a guy who'd give you the money and tell you the name of the voter you were supposed to be.
• There was as yet no secret ballot to set the voter free.
• The town voter being mainly British, the bill met with the bitter opposition of the Bond members, who declared that its object was the extinction of their parliamentary power.
• The constitution requires that a voter must (in addition to other qualifications) either be able to show conclusively ability to read and write, or be the owner of property within the state assessed at not less than $300, on which, if personalty, all taxes are paid.
How would you define voter? Add your definition here.
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How Many Settlers Are There?
In Netanyahu’s speech to the US Congress in January, he quoted that 650,000 Israelis live beyond the 1967 lines. This probably refers to Israelis in East Jerusalem and the Golan Heights in addition to the West Bank. But where did this figure come from?
Recently a member of the Knesset published the updated number of settlers in the West Bank as 350,000 – “not including the 330,000 Israelis in East Jerusalem”. However, according to the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS), the number of settlers is no higher than 330,000 in the West Bank and 200,000 in East Jerusalem.
The two main bodies that publish the number of settlers are the Israeli CBS and the Ministry of Interior. The CBS arrives at this figure through a census every several years. For every non-census year, they estimate the number of people in settlements using statistical indicators. The Ministry of Interior neither conducts a census nor estimates using statistics. They arrive at their figure using the registration of Israeli citizens based upon their stated address, regardless of where they presently reside.
People who are able to claim residence in the settlements have strong incentives to do so regardless of their actual place of residence. For this reason, Peace Now believes that the CBS figure more accurately reflects the number of Israelis actually living in settlements.
In East Jerusalem the figures are even less clear because the official data usually reflects the number of Israelis in Jerusalem as a whole (West and East Jerusalem) and the numbers of people living in neighborhoods that were built beyond the Green Line are harder to parse out from the Central Bureau of Statistics data. Based upon data available from the CBS, Peace Now estimates that there are between 190,000-200,000 Israelis living in East Jerusalem. The previously mentioned 330,000 figure from the member of the Knesset is unlikely to be from either the Ministry of Interior or the CBS.
The Central Bureau of Statistics expects to release its data on the population of each settlement through the end of 2011 by mid-September.
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World Hemophilia Day : Useful Tips For Hemophilia Survivors
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There are quite a number of afflictions that affect humans in varying degrees of seriousness.
Many of the disorders come with a known cure and are easily treatable, whereas others are not curable, but their symptoms could be controlled.
Curable or not, a disease is a disease and it hampers a person's life to a great extent.
Haemophilia is one such genetic condition that is very serious. This is a blood-related disorder, in which the blood cells lose their ability to clot, resulting in excessive bleeding and thinning of the blood.
Unfortunately, there is no cure for this disorder, but with healthy lifestyle changes and precaution, its symptoms can be treated effectively.
Some of the symptoms of Haemophilia include excessive bleeding, internal bleeding, patient getting bruised easily, nose bleeds, swollen joints, wounds that do not heal normally, etc.
Haemophilia is a serious disorder that requires medical attention. The treatment for this genetic disorder includes platelets infusion through regular blood transfusions, oral medications that aid in normal blood clotting, medications to control bleeding, etc.
On the occasion of the World Haemophilia Day (April 17th), let us see how Haemophilia survivors can improve the quality of their lives by following certain tips.
Tip 1:
A patient suffering from Haemophilia must maintain a healthy body weight, as it helps him/her to remain healthier and reduce the risk of other diseases, which may complicate matters further. Being overweight or underweight is not advisable.
Tip 2:
Maintain a fitness routine, which ranges from light to moderate, after consulting with your physician about it. Indulging in intense physical workouts may not be a good idea, as the risk of getting bruised or wounded is much higher.
Tip 3:
Avoid foods that are high in saturated fats and calories, as they take longer to digest and use up a lot of energy and lead to digestive problems. It is essential for the patients to remain energised as much as possible.
Tip 4:
Try to consume foods that are rich in vitamin K, as this vitamin is rich in a chemical called prothrombin, which aids in the normal blood clotting functionality. Foods like spinach, oats, broccoli, soybeans, whole wheat bread, etc, are known to be packed with vitamin K.
Tip 5:
Doctors advice Haemophilia survivors to consume foods that are rich in calcium, or take calcium supplements, as calcium is known to aid in the platelet formation and blood clotting, along with strengthening the bones. Dairy products, soy milk, etc, can be made a part of the patient's diet.
Tip 6:
Foods rich in vitamin C can also be added to the diet, as vitamin C helps in making the immune system more strong, thereby making the patient less susceptible to other diseases like common cold, flu, allergies, etc, which may aggravate Haemophilia symptoms. Fruits such as orange, pineapple, strawberries, grapes, etc, are rich in vitamin C.
Tip 7:
Another important nutrient that can be made a crucial part of the patient's diet is iron. Iron is the main element that promotes the production of healthy red blood cells and haemoglobin, which is necessary to treat blood disorders. Meat, fish, legumes, nuts, etc, are rich in iron content.
Tip 8:
Maintain an 'Infusion Log', in which the patient records the time and date of the last blood/platelet infusion, so that it becomes easier for him/her to plan the next one. A note on the amount of blood transferred, medications taken, etc, can also be included.
Tip 9:
Make sure that the patient does not have to deal with the disorder alone. The support of friends and family members is important during such times. The patients could be prone to depression, so it is crucial to make them feel loved.
Read more about: health, disorder, wellness
Story first published: Sunday, April 17, 2016, 6:00 [IST]
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drunk terms
Drunk Definitions Differ by Groups and Gender: Alcohol Abuse Research Shows that Diagnoses Complicated by Terms
Medical professionals assessing a patient’s level of alcohol usage may be mislead by differing terminology to define drunk or state of inebriation.
Medical professionals who are trying to ascertain the level of a patient’s alcohol use or abuse may be misled by differences in language and terminology, which varies between social groups and by gender. It is common for drinkers to mislead their doctor about how much they drink by using confusing language. Alcoholics may mislead doctors intentionally, but there may misunderstandings between doctor and patient because of differences in definitions of alcohol usage.
University of Missouri Study
The University of Missouri has issued a press release reporting on research which will be published in the Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research, currently available at Early View.
Alcohol’s effects described by drinkers can be very different from the terminology used by alcohol researchers, limiting the researchers’ understanding of self-reported alcohol use. The report states that new findings show that researchers could benefit by tapping into the wide spectrum of terms that drinkers may use to describe levels of intoxication. Terms also vary by gender, so researchers should study gender differences in reporting as well.
Researchers may ask how often a subject drinks to intoxication. Intoxication is perceived differently by different people. Drunk is the oldest English term to describe intoxication, but the word is used to describe varied levels of drunkenness. Drunk may reflect a level of intoxication anywhere between moderate to heavy intoxication.
According to Ash Levitt, a graduate student in the Department of Psychological Sciences at the University ofMissouri and the corresponding author of the study, “Humans have developed a rich and diverse vocabulary of intoxication-related slang to describe the subjective states that are experienced while drinking.”
Levitt went on to state that men tend to use heavy intoxication words more than woman. Men are more likely to describe a drunken state as hammered or wasted. Women may be more likely to call themselves tipsy, underplaying their drunkenness.
Women’s tendency to underplay their level of intoxication can have profound health and social implications. Women who perceive themselves as the relatively benign tipsy may actually be binge drinking.
Effective Communication Helps Assess Alcohol Abuse
Alcohol abuse is a complicated issue with implications that can affect a patient’s health, mortality, psychology and social circle. Medical professionals may be better able to access the level of a potential problem by learning to communicate effectively with patients. Effective communication includes developing listening skills and understanding the language and terminology being used by the patient.
Patients can also help to bridge the communication gap by asking the doctor or medical professional to define a term before answering a question. Although it is in the patient’s own best interest to answer questions honestly, it is up to the medical professional to ask questions about alcohol use in a clear, easy to understand manner.
Findings of the study can help clinicians improve assessments and interventions by helping medical professionals use understand the patient’s terminology.
Drunk Words
The Merriam-Webster Online Thesaurus defines Drunk as being under the influence of alcohol.
• Drunken
• High
• Inebriate
• Inebriated
• Intoxicated
• Loaded
• Soused
• Tipsy
Related Words
• Maudlin
• Befuddled
• Stupefied
• Debauched
• Dissipated
• Dissolute.
Researchers at University of Missouri used a web based approach to survey university undergraduates from age 17 to 24 years olds. There were 73 males and 72 females in the study. The study was funded by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.
Do Breastfeeding and Alcohol Mix?
Breastfeeding is very beneficial to both a mother and her child. It is difficult for some mothers to stick to breastfeeding with all of the rules and restrictions that they feel they must follow. Many mothers believe that they must avoid alcohol completely while breastfeeding. This is untrue. Although alcohol passes into breast milk and can affect the baby, mothers can take some steps to consume alcohol safely without ending the breastfeeding relationship.
How Much Alcohol Passes Through Breast Milk?
When nursing mothers consume alcohol, it is thought that less than two percent of the alcohol passes into her breast milk. A mother can safely consume up to two drinks and have the alcohol leave her breast milk within two to three hours. Drinking any more than that would take a longer period of time for it to clear out of the mother’s milk. Within this time, mothers are recommended not to breastfeed.
The Effects of Alcohol on Breast Milk and Breastfeeding Infants
Contrary to popular belief, alcohol does not stimulate milk production. Many mothers are told that they should drink beer if they’d like to produce more milk, but this is simply not true. Furthermore, mothers who drink alcohol on a daily basis tend to have babies who gain weight poorly.
Babies of mothers who drink daily may also have slowed motor development and poor sleep-wake patterns. Alcohol may also change the taste of breast milk, causing infants to nurse less often. This can result in a drop in the mother’s milk supply.
How Nursing Mothers can Safely Consume Alcohol
Mothers who wish to drink should be careful to avoid any poor effects to their breast milk or their child. It is recommended that mothers avoid alcohol altogether in the first three months after giving birth, as the livers of young babies have a hard time processing any alcohol that may be in breast milk.
If a nursing mom is planning to drink, she should pump ahead of time so that she has something else to offer should her baby become hungry. Breastfeeding should be avoided until the mother has sobered up. Sticking to only two drinks can help a mother to sober up quickly and be able to attend to her infant.
Some companies have created a milk screening test, which uses a dip stick to test alcohol levels in a mother’s milk. This can be helpful if a mother wants to be extremely careful and not risk her infant consuming any alcohol.
In summary, it is important that nursing mothers don’t get into a habit of drinking daily, but it can be done without harm on occasion. As long as the baby is not nursed while alcohol is present in the breast milk, there will be no harmful effects to mother or baby.
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Sunday Age, January 16, 2011
LAST week, two leading US agencies, NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, reported that 2010 was the wettest year on record. It was also a hot year, tying with 2005 as the hottest since data collection began in 1880.
The Queensland floods are the latest in a list of remarkable weather events over the past year. Victorian towns are also going through less dramatic, but still serious, flooding. There have also been snowstorms in the US and Europe, heatwaves and fires in Russia, and catastrophic floods in Pakistan, China and Brazil.
Calls have begun for the Queensland government to conduct a royal commission into the floods, similar in scope to Victoria's Bushfires Royal Commission. The Victorian inquiry examined the circumstances of the 2009 Black Saturday bushfires, including the impact of climate change. Climate scientists were disappointed its report did not sufficiently emphasise the unique weather contributing to the disaster. Victoria had never had three consecutive days above 42 degrees until January 2009, when there were three above 43 degrees. The heatwave is believed to be responsible for 500 deaths in Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania, but was largely forgotten after the tragic fires.
Australian weather is believed to be particularly sensitive to climate change. Like Victoria's fires, floods are part of a natural cycle. La Nina, the periodic oceanic cooling phenomenon, is far more directly to blame for the weather Australia is now experiencing. But it would be shortsighted not to take into account the role of global warming in these catastrophes.
Professor David Karoly, from Melbourne University's School of Earth Sciences, says while individual events cannot be attributed to climate change, the extreme weather patterns are in line with scientific predictions that a warmer world will mean more severe droughts, more fires and flooding rains.
So far, our political leaders have postponed making difficult decisions about the need to tackle climate change - such as setting a carbon price - because of fears they will be punished by a sceptical electorate. A great effort is required, with no immediate return guaranteed. More investment and better planning are necessary (in public transport, in alternative forms of energy and to compensate low-income earners when energy prices rise) to take into account the effects of drought, floods and rising sea levels.
The band of environmentally aware voters is growing; the major parties can make gains by tackling their legitimate concerns. Prime Minister Julia Gillard has promised that 2011 will be a year of action - it is to be hoped this is not mere rhetoric. Opposition Leader Tony Abbott has advanced his party's fortunes by opposing any carbon mitigation measures proposed so far. In the immediate future it is likely he will continue with this course. But it is difficult to see how such an approach will be sustainable over the longer term as more Australians feel the impact of extreme weather and ask what they can do to turn the tide.
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Template:SRD Template:Monster
This section provides statistics and basic information for many common kinds of mundane animals. These creatures generally operate on instinct, driven by simple needs such as food and reproduction. Most animals, even predators, do not attack unless they or their young are threatened.
Animals are not capable of detailed reasoning, although with the Handle Animal skill it is possible to tame an animal and teach it to perform certain tricks.
Some herbivorous animals do not normally use their natural weapons to attack. As such, their natural weapons are treated as secondary attacks. The animal’s attack and damage entries note this fact, with an explanatory footnote.
Animal TraitsEdit
• Low-light vision.
• Alignment: Always neutral. Animals are not governed by a human sense of morality.
• Treasure: None. Animals never possess treasure.
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Thursday, August 12, 2010
Nature Journal: Sunbathing Cliff Swallows
Cliff Swallows sunbathing on a roof, Jackson Bottom Wetlands Preserve, Hillsboro, Oregon on 7 July 2010 by Greg Gillson.
We had a rather cool and wet spring. Thus, when it finally warmed up just after Independence Day [Editor's note to visitors: it always rains on all holidays in western Oregon.], I went out on the trails at Jackson Bottom one hot morning and found these Cliff Swallows sprawled out and panting on the roof of this wildlife viewing stand.
I got out my trusty reference guide, The Audubon Encyclopedia of North American Birds (1980) by John Terres.
It turns out all sorts of birds sunbathe, fluffing up their feathers and panting. Some take it to the extreme by flopping their wings forward wildly, gasping for air, while lying prostrate.
That seemed to be the case for the birds observed here, many of which were in a dusky juvenal plumage.
Why do they do it?
Terres' sources indicate that sunbathing benefits birds in several possible ways. Heat is absorbed (they were just cold and wanted to warm up); Vitamin D is produced; skin and feather parasites may move off the back and to a place where the birds can remove them. Some birds apparently sunbathe during the time of molt--perhaps it stops the skin from itching?
1 comment:
1. What interesting writing and the image is very nice!. I recently posted Yellow-Shafted Flickers sunbathing. They all but turned on their sides, great stuff~
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Allergy/Dietary Support
Food allergies and dietary restrictions are often a primary concern for families when selecting their child’s early education experience. Somerset Academy makes every effort to support these children in our classroom environment. In addition to required CPR/First Aid training, staff are knowledgeable in administering medications such as an EpiPen or Auvi-Q.
Somerset Academy is a NUT restricted environment.
1. What types of food allergies frequently appear in the programs at Somerset?
We have had experience with children who have mild to severe allergies with the following foods but not limited to: peanut, tree nut, dairy, eggs, sesame, wheat, oats, certain fruits and vegetables.
2. What foods are typically served at snack time?
Somerset Academy provides the food and drink served at snack each day. This consists of water, apple juice (diluted 50% with water) and acceptable fruits and vegetables.
3. How are staff kept aware of food allergies?
Both our registration form and emergency cards have areas for parents to list/indicate their child’s specific allergies. This information is then documented on a posted form and kept in the classroom for easy reference by session throughout the week. Allergies are also indicated on the sign in sheets. When necessary, parents are contacted for clarification regarding any allergy. Ingredient lists are also referenced for packaged items.
4. What about dietary restrictions for those children who are vegetarians?
We respect the needs of all families choosing to be vegetarian. Meat and gelatin products are never offered as a snack item.
5. Are you inclusive of children with special medical needs?
Medical concerns are assessed on an individual basis with each family and every effort is made to support.
6. How are medications kept safe and out of the reach of children?
Medications are provided by each family for their child. All medication must be kept in their original container. Each child’s medications are kept in separate pouches and all pouches are kept in an insulated locked bag. Parents must sign a medical permission form, allowing staff to administer medication to their child. Staff are knowledgeable in the practice of the 5 Rights: that the (1) right child is given the (2) right medication in the (3) right dosage at the (4) right time in the (5) right method.
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Continuously nutrition pieces of your minds and health must follow.
Thursday, October 15, 2015
Babelon (Babylon): Facts, Figurings & Family Matters
Unity Consciousness #511
1. Chaldeans near the Euphrates River could not have been called Babylonians because the Tower Of Babel had not been built. The Chaldeans who moved into Shinar and originated the Tower of Babel, were the first Babelonians.
2. The Babelonians did not call themselves Babelonians. Who would call themselves “people of confounded language?”
3. Depending on word choice , Babylonians could also be called Babelians, Babelonians, Shinarians, Bavelim, Babelim, Shinarim, Babelites, Shinarites, Kushites/Cushites, Ethiopians, Elamites, Persians, Assyrians, Akkadians/Accadians, Sumerians, Samarians, Kemetians/Egyptians, Canaanites, Amorites, Noahites, Jews and Israelites. This again tells us Jeshua (Jesus) was in no ways Cro-Magnon white or half-white Semite of any type. See UC459.
4. If the CJB word “Bavel” is translated to the KJV as “Babel” and also as “Babylon” then the Tower of Babel is also the Tower of Babylon is also the Tower of Shinar.
5. The name Babelonian must apply to all the children of Noah who were present in the building of the Tower Of Babel.
Based on these bibles, all people who speak languages different from the original language are Babelonians. By virtue of our languages, our ancestors must have been present in Shinar at the Tower of Babel in order for us to have these different languages today.
6. Somewhere along the way, Nimrod and the Babelonians expanded their territory. These bibles say so. This expansion surely continued westward to the west side of the Jordan River. The lands on both sides of the Jordan (between Euphrates & River Egypt) became known as Canaan*** but was first part of Babelonia. Nimrod is 4 generations from Noah. Jacob Israel is 12 generations from Noah. We should now be able to imagine how many Babelonians there were before Jacob Israel came onto the scene.
7. As generation after generation start referring to themselves by different names, it's clear how memory loss of our connecting place occurs. Connections are also lost when family names are based on first names instead of surnames. Of course every person is going to have a different first name. As a result, throughout these bibles, children from the same parents are given family names based on their first names and thus memory of their interrelation and interconnection is lost.
8. It's also clear how the descendants of Babelonians came to consider Canaan as a promised land flowing with milk and honey. If bible manipulators had possessed the memory of where they came from, they would have known Chaldean Mesopotamia and the Hapi River Valley had more milk and honey. Since neither of these areas are acknowledged as being of promise, it is clear that bibles in the form distributed to the masses are a lower self attempt by eternal prodigal sons and daughters to override the ancestors while riding ancestral shoulders to survive.
9. It is clear that bible manipulators did not choose the Hapi River Valley or Euphrates/Tigris River Valley as land being promised to them because these vibrant areas were far too deep and rich in history. It is much easier to superimpose and insert self into Canaan and lay claim to Canaan because Canaan was a frontier, relatively speaking. Of course Canaan was not an unoccupied undeveloped frontier literally because these bibles still had to create justification for killing a bunch of folks and destroying their cultures in order to get land promised by God. Good Grief!
10. Another reason bible manipulators did not choose other more abundance-producing locations is due to their limited knowledge of the world geographically and their limited mobility on the wide waters. These factors forced the manipulators to cast their lot where they were. In doing so, these Semites had to overcome another major limitation – their birthright. Birthright determines inheritance and rulership. The Jacob Israelites fall way down the line in order of birth as a people. Their birthright falls after the Egyptians, after the Chaldeans and after the Babelonians and after so many others such as Japheth, Ham, Ishmael and Esau. Stealing birthright, by any means necessary is a constant theme in Hebrew-Catholic-Christian bibles. Stealing birthright was the only way for the Jacob Israelites to move to the front of the line as the chosen people and then for Judah to leapfrog three people. This theft started in story of the first family, the Adam family.** (UC471)
11. When Babelonia became Canaan, some family names were included as being a Canaanite and others were left out. Those who were left our were assigned to other groups or remained as a group of their own. The Assyrians are one such group.
12. Part of the land called Canaan used to be called Shinar. Most of Canaan was likely inhabited by Babelonians and their African kinfolk who were still migrating out of Africa across the large peninsula connecting Lower Egypt in Africa to Asia.
13. According to some bibles, people who came from the one and only family tree lineage of Noah were told to scatter and multiply, yet these same believers won't openly admit we are all relatives from one human family biblically, scientifically and historically.
14. The biblical approach to understanding covers an extremely small portion of history and involves dealing with details that have been dishonestly assembled. All bibles should come with the warning:
"Complete Disassembly Required, Then Reassembly Required With Other Components. Other Components Told Separately.”
15. The biblical approach cuts us off from the majority of our ancestors in the African nucleus of circle Earth.
16. One of the biggest snow jobs on record has a historical fictional actual epicenter in western Asia.
17. One of the biggest okie dokes is historical truth of original spirit within matter, female within male and sun within snow.
CJB Words Become KJV Words:
H:Bavel becomes Babel and Babylon
H:men of Bavel becomes Babylonians
H:Bavlim becomes Babylonians
*From the south end of the Dead Sea to the north end of the Sea of Galilee.
**Adam is a surname per Genesis 5:2. Thus their names are Eve Adam & Mr. Adam since the man's name is not given.
***The term Canaanite has two meanings: (1) descendants of Canaan, the person; and (2) people in the land called Canaan. These people are Canaanites in this sense even though not descendants of Canaan. The Philistines are Canaanites but not descendants of Canaan.
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Joyeuse: The Legendary Sword of Charlemagne
Joyeuse: The Legendary Sword of Charlemagne
(Read the article on one page)
The sword of Joyeuse, which today sits in the Louvre Museum, is one of the most famous swords in history. Historical records link the sword to Charlemagne the Great, King of the Franks. If it did indeed belong to the famous king, who reigned some 1,200 years ago, the sword of Joyeuse would have been used in countless coronation ceremonies, and is tied with ancient myth and legend ascribing it with magical powers.
The story begins in the year 802 AD. Legend states that the sword of Joyeuse, meaning “joyful” in French, was forged by the famous blacksmith Galas, and took three years to complete. The sword was described as having magical powers associated with it. It was said to have been so bright that it could outshine the sun and blind its wielder's enemies in battle, and any person who wielded the legendary sword could not be poisoned. The Emperor Charlemagne, coming back from Spain was said to have set up camp in the region and acquired the sword.
The finely crafted Joyeuse sword
The finely crafted Joyeuse sword ( Wikimedia Commons )
Charlemagne (742-814 AD), who was also known as Charles the Great, was king of the Franks and Christian emperor of the West. He did much to define the shape and character of medieval Europe and presided over the Carolingian Renaissance. After the fall of the Roman Empire, he was the first to reunite Western Europe. He ruled a vast kingdom that encompassed what is now France, Germany, Italy, Austria, and the Low Countries, consolidating Christianity through his vast empire through forced conversions. His military ‘accomplishments’ frequently involved extreme brutality, such as the beheading of more than 2,500 Frankish and Saxon village chiefs.
The coronation of Charlemagne by Raphael, c 1515,
The coronation of Charlemagne by Raphael, c 1515, ( Wikimedia Commons )
The 11 th century Song of Roland, an epic poem based on the Battle of Roncevaux in 778, describes Charlemagne riding into battle with Joyeuse by his side:
One day, during battle, Charlemagne allegedly lost Joyeuse, and promised a reward for anyone who could find it. After several attempts, one of his soldiers brought it to him and Charlemagne kept his promise by saying, “ Here will be built an estate of which you will be the lord and master, and your descendants will take the name of my wonderful sword: Joyeuse.” Charlemagne is said to have planted his sword in the ground to mark the point where the town would be built. According to the story, this is the origin of the French town of Joyeuse in Ardèche, which was founded on that spot and named in honor of the sword.
The town of Joyeuse in Ardèche, France
The town of Joyeuse in Ardèche, France ( Wikimedia Commons )
There are no historical records to say what happened to the sword Joyeuse after the death of Charlemagne. However, in 1270AD, a sword identified as Joyeuse was used at the coronation ceremony of French King Philip the Bold, which was held in Reims Cathedral, France, and many kings after that. The sword was kept in the nearby monastery in Saint-Denis, a burial place for French kings, where it remained under the protection of the monks until at least 1505.
Joyeuse was moved to the Louvre on December 5, 1793 following the French Revolution. It was last used by a French king in 1824 with the crowning of Charles X and is the only known sword to have served as the coronation sword of the Kings of France.
King Louis XIV with Joyeuse by Hyacinthe Rigaud, 1701.
King Louis XIV with Joyeuse by Hyacinthe Rigaud, 1701. ( Wikimedia Commons )
Today, the Joyeuse is preserved as a composite of various parts added over the centuries of use as coronation sword. The blade is characteristic of the Oakeshott Style XII, which features a broad, flat, evenly tapering blade. The pommel (top fitting) of the sword dates from the 10 th and 11 th centuries, the cross to the second half of the 12 th century, and the grip to the 13 th century.
The grip once featured a fleur-de-lis, but was removed for the coronation of Napoleon I in 1804. Two dragons form the cross section and their eyes are of lapis lazuli. The scabbard, also modified, has a velvet sheath embroidered with fleur-de-lis and was added for the coronation of Charles X in 1824. Both sides of the pommel are decorated with a repoussé motif representing birds affrontee, similar to Scandinavian ornaments of the 10 th and 11 th centuries. The two cross-guards, in the form of stylized winged dragon figures, can be dated to the 12 th century. The gold spindle, covered with a diamond net pattern, is believed to be from the 13 th or 14 th century.
Pretty awesome to see it in Old paintings so long ago, with a king and it is considerably older than that, But then there it Sits ! Right in front of all future generations to see, see a true survivor of history, that has served and probably killed, so many :) Cool story !
I don't see the sword in the Raphael painting though. :(
It should be there !
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In a desperate attempt to maintain the safety and security of an Austrian chimp, animal rights activists are fighting to get the animal declared a “person” to ensure that his needs are met. The 26-year-old chimpanzee named Matthew Hiasl Pan was denied the title of person by a lower court so the Association Against Animal Factories in Vienna are heading for the Supreme Court in order to win their case.Â
The association is worried that the shelter caring for the chimp might close due to lack of funds, and by declaring Pan, as he is called, a person, it will ensure that he will be given the right to a guardian who can look out for him. This dispute began in Februrary when the animal shelter filed for bankruptcy protection. Pan and Rosi, another chimpanzee have lived in the shelter for 25 after they were captured as babies in Sierra Leone in 1982 and smuggled to Austria to be used in pharmaceutical experiments. The shelter rescued the chimps from animal cruelty and have been taking care of them ever since.
The shelter costs 4,800 euros or about $6,800 a month to run. Donors are willing to help support the shelter, but Austrian law states that only a person can receive personal gifts. Pan’s life expectancy is about 60 years which makes caring for him a long term commitment. In April, a British woman petitioned to be declared Pan’s guardian, but this was rejected by a district court judge because the animal was neither mentally impaired or in danger.
In dismissing the shelter’s appeal this week, the court said that only a guardian could appeal, though this cannot apply since Pan was not permitted to have a guardian. The shelter says that declaring him a person is not the same as declaring him human. In declaring him a person, it recognizes that the animal has the right to be taken care of. Â
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Arab Americans
by Nabeel Abraham
Acculturation and Assimilation
Some basic Arabic greetings include: marhaba ("mar-ha-ba")hello, and its response ahlen ("ahlen")welcome (colloquial greetings in Lebanese, Syrian, Palestinian, and Jordanian dialects). Egyptians would say: Azayyak ("az-zay-yak")How are you? and its response quwayyas ("qu-whey-yes") fine. A more formal greeting, readily understood throughout the Arabic-speaking world is: asalaam 'a laykum ("a-sa-lamb ah-laykum")greetings, peace be upon you. The proper response is wa 'a laykum asalaam ("wa-ah-laykum a-sa-lamb")and peace be upon you, too.
Family and Community Dynamics
Arab Muslims are nominally divided between Sunni and Shiite (Shia ), the two major branches of Islam. The schism dates to an early conflict in Islam over the succession of the Caliphate leaderof the religious community following the death of the Prophet Muhammad. The Sunni faction won out, eliminating leaders of the opposing faction lead by the Prophet's nephew, Ali, and his sons. Ali's followers came to be known as the Shia the partisans. Over time the Shiites developed some unique theological doctrines and other trappings of a distinct sect, although to Sunnis, the differences appear inconsequential. The majority of Arab American Muslims are Sunni. Arab Shiite Muslims are mostly from Lebanon and Iraq, as well as northern Yemen.
Employment and Economic Traditions
Politics and Government
Individual and Group Contributions
Among the many Arab American academics, Edward W. Said (1935 ) stands out as a world-class intellectual. Born in Jerusalem, Palestine, and educated at Princeton and Harvard universities, Said has achieved international renown as a scholar in the fields of literary criticism and comparative literature.
In the entertainment field several Arab Americans have achieved celebrity status, including singers Paul Anka (1941 ) and Paula Abdul (1962 ), actors Danny Thomas (1914-1991), Marlo Thomas (1938 ), Vic Tayback (1930-1990), and Oscar winner F. Murray Abraham (1939 ). Musicians include "Tiny Tim" (Herbert Khaury; 1922-1996) the ukelele-strumming, falsetto singer; surf guitarist Dick Dale (b. late 1930s); singer Tiffany (Tiffany Renee Darwish; 1972 ); musician Frank Zappa (1940-1993); and G.E. Smith, former guitarist for the Saturday Night Live Band and frequent collaborator with musician Bob Dylan.
Arab Americans abound in the television and film industries. Jamie Farr (1934 ) portrayed cross-dressing Corporal Klinger on the hit television sitcom M*A*S*H*, and Moustapha Akkad produced the blockbuster Halloween thrillers. Khrystyne Haje starred on the television sitcom Head of the Class and was picked as one of the 50 most beautiful persons in the United States by People Magazine. Amy Yasbeck (1962 ) and Tony Shalhoub (1953 ) have become recognizable faces due to their work on the popular television sitcom Wings. On the show, Yasbeck played the lustful, money-hungry Casey Chapel while Shalhoub portrayed Antonio Scarpacci, a lonely taxi driver. Shalhoub has also won acclaim for his roles in such films as Barton Fink, Big Night, A Life Less Ordinary, and Men in Black. No list of Arab American entertainers would be complete without mention of Casey Kasem (1933 ), the popular radio personality who grew up in Detroit. Kathy Najimy (1957 ) is an award-winning comic actor who played a nun in the movie Sister Act. Mario Kassar (1952 ) is the head of Carolco Pictures, which helped make Rocky, Rambo, and the Terminator films.
Joseph Abboud (1950 ) is the winner of several prestigious design awards.
A number of Arab Americans have played prominent roles in government at the federal level. The first Arab American to be elected to the U.S. Senate was James Abourezk (1931 ) of South Dakota. Abourezk earned a reputation as a fighter for Native American and other minority rights while in Congress. Current Senate majority leader, George Mitchell, Democrat from Maine (1933 ) is the offspring of a Lebanese mother and an Irish father. The most prominent Arab American woman in national government is Donna Shalala (1941 ). Prior to her appointment to a cabinet post as Secretary of Health and Human Services in the Clinton Administration, Shalala headed the University of Wisconsin. In the preceding administration, another Arab American, John Sununu (1941 ), the son of Lebanese Palestinian immigrants, served as George Bush's White House Chief of Staff. Beyond the official circles of government, consumer advocate Ralph Nader (1934 ) ranks as one of the most prominent Arab Americans in the public eye. His activism has had a lasting impact on national policy.
In the field of poetry, several Arab Americans have achieved recognition. Sam Hazo (1928 ) is an established American poet, as well as founder of the International Poetry Forum in Pittsburgh. Palestinian American Naomi Shihab Nye (1952 ), and Lebanese American Lawrence Joseph (1948 ) are also well-known poets. Helen Thomas (1920 ), the White House reporter for United Press International, has covered the presidency since 1961. William Peter Blatty (1928 ) is the author of the novel The Exorcist, and screenwriter Callie Khouri (1957 ) received an Oscar award for Best Original Screenplay in 1990 for Thelma and Louise. Writer and director Tom Shadyac is responsible for Ace Ventura: Pet Detective and the 1998 remake of The Nutty Professor.
One of the most prominent Arab American scientists is Dr. Farouk El-Baz (1938 ), who works for NASA as a lunar geologist and assisted in planning the Apollo moon landings. Dr. Michael DeBakey (1908 ), the inventor of the heart pump now serves as the Chancellor of Baylor University's College of Medicine. Dr. Elias Corey (1928 ) of Harvard University won the 1990 Nobel Prize for Chemistry. George A. Doumani made discoveries that helped prove the theory of continental drift.
Doug Flutie (1962 ) won the Heisman Trophy and quarterbacked the Toronto Argonauts to a championship in the Canadian Football League. Rony Seikaly (1965 ), born in Lebanon, played center in the National Basketball Association for the New Jersey Nets. Jeff George (1967 ) is a quarterback for the National Football League's Minnesota Vikings.
International Arabic newspaper (English and Arabic).
Contact: Raji Daher, Editor.
Telephone: (212) 972-0460.
Fax: (212) 682-1405.
American-Arab Message.
