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Species turnover and geographic distance in an urban river network AimUnderstanding the relationships between species turnover, environmental features and the geographic distance between sites can provide important insights into the processes driving species diversity. This is particularly relevant where the effective distance between sites may be a function of the habitat or topographic features of the landscape and the means of dispersal of the organism. River networks, in particular in human-modified landscapes, are a striking example of such a situation. Here, we use data for both aquatic and terrestrial organisms across an urban river network to examine patterns of species turnover and to determine whether these patterns differ between different taxonomic groups. LocationSheffield area, UK. MethodsAquatic (macroinvertebrates, diatoms) and terrestrial (birds, plants, butterflies) organisms were surveyed at 41 sites across an urban river network. We assessed the relationship between turnover and three alternative geographic distance measures (Euclidean, network and flow distance), whilst also taking into account the environmental distance between sites, using Mantel and partial Mantel tests. ResultsTurnover of all taxonomic groups apart from butterflies was significantly correlated with at least one measure of geographic distance. The aquatic taxonomic groups showed the strongest correlations with the geographic distance measures, and in particular with network distance. Terrestrial taxa were more closely associated with environmental than any of the geographic distance measures, although network distance remained significant for birds and some plant groups after removing the effect of environmental distance. Water-dispersed and neophyte plant groups were significantly related to network and flow distance. Main conclusionsThe results suggest that aquatic communities are strongly influenced by spatial processes occurring within the river network. Terrestrial taxa have a more complex relationship with distance, with different components of these communities displaying different responses. Nevertheless, it is clear that connectivity along the river corridor is important for both aquatic and terrestrial communities.
08 november 2009 Todays flower - Yellow Daylily is the common name of the species, hybrids and cultivars of the genus Hemerocallis. The flowers of these plants are highly diverse in colour and form, often resulting from hybridization by gardening enthusiasts The flowers of some species are edible and are used in Chinese cuisine. They are sold (fresh or dried) in Asian markets as gum jum or golden needles (金针 in Chinese; pinyin: jīnzhēn) or yellow flower vegetables. They are used in hot and sour soup, daylily soup (金針花湯), Buddha's delight. The young green leaves and the tubers of some species are also edible. The plant has also been used for medicinal purposes. Care must be used as some species can be toxic. Rudbeckia 'Prarie Sun', I grow it from seed and have it over the summer here in Sweden. Here lives my pet... The genus Lilium are herbaceous flowering plants growing from bulbs. Lilies comprise a genus of about 110 species in the lily family (Liliaceae) and are important as large showy flowering garden plants. Additionally, they are important culturally and in literature in much of the world. Some species are sometimes grown or harvested for the edible bulbs. My dotter name is Lilly - from the lilyplants. Calendula officinalis, known as Pot Marigold or Scotch Marigold, is a plant in the Calendula genus. It was used in ancient Greek, Roman, Arabic and Indian cultures as a medicinal herb as well as a dye for fabrics, foods and cosmetics. The leaves and petals of the Pot Marigold are edible, with the petals added to dishes as a garnish and in lieu of saffron. The leaves can be sweet but are more commonly bitter, and may be used in salads. They are very easy to grow! In Semitic languages it is known by the name of Shubit. The Talmud requires that tithes shall be paid on the seeds, leaves, and stem of dill. The Bible states that the Pharisees were in the habit of paying dill as tithe.[2] Jesus rebuked them for tithing dill but omitting justice, mercy and faithfulness. Name? Maybe "Stormhatt..." Aconitum lycoctonum? This is a new summer plant for me, "Fjärilskrasse" (Tropaeolum peregrinum, Butterfly...) and I did get it with a butterfly! Todays flower nr 65 MellowYellow Monday nr 42 I got most information from Wikipidia
Sunday, December 8, 2013 Sp #6: Unit k concept 10: writing a repeated decimal as a rational number using geometric series One must pay attention to a few things. Firstly, one should read the steps and explanations written in blue ink in order to understand the work. Secondly, pay attention to the formulas for it is easy to miss a key part of them.
Armenian Azerbaijani Belarusian Bulgarian Czech Danish Dutch English Estonian Finnish French Georgian German Hindi Icelandic Indonesian Irish Italian Latvian Lithuanian Norwegian Polish Portuguese Romanian Serbian Slovak Slovenian Spanish Swedish Thai Turkish Ukrainian Vietnamese Bosnian Menstruation - how to understand that everything is in order Menstruation or "critical days," as it is pleasant to call this process among the people, is one of the most important moments for a woman. This is a kind of "reincarnation" from a girl to an adult lady, who will later become a mother. That's why we need to be able to understand and recognize some of the signals that the body gives us when everything is going well, and when there are serious problems. Let's understand everything in order, so that you will not be afraid either for yourself or for your child. Menstruation - part of a woman's menstrual cycle How does it all start? The girl grows, gets stronger, her body is slowly preparing for the period of puberty. It is when he comes, in fact, and the time will come for the first menstruation. When this happens, it is mainly determined at the genetic level. Most likely, the girl will begin the first menstruation at exactly the same age as her mother, grandmother, aunt. This physiology is laid in the womb of the mother, and little can affect it. However, there are numbers accepted for the norm. So, on average, the first menstruation begins at the age of 11-13 years and, thus, begins a complete restructuring of the hormonal background and the sexual process of maturation. You do not need to be embarrassed to talk to your child about such a "bloody" topic. This is absolutely normal and inherent in nature in every woman. Giving your child a brief information about menstruation, you prepare it morally for the restructuring of the body. Well, with the appearance of the first menstruation, there will also be physiological changes. It happens, unfortunately, and this is when after reaching 17-18 years, the girl does not have menstruation. This indicates a violation of physiological development, and it is worth turning to the gynecologist for a complete examination. Menstrual cycle It is very important to correctly understand the very meaning of the menstrual cycle. So, from the first day of menstruation until the first day of the next menstruation is called the menstrual cycle. On average, it lasts for 28 days. However, only 15% of women have such constancy. On that there are many factors: stress, excessive food or hunger, infectious and bacterial diseases, ecology, workaholism. It is because of this number of reasons that menstruation can each month have its deviations. Normally it is considered that 21-35 days of the cycle is natural for the female body. Delayed menstruation for more than 10 days may indicate either pregnancy or ovarian dysfunction. menstrual cycle In the middle of the cycle itself or a few days before the onset of menstruation, you may be troubled by discharge. They will be brown and can be smeared for a few days, they are rather meager in appearance, so there will be enough daily laying here. If this happens in the middle of the cycle, the cause will be ovulation; If a couple of days before the onset of menstruation - this is the norm. However, such allocation you should keep on control and be sure to inform your gynecologist about their availability. Normally menstruation itself lasts 3-7 days. Each woman happens in different ways, however, according to statistics, every third woman has 5 days of menstruation. During this time, the woman loses an average of about 250 grams for the entire period of menstruation. Allocations have a bright red color and a rather specific smell. Menstruation with blood clots is also no exception. You should not be intimidated, such discharge is the norm in menstruation. Most often this occurs in the first two days of the onset of menstruation. Because of abundant secretions, enzymes can not cope and do not "process" the blood into a more usual liquid state for us. Thus, it accumulates in the uterine cavity and leaves in the form of clots. These days it is advisable not to use tampons, so that the uterus can completely free itself from thick secretions. In addition, women who choose an intrauterine device as a contraceptive are also susceptible to menstruation with clots. Painful menstruation Every second woman complains of pain during menstruation. This is quite natural, as during these days the organism is being renewed and purified, thus preparing for possible conception. Most often, a few days before the onset of menstruation and 2-3 days after graduation, a woman suffers such feelings as: - the chest hurts (the mammary glands swell, becomes heavier); - pulls the lower abdomen; - the body swells (or all, or individual parts, most often legs, lower back, face); - the heat changes to a cold sweat; - rapid pulse and palpitation; - fast fatigue; - irritation. This is the main symptomatology of a woman with menstruation. Certainly, in every woman it manifests itself in different ways. However, you should understand that pain and discomfort in menstruation is natural. Sex and menstruation Many ladies are wondering if it's possible to have sex during menstruation? There is no unequivocal answer, unfortunately. However, there are principles by which one can be guided for or against intimate life with menstruation. ~ Sex during menstruation helps get rid of most unpleasant sensations. ~ Orgasm during menstruation is much brighter and stronger than usual. ~ If he achieves a strong orgasm, he can "hurry" to finish his menstruation. ~ A violent sex life does not affect the number of menstrual days and ovulation. ~ There is a rather small percentage of that you can get pregnant, however, it can still happen. painful menstruation Every second woman complains of pain during menstruation Of course, it all depends on the particular couple and the woman herself. Some have a violent desire to have sex during menstruation, because they feel the most sexually attracted to a man. Some, on the contrary, flatly refuse to make love. Everything is very individual. In addition, not all men agree to have sex during menstruation in a woman. Some bloody discharges cause a lot of discomfort and discomfort. Others, on the contrary, itself menses can excite and attract to a woman. In any case, in order for both of you to be comfortable and harmonious with each other during menstruation, it is worthwhile to speak honestly and frankly on an intimate topic and to reveal all the exciting and interesting aspects of sex during menstruation. Abortion and menstruation Deciding on the termination of pregnancy, a woman decides to abort. To date, there are various types of this operation. It all depends on the period of pregnancy and the wishes of women. Most often, the "cleansing" of the uterine cavity is performed, due to which the fetus is scraped. The operation is performed under general anesthesia and lasts no more than 30 minutes. Then the patient is awakened; A woman opens her eyes while still on the operating chair, and feels like oozing blood. So, the first day after the cleaning of the uterus was performed, it is considered the first day of menstruation and the beginning of a new menstrual cycle after a delay. Most often, the discharge after abortion lasts a little more common - 6-8 days, sometimes up to 10. In any case, you should monitor the data of secretions and if after 10 days you continue to have strong bloody discharge, be sure to see a doctor. There are other cases where after abortion, very meager discharges occur during menstruation. To that can promote various reasons: both hard work, and physical activities, and stress. In this case, you should definitely adhere to bed rest during the first 5-7 days after the abortion and limit any strain on the body. If you choose medical abortion, which means taking special pills for rejection of the fetus, you thus provoke a miscarriage. With this type of abortion, menstruation will be longer (10-12 days), accompanied by clots and pain in the uterus and sacrum. After the operation, the gynecologist will prescribe medications stopping blood, vaginal and rectal suppositories, as anesthetics, antiseptic medications. Menstrual cycle after abortion should be restored within 28-35 subsequent days. Here everything is very individual and depends on the heredity and physical health of a woman. So, in the first 1-2 months, pseudo-menstruation may appear. What is this? - menstruation 2 days, 3 days; - 12-15 days after the abortion, that is, menstruation twice a month. What does this mean? If after 2 months you have everything back to normal, then it's the specificity of your body, and everything is in order. If not, contact a gynecologist. You can not count such discharges as real, full-fledged menstruation. However, in any case, make notes on the calendar for yourself so that in the event of problems, you can always see and understand when you have a selection. menstruation examination Failures in the monthly cycle - an occasion to consult a doctor If before this operation you did not keep a record of menstruation, then it's time to make a menstrual calendar. For this you can use both a regular pocket calendar and any program from the Internet that will allow not only to mark the beginning and end of menstruation, but also to read the cycle, the days for conception and abstinence from intimate life, etc. Menses during pregnancy and after childbirth With the onset of pregnancy, menstruation can begin as soon as possible. For the first month of a woman who has become pregnant, this is a perfectly acceptable norm. Fertilization of the egg could occur in the middle of the cycle, the hormonal background did not have time to be reconstructed into a "new way" and, as a result, menstruation. However, you should understand that any bloody discharge during pregnancy is an internal hormonal problem. You must necessarily consult with your doctor on this issue and find out what the matter is and what character such allocation is. They can testify about: - poorly attached placenta to fetal egg; - placental abruption; - started abortion; - an unstable hormonal background that requires adjustments with drugs. There are times when a pregnant woman continues to have menstruation for the first trimester and does not carry any threat. To be sure of this by 100%, you must visit a gynecologist anyway. A distinctive feature of such menstruation is the absence of pain and scarce discharge throughout the day. Remember! If you are pregnant, and you have spotting on the days when there should be menstruation, but the process is accompanied by abundant secretions, blood clots, pain in the lower abdomen, dizziness - in that case, call an ambulance. Such symptoms may indicate a threat of termination of pregnancy. After delivery. When, how and how much time it takes for your body to restore your menstruation after birth, depends solely on the individual physiology of each woman. However, we will list some of the main aspects of loop recovery below. 1. Whether natural birth or cesarean without complications - this does not affect the recovery of the menstrual cycle. The widespread myth that menstruation after cesarean is restored much later - is not confirmed. 2. Breastfeeding is a factor in how soon you will have the first menstruation after childbirth. The more often you apply to the baby's breast, thus stimulating lactation, the later menstruation will begin. Prolactin - a hormone that is secreted by breastfeeding, suppresses the hormones of ovulation, thus delaying the onset of menstruation. 3. If, for some reason after the birth, you do not breastfeed and have switched exclusively to artificial feeding, then menstruation should come very quickly, after 1.5-2 months. 4. With prolonged breastfeeding (more than a year) it is recommended to be protected by drugs or other contraceptives after 4-6 months. This is due to the fact that with the introduction of complementary foods in the diet of the baby, the production of breast milk becomes less, and, accordingly, the risk of becoming pregnant is greater. menstruation folk remedies Folk remedies will help bring the uterus to tone 5. If you continue breastfeeding, and menstruation has begun, then, as a rule, the first 2-3 months of excretion can have absolutely different character and duration. The first two menstruation can be with very scant excretions, and can, on the contrary, be abundant. Here everything is conditioned by the physiological and psychological state of the woman. If the menstrual cycle does not stabilize after three months, be sure to consult a gynecologist for advice. 6. Improper nutrition, stress, lack of sleep, physical activity - all this delayed the onset of both the first menstruation after childbirth and the recovery of the cycle of menstruation. Do not be shy and ask for help in the home affairs of the husband and relatives. Folk remedies for menstruation There are several types of folk ways how you can cause menstruation. If you have frequent delays, then you can use some herbs, berries and fruits to bring the uterus into tone and "push" to the beginning of menstruation. 1. Brew yourself a strong infusion on ginger and drink 3-5 days before the start of menstruation. 2. Celery in any form (juice, salad). It stimulates the uterus to contractions, which causes menstruation. 3. Carrots, pumpkin, papaya - vegetables and fruits rich in keratin, you need to eat every day one fruit every 5-7 days before the start of the month (without heat treatment). 4. Hot shower or bath, warm compress to the bottom of the stomach, warm water for drinking - all this contributes to earlier menstruation. 5. Angelica, black stalker, motherwort, white peony - these herbs stimulate the uterus, causing menstruation. They can be bought already dried in a pharmacy and, following the instructions, brew. Each day, one type of grass 0.5 liters per day. Today we talked about one of the most difficult processes in the body of a woman - menstruation. Listen to yourself, be attentive to your health, avoid stress, visit every six months a gynecologist, and everything will be fine with you. Be Healthy! © 2017 . All rights reserved. When using materials, a hyperlink to the site is required. Dear visitors, The information on the site is familiarized.Methods of treatment, recipes of traditional medicine in any case is not recommended to use without consulting a doctor.Samotreatment can harm your health.