Address: 17514 Woodward Avenue, Detroit, Michigan 48203.
Telephone: (313) 868-2266.
Fax: (313) 868-2267.
Arab Studies Quarterly.
Contact: William W. Haddad, Editor.
Telephone: (202) 237-8312.
Fax: (202) 237-8313.
Jusoor: The Arab American Journal of Cultural Exchange.
Contact: Munir Akash, Editor.
Telephone: (301) 263-0289.
Fax: (301) 263-0255.
The Link.
Contact: John F. Mahoney, Executive Director.
Telephone: (212) 870-2053.
Fax: (212) 870-2050.
News Circle/Halqat al-Akhbar.
Contact: Joseph Haiek, Editor.
Address: Box 3684, Glendale, California 91201.
Telephone: (818) 545-0333.
Fax: (818) 242-5039.
Arab Network of America (ANA).
Contact: Eptisam Malloulti, Radio Program Director.
Address: 150 South Gordon Street, Alexandria, Virginia 22304.
Organizations and Associations
American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC).
Contact: Hala Maksoud, Ph.D., President.
Telephone: (202) 244-2990.
Fax: (202) 244-3196.
American Arabic Association.
Contact: Dr. Said Abu Zahra, President.
Arab American Historical Society.
Contact: Joseph Haiek, Chair.
Fax: (818) 242-5039.
Arab American Institute (AAI).
Contact: Dr. James Zogby, President.
Telephone: (202) 429-9210.
Fax: (202) 429-9214.
Arab Women's Council (AWC).
Seeks to inform the public on Arab women and their culture.
Contact: Najat Khelil, President.
Contact: Albert Mukhaiber, President.
Telephone: (202) 337-7717.
Fax: (202) 337-3302.
Attiyeh Foundation (AF).
Contact: Michael Saba, President.
Najda: Women Concerned About the Middle East.
Contact: Paula Rainey, President.
Address: P.O. Box 7152, Berkeley, California 94707.
Telephone: (510) 549-3512.
National Association of Arab Americans (NAAA).
Contact: Khalil E. Jahshan, Executive Director.
Telephone: (202) 842-1840.
Fax: (202) 842-1614.
Museums and Research Centers
The Faris and Yamna Naff Family Arab American Collection.
Contact: Alixa Naff.
Telephone: (202) 357-3270.
The Near Eastern American Collection.
Contact: Rudolph J. Vecoli, Director.
Telephone: (612) 627-4208.
Sources for Additional Study
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Arab Americans
Arab Americans
ETHNONYMS: Arab Muslims, Chaldeans, Copts, Druze, Lebanese, Palestinians, Shia, Syrians, Yemenis
Identification. Americans of Arab ancestry are a heterogeneous amalgam of national and religious subgroups. Their link is a common Arab cultural and linguistic heritage, which has profoundly influenced the Middle East for over fourteen centuries. Historically, "Arab" referred exclusively to the Arabic-speaking tribes of the Arabian Peninsula and parts of the Fertile Crescent. Today, the term is understood to be a cultural/linguistic and political designation. It embraces various national, religious, and regional groups that share overlapping histories and national political aspirations, although significant differences and regional loyalties remain strong. No single set of racial or physical traits defines all Arabs. Nor can they be identified with a single religion (Islam), as is often mistakenly done, for not all Arabs are Muslims (about 6 to 10 percent are non-Muslims, mostly Christians and some Jews). In fact, although Islam originated in the Arabian Peninsula, and the Qur'an (its holy book) was written in Arabic, the vast majority of Muslims are not Arabs, but Indonesians, Pakistanis, Asian Indians, and Persians.
Arab Americans hail from only a handful of the twenty-one countries that compose the modern Arab world: Lebanon, Syria, Palestine, Iraq, Egypt, Yemen, and Jordan. In terms of recency of arrival, Arab Americans fall into three diverse groups: recent arrivals, long-term immigrants, and Native-born descendants of earlier generations of immigrants.
Location. Arab Americans live primarily in cities or adjacent suburbs. Many recent arrivals tend to gravitate to Arab neighborhoods, where ethnic grocery stores, restaurants, bakeries, clubs, and religious centers are concentrated. These neighborhoods tend to be working class and lower middle class in character. The largest is found in the Detroit suburb of Dearborn, Michigan; others are located in New York and Chicago. These "Arab Towns" have largely replaced the "Little Syrias" of earlier immigrant generations. The more assimilated long-term immigrants and native-born Arab Americans tend to eschew the ethnic neighborhoods for the middle-class suburbs. The major concentrations of Arab Americans are found in Detroit, New York, Los Angeles, Boston, Chicago, and Houston. Smaller communities are also found throughout the Northeast and Middle West.
Demography. Exact population figures are difficult to ascertain owing to imprecise immigration and census data. Scholars tend to agree on 2 million as the number of persons of Arab ancestry in the United States, with another 80,000 in Canada. In comparison, the population of the Arab world is over 150 million. The largest single concentration of Arabs in North America is in Detroit, which is reputed to have about 250,000 Arabs. Native-born Arab Americans and longestablished immigrants make up the largest share of the Population, which was fairly stable through the mid-1960s. Beginning in the late 1960s, the population in North America witnessed rapid growth owing largely to the influx of tens of thousands of new immigrants.
Linguistic Affiliation. Most assimilated Arab Americans use English as their primary language or only domestic language. Many recent arrivals use Arabic as their primary language, employing English as needed in contacts outside the home and the ethnic community. Arabic speakers converse in the regional dialect of their home village or town. Some Iraqi Chaldeans speak Chaldean (a Semitic language) as their only domestic language; others know only Iraqi Arabic or combine the two languages. Second-generation Arab Americans usually reach adulthood retaining very little of their parents' Native tongue.
History and Cultural Relations
The first Arabic-speaking immigrants in the United States were a handful of nineteenth-century adventurers and sojourners. It was not until the end of the century that significant numbers of Arab immigrants began making their way to the United States. Their numbers were minuscule by the standards of the day, averaging several thousand per year, with the highest recorded number reaching nine thousand in 1913-14. World War I brought immigration to a virtual standstill. In the years immediately following the war, Arab immigration returned to its prewar level only to be restricted again by the legislation of the 1920s.
Many of the early immigrants left homes in Greater Syria, an Arab province of the Ottoman Empire until the end of World War I. In the postwar period, the province was partitioned into separate political entities (Syria, Lebanon, Palestine, Transjordan) under British and French rule. Although the area remains predominantly Arab and Muslim culturally, Christian, Islamic, and Jewish ethnoreligious minorities constitute its cultural mosaic. Many of the early immigrants were drawn from these minorities, especially certain Christian denominations (Maronites, Melkites, and Eastern Orthodox). Others included a small number of Muslims and Druze, as well as smaller numbers of Iraqi Chaldeans and Yemeni Muslims.
In general, the early immigrants were mostly illiterate or semiliterate, unskilled, single males, who emigrated without their families. Of the approximately 60,000 who entered the United States between 1899 and 1910, some 53 percent were illiterate, and 68 percent were single males. A notable exception was a small group of literati (writers, poets, artists, Journalists) who settled in places like New York and Boston. Politically rather than economically motivated, this group spawned an important school of modern Arabic literature. They formed the Pen League (al-Rabita al-Qalamiyya ) under the leadership of Kahlil Gibran (1883-1931), the celebrated author of The Prophet.
The early immigrants tended to settle in the cities and towns of the Northeast and Midwest, in states like New York, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Ohio. By 1940 about a fifth of the estimated 350,000 Arabs lived in just three citiesNew York, Boston, and Detroitmostly in Ethnic neighborhoods ("Little Syrias"). Many worked their way across America as peddlers of dry goods and other sundry items, reaching virtually every state of the Union. Some homesteaded on the Great Plains, and others settled in southern rural areas.
A second wave of Arab immigration to the United States occurred after World War II. The influx included many more Muslims than the previous one. It also included refugees who had been displaced by the 1948 Palestine war, as well as professionals and university students who elected to remain Permanently in the United States. These trends accelerated after the June 1967 Arab-Israeli War, a watershed for both the Middle East and Arab immigration to the United States. The 1970s and 1980s witnessed a massive influx of Arab Immigrants from Lebanon, Iraq, the Israeli-occupied West Bank, Yemen, Egypt, and other Arab countries. Many had been displaced by war and political upheaval.
The early Arab immigrants followed a fairly smooth assimilation into mainstream society. Several generations later their descendants have achieved high social mobility. Some are household names: Danny Thomas, Ralph Nader, Christa McAuliffe, Paul Anka, Casey Kasem, Bobby Rahall, F. Murray Abraham. In comparison, the second-wave Immigrants have had a mixed time of it. Many have prospered economically, especially those in the professions and business. But others, particularly in the period following the June 1967 war, have had to contend with demeaning stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination stemming from the oil crisis, Middle East terrorism, and U.S. involvement in the region. These problems are more pronounced in areas where large numbers of recent arrivals reside.
Arab Americans are highly integrated into the U.S. and Canadian economies. Both immigrant and assimilated Arabs are heavily involved in the retail business trade. In many urban areas, they own and manage grocery stores, supermarkets, candy stores, gasoline stations, and restaurants. Some native-born Arabs own small and medium-sized manufacturing and commercial enterprises; most, however, choose careers in the professions (medicine, law, accounting, engineering, teaching). Many unskilled immigrants, particularly recent arrivals, can be found working in factories or restaurants, but they usually remain in such jobs only until they accumulate sufficient means to enter the retail business world. Although Arabs as a group have not faced economic discrimination, individuals have encountered discrimination in hiring and on the job, mostly in the professions.
Kinship, Marriage and Family
Marriage and Family. Arab marriage and kinship practices vary somewhat by religion and recency of arrival, but usually stress lifelong marriages, a preference for religious and ethnic group endogamy, marriage of cousins, extended Families, patrilineal descent, and bifurcate-collateral (descriptive) kinship terminology. Surnames are patrilineal. Data on intermarriage with non-Arabs are virtually nonexistent. Generally, recency of immigration, degree of ethnic group cohesiveness, and religiousness mitigate against interreligious marriages, though marriages across Arab regional and national lines are allowed as long as religious group endogamy is maintained. Arab affiliation is usually traced patrilineally, though women are delegated the responsibility of transmitting ethnic and religious awareness to the children. In many mixed marriages, particularly of Arab men to non-Arab women, the wives often play important roles in promoting Arab cultural heritage within the family and the ethnic community.
Socialization. As with North Americans generally, early socialization takes place in the immediate family. Arab parents are extremely indulgent, though they may resort to physical punishment. Socialization as an Arab takes place in the home, through attendance at "Arabic school" on weekends, and in youth groups at the mosque or church. Weddings, funerals, and other community gatherings offer occasion for further socialization into the ethnic group.
Sociopolitical Organization
Social Organization. Traditionally, the primary loyalties and affiliations of Middle Eastern peoples have been to local areas, the village or urban quarter, which were usually homogeneous religious and ethnic units. Not surprisingly, Arabs in America tended to establish ethnically homogeneous church- and mosque-centered communities. In addition, they formed hometown and village clubs and associations. Because immigrants from the same village or town were often scattered in many parts of the United States and elsewhere, these associations often acquired a national or even international scope. Hometown and village affiliations remain strong among recent arrivals and the immigrant population generally, and less so among assimilated Arab Americans.
Political Organization. There is no overarching political structure that groups all Arab Americans. The Christian denominations are separately organized in hierarchical groups that are essentially extensions of churches based in the Middle East. Lacking the hierarchical structure of the Christian churches, local congregations of Muslims are loosely federated with one another according to sect (Sunni, Shia) and to competing Islamic federations in the Middle East.
In the late 1960s Arab Americans began establishing national organizations that transcend religious and hometown/village affiliations. The Association of Arab-American University Graduates (AAUG), founded by a group of academics and professionals, was the first such organization. Eventually larger organizations appeared in the 1970s and 1980s (American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee; National Association of Arab-Americans; American Arab Institute). The impetus behind the emergence of these organizations was the perceived need to present an Arab-American voice on U.S. foreign policy, combat demeaning stereotypes and discrimination, and encourage Arab Americans to become actively involved in the electoral process. Although these groups are highly visible, they represent only a small fraction of the Arab American population.
Social Control and Conflict. Arab Americans generally resolve disputes through the legal system. The population is law-abiding, and contrary to popular images, Arab Americans have not been involved in terrorist activities. Rather, they have been the targets of sporadic intentional violence, including several bombings and arson fires that killed two people and injured nearly a dozen others in the 1980s.
Religious Beliefs and Practices. Islam is the youngest of the monotheistic religions. Established in the seventh century, Islam's central tenet is the oneness of God. Humankind is called on to obey God's law and prepare for the Day of Judgment. Muslims view the Prophet Muhammad as the last in a long succession of prophets going back to Abraham. Muslims accept Jesus as a prophet who possessed miracle-working powers. The Qur'an places emphasis on his virgin birth. Muslims do not, however, recognize the divinity of Christ or accept that he was crucified, claiming instead that God intervened at the last moment. Shia Muslims differ from Sunni (orthodox) Islam over the rightful succession of the Caliphate (leader) of the early Muslim community and over the role and powers of the ulama (religious scholars or clergy). The majority of Arab American Muslims are Sunni; Arab American Shia Muslims are mostly from Lebanon and to a lesser extent from North Yemen and Iraq.
Arab Christians are divided between Eastern rite churches (Syrian Antiochian Orthodox, Greek Orthodox, and Coptic) and Latin rite Uniate churches (Maronite, Melkite, and Chaldean). Originally, all Middle Eastern denominations belonged to churches that followed Eastern rites. The Uniate churches eventually split from the Eastern churches and affiliated with the Latin church in Rome. Although they formally recognize the authority of the Roman pope and conform to Latin rites, the Uniate churches maintain their own patriarchs and internal autonomy. The Middle Eastern churches, Eastern as well as Uniate, allow priests to marry, though not bishops, and maintain their separate liturgies, often in an ancient language (Coptic, Aramaic, Syriac, and so on).
Religious Practitioners. Islam lacks a hierarchical church structure. The ulama are essentially teachers or scholars, lacking real authority, though Shia Islam as practiced in non-Arab Iran invests the ulama with special occult powers and authority in social matters. The Middle Eastern churches are structured in rigid hierarchies, and priests often command substantial respect and authority in local affairs.
Ceremonies. Strictly speaking, Islam recognizes only three religious holidays: Ramadan, Eid al-Fitr, and Eid al-Adha. Other holidays, like the Prophet's birthday, are celebrated by some communities and not others. Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar, is the time of fasting that precedes Eid al-Fitr. The fast requires complete abstinence from food, drink, tobacco, and sex from sunrise to sunset during the entire month. Eid al-Fitr ("End of the Fast") marks the end of Ramadan. Eid al-Adha ("Feast of the Sacrifice") commemorates Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son Ishmael in obedience to God. The holiday at the end of the Hajj, or pilgrimage to Mecca, falls on a different day each year owing to the differences between the Islamic lunar calendar and the Western solar calendar. The Eastern rite churches differ from the Latin churches on the timing of Easter and Christmas celebrations. Easter is celebrated the Sunday after Passover, and Christmas is celebrated on the Epiphany, which falls on January 6.
Abraham, Sameer Y., and Nabeel Abraham, eds. (1983). Arabs in the New World. Detroit: Center for Urban Studies, Wayne State University.
Abu-Laban, Baha (1980). An Olive Branch on the Family Tree: The Arabs in Canada. Toronto: McClelland & Stewart.
Abu-Laban, Baha, and Michael W. Suleiman, eds. (1989). Arab Americans: Continuity and Change. Belmont, Mass.: Association of Arab-American University Graduates.
Hooglund, Eric J. (1987). Crossing the Waters: Arabic-Speaking Immigrants to the United States before 1940. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press.
Naff, Alixa (1985). Becoming American: The Early Arab Immigrant Experience. Carbondale: Southern Illinois University Press.
Orfalea, Gregory (1988). Before the Flames. Austin: University of Texas Press.
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Arab Americans
ARAB AMERICANS come from many different nations in the Middle East and North Africa. Unified, to some extent, by common cultural traditions, language, and religion, the Arab American community in the United States includes peoples from Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Lebanon, Palestine, and Yemen. Today, Arab Americans live in all fifty states, with the heaviest concentrations in California, Florida, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, New York, New Jersey, Ohio, Texas, and Virginia. More than half the Arab American population lives in large metropolitan areas such as New York City, Los Angeles, Detroit, Chicago, and Washington, D.C. Almost half are descended from immigrants who came to the United States between 1880 and 1940. According to 1990 census figures, approximately 940,000 Arab Americans reside in the United States. However studies show that Arab Americans have been significantly undercounted; more recent estimates put their numbers closer to 3.5 million.
Early Settlement and Immigration
The first significant wave of Arab immigration to the United States began in the late nineteenth century with the arrival of Syrians from what was then called Greater Syria. The area, which included the modern countries of Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, and Israel, as well as the region of Palestine, had been part of the Ottoman Empire. Approximately ninety percent of these new arrivals were Christian; most were farmers seeking better opportunities, while others left to avoid being drafted into the Turkish army. Between 1880 and 1914, approximately 100,000 Syrians came to the United States. Although not all the immigrants were of Syrian or Turkish origin, immigration officials tended to classify them as such.
At first, many intended only to stay in the United States for a short time, but they soon decided to remain permanently, because of better opportunities. Arab Americans were lured by the prospect of making money and being their own boss and many became peddlers. In time,
some took their profits and opened dry goods businesses or other retail establishments. Others found work in the automobile plants in Detroit. Soon "Little Syrias," as they were called, began appearing in many large cities of the United States, each having its own grocery stores, newspapers, churches, and fraternal and religious organizations.
The second wave of immigrants came to the United States in the years following World War II, differing in important ways from those who came earlier. Unlike the previous arrivals who were often uneducated, the newer Arab immigrants were more likely to be professionals with college degrees. One other significant difference was religion. The majority of new Arab immigrants were members of the Islamic faith. Of the Arab Americans who came to the United States after World War II, the Palestinians are by far the largest group.
Many immigrants left to escape the political turmoil that continued to plague much of the Middle East. With the establishment of Israel as a state in 1948, thousands of Palestinians departed. The numbers of Arab immigrants to the United States rose again following the Israeli defeat of Egypt, Syria, and Jordan in the Six-Day War of 1967. Besides those fleeing political unrest and war, some Arab immigrants, such as the wealthy Egyptians, whose property and assets the government seized as part of a nationalization of Egyptian businesses, came to the United States in search of better economic and educational opportunities.
Unlike the first wave of Arab immigrants, who often struggled to master a language and new customs, many of this second wave have enjoyed a smoother transition to the American way of life. Many immigrants already spoke English and had skills that broadened their employment opportunities. Others have come on student visas to finish their educations in American colleges and universities. The immigration of educated men and women resulted in a severe "brain drain" in the Arab world, particularly between 1968 and 1971, as educated Arabs, seeing that there were few jobs to be had, elected to stay in the United States.
Culture and Tradition
One outcome of the Arab defeat in 1967 was the growth of Arab nationalism and ethnic pride among Arab Americans. As this consciousness grew, so did the vitality of the Arab American community. As a result, certain institutions such as Arab newspapers and magazines, which had been decreasing in popularity and readership, took on a new vitality. The second wave of immigrants also founded clubs and organizations such as the Association of Arab American University Graduates, formed in 1967, and the Arab American Institute, created in 1985 to influence United States foreign policy toward the Arab world. At the same time, Arab Americans have become more active in local, state, and national affairs.
The second wave of Arab immigration has also spurred other Americans to learn more about Arab culture
and history. College campuses across the country developed programs that included the study of Arab languages, history, art, music, and religion. Among the most pervasive Arab American influences on American culture has been the cuisine. Thirty years ago, many Americans were unfamiliar with even the rudiments of Arab cooking. Today, scores of Middle Eastern restaurants and groceries have exposed many Americans to the multitude of Arab dishes. Perhaps one reason for the recent popularity of Arab food is that it is healthier than many traditional American dishes.
Notable Arab Americans
A number of individual Arab Americans have made important contributions to American culture, science, politics, literature, and sports. Some of the more noteworthy Arab Americans in politics include consumer activist and former presidential candidate Ralph Nader, former senator George Mitchell of Maine, Secretary of Heath and Human Services during the Clinton Administration, Donna Shalala, the former Governor of New Hampshire, John Sununu, and the noted White House reporter for United Press International, Helen Thomas. Frank Zappa, a musician and composer who rose to popularity during the 1960s and 1970s, was of Arab American descent. Other notable Arab Americans include Christa McAuliffe, the first teacher-astronaut who lost her life when the space shuttle Challenger exploded in 1986; NFL quarterback Doug Flutie, who also established the Doug Flutie Jr. Foundation for Autism, an organization dedicated to helping families of autistic children; and Candy Lightner, founder of Mothers Against Drunk Driving.
Abraham, Sameer, ed. Arabs in the New World: Studies on Arab-American Communities. Detroit, Mich.: Wayne State University, 1983.
Ashabranner, Brent. An Ancient Heritage: The Arab-American Minority. New York: Harper Collins, 1991.
Jaafari, L. "The Brain Drain to the United States: The Migration of Jordanian and Palestinian Professionals and Students." Journal of Palestine Studies 3 (Autumn 1973): 119–131.
McCarus, Ernest N., ed. The Development of Arab American Identity. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 1994.
Naff, Alixa. Becoming American: The Early Arab Immigrant Experience. Carbondale: University of Southern Illinois Press, 1985.
Meg GreeneMalvasi
See alsoImmigration .
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Fertilizer for a Dogwood Tree
Flowering dogwoods are native to the eastern half of the United States, but they can be found as introduced species in other parts of the country. Flowering dogwoods grow to between 20 and 35 feet tall with a spread of 20 to 25 feet. Dogwoods prefer a deep sandy or loamy soil that drains well. This tree grows best in partial sun; trees growing in full sun tend to grow more slowly.
Dogwoods do better with being fertilized by decomposing mulch. If your soil needs fertilization, organic fertilizers such as compost often work well. However, if you need chemical fertilizers, a 12-4-8 fertilizer is good for dogwoods at most growth stages.
Young Trees
Do not fertilize your dogwood the first year. Until your dogwood reaches six feet tall, fertilize in February and June with 1/4 cup 12-4-8 fertilizer. Scatter the fertilizer around the base of the tree, but do not allow it to come into contact with the trunk.
Midsize Trees
For midsize trees, use 1 cup 12-4-8 fertilizer per inch of trunk diameter scattered evenly in a 100-square-foot area under the tree. Alternately, you can apply the equivalent of 3 ozs. nitrogen per 100 square feet of area under the tree. The amount of fertilizer depends on the type you are using. If using organic fertilizers, this may require more because most organic fertilizers contain lower concentrations of nutrients than chemical fertilizers.
Mature Trees
Mature trees do not require as much fertilizer as younger trees. If your dogwood is growing in your lawn and you are fertilizing your lawn, this should be more than adequate for your dogwood. However, if you are not fertilizing your lawn or your dogwood is not growing in a lawn, reduce the amount of fertilizer. The amount of reduction will depend on the existing nutrients in your soil.
Over-fertilization is a frequent problem for young dogwoods. In some cases, the tree may die from over-fertilization. Fertilize for moderate growth. If you fertilize for vigorous growth, the tree may grow but at the expense of flowers.
Keywords: dogwood trees, dogwood care, growing dogwoods
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The post on using a British GIS to learn things about hobbits attracted so much positive attention (42 inbound links!) that I’ve decided to turn it into a serious paper. I’m stunned – given the obscure topic, my expectations for the whole blog were more like “42 page views”.
One drawback is that I don’t yet know what the paper will be about. But Idiosophers are nothing if not data-driven, so I shall start collecting correlations, and we shall go where the numbers take us.
Things I’ll keep my eye on, in case one turns into the topic:
• From the definition of “subcreation” [1], Middle-Earth is dependent on the real Earth. Therefore, studies of the created world can cast light on the subcreated world.
• A teenager picking up LotR today bears the same chronological relationship to it that I bore to Sherlock Holmes. In 15 years, it’ll be like Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Some things that were obvious to JRRT’s intended readership are going to need footnotes, before long.
• Did hobbit names convey meaning? Some of them are obvious short-jokes, and others are bragging about living in holes. What are the rest? Names are definitely important to JRRT. Can we tease out the implications this way?
To-do list:
1. Figure out how to assess the importance of a character to the story.
2. Separate the good guys from the bad guys. Or, rather, come up with a sensible categorization.
3. Define a relationship between the Shire and Britain.
4. Pick out from the data particular stories to tell.
Once that is done, we can identify the topic. Statistical methods will not be required, since I’m going to use every hobbit I can find. As statisticians say, “n=all”.
[1] Ordinarily I would include a link here, but none is available. Sub-sacroiliac pain from copyright law is Tolkien’s wyrd, even beyond the grave. [back]
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1. World Map/
2. North America/
3. USA /
4. New Hampshire /
5. New Hampshire Lat / Long
New Hampshire
New Hampshire Location of
New Hampshire is positioned in both the northern and western hemispheres.
As a part of North America and located in the northeastern region of the United States (one often referred to as New England), New Hampshire is bordered by the states of Maine, Massachusetts, Vermont, the Atlantic Ocean, and the Canadian province of Quebec.
New Hampshire Photographs
new hampshire latitude and longitude map
New Hampshire Cities, Counties & Area Codes
City County Area Code
Laconia Belknap 603
Wolfeboro Carroll 603
Keene Cheshire 603
Berlin Coos 603
Hanover Grafton 603
Manchester Hillsborough 603
Concord Merrimack 603
Derry Rockingham 603
Dover Strafford 603
Claremont Sullivan 603
This page was last modified on April 7, 2017.
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What is reflection and why is it important?
Reflection can be argued to define different meanings on what reflection actually is. People review the meaning of reflection in different ways. One way which people define reflection as is looking at your own reflection in the mirror. How I define reflection is reflecting back on your past whether that be your achievements, failures and other experiences which you could reflect back on and tell others about.
Reflection within sport is very important it could mean the difference between winning and losing. When reflecting back on your performance whether you are a team or a individual athlete you learn how you can improve. Reflection as a coach is vitally important as the coach will be taking the sessions and you will need to reflect on your sessions and coaching skills to see if you can improve on anything to make your coaching techniques strengthen.
It is a form of problem solving that is used to resolve coaching issues, and involves the careful consideration of a coaches practice, based on their knowledge and beliefs (Hatton & Smith,1995). Solving issues within your coaching methods if they are not working are important to you and the participants as you will both come out with rewards whether that being enhanced performances or just the participants enjoying the coachinh session more.
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Staying dry can land you in hot water!
The Shambles, York
In a vain attempt to stay dry, he pressed close to the house, thankful for the wider than usual overhang. Sounds from the street mingled with those from inside the building in a cacophony of noise. Suddenly a brawny hand clamped down on his shoulder.
“‘Ere, now. Spyin’, are ye? I’ll ‘ave the law on ye now!”
Imagine our poor hero’s surprise to find himself on the wrong side of the law just for trying to get out if the rain! But, considering the building methods back when our story takes place, it’s easy to see, or rather, hear, that conversations inside would easily be heard through the thin walls and floors. Accirding to OxfordDictionarires, ‘eavesdrop’ came into the current usage in the 17th century, having originally meant ‘the water dropping from the eaves (overhang) of a building.’
ListVerse gives the following description of the change in meaning:
“Before the invention of guttering roofs were made with wide eaves, overhangs, so that rain water would fall away from the house to stop the walls and foundations being damaged. This area was known as the eavesdrop. The large overhang gave good cover for those who wished to lurk in shadows and listen to others’ conversations. Since the area under the eaves was considered part of the householder’s property you could be fined under Anglo-Saxon law for being under the eaves with the intention of spying.”
So the next time you duck under the eaves, make sure you’re wearing earplugs!
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help please!:
posted by .
All of the following statements about conclusion paragraphs are true EXPECT:
B. Conclusion paragraphs are the most difficult paragraphs to write
C. A conclusion sentence is found in the conclusion paragraph.
D. A summary of the points presented in the body paragraphs goes in the conclusion paragraph.
i got B what do you think?
• help please!: -
I agree. :-)
• help please!: -
thank you
• help please!:life -
thnx 4the answers gud pps
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Stereoscopic 3D
From Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality Wiki
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Stereoscopic 3D (S3D) is a technique that produces an illusion of depth in a moving image by displaying two slightly different images to the right and left eye of the observer [1]. This ability is based on the characteristics of the human visual system. The eyes, being positioned horizontally in the head, receive two views of the visual scene - one for the left-eye and another for the right-eye. The views overlap but differ slightly since they originate from two distinct perspectives. The visual system interprets and processes the information gathered from the two images to produce stereoscopic depth. The binocular system is very good at coordinating the movement of the eyes, which move constantly even during fixation. From a functional point of view, the images of both eyes fall on the fovea when fixating binocularly on a point. The fovea is the part of the back of the eye that has the highest acuity. According to Tam et al. (2011), “an object fixated binocularly is imaged on the same relative coordinates in the left-eye and right-eye views and it is perceived as a single percept, i.e., it is seen as a single object.” [2]
To look at a new object located at a different distance, the point of fixation is altered. The two eyes move at the same time and in opposite directions so that the new object is imaged in the center of each eye’s fovea. When the new object is closer the eyes move inward (convergence). On the contrary, when the new object is farther away the eyes move outward (divergence). This process is called vergence and it is related to accommodation [2].
After the success of James Cameron’s Avatar, stereoscopic 3D was promoted has having advantages in different media like movies, 3DTV, and games. Indeed, the Sony Playstation 3 and Nintendo 3DS offered stereoscopic 3D gaming in a console format. On PC, S3D was available through driver-based solutions like Nvidia 3D Vision or TriDef [3].
Back in 2010, S3D was on the cusp of becoming a mass consumer product, with cinemas showing an increasing number of movies in 3D, TV channels launching 3D broadcasts of sports events, and companies selling 3DTV sets and Blu-ray 3D players. Despite the technological advances, the practical production of S3D content that produces a natural and comfortable viewing experience is still a challenge. The challenge arises from the complex interplay of human visual perception and the restriction of display devices, which can lead to discomfort after prolonged use. The majority of the 3D display technology is based on displaying a stereo image on a flat screen. This has the advantage of reproducing stereo cues like vergence. On the other side, other depth-cues like accommodation are neglected. The discrepancy between accommodation and vergence generates distorted perception, visual fatigue, headache, and dizziness [4] [5].
While users who experimented with the technology - especially in gaming - where impressed by it, it did not have a major impact on the industry, mainly in the 3D TV´s market. In the home console market, Sony removed support for S3D with the PS4. In mobile gaming, Nintendo released a 2D alternative to the regular Nintendo 3DS, downplaying the 3D functionality of the handheld console. It seems that, in the case of S3D on TVs, the near-future belongs to 4K TV, that will be supported by console manufacturers and film studios. According to Tamburro (2015), one of the reasons for the problems stereoscopic 3D faced could be that “it’s difficult to sell a product that’s reliant upon the user experiencing it in order for them to understand its capabilities. While there will be the odd risk-taker who’s willing to plump down a wad of cash on something that could well turn out to be a failed experiment, the vast majority of people are far more sensible and choose to reserve their money unless they’re given a solid reason to part ways with it.” [6]
Technology and development
Figure 1. Active lenses (Image:
Figure 2. Passive polarized lenses (Image:
Figure 3. Red and blue anaglyph 3D glasses (Image:
There are several techniques available used to create the illusion of a 3D image with the use of lenses. 3D displays use the same guiding principles as the visual system to exhibit depth. In each eye, slightly different perspectives are presented so that the brain uses the differences between them to give the sense of depth [7] [8] [9].
One of the techniques is polarization 3D, that can use active or passive polarized lenses (figure 1 and 2). Anaglyph 3D uses passive red cyan lenses or chromatically opposite colors. These can be considered the classic-type 3D glasses and are a type of passive lenses (figure 3). Head-mounted displays also provide S3D using a separate display optic very close to the eyes. Finally, autostereoscopic 3D is a technique that allows for 3D depth without glasses [2] [8].
Passive glasses do not require the use of batteries and do not need to be electronically linked to the display mechanism. They use optical filters to selectively sort the right and left images to the correct eye. Newer versions of this technology work by interlacing the left and right images together using a unique screen made of two emitting filters on top of one another. Gouraud (2011) wrote that “each image is displayed using a property of light called polarization. This allows the passive-polarized glasses to then selectively filter out light between two images using the corresponding polarized films. Therefore, each eyepiece must be polarized in a different direction, allowing separate images to be delivered to each eye. In this manner, a 3D effect is achieved.” [9]
Active shutter has been the primary technology used in home entertainment systems. The mechanism takes advantage of the high frame rates that are available in LED and plasma TVs (120 Hz and above). The TV displays two high definition pictures at a high refreshment frequency (>60 Hz) to achieve temporal multiplexing. The shutter glasses sync with the TV to actively filter the corresponding frames so that each eye only receives the intended image [9].
With the autostereoscopic display technology (also referred to as parallax barrier), there is no requirement for the users to wear glasses to achieve a three-dimensional effect. The technology relies on an optical filter which divides the images and enables it to direct light to each eye. This allows the viewer to perceive a coherent left and right image. The Nintendo 3DS uses this type of display technology [9].
Historical context
Stereoscopic vision has evolved during millions of years. It is a common feature between humans and many animals, generally predators. In these, two parallel aligned eyes deliver different perspectives of the same scene. Stereoscopic vision is an important sense that is vital for the survival of the animals who possess it [10].
Charles Wheatstone first developed the stereoscope in 1938. His research demonstrated that the brain processes the images from each eye into a single three-dimensional object. When two stereoscopic images were viewed side by side through a stereoscope, a sense of depth and immersion was created. The design principles of the stereoscope are still applied today in things like the Google Cardboard and low budget VR HMDs for mobile phones [11].
The popular View-Master stereoscope was patented in 1939, and was used for “virtual tourism”. In 1949 David Brewster suggested the use of lenses, giving rise to the lenticular stereoscope. The cinematographer Morton Heilig developed the Sensorama in the mid-1950s. It was an arcade-style theatre cabinet that stimulated all the senses. It had stereoscopic 3D display, stereo speakers, fans, smell generators, and a vibrating chair with the objective of immersing the viewer in the film. Heilig created six short films for the Sensorama. He was also responsible for the Telesphere Mask, that was patented in 1960. It was the first example of a HMD - although without motion tracking and for use with non-interactive film medium. This headset provided S3D and wide vision with stereo sound [11].
Stereoscopic 3D devices
There are two categories of electronic S3D devices: the glasses-type mentioned before, that influence the way a user sees the image on a monitor, and devices that produce an image by themselves like HMDs [10].
High-end headsets use dual screens to create a stereoscopic 3D effect, with each screen presenting a slightly different image to each eye and creating the illusion of depth. Low-cost entry options are also available. The Samsung Gear VR uses a smartphone as the display, with the stereoscopic image being created by two replaceable lenses. In this case, the use of a smartphone means sacrificing field of view and graphical fidelity for a wireless headset [12].
These headsets also include options for adjusting the lenses, since each person has a different distance between the center of their pupils, to achieve a stereoscopic 3D effect [12].
Stereoscopic 3D benefits and visual discomfort
When compared to standard 2D TV, the S3D-TV technology enhances the entertainment value of television programs. While the main benefit of 3D-TV is the greater depth perception, there is evidence that stereoscopic television could also enhance the perception of sharpness, sense of presence, and naturalness. According to some surveys, it seems that people would rather view S3D images than 2D, provided that there are no uncomfortable side effects [2].
In games, the use of stereoscopy seemed to increase immersion and spatial presence. Although the effects differed between games, it seems that the use of S3D allows for a more natural and engaging experience [3].
One of the concerns regarding S3D technology relates to visual comfort. This has been a long-standing problem in stereoscopic research. It refers to the subjective sensation of discomfort associated with the viewing of stereoscopic images. This issue is not recent; in the past (mainly in the early 1950’s), there were some attempts to popularize 3D movies. These did not succeed due to the limited stereoscopic technology available at the time and to visual discomfort (2). Current stereoscopic displays with a fixed screen plane can cause several human visual cues to conflict with each other, mainly accommodation and convergence. This leads to a negative experience associated with symptoms of visual fatigue like sore eyes, eye strain, headache, and blurred vision. In HMDs this effect also occurs. It has to be noted that the presence and intensity of the visual discomfort vary from person to person [3].
1. Techopedia. 3-D Stereo Technology (S3-D). Retrieved from
2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Tam, J. A., Speranza, F., Yano, S., Shimono, K. and Ono, H. (2011). Stereoscopic 3D-TV: Visual Comfort. IEEE Transactions on Broadcasting, 57(2)
3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 Schild, J., LaViola Jr., J. J. and Masuch, M. (2012). Understanding User Experience in Stereoscopic 3D Games. Proceedings of the SIGCHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems: 89-98
4. Lang, M., Hornung, A., Wang, O., Poulakos, S., Smolic, A. and Gross, M. (2010). Nonlinear Disparity Mapping for Stereoscopic 3D. ACM Transactions on Graphics (TOG) - Proceedings of ACM SIGGRAPH 2010, 29(4)
5. Read, J. C. A. and Bohr, I. (2014). User experience while viewing stereoscopic 3D television. Ergonomics, 57(8): 1140-1153
6. Tamburro, P. (2015). How Virtual Reality Could Go the Way of Stereoscopic 3D. Retrieved from
7. Hurricane Media (2011). Stereoscopic 3D filming and graphics, how 3D works [Video]. Retrieved from
8. 8.0 8.1 Techopedia. 3-D Stereo Technology (S3-D). Retrieved from
9. 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 Gouraud, G. (2011). A Developer's Guide To Stereoscopic 3D In Games. Retrieved from
10. 10.0 10.1 Stereo3d. Basics/Quick-Info. Retrieved from
11. 11.0 11.1 Virtual Reality Society. History Of Virtual Reality. Retrieved from
12. 12.0 12.1 Messner, S. (2016). How VR headsets actually work. Retrieved from
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Sunday, December 30, 2012
MODULATIONS PART 3: DELAY AND ECHO! (with Free Vst Plugins Inside)
Hello and welcome to This week's article!
Today we're going to talk about Delays and Echos! These effects are also called Time Based Effects, because they take the first sound and repeat it continuously at a certain rate, as if you were talking inside of a cave, with the reflections of your voice coming back to you on a delayed time, summing up one another.
Although the two terms are today exchangeable since they refer to the same thing, usually with "echo" we refer to the natural phenomenon, while the delay is the implementation of that in the audio effect;
in common language many manufacturers calls "echo" a warmer, more vintage sound, and "delay" a crispier, more digital sounding effect.
Delay is an effect born in the '50s by recording a sound on a tape and playing it continuously to simulate an echo (the famous "Tape Echo"), but today it is a very common tool featured on pedalboards and racks of virtually any guitar player in the world; the two guitarists that probably own more of their trademark sound to this effect are Robert Fripp of King Crimson and The Edge, from U2 (which is famous for his riffs that are often exclusively based of the layers of delay).
Delay is the basic modulation effect, from which descends almost all of the other modulations: Chorus, Flanger and Reverb are consequences of applying particular settings to a delay, but there is also another use of a extreme settings applied to this effect: the looper.
A looper is a delay which records long phrases of an instrument, up to several seconds (e.g. a guitar riff) and set them in loop, so that for example a guitar player can play a solo above that base.
The most common and specific uses for a delay are the Doubling Echo, the Ping-Pong delay and the Slapback Echo.
Doubling Echo: Is used to create a sound that feels like the original instrument has been doubled by a second one, and to do this the delay time must be very short: 10 to 50 milliseconds.
Slapback Echo: instead is a longer delay effect (75 to 250 milliseconds), and was often used in the '50s records to underline the main vocals, and later in the '80s it's been used on synths and percussions too, to produce creative rhythmic textures.
Today Delay is often syncronized to the metronome of our Daw, to ensure that its repetitions are perfectly in sync with the song, but if we want to make the repetitions to cut through without being overshadowed by the other rhythmic elements of the mix it's suggestable to use the same metronome but with different beats, for example triplets, or a 5/4 rhythm; the delay will still be "on the click", but the repetitions will be noticed more.
Ping-Pong Delay: a particular type of stereo delay that "bounces" the repetitions (sometimes called "Taps") from left to right, sometimes it has been used by Jimi Hendrix and Brian May from Queen, among the others.
Here are the most common controls found on Delays and Echos:
Length (time) - The delay of the repetition in ms (thousandths of a second)
Length (musical) - The length of the repetition in beats (e.g. 1/8 note)
Feedback - How much of the delay output is fed back into the input of the effect.
Wet/Dry (sometimes these two controls are fused on a single control called "Mix")
Wet - The amount of processed signal in the output.
Dry - The amount of unprocessed signal in the output.
Lowpass filter - A filter, which filters out from the repetitions the frequencies ABOVE this value.
Hipass filter - A filter, which filters out the frequencies BELOW this value.
Today most DAWs already feature some basic Delay and Echo Effect, but if you want to try something new and different here's a selection of the best freeware Delay and Echo Vst:
Readelay, a one of the most used free delays around, very versatile and professional
Variety of Sound Nasty Dla II, an excellent Chorus and Tape Echo device
Valhalla Freq Echo a creative and easy to use delay
WatCat a very interesting replica of the vintage hardware "Custom Copicat" device
Tal Dub a vintage style delay effect
TapeDelay a very simple tape delay effect
Saturday, December 22, 2012
WHAT IS A SCALLOPED NECK (a guide for dummies)
Hello and welcome to this week's article! Today we're going to talk about scalloped fretboard!
What is a scalloped fretboard? It's a guitar fretboard where the wood is filed down between the frets, making it look like the shell of a scallop:
Why would someone do this to his guitar?
To "increase the height" of the frets, thus avoiding the player to reach for the fretboard while playing, basically making the player just to push his fingers on the string without touching the wood: if the guitarist would try to touch the scooped out fretboard, he would obtain a bent note, due to the increased distance.
This technique was featured sometimes on a medieval instrument, the lute, and it was introduced on the electric guitar by Deep Purple's guitartist Ritchie Blackmore, being a medieval music lover himself.
Playing a scalloped neck can be hard at first, especially for those players who likes pushing with their fingers until they are firmly planted on the fingerboard, but on the other hand it will enhance the clarity and articulation of each note, and that is the reason why many shredders prefer to use it: because it shows even more the effort they put into creating and perfecting their technique.
A scalloped fingerboard also helps the player to learn how to play better by forcing him to push more lightly on the strings (to avoid unwanted bendings), and makes some technique as tapping, pull off and bending a little easier.
There are different types of scalloped fretboard: the Yngwie Malmsteen signature Stratocaster has the whole fingerboard scalloped, while the Ritchie Blackmore model starts flat and becomes increasingly scooped towards the higher frets.
There are also many guitars (manufactured by Esp, Ibanez and many more) that features a flat fingerboard that becomes scalloped only in the last highest frets.
If you don't want to dig the fingerboard of your guitar but want to try the "scalloped feeling", you can also just mount higher frets, such as the Dunlop 6000, which can get you very close to the same result.
To choose wheter this kind of guitar neck suits your playing or not it's up to you, in the meanwhile never stop experimenting!
The staff of Guitar Nerding Blog wish all of you a Merry Christmas!
Saturday, December 15, 2012
MODULATIONS PART 2: PHASER AND FLANGER! (with Free Vst Plugins Inside)
Hello and welcome to This week's article!
This time we continue our research for modulation effects focusing on Phaser and Flangers.
The sonic result of these two effects is pretty much similiar, but the phaser is softer, smoother and less extreme, while the flanger is more "Jet-Like".
The Phaser is the first of the two effects to be invented (around the '60), and consists into splitting the signal in 2 identical ones, and into applying to one of them a filter that alters its phase. By summing the two signals; the obtained effect it's a rhythmic phase cancellation that variates according to the settings, thus creating the "oscillating" sound typical of phaser.
The Phaser, unlike the flanger, doesn't work by delaying the second signal and summing it to the first one, therefore the sound is less aggressive.
Additionally, the output can be fed back to the input for a more intense phase shifting, creating a resonant effect by emphasizing frequencies between the wave notches.
This effect has been use extensively by many bands, especially the psychedelic rock bands of any time, but the most famous guitar player that has used it on its records is probably Jimi Hendrix.
The Flanger effect is produced by summing two identical signals together, with one signal delayed of a small and gradually changing period, up to some centisecond. This produces a phase cancelling effect that variates according to the variating lenght of the delayed signal, producing an effect called "Comb Filtering", named after the visual effect this process does to the waveform.
Variating the time causes the two tracks to sweep up and down the frequency spectrum, and the flanger is the effect dedicated to produce this result.
Part of the output signal is sometimes fed back to the input, producing a resonance (sometimes even inverting the phase of the fed back signal) which further enhances the intensity of the effect.
One of the most famous guitar players that has used this effect on many songs is Edward Van Halen.
Here are the most common controls found on Flangers and Phasers:
Depth: Sets the depth of the flanger and phaser effect, the width of the oscillation. Higher values equals to deeper oscillations.
Resonance: Sets the amount of resonance. Higher values equals to more effect.
Rate: Sets the cycle speed of the effect: higher values means a faster effect cycle.
Modulation Phase: With this control the effect can be oriented on the stereo field in different time rates between left and right, in order to give it more ambient. To use this effect live we need a stereophonic amplification.
Today most DAWs already feature some basic Flanger and Phaser Effect, but if you want to try something new and different here's a selection of the best freeware Phaser and Flanger Vst:
Wok Flanger - a stompbox style flanger
Kjaerhus Audio Classic Flanger - simple to use
Kjaerhus Audio Classic Phaser - simple and essential.
Smart Electronix SupaPhaser - less simple, but with more presets.
Blue Cat Audio Blue Cat's Flanger - simple yet effective.
Smart Electronix MdspFlanger a flanger synchronizable to the tempo with different waveforms
Smart Electronix Phase90, a clone of the Mxr Phase 80 guitar stompbox
EmptySquare NXTPhase, described as "a phaser with an attitude".
Tal Phaser, a stereo Phaser Effect
Saturday, December 8, 2012
On the first part of our article we focused our attention especially on Fender Tremolo Bridges, but also Gibson guitars featured a noticeable amount of technology through the years, starting from the Bigsby bridge, that we have already seen.
The first attempt of Gibson at producing a proprietary bridge resulted in the Gibson Vibrola, which basically was a Bigsby Clone, with all the mechanism set outside the guitar body, but through the first years of the '60s the company kept on developing the project, giving birth to the Gibson Vibrato
The Gibson Vibrato was mounted on some SG model (which at the time were still called Les Paul), and consisted on a long tailpiece that ended at the bottom of the guitar, with a whammy bar mounted on its side; the excursion of the bar was very low and the unit didn't have much success, but it'considered a passage to the more famous Gibson Deluxe Vibrato, produced from 1963, which had more fortune.
The Gibson Deluxe Vibrato finished what the first Gibson Vibrato started: to create an efficient Tremolo Bridge alternative to the Fender standard. The Deluxe version was a shorter and more effective version of the first Gibson Vibrato, and was featured mainly on the semi-hollow models of the brand, while the Short Version (called Short Vibrola) was mainly featured on the solid body models. These bridges have been offered always as an optional on Gibson guitars, while on the Fender models, the two point Synchronized Tremolo became a standard, so now the classic Gibson guitars that features a non-fixed bridge are considered a valuable collector item.
While other brands tried to develop their own tremolo standard almost all of them failed to gain success, but between the end of the '70s and the beginning of the '80s a new kind of Tremolo Bridge gained worldwide exposition, becoming a new standard on most of the guitars played by the raising heavy metal bands of the time: the Floyd Rose.
The Floyd Rose tremolo system is an "extreme" version of the Fender Synchronized Tremolo, featuring an extended excursion that allows the player to perform dramatic pitch drops, generating effects such as the "dive bomb", while retaining the original tuning.
The "secret" lays on a locking plate on the head nut, tightened with a hex key to fix the strings at this point after tuning. This provides extra tuning stability, but as an unwanted side effect it also prevents further adjustment of the pitch using the machine heads.
To refine the tuning without unlocking the nut, the player can use the fine tuners provided as part of the bridge mechanism on all but the earliest units.
This unit has been brought to world success by bands as Iron Maiden and Van Halen, plus it's a standard used by numerous guitar heroes such as Steve Vai, and as today it's still featured on high end guitars of almost every manufacturer, with no modification from the original project.
Licensed Floyd Rose versions are available for lower price guitars, or some guitar manufacturer produced its own Floyd Rose "proprietary clone", such as the Ibanez Edge or the Steinberger TransTrem
Sunday, December 2, 2012
Hello and welcome to this week's Article!
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500-Mile Electric Car Batteries – Do We Really Need Them?
Back in January, we told you about IBM’s quest to build a rechargeable lithium-air battery that could theoretically let an electric car travel 500 miles on a single charge.
Since then, more firms have joined IBM on its Holy Grail adventure, leading to a flurry of storiesheralding the end to range anxiety and a future where charging your car only takes place once a week.
Nissan battery
image via Nissan
But do we really need a 500-mile electric car battery? Or do lithium-air batteries offer something much more useful?
200, 300 miles, not 500
As most Americans what they think of as the limit of how far they can drive without stopping, and they’ll say somewhere between 200 and 300 miles.
That’s because your average person needs to visit the bathroom after 4 hours, especially if they’ve consumed too many high-caffeine road-trip drinks.
At an average speed of 75 mph, on a perfectly clear freeway, that 4 hours equates to 300 miles.
Admittedly, rapid charging, currently capable of offering an 70 percent recharge to cars like the 73-mile EPA-rated 2012 Nissan Leaf in 30 minutes, takes longer than going to the bathroom.
After 4 hours however, it’s highly unlikely that you’ll immediately return to your car after visiting the bathroom. More likely, especially if you have kids, will be a 20-30 minute break for food or drink.
And that gives you at least 30 minutes to recharge.
Longer range…
Because lithium-air batteries rely on the chemical reaction between the lithium-ions and oxygen in the air, lithium-ion batteries have a higher energy density than traditional rechargeable batteries which rely on chemical reactions between two stored metals within the battery.
In a nutshell, this means that per pound of weight, lithium-air batteries can store more energy, which equals longer range.
Remember however: that longer range wouldn’t be needed for 95 percent of all daily driving,
Isn’t that just extra complexity and cost for nothing?
or better efficiency?
There’s a problem however. Weight. The heavier something is, the more energy is needed to push it along.
At the moment, lithium-ion battery packs used in modern electric cars account for their increased weight when compared with conventional gasoline cars.
Take the 2012 Nissan Leaf for example, where the battery pack and its control module weigh a massive 660 pounds. And it’s that weight that accounts for the Leaf’s 73-mile EPA-approved range per charge.
Reduce an electric car’s weight by using a more energy-dense battery, and it will travel much further using the same amount of stored energy as an electric car with a less energy-dense battery pack.
Smaller, lighter battery = lower cost
If rechargeable lithium-air battery packs become commercially viable, the reduced physical battery pack size could help reduce the overall cost of building and buying an electric car.
And with less weight, it should cost even less to operate an electric car with a lithium-air battery compared with a traditional lithium-ion battery of a similar energy capacity.
Reduced manufacturing costs and better efficiency on the road should then translate to lower sticker prices and faster adoption — even if electric vehicle range remains somewhere between 150 and 200 miles.
You choose
Ultimately, lithium-air batteries may offer the holy grail of 500-mile per charge range. But ask yourself this: Do you really need it?
Or would you rather have a lighter, more agile electric car that costs less to run?
• I’d rather see us persue a technology that actually shows promise.
Batteries have to be built of precious metals, and therefor require extensive mining operations. AND with their short usable lifespan .. whats the point!
Hydrogen is the way to go. It’s simple, clean and the most abundant element in the universe!
• Well you have omitted several issues with Hydrogen. It is difficult to store and transport since it is very small at the molecular level. It also is not very abundant on Earth and not that easy to produce. No one solution will make the difference and since we have a large inventory of gas burning vehicles gas will be needed for quite some time.
• Guest
I would imagine it’s wise, as always, to focus energy on things we do have control over. That does not always include technology
• After 4 hours however, it’s highly unlikely that you’ll immediately return to your car after visiting the bathroom. More likely, especially if you have kids, will be a 20-30 minute break for food or drink.And that gives you at least 30 minutes to recharge.
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16 Agustus, 2011
Athlete's Foot
Itchy, burning, cracked, and peeling feet? Athlete's foot (tinea pedis) usually develops between the toes and can spread via wet locker room floors, sweaty socks, and damp shoes. Prevent it by wearing shower shoes at the gym, washing your feet daily, drying them well, and wearing clean socks.
Jock Itch
A raised, itchy, red rash around your groin means you probably have jock itch (tinea cruris), which can affect men and women. It can be caused by sweating and the humid environment often created by athletic gear. You can prevent it by keeping your groin clean and dry, and wearing dry, clean underwear and loose pants after a workout.
Ringworm (tinea corporis) isn't caused by worms. This raised, red, circular, itchy fungal infection -- usually with clearer skin in the center -- can occur on the body or scalp (tinea capitis). You're at greater risk if your skin is often exposed to a warm, moist environment and you come in contact with ringworm from a person or pet. Prevent it by showering after sweating, then drying well. It's easily spread, so don't share towels, combs, or other personal items.
Nail Fungus
Brittle, discolored, thick nails may mean you have nail fungus (onychomycosis). Though more common in toenails, fungus can affect fingernails too, and is encouraged by warm, damp conditions. Prevent nail fungus by keeping nails short and wearing clean, dry socks, and changing them often. Wear wide-toed shoes (so toes aren't crammed together), and don't share nail clippers.
Caring for Gym Clothes
Fungal Infections: Hygiene at Home
Gym and Locker Room Hygiene
Treating Fungal Infections
Can Fungal Infections Make You Sick?
Fungal infections may look bad, but they rarely lead to more than itch and irritation. Unless you have a weakened immune system, your body is usually good at tackling infection before it causes serious illness. Still, if you're worried about your jock itch, athlete's foot, or any rash, talk to your doctor.
Birthmark Basics
Birthmarks gain attention when there's a media blitz about someone with a visible mark, such as New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees. News reports suggest that he was born with this birthmark on his right cheek, which doctors checked early on and found to be harmless. Folk wisdom calls such babies "touched by an angel," but a doctor's advice is best.
What Is a Birthmark?
A birthmark is a colored mark on or under the skin that's present at birth or develops shortly after birth.Some birthmarks fade with time; others become more pronounced. Birthmarks may be caused by extra pigment-producing cells in the skin or by blood vessels that do not grow normally. Most birthmarks are painless and harmless. In rare cases, they can cause complications or are associated with other conditions. All birthmarks should be checked by a doctor.
Seen here is former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev, who has a port wine stain on his forehead.
Salmon Patches
Salmon patches are nests of blood vessels that appear as small, pink, flat marks on the skin. They occur in one-third of newborn babies. Salmon patches can appear on the back of the neck ("stork bite"), between the eyes ("angel's kiss"), or on the forehead, nose, upper lip, or eyelids. Some fade as baby grows, but patches on the back of the neck usually don't go away. Salmon patches require no treatment.
Port Wine Stains
A port wine stain begins as a flat, pinkish-red mark at birth and gradually becomes darker and reddish-purple with age. Most will get bigger and thicker, too. Port wine stains are caused by dilated blood capillaries and occur in about three out of every 1,000 babies. Those on the eyelid may increase the risk of glaucoma. Port wine stains may be a sign of other disorders, but usually not. Treatment includes laser therapy, skin grafts, and masking makeup.
Mongolian Spots
Mongolian spots are flat, smooth marks that are present from birth. Frequently found on the buttocks or lower back, they're typically blue, but can also be bluish gray, bluish black, or brown. They may resemble a bruise. Mongolian spots are most common on darker-skinned babies. They usually fade by school age, but may never disappear entirely. No treatment is required.
Cafe-Au-Lait Spots
Cafe-au-lait spots are smooth and oval and range in color from light to medium brown, which is how they got their name, "coffee with milk" in French. They're typically found on the torso, buttocks, and legs. Cafe-au-lait spots may get bigger and darker with age, but are generally not considered a problem. However, having several spots larger than a quarter is linked with neurofibromatosis and the rare McCune-Albright syndrome. Consult a doctor if your child has several spots.
Strawberry Hemangiomas
Hemangiomas are a collection of small, closely packed blood vessels. Strawberry hemangiomas occur on the surface of the skin, usually on the face, scalp, back, or chest. They may be red or purple and are often raised, with sharp borders. These occur in 2 of every 100 babies born.
Strawberry hemangiomas usually develop a few weeks after birth. They grow rapidly through the first year before disappearing around age 9. Some slight discoloration or puckering of the skin may remain at the site. No treatment is required, but when they develop near the eye or mouth, or in a location that can bleed or become infected, they may need to be treated or removed.
Cavernous Hemangiomas
Present at birth, deeper cavernous hemangiomas are just under the skin and appear as a bluish spongy mass of tissue filled with blood. If they're deep enough, the overlying skin may look normal. Cavernous hemangiomas typically appear on the head or neck. Most disappear by puberty. A combination of cavernous and strawberry hemangioma can occur.
Venous Malformation
Venous malformations are caused by abnormally formed, dilated veins. Although present at birth, they may not become apparent until later in childhood or adulthood. Venous malformations appear in 1% to 4% of babies. They are often found on the jaw, cheek, tongue, and lips. They may also appear on other areas of the body. They will continue to grow slowly, and they don't shrink with time. Treatment -- often sclerotherapy or surgery -- may be necessary for pain or impaired function.
Congenital Nevi
Congenital nevi are moles that appear at birth. The surface may be flat, raised, or bumpy. These moles can grow anywhere on the body and vary in size from less than an inch to over 8 inches. Congenital nevi occur in 1% of newborns. Most moles are not dangerous. But congenital nevi, especially large ones, have an increased risk of developing into melanoma, the deadliest type of skin cancer. All moles should be monitored for changes.
15 Agustus, 2011
Identifying Bugs and Their Bites
Tick Bites
Ticks latch onto skin where they feed on blood
Lyme Disease
Black Widow Spiders: Poisonous!
Black Widow Spider Bites
Tiny red fang marks – classic sign of widow spider bites
Brown Recluse Spiders Can Be Deadly
Brown Recluse Spider Bites
Head Lice: Itchy!
Head Lice Remedies
Fleas: Not for Pets Only
A close look at a flea
Flea Bites
Bee, Wasp, Hornet, Yellow Jacket
Wasps and yellow jackets can inflict multiple stings
Bee, Wasp, Hornet, Yellow Jacket Stings
Fire Ants
A close look at a red fire ant
Fire Ant Stings
Painful stings from the fire ant quickly fill with pus
Chiggers: Itchy!
Chiggers are less than 1/150th of an inch in diameter
Chigger Bites
Itchy red welts can result from chigger bites
Stealthy Pests
Scabies are tiny mites that burrow into your skin
Treating Scabies
Weeks may pass before itching and skin sores develop
Bedbugs: Hitching a Ride
Bedbugs are very tiny and can be seen by the astute observer
Bedbug Bites
Bedbug bites do not usually require treatment
Puss Caterpillar: Southern Stinger!
The puss caterpillar is close to 1 inch long
Puss Caterpillar Stings
Evidence of contact with a puss caterpillar
Scorpions: Deadly!
The Arizona bark scorpion's venom is very dangerous
Deerflies : Painful !
Mosquitoes: More Than Irritating!
Mosquitoes can carry diseases such as West Nile virus and dengue fever
Houseflies: Dirty, Hairy!
Houseflies don't bite, but they can carry harmful bacteria
Cockroaches: Ugly Trouble
Dead roaches can trigger asthma and allergic reactions
14 Agustus, 2011
A bedbug at actual size, and magnified for a closer look
Am I at Risk for Infestation?
During hotel stays, keep luggage off the floor and zipped
Feeding Habits
Bedbugs feed while you sleep, with peak biting activity just before dawn
Signs and Symptoms
sBedbugs leave red, itchy bites on the skin, usually in rows
Treating Bites
Bedbug bites do not usually require treatment. If a secondary infection occurs (usually from scratching), apply a local antiseptic lotion or antibiotic cream or ointment. Creams with corticosteroids and oral antihistamines may be advised in the presence of allergic reaction or larger skin reactions. In these more severe cases, you may need to see your doctor.
Scratching bites can lead to infection
Do Bedbugs Transmit Diseases?
An adult bedbug ingesting a meal from a human
Bedbug or Imposter?
Check for bedbugs along the seams of mattresses
Bite Back Against Bedbugs
Get rid of infested mattresses and box springs or cover them with a plastic mattress bag to trap the bugs. Wash clothes and bedding in hot water, and dry on high heat. Clean furniture and vacuum cracks in wood floors and doors where bugs may hide. Shake out suitcases. Use an insecticide in the cracks of floors or bed frames, but read the label; do not apply to areas that come in direct contact with skin. If you still can't get rid of them, call an exterminator.
Wash clothes and bedding in hot, soapy water to kill bedbugs and their larvae
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Your body uses the protein you eat to make lots of specialized protein molecules that have specific jobs. For instance, your body uses protein to make hemoglobin (say: hee-muh-glo-bin), the part of red blood cells that carries oxygen to every part of your body. Other proteins are used to build cardiac muscle. What's that? Your heart! In fact, whether you're running or just hanging out, protein is doing important work like moving your legs, moving your lungs, and protecting you from disease.
All About Amino Acids
When you eat foods that contain protein, the digestive juices in your stomach and intestine go to work. They break down the protein in food into basic units, called amino acids (say uh-me-no ah-sids). The amino acids then can be reused to make the proteins your body needs to maintain muscles, bones, blood, and body organs.
Proteins are sometimes described as long necklaces with differently shaped beads. Each bead is a small molecule called an amino acid. These amino acids can join together to make thousands of different proteins. Scientists have found many different amino acids in protein, but 22 of them are very important to human health.
Different Kinds of Protein
For instance, you can't get all the amino acids you need from peanuts alone, but if you have peanuts or peanut butter on whole-grain bread you're set. Likewise, red beans won't give you everything you need, but red beans and rice will do the trick. The good news is that you don't have to eat all the essential amino acids in every meal. As long as you have a variety of protein sources throughout the day, your body will grab what it needs from each meal.
How Much Is Enough?
To figure out your protein needs, multiply your weight in pounds times 0.5 or you can just take your weight and divide by 2. For instance, a 56-pound (or 25-kilogram) kid should have about 28 grams of protein every day. If you only know your weight in kilograms, you need about 1 gram of protein each day for every kilogram you weigh.
1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) peanut butter (4 grams protein)
1 ounce (30 grams) or 2 domino-size pieces of cheddar cheese (7 grams protein)
Of course, you can choose your own favorite combination of protein-rich foods - now that you're a pro at protein!
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Give A Little Lift To Your Garden With This Helpful Advice.
When you use proper techniques when organic horticulture, you will tell from your harvest! It signifies that you have care for your plants and you desire good health for them. This is an admirable thing. However, you can always find new things to learn about, and improve your skills. Below are a collection of organic horticulture tips that will help you to develop your talent.
TIP! It can be very hard to shovel clay soil, especially when it sticks to your shovel as you are working. Take the hard work out of using a shovel in clay soil by rubbing a light coat of car or floor wax over the surface with a clean cloth and buff the surface.
Fertilizer is important when you garden. Choose commercial compost instead of homegrown manure to keep toxins out of your plants. There are a wide variety of fertilizing options available, although which type you use is not that important; just make sure to use something.
Use a wheelbarrow and a kneeling stool when you’re working in your garden. Spending a lot of time near the ground working is very hard on the knees, so a lightweight and portable garden stool will make gardening more comfortable. As well, horticulture can involve some heavy lifting and moving, so a strong wheelbarrow can really make that aspect much more effortless.
Plant with fall season color in mind. That doesn’t have to be the case. The foliage of autumn makes for perhaps the most colorful season of the year. There are many variations in leaf color with different varieties of Maple, Beech and Dogwood trees that can give you lively yellows and deep crimsons. Also, when considering shrubs, try using cotoneaster, hydrangea, or barberry.
Gardening should be a relaxing activity. There are countless ways that people find to relax. Gardening is at the top of the list of ways to relax for many people. The returns are huge for a very minute up front investment cost. Great satisfaction will come from raising produce and flowers in your own environment.
When planting seeds, make sure to take your time. First, you should loosen the soil, and ensure that it is sufficiently moist. Next, you will want to evenly distribute your seeds to ensure sufficient growing space. Seeds should be buried about three times deeper than their own size. Certain types of seeds should simply be dropped on top of the soil due to needing sunlight for growth.
TIP! Spread a little bit of organic mulch, around two inches worth, in and about each vegetable plant. The mulch will help keep the dirt around the plants more moist.
Tuck away some plastic grocery bags and use them to slip over your muddy boots. This helps you stay in the zone so that you can continue horticulture when you have completed your tasks in the house.
TIP! You should protect the knees if you are kneeling in the garden. It is not good to bend from a standing position for a long period of time.
Organic Garden
You now have the skills, the tools, and the equipment necessary to apply these strategies to your own organic garden. This is great news! These suggestions can help beginners get started, and can give experienced gardeners more techniques to work from. You can always benefit from learning! You might even have learned something you hadn’t known before to use in your organic garden.
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The Great Round World and What Is Going On In It, Vol. 1, No. 59, December 23, 1897 - A Weekly Magazine for Boys and Girls
Author: Various
Home - Random Browse
VOL. 1 DECEMBER 23, 1897. NO. 59
Copyright, 1897, by THE GREAT ROUND WORLD Publishing Company.
* * * * *
The troubles in Austria have not been brought to a close by the downfall of Count Badeni and the appointment of Baron von Gautsch.
Count Badeni was, as you will remember, particularly obnoxious to the German element in Austria, and many people thought that his dismissal would restore harmony. Instead, it has given rise to some very serious rioting in Bohemia.
We explained to you in a former number that Austro-Hungary is composed of a number of states and provinces.
The leading races in this much-disturbed country are the Germans, the Slavs, and the Magyars.
The Germans number about ten and a half millions; the Slavs, who comprise about nine distinct races, about twenty millions; and the Magyars about seven and a half millions.
The most important of the Slavs are the Czechs, or Bohemians, who number about five and a half of the total twenty millions.
While, as you can readily see, the Slavonic races considerably outnumber the Germans and the Magyars, the government is vested in these two latter races, and therefore the Slavs are forced to obey the will of the governing people. They do so, as we have seen, with a very bad grace.
Between the Magyars and the Germans there is no great friendliness, but the Hungarians have their own parliament, and are independent in many things. Between the Austrians and the Czechs there is an intense and undying antipathy, which it seems impossible to overcome.
The Bohemians would like to be as independent as the Hungarians, but their desires are not heeded, and they are forced to submit to the government of the Austrian Reichsrath or parliament.
In this assembly, however, they can show their true sentiments, and the friction between the rival races is extraordinary. If the Bohemians want any special laws made, the Germans oppose them. If the Germans try to get a measure through the parliament that is for their benefit alone, the Czechs combine to defeat it.
When, therefore, the German party succeeded in ousting Count Badeni, the Czechs were furious.