Darren Bonaparte examines the hidden history of Hochelaga, a village of over a thousand people on the present island of Montreal, where Jacques Cartier first met the Iroquois people. By Darren Bonaparte \| Canada’s History \| May 9, 2017 Before there was Montréal, there was Hochelaga – A sixteenth-century agricultural community that mysteriously vanished. In 1535, French explorer Jacques Cartier and his crew became the first Europeans to set foot on the island of Montréal. They found a village there of well over a thousand people who were anxious to greet the newcomers. His description of what he saw has mesmerized readers for almost half a millenium: In February 2015, photojournalist Robert Galbraith brought the construction of a major building in downtown Montréal to a halt. He raised the alarm that excavators digging to install a sewer system might be destroying Hochelaga, the Iroquoian village visited by Cartier. As archaeologists went to work, media attention focused on the mystery of Hochelaga’s location. Cartier found no trace of the village or its people when he returned to the area in 1541. Nor did Samuel de Champlain, the next explorer to reach the island, in 1608. Sir John William Dawson thought he found it south of Sherbrooke Street between Mansfield and Metcalfe streets in the 1860s. In the early 1970s, archaeologists James Pendergast and Bruce Trigger studied the artifacts but were unable to confirm that the Dawson site was the village of fifty longhouses described by Cartier. The discovery of Indigenous burials and artifacts near the Dawson site in 2015 excited public interest that the mystery of Hochelaga’s location might finally be solved. This was not the only mystery of Hochelaga. We have also been perplexed by the people who lived there. Who were they, and what became of them? The answers have been slow to emerge. In the nineteenth century, when archaeology was in its infancy, scholarly opinion on the cultural identity of the Hochelagans ranged from the Huron to the Mohawk. Eventually it became evident that they were distinct from these groups, despite similarities in language and culture. There may have been as many as twenty-five nations of these “St. Lawrence Iroquoians” living along the St. Lawrence River from Lake Ontario to the area downstream from Quebec City. What became of the St. Lawrence Iroquoians is another matter. According to many popular histories, they vanished without a trace — a spooky Canadian version of the lost colony of Roanoke. (Roanoke was a sixteenth-century English settlement on an island in what is today North Carolina.) But before we relegate the people of Hochelaga to the Bigfoot and UFO section of the library, there is plenty of evidence to suggest that they were absorbed by neighbouring tribes. (The missing English colonists of Roanoke probably were as well.) It has been suggested that Cartier’s party brought illness that weakened the population to the point where their enemies were able to attack them. They were either taken captive by these enemies or sought refuge among friends. “The presumption is that Hochelaga ceased to exist between 1541 and 1603, possibly circa AD 1580,” Pendergast wrote in 1998. There is evidence in the Jesuit Relations that at least some Hochelagans had a presence in the Montréal area well after the dispersal. In 1642, French settlers met some of them and heard their story as they were given the grand tour following a religious festival on August 15. Father Barthélemy Vimont wrote this report: “We visited the great forest which covers this Island; and when we had been led to the mountain from which it takes its name, two of the chief Sauvages of the band stopped on its summit, and told us that they belonged to the nation of those who had formerly dwelt on this Island.’ “Then, stretching out their hands towards the hills that lie to the East and South of the mountain, ‘There,’ said they, ‘are the places where stood Villages filled with great numbers of Sauvages. The Hurons, who then were our enemies, drove our Forefathers from this country. Some went towards the country of the Abnaquiois, others towards the country of the Hiroquois, some to the Hurons themselves, and joined them. And that is how this Island became deserted.’”Evidence of the St. Lawrence Iroquoians, in the form of pottery and pipes, has been found at excavations of Huron, Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, and Abenaki villages. This would seem to confirm the words of the local guides in 1642. People from each of these nations would make their way to the St. Lawrence River valley and settle there permanently. Some would even live for a time at the Mission de la Montagne, established by the Sulpicians of the island of Montréal in 1676. Stone towers built there in 1694 overlook Sherbrooke Street, just over a kilometre from the archaeology site that may be Hochelaga. Another group with ties to Hochelaga may have been the Ononchataronon, an “Algonquin” band that was said to live along the South Nation River in eastern Ontario in the seventeenth century. This group claimed to have been the original occupants of Île de Montréal with extensive lands on both sides of the St. Lawrence River. According to the Jesuit Relations, there was an attempt by the French to induce them to settle the island again in 1646, but “they soon scattered on account of the Iroquois.” Jesuit priest and historian Pierre François Xavier de Charlevoix visited the area in 1721 and noted that the Ononchataronon no longer existed. Another clue comes from the south shore of the St. Lawrence, home of the Kahnawà:ke Mohawks. The oral traditions of the community link them to Île de Montréal as well. The Mohawk word for it is Tiohtià:ke, “where the people divide.” Could the origin of this word have something to do with the dispersal of the Hochelagans? As archaeologists continue to search beneath the streets of metropolitan Montréal, perhaps new discoveries will help to shed light on its Indigenous predecessor, Hochelaga. Darren Bonaparte is the Mohawk author of Creation and The Living History of the Iroquois and A Lily Among the Thorns: The Mohawk Repatriation of Kàteri Tekahkwí:tha. He also created the Wampum chronicles, a website about Haudenosaunee history.
Saturday, January 6, 2007 ‘‘The significant problems we face cannot be solved at the same level of thinking we were at when we created them.’’ —ALBERT EINSTEIN 1 You have a choice as to the way in which you cope with stressful changes. The way of transformational, or resilient, coping is to: s Treat changes as problems to solve, s Take the necessary mental and action steps to solve problems effectively, and s Draw observations, insights, and wisdom from your coping experiences in order to learn and grow. Each time you cope in this way, you make yourself better prepared for the next problem as it arises. Specifically, at the mental level, you find a way to put the stressful circumstance into a broader perspective, so that it seems less daunting. Then, you are able to analyze the circumstance’s subtle features and deepen your understanding of it. The mental steps of broadening perspective and deepening understanding lead you toward an action plan that can decrease the stress and turn the change to your advantage. Carrying out the action plan can increase your hardy attitudes, which increases the likelihood that you will continue with transformational coping as other changes happen. TRANSFORMATIONAL COPING ‘‘In the middle of every difficulty lies opportunity.’’ —ALBERT EINSTEIN 2 Transformational coping is a proactive mental and behavioral cop- ing style that is fundamental to resiliency. Through coping in this way, the negative emotions around stressful problems diminish, and new ways of thinking open pathways for effective action. With this process, stressful changes can be turned into opportunities. But, to turn adversity to your advantage, you must put effort into finding new ways of understanding your problems in order to ar- rive at new solutions. This effort is difficult; that’s why, to some, it is easier to rely on old ways of understanding, as if there were nothing more to learn. When minor changes are experienced, this status-quo approach may be all you need to cope. But, when stressful changes require new understanding and coping behaviors to solve them, the status-quo approach amounts to coping regres- sively. Old ways of understanding problems often spotlight a stressful change’s obvious features rather than its subtle ones, which obscure pathways to solving the problem. Transformational coping’s procedures and skills help you to uncover the subtle features of stressful change. When you sort out the possibilities of a circumstance, you have a chance to turn change to advantage, grow in understanding, and make headway in carving a professional and personal path that moves you posi- tively into the future. To get you started, let’s look at the three key steps in transfor- mational coping: 1. BROADENING YOUR PERSPECTIVE. The transformational coping process begins at the mental level. Many of the stressful work changes you face today happen at an organizational level, despite that they affect you personally. It helps to solve these large- scale difficulties by placing them into a broader perspective so that they are more tolerable. You can then back up enough to get a bird’s-eye view of these problems, so you can think about them clearly and decide how to cope with them. For example, you might put a job loss into perspective by real- izing that internal and external conditions had reached a point where the company felt that downsizing was necessary to get back on track. And, of course, downsizing leads employers to terminate employees, not an act of personal aggression against you. You can now think through the pros and cons of the job loss and come up with a constructive plan of action. When you make the stressor tolerable by broadening your perspective, you are more ready and able to analyze the problem and search out a solution to it. 2. DEEPENING YOUR UNDERSTANDING. Once you gain per- spective and can face the problem, you immerse yourself in the problem-solving process by taking account of the ways in which you, others, and the situation contribute to the stressfulness of the circumstance. You try to understand the less obvious features of the problem. One way to do this is by appreciating the relational facets of stressful changes. You, and your problems, coexist with other people. For exam- ple, you and your supervisor may not get along, but because the work situation imposes upon you a collegial partnership, you must find a way to work well together. It helps little to chalk up your mutually shared uneasiness to having come from different worlds and letting it go at that. This is a regressive coping conclusion that gives you little reason to deepen your understanding of this stress- ful relationship. In contrast, the transformational coping process helps you to get the most out of stressful circumstances and changes, so that you seize opportunities that lead to insights and behaviors that positively service your life. By carefully analyzing the relational facets of stressful circumstances, hardy problem solvers are able to flush outgrowth-promoting opportunities. In the example used above, if you really analyze the difficulty you and your supervisor are having in working together, you may well be able to discern specific misunderstandings between you, and how they tend to accumulate without either of you realizing it. This will much more likely lead you to an action plan for cor- recting the problem than would the simple conclusion that you two just come from different worlds. 3. TAKING DECISIVE ACTION. ‘‘Opportunity is missed by most because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.’’ —THOMAS J. EDISON 3 Gaining insight into what stresses you is good, but taking decisive action to solve the problem is even better. Once you gain perspec- tive and understanding through the mental part of the coping process, the next step is to map out a strategy for turning around the circumstance and decreasing its stressfulness on you. Continu- ing with the above example, if, for instance, you concluded that a series of mutual misunderstandings caused the problem, you can take actions to clarify both your understanding of it and your su- pervisor’s understanding of it. Your action plan might involve ways for you to explain yourself more clearly to your supervisor, and to ask for further clarification of his or her input. The result may well be a decrease in the stressfulness of the circumstance, and the personal feedback you get from seeing your- self solving problems in this way strengthens your hardy attitudes of commitment, control, and challenge. You will increasingly feel like staying involved in your life, trying to influence the outcomes going on around you, and continually learning from your experi- ences, so as to do better and better. Case Studies of Transformational Coping The following two examples of employees skilled in transforma- tional coping involve the mental process of putting the stressful circumstance into perspective, deepening your understanding of it, and formulating and carrying out a plan of action designed to turn things to your advantage. JOEY T.: ‘‘HOWEVER INVOLVED IN MY WORK I AM, I CANNOT JUST DETACH FROM MY COWORKERS.’’ Ever since his own high school experience, Joey had wanted to be teach youngsters. After college, he started working as a math teacher in his local high school, and threw himself into making a difference in the lives of his students. Soon, he became a really popular teacher, and students treated him as one of them. In his dedication to teaching, Joey made little effort to get to know his fellow teachers. Sometimes, he would not even go to faculty meetings, as he felt preoccupied by the effortful, time-consuming commitment to helping youngsters develop. It surprised him when he became an object of criticism for his colleagues. Even the school principal began to question Joey’s intentions and effectiveness as a teacher. There was a chance that he might be officially rep- rimanded for being too involved with students. Although the criticism surprised Joey, his hardy atti- tudes were strong enough to provoke the needed attention to his colleagues. He put the problem in perspective by recognizing that it was manageable, and could be solved. Thinking the situation through analytically, he recognized that it was his not having treated the other teachers as im- portant that had caused the problem. He had been too ex- clusively occupied with helping his students. His ensuing action plan set the goal of explaining him- self to colleagues, and drawing them into his dedicated ap- proach to reaching and influencing youngsters. He made sure never to miss faculty meetings again, and went out of his way to interact with coworkers, making sure they knew what he was trying to accomplish, and asking them about their own plans. Before long, the majority of his colleagues began to un- derstand and respect him as someone who was actually able to reach youngsters while teaching them. His principal asked him to carry out teaching workshops for the faculty. Joey did this with affection and humility, and before long he was influential in helping his colleagues to develop as teachers. In all this, he realized that he had been too one- sided as to the people he should reach. RUTH B.: ‘‘WHATEVER HAPPENS, I NEED TO MAKE IT TURN OUT THE BEST FOR ME.’’ Pursuing an English major in college, Ruth had always wanted to be a writer. After getting her bachelor’s degree, she found a job as an assistant at a large advertising firm. Her supervisor conceptualized advertising scenarios, writing a lot of them himself. He expected Ruth to carry out his plans, edit his scripts, and follow his directions. The advertising firm had essentially one huge client. The client paid so well and needed so much marketing that, over time, the advertising firm had given up other smaller clients and concentrated efforts on the one account. Picture what this meant when, in a time of economic recession, the client had to decrease its advertising budget. When the advertising firm had to downsize as a result, Ruth, who was, after all, a junior employee, lost her job. At first, Ruth was bewildered. She had been making a good salary. What was she to do now? Did she fail to con- vince them of her value as an employee? Soon, however, her hardy attitudes kicked in. She had falsely assumed that her company was solid and impervious to change, which in the past had made her feel safe. Realizing this, she recog- nized that she hadn’t failed the company, the company had failed her and itself by putting all its eggs in one basket. She remembered that she had taken orders rather than giv- ing them. And come to think of it, her work tasks had bored her, as they rarely expressed her talents and capabili- ties. Ruth’s thinking led to the perspective she reached, namely, that it is normal to shop around for jobs until you find the one that really works for you, and that it makes sense, too. Although her firm had gotten rid of her, losing her job may have been as much an opportunity as a loss. Thus, Ruth felt better and was able to analyze her situation more deeply and realize that she needed to find another job that encouraged and valued her talents more than the one she had lost. Soon, she had an action plan and was carrying it out by applying to other advertising firms, making sure that the job they might offer would permit her to express her capa- bilities, and that the prospective employer knew her talents. Before long, Ruth found what she wanted. A small firm searching for people who write well offered her a creative job. She enthusiastically accepted their offer. She’s doing very well in her new job. Her coworkers respect and value her work, and she values them as colleagues and mentors. She also fully realizes that if she had not been terminated by her last employer, the new career opportunity might never have happened. REGRESSIVE COPING ‘‘A life spent making mistakes is not only more honorable but more useful than a life spent in doing nothing.’’ —GEORGE BERNARD SHAW 4 A much less effective coping style than transformational coping is regressive coping. There are two expressions to this nonresilient coping style. In the first, most passive form of regressive coping, problems that stem from stressful changes are not thought about. Instead they are avoided by engaging in activities irrelevant to the task. Although this approach may bring some momentary relief, it does little to remedy the problems. Over time, individuals who take this approach learn to avoid any change that might expose their limitations and areas of needed growth. To avoid feeling awk- ward, out of control, and insecure, they would rather shrink their life down to the size of a postage stamp. Exaggeration of, and catastrophic reactions to, stressful changes is the second, more active form of regressive coping. Here, you feel like a victim and strike out against those who seem like op- pressors. People who cope in this way have a difficult time distin- guishing between type and intensity of stressor. They respond to a change or problem that makes them feel out of control with apprehension, fear, and anger. This can manifest as irritability, un- cooperativeness, and criticism of others. The more socially de- structive form of this regressive coping can involve violence and acting out, such as in sabotage or terrorism. Though they differ in terms of social impact, both of these forms of regressive coping limit your effectiveness and development. Case Studies of Regressive Coping The five people in the following examples used different kinds of regressive coping to manage stressful changes. This coping strategy undermined their ability to develop a broad perspective and deep understanding of the problem, and to take actions that give pur- pose and meaning to their professional and personal lives. These five examples illustrate how bitterness and self-pity prevent people from moving forward constructively. ALLAN H.: ‘‘LIFE STINKS, AND THERE’S NOTHING I CAN DO ABOUT IT.’’ The story of Allan that appeared in chapter 6 is a good example of regressive coping. Lacking courage and motiva- tion, he was unable to do the hard work of transformational coping and slipped further and further into regressive cop- ing instead. Because he was unable to establish himself in what he saw as a hostile world, his financial situation worsened. He could not bear to make his lifestyle more modest and hated all those fellow employees whom he saw as having done him in. He felt like such a failure. Before long, he fulfilled his prophesy through excessive drinking and drug use, so that he could feel better about himself and not think about what was happening to him. His wife finally left their marriage, which bewildered and emotionally hurt him. While driving under the influ- ence, he hit a teenage pedestrian, which led to his arrest and hospital-based rehabilitation. Nothing seemed to help him. When last heard from, Allan was unemployed, home- less, and down-and-out. As Allan’s example shows, regres- sive coping becomes a nightmare syndrome, even when at first it may seem like a natural enough way of avoiding pressures. Stressed out, we may think, ‘‘What’s so bad about having a few drinks or spending all my money at the mall if it helps me to distract myself from all this trouble?’’ Remember, one thing in regressive coping leads to another, and another, until before long, you have unwittingly under- mined your life. The answer to dealing with stressful changes in the workplace is transformational coping, because it helps you solve problems. Imagine how Allan’s situation would turn out if he coped in this way: At the mental level, he would have put losing his job in a broader perspective, making it tolerable. He could have done this by seeing his job loss as the same thing that is happening to lots of other employees like him rather than as a sign that he is just no good. This commonplace perspec- tive highlights shared aspects of stressful changes. Through this, Allan could have recognized that the frequent job changes prevalent in his industry means that, though losing your position is disruptive, it hardly stops you from getting another job, perhaps an even better one with another firm. We call this the manageability perspective. Had Allan approached his stressful circumstance from these perspectives, he could have assuaged his worries long enough to understand his situation more thoroughly. s What, specifically, did the company tell him about his job loss? How might it be willing to help him find another placement? s What severance benefits could he negotiate from the company? s How could he get helpful directions by networking with his colleagues, friends, and former customers? s Considering his assets, how much time did he have to find another position? s What other ways are available to him in searching for other jobs? s Is there some other job description or career he had thought of as attractive, or always wanted, for which this forced change could open the way? By asking these questions of himself, Allan could have broadened his perspective and deepened his understanding of his situation. This would also have prepared him to de- velop a decisive action plan and carry it out. Notice that we would not have wanted him to jump into an action plan without making the mental effort neces- sary to guide it well. The impulsive ready-fire-aim approach does more harm than good. Decisive plans for action in- clude a goal to reach and instrumental steps toward achiev- ing it. This all follows from a thorough understanding of the problem. Then, it would have been time for Allan to start taking the steps of his action plan, in the specified order, to reach the goal that seemed best for him. As he took the steps and reached the goal, that would have en- couraged him to use the feedback from his efforts to deepen his hardy attitudes of commitment, control, and challenge. All this would have led him far from bitterness and self- pity. GRACE H.: ‘‘THIS IS A MALE SOCIETY, AND I’M UNFORTUNATELY A WOMAN.’’ Now recall Grace, the example in chapter 6 of an employee low in hardy attitudes. Not surprisingly, she had sunk into bitterness, regarding herself a powerless woman in a man’s world, and into self-pity that jeopardized any effort on her own behalf. This all came about when her company failed to promote her. She worked hard on work tasks, finished them as soon as possible, and geared up for the next work project. Grace contributed a lot of effort, time, and exper- tise to the company at which she worked. In her view, she was a model employee and, as she built up tenure, had fully expected the company to promote her. It never crossed her mind that she approached the job as a follower rather than as a leader, or that leaders are more likely to get promoted than followers. Instead, she externalized blame, concluding that her male boss dismissed her as her father had done, and she could do little about this. It was quite painful for her to grow up with two brothers whom her father favored. Her father regularly supported his sons as the ones who would have productive careers. In contrast, he expected Grace to marry and have children. She felt her father overlooked her school success; something he never did with her brothers. Grace’s father, himself not having finished high school, was traditional and had little appreciation as to why she wanted to go to college. Without the support and guidance of fam- ily members, she did poorly in school, and, after only two years, decided to drop out to get a job with her present employer. To this day, her father cannot understand why she has not married and become a mother. To find a way to feel competent and valuable, she threw herself into her work, giving it all her energy. She assumed that the rest of the world did not share in her father’s anti-quated views of women in general, and of her specifically. The initial welcoming attitude of her boss led Grace to think she had finally found a place that valued her. If she followed orders and worked hard, she assumed she would rise up in the company. So, the only way that she could understand her coworkers being promoted over her was to conclude that her boss held the same male chauvinistic views as her father. She angrily decided that they were both male chauvinists. Grace knew too well this long-standing, chronic stress. She would have suffered less and found a more constructive understanding of her lack of advance- ment within the company if she could have embraced Elea- nor Roosevelt’s wise saying, ‘‘No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.’’ As time went on, Grace continued to cope regressively, which deepened bitter and self-piteous feelings within her. Fortunately, her church made our hardiness-training pro- gram available to its parishioners. The transformational coping part of this training program put her through exer- cises, like those in chapter 8. Through this, she searched for perspective and understanding of her circumstance, which led to a decisive plan of action that could solve her problem. It was hard for her to get going at first because she was so used to coping regressively. Once she involved herself in the exercises, however, and experienced some re- lief from coping constructively, her problem-solving proc- ess took on a life of its own. We will talk about Grace’s progress in the next chapter. MARTIN O.: ‘‘JUST KEEP BEING OPTIMISTIC; THINGS WILL TURN OUT FOR THE BEST.’’ Martin, also from chapter 6, exuded a type of optimism that actually interfered with his coping process and significantly differed from the preferred form of can-do optimism ex- pressed in hardy attitudes. His naive, complacent form of optimism obstructed his efforts to learn from his experi- ence. Instead, it led to a pattern of denial that ended up costing him one sales job after another. Astonishingly, he responded to these reversals in fortune with a tolerant atti- tude that accommodated his denial. The laissez-faire atti- tude shown by Martin is one telltale sign of regressive coping. In an effort to increase its customer base, one of the companies for which Martin worked put him and the entire sales crew through hardiness training. The company wanted its sales staff to develop resilient ways to cope with the stress of developing a larger customer base. Early in the group sessions, we asked course participants to jot down what they deemed the most stressful aspects of their jobs. They then shared this with the other group members. Martin went first. He saw his work task as doable and could not think of any aspect of it that felt stressful to him. But strangely enough, as others spoke up, Martin agreed with their take on what caused them stress in their jobs. He said repeatedly, ‘‘Oh, I have that too.’’ And then, he wrapped up his take on each stressful aspect with, ‘‘But, I can handle it because I keep a positive attitude.’’ At the least, he was able to acknowledge that he experienced the stress his fellow coworkers experienced, despite his need to put a positive spin on all of it. Martin observed his coworkers progressively working through their stress by using the transformational coping exercises. They took a broad perspective of their problems and made an effort to deepen their understanding of them. Their efforts were fruitful, as they found ways to positively resolve their problems and decrease the stressfulness of their circumstances. Martin did not progress in the same way. By observing others, he began to recognize this. Soon, he admitted that if he had taken what was happening to him more seriously, he might have been able to keep jobs and get ahead, rather than to shift from one company to another without success or advancement. A great insight came to him when he real- ized that he had approached hardiness training in the same way. Chapter 8 talks about how transformational coping exercises helped Martin to move beyond his limitations. HERMAN W.: ‘‘EVEN WHEN YOU HAVE THE CAREER YOU WANT, YOU MAY LOSE IT ALL AT ANY MOMENT.’’ After receiving his MBA degree, Herman started working as a human resources manager in a large, international com- pany. Many years of hard work moved him up slowly through the ranks. After twenty-three years of service, he became vice president of the company’s local branch and director of its human resources department. Above every- thing else, Herman valued stability and predictability in his professional and personal life. At this point, he had every- thing he wanted; he was stable and secure. Work peers and subordinates saw him as responsible, sincere, and straight- forward. Herman’s interest in and involvement with other people and his work situations showed his attitude of commit- ment. But, his excessive need for professional and personal stability, predictability, and safety undermined his drive to seek and learn from new experiences. This weakened in him in the hardy attitudes of control and challenge. Where did Herman’s need for safety and predictability begin? He grew up in a middle-class family, wherein he and his siblings felt secure, despite the regular absence of his parents as they were often away at work, ensuring the fami- ly’s financial security. He did well in school, and he is still in touch with former classmates. After casually dating two girls in college, he met and married his wife. They have been together ever since. Their two girls are now in late adolescence. They have a rich family life and regularly do things together, such as going to church, movies, and festi- vals, and on vacations. Generally, Herman built his life on stability, predictabil- ity, and security, as if change had no worthwhile role. His worries and preoccupations were few in the safe and un- changing life he had built. Imagine how he felt when, one fine day, the company’s Executive Committee called him in and announced that they had terminated the human re- sources function at that branch, and hence, he no longer had a job! Herman was devastated. He remembered all those job offers he had turned down over the years. Why would any- one want to leave a stable company? He could not under- stand how his peers, whom he had known for so many years, could do such a thing to him. He did not know what to tell his wife and children, who had become accustomed to a safe, predictable life. He began to reconsider all of his choices and judgments over the years. Now, he felt bitter and cynical about corporate America and people in general. The meaning Herman applied to his life began to un- ravel. After all, he had long since come to the conclusion that stability and safety is the essence of a good life. Shortly before he lost his job, his company offered employees hardiness training. Chapter 8 talks about what Herman learned by going through this training and the difference it made in his life. SUSAN M.: ‘‘I’M NOT PUTTING UP WITH THIS. IF THEY CAN’T TREAT ME WITH MORE RESPECT, I’M GETTING OUT OF HERE.’’ Each morning, Susan got ready for work. Besides her lunch, cell phone, organizer, and other work paraphernalia, she carried mental images of a model employee, coworker, su- pervisor, and employer. These snapshots stored well- defined ideas, themes, and story lines that strongly influ- enced how she related to work circumstances. Whenever she encountered stressful changes that challenged what she expected of a person or situation, she insisted on holding on to her well-defined models of the world. Susan was a vice president in a small mortgage com- pany that others in the industry regarded as maverick. It enjoyed several decades of success cornering its market share through this image. Like many of her coworkers, she enjoyed the boutique nature of the company and the busi- ness practices that stemmed from it. Her unconventional personality echoed the company’s image, goals, and moti- vation, which positively contributed to her professional success. Susan, caught up in the glory of the company’s good- old days, was unprepared when global economic trends forced the company into a corporate merger that subordi- nated its management and functions. The company identity and procedures changed through a move to standardize and streamline products. This changed the small maverick company that shaped and discarded policies with each new deal, into a conventional and predictable place to work. Susan felt lost and bitter about what she perceived as downward and sterile company changes. Management stopped inviting her to meetings. She knew less and less about company proceedings. In addition, her department had to do more with much less, which imposed greater workloads on those employees who survived the cuts. And, to add insult to injury, the new parent company no longer allowed vice presidents to come and go as they pleased. As in lower administrative echelons, she now had an eight-to- five job. Susan viewed such changes as disrespectful to her, especially because she had all along been a loyal employee. She was bitter and resentful. Rather than think through the changes that stressed her, she let angry preoccupations con- sume her heart and mind. Susan saw the merger as lower- ing the company’s principles and, self-righteously, she let them know this. She began to find any excuse to leave work early or to take the day off. She gave less of herself to her job and justified doing so by overemphasizing office scan- dals that, to her, confirmed the demise of the company’s morals. This she was clear about. But, when it came to her- self, Susan had less understanding. She knew what was wrong with the company, and how to change it, but never thought of changing herself. 1. What might Susan need in order to change herself? As a youngster, Susan had raised herself. Her father had left the family when she was five years old. And, her mother favored alcohol over the care of her children. Susan became her brother’s keeper, so to speak, and learned early on how to care for herself and others. The caretaking role eventu- ally became second nature to her. The combination of Susan’s intellect, talent, and take- charge spirit gained the favor of management at her com- pany, which helped her to rise up its ranks. Like the company, she was a maverick and flourished in work con- ditions that supported this expression. When the company changed, she did not take easily to being locked out of the game and made to feel like just one of the employees. There was no longer a match between Susan’s values, goals, and motivations, and those of her employer. Susan’s insecurities lie dormant in the shadows of supe- riority and excellence. It never occurred to her that she was the one who needed to change. Her previous successes ob- scured the possibility of changing herself in the midst of these difficult, ongoing organizational changes. 2. Besides the obvious stress of company changes, what was Susan’s problem? Susan faced company changes at the same level of thinking that once helped her to survive, understand, and take charge in unsupportive circumstances. She coped with unreasonable childhood conditions by taking over and eventually leaving home at the age of seventeen; she never turned back. If she could, Susan would leave the company right now. But, she is three years away from retirement, and if she left today, she would lose a well-deserved retirement pension. In addition, Susan faced the fact that she no longer had the energy she had when she was seventeen. She felt trapped by the circumstance, blamed the company for her woes, and saw little possibility in this bleak situation. Clearly, she was stuck between a rock and a hard place. In this situation, changing herself was the only feasible option. Susan did finally muster up the courage and found a way to make her job work for the next three years. She was still a valued employee, and she enjoyed fostering the tal- ents of those she supervised. She realized that it was the training and development of others, and the friendships she formed in the process, rather than the perks, that kept her at this job for twenty-five years. The transformational coping process helped Susan to recognize all of this. ‘‘I complained incessantly for months about the loss of my status, but when all is said and done, I’m a girl from Idaho who enjoys working with the ranks and making things happen.’’ From that point on, Susan fo- cused on work aspects that gave her pleasure and meaning. True to her leadership spirit, she used the knowledge and wisdom she gained to help those she supervised success- fully navigate ongoing company changes. What happened to Susan is an excellent example of how stressful changes can throw us off course if we are not resil- ient. But it also serves as a powerful case study of how transformational coping skills enable us to overcome dis- ruptive change. 3. What is the moral to Susan’s story? If we all agreed on everything, there would be little in- centive to question what we learned in the past and move beyond it. Such a scenario may be less stressful, but cer- tainly, it does not foster growth and fulfillment. Today, disagreements between you and your employer in values, goals, and motivations are much more likely, as ever- changing shifts in corporate structure and operations widen the gulf between organizational and individual needs. The workplace today bears little resemblance to the workplace many once knew. Now, more than ever before, disruptive changes bring to the surface disagreements and conflicts that provoke you to come to terms with what is really going on and what you need to do about it. WHERE DO YOU FIT IN? Take a few minutes to answer the following questions as ‘‘True’’ or ‘‘False’’ in order to get a concrete sense of your way of dealing with stressful work changes, now and in the past. Remember, no one will see your answers but you, so be as honest as you can. Transformational Coping 1. Do you immerse yourself in workplace changes to grasp their implications for you and your company? 2. Do you try to see how workplace changes can improve your functioning? 3. Do you try to see which directions workplace changes move you and your company? 4. Do you try to think through how you can plan to take advan- tage of workplace changes? 5. Do you try to carry out the plans to improve yourself in re- sponse to workplace changes? 6. If you try to carry out plans to improve yourself, do you open yourself up to feedback from your efforts to evaluate the effectiveness of your plan? Regressive Coping 1. Do you see workplace changes as an unfortunate imposition and try to keep functioning the way you have been all along? 2. Do you try to bring back the good-old days? 3. Do you engage in distractions, such as watching a lot of tele- vision, so that you don’t have to think about work problems? 4. Do you think that whatever is going to happen, will happen, and that you cannot really influence it? 5. When workplace changes happen, do you turn to others to find out what to do? 6. Do all of the ongoing changes make you wish you could just stop working? To score your answers, give yourself one point for each time you answered ‘‘True’’ to a question. In order to see your approach to coping, total your scores for each set of six questions. Which set gave you the highest score, Transformational Coping or Regressive Coping? Keep these results in mind as you read further. What the examples we have just presented show is that stressful circumstances can provoke regressive coping, especially if your hardy attitudes are already pretty low. This is the case with Allan H., Grace H., Martin O., and Susan M., who were not resilient under stress. Allan’s life deteriorated when he resisted finding ways to restore purpose and meaning. Although Grace and Martin fared better than Allan did, their bitterness and self-pity engulfed them, sapping their courage and motivation to deal effectively with their stress. Grace and Susan blamed others for their problems. Martin, on the other hand, arranged to look the other way. As shown by Herman’s case, even if your hardy attitudes are moderate rather than low (remember, he was strong in commit- ment), a very stressful circumstance can lead to regressive coping unless you are careful to avoid this. Herman was beginning to blame others and the system, rather than working to solve the problem through transformational coping. Clearly, when stressful circumstances confront you, you need to be ready and able to engage in transformational coping, as shown in the examples of Joey and Ruth earlier in the chapter. Otherwise, you risk meaninglessness, weakened resilience, and in- creased bitterness and self-pity. Chapter 8 shows you how to en- gage in the specifics of transformational coping. This form of coping is a useful technique to build yourself up by your effective reaction to stress, rather than by letting it knock you down. No comments:
The Telecentre Ecosystem A telecentre is a public place where people can find information, create, learn, and communicate with others while developing digital skills through access to information and communication technology. Everyday millions of people rely on telecentres around the world for information, education, business, and entertainment. A telecentre doesn’t just deliver critical services, it also creates opportunities for people. Telecentres may be public libraries, education centers, voluntary or community organizations or any other type of community facility that provides access to information and communication technologies (ICTs), but they are always defined by their primary objective of contributing to community development. Reducing isolation, bridging the digital divide, promoting health issues, creating economic opportunities, and reaching out to youth are just some examples of the services a telecentre provides to its community. A telecentre can also go by other names: infocenter, community e-center, village knowledge center, and many others. Follow by Email
Advances in the control of prosthetic arms, or even exoskeletal arms, continue to amaze. Yet someone with a severe neck injury doesn’t need any such device since the greatest arm they could imagine is sitting right there hanging off their shoulder — but unable to perform. Efforts to control an artificial arm may seem impotent to these folks, when a bridge spanning just a couple centimeters of scar tissue in the spinal column can not even be made. A way forward is now taking shape at Case Western University in Ohio. Researchers there are gearing up to combine the Braingate cortical chip developed at Brown University with their own Functional Electric Stimulation (FES) platform. It has long been known that electrical stimulation can directly control muscles. The problem is that it is fairly inaccurate, and can be painful or damaging. Stimulating the nerves directly using precisely positioned arrays is a much better approach. One group of Case Western researchers recently demonstrated a remarkable device called a nerve cuff electrode that can be placed around small segments of nerve. They used the cuff to provide an interface for sending data from sensors in the hand back to the brain using sensory nerves in the arm. With FES, the same kind of cuff electrode can also be used to stimulate nerves going the other direction, in other words, to the muscles. Arm Muscles The difficulty in such a scheme, is that even if the motor nerves can be physically separated from the sensory nerves and traced to specific muscles, the exact stimulation sequences needed to make a proper movement are hard to find. To achieve this, another group at Case Western has developed a detailed simulation of how different muscles work together to control the arm and hand. Their model consists of 138 muscle elements distributed over 29 muscles, which act on 11 joints. The operational procedure is for the patient to watch the image of the virtual arm while they naturally generate neural commands that the BrainGate chip picks up to move the arm. (In practice, this means trying to make the virtual arm touch a red spot to make it turn green.) Currently in clinical trials, the Braingate2 chip has an array of 96 hair-thin electrodes that is used to stimulate a small region of motor cortex. The trick here is not just to find any sequence that gets the arm from point A to point B, but to find sequences similar to those that real arms actually use in particular tasks. This is important because each muscle has not only a limited contraction range, but also a limited range where it can actually deliver significant force, and generate feedback signals about those forces. When muscles contract they obviously change shape, but less obvious perhaps, is that their shape at any given moment affects how the other muscles leverage the joints they work. Just as important is the effect of the opposing muscles that control counter movements. Few movements that we make, even low-force movements, consist of pure contractions of the active muscle and pure inhibition of the opposing muscle. In actuality, muscle units on both sides can be firing in alternating bursts to quickly ratchet joint angles open, particularly when the vector of end-point movement is oblique to the axes of individual arm segments. In other words, even in a simple movement like a bench press, both the biceps and triceps generate forces alternately at various points in the lift, despite the fact that the weight rises uniformly in the upward direction. If artificial methods of control are going to be used for flesh-and-blood systems, particularly ones that have been idle for some time, overstimulation (or mis-stimulation) when lifting anything even slightly heavy is something to be guarded against. Many sports injuries, such as those in older people performing unfamiliar moves, happen not because they reach too far or too hard, but because their nervous system is not sufficiently practiced to be able to protect the muscle. While no model for limb movement can be perfect, for the majority of everyday tasks, close may be good enough. The eventual plan is that the patient and the control algorithm will learn together in tandem so that the training screen will not be needed at all. At that point, we might say that Case Western will have a pretty slick interface to offer.
Yoga 101: The Eight Limbs of Yoga Most people think of yoga as a series of physical contortions and advanced pretzel-esque poses. Yoga is a great form of exercise, but its benefits extend beyond just that. As series yogis know, yoga not only emphasizes physical practice, but also includes a moral code to promote a physically, mentally, and spiritually healthy outlook and lifestyle. If don’t know them don’t worry: Yoga 101 is now in session. It is time to understand the benefits of yoga that can carry over into our daily lives. The Eight Limbs of yoga are a key part of this equation. The Eight Limbs of Yoga 1. Yama Yamas are the moral directives that we follow to guide our behaviors toward others. Ahimsa: promotes non-violence toward others and is often cited as a reason behind vegetarianism. Satya: encourages truthfulness through speaking the truth to others and yourself. Asteya: not stealing from others. Brahmacharya: encourages chastity. This is open to interpretation and in modern terms can mean celibacy, controlling one’s sexual impulses, and the “right use of energy”. Aparigraha: encourages not coveting what others have through non-greed, non-possessiveness, non-attachment, and discourages harboring jealousy. 1. Niyama The five niyamas describe how to act ethically towards yourself and others. Saucha: encourages cleanliness. Santosa: encourages contentment with yourself. Tapas: self-discipline, the practice of commitment to your endeavors. Svadhyaya: encourages self-study and encourages introspection and having the courage to look within yourself for answers. Isvara pranidhana: is the surrender to a higher power, whether that be a deity or simply accepting that the universe is governed by forces outside of your control. 1. Asana Yoga is very often partially understood as consisting only of physical practice. “Asana” is the sanskrit word for a physical posture which are beneficial for muscles, joints, cardiovascular, lymphatic, and nervous systems along with the mind and chakras (energy centers). 1. Pranayama Pranayama is all about the control of your breathing. Pranayama and asana are essential to connecting your mind and body. During physical practice, it is encouraged to move with your breath. Doing so slows down your practice and helps you to be more mindful on and off the mat! 1. Pratyahara The withdrawal of the senses, meaning you are encouraged to refrain from letting the exterior world distract you from the interior world within yourself. Achieving pratyahara is an integral step in honing your ability to meditate. 1. Dhahran Dhahran is the practice of concentration. This promotes focus without interruptions from external and internal distractions alike. This principle builds on pratyahara because in order to master concentration, you must be able to control being affected by distractions. 1. Dhyana The practice of meditation. This principle builds upon dharana because it increases emotional well-being through improved concentration. Meditation reduces stress and improves concentration which will in turn improve your overall quality of life. 1. Samadhi Bliss! This is where you begin transcendence of the self through meditation. Samadhi, or the Highest State of Consciousness is achieved only after you have mastered the other seven limbs of yoga. This is where the self merges with the universe, which is translated as reaching enlightenment. Leave a Reply
Controlling Without Nagging From Child Discipline part of Teaching Respect and Responsibility to Children from Dare to discipline By James Dobson (1976) Control without nagging (It is possible) Yelling and nagging at children can become a habit, and an ineffectual one at that! Have you ever screamed at your child, "This is the last time I'm going to tell you, 'this is that last time?'" Parents often use anger to get action, instead of using action to get action. It doesn't work. Let me give you an example. Eight-year-old Henry is sitting on the floor, playing with his games. Mom looks at her watch and says, "Henry, it's nearly nine o'clock (a thirty-minute exaggeration) so gather up your junk and go take your bath." Now Henry knows, and Mom knows, that she doesn't mean for him to go take a bath. She merely meant for him to start thinking about going to take his bath. She would have fainted dead away if he had responded to her empty command. Approximately ten minutes later, Mom speaks again, "Now, Henry, it is getting later and you have to go to school tomorrow, and I want those toys picked up; then go get in that tub!" She still does not intend for Henry to obey, and he knows it. Her real message is "We're getting closer, Hank." Henry shuffles around and stacks a box or two to demonstrate that he heard her. Then he settles down for a few more minutes of play. Six minutes pass, and Mom issues another command, this time with more passion and threat in her voice, "Now listen, young man, I told you to get a move on, and I meant it." To Henry, this means he must get his toys picked up and meander toward the bathroom door. If his mom pursues him with a rapid step, then he must carry out the assignment posthaste. However, if Mom's mind wanders before she performs the last step of this ritual, Henry is free to enjoy a few more seconds reprieve. You see, Henry and his mom are involved in a one-act play; they both know the rules and the role being enacted by the opposite player. The entire scene is programmed, computerized, and scripted. Whenever Mom wants Henry to do something he dislikes, she progresses through graduated steps of phony anger, beginning with calm and ending with a red flush and a threat. Henry does not have to move until she reaches the peak anger point. How foolish this game is! Since Mom controls him by the use of empty threats she has to stay mad all the time. Her relationship with her children is contaminated, and she ends each day with a pounding, throbbing headache. She can never count on instant obedience; it takes her at least five minutes to work up a believeable degree of anger. How much better it is to use action to get action. There are hundreds of tools which will bring the desired response, some of which involve pain while others offer the child a reward. The use of rewards (bribes) is discussed in the next chapter, and thus will not be presented here. But minor pain can also provide excellent motivation for the child. The parent should have some means of making the child want to cooperate, other than simply obeying because he was told to do so. For those who can think of no such device, I will suggest one: there is a muscle, lying snugly against the base of the neck. Anatomy books list it as the trapezius muscle, and when firmly squeezed, it sends little messengers to the brain saying, "This hurts; avoid recurrence at all costs." The pain is only temporary; it can cause no damage. When the youngster ignores being told to do something by his parent, he should know that Mom has a practical recourse. Let's return to the bedtime issue between Henry and his Mom; she should have told him that he had fifteen more minutes to play. It then would have been wise to set the alarm clock or the stove buzzer to sound in fifteen minutes. No one, child or adult, likes a sudden interruption to his activity. When the time came, Mom should have quietly told Henry to go take his bath. If he didn't move immediately, the shoulder muscle could have been squeezed. If Henry learns that this procedure is invariably followed, he will move before the consequence is applied. There will be those among my readers who feel that the deliberate, premeditated application of minor pain to a sweet little child is a harsh and unloving recommendation. I ask those skeptics to hear me out. Consider the alternatives. On the one hand, there is constant nagging and strife between parent and child. When the youngster discovers there is no threat behind the millions of words he hears, he stops listening to them. The only messages he responds to are those reaching a peak of emotion, which means there is much screaming and yelling going on. The child is pulling in the opposite direction, fraying Mom's nerves and straining the parent-child relationship. But the most important limitation of these verbal reprimands is that their user often has to resort to physical punishment in the end, anyway. Thus, instead of the discipline being administered in a calm and judicious manner, the parent has become unnerved and frustrated, swinging wildly at the belligerent child. There was no reason for a fight to have occurred. The situation could have ended very differently if the parental attitude had been one of confident serenity. Speaking softly, almost pleasantly, Mom says, "Henry, you know what happens when you don't mind me; now I don't see any reason in the world why I should have to make you feel pain to get your cooperation tonight, but if you insist, I'll play the game with you. When the buzzer sounds you let me know what your decision is." The child has a choice to make, and the advantages to him of obeying his mother's wishes are clear. She need not scream. She need not threaten to shorten his life. She need not become upset. She is in command. Of course, Mother will have to prove two or three times that she will apply the pain, if necessary, and occasionally throughout the coming months her child will check to see if she is still at the helm. But there is no question in my mind as to which of these two approaches involves the least pain and the least hostility between parent and child. The shoulder muscle is a surprisingly useful source of minor pain; actually, it was created expressly for school teachers. It can be utilized in those countless situations where face-to-face confrontations occur between adult and child. One such incident happened to me several years ago. I had come out of a drug store, and there at its entrance was a stooped, elderly man, approximately seventy-five or eighty years of age. Four boys, probably ninth graders, had cornered him and were running circles around him. As I came through the door, one of the boys had just knocked the man's hat down over his eyes and they were laughing about how silly he looked, leaning on his cane. I stepped in front of the poor fellow and suggested that the boys find someone else to torment. They called me names, and then sauntered off down the street. I got in my car, and was gone for about fifteen minutes. I returned to get something I had forgotten, and as I was getting out of my car, I saw the same four boys come running out of a nearby hardware store. The proprietor of the shop ran out after them, shaking his fist and screaming in protest. I discovered later that they had run down the rows in his store, raking cans and bottles off on the floor. They also made fun of the fact that he was Jewish and rather fat. When the boys saw me coming, I'm sure they thought I believed myself to be Robin Hood II, protector of the innocent and friend of the oppressed. One of the little tormentors ran straight up to my face, and stared defiantly in my eye. He was about half my size, but he obviously felt safe because he was a child. He said, "You just hit me! I'll sue you for everything you're worth." I have rather large hands, and it was obviously the time to use them; I grasped his shoulder muscles on both sides, squeezing firmly. He dropped to the ground, holding his neck. One of his friends said, "I'll bet you're a school teacher, aren't you?" All four of them ran. Later that evening I received a call from the police, saying that these four boys had harassed merchants and customers along that block for weeks. Their parents did not choose to cooperate with the authorities and the police did not know what to do about the assaults. I can think of no more excellent way to breed, cultivate, and finalize juvenile delinquency than to allow such examples of early defiance to succeed with impunity. Discipline in a school classroom is not very different from discipline at home; the principles by which children can be controlled are the same in both settings — only the methods change. A teacher, scoutmaster, or recreation leader who tries to control a group of children by use of his own anger is due for a long, long day of frustration. The children find out how far he will go before taking any action, and they invariably push him right to that line. Perhaps the most nonsensical mistake a teacher or group leader can make is to impose disciplinary measures that the children do not dislike. I knew a teacher, for example, who would scream and yell and beg her class to cooperate. When they got completely out of hand, she resorted to her maximum firepower: she would climb up on her desk and blow her whistle! The kids loved it! She weighed about 240 pounds, and the children would plot at the lunch and recess periods as to how they could get her on that desk. She was inadvertently offering them a reward for their unruliness. Their attitude was much like that of Brer Rabbit who begged the fox not to throw him in the briar patch. There was nothing they wanted more. One should never underestimate a child's awareness that he is breaking the rules. I think most children are rather analytical about their defiance of adult authority; they consider the deed in advance, weighing its probable consequences. If the odds are too great that justice will triumph, they'll take a safer course. This characteristic is verified in millions of homes where the youngster will push one parent to the limits of his tolerance, but will be a sweet angel with the other. Mom whimpers, "Rick minds his dad perfectly, but he won't pay any attention to me." Good old Rick has observed that mom is safer than dad. To summarize this point, the parent must recognize that the most successful techniques of control are those which manipulate something important to the child. Minor pain is one of those important variables. Words following words carry little or no motivational power for the child. "Why don't you do right, Jack? You don't hardly ever do right. What am I going to do with you, son? Mercy me, it seems like I'm always having to get on you. I just can't see why you won't do what you're told. If one time, just one time, you would act your age, etc." Jack endures these endless tirades, month in, month out, year after year. Fortunately for him, nature has equipped Jack with a mechanism that allows him to turn it off. A man who lives by a railroad track somehow fails to hear the trains going by; likewise, Jack finds it useful to ignore the unmeaningful noise in his environment. Jack (and all his contemporaries) would be much more willing to "do right" if it were clearly to his personal advantage to cooperate.