The German Austrians foolishly celebrated their victory with bonfires and illuminations, making a fete of the success which was so hateful to the Czechs.
The angry Bohemians sought revenge in riot.
In Prague, the capital of Bohemia, there were fierce anti-German risings.
The houses of the Germans were bombarded with stones, the German theatre and German restaurants were attacked and damaged, and the German Quarter, or portion of the city where most of the Germans live, was visited by an angry mob which plundered the houses and shops.
All persons speaking the German language were subject to attack, and for this reason the unfortunate and harmless Jews came in for their share of the popular hatred. The majority of them do not speak Czech, and many of the signs over their shops are in the hated German language. Many of them were therefore robbed, beaten, and cruelly ill-treated.
The riots grew so serious that they almost amounted to a rebellion.
Thousands of Czechs streamed into Prague to assist the rioters. The streets were filled with furious men, who attacked and beat any person using words of German. The very women on their way to market were not safe. They were obliged to wear the Bohemian national colors to save themselves from attack.
One poor old woman was severely beaten because she could not speak Czech. About three hundred Germans were taken to the hospitals, suffering from wounds they had received.
The disturbances having assumed such a serious character, the troops were ordered out to restore order.
They were greeted with showers of stones, broken glass, or any missile that came handy. The soldiers were finally obliged to fire on the mob, and in consequence many persons were injured.
The riots continuing, Prague was put under martial law, and regiments were drafted from Vienna to assist in quelling them. Twelve thousand in all have been massed in the city of Prague. It is evident that the Government considers the situation grave, as the men have been sent out armed as for war, and furnished with the various necessaries as for a regular campaign.
When martial law is proclaimed in a district, it means that all persons within a certain limit are to be subject to the rules and regulations in use in times of war.
These rules are very strict. Persons who resist are arrested, tried, and severely punished. Sometimes if they cannot give a good account of themselves they are hanged as spies.
The law that has been proclaimed in Prague is known as the Standrecht, and is not exactly martial law. Instead of the military officers sitting in judgment on suspected persons, the civil judges of the law courts are given military powers. They try and sentence people with military haste, and their sentences are put into effect within a few hours after they have been passed.
There is no appeal from the judgments of the Standrecht; and so quickly are they carried out, that if a person is ordered to be hanged, and the regular executioner is busy, the judge can call on the soldiers to carry out the sentence.
No sooner were these severe measures enforced in Prague, than the wrath of the people began to calm down.
Four men were handed over to the mercy of the judges; each received a sentence of twenty years' imprisonment, and was immediately taken away without time for farewells.
The hand of the law is very heavy in Prague at this moment, and for this reason her citizens are gradually returning to their senses.
Throughout the length and breadth of this great city the people are forced to live by military rules. Among other orders, the commanding officer insists that the house doors must be closed at seven every evening. Shops have to be closed at five, cafes must have their lights out and doors closed at nine, and every person in the city has to give an account of himself whenever it is required.
Under these laws the people of Prague will continue to live until peace is restored. The condition of the city is very pitiable. The schools are closed, the hotels are empty, and the tradespeople declare that bankruptcy lies before them.
Amazing stories are told of the dreadful things done by the rioters in their hatred of everything German. It is said that the Children's Hospital was attacked, and pelted with stones until all the windows were broken. The poor little invalids were for hours subjected to the freezing cold, and all because the doctors and nurses were Austrian Germans. In another part of the city an ambulance with a sick man in it was attacked by the mob, because the doctor riding with the patient was known to be a German.
* * * * *
While these horrors have been going forward in Prague, matters have not improved much in Vienna.
The two parties are more furious against each other than ever. It is asserted that if the Reichsrath reassembles with the same president, the previous disgraceful riots will be repeated.
It is said, however, that there is a chance of an understanding on the language question, but it is thought that it will be impossible to pass the Austro-Hungarian Compromise Bill in the Reichsrath.
This bill is the contract which holds Austria and Hungary together as one country, and which, as we have told you, expires on December 31st of this year.
If it is not renewed, Austria and Hungary must be separated.
As it has been impossible for the two nations to agree as to the terms of the new contract, it has, as we have told you, been suggested to make a temporary one for one year, which will bind the kingdoms while the permanent contract is being prepared.
It is this one-year agreement which it is supposed cannot be passed by the Reichsrath.
If it becomes evident that the Reichsrath will not pass this necessary bill, it is thought that the Emperor will finally take advantage of his right under the constitution, and, dissolving the Reichsrath, act on his own authority, and accept a one-year's agreement with Hungary.
If Francis Joseph is forced to take such a step it is likely that he may not call a new parliament for some time, but govern the country himself.
In the mean while, Baron Banffy, the Hungarian Prime Minister, has offered a bill in the Hungarian Reichstag (parliament) on this vexed question.
The Austrian parliament is called the "Reichsrath," the Hungarian the "Reichstag."
This bill provides that the contract between Hungary and Austria shall remain in force for another year, till December, 1898, and that if new arrangements have not been made by that time the compact shall be finally broken.
If nothing satisfactory has been proposed by May, 1898, the Government promises to submit proposals for the regulation of matters between the two countries, which shall go into force when the contract expires in December, 1898.
As soon as this bill had been read, Francis Kossuth (who, as we told you, is the son of the great Hungarian patriot, Louis Kossuth) asked leave to make suggestions in regard to the bill.
It being late, the house adjourned, after granting him permission to speak on the following day.
Everybody was eager to know what Kossuth would do. His love for his country and his desire to see her free were so well known that it was supposed that he had some plan to secure his hoped-for project.
As was expected, he made a strong plea that Hungary should declare her freedom.
Having pointed out to the members that the present was a golden opportunity in which to throw off the Austrian yoke, he ended his speech by asking that Baron Banffy's bill be referred to a committee.
Those who understand parliamentary procedure will see that this was a very clever move. Kossuth hoped thus to delay the final discussion of the bill until after the date of the treaty had expired, and then Hungary would once more have her freedom.
In getting the matter referred to a committee, he was submitting it to all the delays that attend parliamentary work. It would be placed in the hands of men who would be obliged to discuss it thoroughly before they could report it, and it would be unlikely that it could be returned to parliament before the beginning of January, when it would be too late to be of any use.
What the result of this clever move was, we have not yet heard.
It is thought by many people that the fall of the Austrian Empire is at hand.
Some fear that the German element may appeal to Emperor William of Germany, and that a war in which Germany, Austria, and Russia will be concerned may be the upshot of the present troubles.
* * * * *
Germany has a good deal on her hands at this moment.
In regard to Haiti, the case of young Lueders seems to be more complicated than it at first appeared.
By the laws of Haiti he is a Haitian, having been born on Haitian soil of a native mother; but he was educated in Germany, and served his time in the German army, so he has voluntarily assumed the duties of German citizenship.
This makes the case hard to handle.
Haiti has a perfect right to insist that he is a citizen, and must be treated according to her laws, but Germany has also some right to say that he is a German citizen, and shall not be abused by a foreign country. Were Haiti a more powerful country than she is, there is little doubt that she would take a stand and insist on her rights, but as it is, she does not dare to resist a strong power like Germany.
There was, as we told you, a report current that Germany did not intend to send any ship to Haiti, but that the matter would be settled by arbitration.
Three days after the announcement, two German cruisers entered the harbor of Port-au-Prince, and sent in an ultimatum, which is a government's final decision on a given subject.
The Haitian Government was informed that unless Germany's demands were submitted to within eight hours, the town would be bombarded.
Germany had said that two of her schoolships would visit the West Indies during the winter, and the two vessels which arrived at Port-au-Prince are believed to have been the two in question. They were, however, so fully equipped, and presented such a formidable appearance, that they were quite sufficient to seriously alarm the Haitians.
Word had been sent a few days previously that two German vessels were making all haste to Port-au-Prince, but thinking them the coming schoolships, the Haitians felt no fear. They determined to resist these German schoolboys to the last, and armed themselves to fight their foe.
When the German vessels finally made their appearance, and the Haitians saw for themselves that these so-called schoolships seemed to have just as many seamen and murderous-looking guns as the ordinary man-of-war, their courage oozed out at their finger-tips.
Before the ships came in sight, they had paraded the city, crying "Down with the Government!" in their fear that President Simon Sam might submit.
Now, in face of the two cruisers, affairs took on a new complexion, and when they heard that the town would be bombarded if Germany's demands were not acceeded to within eight hours, the natives' only fear was that the President would not submit.
The foreign residents did not feel any more cheerful than the Haitians.
The members of the French colony took refuge on the French ships in the harbor; the Germans hurried on board their own vessels; the English sought shelter on their trading steamers; and the Americans, having no vessels in the harbor, went to the house of the minister, carrying with them the most valuable of their possessions.
President Simon Sam determined to resist as long as he dared. He sent a request to the commander of the German vessels, for more time to consider.
The German commander refused, and one of the "schoolships" cleared its decks for action, and took up a position close to the Haitian war-vessels.
Clearing the decks for action means that everything possible is removed from the deck, and a clear space left for the sailors to work the ship in.
The Haitians then became convinced that Germany would not be trifled with, and the Government decided to yield.
President Simon Sam had feared that if he yielded too easily, the people would be infuriated with him, and try to put down his Government, so he held out until the cruiser was actually threatening the town, and then submitted. The money demanded by Germany as damages for Lueders, $30,000 in all, was sent on board the German vessel.
The President at the same time issued a notice to the people of Haiti, telling them he had been compelled to yield the rights of Haiti to the superior force of Germany.
The Haitians, besides sending the money, saluted the German flag, and sent a letter of apology to Germany.
Had the Haitians held out, and allowed the Germans to bombard their city, the United States would have been bound to interfere. It is said that the officials of our Government are very glad that the difficulty has been settled without our being forced to take part in it.
* * * * *
Germany seems to be in great luck at this moment.
It is reported that China, not being strong enough to fight the Germans, and drive them out of her country, has decided to give up Kiao-Chou to them.
This rumor has not as yet been confirmed, and it seems hardly to be believed, when we take into consideration the fact that only a week ago the Chinese Emperor said he would rather give up his crown than yield to the enormous demands of Germany.
She has just sent out a reinforcement of twelve hundred marines and two hundred artillerymen, under the command of the Emperor's brother, Prince Henry of Prussia.
Marines are soldiers who form a part of the equipment of war-vessels.
They have none of the sailors' duties, and do not handle the ships, but are sea troops, so to speak, who fight on shipboard, or are landed to attack a town, as in the case of Kiao-Chou.
They are a very useful body of men; but being neither soldiers nor sailors, according to the recognized idea of the terms, they are looked down upon by both soldiers and jack tars. In England it is a common saying that a marine is "neither fish, flesh, fowl, nor good red herring."
It is stated that the principal reason for the seizure of Kiao-Chou Bay was that Germany desired to have her share of the China trade. Finding that China was indifferent to her wishes, she determined to seize upon a portion of Chinese soil, and put herself in a position to force the Asiatic kingdom to listen to her demands and obey them.
A later telegram from China says that Germany has agreed to give up Kiao-Chou Bay for a coaling-station at Sam-Sah, which is on the coast of China, facing Formosa, the island Japan secured from China in the late war.
This report is also as yet unconfirmed, and so we must wait until next week to know which is the correct one.
* * * * *
From the latest Cuban news, it would seem that the insurgents are gaining a good many victories.
The leader of the Spanish forces, General Pando, was met by the Cubans in a heavy engagement in Santa Clara province. The first reports that reached us were that the Cubans had won the victory, and General Pando had been killed.
This report was denied by the Spaniards, but nevertheless no news has been received from this leader since the engagement.
The Spanish authorities are awaiting information with the deepest anxiety. The idea is growing daily stronger that some disaster must have overtaken him, and that he has been cut off from communication with Havana; otherwise no one can account for the fact that no news of any kind has been received from him.
In addition to this, the towns of Guisa and Canto el Embarcadero have been captured by the Cubans. A force of Spanish guerillas, fifty strong, have gone over to the insurgents, carrying with them arms, ammunition, and a large sum of money. Gomez is busy in Santa Clara, organizing his forces to make a strong stand against the Spanish troops.
As we told you, the Government has issued an order permitting the grinding of the sugar-cane.
Gomez is determined to prevent this. In the Western provinces, the rebels have divided themselves into small bands, and are burning such cane-fields as the desolation of the war has left growing.
Gomez himself will destroy the fields of Santa Clara.
You probably remember the methods employed by the insurgents for burning the cane at the beginning of the war.
They caught snakes, which are very plentiful in the swampy districts of Cuba, and rubbing their bodies with kerosene, set fire to them, and then threw them into the cane-fields.
The agonized reptiles, in their efforts to rub the burning oil from their bodies, twined around the cane, twisted from stem to stem, and set the fields on fire in a hundred places at once.
A big engagement is reported near Sancti Spiritus, and it is also said that the rebels have hanged fifteen persons who have approached them with proposals of Home Rule.
This does not look as if the island would soon be pacified.
* * * * *
The Government in Spain appears to be satisfied with the President's Message, the substance of which you will find in this number of THE GREAT ROUND WORLD.
You will see, when you look at it, that the President does not think it wise to interfere for the present, but thinks it right to give Spain time to try what Home Rule will do.
It is doubtful, however, whether the proposed reforms can be made acceptable to the majority of the Cubans.
A fresh proclamation, signed by a number of the lesser Cuban chiefs, has been issued. In it the insurgents state very decidedly that they are fighting for liberty, and will have nothing but liberty from Spain. They declare, in so many words, that their watchword is "Freedom or Death."
It is not going to be easy to pacify so determined a people.
The Havana volunteers are now giving the Government much trouble and putting fresh obstacles in the way of the success of the reforms.
We spoke about this body of men at the time of Weyler's leave-taking, and told you how opposed they were to showing kindness or mercy to the Cubans, believing only in Weyler's cruel methods.
These volunteers are violently enraged against the proposed Home Rule, and in addition have another grievance against the Government.
They have been in the habit of doing the kid-glove soldiering of the island, mustering and parading in handsome uniforms; their heaviest work has been to occasionally go on guard duty at the palace, where the Captain-General lives, or at the bank.
General Blanco is anxious to suppress the revolution, and, wishing to make use of every man who can carry arms, decided to put this idle force into the field.
This the volunteers refused to submit to. It is said that they will mutiny rather than undertake any useful duties.
Perhaps a little ashamed to state the true cause of their anger, they have laid it all to the score of Home Rule, and declare that if Spain cannot protect them they would rather submit to American government than be ruled by Cubans.
The disaffected volunteers have declared their intention of wearing the white badge of Don Carlos, and will appeal to him rather than allow the hated Home Rule to be carried out.
In Spain, also, the Carlist party is making strong protests against the establishment of Home Rule, and it is thought that Don Carlos will seize this measure as a pretext for coming forward and making one more effort to gain the throne of Spain.
Several of the Spanish journals have begun to speak of him as "the king," and, strange to say, this treasonable conduct has been allowed to go unpunished.
* * * * *
The stone house at Tappan on the Hudson River, in which Major John Andre was imprisoned before he was hanged as a spy, is about to be opened to the public.
For forty years it has been owned by a gentleman who absolutely refused to allow any one to enter it.
A few weeks ago a heavy storm of wind and rain threw down the whole front of the house, and immediately scores of relic-hunters descended upon the house, and, delighted that they no longer need be deterred from satisfying their curiosity, roamed at will over the ruin, carrying away scraps of wood and stone as mementos of their visit.
Disgusted that he could no longer keep his property to himself, the owner sold the old house. The present proprietor intends to rebuild the front wall and preserve the rest of the building as it is, using it as a picnic resort.
This old house has a very interesting record.
During the Revolutionary times it was known as the Mabie Tavern, and the old tap-room, with its ancient bar, is still as it was in those troublous times.
Major Andre was the officer who, as the representative of the British general, Sir Henry Clinton, made arrangements with the infamous traitor, Benedict Arnold, for the surrender of West Point.
On returning from his interview with Arnold at Stony Point, Andre was arrested at Tarrytown and taken across the Tappan Zee. He was tried by court-martial and sentenced to be hanged as a spy. The sentence was carried out in October, 1780.
The tavern was used as a prison, and the room in which Andre was visited by Alexander Hamilton, and the window from which the doomed man was supposed to have looked out on his place of execution, are still in good preservation.
On Monday, December 6th, the first regular session of the Fifty-fifth Congress began.
At twelve o'clock precisely the Senate and the House of Representatives were called to order by their respective presiding officers.
The usual form of business was then gone through.
After a prayer by the chaplain, both bodies appointed two members to inform the President that Congress was in session, and ready to receive any communication from him.
At half-past one the President's secretary presented the Message to the Senate, and a few minutes later handed another in to the House of Representatives.
The Message, which is President McKinley's first annual message, was listened to with the closest attention.
After a greeting to Congress, and congratulations on the good work done in the extra session last summer, the President took up the
CURRENCY QUESTION.—You will remember that he was very anxious to make some changes in our money system, which he did not consider satisfactory. He asked Congress to appoint a committee to examine into the subject, but Congress referred the matter to the Committee on Finance, and no special committee was appointed.
The President realized from this that the country was not ready or willing to have changes made in its money system, and therefore, in his Message, he treats the currency with the utmost care.
He warns Congress that the present money system is unsound and needs changing. He reminds the lawmakers that the country has undertaken to pay out a certain amount of gold every year, but that it has not made any arrangements for receiving gold. The consequence is that the treasury has every year to buy the gold it needs to pay its debts.
This the President does not approve of.
He suggests that some arrangement should be made whereby debts due to the Government shall be paid in gold, so that the treasury may receive enough gold for its needs.
He leaves the matter in the hands of Congress, suggesting that it might help matters if the bank-notes which the Government has to redeem in gold shall only be paid out again in exchange for gold. He also asks that earnest attention be given to the plan of the Secretary of the Treasury.
THE CUBAN QUESTION is treated in a very impartial and statesmanlike manner.
The President goes over its history in a way that is most interesting to us, because he is in possession of facts that no private citizen can obtain. We print a portion of his remarks:
"The story of Cuba for many years has been one of unrest, growing discontent; an effort toward a larger enjoyment of liberty and self-control; of organized resistance to the mother country.
"The prospect from time to time that the weakness of Spain's hold upon the island might lead to the transfer of Cuba to a continental power called forth, between 1823 and 1860, various emphatic declarations of the policy of the United States to permit no disturbance of Cuba's connection with Spain, unless in the direction of independence or acquisition by us through purchase; nor has there been any change of this declared policy since upon the part of the Government.
"The revolution which began in 1868 lasted for ten years, despite the strenuous efforts of the successive Peninsular governments to suppress it. Then, as now, the Government of the United States testified its grave concern and offered its aid to put an end to bloodshed in Cuba. The overtures made by General Grant were refused, and the war dragged on, entailing great loss of life and treasure and increased injury to American interests, besides throwing enhanced burdens of neutrality upon this Government. In 1878 peace was brought about by the truce of Zanjon, obtained by negotiations between the Spanish commander, Martinez de Campos, and the insurgent leaders.
"The present insurrection broke out in February, 1895."
He goes on to say that the friendly offers of mediation made in April, 1896, by this Government, were refused by Spain. He mentions the cruel policy of driving the peasants into the towns, the abuse of the rights of war which were perpetrated, speaks of Minister Woodford's mission, and finally shows that action on our part was rendered unnecessary by the death of Canovas and the coming in to power of Sagasta.
He declares that the present Government of Spain seems determined to give liberal Home Rule to the island of Cuba, and to give it in spite of the serious objections raised by certain powerful political parties in Spain.
In the face of these facts, he asks Congress to give Spain time, before making any demands, to end the war.
He refuses to recognize the belligerency of Cuba, and bases his decision on the action taken by President Grant in 1875, when the situation in Cuba was similar to the present state of affairs.
He quotes the following words of General Grant:
"A recognition of the independence of Cuba being, in my opinion, impracticable and indefensible, the question which next presents itself is that of the recognition of belligerent rights in the parties to the contest. In a former message to Congress I had occasion to consider this question, and reached the conclusion that the conflict in Cuba, dreadful and devastating as were its incidents, did not rise to the fearful dignity of war...."
He declares that as regards filibustering, he thinks the Government has simply done its duty. He leaves the Cuban question practically as it was, asking Congress to wait and see how the Home Rule principle works before taking any further steps.
He promises that if, in the future, intervention in the affairs of Cuba seems necessary, he will face the necessity without hesitation.
HAWAIIAN ANNEXATION is treated very clearly by President McKinley.
He thinks the time is ripe for annexation, and recommends that the treaty shall be confirmed as speedily as possible.
He seems to think there is no doubt that Congress will pass the treaty, for he goes on to recommend that Home Rule shall be given to Hawaiians as soon as the islands shall belong to the United States.
He reports progress on THE NICARAGUA CANAL, states that the surveys and examinations are being made, and that he hopes soon to have a full statement to submit to Congress.
THE SEALING QUESTION received some consideration. The Message gives the history of the matter, with which we are all familiar (or can easily become so by looking up the back numbers of THE GREAT ROUND WORLD, from page 732, and through several numbers following).
The President announces the treaty arranged between Russia, Japan, and the United States, and that on certain important points England is also agreed. He thinks there will be little difficulty in getting measures adopted for the preservation of the seal herd.
ARBITRATION.—On this matter he states that the "best sentiment of the civilized world is moving toward the settlement of differences between nations without the horrors of war."
He adds that he will give his constant encouragement to all such treaties, provided they do not endanger our interests.
THE EXPOSITION OF 1900, which will be held in Paris, also comes in for consideration.
President McKinley states that from the reports received from the special commissioner who was appointed to look into the matter, he is of opinion that the coming event in Paris will be one of the most important of the many wonderful expositions which the world has seen.
He therefore asks Congress to make a liberal appropriation of money, so that the United States may be properly represented.
In regard to THE NAVY, the President says:
"The present force of the navy consists of 4 battleships of the first class, 2 of the second, and 48 other vessels, ranging from armored cruisers to torpedo-boats. There are under construction 5 battleships of the first class, 16 torpedo-boats, and 1 submarine boat. No provision has yet been made for the armor for three of the five battleships, as it has been impossible to obtain it at the price fixed by Congress. It is of great importance that Congress provide for the purchase of this armor, as until then the ships are of no fighting value."
Considering that five battleships of the largest class are now on the stocks, the President only recommends the building of one more battleship, which shall be for the Pacific Coast.
He also asks for several torpedo-boats, in connection with the system of coast defence, and recommends that floating-docks for the repairing of battleships be provided on all our coasts.
As to ALASKA, the government of the territory is, the President says, not strong or effective enough to take care of the crowds that have hurried into the country since the discovery of gold.
He therefore suggests that a more thorough system of government shall be established.
He states that he agrees with General Alger, the Secretary of War, that Alaska also needs a military force for the safety of her citizens. A military post is about to be established at St. Michaels, which, as you probably remember, is on Norton Sound, and is one of the principal seaports of Alaska.
THE CIVILIZED TRIBES OF INDIANS were next in consideration.
President McKinley recommends that the relations with the five civilized tribes shall be readjusted, giving the Indians citizenship and individual ownership of their lands.
The five civilized tribes are the Cherokees, Choctaws, Chickasaws, Muscogees or Creeks, and the Seminoles.
(This latter point opens a very interesting subject for us. We have not space to talk about it now, but hope to do so shortly. We should all of us be familiar with the history of the Indians.)
The President recommends that to prevent the further invasion of the United States by yellow fever it is important to discover the exact cause of the disease. He suggests that investigations to that end shall be made.
The quarantine laws, he thinks, should also be amended and improved.
He expresses a hope that now that the Congressional Library has been finished, and is such a magnificent building, and so perfect in its form and detail, Congress will appropriate sums sufficient to develop it, until it shall be among the richest and most useful in the world.
Begging Congress to keep its expenditures within the limit of its receipts, President McKinley brought his Message to a close.
All gardeners tell you that plants never do so well in jardinieres as in the red earthen pots. It is for the reason that the common pots are porous and allow evaporation, so that the water does not become stagnant and injure the plant, while the glazed jardinieres effectually prevent it.
The new invention accomplishes all of these purposes.
The pot is placed in the saucer, and the uprights are bent toward the plant until they touch it. Then the spring handles are turned down and clasp the inside rim of the pot, making pot and saucer practically one piece, giving all the advantages of the jardiniere, with the health qualities of the earthen pot.
* * * * *
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Facts about chihuahuas
• Archaeological evidence suggests that the Chihuahuas were buried with people in ancient Mexico and in parts of the United States.
• There is an opinion that these dogs were considered sacred among the ancient Mexican people. The folklore of the inhabitants of that time connected these animals with the worship of deities.
• Another interesting fact about chihuahua is that most of them are born with drooping ears, which gradually become straight, and continue to grow so much.
• Despite the fact that they are considered as the smallest breed of dogs, in the Guinness Book of Records, the title of the smallest dog belongs to the Yorkshire Terrier, not the Chihuahua.
• In comparison with the size of the body, they have very large brains. In other words, among all breeds of dogs, chihuahua have the largest brain, in comparison with body size.
• They have a short nose that makes the snakes prone to wheezing and snoring. Even the eyes can develop glaucoma and dryness of the cornea.
• The largest litter of chihuahua was twelve puppies.
• The popularity of these dogs is growing from year to year. More than 24,930 purebred chihuahuas were recorded in 2003 only in one in the United States.
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do they work crossing structures deer herd banner
If we want to know whether wildlife-crossing structures work, it’s important to define what success looks like. For the coalition of engineers, scientists, and government officials involved in the renovation of US 93 North, success was centered around two things:
• Reducing wildlife-vehicle collisions
• Maintaining habitat connectivity for wildlife
After 14 years of on-the-ground monitoring and research before, during, and after construction of wildlife crossing structures, we can definitively state that US 93 North crossing measures have reduced wildlife-vehicle collisions and maintained or improved habitat connectivity for deer and black bear.
Our research was concentrated in three main study areas as well as three adjacent road sections that had no wildlife crossing structures (the “control” sections).
Reducing human and wildlife traffic accidents
The number of deer using wildlife crossing structures in the three main study areas versus walking across the pavement averaged 6,293 per year; for black bear that number was 305 crossings per year. Diverting animals away from the road surface means fewer potential wildlife-related car accidents, injuries, or deaths.
Wildlife fences are effective in reducing collisions with large mammals, but their effectiveness depends on the length of the fencing and associated measures.
In the three main study areas where wildlife fencing was implemented, there was a 70-80% reduction in wildlife-vehicle collisions. Interestingly, the number of wildlife-vehicle collisions significantly increased in the nearby unfenced (control) areas.
Although wider lanes and shoulders, longer sight distances, and more gentle curves make rural highways like US 93 North safer in general, our research suggests that without the implementation of wildlife mitigation measures like fencing and crossing structures, the number of wildlife-vehicle collisions will be greater than before highway improvements were made.
Maintaining habitat connectivity for wildlife
The wildlife cameras recorded 22,648 successful animal crossings per year in the 29 crossing structures that were monitored.
Twenty different species of medium-sized or large-sized terrestrial wild mammals used the crossing structures successfully. Most of the crossings were by white-tailed deer (69%). Mule deer and domestic dogs and cats each represented about 5% of the successful crossings. Black bear represented 1.6%.
While the number of black bear crossings was similar both before and after the structures were implemented, more deer use the crossing structures than had previously crossed the highway at grade.
Hungry for more statistics, charts, and analyses? You’ll find them here (PDF).
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Identifying when a kid is beating themselves up
It's very important as a coach to tell when a player has a healthy driver for wanting a better personal performance, recognizing moments when not feeling satisfied with one's practice is a great sign of ambition. However, I see a moment often unrecognized when a player is actually being too hard on themselves and turning into a counterproductive mentality, commonly thought of as "beating themselves up."
This is the moment when there are minor mistakes made and the player responds by,
• hitting themselves
• cursing at themselves
• self insulting
• stomping the ground
• refusing to participate out of frustration
• projecting blame onto others
• overly aggressive
When, as a coach, you see these signs, you can conclude that the players mentality has turned into self sabotage. They are over analyzing every step of the task at hand and they move too slow or even stop in the middle of an activity to ask questions. These are all methods to avoid completing the activity because they are afraid to complete the activity incorrectly. Then once they finally finish the task at hand, the attitude becomes even more depressed very quickly.
Correcting this behavior is done by creating an atmosphere where making mistakes is ok. This will only be done if you the trainer or parent come to the child in a genuine mental state, if you cannot do it, do not bother continuing with the player because they can tell the false energy a mile away. You need to ground your emotions and care before any instruction can be given. Using examples of yourself making mistakes or highlighting when you do make a mistake and showing a light hearted attitude will always work best. Then performing the drill at hand properly after making a mistake will create the beginning of a trusting environment. Use those moments to show how after making mistakes and trying again, you became better.
The next step is to set smaller goals that are easily achievable; break it down to remove the enormity of a mistake. No matter what mistake happens now. it's just a small building within small steps to lead to a bigger accomplishment. This in turn will fill a player's self worth and create a safe to fail system for continued growth with the player.
Remember, you must come to the player as authentic as possible. If you need to remind them of the greats who fail, everyone knows the story of Michael Jordan. Yet, humbling yourself and showing your humanity will always be the best method in reaching into a player and building trust.
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The nilgai or blue bull (Boselaphus tragocamelus), sometimes called the neelghae or nilgau, is the largest Asian antelope. The sole member of the genus Boselaphus, the species was first described by German zoologist Peter Simon Pallas in 1766. It stands 1–1.5 metres (3.3–4.9 ft) at the shoulder. Males weigh 109–288 kilograms (240–635 lb); females are lighter, weighing 100–213 kilograms (220–470 lb). A sturdy thin-legged antelope, the nilgai is characterised by a sloping back, a deep neck with a white patch on the throat, a short crest of hair along the neck and terminating in a tuft, and white facial spots. A tubular column of coarse hair, known as the “pennant”, can be observed on the throat below the white patch. Sexual dimorphism is prominent: while the females and the juveniles are orange to tawny, the males have a bluish grey coat. Only males possess horns, 15–24 centimetres (5.9–9.4 in) long.
House sparrow
The house sparrow (Passer domesticus) is a bird of the sparrow family Passeridae, found in most parts of the world. A small bird, it has a typical length of 16 centimetres (6.3 inches) and a mass of 24–39.5 grams (0.85–1.39 ounces). Females and young birds are coloured pale brown and grey, and males have brighter black, white, and brown markings. One of about 25 species in the genus Passer, the house sparrow is native to most of Europe, the Mediterranean region, and much of Asia. Its intentional or accidental introductions to many regions, including parts of Australia, Africa, and the Americas, make it the most widely distributed wild bird.
Indira Gandhi International Airport, situated to the southwest of Delhi, is the main gateway for the city’s domestic and international civilian air traffic. In 2012-13, the airport was used by more than 35 million passengers,making it one of the busiest airports in South Asia. Terminal 3, which cost ₹96.8 billion (US$1.4 billion) to construct between 2007 and 2010, handles an additional 37 million passengers annually.The Delhi Flying Club, established in 1928 with two de Havilland Moth aircraft named Delhi and Roshanara, was based at Safdarjung Airport which started operations in 1929, when it was the Delhi’s only airport and the second in India.The airport functioned until 2001, however in January 2002 the government closed the airport for flying activities because of security concerns following the New York attacks in September 2001. Since then, the club only carries out aircraft maintenance courses and is used for helicopter rides to Indira Gandhi International Airport for VIP including the president and the prime minister.A second airport open for commercial flights has been suggested either by expansion of Meerut Airport or construction of a new airport in Greater Noida.Delhi has the highest road density of 2103 km/100 km2 in India.Buses are the most popular means of road transport catering to about 60% of Delhi’s total demand. Delhi has one of India’s largest bus transport systems. Buses are operated by the state-owned Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC), which owns the largest fleet of compressed natural gas (CNG)-fueled buses in the world. Personal vehicles especially cars also form a major chunk of vehicles plying on Delhi roads. Delhi has the highest number of registered cars compared to any other metropolitan city in India. Taxis, auto rickshaws and cycle rickshaws also ply on Delhi roads in large numbers.
Delhi is a major junction in the Indian railway network and is the headquarters of the Northern Railway. The five main railway stations are New Delhi railway station, Old Delhi, Nizamuddin Railway Station, Anand Vihar Railway Terminal and Sarai Rohilla.The Delhi Metro, a mass rapid transit system built and operated by Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC), serves many parts of Delhi and the neighbouring cities Faridabad, Gurgaon, Noida and Ghaziabad.As of August 2011, the metro consists of six operational lines with a total length of 189 km (117 mi) and 146 stations, and several other lines are under construction.The Phase-I was built at a cost of US$2.3 billion and the Phase-II was expected to cost an additional ₹216 billion (US$3.2 billion).Phase-II has a total length of 128 km and was completed by 2010.Delhi Metro completed 10 years of operation on 25 December 2012. It carries millions of passengers every day.In addition to the Delhi Metro, a suburban railway, the Delhi Suburban Railway exists.The Delhi Metro is a rapid transit system serving Delhi, Faridabad, Gurgaon, Noida and Ghaziabad in the National Capital Region of India. Delhi Metro is the world’s 10th largest metro system in terms of length. Delhi Metro was India’s first modern public transportation system which has revolutionised travel by providing a fast, reliable, safe, and comfortable means of transport. The network consists of six lines with a total length of 189.63 kilometres (117.83 miles) with 142 stations, of which 35 are underground, five are at-grade, and the remainder are elevated. All stations have escalators, elevators, and tactile tiles to guide the visually impaired from station entrances to trains. It has a combination of elevated, at-grade, and underground lines, and uses both broad gauge and standard gauge rolling stock. Four types of rolling stock are used: Mitsubishi-ROTEM Broad gauge, Bombardier MOVIA, Mitsubishi-ROTEM Standard gauge, and CAF Beasain Standard gauge. The Phase-I of Delhi Metro was built at a cost of US$2.3 billion and the Phase-II was expected to cost an additional ₹216 billion (US$3.2 billion).Phase-II has a total length of 128 km and was completed by 2010.Delhi Metro completed 10 years of operation on 25 December 2012. It carries millions of passengers every day.In addition to the Delhi Metro, a suburban railway, the Delhi Suburban Railway exists.
There is no such thing as typical cuisines of Delhi. This is so because there is no specific identity of the city. With time, people from different areas of India came and settled, making Delhi an assortment of sorts. Slowly and gradually, Delhi assumed some of the aspects of the identity of all the types of people living in it, making multiple identities for itself. As a result, even the traditional food of New Delhi has no distinctiveness. It comprises of South Indian food, Punjabi food, Gujarati food, Rajasthani food and so on. However, there are certain food items for which Delhi is quite famous.
Arts and Crafts
The capital of India is not only known for its rich historical background but also for some exquisite arts and crafts. Infact, the arts and crafts of Delhi have been patronized since the times of the royals. As a cultural center of its time, Delhi attracted the best of painters, musicians and dancers. Even though those days have gone, arts and crafts continue to be encouraged in Delhi. As a matter of fact, Delhi has its own “cultural season” that stretches on from October to March. This season is full of various events related to both visual as well as performing arts.The numerous auditoriums in the city are busy with the various music and dance performances. Not to forget the various theatre groups in Delhi, especially the most famous National School of Drama (NSD). From the Hindi translations of European plays, to regional theatre as well as folk forms, there is a range of plays that serve as the food for your soul. Then, there is a hoard of art galleries that serve as a reflection of the creative streak of the Delhiites. Numerous exhibitions are held in the city that displays the works of both well-known as well as relatively new artists from all over the country.
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Search DrRajHealth
Wednesday, May 7, 2014
Why would a doctor order an ultrasound of the carotid artery?
My father’s doctor wants him to have an ultrasound of his carotid
cholesterol-filled plaques of atherosclerosis. Blood clots can form from
cells, you can see an example of this below.
Brain at risk: The carotid circulation
internal carotid artery carries blood to the brain. Cholesterol-laden
plaques can narrow the artery, allowing clots to form. If the clots
break off and travel to the brain, they can cause transient ischemic
attacks (TIAs) or strokes.
Brief or partial interruptions of blood flow to the brain can cause
permanent damage. But a prolonged or substantial interruption of blood
flow to the brain can cause a stroke. During a stroke, brain cells die,
often damaging a person’s ability to move, speak, feel or think.
A carotid ultrasound can detect whether your father has narrowing, or
risk of stroke.
Carotid ultrasound is the most widely used test for carotid stenosis.
It is quick and safe. Ultrasound is similar to radar. Developed just
received radio waves: They had both transmitters and receivers. The
distant airplane). The waves that bounced back from the object were
object out there, and how far away it was.
and then through the carotid artery. A computer translates the sound
signals into an image of your carotid artery and the blood flowing
Current guidelines recommend against carotid screening for everyone.
That’s because most people do not have plaques in their carotid
arteries, so there would be nothing to see. The test is reasonably
expensive, and it’s not perfectly accurate.
If your father’s doctor wants him to have a carotid ultrasound, I’ll
bet it’s because your father had some symptoms of carotid stenosis.
These symptoms are usually temporary. They may include visual
abnormalities, weakness, numbness, tingling or slurred speech.
If the ultrasound reveals carotid stenosis, your father will have two
treatment options: medication to prevent clot formation, or a procedure
to open the narrowed artery. Both treatments will help prevent a
• Don’t smoke.
• Eat a healthy diet.
• Exercise regularly.
• Maintain healthy blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
Reblogged from Ask Doctor K
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Manual Reference Pages - RRDTUTORIAL (1)
rrdtutorial - Alex van den Bogaerdt’s RRDtool tutorial
RRDtool is written by Tobias Oetiker <tobi@oetiker.ch> with contributions from many people all around the world. This document is written by Alex van den Bogaerdt <alex@ergens.op.het.net> to help you understand what RRDtool is and what it can do for you.
Please don’t skip ahead in this document! The first part of this document explains the basics and may be boring. But if you don’t understand the basics, the examples will not be as meaningful to you.
What is RRDtool?
RRDtool refers to Round Robin Database tool. Round robin is a technique that works with a fixed amount of data, and a pointer to the current element. Think of a circle with some dots plotted on the edge — these dots are the places where data can be stored. Draw an arrow from the center of the circle to one of the dots — this is the pointer. When the current data is read or written, the pointer moves to the next element. As we are on a circle there is neither a beginning nor an end, you can go on and on and on. After a while, all the available places will be used and the process automatically reuses old locations. This way, the dataset will not grow in size and therefore requires no maintenance. RRDtool works with with Round Robin Databases (RRDs). It stores and retrieves data from them.
What data can be put into an RRD?
You name it, it will probably fit as long as it is some sort of time-series data. This means you have to be able to measure some value at several points in time and provide this information to RRDtool. If you can do this, RRDtool will be able to store it. The values must be numerical but don’t have to be integers, as is the case with MRTG (the next section will give more details on this more specialized application).
Many examples below talk about SNMP which is an acronym for Simple Network Management Protocol. Simple refers to the protocol — it does not mean it is simple to manage or monitor a network. After working your way through this document, you should know enough to be able to understand what people are talking about. For now, just realize that SNMP can be used to query devices for the values of counters they keep. It is the value from those counters that we want to store in the RRD.
What can I do with this tool?
RRDtool originated from MRTG (Multi Router Traffic Grapher). MRTG started as a tiny little script for graphing the use of a university’s connection to the Internet. MRTG was later (ab-)used as a tool for graphing other data sources including temperature, speed, voltage, number of printouts and the like.
Most likely you will start to use RRDtool to store and process data collected via SNMP. The data will most likely be bytes (or bits) transfered from and to a network or a computer. But it can also be used to display tidal waves, solar radiation, power consumption, number of visitors at an exhibition, noise levels near an airport, temperature on your favorite holiday location, temperature in the fridge and whatever you imagination can come up with.
You only need a sensor to measure the data and be able to feed the numbers into RRDtool. RRDtool then lets you create a database, store data in it, retrieve that data and create graphs in PNG format for display on a web browser. Those PNG images are dependent on the data you collected and could be, for instance, an overview of the average network usage, or the peaks that occurred.
What if I still have problems after reading this document?
First of all: read it again! You may have missed something. If you are unable to compile the sources and you have a fairly common OS, it will probably not be the fault of RRDtool. There may be pre-compiled versions around on the Internet. If they come from trusted sources, get one of those.
If on the other hand the program works but does not give you the expected results, it will be a problem with configuring it. Review your configuration and compare it with the examples that follow.
There is a mailing list and an archive of it. Read the list for a few weeks and search the archive. It is considered rude to just ask a question without searching the archives: your problem may already have been solved for somebody else! This is true for most, if not all, mailing lists and not only for this particular one. Look in the documentation that came with RRDtool for the location and usage of the list.
I suggest you take a moment to subscribe to the mailing list right now by sending an email to <rrd-users-request@lists.oetiker.ch> with a subject of subscribe. If you ever want to leave this list, just write an email to the same address but now with a subject of unsubscribe.
How will you help me?
By giving you some detailed descriptions with detailed examples. I assume that following the instructions in the order presented will give you enough knowledge of RRDtool to experiment for yourself. If it doesn’t work the first time, don’t give up. Reread the stuff that you did understand, you may have missed something.
By following the examples you get some hands-on experience and, even more important, some background information of how it works.
You will need to know something about hexadecimal numbers. If you don’t then start with reading bin_dec_hex tutorial before you continue here.
Your first Round Robin Database
In my opinion the best way to learn something is to actually do it. Why not start right now? We will create a database, put some values in it and extract this data again. Your output should be the same as the output that is included in this document.
We will start with some easy stuff and compare a car with a router, or compare kilometers (miles if you wish) with bits and bytes. It’s all the same: some number over some time.
Assume we have a device that transfers bytes to and from the Internet. This device keeps a counter that starts at zero when it is turned on, increasing with every byte that is transfered. This counter will probably have a maximum value. If this value is reached and an extra byte is counted, the counter starts over at zero. This is the same as many counters in the world such as the mileage counter in a car.
Most discussions about networking talk about bits per second so lets get used to that right away. Assume a byte is eight bits and start to think in bits not bytes. The counter, however, still counts bytes! In the SNMP world most of the counters are 32 bits. That means they are counting from 0 to 4’294’967’295. We will use these values in the examples. The device, when asked, returns the current value of the counter. We know the time that has passes since we last asked so we now know how many bytes have been transfered ***on average*** per second. This is not very hard to calculate. First in words, then in calculations:
1. Take the current counter, subtract the previous value from it.
2. Do the same with the current time and the previous time (in seconds).
3. Divide the outcome of (1) by the outcome of (2), the result is the amount of bytes per second. Multiply by eight to get the number of bits per second (bps).
bps = (counter_now - counter_before) / (time_now - time_before) * 8
For some people it may help to translate this to an automobile example. Do not try this example, and if you do, don’t blame me for the results!
People who are not used to think in kilometers per hour can translate most into miles per hour by dividing km by 1.6 (close enough). I will use the following abbreviations:
M: meter
KM: kilometer (= 1\(aq000 meters).
H: hour
S: second
KM/H: kilometers per hour
M/S: meters per second
You are driving a car. At 12:05 you read the counter in the dashboard and it tells you that the car has moved 12’345 KM until that moment. At 12:10 you look again, it reads 12’357 KM. This means you have traveled 12 KM in five minutes. A scientist would translate that into meters per second and this makes a nice comparison toward the problem of (bytes per five minutes) versus (bits per second).
We traveled 12 kilometers which is 12’000 meters. We did that in five minutes or 300 seconds. Our speed is 12’000M / 300S or 40 M/S.
We could also calculate the speed in KM/H: 12 times 5 minutes is an hour, so we have to multiply 12 KM by 12 to get 144 KM/H. For our native English speaking friends: that’s 90 MPH so don’t try this example at home or where I live :)
Remember: these numbers are averages only. There is no way to figure out from the numbers, if you drove at a constant speed. There is an example later on in this tutorial that explains this.
I hope you understand that there is no difference in calculating M/S or bps; only the way we collect the data is different. Even the K from kilo is the same as in networking terms k also means 1’000.
We will now create a database where we can keep all these interesting numbers. The method used to start the program may differ slightly from OS to OS, but I assume you can figure it out if it works different on your’s. Make sure you do not overwrite any file on your system when executing the following command and type the whole line as one long line (I had to split it for readability) and skip all of the ’\’ characters.
rrdtool create test.rrd \
--start 920804400 \
DS:speed:COUNTER:600:U:U \
RRA:AVERAGE:0.5:1:24 \
(So enter: rrdtool create test.rrd --start 920804400 DS ...)
What has been created?
We created the round robin database called test (test.rrd) which starts at noon the day I started writing this document, 7th of March, 1999 (this date translates to 920’804’400 seconds as explained below). Our database holds one data source (DS) named speed that represents a counter. This counter is read every five minutes (this is the default therefore you don’t have to put --step=300). In the same database two round robin archives (RRAs) are kept, one averages the data every time it is read (e.g., there’s nothing to average) and keeps 24 samples (24 times 5 minutes is 2 hours). The other averages 6 values (half hour) and contains 10 such averages (e.g. 5 hours).
RRDtool works with special time stamps coming from the UNIX world. This time stamp is the number of seconds that passed since January 1st 1970 UTC. The time stamp value is translated into local time and it will therefore look different for different time zones.
Chances are that you are not in the same part of the world as I am. This means your time zone is different. In all examples where I talk about time, the hours may be wrong for you. This has little effect on the results of the examples, just correct the hours while reading. As an example: where I will see 12:05 the UK folks will see 11:05.
We now have to fill our database with some numbers. We’ll pretend to have read the following numbers:
12:05 12345 KM
12:10 12357 KM
12:15 12363 KM
12:20 12363 KM
12:25 12363 KM
12:30 12373 KM
12:35 12383 KM
12:40 12393 KM
12:45 12399 KM
12:50 12405 KM
12:55 12411 KM
13:00 12415 KM
13:05 12420 KM
13:10 12422 KM
13:15 12423 KM
We fill the database as follows:
rrdtool update test.rrd 920804700:12345 920805000:12357 920805300:12363
rrdtool update test.rrd 920805600:12363 920805900:12363 920806200:12373
rrdtool update test.rrd 920806500:12383 920806800:12393 920807100:12399
rrdtool update test.rrd 920807400:12405 920807700:12411 920808000:12415
rrdtool update test.rrd 920808300:12420 920808600:12422 920808900:12423
This reads: update our test database with the following numbers
time 920804700, value 12345
time 920805000, value 12357
As you can see, it is possible to feed more than one value into the database in one command. I had to stop at three for readability but the real maximum per line is OS dependent.
We can now retrieve the data from our database using rrdtool fetch:
rrdtool fetch test.rrd AVERAGE --start 920804400 --end 920809200
It should return the following output:
920804700: nan
920805000: 4.0000000000e-02
920805300: 2.0000000000e-02
920805600: 0.0000000000e+00
920805900: 0.0000000000e+00
920806200: 3.3333333333e-02
920806500: 3.3333333333e-02
920806800: 3.3333333333e-02
920807100: 2.0000000000e-02
920807400: 2.0000000000e-02
920807700: 2.0000000000e-02
920808000: 1.3333333333e-02
920808300: 1.6666666667e-02
920808600: 6.6666666667e-03
920808900: 3.3333333333e-03
920809200: nan
If it doesn’t, something may be wrong. Perhaps your OS will print NaN in a different form. NaN stands for Not A Number. If your OS writes U or UNKN or something similar that’s okay. If something else is wrong, it will probably be due to an error you made (assuming that my tutorial is correct of course :-). In that case: delete the database and try again. Sometimes things change. This example used to provide numbers like 0.04 in stead of 4.00000e-02. Those are really the same numbers, just written down differently. Don’t be alarmed if a future version of rrdtool displays a slightly different form of output. The examples in this document are correct for version 1.2.0 of RRDtool.
The meaning of the above output will become clear below.
Time to create some graphics
Try the following command:
rrdtool graph speed.png \
--start 920804400 --end 920808000 \
DEF:myspeed=test.rrd:speed:AVERAGE \
This will create speed.png which starts at 12:00 and ends at 13:00. There is a definition of a variable called myspeed, using the data from RRA speed out of database test.rrd. The line drawn is 2 pixels high and represents the variable myspeed. The color is red (specified by its rgb-representation, see below).
You’ll notice that the start of the graph is not at 12:00 but at 12:05. This is because we have insufficient data to tell the average before that time. This will only happen when you miss some samples, this will not happen a lot, hopefully.
If this has worked: congratulations! If not, check what went wrong.
The colors are built up from red, green and blue. For each of the components, you specify how much to use in hexadecimal where 00 means not included and FF means fully included. The color white is a mixture of red, green and blue: FFFFFF The color black is all colors off: 000000
red #FF0000
green #00FF00
blue #0000FF
magenta #FF00FF (mixed red with blue)
gray #555555 (one third of all components)
Additionally you can add an alpha channel (transparency). The default will be FF which means non-transparent.
The PNG you just created can be displayed using your favorite image viewer. Web browsers will display the PNG via the URL file:///the/path/to/speed.png
Graphics with some math
When looking at the image, you notice that the horizontal axis is labeled 12:10, 12:20, 12:30, 12:40 and 12:50. Sometimes a label doesn’t fit (12:00 and 13:00 would be candidates) so they are skipped.
The vertical axis displays the range we entered. We provided kilometers and when divided by 300 seconds, we get very small numbers. To be exact, the first value was 12 (12’357-12’345) and divided by 300 this makes 0.04, which is displayed by RRDtool as 40 m meaning 40/1’000. The m (milli) has nothing to do with meters, kilometers or millimeters! RRDtool doesn’t know about the physical units of our data, it just works with dimensionless numbers.
If we had measured our distances in meters, this would have been (12’357’000-12’345’000)/300 = 12’000/300 = 40.
As most people have a better feel for numbers in this range, we’ll correct that. We could recreate our database and store the correct data, but there is a better way: we do some calculations while creating the png file!
rrdtool graph speed2.png \
--start 920804400 --end 920808000 \
--vertical-label m/s \
DEF:myspeed=test.rrd:speed:AVERAGE \
CDEF:realspeed=myspeed,1000,\* \
Note: Make sure not to forget the backslash \ in front of the multiplication operator * above. The backslash is needed to escape the * as some operating systems might interpret and expand * instead of passing it to the rrdtool command.
After viewing this PNG, you notice the m (milli) has disappeared. This it what the correct result would be. Also, a label has been added to the image. Apart from the things mentioned above, the PNG should look the same.
The calculations are specified in the CDEF part above and are in Reverse Polish Notation (RPN). What we requested RRDtool to do is: take the data source myspeed and the number 1000; multiply those. Don’t bother with RPN yet, it will be explained later on in more detail. Also, you may want to read my tutorial on CDEFs and Steve Rader’s tutorial on RPN. But first finish this tutorial.
Hang on! If we can multiply values with 1’000, it should also be possible to display kilometers per hour from the same data!
To change a value that is measured in meters per second:
Calculate meters per hour: value * 3\(aq600
Calculate kilometers per hour: value / 1\(aq000
Together this makes: value * (3\(aq600/1\(aq000) or value * 3.6
In our example database we made a mistake and we need to compensate for this by multiplying with 1’000. Applying that correction:
value * 3.6 * 1\(aq000 == value * 3\(aq600
Now let’s create this PNG, and add some more magic ...
rrdtool graph speed3.png \
--start 920804400 --end 920808000 \
--vertical-label km/h \
DEF:myspeed=test.rrd:speed:AVERAGE \
"CDEF:kmh=myspeed,3600,*" \
CDEF:fast=kmh,100,GT,kmh,0,IF \
CDEF:good=kmh,100,GT,0,kmh,IF \
HRULE:100#0000FF:"Maximum allowed" \
AREA:good#00FF00:"Good speed" \
AREA:fast#FF0000:"Too fast"
Note: here we use another means to escape the * operator by enclosing the whole string in double quotes.
This graph looks much better. Speed is shown in KM/H and there is even an extra line with the maximum allowed speed (on the road I travel on). I also changed the colors used to display speed and changed it from a line into an area.
The calculations are more complex now. For speed measurements within the speed limit they are:
Check if kmh is greater than 100 ( kmh,100 ) GT
If so, return 0, else kmh ((( kmh,100 ) GT ), 0, kmh) IF
For values above the speed limit:
If so, return kmh, else return 0 ((( kmh,100) GT ), kmh, 0) IF
Graphics Magic
I like to believe there are virtually no limits to how RRDtool graph can manipulate data. I will not explain how it works, but look at the following PNG:
rrdtool graph speed4.png \
--start 920804400 --end 920808000 \
--vertical-label km/h \
DEF:myspeed=test.rrd:speed:AVERAGE \
"CDEF:kmh=myspeed,3600,*" \
CDEF:fast=kmh,100,GT,100,0,IF \
CDEF:over=kmh,100,GT,kmh,100,-,0,IF \
HRULE:100#0000FF:"Maximum allowed" \
AREA:good#00FF00:"Good speed" \
AREA:fast#550000:"Too fast" \
STACK:over#FF0000:"Over speed"
Let’s create a quick and dirty HTML page to view the three PNGs:
<IMG src="speed2.png" alt="Speed in meters per second">
<IMG src="speed3.png" alt="Speed in kilometers per hour">
<IMG src="speed4.png" alt="Traveled too fast?">
Name the file speed.html or similar, and look at it in your web browser.
Now, all you have to do is measure the values regularly and update the database. When you want to view the data, recreate the PNGs and make sure to refresh them in your browser. (Note: just clicking reload may not be enough, especially when proxies are involved. Try shift-reload or ctrl-F5).
Updates in Reality
We’ve already used the update command: it took one or more parameters in the form of <time>:<value>. You’ll be glad to know that you can specify the current time by filling in a N as the time. Or you could use the time function in Perl (the shortest example in this tutorial):
perl -e \(aqprint time, "\n" \(aq
How to run a program on regular intervals is OS specific. But here is an example in pseudo code:
- Get the value and put it in variable "$speed"
- rrdtool update speed.rrd N:$speed
(do not try this with our test database, we’ll use it in further examples)
This is all. Run the above script every five minutes. When you need to know what the graphs look like, run the examples above. You could put them in a script as well. After running that script, view the page index.html we created above.
Some words on SNMP
I can imagine very few people that will be able to get real data from their car every five minutes. All other people will have to settle for some other kind of counter. You could measure the number of pages printed by a printer, for example, the cups of coffee made by the coffee machine, a device that counts the electricity used, whatever. Any incrementing counter can be monitored and graphed using the stuff you learned so far. Later on we will also be able to monitor other types of values like temperature.
Most (?) people interested in RRDtool will use the counter that keeps track of octets (bytes) transfered by a network device. So let’s do just that next. We will start with a description of how to collect data.
Some people will make a remark that there are tools which can do this data collection for you. They are right! However, I feel it is important that you understand they are not necessary. When you have to determine why things went wrong you need to know how they work.
One tool used in the example has been talked about very briefly in the beginning of this document, it is called SNMP. It is a way of talking to networked equipment. The tool I use below is called snmpget and this is how it works:
snmpget device password OID
snmpget -v[version] -c[password] device OID
For device you substitute the name, or the IP address, of your device. For password you use the community read string as it is called in the SNMP world. For some devices the default of public might work, however this can be disabled, altered or protected for privacy and security reasons. Read the documentation that comes with your device or program.
Then there is this parameter, called OID, which means object identifier.
When you start to learn about SNMP it looks very confusing. It isn’t all that difficult when you look at the Management Information Base (MIB). It is an upside-down tree that describes data, with a single node as the root and from there a number of branches. These branches end up in another node, they branch out, etc. All the branches have a name and they form the path that we follow all the way down. The branches that we follow are named: iso, org, dod, internet, mgmt and mib-2. These names can also be written down as numbers and are 1 3 6 1 2 1.
iso.org.dod.internet.mgmt.mib-2 (
There is a lot of confusion about the leading dot that some programs use. There is *no* leading dot in an OID. However, some programs can use the above part of OIDs as a default. To indicate the difference between abbreviated OIDs and full OIDs they need a leading dot when you specify the complete OID. Often those programs will leave out the default portion when returning the data to you. To make things worse, they have several default prefixes ...
Ok, lets continue to the start of our OID: we had From there, we are especially interested in the branch interfaces which has number 2 (e.g., or
First, we have to get some SNMP program. First look if there is a pre-compiled package available for your OS. This is the preferred way. If not, you will have to get the sources yourself and compile those. The Internet is full of sources, programs etc. Find information using a search engine or whatever you prefer.
Assume you got the program. First try to collect some data that is available on most systems. Remember: there is a short name for the part of the tree that interests us most in the world we live in!
I will give an example which can be used on Fedora Core 3. If it doesn’t work for you, work your way through the manual of snmp and adapt the example to make it work.
snmpget -v2c -c public myrouter system.sysDescr.0
The device should answer with a description of itself, perhaps an empty one. Until you got a valid answer from a device, perhaps using a different password, or a different device, there is no point in continuing.
snmpget -v2c -c public myrouter interfaces.ifNumber.0
Hopefully you get a number as a result, the number of interfaces. If so, you can carry on and try a different program called snmpwalk.
snmpwalk -v2c -c public myrouter interfaces.ifTable.ifEntry.ifDescr
If it returns with a list of interfaces, you’re almost there. Here’s an example:
[user@host /home/alex]$ snmpwalk -v2c -c public cisco
interfaces.ifTable.ifEntry.ifDescr.1 = "BRI0: B-Channel 1"
interfaces.ifTable.ifEntry.ifDescr.2 = "BRI0: B-Channel 2"
interfaces.ifTable.ifEntry.ifDescr.3 = "BRI0" Hex: 42 52 49 30
interfaces.ifTable.ifEntry.ifDescr.4 = "Ethernet0"
interfaces.ifTable.ifEntry.ifDescr.5 = "Loopback0"
On this cisco equipment, I would like to monitor the Ethernet0 interface and from the above output I see that it is number four. I try:
[user@host /home/alex]$ snmpget -v2c -c public cisco
interfaces.ifTable.ifEntry.ifInOctets.4 = 2290729126
interfaces.ifTable.ifEntry.ifOutOctets.4 = 1256486519
So now I have two OIDs to monitor and they are (in full, this time):
both with an interface number of 4.
Don’t get fooled, this wasn’t my first try. It took some time for me too to understand what all these numbers mean. It does help a lot when they get translated into descriptive text... At least, when people are talking about MIBs and OIDs you know what it’s all about. Do not forget the interface number (0 if it is not interface dependent) and try snmpwalk if you don’t get an answer from snmpget.
If you understand the above section and get numbers from your device, continue on with this tutorial. If not, then go back and re-read this part.
A Real World Example
Let the fun begin. First, create a new database. It contains data from two counters, called input and output. The data is put into archives that average it. They take 1, 6, 24 or 288 samples at a time. They also go into archives that keep the maximum numbers. This will be explained later on. The time in-between samples is 300 seconds, a good starting point, which is the same as five minutes.
1 sample "averaged" stays 1 period of 5 minutes
6 samples averaged become one average on 30 minutes
24 samples averaged become one average on 2 hours
288 samples averaged become one average on 1 day
Lets try to be compatible with MRTG which stores about the following amount of data:
600 5-minute samples: 2 days and 2 hours
600 30-minute samples: 12.5 days
600 2-hour samples: 50 days
732 1-day samples: 732 days
These ranges are appended, so the total amount of data stored in the database is approximately 797 days. RRDtool stores the data differently, it doesn’t start the weekly archive where the daily archive stopped. For both archives the most recent data will be near now and therefore we will need to keep more data than MRTG does!
We will need:
600 samples of 5 minutes (2 days and 2 hours)
700 samples of 30 minutes (2 days and 2 hours, plus 12.5 days)
775 samples of 2 hours (above + 50 days)
797 samples of 1 day (above + 732 days, rounded up to 797)
rrdtool create myrouter.rrd \
DS:input:COUNTER:600:U:U \
DS:output:COUNTER:600:U:U \
RRA:AVERAGE:0.5:1:600 \
RRA:AVERAGE:0.5:6:700 \
RRA:AVERAGE:0.5:24:775 \
RRA:AVERAGE:0.5:288:797 \
RRA:MAX:0.5:1:600 \
RRA:MAX:0.5:6:700 \
RRA:MAX:0.5:24:775 \
Next thing to do is to collect data and store it. Here is an example. It is written partially in pseudo code, you will have to find out what to do exactly on your OS to make it work.
while not the end of the universe
get result of
snmpget router community
into variable $in
get result of
snmpget router community
into variable $out
rrdtool update myrouter.rrd N:$in:$out
wait for 5 minutes
Then, after collecting data for a day, try to create an image using:
rrdtool graph myrouter-day.png --start -86400 \
DEF:inoctets=myrouter.rrd:input:AVERAGE \
DEF:outoctets=myrouter.rrd:output:AVERAGE \
AREA:inoctets#00FF00:"In traffic" \
LINE1:outoctets#0000FF:"Out traffic"
This should produce a picture with one day worth of traffic. One day is 24 hours of 60 minutes of 60 seconds: 24*60*60=86’400, we start at now minus 86’400 seconds. We define (with DEFs) inoctets and outoctets as the average values from the database myrouter.rrd and draw an area for the in traffic and a line for the out traffic.
View the image and keep logging data for a few more days. If you like, you could try the examples from the test database and see if you can get various options and calculations to work.
Suggestion: Display in bytes per second and in bits per second. Make the Ethernet graphics go red if they are over four megabits per second.
Consolidation Functions
A few paragraphs back I mentioned the possibility of keeping the maximum values instead of the average values. Let’s go into this a bit more.
Recall all the stuff about the speed of the car. Suppose we drove at 144 KM/H during 5 minutes and then were stopped by the police for 25 minutes. At the end of the lecture we would take our laptop and create and view the image taken from the database. If we look at the second RRA we did create, we would have the average from 6 samples. The samples measured would be 144+0+0+0+0+0=144, divided by 30 minutes, corrected for the error by 1000, translated into KM/H, with a result of 24 KM/H. I would still get a ticket but not for speeding anymore :)
Obviously, in this case we shouldn’t look at the averages. In some cases they are handy. If you want to know how many KM you had traveled, the averaged picture would be the right one to look at. On the other hand, for the speed that we traveled at, the maximum numbers seen is much more interesting. Later we will see more types.
It is the same for data. If you want to know the amount, look at the averages. If you want to know the rate, look at the maximum. Over time, they will grow apart more and more. In the last database we have created, there are two archives that keep data per day. The archive that keeps averages will show low numbers, the archive that shows maxima will have higher numbers.
For my car this would translate in averages per day of 96/24=4 KM/H (as I travel about 94 kilometers on a day) during working days, and maxima of 120 KM/H (my top speed that I reach every day).
Big difference. Do not look at the second graph to estimate the distances that I travel and do not look at the first graph to estimate my speed. This will work if the samples are close together, as they are in five minutes, but not if you average.
On some days, I go for a long ride. If I go across Europe and travel for 12 hours, the first graph will rise to about 60 KM/H. The second one will show 180 KM/H. This means that I traveled a distance of 60 KM/H times 24 H = 1440 KM. I did this with a higher speed and a maximum around 180 KM/H. However, it probably doesn’t mean that I traveled for 8 hours at a constant speed of 180 KM/H!
This is a real example: go with the flow through Germany (fast!) and stop a few times for gas and coffee. Drive slowly through Austria and the Netherlands. Be careful in the mountains and villages. If you would look at the graphs created from the five-minute averages you would get a totally different picture. You would see the same values on the average and maximum graphs (provided I measured every 300 seconds). You would be able to see when I stopped, when I was in top gear, when I drove over fast highways etc. The granularity of the data is much higher, so you can see more. However, this takes 12 samples per hour, or 288 values per day, so it would be a lot of data over a longer period of time. Therefore we average it, eventually to one value per day. From this one value, we cannot see much detail, of course.
Make sure you understand the last few paragraphs. There is no value in only a line and a few axis, you need to know what they mean and interpret the data in ana appropriate way. This is true for all data.
The biggest mistake you can make is to use the collected data for something that it is not suitable for. You would be better off if you didn’t have the graph at all.
Let’s review what you now should know
You know how to create a database and can put data in it. You can get the numbers out again by creating an image, do math on the data from the database and view the resulte instead of the raw data. You know about the difference between averages and maxima, and when to use which (or at least you should have an idea).
RRDtool can do more than what we have learned up to now. Before you continue with the rest of this doc, I recommend that you reread from the start and try some modifications on the examples. Make sure you fully understand everything. It will be worth the effort and helps you not only with the rest of this tutorial, but also in your day to day monitoring long after you read this introduction.
Data Source Types
All right, you feel like continuing. Welcome back and get ready for an increased speed in the examples and explanations.
You know that in order to view a counter over time, you have to take two numbers and divide the difference of them between the time lapsed. This makes sense for the examples I gave you but there are other possibilities. For instance, I’m able to retrieve the temperature from my router in three places namely the inlet, the so called hot-spot and the exhaust. These values are not counters. If I take the difference of the two samples and divide that by 300 seconds I would be asking for the temperature change per second. Hopefully this is zero! If not, the computer room is probably on fire :)
So, what can we do? We can tell RRDtool to store the values we measure directly as they are (this is not entirely true but close enough). The graphs we make will look much better, they will show a rather constant value. I know when the router is busy (it works -> it uses more electricity -> it generates more heat -> the temperature rises). I know when the doors are left open (the room is air conditioned) -> the warm air from the rest of the building flows into the computer room -> the inlet temperature rises). Etc. The data type we use when creating the database before was counter, we now have a different data type and thus a different name for it. It is called GAUGE. There are more such data types:
- COUNTER we already know this one
- GAUGE we just learned this one
The two additional types are DERIVE and ABSOLUTE. Absolute can be used like counter with one difference: RRDtool assumes the counter is reset when it’s read. That is: its delta is known without calculation by RRDtool whereas RRDtool needs to calculate it for the counter type. Example: our first example (12’345, 12’357, 12’363, 12’363) would read: unknown, 12, 6, 0. The rest of the calculations stay the same. The other one, derive, is like counter. Unlike counter, it can also decrease so it can have a negative delta. Again, the rest of the calculations stay the same.
Let’s try them all:
rrdtool create all.rrd --start 978300900 \
DS:a:COUNTER:600:U:U \
DS:b:GAUGE:600:U:U \
DS:c:DERIVE:600:U:U \
DS:d:ABSOLUTE:600:U:U \
rrdtool update all.rrd \
978301200:300:1:600:300 \
978301500:600:3:1200:600 \
978301800:900:5:1800:900 \
978302100:1200:3:2400:1200 \
978302400:1500:1:2400:1500 \
978302700:1800:2:1800:1800 \
978303000:2100:4:0:2100 \
978303300:2400:6:600:2400 \
978303600:2700:4:600:2700 \
rrdtool graph all1.png -s 978300600 -e 978304200 -h 400 \
DEF:linea=all.rrd:a:AVERAGE LINE3:linea#FF0000:"Line A" \
DEF:lineb=all.rrd:b:AVERAGE LINE3:lineb#00FF00:"Line B" \
DEF:linec=all.rrd:c:AVERAGE LINE3:linec#0000FF:"Line C" \
DEF:lined=all.rrd:d:AVERAGE LINE3:lined#000000:"Line D"
RRDtool under the Microscope
o Line A is a COUNTER type, so it should continuously increment and RRDtool must calculate the differences. Also, RRDtool needs to divide the difference by the amount of time lapsed. This should end up as a straight line at 1 (the deltas are 300, the time is 300).
o Line B is of type GAUGE. These are real values so they should match what we put in: a sort of a wave.
o Line C is of type DERIVE. It should be a counter that can decrease. It does so between 2’400 and 0, with 1’800 in-between.
o Line D is of type ABSOLUTE. This is like counter but it works on values without calculating the difference. The numbers are the same and as you can see (hopefully) this has a different result.