This battle decided which cuss words you use William the Conqueror defeated King Harold in the Battle of Hastings in 1066, changing the way Englishmen would speak — and cuss — for all of time. Actors participate in a reproduction of the Battle of Hastings. Photo: Antonio Borrillo CC BY-SA 3.0 Before the war William was the Duke of Normandy, the area of western France that the Allies would invade almost 900 years later to defeat the Nazis. William had ambitions beyond the continent though, and sought out an audience with King Edward the Confessor of England. Edward had no children and no obvious heir. William claimed that Edward promised him the throne during this conversation in 1060, but on his deathbed Edward named an English noble as his successor. Harold Godwine ascended to the throne in 1066 but William immediately called bull-scheisse and contested Harold’s claim. For obvious reasons, Harold wasn’t eager to give up his throne. So William crossed the English channel with 7,000 soldiers. Harold had just finished fighting off a Norwegian invasion and was forced to face this new threat with a diminished number of troops. About two weeks later, Harold and William met with their armies near Hastings. The battle raged all day Oct. 13, 1066, and Harold was killed at the end of the fighting. The mounted Norman soldiers attack Anglo Saxon infantry at the Battle of Hastings in “The Bayeux Tapestry.” The Normans marched to London and William was crowned king. Once he ascended, William declared French, his native language, the official language of the court. This left the Germanic language spoken by the Anglo-Saxons, Old English, as a “lower” language. According to the Oxford Dictionary blog, this created a two-tiered language that evolved into modern English. Words for things connected to the ruling class, like large homes and prepared meat, drew from French. So noblemen lived in mansions and ate buef (beef) and porc (pork), while an Anglo-Saxon lived in hus (houses) and raised cus (cows) and picg (pigs). When it came to the lowest and most vulgar of words, like those for poop, butts, and sex, the Old English words with German roots, scheissearsch, and ficken, became terms of profanity. It shouldn’t be too hard to guess which words those evolved into. (h/t Alex Schmidt of Cracked) This is how long South Korea thinks it will take to conquer the North South Korea says they are developing new plans to defend against advancing North Korean threats after a data breach left their outdated plans vulnerable. This stunning video shows how well 100-year-old ammo works today While original 1911 pistols surely still function today, turns out so does the ammo from that era. This could be the Army's next rifle — and it's totally awesome Textron debuted its newest rifle, the Intermediate Case-Telescoped Carbine, at AUSA. It's lighter and more deadly than the current M4. 16 jokes Germans could die for telling under the Nazi regime The Nazi Party was well short of a majority when it came to power. So it's easy to believe that not everyone was a big fan of Hitler or his ideas. These really smart people say bigger is better when it comes to building aircraft carriers In an effort to reduce its fiscal footprint, the Navy is looking at making smaller ships. But these defense researchers say it's a terrible idea. Now that ISIS is on the ropes, these guys have turned the guns on each other Two US allies, which were armed and trained by US forces, have turned their weapons on each other, and there isn't much the US can do about it. This is the definitive history of the world's most advanced fighter jet The new F-22A Raptor fighter jet is the most advance fighter jet in the world, and it dominates on every level imaginable. This is how the $102 million B-1A almost replaced the B-52 The plan was to buy 240 B-1As to replace the B-52 as the Air Force's primary strategic bomber, but eventually, they each found their place in the force. ISIS has finally been defeated in Raqqa U.S.-backed Syrian forces liberated the city of Raqqa on Oct. 17 from Islamic State militants in a major defeat for the collapsing extremist group. How North Korean special operators plan to invade the South via paragliders North Korean special operators may be planning to paraglide into South Korea in an attack the country simulated in mid-September, according to South Korea.
How to generate random numbers in SAS You can generate a set of random numbers in SAS that are uniformly distributed by using the RAND function in the DATA step or by using the RANDGEN subroutine in SAS/IML software. (These same functions also generate random numbers from other common distributions such as binomial and normal.) The syntax is simple. The following DATA step creates a data set that contains 10 random uniform numbers in the range (0,1): data A; call streaminit(123); /* set random number seed / do i = 1 to 10; u = rand("Uniform"); / u ~ U(0,1) / The syntax for the SAS/IML program is similar, except that you can avoid the loop (vectorize) by allocating a vector and then filling all elements by using a single call to RANDGEN: proc iml; call randseed(123); / set random number seed / u = j(10,1); / allocate / call randgen(u, "Uniform"); / u ~ U(0,1) / Random uniform numbers in the interval (a,b) If you want generate random decimal numbers in the interval (a,b), you have to scale and translate the values that are produced by RAND and RANDGEN. The width of the interval (a,b) is b-a, so the following statements produce random values in the interval (a,b): a = -1; b = 1; / example values / x = a + (b-a)u; The same expression is valid in the DATA step and the SAS/IML language. Random integers in SAS You can use the FLOOR or CEIL functions to transform (continuous) random values into (discrete) random integers. In statistical programming, it is common to generate random integers in the range 1 to Max for some value of Max, because you can use those values as observation numbers (indices) to sample from data. The following statements generate random integers in the range 1 to 10: Max = 10; k = ceil( Maxu ); / uniform integer in 1..Max / If you want random integers between 0 and Max or between Min and Max, the FLOOR function is more convenient: Min = 5; n = floor( (1+Max)u ); /* uniform integer in 0..Max / m = min + floor( (1+Max-Min)u ); /* uniform integer in Min..Max / For convenience, you can define a macro that returns a random integers between two values. Again, the same expressions are valid in the DATA step and the SAS/IML language. Putting it all together The following DATA step demonstrates all the ideas in this blog post and generates 1,000 random numbers in SAS. The values are uniformly distributed with various properties: %let NObs = 1000; data Unif(keep=u x k n m); call streaminit(123); a = -1; b = 1; Min = 5; Max = 10; do i = 1 to &NObs; u = rand("Uniform"); / decimal values in (0,1) / x = a + (b-a)u; /* decimal values (a,b) / k = ceil( Maxu ); /* integer values in 1..Max / n = floor( (1+Max)u ); /* integer values in 0..Max / m = min + floor((1+Max-Min)u); /* integer values in Min..Max / You can use the UNIVARIATE and FREQ procedures in Base SAS to see how closely the statistics of the sample match the characteristics of the populations. The PROC UNIVARIATE output is not shown, but the histograms show that the sample data for the u and x variables are, indeed, uniformly distributed on (0,1) and (-1,1), respectively. The PROC FREQ output shows that the k, n, and m variables contain integers that are uniformly distributed within their respective ranges. Only the output for the m variable is shown. proc univariate data=Unif; var u x; histogram u/ endpoints=0 to 1 by 0.05; histogram x/ endpoints=-1 to 1 by 0.1; proc freq data=Unif; tables k n m / chisq; Random numbers in SAS In summary, use the RAND("uniform") call to generate random numbers in SAS. By scaling and translating these values, you can obtain random values (decimal or integer) on any interval. If you just want random integers between two values, see the article "How to generate random integers in SAS." About Author Rick Wicklin Distinguished Researcher in Computational Statistics • Rick Wicklin Yes, they are different. RANUNI, RANNOR, etc., are functions that use an older random number generator. Their statistical properties are not as good as the newer RAND function. ("Newer" means it's only been in SAS since the mid-1990s!) For small data sets and simple demo examples, it doesn’t matter which function you use. However, if you are doing serious Monte Carlo simulations and generating millions of random numbers, then the better statistical properties of the RAND function become important. 1. Pingback: Random number streams in SAS: How do they work? - The DO Loop 2. Pingback: Readers’ choice 2011: The DO Loop’s 10 most popular posts - The DO Loop 3. Hi Rick, Thank you for the interesting and very helpful writings on SAS random numbers. I ran 36 instances of a SAS program in parallel on a cluster. I provided unique seed to each running instance. Every instance generated 4,000,000 (four million) random numbers using RANUNI. Total of 144,000,000 (=36 4 mln.) random numbers for all instances were needed. After all instances have completed, I noticed that about 2.8% of the random numbers (generated in all instances) were duplicated, even though unique seeds were used by the instances. When I used STREAMINIT and then RAND("UNIFORM") to generate the random numbers, about 4% of the random numbers (generated in all instances) were duplicated. Your comments are greatly appreciated. • Rick Wicklin If you haven't yet read my post Random Number Streams in SAS: How do they work?, be sure to read it. In general, you shouldn't confuse INDEPENDENCE with UNIQUENESS. Random number generators try to achieve independence. There is nothing intrinsically wrong with getting a repeated value, just like there is nothing wrong with rolling a die and getting the same value multiple times. It happens often, and it doesn't mean that the die is unfair. I caution against using RANUNI for large samples. RANUNI only provides 2 billion possible values. If you generate 144m obs in RANUNI, you shouldn't be surprised to get a repeated value. This is the famous Birthday Matching Problem, which I blogged about in the form of matching initials at a meeting. I am curious: how are you determining that values are duplicated. PROC FREQ? PROC SORT with the NODUP option? • Hi Rick, Thank you for the reply. I read your post - it is interesting and helpful. Thanks. Please note, that when I use only one seed and generate 144m random numbers, I do not see any duplications. Here is how I determine if that values are duplicated or not: 1. Assuming that every generated random number is placed (printed out) on a separate line of a file, for instance rand_nums.lst. 2. cat (Linux) command counts the number of all lines in the file. For instance: cat rand_nums.lst \| wc -l 3. sort (Linux) command counts the number of unique lines, For instance: sort -nu rand_nums.lst \| wc -l 4. If these number are the same then this means that the generated random numbers are unique. 4. Pingback: How many observations were processed by that last step? - The SAS Dummy 5. Pingback: Generating a random orthogonal matrix - The DO Loop 6. How could I randomly generate a uniformly distributed variable, for example RAN, which always falls between 0 and 2? 7. Stefan Boldsen on Hi Rick Wicklin, I am a Danish master student. I am currently struggling with a simulation for my master thesis. The purpose of the simulation is to verify wether industrial merger waves exist in Europe or not. I need to randomly generate x uniformly distributed numbers ('pseudo'-M&A's) between 1 and 120 (JanYear1, FebYear1...DecYear10) for every identified M&A-active industry (48 industries). And I need to repeat this step 1000 times. x is the observed number of M&A's in the industry under investigation. - based on this blog post, I now think I know how to conduct the simulation in SAS. My hurdle is that after the simulation process, I need to identify the volume of the highest 24-month concentration for each of the 1000 draws. Can you help me here, Rick? I need the 24-month concentrations to conclude whether an industrial merger wave exists or not for a given industry --> if in 99% of the draws the highest 24-month concentration is lower than the actually or observed peak concentration, there is significant evidence for the existence of an 2 year merger wave within the given industry, in that decade. I really, really hope that you can help me. 8. Hi Rick, the above code is not generating unique random numbers if set number of observations=400000 and min=10000000 and max=99999999. Basically I need to generate unique random number with 8 digit. any alternatives? • Rick Wicklin Random numbers are not necessarily unique. Consider rolling a six-sided die two times. About 1/6 of the time the random number 1-6 will be repeated! To get uniqueness you want to "sample without replacement" from the list of numbers that you want. You can use the METHOD=SRS method in PROC SURVEYSELECT to select samples without replacement. In PROC IML, you can use the SAMPLE function. • Mickey Mancenido on Hi Rick! Is it possible to use the RAND() function inside PROC IML? I tried doing that and it seems to work; I'm just concerned if it produces the same result as the RANDGEN subroutine. I've been reading some comments that inside PROC IML, the RANDGEN subroutine should be used. However, I don't need to generate one stream of random numbers every iteration. I need to generate just one random number, and the parameter of the distribution (say the binomial sample size) varies from iteration to iteration, so you can see my dilemma about using RANDGEN. • Rick Wicklin I do not see your dilemma about using RANDGEN. You can geneate 1 sample as efficiently with RANDGEN as with RAND. However, to answer your question: yes, you can call RAND from PROC IML. Furthermore, you can pass a vector of parameters to RAND and get out a vector of binomial sample sizes. 9. Pingback: Popular! Articles that strike a chord with SAS users - The DO Loop 10. Hello, I was wondering if it's possible to do a similar exercise, but pulling a VECTOR of 2 bivariate normal variables? If I know the means and the variance-covariance matrix of my variables, can SAS randomly draw from the joint distribution? 11. Can random number generation/simulation be used in Proc OPTMODEL ? i know it is supported in proc model to do the simulation, but could not find anything for Proc Optmodel. 12. How can randomly select when your data is from 2003- 2013 and we will select only for 2003-2012.what syntax do we need to use? 13. Hi Rick, Sorry to revive an old thread, but I was wondering what your thoughts were (and why it wasn't mentioned) on using ROUND() around the a+(b-a)u formula for random integers in [a,b]? I originally used FLOOR()/CEIL() in my code, but lately (especially when I have a small interval, such as [1,5]) I have switched to ROUND() since FLOOR()/CEIL() bias away from b/a, respectively. I know that traditional discrete uniform distribution says that random draws of each value in an interval of K values should tend towards a 1/K distribution, but I don't believe the FLOOR()/CEIL() functions provide this. Thanks for all of the great knowledge that you share, • Rick Wicklin Maybe I am misunderstanding what you are proposing. I didn't put ROUND around the a+(b-a)u formula because the resulting integers are not uniformly distributed. For example, if I want uniform integers in the range {1,2,3,4,5}, it is incorrect to write the following: a = 1; b = 5; u = j(10000,1); /* allocate / call randgen(u, "Uniform"); / u ~ U[0,1] / p = round(a + (b-a)u); /* NOT uniformly distributed! / call tabulate(value, freq, p); / compute empirical distribution / print (freq/10000)[c=(char(value)) f=percent7.4]; The code shows that the chance of a 1 or 5 is only 12.5% each, whereas the chance of 2, 3, or 4 is 25% each. 14. Rick: is there a way to generate random numbers with a specified (with known (geo)mean and (geo)sd) lognormal distribution in SAS? Many thanks for the blog. • Rick Wicklin If I understand you, use the RAND("Normal", mu, sigma) function to generate X ~ N(mu, sigma). The variable Y = exp(X) is lognormally distributed with parameters mu and sigma. • Implementing the formulas for mu and sigma from the "Notation" section of the "Log-normal distribution" entry on the Wikipedia ( and with your suggestion the following syntax: DATA qwerty; DO a = 1 TO 1000000; mean = 81.2243980; sd = 15.6962440; mu = (LOG((mean2)/(SQRT((sd2)+(mean2))))); sigma = (SQRT(LOG(1+((sd2)/(mean2))))); nr = RAND('NORMAL', mu, sigma); lgnrm = CONSTANT('E')*nr; OUTPUT; END; RUN; PROC PRINT DATA = qwerty (OBS = 10); var lgnrm; run; PROC UNIVARIATE DATA = qwerty; ZETA = EST) ENDPOINTS = 0 TO 100 BY 1.0; VAR lgnrm; produced the data set with the MEAN = 81.2260929 and SD = 15.6965921 what is very close to the magnitudes wanted :) ! Please correct me if I have a mistake. Thank you again for the blog --- very informative and practically useful. Initially I meant what I was suggested and unexpectedly what was written about by yourself Does the iCDF approach give the same results? What are the benefits to use it? • Rick Wicklin Looks good, although I'd use lgnrm = exp(nr) in the DATA step and set THETA=0 in the HISTOGRAM stmt. If you have more questions, please post to the SAS Support Communities. There are about 20 subcommunities there, such as SAS Statistical Procedures. The advantage of the iCDF method is that is always works. However, it tends to be slower than direct transformation methods, such as used here. 15. hira ballabh on I have a dataset for a one district in this district 16 Mandal and each Mandal have three type (Govt., Private, NGO,) 3500 school, I want a sample for each Mandal 1 got 1 private 1 NGO School total Number of sample are 48, whenever we run the programme the sample should be different, not same , could you help me how can I take a sample using SAS 16. Pingback: How to generate random integers in SAS - The DO Loop If only the random numbers are allowed to be of unique value. 