This translates in the following values, starting at 23:10 and ending at 00:10 the next day (where u means unknown/unplotted):
- Line A: u u 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 u
- Line B: u 1 3 5 3 1 2 4 6 4 2 u
- Line C: u u 2 2 2 0 -2 -6 2 0 2 u
- Line D: u 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 u
If your PNG shows all this, you know you have entered the data correctly, the RRDtool executable is working properly, your viewer doesn’t fool you, and you successfully entered the year 2000 :)
You could try the same example four times, each time with only one of the lines.
Let’s go over the data again:
o Line A: 300,600,900 and so on. The counter delta is a constant 300 and so is the time delta. A number divided by itself is always 1 (except when dividing by zero which is undefined/illegal).
Why is it that the first point is unknown? We do know what we put into the database, right? True, But we didn’t have a value to calculate the delta from, so we don’t know where we started. It would be wrong to assume we started at zero so we don’t!
o Line B: There is nothing to calculate. The numbers are as they are.
o Line C: Again, the start-out value is unknown. The same story is holds as for line A. In this case the deltas are not constant, therefore the line is not either. If we would put the same numbers in the database as we did for line A, we would have gotten the same line. Unlike type counter, this type can decrease and I hope to show you later on why this makes a difference.
o Line D: Here the device calculates the deltas. Therefore we DO know the first delta and it is plotted. We had the same input as with line A, but the meaning of this input is different and thus the line is different. In this case the deltas increase each time with 300. The time delta stays at a constant 300 and therefore the division of the two gives increasing values.
Counter Wraps
There are a few more basics to show. Some important options are still to be covered and we haven’t look at counter wraps yet. First the counter wrap: In our car we notice that the counter shows 999’987. We travel 20 KM and the counter should go to 1’000’007. Unfortunately, there are only six digits on our counter so it really shows 000’007. If we would plot that on a type DERIVE, it would mean that the counter was set back 999’980 KM. It wasn’t, and there has to be some protection for this. This protection is only available for type COUNTER which should be used for this kind of counter anyways. How does it work? Type counter should never decrease and therefore RRDtool must assume it wrapped if it does decrease! If the delta is negative, this can be compensated for by adding the maximum value of the counter + 1. For our car this would be:
Delta = 7 - 999\(aq987 = -999\(aq980 (instead of 1\(aq000\(aq007-999\(aq987=20)
Real delta = -999\(aq980 + 999\(aq999 + 1 = 20
At the time of writing this document, RRDtool knows of counters that are either 32 bits or 64 bits of size. These counters can handle the following different values:
- 32 bits: 0 .. 4\(aq294\(aq967\(aq295
- 64 bits: 0 .. 18\(aq446\(aq744\(aq073\(aq709\(aq551\(aq615
If these numbers look strange to you, you can view them in their hexadecimal form:
- 32 bits: 0 .. FFFFFFFF
- 64 bits: 0 .. FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF
RRDtool handles both counters the same. If an overflow occurs and the delta would be negative, RRDtool first adds the maximum of a small counter + 1 to the delta. If the delta is still negative, it had to be the large counter that wrapped. Add the maximum possible value of the large counter + 1 and subtract the erroneously added small value.
There is a risk in this: suppose the large counter wrapped while adding a huge delta, it could happen, theoretically, that adding the smaller value would make the delta positive. In this unlikely case the results would not be correct. The increase should be nearly as high as the maximum counter value for that to happen, so chances are you would have several other problems as well and this particular problem would not even be worth thinking about. Even though, I did include an example, so you can judge for yourself.
The next section gives you some numerical examples for counter-wraps. Try to do the calculations yourself or just believe me if your calculator can’t handle the numbers :)
Correction numbers:
- 32 bits: (4\(aq294\(aq967\(aq295 + 1) = 4\(aq294\(aq967\(aq296
- 64 bits: (18\(aq446\(aq744\(aq073\(aq709\(aq551\(aq615 + 1)
- correction1 = 18\(aq446\(aq744\(aq069\(aq414\(aq584\(aq320
Before: 4\(aq294\(aq967\(aq200
Increase: 100
Should become: 4\(aq294\(aq967\(aq300
But really is: 4
Delta: -4\(aq294\(aq967\(aq196
Correction1: -4\(aq294\(aq967\(aq196 + 4\(aq294\(aq967\(aq296 = 100
Before: 18\(aq446\(aq744\(aq073\(aq709\(aq551\(aq000
Increase: 800
Should become: 18\(aq446\(aq744\(aq073\(aq709\(aq551\(aq800
But really is: 184
Delta: -18\(aq446\(aq744\(aq073\(aq709\(aq550\(aq816
+ 4\(aq294\(aq967\(aq296 = -18\(aq446\(aq744\(aq069\(aq414\(aq583\(aq520
Correction2: -18\(aq446\(aq744\(aq069\(aq414\(aq583\(aq520
+ 18\(aq446\(aq744\(aq069\(aq414\(aq584\(aq320 = 800
Before: 18\(aq446\(aq744\(aq073\(aq709\(aq551\(aq615 ( maximum value )
Increase: 18\(aq446\(aq744\(aq069\(aq414\(aq584\(aq320 ( absurd increase, minimum for
Should become: 36\(aq893\(aq488\(aq143\(aq124\(aq135\(aq935 this example to work )
But really is: 18\(aq446\(aq744\(aq069\(aq414\(aq584\(aq319
Delta: -4\(aq294\(aq967\(aq296
Correction1: -4\(aq294\(aq967\(aq296 + 4\(aq294\(aq967\(aq296 = 0
(not negative -> no correction2)
Increase: 18\(aq446\(aq744\(aq069\(aq414\(aq584\(aq319 ( one less increase )
Delta: -4\(aq294\(aq967\(aq297
Correction1: -4\(aq294\(aq967\(aq297 + 4\(aq294\(aq967\(aq296 = -1
Correction2: -1 + 18\(aq446\(aq744\(aq069\(aq414\(aq584\(aq320 = 18\(aq446\(aq744\(aq069\(aq414\(aq584\(aq319
As you can see from the last two examples, you need strange numbers for RRDtool to fail (provided it’s bug free of course), so this should not happen. However, SNMP or whatever method you choose to collect the data, might also report wrong numbers occasionally. We can’t prevent all errors, but there are some things we can do. The RRDtool create command takes two special parameters for this. They define the minimum and maximum allowed values. Until now, we used U, meaning unknown. If you provide values for one or both of them and if RRDtool receives data points that are outside these limits, it will ignore those values. For a thermometer in degrees Celsius, the absolute minimum is just under -273. For my router, I can assume this minimum is much higher so I would set it to 10, where as the maximum temperature I would set to 80. Any higher and the device would be out of order.
For the speed of my car, I would never expect negative numbers and also I would not expect a speed higher than 230. Anything else, and there must have been an error. Remember: the opposite is not true, if the numbers pass this check, it doesn’t mean that they are correct. Always judge the graph with a healthy dose of suspicion if it seems weird to you.
Data Resampling
One important feature of RRDtool has not been explained yet: it is virtually impossible to collect data and feed it into RRDtool on exact intervals. RRDtool therefore interpolates the data, so they are stored on exact intervals. If you do not know what this means or how it works, then here’s the help you seek:
Suppose a counter increases by exactly one for every second. You want to measure it in 300 seconds intervals. You should retrieve values that are exactly 300 apart. However, due to various circumstances you are a few seconds late and the interval is 303. The delta will also be 303 in that case. Obviously, RRDtool should not put 303 in the database and make you believe that the counter increased by 303 in 300 seconds. This is where RRDtool interpolates: it alters the 303 value as if it would have been stored earlier and it will be 300 in 300 seconds. Next time you are at exactly the right time. This means that the current interval is 297 seconds and also the counter increased by 297. Again, RRDtool interpolates and stores 300 as it should be.
in the RRD in reality
time+000: 0 delta="U" time+000: 0 delta="U"
time+300: 300 delta=300 time+300: 300 delta=300
time+600: 600 delta=300 time+603: 603 delta=303
time+900: 900 delta=300 time+900: 900 delta=297
Let’s create two identical databases. I’ve chosen the time range 920’805’000 to 920’805’900 as this goes very well with the example numbers.
rrdtool create seconds1.rrd \
--start 920804700 \
DS:seconds:COUNTER:600:U:U \
Make a copy
for Unix: cp seconds1.rrd seconds2.rrd
for Dos: copy seconds1.rrd seconds2.rrd
for vms: how would I know :)
Put in some data
rrdtool update seconds1.rrd \
920805000:000 920805300:300 920805600:600 920805900:900
rrdtool update seconds2.rrd \
920805000:000 920805300:300 920805603:603 920805900:900
Create output
rrdtool graph seconds1.png \
--start 920804700 --end 920806200 \
--height 200 \
--upper-limit 1.05 --lower-limit 0.95 --rigid \
DEF:seconds=seconds1.rrd:seconds:AVERAGE \
CDEF:unknown=seconds,UN \
LINE2:seconds#0000FF \
rrdtool graph seconds2.png \
--start 920804700 --end 920806200 \
--height 200 \
DEF:seconds=seconds2.rrd:seconds:AVERAGE \
CDEF:unknown=seconds,UN \
LINE2:seconds#0000FF \
View both images together (add them to your index.html file) and compare. Both graphs should show the same, despite the input being different.
It’s time now to wrap up this tutorial. We covered all the basics for you to be able to work with RRDtool and to read the additional documentation available. There is plenty more to discover about RRDtool and you will find more and more uses for this package. You can easly create graphs using just the examples provided and using only RRDtool. You can also use one of the front ends to RRDtool that are available.
Remember to subscribe to the RRDtool mailing list. Even if you are not answering to mails that come by, it helps both you and the rest of the users. A lot of the stuff that I know about MRTG (and therefore about RRDtool) I’ve learned while just reading the list without posting to it. I did not need to ask the basic questions as they are answered in the FAQ (read it!) and in various mails by other users. With thousands of users all over the world, there will always be people who ask questions that you can answer because you read this and other documentation and they didn’t.
The RRDtool manpages
I hope you enjoyed the examples and their descriptions. If you do, help other people by pointing them to this document when they are asking basic questions. They will not only get their answers, but at the same time learn a whole lot more.
Alex van den Bogaerdt <alex@ergens.op.het.net>
1.2.30 RRDTUTORIAL (1) 2009-01-19
Powered by GSP Visit the GSP FreeBSD Man Page Interface.
Output converted with manServer 1.07.
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Nissen Bassoon Crook
NisseN Bassoon Crooks (Bocals)
Bassoon Crook Manufacturing
The bassoon crook (bocal) is the connecting agent between the instrument and reed and therefore is of the utmost importance affecting tone and intonation.
Traditional Method:
A piece of metal is cut into an elongated triangle, folded over a steel mandrill and braised along the seam. It is then forced, with a steel mandrill inside the tube, through a soft metal block to shape the outside.
Disadvantages of this method of production are an inherent weakness of the seam leading to a possible leak. Further problems arise later as the base metal hardens with age the seam can split. Once a split occurs, even a very small one, the crook is most likely un-repairable.Further, it would be very difficult, if not impossible, to vary the wall thickness along a tapered tube. Therefore the design has to compromise this aspect to give both dampening and vibration in one even thickness along the crook.
NisseN Method:
The Nissen method is completely new and revolutionary and bears no resemblance to the traditional method. The tube is machine-shaped from drawn brass and worked using a special process in which the conical tube is made thicker at the start (reed end) and thinner at the other instrument end (wing joint). There is no seam.
The advantages with this system:
All factors of the Bassoon set-up are in order of priority - Reed, Crook and Bassoon. Of course, as any reed instrumentalist will know, the reed is the most important. However, after the reed the crook will make all the difference to the resultant tone and intonation.
A small inaccuracy at the bell end of the bassoon is hardly going to affect anything. However, a very small inaccuracy at the reed end of the crook is of vital importance.
The first 10cms or so of the crook has a significant effect on both tone and intonation. If the wall dimensions at this point are too thin then the vibrations and overtones can upset the intonation making the traditionally 'difficult' notes on the bassoon even more unstable. Therefore, the wall thickness of the first 10cms should 'calm down' these vibrations by being a thicker material.
After the first section of the crook, the wall thickness can afford to be thinner, thereby releasing the vibrations and overtones to 'add' to the tone characteristics. The NisseN crook therefore has a gradual decrease in wall thickness from reed end to instrument end.
NisseN - Makers marks on end ring:
£420.00 including VAT
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New Webcam Promises Spectacular View of Space Shuttle Launch
Simulated ascent image
The view is certain to be spectacular.
The "Space Shuttle Vehicle Observation Camera" is designed to function independently of all other Space Shuttle systems and will provide real-time video of a variety of activities.
The camera will be activated during the T-9 minute hold in the Shuttle's countdown and will provide continuous video starting with pre-launch activities. The camera will then provide live views during Space Shuttle launch and ascent, Solid Rocket Booster (SRB) separation, and ET separation.
Test image on launch pad [enlarge]
As to how long an image will be available after ET separation, so long as the geometric line of sight with the s-band antennas is maintained, an image should continue to be received for 3 to 5 minutes. Eventually the tank will start to heat from atmospheric friction and the camera will become inoperative.
The camera is mounted within a fairing on the external surface of the ET above the right hand side of the nose of the Space Shuttle orbiter. Two S-band antennas are mounted 180 degrees apart (one on either side) on the surface of the ET. An electronics package is installed on the SRB crossbeam inside the ET.
2.8 MB Quicktime movie of entire ascent
The camera is from the RocketCam(TM) product line by Ecliptic Enterprises. STS-112 will be 21st launch for RocketCam (if you don't count the first demo launch in 1997). All of the RocketCam's have worked so far. A total of about three dozen cameras have been flown.
The camera used in the Shuttle system has the greatest similarity to the one used on the Titan IV, and to some extent to that used on the Delta II.
The view of the Earth falling away will be familiar to anyone who has watched a Delta rocket launch lately - but will be a first for the Space Shuttle program.
Background information
• STS-112 External Tank Shuttle Observation Camera Briefing - a detailed technical description of the camera system and the safety process required to certify it for flight.
Please follow SpaceRef on Twitter and Like us on Facebook.
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Acoustic music
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
A Brazilian guitar
Acoustic music is music that solely or primarily uses instruments that produce sound through acoustic means, as opposed to electric or electronic means. While all music was once acoustic, the retronym "acoustic music" appeared after the advent of electric instruments, such as the electric guitar, electric violin, electric organ and synthesizer.[1]
It has its origins in the folk music of the 1960s.[2][not in citation given] Following the increasing popularity of the television show MTV Unplugged during the 1990s, acoustic (though in most cases still electrically amplified) performances by musicians (most notably grunge bands) who usually rely on electronic instruments became colloquially referred to as "unplugged" performances. The trend has also been dubbed as "acoustic rock" in some cases.[3][not in citation given]
1. ^ Safire 2007.
2. ^ Jermance 2003, p. 16.
3. ^ Ilic 2013, p. 44.
External links[edit]
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May 10, 2013
Secure Passwords: What You’ve Been Taught Is Wrong
A guide for LAN Administrators who want to secure their systems without a user revolt.
keyboard - password - abracadabra - open sesame - photo by Jonathan_W
length + the uniqueness of your brain
More on that in a moment.
But first, if only we could trust our fellow human beings, there would be no need to secure our sensitive data. No need to invent complex methods to thwart criminal mischief. Alas that utopia does not exist. And even though passwords are a nuisance, and are quite susceptible to compromise, they are still the most widely used defense against data theft. Because of that, it’s a safe bet we could all use a lesson when it comes to constructing a secure password.
Which password do you think is more secure?
Password #1: P4ssword!!!!
Password #2: if&eQ23Vsw6
Of course you probably already suspect this is a trick question. Clearly the first password is a common password trick, replace the “a” with a “4”. Surely that will throw off any potential hackery! Most people know better. Well, most conscientious IT administrators know better at least. We know that a dictionary file attack will likely include the use of dictionary words and common alternatives. But even so, the first password is more secure than the second password and it has nothing to do with the “4” replacing the “a”. I’m afraid the font used to display the two password examples betrays honesty. Have a look at those two passwords again with a fixed space font.
Password #1: P4ssword!!!!
Password #2: if&eQ23Vsw6
Sell Art Online
It should be obvious now that the first password is one character longer than the second password. What is not obvious is why that matters. Your brain is telling you the first password is less secure. Because you can clearly decipher a dictionary word along with a series of repeating characters, your brain says this password is not as secure as the second password that appears completely random. But even though the first password appears less random, appears less secure, and is certainly easier to remember, it is more secure because (a) it is one character longer, and (b) it includes padding. If Password #1 was just a 12 character dictionary word, it would NOT be as secure. But since Password #1 contains those 4 exclamation points, it means the only way it can be cracked is via brute force, just the same as Password #2. And since Password #1 is one character longer, it will take longer to crack it via brute force.
So what is padding? It’s simple, you take a word and you add something after it, before it, or somewhere in the middle. Because a potential hacker has no idea what your password is, what the length is, and also has no idea if they have a partial match (it’s all or nothing), it is possible for a password with a more simplistic appearance to actually require more time and effort to crack.
But don’t take my word for it. Let’s see what GRC’s Interactive Brute Force ‘Search Space’ Password Calculator has to say:
Password #1: P4ssword!!!!
Brute Force Search Space Analysis
Search Space Length (Characters): 12 characters
Exact Search Space Size (Count): 546,108,599,233,516,079,517,120
Search Space Size (as a power of 10): 5.46 x 1023
Time Required to Exhaustively Search this Password’s Space
Online Attack Scenario (Assuming one thousand guesses per second): 1.74 hundred billion centuries
Offline Fast Attack Scenario (Assuming one hundred billion guesses per second): 1.74 thousand centuries
Massive Cracking Array Scenario (Assuming one hundred trillion guesses per second): 1.74 centuries
Password #2: if&eQ23Vsw6
Brute Force Search Space Analysis
Search Space Length (Characters): 11 characters
Exact Search Space Size (Count): 5,748,511,570,879,116,626,495
Time Required to Exhaustively Search this Password’s Space
Online Attack Scenario (Assuming one thousand guesses per second): 1.83 billion centuries
Offline Fast Attack Scenario (Assuming one hundred billion guesses per second): 18.28 centuries
Massive Cracking Array Scenario (Assuming one hundred trillion guesses per second): 1.83 years
So both passwords are pretty secure. Even the more complex appearing (but less secure) Password #2 could take nearly 2 billion centuries in a plausible brute force attack scenario. But as you can see, in the “Massive Cracking Array Scenario” the second password could be cracked in less than 2 years. Alright, I think I would still feel pretty safe with Password #2 considering 2 years is a long time and that scenario is highly unlikely. But take a look at Password #1. Even considering the over-the-top attack scenario, it would take a few lifetimes to crack.
Warning: This does not mean you should use Password #1 or a similar variant. You should come up with your own unique password length and padding technique. If you were to follow an example published in an online blog, certainly it’s something a potential hacker could try as well.
You can use complexity and length and create a highly secure password. You can force this on your users and surely they will create secure passwords. But after you do this, take a stroll through the office and you may start finding Post-It notes stuck to monitors with random characters written on them. Suddenly your secure password policy is junk.
This is why I say what you’ve been taught is all wrong. You need to come up with a password policy that does two things well, instead of one thing really well:
1. Cannot be cracked by dictionary file and is not easily cracked by brute force.
2. Easy to remember.
That’s why complexity rules should be thrown out the window. With complexity, you achieve #1 at the cost of #2.
Instead, you should require length, not complexity. While you can construct a reasonably secure password (with complexity) with only 7 or 8 characters, if you do not require complexity you must increase the length. Your users may scoff at a 12 or 14 character password requirement, but if you can explain an easy method for creating memorable and secure passwords, that initial negativity is likely to subside.
The longer the password, the longer it takes to crack. Forget about password complexity rules. You don’t need uppercase, lowercase, numbers and symbols. What you need is length combined with some form of padding that is easy to remember but is unique to your brain, and your brain only. In fact, this will probably blow your mind, you can just use several random dictionary words combined for a highly secure password. No, really! I’m serious! Check this out:
Password using simple dictionary words: grasscarpetguitar
So that’s “grass carpet guitar” combined without the spaces for 17 characters. What does the super-duper password calculator say?
Brute Force Search Space Analysis
Search Space Depth (Alphabet): 26
Search Space Length (Characters): 17 characters
Exact Search Space Size (Count): 1,179,180,408,000,556,754,576,342
Search Space Size (as a power of 10): 1.18 x 1024
Time Required to Exhaustively Search this Password’s Space
Online Attack Scenario (Assuming one thousand guesses per second): 3.75 hundred billion centuries
Offline Fast Attack Scenario (Assuming one hundred billion guesses per second): 3.75 thousand centuries
Massive Cracking Array Scenario (Assuming one hundred trillion guesses per second): 3.75 centuries
So a password comprised of three simple dictionary words (totaling 17 characters) could take up to 3.75 hundred billion centuries to crack in the simplest of the attack scenarios. As far as passwords go, that’s pretty secure. While a common phrase (or song title, etc.) might produce the same results in the GRC calculator, a common phrase would also be something a potential hacker could build into a dictionary file attack. Therefore, the key to password strength when using this method is you must use words that have no connection to each other. The only connection is that your brain put the words together.
In this article, I’ve outlined two possible methods to create secure and memorable passwords.
1. A simple word plus some form of padding.
2. Combining multiple, random words.
Either of these methods are capable of producing secure passwords that rival complex passwords. The important thing to remember is: NEVER combine words or patterns that someone else (or a computer) could figure out. You need to come up with your own unique combination of words and/or symbol/number padding. Do not use common number or symbol replacements for letters in a word, hackers have already figured that out. Adding “number” or “symbol” padding to your password should be done in a way which is memorable to you, but has no actual meaning beyond your brain, and your brain only.
And while any change will likely cause some consternation among your users, offering them methods to create memorable secure passwords is surely a better option than flipping the switch and requiring impossible to remember complex passwords.
An article that challenges convention and offers it’s own dissent should also welcome dissent in response! So it is with that thought in mind that I point you to the following Ars Technica article (“Anatomy of a hack: How crackers ransack passwords like “qeadzcwrsfxv1331“).
OK, you got my attention. That sounds really alarming. Tell me more.
While Anderson’s 47-percent success rate is impressive, it’s miniscule when compared to what real crackers can do, as Anderson himself made clear. To prove the point, we gave them the same list and watched over their shoulders as they tore it to shreds. To put it mildly, they didn’t disappoint. Even the least successful cracker of our trio—who used the least amount of hardware, devoted only one hour, used a tiny word list, and conducted an interview throughout the process—was able to decipher 62 percent of the passwords. Our top cracker snagged 90 percent of them.
Well crap. Here, why don’t I just tell you my password and save you an “hour” of wasted time on your part.
The list of “plains,” as many crackers refer to deciphered hashes, contains the usual list of commonly used passcodes that are found in virtually every breach involving consumer websites. “123456,” “1234567,” and “password” are there, as is “letmein,” “Destiny21,” and “pizzapizza.” Passwords of this ilk are hopelessly weak. Despite the additional tweaking, “p@$$word,” “123456789j,” “letmein1!,” and “LETMEin3” are equally awful. But sprinkled among the overused and easily cracked passcodes in the leaked list are some that many readers might assume are relatively secure. “:LOL1313le” is in there, as are “Coneyisland9/,” “momof3g8kids,” “1368555av,” “n3xtb1gth1ng,” “qeadzcwrsfxv1331,” “m27bufford,” “J21.redskin,” “Garrett1993*,” and “Oscar+emmy2.”
Well crap again. Now I feel like I wasted my time writing this article. I mean really, WTF? How the hell could they crack “qeadzcwrsfxv1331”?
Let me tell you how. In fact, I’ll ask you to demonstrate. Type “qeadzcwrsfxv1331” on your keyboard without the quotes. Notice a pattern? Well guess what, computers are really good with patterns. And while I’ll admit to using the “keyboard pattern” method for passwords in the past, it violates the golden rule. You need to create passwords that are unique to your brain, and your brain only.
A pattern on the keyboard violates the golden rule. Replacing the “A” in a word with a “4” violates the golden rule. If there’s a reasonable chance other human beings have come up with the same method of creating a password as you, it violates the golden rule.
So you want an even more secure method to create a “memorable” password? Back in 2011 I wrote (“You Aren’t Doing Enough To Secure Your Accounts“). In that article I explain how you can avoid using complete dictionary words, but still create a lengthy password that you can remember. I don’t necessarily recommend you copy the exact method I described. I think you should invent your own unique method. I’ve provided the relevant excerpt of that article below which explains a “truncate” method of forming a unique password:
Never use words, phone numbers or anything else that could be identified or is otherwise meaningful. Try to think up a pattern that only you know. It could be the first 3 letters (or less if any words are shorter) of each word of a song title or song lyric. So for example the following lyric “I was a Superman but looks are deceiving” turns into “iwasasupbutlooaredec”. While it doesn’t use numbers or symbols it’s still a very secure password because it means absolutely nothing and is 20 characters long. The longer a password the more time it would take to crack via brute force. In this example only you know which lyric or song title you chose and only you know how many characters of each word you used. Even though this password example is 20 characters long it’s very easy to recall as you type.
You can change it up by adding numbers in between each of the truncated words. It could be as simple as counting from 1 to x where x is the number of words. With this revised scheme the above password turns into: “i1was2a3sup4but5loo6are7dec8″. This new password is 28 characters long and is very secure. This one takes a little bit more time to process in your brain as you type but it’s still easy to recall.
You don’t need to use a song title or lyric as long as this one to make a secure password but I recommend that your password is at least 10 characters long. You also can use other phrases or quotes or you can come up with you own easy to remember scheme.
So if using complete (but unrelated) dictionary words in your passwords feels risky, then a method like the above could be a better alternative. The result is a password that contains very few if any complete dictionary words combined with more than sufficient character length, while still retaining the ability to be recalled from your brain, and your brain only. Remember the golden rule!
OK, so now you are thinking that because this method uses a phrase, song title or lyric people “know,” that means someone could decipher the method. I can’t rule out the possibility, although the more obscure the phrase, the less likely it becomes. But if you believe even this method is risky, then use a hybrid “truncate” and “random word” method. I mentioned earlier that simply combining three random words (of reasonable length) is a way to create a secure password. Not good enough for you? Alright, then combine three or more random words using a variation of the “truncate” method and you still have a password that is easy to recall, yet highly secure.
In this article I’ve given you a lot to chew on when it comes to constructing a secure but memorable password. Think I’m off base? Think I’m off my rocker? Tell me what you think in the comments section below.
photo by Jonathan_W
Please share your thoughts
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Intel® Decimal Floating-Point Math Library
Decimal floating-point operations were a necessity from the beginnings of the modern age of computing. However, the lack of a good standard for decimal computations has led to the existence of numerous proprietary software packages for decimal or decimal-like computation, most based on fixed-point decimal types, and each with its own characteristics and capabilities. A turning point for decimal computation is the revision of the IEEE Standard 754-1985 for Binary Floating-Point Arithmetic (a new standard seems to be close to adoption), as an important addition to it is the definition of decimal floating-point arithmetic. The primary motivation was that decimal arithmetic makes numerical calculations more human-friendly. Results will be as people expect them, identical to what would be obtained using pencil and paper.
Decimal arithmetic also provides a robust, reliable framework for financial applications that are often subject to legal requirements concerning rounding and precision of the results in the areas of banking, telephone billing, tax calculation, currency conversion, insurance, or accounting in general. The binary floating-point arithmetic that computers use does not always satisfy the existing accuracy requirements. For example, (7.00 / 10000.0) * 10000.0 calculated in single precision is 6.9999997504, and not 7.00. Similar examples can be found for double precision, or any other binary floating-point format. The underlying cause is that most decimal fractions, such as 0.1, cannot be represented exactly in binary floating-point format. The IEEE 754R standard proposal attempts to resolve such issues by defining all the rules for decimal floating-point arithmetic in a way that can be adopted and implemented on all computing systems in software, hardware, or a combination of the two.
In planning to improve on how decimal calculations are carried out and at the same time to make Intel Corporation one of the early adopters of the decimal floating-point arithmetic from the IEEE Standard 754R draft, we have implemented in software a decimal floating-point library, posted here. Standardization committees for high-level languages such as C and C++ are already developing plans to add decimal floating-point support to these languages. A software package such as this for decimal floating-point arithmetic can be used as a computation engine by compilers or other tools requiring decimal floating-point support, and it should constitute an attractive option for various financial computations. Our library has already been contributed to GCC 4.3, where it will be used for decimal floating-point calculations on Intel Architecture platforms.
anonymous's picture
Hello Ted,
As far as I know only Intel and IBM have support for the IEEE 754-2008 Decimal Floating-Point Arithmetic. Other implementations may exist, but I am not aware of such. The Intel implementation - Intel(r) Decimal Floating-Point Math Library - is available from this web site, and also through the Intel(R) C++ Compiler 11.0 (or newer), GCC 4.3 (or newer), and the Hewlett-Packard C/C++ Compiler for Intel(R) Itanium(TM) platforms.
Marius Cornea
Ted Kubaska's picture
You know, I listened to this talk about Fermi yesterday .. the new NVidea chip ... they said it supports the new IEEE FP standard but were not specific. He assured me it now supported fma but did not know about the new decimal standard. Who is signing up for the new decimal standard?
anonymous's picture
We did test the entire package in Solaris (big endian), and found no issues in the process.
The LIBRARY directory contains RUNSOLARIS, which invokes solarisbuild (shows various options of building the library for Solaris, using BID_BIG_ENDIAN=1).
Please send any errors/issues you find with the tests or documentation either through the Software Support link, or directly to me (
Thank you,
Marius Cornea
jmartin_sun's picture
The Solaris build scripts assume big endian (SPARC).
Building on x86 will produce 9659 errors for each test.
Fixing this reduces the number of errors to 2, both of which
I'm investigating. (gcc 3.4.3 32 bit).
Where do I submit changes to allow 64 bit builds and to
optionally use the Studio compilers?
anonymous's picture
Can someone comment on the relative efficiency of decimal floating point versus binary floating point? Also, are there SIMD instructions that can be used to vectorize decimal floating point operations as there is for binary floating point?
anonymous's picture
Outstanding news.
From what I've gathered, the upcoming C++0x update includes mostly enhancements for library developers. I'm given to understand that IEEE754R for decimal types would *not* be incorporated into the C++ "core language" for the upcoming revision.
Of course, compiler vendors will no doubt take full advantage of it; GCC is a great example. FP decimal support provided through a compiler or even from a(n optionally) linked library might be preferable anyway...
Marius Cornea (Intel)'s picture
Thank you for the welcome note!
Yes, GCC 4.3 incorporates this library, which is used for decimal floating-point calculations on Intel Architecture and similar platforms.
I think it is too early to integrate the library into Fortran compilers: the Fortran standard committee (unlike the C and C++ standards committees) has not taken any steps yet - I believe - toward defining support for decimal floating-point (I hope they will after IEEE 754R becomes the new IEEE standard for floating-point).
aaron-tersteeg (Intel)'s picture
Welcome to the Intel Software Network blogs! I look forward to learning more about the the decimal floating-point library is incorporated into compliers and various financial computations. Great to see that it is in GCC 4.3. Does the current version of Intel C/C++ compiler use this library? Does it makes sense to include it in the fortran complier?
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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Argent tincture
In heraldry, argent /ˈɑːrənt/ is the tincture of silver, and belongs to the class of light tinctures, called "metals". It is very frequently depicted as white and usually considered interchangeable with it; in engravings and line drawings, regions to be tinctured argent are either left blank or indicated with the abbreviation ar. in them.
The name derives from Latin argentum, translated as "silver" or "white metal." The word argent had the same meaning in Old French blazon, from which it passed into the English language.
In some historical depictions of coats of arms, a kind of silver leaf was applied to those parts of the device that were argent, over time, the silver content of these depictions has tarnished and darkened. As a result, it can sometimes be difficult to distinguish regions that were intended as argent from those that were sable, this leaves a false impression that the rule of tincture has been violated in cases where, when applied next to a dark colour, argent now appears to be sable due to tarnish.
Argent and white[edit]
Meaning of argent[edit]
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Stress in managing
Stress is a very complex phenomenon. It is, therefore, no surprise that there is no commonly accepted definition. A widely used working definition is an adaptive response, mediated by individual differences and / or psychological processes, that is, a consequence of any external (environmental) action, situation, or event that places excessive psychological and / or physical demands on a person.
Hans Selye, probably the leading authority on the concept of stress, described stress as “the rate of all wear and tear caused by life.� Alvin Toffler, the author of Future Shock, said “Dr.’ Hans Selye knows more about stress than any other scientist alive.
There are many physical sources of stress, such as work overload, irregular work hours, and loss of sleep, loud noises, bright light, and insufficient light. Psychological sources of stress may be due to a particular situation, such as a boring job, inability to socialize, lack of autonomy, responsibility for results without sufficient authority, unrealistic objectives, role ambiguity or role conflict, and dual career marriages. But what might be stressful to one person may be less so to another; people react differently to situations.
Stress can have various effects on the individual as well as on the organization. There are the physiological effects that may be linked to a variety of illnesses. Then there are psychological effects such as burnout or boredom.
Various kinds of behavior, such as drug and alcohol abuse, inordinate food consumption, accidents, or withdrawal from the stressful situation (absenteeism, excessive labor turnover), may be a reaction to stress. Clearly, not only dies the individual suffer, but the organization may also be affected by the turnover or impaired decision making of its managers and non-managers alike.
Individuals and organizations have attempted to deal with stress in various ways. Individuals, for example, may try to reduce stress through better management of their time, healthful nutrition, exercises, career planning, change in jobs, and promotion of psychological health, relaxation, meditation, and prayer. Organizations may provide counseling or recreation facilities or may improve the job design by matching the person with the job.
Fitting the needs of the individual to the demands of the Job:
Managing, then, offers rewards but also involves stress. An individual aspiring to a managerial position should evaluate both the advantages and the disadvantages of managing before pursuing this career. A proper fit between individual needs and the demands of the task will benefit both the individual and the enterprise. Career management will help to achieve this fit.
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Campus-Shield-Photo-4Miami-Dade County, with a population of 2,617,176, is the most populous county in Florida, ranking seventh overall in the United States.Miami-Dade County Public Schools (M-DCPS) is the fourth largest school district in the United States with a student population exceeding 348,000.2 The Miami-Dade Schools Police Department (M-DSPD), the fourth largest school district law enforcement agency in the United States, provides comprehensive police services to this highly diverse school community.3
The Proactive Approach
As with many urban areas, Miami-Dade County faces significant challenges from a wide range of threats including gangs, Part 1 Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) crimes, bullying, and drugs.4 With the index for total crimes in Florida down by nearly 5 percent in 2013, the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) released a grant solicitation in 2014 entitled “Developing Knowledge about What Works to Make Schools Safe,” based on a proactive approach to school safety to continue the efforts to reduce crime and criminality in the United States.5 This grant solicitation, “part of NIJ’s Comprehensive School Safety Initiative, marries the school safety needs of America’s public schools with strong, independent research that assesses the potential solutions to those needs and builds evidence on what works in enhancing school safety.”6
One of the objectives of the Comprehensive School Safety Initiative is to utilize wide-ranging research and data to discern which personnel, programs, policies, and practices either individually or in concert are effective in making schools safer. The ultimate goal is to significantly advance the development of knowledge regarding approaches to school safety.7
School Safety Intelligence Information Gaps
Campus-Shield1The increasing need to protect U.S. students has led law enforcement agencies to consider innovative strategies for collecting and consolidating information, including data from publicly available sources, in their crime prevention efforts. One major recent development in preventative policing efforts is the use of social media by police to circumvent threats. The use of social media in school crime prevention is particularly relevant, considering the rise of Internet threats as precursors to school violence.8 With little effort, police are able to access information posted on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, or other social media sites. As users voluntarily post this information for public consumption, it becomes immediately visible, stored, searchable, and usable as intelligence, providing a new data source for monitoring potential safety threats.9 Virtual environments are considered to be fertile sources of actionable intelligence for school safety stakeholders regarding threats, school safety, and security-related issues.10 The challenge to intelligence efforts, however, is that the explosion of social media sites and the high rate of use by youth to post threats or other concerning material results in too much information to sort through and connect to other extant data.
The Campus Shield Initiative
In consideration of the above challenges, the M-DSPD management team identified two factors supporting the need for a unified, data-driven system of proactive approaches to school safety: (1) the current magnitude of school safety threats, and (2) the inability to develop actionable information in time to prevent such threats. This approach to the prevention of crime and security-related incidents on M-DCPS campuses led to the development of the Campus Shield concept application to the NIJ for their school safety grant. M-DSPD partnered with WestEd, a nationally recognized nonprofit research firm, and the Police Foundation to implement, test, and experimentally evaluate the effects of the innovative “intelligence fusion center”—Campus Shield—for proactively identifying and addressing school safety threats and issues to serve the dual purpose of prevention and planning and resource allocation.11
NIJ evaluated the grant proposal and awarded $4.3 million to the Enhancing School Safety Through Digital Intelligence: Evaluating Campus Shield initiative.12
A major aspect of the Campus Shield initiative involves a linkage to mental health services through access to mental health specialists. This multi-component approach that links law enforcement analysis and mental health services represents an innovative strategy for addressing urban school safety. In order to evaluate the effectiveness of the Campus Shield package, experimental testing will be conducted, which will also contribute knowledge to the field about the impact of such complex interventions.
Campus-Shield-Photo-2The M-DSPD Campus Shield program was developed with the most effective police strategies in mind. First, the program represents a major advancement in how the agency collects, stores, and uses information relevant to school safety—an innovation that is the very embodiment of intelligence-led policing. Second, by disseminating information on threats and trends to school site personnel such as school resource officers (SROs) and principals, Campus Shield provides opportunities for problem-oriented policing strategies (e.g., getting a troubled student to mental health services via the mental health specialists) and focused patrol (e.g., increased presence in areas of campus deemed unsafe by students or redirecting surveillance cameras to these areas).
The primary goal of Campus Shield is to improve school safety and climate through the deployment of a specific data collection, analysis, and dissemination system that permits proactive responses to potential threats, both immediate (as in the case of gang activity) and those that emerge over time (such as deteriorating school climate or escalations in bullying). Success is contingent on the completion of the following objectives:
1. developing a data system that aggregates information from several sources, including school incident reports, tips from concerned citizens, and local jurisdiction police data;
2. developing tools to analyze that data to provide a comprehensive assessment of internal and external threats to schools;
3. developing a reporting mechanism that provides rapid, real-time information to schools concerning the nature of any threats and potential response options;
4. conducting a pilot assessment of the data system, analytic tools, information disseminated, and response, and using the results to fine-tune Campus Shield;
5. conducting a rigorous evaluation of Campus Shield to determine its effectiveness in reducing criminal and school offense incidents and improving school climate; and
6. disseminating findings broadly, through academic and mainstream publications and web media, including a website with videos demonstrating Campus Shield in action.
The Campus Shield Plan
Campus Shield supports the school district’s safety efforts and provides additional vision and resources needed to combat a broad array of threats to school safety. Campus Shield itself is a fusion center—a centralized location for receiving, managing, and disseminating intelligence on school safety threats. Three additional resources are also included to supplement and enhance the Campus Shield fusion center: access card entry (information on entries and exits from the school building to be recorded and fed into Campus Shield); surveillance cameras (will also feed into Campus Shield); and the linkage of Campus Shield to mental health specialists who provide direct services and are responsible for acting as a liaison between school-based student services professionals and community-based providers.
Campus Shield functions as the intelligence umbrella for M-DSPD. Campus Shield personnel collect, store, and analyze criminal intelligence information while also disseminating actionable information that supports school safety in and around Miami-Dade schools. Through this platform, M-DSPD gathers intelligence identifying criminal patterns or trends, suspects, criminal enterprises, and other safety issues for M-DCPS via continuous, real-time, comprehensive analysis of the collected intelligence from a variety of systems. By integrating key intelligence systems with those already deployed in M-DCPS, Campus Shield personnel have the ability to collate and disseminate information to improve safety and the educational climate. These data facilitate the identification of potential threats and also lead to the sharing of important information with schools and other agencies. This information sharing network includes fusion centers that focus on the southeast Florida region, including the M-DSPD’s Homeland Security Bureau, the Florida Fusion Center, and the South Florida Virtual Fusion Center.
Campus-Shield-Photo-3Like most law enforcement agencies, M-DSPD has systems that collect information, such as a records management system (RMS), computer-aided dispatch (CAD), and the Mobile Field Reporting (MFR) system. While these are effective systems for facilitating response to emerging situations, the lack of links between them and other safety systems reduces the potential for proactive policing. Furthermore, these systems are not currently capable of disseminating actionable intelligence back to SROs, principals, or outside fusion centers. Campus Shield, however, effectively integrates data from RMS, CAD, and MFR, along with data from other law enforcement agencies (including local, county, federal, and state); visitor access and video surveillance records; the M-DCPS Blackboard Connect system; M-DCPS student records; Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers; and social media. This integration of data from multiple information sources presents a major departure from “business as usual” for police agencies and many school districts.
The Campus Shield data team, including a network administrator and analysts, mine the incoming data. Analytical tools examine coded information to search for patterns and indicators of potential safety threats. These analyses present a major improvement over current practice; the system can examine and process information from multiple data sources simultaneously. This permits M-DSPD to develop and disseminate intelligence that will proactively address school safety threats. For instance, Campus Shield will
• identify or corroborate potential trouble spots;
• identify patterns of behaviors, to increase awareness of SROs and officers responding to an incident;
• develop early warning signals of trouble, including individual students facing mental health issues that may need services;
• forecast potential victimization based on an assessment of limited information of past experiences; and
• examine patterns of school access (i.e., who is coming onto campuses) and how those patterns correspond with school safety concerns.
The coding and mining processes will be continuous, with Campus Shield staff reviewing output and delving deeper with additional queries when warranted. Dissemination to local building staff and other law enforcement agencies will rely on the nature of that information: who is most likely to best use that information to improve school safety and climate and who may be impacted by any potential issues. Reports will also be sent to other fusion centers in Miami-Dade County so they can review them, provide input and feedback, and use that information to craft their own responses. Any feedback received will then be used to further modify Campus Shield’s data collection, processing, and reporting routines.
Another important by-product of Campus Shield is that it accommodates the dissemination to and receipt of intelligence from local personnel, such as principals and SROs, as well as the various municipalities throughout Miami-Dade County. For example, reports may be sent to M-DCPS district offices to review and respond to or to collect and provide more information. In some instances, principals and SROs may be called upon to provide Campus Shield with more information about certain threats. In this case, information will flow to schools and then back to Campus Shield for the purposes of disrupting, dismantling, or eliminating threats.
Campus Shield facilitates proactive policing, as it is anticipated that threats will be identified before they advance to incidents. In addition, it should encourage proactive policing by other agencies, as intelligence from Campus Shield is disseminated to fusion centers in the area. It should be noted that Campus Shield will function not only as a centralized location for receiving, distributing, and analyzing intelligence information, but also as a collective decision-making tool through which school principals and SROs can use the data generated to work in partnership to identify threats and to prevent them from escalating. Once trends or patterns are shared with the principal and the SRO at a particular school, a collaborative process involving the schools and the police should be undertaken to resolve the threat or address the underlying problem.
An equally important component of Campus Shield is the mental health specialists. Student mental health concerns are considerable, particularly in larger school districts. When implemented, Campus Shield will likely unearth situations in which students are expressing thoughts of suicide or self-harm or threats against others (perhaps by posting something on a social media website or telling a friend). Thus, access to mental health specialists will be provided before more serious conditions or circumstances can develop. These specialists will be licensed mental health clinicians who specialize in youth and adolescent issues. They will assist SROs and principals by proactively addressing mental health crises before they escalate and, when an incident does occur, helping school staff address the consequences effectively in a timely manner. By providing this connection to mental health specialists, Campus Shield enables SROs and principals to have direct access to psychological support services that can help avert crises or prevent more critical incidents from developing on campus.
Program Evaluation
WestEd will conduct a formative and summative evaluation of the Campus Shield project. The formative stage will be comprised of a pilot test conducted at three middle schools and three high schools. The summative evaluation will employ a controlled trial that relies on 12 experimental sites and 12 control sites to examine how the implementation of Campus Shield improves student behavior and school climate. The impact portion of the study will be guided by key research questions. The formative and summative portions of the evaluation will focus on key implementation issues to aid with program improvement and inform the field about how to effectively deploy similar interventions.
To assess the impact of Campus Shield on criminal and school offenses, a monthly data extract will be provided for each school over the 24-month study implementation period from the M-DSPD data system. These data will identify the types of the offenses, the location, and the date of the incidents. Further analyses will examine the impact of Campus Shield on violence and safety-related offenses (including bullying) and nonviolent offenses (e.g., drug possession or use and property theft).
The dissemination of findings related to the Campus Shield initiative and outcomes is another key goal of the project. A program website, conference presentations, book chapters, journal articles, and research reports will be developed in order to communicate information to a variety of audiences and stakeholders. The website will help to educate the public about the program and communicate findings, alerts, and other pertinent information, and it will host a series of videos that explain the project and provide scenarios that demonstrate the Campus Shield process to add to the body of knowledge of evidence-based school safety model practices. ♦
1U.S. Census Bureau, “State and County QuickFacts: Miami-Dade County, Florida,” (accessed December 3, 2014).
2Miami-Dade County Public Schools, “Student Enrollment,” (accessed December 19, 2014).
3Ian A. Moffett, 2013–2018 Strategic Plan, Miami-Dade County Schools Police Department, March 4, 2014, (accessed December 12, 2014).
4Jim DeFede, “A Night Inside South Florida’s Gang Wars,” CBS Miami, May 7, 2012, (accessed December 19, 2014).
5Florida Department of Law Enforcement, “Crime in Florida: January to December 2013,” April 18, 2014, (accessed December 5, 2014).
6Greg Ridgeway, “Comprehensive School Safety Initiative: Dear Colleague Letter,” National Institute of Justice, April 16, 2014, (accessed December 4, 2014).
8David Geer, “Posting a Threat,” University Business (November 2012): 39–42, (accessed January 9, 2015).
9Daniel Trottier, Social Media Surveillance & Society, The Privacy & Security Research Paper Series (London, UK: Westminster University, November 29, 2013), (accessed December 3, 2014).
10Bureau of Justice Assistance, “School Violence: Echoes from the Digital Playground,” Real Crimes in Virtual Worlds (December 2013): 1–2, (accessed December 3, 2014).
11National Institute of Justice, “What Works to Make Schools Safe—NIJ, Miami-Dade Schools Police Department—Evaluating Campus Shield,” (accessed December 16, 2014).
12National Institute of Justice, “Comprehensive School Safety Initiative Awards for 2014,” (accessed December 9, 2014).
Please cite as:
Ian A. Moffett and Hector R. Garcia, “Enhancing School Safety Through Digital Intelligence: The Campus Shield Initiative,” The Police Chief 82 (March 2015): 36–39.
From The Police Chief, vol. LXXXII, no. 3, March 2015. Copyright held by the International Association of Chiefs of Police, 515 North Washington Street, Alexandria, VA 22314 USA.
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external image leo.gif
Leo's Symbol
Leo's Symbol
Laura and Erin
Abbreviation: Leo
Stars within Leo:
Alternate star connections
Alternate star connections
• Regulus (alpha Leo) HIP 49669
Absolute Magnitude: -0.53
Spectral Type: B7V
Distance: 77.49 light years
Regulus is the 25th brightest star in our sky. It is actually a four star system. There are 3 main sequence stars and another that is probably a white dwarf layered on top of each other, so they seem like one star to us.
• Denebola(beta Leo) HIP 57632
Absolute Magnitude: 1.88
Spectral Type: A3Vvar
Distance: 36.18 light years
Denebola is the tip of Leo's tail. Its luminosity varies slightly over a time period of a few hours. The star has a high rate of rotation that causes it to have an equatorial bulge.
Spring Constellation
Best Viewed: April (~9 PM)
RA: 11h
DEC:+15 degreesVisible at latitudes between 90 and -65 degrees
The sun passes through Leo in the month of August.
There are a few stories that are said to contain Leo the lion. The first is the story of Hercules. A lion (Leo) was terrorizing a town and eating people and sheep. Hercules was told to kill it, but the lion's flesh was unable to be punctured by stone or metal. Hercules proceded to strangle the lion to death and skin it with one of its own claws. A second story is the story of Thisbe and Pyramus. These two lovers planned to meet at a certain tree, but Thisbe was startled by a lion that had just made a kill and dropped her veil, which the lion caught. Pyramus saw the bloody cloth and believed his love to be dead. Then he killed himself, and she took the sword from his dead body and killed herself too. Zeus placed her veil in the sky (Coma Berenices), which is located near the constellation Leo.
(Story by Kathy Miles, http://starryskies.com/The_sky/constellations/leo.html)
external image leo-constellation-2.jpg
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People using the internet
Image captionPeople are relying on digital devices rather than memorising information
An over-reliance on using computers and search engines is weakening people’s memories, according to a study.
It showed many people use computers instead of memorising information.
Maria Wimber from the University of Birmingham said the trend of looking up information “prevents the build-up of long-term memories”.
The UK had the highest level, with more than half “searching online for the answer first”.
Outsourcing memory
“Our brain appears to strengthen a memory each time we recall it, and at the same time forget irrelevant memories that are distracting us,” said Dr Wimber.
Photographing a car
Image captionDoes the digital recording of events change how they are remembered?
She says that the process of recalling information is a “very efficient way to create a permanent memory”.
The ability to remember a partner’s number was lower in the UK than anywhere else in the European survey. There were 51% in the UK who knew their partner’s phone number, compared with almost 80% in Italy.
The study from Kaspersky Lab, a cybersecurity firm, says that people have become accustomed to using computer devices as an “extension” of their own brain.
It describes the rise of what it calls “digital amnesia”, in which people are ready to forget important information in the belief that it can be immediately retrieved from a digital device.
The study highlights how, as well as storing factual information, there is a trend to keep personal memories in digital form. Photographs of important moments might only exist on a smartphone, with the risk of their loss if the device is lost or stolen.
“There also seems to be a risk that the constant recording of information on digital devices makes us less likely to commit this information to long-term memory, and might even distract us from properly encoding an event as it happens,” said Dr Wimber.
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1. Understanding Recurrence Relations Using Automata, Python Code, And Javascript Visualizations
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Recurrence relations are very often taught in first- or second-year computer science and discrete mathematics courses. This post takes a somewhat different and more visual approach to understanding linear recurrences and solving them by drawing the link between linear recurrences, automata, and matrices, using the problem of generating all domino-tilings of a board as the springboard. Code in Python and visualizations in JavaScript are used to demonstrate the ideas.
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Bolivia (Discovering South America: History, Politics, and
Format: Paperback
Language: English
Format: PDF / Kindle / ePub
Size: 14.35 MB
Downloadable formats: PDF
Some of his thoughts on slavery were recorded in his "Notes on the State of Virginia." 7 He was opposed to general emancipation, arguing that "Deep-rooted prejudices entertained by the whites; ten thousand recollections by the blacks of the injuries they have sustained..." would hopelessly destabilize society. Christopher Columbus first set foot on the American mainland at Puerto Castilla, near Trujillo, Honduras. The words "Federal Reserve Note" first appeared on our paper currency in 1933.
Pages: 64
ISBN: 1422232956
Inca Empire (Time Travel Guides)
The Surrender Tree: Poems of Cuba's Struggle for Freedom
Belize (Cultures of the World)
The Surrender Tree: Poems of Cuba's Struggle for Freedom
Fortunately, through many backdoor meetings, the issue was resolved without a missile being launched. There have been many books, articles and narratives that have been written that describe the events and the backdoor negotiations that resolved the issue ref.: Chile in Pictures (Visual Geography (Twenty-First Century)) A change in the reserve requirement or discount policy will affect the lives of every American, regardless of their economic status. The actions of The Federal Reserve Board have proven to be the first cause in the death of our economy ref.: Silver People: Voices from the Panama Canal download here. Their leader at the time that Cortes and the Spanish soldiers arrived, was Montezuma. Montezuma at first welcomed the Spanish as the Aztecs thoughts they might be holy men, but they were soon to realise this was not so. The Spanish conquistadors were only interested in the gold. Cortes came with 16 horses (which the Aztecs had never seen before), 14 cannons, steel swords and crossbows , cited: Costa Rica (Discovering download pdf download pdf. Reagan administration, in turn, revitalized U. When the Cold War ended, the command, like other U. S. military organizations, entered a period of dramatic change. Southern Command embraced counter-drug operations, expanded its area of geographic focus to include the Caribbean, and enhanced its capacity for humanitarian missions. Southern Command moved to Miami with revised priorities, objectives, and capabilities , e.g. Rigoberta Menchu: Defending download here Rigoberta Menchu: Defending Human Rights. South America is also home to one of the largest populations of Africans. This group is also significantly present in Guyana, Brazil, Colombia, Suriname, French Guiana, and Ecuador. Mestizos (mixed European and Amerindian) are the largest ethnic group in Paraguay, Venezuela, Colombia (49%) [34] and Ecuador and the second group in Peru pdf.
Dennis passed over Cabo Cruz, Cuba early on July 8 with winds of 135 mph, and then made landfall along the south-central coast of Cuba that afternoon near Cienfuegos with winds of 145 mph. After landfall, Dennis passed near Havana and weakened to a Category 1 hurricane before emerging over the southeastern Gulf of Mexico early on July 9 , e.g. Chile in Pictures (Visual read pdf Egyptologists such as Sir Flinders Petrie believed that the ancient African drawings of ships represent papyrus boats similar to the one built by the Bambara People for Thor Hayerdhal on the shores of Lake Chad online. In Massachusetts they established laws derived from the Bible, and they punished or expelled those who did not share their beliefs. The Puritans established a governor and a general court (an assembly elected by adult male church members) and governed themselves. Although they refused to secede from the Church of England, they did away with bishops and church hierarchy and invented congregationalism , cited: History of the Americas read here read here.
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Castro's Cuba (History Firsthand)
Even had Europeans been horrified by the spread of smallpox among the Indians and thrown the weight of their medical system against it, they would have been opening an umbrella against a hurricane The Civilization of the Incas (Illustrated History of the Ancient World) read epub. The ground floor will be opened out to its surroundings to encourage the public to explore the building, while the roof will accommodate gardens, outdoor galleries, viewing terraces and a restaurant Che Guevara: Political Activist & Revolutionary (Essential Lives) Che Guevara: Political Activist &. Points out that this struggle is part of a larger movement for Indian self-determination in California and the Northwest, including the formation of fishing cooperatives to gain economic independence. Also includes footage of the takeover of Alcatraz epub. The legislature of South Carolina declared the tariff acts of 1828 and 1832 were "unauthorized by the constitution of the United States" and voted them null, void and non-binding on the state Venezuela (Discovering South America: History, Politics, and Culture) read for free. This festivity includes plenty of food and live music, as well as locally made cashew wine. Honduras has a diverse cuisine that shares many similarities with that of Nicaragua, its neighbor to the south, including the influence of African-Caribbean culture. An outstanding Honduran dish is the popular sopa de caracol, or conch soup. In this recipe, fresh carrots, chayote, chickpeas, celery, onions, plantains, and baby corn are sauteéd in butter and added to a clear broth flavored with culantro, a native herb similar in flavor to cilantro, but stronger-tasting Argentina (Countries of the download online download online. The Western tip of Europe (Britain, Spain and Portugal) took over the whole continent of The Americas, with Britain in North America and Spain and Portugal in the Centre and South, plus France dotted along in a few places Ecuador in Pictures (Visual Geography (Twenty-First Century)) Ecuador in Pictures (Visual Geography. The result of the intrusion of North American fauna was that hundreds of South American species became extinct in a relatively short time and that about 60% of present-day South American mammals have evolved from North American species. [3] However, some species were able to adapt and spread into North America. Apart from Pliometanastes, during the Irvingtonian stage of the mammal land stages, around 1.9 Ma, species as Pampatherium, a giant armadillo, ground sloth Megatherium, giant anteater Myrmecophaga, a Neogene capybara ( Hydrochoerus ), Meizonyx, opossum Didelphis, and Mixotoxodon followed the route north. [4] The terror bird Titanis was the only discovered South American carnivore species who made the journey into North America. [5] The Americas are thought to have been first inhabited by people from eastern Asia who crossed the Bering Land Bridge to present-day Alaska; the land separated and the continents are divided by the Bering Strait , source: Costa Rica (Cultures of the World)
Brazil (Modern Nations of the World)
Ancient Incas (The Ancient World)
Leaving Cuba - From Operation Pedro Pan To Elian
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The Lightning Dreamer: Cuba's Greatest Abolitionist
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The Surrender Tree: Poems of Cuba's Struggle for Freedom
Most Alpacas (91%) and Vicunas (72%) are in Peru, and the majority of Llamas (70%) are in Bolivia, and nearly all of the Guanacos (96%) are in Argentina Bolivia (Modern Nations of the World (Lucent)) Essentially, they held knowledge of ARCHETYPAL ENERGIES that bond or link Spirit to matter Brazil (Modern World Nations (Hardcover)) read epub. Cortés acted as governor for a time and was given great rewards, but rivalries among the Spaniards soon made it possible for the royal government to replace him, first with an audiencia, or high court, and then also with a viceroy, direct representative of the Spanish king Aztec Civilization (World History (Lucent)) This fearsome cyclone was first detected near the Lesser Antilles on September 2. It moved generally west-northwestward for several days, passing near the Dominican Republic on September 4 and into the southeastern Bahamas on the 5th and 6th Building the Panama Canal (Perspectives on Modern World History) South Africa and the United States belong to a number of the same international organizations, including the United Nations, International Monetary Fund, World Bank, G-20, and World Trade Organization Middle and South America (Regions of the World) Middle and South America (Regions of the. Named after the Carib Indigenous people, the Caribbean region consists of over 7,000 islands, islets, reefs and cays framed by the Gulf of Mexico, North, South and Central America. A biodiversity hotspot, the Caribbean supports a range of rich ecosystems, many of which are threatened. In ecotourism terms, it's up for debate whether the glass is half full or empty epub. These landforms contain nutrient packed, volcanic soil. The Sierra Madres occupy much of Costa Rica, although they appear as a multitude of smaller ranges and valleys. The Talamanca Mountains form the border with neighboring Panama. Costa Rica's northern plains are filled with thick forests Colombia (Discovering South download for free They live in several villages (5° to 6° N, 54° W) on both sides of the river, and their population totals approximately 2,400. Mennonites are a German-speaking people distinguished by their life-style and religious beliefs, which derive from the Anabaptist movement of the 1520s and 1530s ref.: Chile (Genocide and Persecution) The country was once partitioned into three parts, each being controlled by one of the colonial powers until the country was finally taken over fully by the British. Plaza of San Francisco in the Historic Center of Quito, Ecuador, is one of the largest, least-altered and best-preserved historic centers in the Americas. [17] Indigenous peoples of the Americas in various European colonies were forced to work in European plantations and mines; along with African slaves who were also introduced in the proceeding centuries History of the Americas 1880-1981: IB History Course Book: Oxford IB Diploma Program The Confederacy was on its last legs as 1865 began. Siege operations around Petersburg ground on, sapping the remaining resources and supplies that could be brought to bear against the Union army , cited: Belize (Discovering Central read here Although nothing can be taken away from Columbus' daring voyage, he certainly was not the first to arrive on the shores of the Americas. For one thing, there were already people here -- many Native American nations inhabited what later became known as North and South America and even the Caribbean islands where Columbus landed. Columbus probably wasn't even the first "white man" to make it here , source: Uruguay (Cultures of the World)
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Economic System Models
Tuesday, October 25, 2011 Posted by Glenn Von Posadas
1. Capitalism
• factors of production and distribution are owned and managed by private individuals or corporations. Similar terms like market economy, free enterprise economy, or laissez faire economy. Laissez faire means no government intervention in economic affairs. The essential characteristics of capitalism are private property, economic freedom, free competition and profit motive.
2. Communism
• Exactly opposite of capitalism. The factors of production and distribution are owned and management by the state. It is also called a command economy or classless society. The essential of communism are no private property, no free competition (the government is the only seller) no economic freedoms, no profit motive, presence of central planning.
3. Socialism
• It is a combination of capitalism and communism. the major and strategic industries are owned and managed by the state while the minor industries belong to the private-sector. Examples of major industries are transportation, electrification, mining, etc. Minor industries are candies, cakes, toys, etc.
How to judge an Economic System
1. Abundace-this refers to goods and services that individual members of society have received.
2. Growth-measurable in terms of the number of buildings, houses, schools, cars, hospitals, factories or machines made in a given year. However, destructive fruits like pollution,drug abuse, and sex crimes.
3. Stability-this refers to the absence of inflation and unemployment.
4. Security-It depends on economic stability.
5. Efficiency-it means productivity.
6. Justice and Equity-Fair distribution of wealth, no big gap between the poor and the rich.
7. Economic freedom-freedom to choose his food, style of houses, appliances, recreation, education, etc.
Goal of Economics
• Economic Growth
• Full Employment
• Price stability
• Economic freedom
• Equitable distribution of wealth and income
• Economic Security
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You are in Home / Travel ideas / Nature and Wildlife / The Murgia National Park
The Murgia National Park
Man and the land
The park, which is located between the towns of Matera and Montescaglioso in Basilicata, a few kilometres from the border with Apulia, is characterized by a soft rock called "tuff" (the correct name is limestone), which has played an essential role in the shapes taken on by the landscape, by drawing cliffs, gorges and caves used by man who settled here since prehistoric times.
The construction technique was that described as "architecture in negative"; i.e. not actually building, but removing matter from the rock (by digging), in order to actually obtain architectural structures. That is why the Parco della Murgia presents Palaeolithic caves (Bat Cave), villages dating back to the Neolithic, Bronze and Iron Ages (villages of Murgecchia, Murgia Timone and Trasanello): all pre-historic sites that tell us about human presence mostly made up by shepherds and herdsmen. There are also farms, sometimes fortified, the characteristic sheep enclosures called "jazzi", cisterns, water troughs and wells.
The Rupestrian Churches
There are over 150 rock churches in the Murgia National Park; all present different architecture and iconography, among these we can name San Leonardo, San Giacomo, Cappuccino vecchio and Santa Cesarea. They were made mostly in the early Middle Ages during a period that saw the intersection of the Greek Byzantine culture with the Latin world and they also are carved into the rock. What is most surprising is that even though they were born as places of worship, in the course of time the churches were also used for other purposes, being turned into homes or animal shelters when required. These churches also represent an important evidence of human presence, in particular relating to Benedictine monks, Longobards and Byzantines.
The Murgia National Park is characterised by a varied and wild nature which includes approximately 1,200 botanical species (one sixth of the national flora and a third of the region’s): a remarkable number for an area of about 7000 hectares. In this magnificent place crossed by the river Bradano and the streams Gravina and Jesce, there are about a hundred rare and extremely rare species. Abundant wildlife testimonies to this amazing natural wealth: foxes, hares, porcupines, wild boars and wild cats along with important birds of prey such as the red kite, the Lanner falcon, the Egyptian vulture and above all the lesser Kestrel with spread wings, the small raptor which is the park’s symbol.
Good to know
The CEA Environmental Education Centre of Matera was created to help discover and learn to love the Murgia National Park of the Matera region by annually proposing hikes, meetings and guided tours for thousands of visitors of all ages. Numerous tokens of the prehistoric period are preserved at the National Museum “Domenico Ridola" in Matera, while traces from the Greek (VIII-VII century BC) and Roman period (from III BC) can be tracked down in the area of Montescaglioso
Useful Information
The Murgia National Park
Ente Parco Archeologico Storico Naturale delle Chiese Rupestri del Materano
Via Sette Dolori, 10 (Rioni Sassi)
75100 Matera
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Object oriented programming in Java
Asked By 0 points N/A Posted on -
I have been working for a company and programming object oriented styled in C++ but after I lost my job so I employed myself at home by programming in java but through the internet. My question is why using java programming language, programs are much easier to sell over the internet?
From my experience I am quite sure that C++ is a much faster programming language and effective more than Java. And also, the web programming in javascript is much more valuable than CSS's ones.
Why is that ?
Answered By 0 points N/A #85209
Object oriented programming in Java
C++ is created for stand alone systems and programs, and Java is on used for printing in past, but as the years grow by, Java now has the network support feature which makes it more superior than C++. Java also supports C and C++ programming. And Java can run anywhere using a virtual machine. So we can say that Java came out from the C++ programming.
I can't say that Java and CSS is worth comparing because they have different roles in creating a web page. Java is use often in the functions that your website will run, while the CSS focus mainly on the design of your website that HTML cannot do, example of this is the changing of text color of the links.
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Zoo Animals
Gulo gulo
At the Detroit Zoo
Female wolverine Anna can be found in the American Grasslands at the Detroit Zoo. Born in 2007, Anna arrived at the Zoo in 2012. She can often be seen jumping and propelling herself off of surrounding objects and trees in her habitat.
The wolverine has small, round ears, a broad head and a long, bushy tail. It has dark brown fur with tannish-colored stripes on both sides of its body (running from its shoulders to its tail). It is a stocky and muscular member of the weasel family that more closely resembles the bear than other weasels. Its wide feet helps it to travel over various terrains (such as snow), and its long, non-retractile claws and powerful jaws help it rip into its food.
Fun Facts
• A wolverine's fur is hydrophobic, which means that the fur is resistant to the elements such as frost and snow.
• Kits are born white so they are able to be camouflaged in the winter. Their white natal hair eventually turns brown as the kits mature.
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Back to all posts History Essays
How cars have changed over the years?
04 Nov 2016History Essays
I. Introduction
Cars, also known as the automobile, are the self-propelled wheeled vehicle designed to transport passengers on highways and streets. Its power unit may utilize steam, electricity, gas, or some other energy source. Because early experiments proved the superiority of the internal combustion engine as a power unit and also proved the superiority of liquid fuel, generally gasoline, as an energy source, the term “automobile” is usually applied to vehicles employing these agents.
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Automotive vehicles carrying a large number of passengers are called buses. Commercial vehicles are called trucks. Agriculture, various industries, and military organizations use specialized types of automotive units, such as tractor or tank. All these are produced by the automotive industry, but common usage describes as an automobile a vehicle driven by a gasoline engine and designed to carry a few passengers (seldom more than seven) (Silk, 91-101). In the United States, familiar terms for the passenger automobile are auto or car. In other countries, motor car or motor is often used. In England, a truck is called a lorry.
Thesis Statement: This study gives a better understanding of the history of the automobile and scrutinizes its impact on our civilization.