12345678900 72 12345678901 34 . 12345678926 34. 12345678951 24 . 12345678976 84. 12345678902 65. 12345678927 63. 12345678952 51. 12345678977 67. 12345678903 09. 12345678928 11. 12345678953 19 . 12345678978 53. 12345678904 22 . 12345678929 44. 12345678954 78. 12345678979 04. 12345678905 21. 12345678930 85. 12345678955 76. 12345678980 35. 12345678906 37. 12345678931 01. 12345678956 31. 12345678981 73. 12345678907 42. 12345678932 55. 12345678957 12. 12345678982 16. 12345678908 20 . 12345678933 95. 12345678958 87. 12345678983 77. 12345678909 71. 12345678934 49. 12345678959 83. 12345678984 13. 12345678910 32. 12345678935 60. 12345678960 50 . 12345678985 45. 12345678911 58. 12345678936 86. 12345678961 02 . 12345678986 61. 12345678912 66. 12345678937 30. 12345678962 64. 12345678987 23. 12345678913 10 . 12345678938 48. 12345678963 94. 12345678988 40. 12345678914 79. 12345678939 89. 12345678964 27. 12345678989 70. 12345678915 93 . 12345678940 43. 12345678965 92 . 12345678990 08. 12345678916 46. 12345678941 72. 12345678966 03. 12345678991 88. 12345678917 57. 12345678942 14. 12345678967 47 . 12345678992 65. 12345678918 52. 12345678943 38 12345678968 62. 12345678993 17. 12345678919 15. 12345678944 75. 12345678969 80. 12345678994 54. 12345678920 41. 12345678945 07. 12345678970 18. 12345678995 28. 12345678921 62. 12345678946 25. 12345678971 58. 12345678996 74. 12345678922 26 . 12345678947 69. 12345678972 43. 12345678997 29. 12345678923 91. 12345678948 82. 12345678973 59 . 12345678998 33. 12345678924 05 . 12345678949 56. 12345678974 81. 12345678999 78. 12345678925 36. 12345678950 68. 12345678975 90 . 12345679000 06. These are 101 unique random numbers. Each number consists of 13 digits, out of which first 11 digits are sequential numbers and the 12th and 13th digits together form a random number. These last two digits transform the 11 digit sequential number into a 13 digit random number. Thus when a sequential number is transformed into a random number by addition of 1 or 2 digits, such randomization does not need math based algorithm. Even if the two digits are created by math based algorithms, there can be innumerable such algorithms that can create two digit random numbers. Hence, my claim is that when 1, 2 or 3 randomly created digits are attached to the sequential number, you award randomness to it and such randomized sequential numbers are unpredictable. Thus a SHORTEST POSSIBLE sequence of 11 digits can accommodate one billion unpredictable random numbers and a sequence of only 14 digits can accommodate one trillion unpredictable random numbers. 18. Hello, Please correct your notation of the range regarding the RAND function uniform distribution. According to SAS 9.3, the range is 0 < x < 1, indicating it should be noted as (0, 1) Thank you. Leave A Reply Back to Top
Yesterday night the Catholic Church canonised a pope who is considered anti-semitic and a cruel fighter against Freedom, Democracy and Progress. Pius IX, born as Giovanni Maria Mestai, was the last pope that held the position of a king. He gained his position in 1846, in the age of 54, and presided over the church for nearly 32 years. Pius IX is considered one of the greatest dictators of the church, and used to behead all those who tried to undermine his position, or the position of the Chruch in the cities of Rome and Bologna. He referred to the Jews in one of his speeches "faithless, barking dogs". He reestablished the Jewish Ghetto of Rome and restricted the Jews of the city to it, forced them to baptise their children and limited their rights to work and acquire education. The most famous incident in this regard was the case of the child Edgardo Mortara: the six-year-old Jewish boy was torn from his mother's arms by the Vatican Army, in the claim that he was baptized at the age of two, and therefore Jews have no right to raise him. Mortara was lead from Bologna to a monastery in Rome where he became a loyal priest. In 1864 he issued a series of regulations, according to which all those who supported the Democratic reforms in various European countries, or the unification of Italy, were to be condemned to excommunication from the Church. In 1870 he gathered the leadership of the Church and issued an edict that stated that the pope is infallible and that his rightness is eternal regardless of his actions. 1870 was also the year Pius IX lost most of his power, as Giuseppe Garibaldi unified Italy and conquered Rome. The pope had to restrict himself to the Vatican and renounce his kingship. The Catholic Church says that he is canonised not for all the above things, but rather for his "noble adherence to the Catholic Religion". I would like to remind you all that this is not the first anti-semitic saint the Church has proclaimed (even recently), and there are still also quite a few children-saints that were canonised after they were supposedly murdered by Jews who needed their blood to make matzos. Is this the face the Vatican wants to show the world these days?
Figueiredo, Cléber. Séries, rodoviária II. 2012 The transient periphery in Modernist Brasilia by: Eduarda Aun Globally known as the materialization of the modern movement not only for its iconic architecture, but also for its urban design, Brasilia was conceived based on the precepts of the Athens Charter, which provided for a decentralized model of city based on the four main functions of the urban man: to inhabit, to work, to recreate and to circulate (Corbusier 29). Among them, perhaps to circulate assumes rather importance in the context of this study, where 50 years after the inauguration of the city, Brasília is not only the Pilot Plan[1] proposed by Lucio Costa, the distances between center and periphery are not only physical and mobility plays an important role in the production of the city we know today. Mobility here assumes different connotations, depending on the context, whether in the physical movements of people in the urban environment, or in the shifts of individuals or groups through a system of social hierarchy. What are the forces that move or keep center and periphery separate, and what are the traces that the latter leaves in the city? Between the come and go from a bus, what does the peripheral passenger take, and what does it leave? Fig. 1. Costa, Lucio. Demarcation of the city’s axes in his Report of the Pilot Plan. 1957. Relatório do Plano Piloto, Brasília. Brasília was born from the transfer of the capital from Rio de Janeiro to the center of Brazil, and Lucio Costa’s plan presupposed the city as a civic and monumental center, which should correspond to the image of power and modernity, adequate to the new capital of the country. Therefore, he inserts in his plan, the urban, geographical and conceptual centrality: the connection between the various sectors, the intersection of the urban design and the meeting point of people. It is precisely at the intersection of the Monumental and Road axes where there is the main bus station, a Rodoviária, which divides the plane into north and south, east and west (see fig.1). Unlike other cities, where as the city expands, the poorer populations are increasingly suppressed from the center, in a planned city like Brasilia, the center is born distinct and far from the periphery in the very conception of Lucio Costa, who anticipates a cosmopolitan center to the images of the Champs Elysées in Paris. In 1957, when the construction of Brasília began, thousands of workers from all regions of the country were attracted to the capital, eager to make the project of President Juscelino Kubitschek a reality. Attending to his calls on the radio, newspapers and magazines of the time, they were seduced by the possibility of employment and the desire to participate in the almost utopian but intensely propagated task (Gabriele 149). While the city was being built from the intersection of the two main axes, and the center was consolidated, another reality — that of camps and temporary installations –, continued to grow at the same pace. The separation between center and periphery in Brasília arises even before the city’s inauguration, where the workers who came to help build a city that had neither been idealized nor built for them, were soon displaced from the center and settled in remote camps, often violently removed from informal settlements. In this way, “the mechanisms of repression, removal and social stratification were present in the dream of the modern city that embraced the ideal of modernity as progress, participation and solidarity” (Miranda 7). Thus, the first satellite cities emerge kilometers away from the center and, consequently, from most jobs, services and quality public spaces, expressing in a clearer and sharper way than other Brazilian metropolises, the disparity between center and peripheral areas. Where its center concentrates less than 10% of the residents of the Federal District, but 70% of its jobs, its social inequality index is higher than in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro (Derntl 377). The disparities are manifested mainly in economic terms, where the per capita income in the Pilot Plan is R$ 5,569.46, while in Estrutural[2] it is R$ 521.80, ten times lower. Yet this indicator also reveals racial inequality (see map below), where the lower the income, the more black the population. These differences are expressed in social and infrastructure terms as well. Access to schools and hospitals is deficient in these regions, as are cultural or leisure options, which are concentrated in the Pilot Plan. In Brasília, the city expresses spatially, through its functions and internal structure, its social relations (Paviani apud Miranda 10). In this scenario, the division is marked by the long physical and social distances that separate the nobler and less privileged classes in the Federal District. The upper class, which commutes by car, rarely encounters the reality of the lower class directly (although recognizes its signs), which lives far away and commutes by an inefficient public transportation (Bomtempo). “Such inhuman environment promotes social exclusion by limiting interaction, preventing the ‘unexpected’, and controlling access and use, resulting in a sterile urbanity” (Hehl apud Bomtempo). In a city governed by voids and distances (physical and metaphorical), to circulate becomes not only one of the four functions of the urban dweller, but also the most striking of the peripheral dweller. The bus, or buzão[3], becomes the means to reach the rodô (bus station) and consequently the center of urban activities and attention. The bus station therefore becomes a facilitator of connection between the peripheries and the center of the city, and the bus becomes a means by which the periphery travels the city and encounters the center. In Brasilia, the use of buses by the masses is inevitable and cultural, assuming a language that is exclusive to the capital, being referred to as baú, buzão, zebrinha, which configure an identity and familiarity. The daily journeys of the peripheral population are perceived in the congestion of the highways between the dispersed urban nuclei and the central area, often marked by the loud music; by passers-by who leave their tracks on the wide lawns of the Esplanade of the Ministries towards the bus station; and by the other marks along the city, that determine territories and that create meaning in graphisms, street vendors, beggars or artistic groups who experience the city daily. It is at the Bus Station and in particular in the adjacent South Amusement Sector, better known as Conic[4], where today we see these social practices — very different from those foreseen in his plan, a chaos amid the Cartesian rational of Lucio Costa. A variety of characters, including skaters, craftsmen, bohemians, graffiti artists, street vendors, prostitutes and unionists who have been transforming the space, converting movie theaters into religious temples, sidewalks into skate lanes, squares into markets, stairs into podiums, walls into galleries (Rezende 5). Lucio Costa did not anticipate the participation and integration of other classes, but rather the high state bureaucracy in that region, appropriated differently from that conceived by him in his plan. “This is all very different from what I had imagined for this urban center, as an exquisite, cosmopolitan thing … they took care of what was not designed for them,” Lucio Costa in Jornal do Brasil, November 1984. The growth and dynamics of cities react to the ordering of spontaneity and urban life, suggesting that the inhabitant is the main transforming agent of space. In his 1957 plan, Lucio Costa had conceived sophisticated and cosmopolitan spaces, where bookstores, restaurants, cafes, tea houses, bars and nightclubs were planned in an attempt to bring together different groups of students, businessmen and different types of professionals. In fact, after the inauguration of the city in the 60s, the first users of the central spaces of the city were the downtown residents. At the time, Brasilia had approximately 90,000 inhabitants, the majority living in the Pilot Plan, still in the process of being established, and a few satellite cities. Therefore, Conic was in fact far and difficult to access (Nunes 19). Thus, soon after its inauguration, Conic attracted embassies still in phase of implantation in the city, while their headquarters were still being constructed. The presence of institutions in the sector attracted art cinemas, cafes, bookstores, restaurants and more sophisticated shops and an audience that was in line with Lucio Costa’s expectations. However, the opening of shopping malls and the consolidation of other commercial and entertainment spaces led to a decentralization of leisure and cultural activities and the transfer of embassies and administrative activities generated a process of emptying of the functions of the sector. Consequently, nightclubs and bars began to appear, triggering its “degradation”, as it daunts the Pilot Plan’s middle class and is forgotten by the local authorities (Nunes 19). The sector’s abandoned conditions culminated in an attractive void for the sector that combined to the proximity to the commercial and hotel sector, traditional prostitution points, favored the installation of bars, nightclubs and brothels in Conic. Its morphological composition, which formed alleys and narrow, almost labyrinthine passages, favored drug consumption and dealing, and the abandoned and littered galleries did not inhibit occupation by homeless people. The urban imaginary that was formed further alienated the Pilot Plan’s middle class, allowing the appropriation of other groups that were familiar with the simplicity of the disposition of the stores and with the possibility of appropriating the space without the feeling that they were invading a private territory. A population devoid of theaters, community centers and quality public spaces in their own satellite cities, found in Conic conditions to manifest and be represented in the city center that originally had not included them, which happened in different ways. First, the abandonment and neglect that Conic witnessed, and the consequent devaluation of the properties, favored the occupation of popular stores, but also of “alternative” stores, which could not afford the high commercial spaces throughout the Pilot Plan, nor the shopping centers. This allowed the installation of comic book stores, T-shirt and skate shops, but also African beauty salons, spray paint shops, specific hip-hop culture clothing or national black appreciation and tradition T-shirts stores. The presence of these stores attracted groups linked to these movements, which, in turn, appropriated the physical space in various cultural, graphic, dance and music manifestations, among others, coming from the fringes of Brasilia. According to rapper and music producer Gog, “hip-hop created an industry of its own, selling music and clothing of the style”. Once in the center of the city, supported by a local economy and creating more sustainable bonds with space, the social and spatial appropriation by different groups was facilitated. Not only the common spaces (composed by differences in level and concrete floors) were occupied by skaters , but also the border between public and private was reached, where walls of the buildings served as screens for the different typically urban graphic manifestations, such as graffiti, tagging, stencil and wheat-paste collages (see fig.2). Fig 2. Aun, Eduarda. Skaters and alternative shops. 