II. Background
A. History of the Automobile
The automobile was not invented; that is, no individual can be named as its inventor, nor can its development be credited to the work of experimenters in any one nation. It evolved from some 200 years of tinkering by the French, Germans, British, Americans, and others. Some historians have tried to trace the evolution of the idea of a self-propelled vehicle. For clarity, it seems preferable to assume the existence of an ancient dream of such a vehicle and to describe simply the principal steps in its realization (Husselbee, 67-71). Until men knew what could be done with certain energy sources and something of how to apply them to controlled motion, it was idle to talk about workable self-propelled vehicles. The automobile is really a product of the industrial and mechanical age, and its background history begins properly with the 18th and 19th-century experiments in attempting to achieve locomotion with the power devices that were becoming known (Gillis, 134-149).
Experimenting with Steam.The earliest progress in exploring the possibilities of steam as a power source was made in Britain. Thomas Newcomen (1705) and James Watt (in the 1760’s) developed steam engines that were useful in British mines and factories. Applications of steam to vehicles appeared with the steam-propelled gun tractor of Nicolas-Joseph Cugnot, a French army officer. The first practical use of steam vehicles was made in Britain, where such designers as Sir Goldsworthy Gurney, Walter Hancock, and William Church developed steam coaches or “road locomotives,” some of which could accommodate 12 or 16 passengers (Olney, 64-69).
Later Steam Developments. Despite these accomplishments, inventors still were unwilling to abandon experiments with other types of powered vehicles. In the United States and France, especially, work on steam vehicles continued. The oldest existing self-propelled American vehicle is probably the steam carriage evolved by Richard Dudgeon in 1867. This ran on four solid wooden wheels. The two rear ones were connected to steam cylinders mounted on each side of a horizontal boiler at the front of the vehicle (Husselbee, 67-71).
Electric Vehicles.Electrically powered vehicles, although they had to await the development of stored electric power, which was available by 1892, enjoyed a measure of popularity. They appealed to feminine taste and the luxury trade range limited their usefulness. By 1900, however, the electric was the quietest and smoothest operating car made. It was the first automotive vehicle to carry an enclosed body. Electric cabs were operated in New York and other cities. Light electric delivery cars achieved some success (Husselbee, 67-71).
U.S. Gasoline Automobiles.At the turn of the century the automobile, still something if a curiosity and certainly a luxury, was available in three types—powered by an electric battery, a steam boiler, or an internal combustion engine. But the dependability and flexibility of the gasoline automobile captured the fancy of the public. In the development of the gasoline automobile, the United States took an early lead (Duffy, 34-46).
General Motors and Henry Ford.In 1908, two events of maximum importance took place in the United States. The General Motors Corporation was organized and began to absorb several of the leading independent companies, and Henry Ford began to manufacture the Model T. The latter revolutionized the automobile industry by making available to the masses of Americans a small car that s substantial proportion of them could afford to buy. With these steps, the history of the automobile ceases to be an account of how a number of makers competed to interest the wealthy in acquiring a luxury or an exciting plaything. The manufacture of high- and medium- priced cars continued, but the smaller firms were integrated into a few larges ones (Duffy, 34-46). Ford and eventually others created vast markets by making inexpensive cars on a numerous scale. The story thereafter becomes one of the developments of a massive industry.
B. Automobile Industry in the United States
The United States automotive industry is the largest of its kind in the world, and probably the largest of all industries if the collateral enterprises that it supports almost completely are included. There were several basic reasons for the country’s ability to build such an industry. The nation had quantities of raw materials such as iron, coal, hydroelectric power, petroleum, lumber, and chemicals. American industry, in general, had developed swiftly since the World War and by the turn of the century was matching and in some cases exceeding the capacity of such nations as Britain, France, and Germany.The nation was growing rapidly; immigration and a relatively high standard of living had helped virtually to double the population from 1870 to 1900, supplying an abundance of skilled and unskilled labor (Silk, 91-101). The inventive talents of the American worker were at least equal to those of his European contemporary.
Early Financial Problems. Although basic conditions were favorable, financial leaders were not convinced at first that the self-propelled vehicle was a sound investment venture. Poor highways did not encourage its use. Public interest in the new vehicle seemed sluggish. The confusion over what type of European designers, none of whom had been able during the 19th century to attract more than a luxury market. For these reasons, no generous financial assistance was available to manufacturers for some years. Many who later became leaders of the industry possessed no substantial capital. Ransom E. Olds was a machinist. Henry Ford was a watchmaker and power-plant employee. John N. Willys and the brothers John and Horace Dodge were bicycle dealers. Walter P. Chrysler was a railroad worker. They and other early manufacturers had to use their savings or their limited credit to get a start and begin operations in a small way. Many went bankrupt (Silk, 91-101).
III. Discussion
Since the invention of the automobile, it has contributed much to the development of our economy. The automotive industry gives a number of job opportunities to unemployed people and brings massive profits to the nation. Through this invention, business transactions and products from different places are easily transported to any desired places.
In the United States, new cars are sold by automobile agencies under franchise from the manufacturers. Used cars are sold by new-car dealers, independent used-car dealers, and directly by their owners.
The buyer of a new car can make a purchase directly from the dealer’s showroom stock, or he can custom-order his car from the factory through the dealer. Showroom cars come equipped with many optional features that the dealer chose to order besides the standard equipment (Olney, 64-69). By custom-ordering, the buyer can fit his car with optional features of his own choosing.
Automobile manufacturers through the dealers provide a warranty (guarantee) on the quality of an extensive number of parts on a new car. If a part listed under the warranty becomes defective within a certain specified time, the manufacturer pays for its repair or replacement. Most warranties cover a period of ownership of 12 months or cover the first 12,000 miles (19,000 km) the car is driven, whichever comes first. Tires are covered under a warranty of the tire manufacturer. Dealers sometimes offer short-term warranties on used cars. Service contracts can be purchased from most dealers for coverage extending beyond the terms of the manufacturer’s warranty. A manufacturer issues a recall when a dangerous defect occurs in a large number of automobiles of a given model (Olney, 64-69). The owner is usually requested to take his car to an authorized service facility to have the defect repaired free of charge.
A. Impact of the Automobile on Civilization
Wherever the automobile has been manufactured and distributed in large volume, striking economic and social changes have followed. Since the United States has mass-produced automotive vehicles in greater numbers than all other countries combined, the impact of the automobile will be discussed here in terms of that country. Similar effects have occurred in other countries in proportion to the level of automobile production and use attained (Duffy, 34-46).
Economic Effects. Automobile manufacturing was an infant industry in the United States in 1900; by the 1920’s it had grown into a giant and it has continued to expand although hampered by depression and war.
Deprived of the civilian market during the World War II years of 1942-1945, the industry proved its vitality by converting its productive potential to trucks, tanks, machine guns, and aircraft engines for the war effort. After the war, with the enormous civilian market again available, it resumed its expansion to larger totals in automobile production. By the mid-1960’s the industry had lifted its annual production to more than 11 million units—passenger cars, buses, and trucks (Duffy, 34-46).
The industry has become a major force in the American economy. By the 1960’s approximately one in every seven persons employed in the United States was engaged in some form of enterprise related to highway motor transport, and approximately one business in six depended on the manufacture, distribution, servicing, or use of motor vehicles.
The complexity of the automobile, requiring hundreds of varied items, stimulated other industries whose products were needed for automobiles, such as steel and other metals, glass, natural and synthetic rubber, plastics textiles, and chemicals. The phenomenal growth of the oil industry is traceable directly to the demands of the automobile and related vehicles. Hardly less impressive than the expansion of these ancillary industries has been the appearance of thousands of repair shops, garages, and service stations to maintain, store, and supply the huge automotive fleet (Duffy, 34-46).
Through various special taxes and toll charges, the manufacture, distribution, service, and use of motor vehicles are a major source of revenue to federal, state, county and city government agencies in the United States. In 1932, these agencies collected $990 million in motor vehicle taxes. In the 1950’s, special motor vehicles taxes averaged about $7.5 billion annually; in the 1960’s, they averaged about $11.5 billion annually. Truck taxes rose from an average of $1.9 billion a year in the 1950’s to $3.5 billion a year in the 1960’s.
Not all of this has represented a net economic gain. Older types of enterprises, especially those concerned with horsedrawn vehicles, have all but disappeared. The bicycle business, a sizable industry, was adversely affected for a time. The railroads, which once held a virtual monopoly on railroads, which once held a virtual monopoly on fast transportation, have suffered severely in competition with automotive vehicles in both their passenger and freight lines (Husselbee, 67-71). The vast expansion in road building, involving multilane expressways and throughways, bridges and vehicular tunnels, has strained the resources of federal and state governments and compelled a rise in gasoline taxes and the establishment of road tolls. Traffic problems have become staggering, particularly in and near large cities. The high cost of most automobiles has driven a large proportion of purchasers into installment buying, increasing individual indebtedness and adding materially to the car’s cost (Olney, 64-69).
Social Changes. As the automobile has become a virtual necessity in the United States, it has brought revolutionary social changes. No longer need the industrial worker or the white-collar employee live near his job. His automobile can carry him over fast roads to a suburb or rural area where living may be more comfortable and rewarding. Motor transport conveys perishable foods and other commodities to distant communities. The average automobile owner can enjoy longer and more frequent pleasure trips than were possible before the days of motors and smooth highways. To serve these travelers, resorts, motels, cabins, and restaurants have risen throughout the country. The automobile trailer has opened a nomadic way of life (Olney, 64-69).
Some social impacts of the automobile have been sinister. It has made the escape of the criminal easier. Sociologists have pointed out adverse effects of the motorcar on American family life. It has been described as a contributing factor in juvenile delinquency. The most grimly portentous problem, especially in the United States, is the high rate of accidents, frequently fatal. The increase of leisure time, the greater speed of new-model cars and the licensing of young and incompetent drivers had brought the total of automobile fatalities to a million by 1951. The annual death toll during the 1950’s averaged about 37, 000; during the first half of the 1960’s this average had risen to 42,000.
The automobile has become a permanent fixture in modern civilization because it satisfies so many human needs and desires. Without the passenger car and related vehicles, the modern world could hardly function effectively. The advantages that it has brought to millions are undeniable (Husselbee, 67-71). The problems and evils resulting from its improper use must be combated by wise public officials and an informed public.
IV. Conclusion
As a conclusion, automobiles are very important for our nation’s progress. This invention is already part of our economic progression. Products from remote places are delivered to urban areas through automobiles. However, in spite of the positive effects brought by automobiles, it has negative effects on our environment. Air pollution becomes a serious issue of our nation as well as in the other countries. Because automobiles emissions are a major source of air pollutants, especially carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, and nitrogen dioxide, the federal government passed series of laws to restrict these emissions. The Clean Air Act is amended to require that all cars emit reduced levels of hydrocarbons and carbon dioxide. It is amended again, and further and more stringent reductions in emissions are mandated by our government. But the automobile industry argued that these regulations are unrealistic and too costly, and their full implementation is delayed several times.
At the moment, the automotive industry has found a new way to reduce such problem. They invented hybrid cars that do not use gas and with that, it minimizes the air pollution that causes by automobiles.
1. Duffy, J.E. Modern Automotive Mechanics, pp. 34-46 (Goodheart-Willcox, 2005).
2. Gillis, Jack. The Car Book: an Indispensable Guide to the Safest, Most Economical New Cars, pp. 134-149 (Dutton, 2005).
3. Husselbee, W.L. Automotive Fuel, Cooling, Lubrication, and Exhaust Systems, pp. 67-71 (Reston, 2004).
4. Olney, R. R. Listen to Your Car! An Easy Guide to Identifying Car Troubles, pp. 64-69 (Walker, 2001).
5. Silk, Gerald. The Automobile and Culture, pp. 91-101 (Abrams, 2004).
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This Day in History (16-May-1866) – Charles Elmer Hires invents root beer
Root beer has its origins in what is referred to as small beers. Small beers are a collection of local beverages (some alcoholic, some not) made during colonial times in America from a variety of herbs, barks, and roots that commonly included: birch beer, sarsparilla beer, ginger beer and root beer. Charles Hires was a Philadelphia pharmacist. While on his honeymoon in New Jersey , he had some herbal tea that he really liked (the honeymoon was probably just on his parent’s farm in Roadstown). When he was back in Philadelphia, he experimented until he had something similar like herbal tea.
Charles began selling a dry version of the tea mixture. It was a dry extract in a packet, that you mixed at home with sugar, yeast and water to make up a gallonful of root beer yourself. You boiled the extract in water, strained it, then added sugar and yeast, let it ferment, then bottled it. At the same time Charles also began working on a liquid version of the same tea. The result of was a combination of over twenty-five herbs, berries and roots that Charles Hires used to flavor a carbonated soda water drink. Charles realized the word “beer” would appeal more to men than “tea.” The Charles Hires’ version of a root beer beverage was first introduced to the public at the 1876 Philadelphia Centennial exhibition.
Charles had taken out a patent for the term “root beer” in 1879, but lost it the same year when Congress ruled that generic terms in the dictionary couldn’t be patented. Charles decided sales would be ever better if it were sold already brewed, so he started selling it that way, as a concentrated liquid extract that you then made it from at home; you still had to boil it, but it was less messy. It was sold as Root Beer Extract in glass bottles, on which the wording “Makes Five Gallons of a Delicious Drink” was embossed in raised glass letters. The Charles E Hires Company was established in 1890. In 1893 Charles first sold and distributed bottled root beer. Charles Hires and his family certainly contributed greatly to the popularity of modern root beer. The Hires Root Beer Company is now owned by Cadbury-Schweppes.
This Day in History (20-Apr-1862) – Louis Pasteur and Claude Bernard Begin Tests of Pasteurization
Louis Pasteur received a commission from a maker of beet root alcohol in 1856 while working at the University of Lille. The owner had grown tired of seeing entire batches of his product poured out before they could be sold. Pasteur dove into the research, carefully examining beet root juice at each stage of fermentation. As he observed the shift, he noticed a number of spherical organisms floating in the liquid — yeast, the microbe that consumes sugar to transform it into alcohol. Days later, as the juice soured and became unusable, Pasteur looked again and found something quite different: rod-shaped organisms — a bacteria. He came to the conclusion “germs” caused the change, a far-reaching discovery with implications in medicine.
With his research proved, Pasteur received an appointment from Emperor Napoleon III to apply his knowledge to French wine. Working in conjunction with his research assistant Bernard beginning on April 20, 1862, Pasteur came up with exact measurements for temperature and the amount of time necessary for preservation. The results were a revelation: wine could last much longer so long as it was not contaminated after being pasteurized. Within months, beer and vinegar were added to the list of materials subject to the process, literally saving vast portions of French agricultural products for export. Years later, Pasteur’s method would be turned to milk.
If there’s one food science breakthrough that stands apart from the rest, it’s pasteurization, milk pasteurization to be specific. Its very adoption changed the health of world. During the 1850s, fewer than half of all children born lived to see their 5th birthday, with tainted milk being the biggest cause of illness. Through separate approaches of low- and high-heat, pasteurization eliminated tuberculosis bacteria and drastically reduced the number of infections suffered during the early 20th century. Because of Pasteur and Bernard’s work, tens of thousands of life-threatening illnesses are avoided every year.
This Day in History (8-Apr-1879) – Milk is Sold in Glass Bottles for the First Time
Until 1879, people bought milk as a bulk item, with the seller dispensing milk out of a keg or bucket into whatever jugs, pails or other containers the customers brought. That practice left a lot to be desired on the cleanliness front. Some dairies tried offering milk in fruit jars, perhaps because customers had started bringing the resealable containers to them to be filled. On April 8, 1879, Echo Farms Dairy introduced the first purpose-made milk bottles in New York City, delivering the milk from Litchfield, Connecticut.
Other dealers initially feared the expense of breakage, and some customers didn’t like the drugstore look of the containers. The new method of delivery eventually caught on. By the first decade of the 20th century, some cities were legally requiring that milk be delivered in glass bottles. Because of better sanitation and a lower bacteria count, thousands of children who otherwise may have died instead grew up to be healthy adults. Childhood diseases and deaths decreased after 1879 for a variety of reasons. Sanitary delivery of milk certainly was a contributing factor.
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Monday, 24 December 2012
The Magic of Christmas
We often hear talk about "the magic of Christmas". Usually it has something to do with elves and flying reindeer and Santa Claus breaking into your house through the ceiling vent. However, we shouldn't forget that the original Christmas story (you know, the one with Jesus in it) also features magicians. Here they are, in the NIV translation of Matthew 2.
Herod consults with his scholars and suggests they try Bethlehem, then asks them to report back to him after they have found the child.
English translators have struggled with this little group of people over the centuries. The NIV wimps out and just uses the original Greek word, Magi. What is a Magus, though? The King James bible, and many others since, translated the term as "wise men". JB Phillips renders them as "astrologers". The Message calls them "a band of scholars".
The Greek word magus (plural "magi") originally applied to followers of the Persian religious teacher Zoroaster, whose teachings (at least in the popular mind) included an ability to both tell the future by the stars and manipulate that future. Over time the term came to be used more broadly of those who practiced various forms of magic - astrology, divination, alchemy and other esoteric arts.
The magi were generally viewed with suspicion in the ancient world, but their arts could also be seen as useful and powerful people would turn to them for help or advice. The two other times magi appear in the New Testament they are clearly enemies. In Acts 8 Peter has an encounter with Simon Magus who both the King James and NIV translate as someone who "used sorcery". Simon loses his following when the apostles arrive on the scene and he tries to buy their healing power from them, earning a stern rebuke from Peter. He lived on in later Christian tradition as an implacable opponent of Peter and the apostles.
The other , "Elymas the sorcerer", appears in Acts 13 as an advisor to the Roman official Sergius Paulus. He opposes the apostle Paul and is struck blind, convincing Paulus to become a follower of Jesus.
These stories represent the more typical Christian attitude to magic as something to be combated, as a suspect source of knowledge to be displaced by the true knowledge of God.
Matthew's portrayal could not be more different. It's no wonder the English translators went searching for a different word. For a start, their science is implicitly praised. Their astrological knowledge leads them correctly to Jesus' birthplace, and correctly identifies him as King of the Jews. Furthermore they come to worship, not to compete, and bring appropriate gifts.
Later Christian traditions recognised the difference, and embroidered their tale to great effect. They were generally portrayed as three men (no doubt to match the three gifts) although in some versions there were 12. They were given names. In the Western tradition they were known as Melchior, Caspar and Balthazar, respectively from Persia, Ethiopia and Arabia, while Eastern traditions gave them other names. In some versions they were promoted from magicians to kings.
Sometimes they were portrayed as representing various regions - one from Europe, one from Asia, one from Africa to represent the three continents which adjoin Palestine, all the gentile nations bowing before the King of the Jews. Early Chinese christians saw them as coming from China, giving themselves a role in the story. Their gifts also had prophetic significance - gold symbolising Jesus' kingship, frankincense his priesthood and myrrh his suffering.
Matthew didn't put this story here by accident. He starts his book with Jesus' genealogy, establishing his royal Jewish heritage. Yet the first people to pay him homage are these Gentile sorcerers, these suspicious practitioners of the dark arts. As Christians, this story reminds us to put aside our prejudices, to stop demonising those whose knowledge comes from sources we don't trust. Jesus didn't come into a safe little Jewish cocoon, he came into the wide world, with all its diversity, all its varied practices and varied ethnicities, all its diverse and fascinating sciences, arts and wisdoms. He came to challenge orthodoxy, not reinforce it. Everyone is welcome here, and each can add to our store of wisdom.
Happy Christmas everyone!
Thursday, 20 December 2012
The Sickness unto Death
And now for something completely different...Soren Kierkegaard was an early/mid 19th century Danish theologian, famous as one of the founding figures of what came to be called existentialism before this philosophical school became associated with atheism in the 20th century.
Kierkegaard trained in theology and toyed with the idea of becoming a pastor in the State Church of Denmark, finally deciding not to follow through. He also toyed with marriage before breaking off the engagement. In the end he lived most of his life on the proceeds of an inheritance from his father, acting as a theological and intellectual gadfly, at odds with his church and his society.
Over his life he published a number of theological works Many were published under fanciful pseudonyms that seemed designed to suggest he was not fully committed to their content, that they were coats he tried on to see how they looked. The Sickness unto Death is published under the name Anti-Climacus, "edited by Soren Kierkegaard".
Unlike John Stott, Kierkegaard does not set out to make his writing accessible. The Sickness unto Death is a mere 130 pages long, but it took me over a week to struggle through it and I'm not sure I really understood it properly. Yet I've been thinking about it ever since, puzzling over its meaning and its significance. Here's the best I can make of it.
Appropriately, Kierkegaard himself starts with a puzzle. In John 11, when Jesus was asked to come and attend to Lazarus, he assured his disciples, "this sickness is not unto death". Yet Lazarus did in fact die, and even though Jesus raised him again he surely died a second time. So what did Jesus mean?
For in human terms death is the last thing of all, and in human terms hope exists only as long as there is life; but to Christian eyes death is by no means the last thing of all, just another minor event in that which is all, an eternal life....
But then Christianity has discovered in its turn a misery which humanity as such does not know exists. This misery is the sickness unto death.
This misery is what Kierkegaard labels "despair". By this he doesn't mean the type of mental illness we would call depression, from which he himself appears to have suffered. He means the existential despair of being separated from God which he holds is a universal human experience. This separation is what death means for a Christian.
Different people, he says, experience despair in different ways. Some are not even aware of it. They go on living upright, respectable lives, even think they are Christians, without once experiencing the pang of conscious despair. Yet their despair is all the more real for their lack of awareness of it.
For others, they experience despair but work hard to deny it, pushing it away and trying to go on with their lives as if it doesn't exist.
As a third option, some people accept that they are in despair and wallow in it, willfully maintaining their seperation from God with full awareness of what they are doing.
It doesn't seem to be an option to not be in despair, only to become conscious of your despair and act appropriately. So what is the solution? Kierkegaard doesn't spell it out in so many words, but in the second part of the book he equates despair with sin.
Sin is: before God in despair not to want to be oneself, or before God in despair to want to be oneself.
In following this definition of sin, he throws aside much of what we would normally understand to be good and evil. Certainly, he says, all the things we commonly think of as sinful are part of sin - murder, adultery, theft, etc - but these things are sin because they are contrary to God's command. They are not intrinsically sinful because there is no such thing as intrinsic sin. They are only sinful in relation to God.
But often this fact, that the opposite of sin is by no means virtue, has been overlooked. The latter (the idea that virtue is the opposite of sin) is partly a pagan view, which is content with a merely human standard, and which for that very reason does not know what sin is, that all sin is before God. No, the opposite of sin is faith, which is why in Romans 14:23 it says: 'whatsoever is not of faith, is sin'. And this is one of the most crucial definitions for the whole of Christianity: that the opposite of sin is not virtue but faith.
This then is his answer. There is no middle ground, no moderate way, no set of deeds we can do which will solve our despair. We cannot work our way through it, or reason our way past it, or push it away. We would be foolish to embrace it as if it were a good thing. We can only stand before God in full consciousness of our despair - that is of our sin - and trust his mercy. We can only have faith. Nothing else will do.
Saturday, 15 December 2012
Guns Kill People
Wednesday, 12 December 2012
The Radical Disciple
For over 50 years, up until his death in 2011, John Stott was a leader of the worldwide Evangelical movement. He was a key author of the Lausanne Covenant on World Evangelisation in 1974 (he was chair of the drafting committee) and central to the subsequent spin-offs and supplementary statements.
Stott was an ever-present eminence in my youth, an evangelical authority who was assumed to be right until he could be positively proven to be wrong. You would be hard put to find such proof - his writings are careful and considered, marshalling evidence before laying out a modest, logical conclusion. His sermons - to which we listened on cassette tapes - were masterpieces of the art of condensing complex subject matter into four alliterative points for easy recall. He was not so much an original theologian as a gifted teacher, able to explain complex concepts in simple lay terms.
He was a good role model for young evangelicals. He didn't despise learning but nor did he flaunt it. He avoided extremes, treated opposing viewpoints with respect, always played the ball not the man. He also lived what he taught. He never sought high office in the church, even though he would have made a good bishop, and lived all his life on a modest stipend from his London parish while allocating his substantial book royalities to the charities he founded.
To my mind, though, his biggest contribution to the evangelical movement was his focus on holistic discipleship. For him, it wasn't enough for Christians to preach the gospel - we also had to practice it, to live as far as possible the way Jesus intended. This led him to adopt and adapt many of the findings of liberation theology into an evangelical context. In my youth I thought he was too tame and conservative - I still do in many ways - but he was a key influence in moving evangelicals away from a myopic focus on conversion to a concern with justice and human wellbeing.
All these thoughts are prompted by a 50th birthday gift from my friend Trevor of Stott's final book, The Radical Disciple. I'm not sure why it's taken me until after my 51st birthday to read it, but I have a lot of books on my shelf waiting to be read. Written when he was not far short of 90, the book is shot through with mortality. Stott was living in an aged care facility as he wrote it, having broken his hip not long previously in a fall. He knew he did not have much life left and this would be his last book, and his post-script is a typically self-effacing final farewell to his readers, thanking them for their encouraging letters and explaining the details of his literary will.
This is a deceptively simple book, because although you could read it in a single sitting, it would take a lifetime to put it into practice. Stott summarises what he sees as the essence of Christian discipleship. What sort of people should we be striving to become as Christians? He allows himself eight points rather than four.
Non-conformity for Stott is the mid-point between escapism - a desire to run away from the world - and conformity, a desire to blend in. Christians are called to live in the world, but to live by Christ's standards even if these are different from those of our neighbours.
Christ-likeness follows directly from this, trying to model our lives on the standard Christ set for us. This involves us learning humility, service of others, unconditional love, and devotion to our mission. These things in themselves can be the study of a lifetime, and fortunately he reminds us that we have God's help, and the presence of his Spirit, to guide us.
Maturity is one of Stott's signature themes and the focus of much of his ministry. His complaint about the church throughout his life was that while the numbers of Christians have increased around the world, so often our Chrisitianity is only skin deep. We have limited knowledge of our faith, and practice only its most obvious disciplines. He is particularly focused on Bible study and knowledge, but his meassage could be extended - maturity in prayer, in moral judgement, in theological and political discernment.
Creation care for Stott is a key aspect of living in God's world in the 21st century. God has put us on earth with the task of caring for it and its creatures, and we need to acknowledge we are failing in that task, and learn to do better.
The chapter on simplicity is drawn from the Lausanne Movement's Consultation on Simple Lifestyle which Stott chaired in 1980. It touches on our care for creation, our concern to eradicate proverty, our building a new kind of community in the Church, our personal commitment to simplicity, and our desire for justice. He has no expectation we will acheive this in this life, but believes we should try.
His sixth concept, balance, is quite nuanced and complex. He points out three dichotomies - between individual discipleship and corporate fellowship, between worship and work, and between pilgrimage towards God and citizenship in this world. For Stott, these are not choices to be made, but elements of our life to be held in balance.
Dependence is perhaps something Stott was well qualified to talk about in his declining years, dependent as he was on others for many of his daily needs. However, he points out that we are all dependent - on God for our very life, and on one another. A fierce independence is not a virtue, it is a weakness we need to address.
Death is the final item in Stott's list. Jesus says if we follow him we need to be willing to take up our cross, and he was not talking metaphorically. For many Christians persecution and even martyrdom is a reality. Yet even for those of us who live in safety, mortality is always with us, and part of Christian discipleship is to look it in the face and accept that only through our death can we truly live.
Stott faced his death with equanimity. He also left us a legacy, both in his writings and in his example. If we could follow just a small part of it, we would be a genuine blessing to the world around us.
Thursday, 6 December 2012
No News on Climate Change
Most of you will probably be aware that the United Nations Doha Climate Change Conference is lumbering to a close. Delegates sit in air-conditioned comfort in a country which is perhaps a small foretaste of our future world and struggle to make decisions that are in some way meaningful.
As a result, we have been getting updates on the latest findings of climate science, and the results are not pretty. Data on increases in emissions, rises in sea levels and trends in average global temperatures are all worse than expected. Melting permafrost adds an element to warming that most models didn't include because of previously inconclusive evidence.
Climate scientists are pessimistic about our ability to acheive the objective of keeping warming to 2 degrees celsius by 2100, and 4 degrees is being discussed. A recent World Bank report suggests the human consequences of such a rise would be catastrophic. Here's a bit of what they say.
A world in which warming reaches 4°C above preindustrial levels would be one of unprecedented heat waves, severe drought, and major floods in many regions, with serious impacts on human systems, ecosystems, and associated services.
In other words, climate change is a slow moving train wreck, which will make us all poorer and be a genuine disaster for those who are already poor. We can minimise it if we act, but we definitely need to act soon.
Meanwhile in Canberra our political leaders have been fully focused on sorting out the important question of what Julia Gillard did or didn't know when she acted as legal representative for the AWU 20 years ago. Not only did our Prime Minister need to stay home from Doha to sort this issue out, Climate Change Minister Greg Combet needed to stay home to help. I'm not sure who is representing Australia in Doha.
Nor am I sure who is representing any other country. The most important question facing global leaders is being left in the hands of officials who do not have the authority to commit their countries to anything they have not already decided to do. Not surprisingly, it looks as though the result will be what diplomats might refer to as "modest progress".
It so happened that the talks coincided with Australia playing South Africa in the third cricket test in Perth, so instead of the ABC news which at least mentions such things I watched Channel 9. While some of the alarming research reports released to coincide with the conference were reported, complete with dramatic stock footage of things that look like affects of global warming, the conference itself was not even mentioned. Obviously there was no decent footage from the conference to be had. So a large part of the Australian public is likely to be unaware the conference is even happening.
I think this story trumps the absurd cruelty of our country's treatment of asylum seekers as the worst news story of the year. Both stories leave me feeling frustrated, helpless and angry but the crime involved in neglecting climate change is on such a huge scale it would be hard to imagine anything worse.
So how is it that we are so sanguine about it? How is that this comes as just one news story among arguments about 20 year old scandals, interest rate cuts, petty crime and cute animals? The ABC's Jonathan Green has some thoughts on the subject. Firstly this:
The problem is of course one of both the scale of the threat and its contemporary invisibility. We are talking about a trend, a prospect, a probability. One that is boggling. Barely conceivable. That both admits idiotic and ideologically motivated "doubt" and subtly invalidates the issue in the eyes of a news media that favours the instantaneous, graphic and loud. If the consequences predicted for 2100 were happening now, well ... then we'd have a story.
The second he quotes from Fairfax journalist Chris Feikin.
Consider this: of all the coal, gas and oil fields that the world's corporations and nations have already quantified and have the legal right to exploit, 80 per cent now needs to stay in the ground if temperature rises are to be kept within 2 degrees.
Incredulity, distance in space and time and multinational corporations with vested interest in the status quo make a powerful combination. Doha will pass, there will be a lull in press on the subject and we will be able to spend the summer sitting in front of our fans watching the cricket. The global warming train wreck will roll slowly on. Who will be powerful enough, and long sighted enough, to stop it?
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Vimy is more than a First World War battle. It is common to hear that Vimy marks the “birth of a nation.” Yet what is meant by this phrase? Do Canadians actually believe that Canada was born at Vimy, 50 years after Confederation? How did the four-day battle of Vimy in April 1917 transform into an origin story? While not all Canadians believed in Vimy’s importance, enough did, and the idea of Vimy was invigorated with the building of Walter Allward’s monument on the ridge. Since then, Vimy has been incorporated into Canadian history, although its meaning has changed with each generation. Cook will explore the emergence of the Vimy idea, its changing meaning, and its endurance as a symbol of Canadian service and sacrifice.
The JMS Careless Memorial Lecture:
Vimy at 100, 1917-2017
by Tim Cook, PhD., C.M.
March 23rd, 5pm-7pm
Kenny Theatre.
Event poster.
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Experience 0
What makes a video game?
Professor Mary Flanagan holds the Sherman Fairchild Distinguished Professorship in Digital Humanities at Dartmouth College. She’s an artist, scientist, and humanist, known for her theories on play culture, activist design, and critical play.
Han Yang worked as a video game researcher and creative assistant for Mary Flanagan on an extensive video art piece titled [pile of secrets]. It debuted in the Play Station Exhibition, at the Postmasters Gallery, New York. [pile of secrets] is currently on tour and has been shown in galleries in various cities across the USA, Germany & Netherlands.
Han Yang’s role was to examine the structural analysis of games in a creative form, exploring the quintessential elements central to the experience of digital play. Working in small teams, hundreds to thousands of games were broken down from a complex set of themes and emotions into several key fields; setting up a plan of action to target specific video game themes. Video game history was re-examined (and many childhood memories revisited), with old archaic games played on emulators to video-capture a specific emotion or action.
Themes range from the simple and mundane, such as eating & jumping to instinctive ones like running in fear. Complex and intellectual themes such as love do occur from time to time, in higher concept or larger scale games.
Terabytes of video footage was recorded and distilled into several thematic video series, which are then curated to create the essential themes that form a video game.
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Maths Mate: term 4, week 3.
problem 24: a bookshop sold 200 books over the Internet in it’s first year of business. since then sales have doubled every year. what was the bookshops profit in the sixth year given the yearly profit formula below?
yearly profit= books sold x $2 – $1000
predict: I predict that I will have to use multiplication in the sum.
clarify: I have no words, sentences, or phrases to clarify.
find the big question: what was the profit?
first it said that the sales have doubled every year, and it has been running for 6 years. so, to make sure I did it correctly I went down in a list.
1- 200
2- 400
3- 800
next we times it by $2. which is: $12,800
now we have to take away $1000, which is $11,800!
the answer is $11,800
summary: the mathematicians toolbox strategy are used in this sum was break the problem into manageable parts.
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