2015 Although these practices are common in urban contexts around the world and common in other areas of Brasilia, Conic is a unique space in the city center that concentrates the works of several artists, perhaps for two main reasons. The first would be for its architecture and internal morphology, introverted and almost impermeable, allowing manifestations that are generally considered subversive. The second reason is due to its proximity to the bus station, point of convergence of all the neighborhoods and satellite cities, from where these practices commonly origin — at least traditionally. As the bus, the various cultural manifestations in Conic become a means of mobility from the periphery to the center. The shops of black culture, the hip-hop universe clothing and slang, graffiti, tagging and other graphics in the poorly preserved walls, and the Brazilian and African rhythms in the parties that take place in Conic are all materialization of the presence of underrepresented groups in the creation of their own centrality. Throughout the years, Conic has become a very political space, given the possibility of political representation in the narrower sense of the word (due to the presence of unions and political parties), but also for being an outcast space that is ignored by the government, which conditioned various social manifestations of resistance, that are generally marginalized. Its neglect by local authorities allowed the use and appropriation of many diverse groups and especially disadvantaged classes and races that have few spaces of representation in the center of the city. Shop owners and music producers, as well as graffiti artists, dance groups, mcs and passers-by who have their origin in satellite cities find in Conic the opportunity for artistic and political expression that nowhere else in the Pilot Plan offer — Conic is ultimately, where the periphery meets the center (see fig. 3). Fig. 3. Aun, Eduarda. B-Boys Encounters. 2015. Caldeira (385) views these representations not only as artistic productions, but also as urban performances, in which a marginalized population is given visibility through new forms of political agency. Throughout the past few decades in Brasilia, as in many other Brazilian cities, we have watched the privatization of our everyday lives, where walls are raised and all sorts of surveillance are created. Public spaces become a result of that phenomenon, becoming leftover territories, “lands of nobody”. In this sense, for a part of the population, they are considered tense and dangerous, but are exactly where subalterns encounter the possibility of producing the city. According to her, in a very transgressive manner, they “destabilize old modus vivendi and its systems of signs, social relations and rules of public space” (Caldeira 400), exposing discrimination but unintentionally. Rather than reflecting about a certain condition and wanting to be included into society, these groups resist assimilation and integration, where their acts are not gestures towards social inclusion, but clear signs of transgression, in its own internal dynamics. For Sandoval (13), these social practices are actually convenient actions that open opportunities to reconfigure reality rather than feelings of loss and powerlessness in the face of the endless struggle for recognition. By constantly appropriating the everyday space, the periphery inhabitant “appropriates, adapts, makes adequate, assigns values, impressions, readings that construct not only the projected space, but also becomes an agent responsible for action” (Sandoval e Saboia 13). The inhabitant builds and rebuilds his own space in the everyday scene. However, even if these groups do not intend to change the structures of society, they want to leave their mark in the city, for whatever reasons they may have. Therefore, the urban is also produced by their fluid presence marked in space — in the music they listen to in the bus, in the slangs that are picked up in informal conversations and in the graffiti throughout the buildings. We might not see the characters that live on the margins of society, but we see their transient signs in space — the presence in their absence — denouncing social and spatial inequalities of the city. In recent years, however, graffiti has gained much popularity for its ironic and witty character and for the somewhat charm it causes to some places, intrinsic to the contemporary urban experience. Yet, not all expressions of urban art are applauded (pixo or tagging being one of them), and within the graffiti movement itself there are certain themes that are preferred. This is due, in part, to the “quality” of art, which might be related to the access of certain graffiti artists to higher education or other painting techniques, which less privileged classes do not have access to and which often reflect their styles or representation themes. If graffiti is no longer considered a marginalized practice, pixo is still considered vandalism. While this has some to do with aesthetics, it also has a relation with who produces each and the gap or distance between classes in Brazilian society. Fig. 4. Aun, Eduarda. Newer graffitis in Conic. 2016 Although Conic is not going through a gentrification process in the traditional sense, it is interesting to perceive how the graffiti that have been established more recently are authored by an upper middle class from the Pilot Plan and from other neighborhoods, to the detriment of a former peripheral lower class (see fig. 4). Moreover, this has to do not with the elitism of a group that has been promoting cultural events in that space, but with the own appropriation of a popular practice by an elite, a phenomenon that has happened to other urban cultural practices, like chorinho in Brazil or other musical genres, such as jazz, in the United States, for example. What over the years, due to the abandonment and neglect in addition to an internalized architecture, had been the scene for manifestation and representation of groups that have little representation in the city center, is now being disputed with other groups. By means of a traditionally underground aesthetics, yet held by mainstream artists, Conic begins to attract groups that did not frequent the space before, now perceived to be a cool and underground atmosphere, but less and less frequented by the masses, but by an “alternative” middle class. This cultural appropriation is very common not only in Brazil, but also in other parts of the world within the most diverse sociocultural manifestations, in graphic art and music, from the common street vendor to the gourmet food truck, where an elite appropriates a popular or informal practice. This marginalized population that finds in culture itself, means of manifestation and in these everyday informalities the production of the city, has to invent new ways to create centralities and to be included, only then to be again excluded, in this continuous process of push and pull. The city reproduces our social structures in its own dynamics — not only in the built environment and formal institutions, but also in ephemeral and transient interactions. A continuous come and go, within the bus. Give and take, within their culture. [1] Pilot Plan (Plano Piloto) is Lucio Costa’s plan for Brasília and the central neighborhood of the capital. [2] Estrutural is a satellite city of Brasilia that is born around one of the city’s dumps, attracting recycling scavengers that began to settle there. [3] Buzão and rodô are slangs, that originate from ônibus (bus) and rodoviária (bus station). [4] Conic was the name of the construction company that built one of the buildings in the South Amusement Sector. The signage with its name was very iconic and since then, the entire sector is known as Conic. Works Cited Bomtempo, Mariana. How to visualize social-spatial segregation? 2015. Website. 12 December 2016. Caldeira, Teresa P.R. “Imprinting and Moving Around: New Visibilities and Configurations of Public space in São Paulo.” Public Culture 2012: 385–420. Corbusier, Le. A Carta de Atenas. Trans. Rebecca Scherer. São Paulo: EDUSP, 1993. Costa, Lúcio. Relatório do Plano Piloto de Brasília. Brasília, 1957. Derntl, Maria Fernanda. “Além do Plano: A construção das cidades-satélites e a dinâmica centro-periferia em Brasília.” XIV Seminário de História da Cidade e do Urbanismo. Brasília: Universidade de Brasília, 2016. 367–378. Gabriele, Maria Cecilia F. L. Musealização do Patrimônio Arquitetônico: inclusão social, identidade e cidadania. Museu Vivo da Memória Candanga. Tese de doutorado. Lisbon: Universidade Lusófona de Humanidades e Tecnologias, 2012. Miranda, Risla Lopes. “Brasília como obra de arte: O moderno e a marginalização do espaço urbano e cultural.” XXVIII Simpósio Nacional de História. Florianopolis, 2015. 1–14. Nunes, Brasilmar Ferreira. “A “sociologia” de um edifício urbano: o CONIC do Plano Piloto de Brasília.” Cadernos Metrópole 21 2009: 13–32. Rezende, Rogério. Centro de Brasília: projeto e reconfiguração: O caso do Setor de Diversões de Brasília — Conic. Brasília, 2014. Sandoval, Liz and Luciana Saboia. “”A cidade é uma só?”, Luta por reconhecimento na relação centro-periferia em Brasília.” III Seminário Internacional Urbicentros. Salvador, 2012. 1–15. Further Readings Holston, James. The Modernist City. An Anthropological Critique of Brasilia. University of Chicago Press, 1989. Bomtempo, Mariana. Race, Income and Land in Brasilia, Brazil. “Carto”. April, 2016. Available in: https://robem470.carto.com/viz/e79f94da-9d2f-11e5-8a0d-0e787de82d45/public_map Pixo. Dir. Roberto T. Oliveira, João Wainer. 2010. Video. Available in: https://vimeo.com/29691112 A single golf clap? Or a long standing ovation?
Nov. 27, 2012 9 a.m. The United States could eliminate the need for crude oil by using a combination of coal, natural gas and non-food crops to make synthetic fuel, a team of Princeton researchers has found. Besides economic and national security benefits, the plan has potential environmental advantages. Because plants absorb carbon dioxide to grow, the United States could cut vehicle greenhouse emissions by as much as 50 percent in the next several decades using non-food crops to create liquid fuels, the researchers said. Synthetic fuels would be an easy fit for the transportation system because they could be used directly in automobile engines and are almost identical to fuels refined from crude oil. That sets them apart from currently available biofuels, such as ethanol, which have to be mixed with gas or require special engines. Professor Christodoulos Floudas (center), along with graduate student Josephine Elia and Richard Baliban, who received his Ph.D. from Princeton in 2012, developed a comprehensive system for optimizing the production of synthetic liquid fuels as an economical replacement for petroleum-based fuels. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski) In a series of scholarly articles over the past year, a team led by Christodoulos Floudas, a professor of chemical and biological engineering at Princeton, evaluated scenarios in which the United States could power its vehicles with synthetic fuels rather than relying on oil. Floudas' team also analyzed the impact that synthetic fuel plants were likely to have on local areas and identified locations that would not overtax regional electric grids or water supplies. "The goal is to produce sufficient fuel and also to cut CO2 emissions, or the equivalent, by 50 percent," said Floudas, the Stephen C. Macaleer '63 Professor in Engineering and Applied Science. "The question was not only can it be done, but also can it be done in an economically attractive way. The answer is affirmative in both cases." Accomplishing this would not be easy or quick, Floudas said. A realistic approach would call for a gradual implementation of synthetic fuel technology, and Floudas estimated it would take 30 to 40 years for the United States to fully adopt synthetic fuel. It also would not be cheap. He estimates the price tag at roughly $1.1 trillion for the entire system. Weekman said the main reason the industry has not embraced synthetic fuels has been cost. Although he said the economics are "still on the edge," Weekman noted that rising prices for crude oil and improvements in the efficiency of synthetic fuel production have made the process far more viable than before. "The main reason we wrote the paper was to get the planning agencies — the national academies, the Department of Energy, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Defense Department — thinking about this," Weekman said. He added that it was important that the agencies consider "this key link of using chemical processes to produce conventional fuels." In the Princeton research, Floudas' team found that synthetic fuel plants could produce gasoline, diesel and aviation fuels at competitive prices, depending on the price of crude oil and the type of feedstock used to create the synthetic fuel. About two-thirds of crude oil consumed by the United States is used for transportation fuel, according to the federal Energy Information Administration (EIA). The EIA said the United States imports about 45 percent of its annual crude oil consumption. "Even including the capital costs, synthetic fuels can still be profitable," said Richard Baliban, a chemical and biological engineering graduate student who graduated in 2012 and was the lead author on several of the team's papers. "As long as crude oil is between $60 and $100 per barrel, these processes are competitive depending on the feedstock," he said. The chemistry is complicated, but it basically takes the carbon and hydrogen from the feedstock and reassembles them into the complex chains that make up fuels like gasoline and diesel. Essentially, the feedstock material is heated to 1,000 to 1,300 degrees Celsius and converted to gas, and using the Fischer-Tropsch process, the gas is converted to chains of hydrocarbon molecules. These hydrocarbon chains are then processed over catalysts such as nickel or iron. The end products include fuels, waxes and lubricants normally made from crude oil. The Princeton team's method adds a step to recycle CO2 through the process to reduce the amount of the gas vented by the plants. Baliban said there is a limit to how much CO2 can be economically recycled, although plants could also trap unused CO2 emissions for later storage. Over the years, engineers have refined the original Fischer-Tropsch method to increase efficiency. But the high cost of building new synthetic fuel plants, coupled with the low price of crude oil, has made synthetic fuels too expensive for widespread acceptance. As the price of oil has increased, however, synthetic fuels have become more practical. The U.S. government has undertaken a number of projects to look into the process; in particular, the Defense Department has studied synthetic fuels as a way to supply transportation fuel without depending on overseas suppliers. In its work, the Princeton team looked at a broader picture. In a July article in the AIChE Journal, the team found that the United States could meet its entire demand for transportation fuel by building 130 synthetic fuel plants across the country. The article, with Josephine Elia, a graduate student in chemical and biological engineering as the lead author, made its assessment using three feedstocks: coal, natural gas and biomass. To avoid switching farmland from food production to crops used for fuel production — which would hurt the food supply — the researchers only included non-edible crops such as perennial grasses, agricultural residue and forest residue. The plants modeled in their scenario were placed in proximity to both feedstock supplies and markets for fuels. The analysis factored in external costs such as water supplies and electricity to power the plants' machinery. Ultimately, the team recommended construction of nine small, 74 medium and 47 large plants producing 1 percent, 28 percent and 71 percent of the fuel, respectively. Most of the plants would be clustered in the central part of the country and in the Southeast. The state with the highest level of fuel production would be Kansas, which would have 11 large synthetic fuel plants. Texas would have the largest number of plants, but because of the scattered nature of feedstock in that state, most of those plants would be medium-sized. The researchers found that the largest contributor to the price of synthetic fuel would be the cost of building the plants, followed by the purchase of biomass and then electricity. They estimated that the nationwide average cost of producing the synthetic equivalent of a barrel of crude oil would be $95.11, although the cost varies regionally. The cost in Kansas, where most production would occur, would average $83.58 for the equivalent of a barrel of crude oil. The cost could be much lower if plants eliminated biomass and used only coal and natural gas to run the process, Floudas said, but that would eliminate most of the environmental benefit. "If you want to have a 50 percent reduction in emissions, you need to have the biomass," he said. In many ways, synthetic fuels are cleaner than petroleum fuels. The heavy metal and sulfur contaminants of petroleum fuels can be captured in the synthetic plants before the fuel is shipped out. Synthetic fuels also can be used in gasoline and diesel engines with no need for modifications, unlike many biofuels. The biofuel ethanol, for example, is commonly mixed with gasoline, but high levels of ethanol require modifications to car engines and pose special challenges for starting at low temperatures. Floudas said that synthetic fuels also would allow carbon reduction with the fleet of cars currently on the road. Even if the country immediately converted to zero-emitting electric or fuel cell vehicles, millions of internal combustion vehicles would still be driving. By switching to synthetic fuels, he said, the country would have the opportunity to reduce those emissions, even if it they would not be completely eliminated. "This is an opportunity to create a new economy," Floudas said. "The amount of petroleum the U.S. imports is very high. What is the price of that? What other resources to do we have? And what can we do about it?"
What is the purpose of the U.S. debt clock? Quick Answer The purpose of the U.S. debt clock is to provide information to the general public about the financial state of the country. It works by providing real-time and accurate information on a continual basis. Continue Reading Full Answer Several organizations make debt clocks available to the public, including usdebtclock.org, nationaldebtclocks.org and brillig.com. While all national debt clocks show a continual running total of the national debt, several break the debt down into a number of metrics, including revenues, spending, budget items and trade financials. For instance, the national debt clock at usdebtclock.org breaks down the national debt into an extensive subset of components, such as debt per citizen, debt per taxpayer, total debt per family and interest on the debt. Learn more about US Government Related Questions
Tuesday, January 15 The Starburst Method: Summarizing Your Story In One Sentence The Starburst Method: Summarizing Your Story In One Sentence This is the final chapter in The Starburst Method. It has been quite a journey! Our goal has been to work from an initial concept to produce a one sentence description that communicates who the protagonist is, what she wants, as well as the central conflict of the story. For some reason this has been the most difficult of all the posts to write, but the idea here is simple enough. We're going to take the five paragraphs we crafted over the last few days, take the ideas we developed, and use those ideas to craft one gloriously concise sentence that describes the essential concepts in our story. (For an earlier discussion of this see: The Structure Of Short Stories: The Elevator Pitch Version) Last time, in The Starburst Method: The Hero's Journey, Part 3, I gave an example of the hero's journey using The Firm as an example. Here I'll extend that example and summarize it using one sentence. A One Sentence Summary Of The Firm Here's how I came by this (by the way, this is all thanks to Nathan Bransford): Let's look at one more example, this time using The Matrix. A One Sentence Summary Of The Matrix 1. Protagonist's name: 2. Description of protagonist: Office worker by day, hacker by night 3. Setting: The Matrix, which appears to be North America in the late 1990s. Neo senses some of this, he wants to know the truth, but has trouble believing. 4. Protagonist's goal: To expose the Matrix and defeat the machines. 5. Antagonist's name: The machines. The main minion of the machines: Agent Smith 6. Description of antagonist: Agents are protectors/servants of the machines that built the matrix and enslaved the human race. 7: Antagonist's goal: To protect the matrix. Notice some of my answers are long and rambling, that's okay. We're still at the brainstorming stage. Now we take this information and plug it into our formula: Neo is an office worker by day, hacker by night, who hates his job and is looking for something more: The Truth. When Trinity, an infamous hacker, introduces Neo to Morpheus and the truth of human existence Neo must decide whether to embrace the bitter pill of truth or go back to the comfortable reality created by the machines who ensnared humanity. The way I've written this up The Matrix looks like a Character Story. At the beginning we have a character, Thomas Anderson, who is dissatisfied with his role in society and at the end our character, Neo, has found a new role: he is The One. This Character Story is also, to a lesser degree, a Milieu Story as well as a love story. The other stories are either closed out first or at the same time as the Character Story. Getting Our Description Down To One Sentence Now let's be brutal and get our description down to one sentence. No rambling allowed! What is the main element? Since this is a Character Story the main element is that the protagonist, Thomas Anderson, is dissatisfied with his role in society and, at the end, succeeds in changing it. Since I don't want to give any spoilers--this is the description you'd give to anyone who asked what your book is about; telling them the ending wouldn't be friendly--I'm not going to talk about the ending. I'm sure you could do better but here's what I came up with. My one sentence summary of The Matrix: When Thomas Anderson, an office worker by day and rebel by night, meets infamous hacker Trinity and learns the true nature of reality--the we are all trapped in an illusion--he wants to free himself and others, but can he defeat the machines? If I thought this was a Milieu Story I would have summarized the movie this way: When Thomas Anderson discovers the strange new world of the Matrix he learns humanity has been enslaved by intelligent machines and he is the only one who can save the world. You know what? I like the second way better! Even though I don't think this is a Milieu Story, that's the version I'd tell folks. Besides, the goal is to craft a single sentence that describes the story and both of the above give one an idea of the main theme of the Matrix: The One--Neo--will save humanity from the machines and the prison they have created for us. Want to try summarizing your work in progress? Please do! Why not share it in the comments. Other articles you might like: - Using Public Domain Characters In Your Stories - Link Mashup: The Million Follower Fallacy, Showing Not Telling, Goals Not Dreams Photo credit: "Shanghai Rollercoaster." by @yakobusan Jakob Montrasio 孟亚柯 under Creative Commons Attribution 2.0. 1. The short synopsis will be the hardest thing for me, since I have 4 main characters, each with different stories under the same sun and twin moons. C.F. Gauss said that writing at length was the easiest thing, but writing short was the most difficult. I'll have to think hard on this one, and do a lot of trial and error. 1. Four main characters! But, then, I'd like to see George R.R. Martin's synopsis for A Game Of Thrones. Now THAT must have been difficult. Best of luck! :-) 2. Indeed. I'm using the character POV story telling system. It's so easy to write with it and read as well. It's very intimate and straightforward. I love it when I write from the woman character's POV. At first, it seemed like the biggest challenge for me. But I was surprised that it was so natural. I actually find it easier to write from a woman's POV, than a man's. It will be something new to write a sex scene from the woman's POV. I'm gonna give it my best to make it really awesome, but that scene will have to wait until book two of the series. ^^ I'll send you a copy of A Stage For Traitors on the day of release. 1. Yes, although I usually write from a female POV, I was surprised to find writing a male POV wasn't all that difficult. It's good to stretch oneself, try new things. Best of luck with your new book! Love the title. I look forward to reading it. 3. This is proving to be a very challenging exercise! I keep changing my mind, but it's helping me to focus on what the real stakes are in my story. 1. Glad to hear it! I find that when I summarize my story before I start writing it gets finished quicker. Often the story changes along the way, but that's not a problem. I just adjust the summary. 4. Here goes: When Holly Atchers receives the call that her mother is in the hospital, she must return to her hometown - a town she hasn't seen in 15 years - plunging her deep into her past and forcing her to face demons she had though long buried. I think it still needs work haha. 1. Nice! I like that. Mother in the hospital, returning to her hometown, that's highly emotionally charged stuff, exactly what you want. And I DEFINITELY want to hear more about the demons! 5. My story will be told in two parts from two points of view. Here is my one sentence: When the leader of Shaignee becomes paranoid and unstable, Princess Kaileen desperately searches for a way to lead the citizens to freedom, set up a utopia that doesn't turn sinister, and put a stop to the generations of corruption that have plagued her country. 1. Brilliant! I love it. More than that, I want to read that story! Thanks for sharing. :-) 6. Thomas, a butcher's apprentice, commits treason when he kills a lion – the symbol of his people's god. Thomas, in an attempt to seek forgiveness and mercy, approaches the Elders of his people and confesses his actions before them. In order to not appear as unjust, the Elders confer and give Thomas two options: 1) Take his punishment now and go willingly to the gallows with his head held high, or 2) Take the cowards way out and seek for the Temple of the King where only the High Priest can absolve him of his sins against the people and against their deity. 1. Clear goal, we get a feeling for the kind of society Thomas lives in, we see the choice the protagonist is forced to make. Good stuff! :-)
Jackaroo, by Cynthia Voigt This month’s article on fiction is about a short excerpt from Jackaroo by Cynthia Voigt. Jackaroo, set in a medieval-Europe-like Kingdom (known as “the Kingdom”), is aimed at young adults. It follows teenaged Gwyn who tries to make a difference to how the people in her area live when she finds the costume of a mysterious outlaw known as Jackaroo, and decides to use the costume herself to take on the guise of Jackaroo. This is the first in a series of four novels set in the Kingdom. The following excerpt is from a section of the story in which Gwyn and the son of a Lord are sheltering in a cabin following a blizzard, having been separated from the adults they were travelling with. This is before Gwyn’s discovery of the Jackaroo costume. The Lordling sat at the table, turning the pages of the long book. Gwyn took up an armload of folded clothes to lay them out on the bed while she wiped down the inside of the first cupboard. Each cupboard had one shelf in it, so there was not much to carry. Moving behind the Lordling, she glanced over her shoulder. On the top of the page was a picture of three faces. Before she thought to stop herself, she spoke: “Those are the three men. From the hut.” “Had they murdered us, this might have identified them, when they went to sell the book. My father wrote it down underneath their pictures.” His fingers pointed to a line of shapes. Underneath the faces and the shapes, other lines and waves curved. Gwyn stared at them until suddenly she saw what they were. She did this by a trick of mind, as if she were a bird seeing a flat landscape from above. “It really is a map,” she said. She could identify the hills now, and a pathway among them; when she looked down on it as if from the sky she could see what it pictured. There was the dot where the men’s hut was, and forests spreading back over the hills. What I’d like to highlight from the excerpt above is how the characters think about drawing and writing. The Lordling has learned how to read and write, and assists his father in mapping the land of the Kingdom but Gwyn has not learned to read and write or use maps. She realises how to use the map by comparing the map to what the land would look from above as a bird might see it. She thinks about the writing, on the other hand, as a line of symbols but does not know what they relate to or how they are used. They had sheltered in the hut of three men the previous night in the course of their travels carrying out a land survey. They had been suspicious of the men but had nowhere else to shelter. The Lordling’s father drew the men and made a note beneath it, knowing that the three men could not read, so that if the men killed and/or robbed them they would be caught when they tried to sell the book to someone who could read. Then she realized that she shouldn’t be standing so close, gawking. She moved quickly away. “I don’t mind, Innkeeper’s daughter.” Curiosity brought Gwyn back to stand behind him. On the top of the map a cross was drawn, with shapes at each end. It wasn’t part of the map, at least not that Gwyn could remember. “What is that?” She pointed. “The directions of the compass. N means north, S south, E east, and W west. Gwyn stared at the signs. The river runs to the south of us, so I can see why it’s the curved shape, but that one for the west should be the north, because even if it’s upside down it looks more like the mountains. It took him a minute to understand her. “No. They’re letters. They’re initials. I just named the letters. Listen: the letter N comes first in the word north, and E in east. Hear it? That’s S for south, and W for west. They’re just the initial letters. “W doesn’t sound like west,” Gwyn pointed out. It didn’t look like west either, where the sun went down. It looked like upside down mountains. She wondered if he were mocking her. Sometimes the names of the letters don’t match their sounds but mostly they do,” he told her. “I have to go outside.” Gwyn is familiar with the concepts of north, east, south and west but not with how they are written. She tries to match letters as symbols which share a similar appearance to what they stand for, causing her to suggest that W would be a more appropriate symbol for the north because it looks like upside down mountains and the north is mountainous. The Lordling tells her that letters don’t work like that and demonstrates that they provide sounds to words. However Gwyn points out that this is not the case for W and west. The Lordling concedes that they mostly provide sounds for words but sometimes they don’t. This is an example of how fiction can be used to explore ideas. A writer does not have to argue for any particular conclusions. The excerpt above does not argue for any conclusion but can, for example, raise questions for people who thought they had been using a rule-based language system to derive meanings from experience and/or from symbols (aka abstract structure-based semiotics, or computational representation). In my judgment Jackaroo is also a solid adventure story and, like other Cynthia Voigt novels, features interesting in-depth characters. The Traveler, by John Katzenbach The Traveler is a novel that I first read when I was in the 6th grade. While it is not recommended for 12 year olds, I appreciated the psychological depth of the characters, how Katzenbach handled the relationships between characters, and the ramifications of murderer-and-kidnapper Douglas Jeffers’ actions on his victims, his victims’ family and his own family. Doug himself is not a formulaic villain but a fully fleshed out character and, while you don’t have to agree with his choices, the details are there to understand how he could justify such choices. There are a lot of serial killer novels and films out there; some good and some bad. A major plus for The Traveler is that it is not another one based on high profile real life cases. Some of those based on these cases are, in my judgment, really good but there is only so many times it is enjoyable to read or watch stories loosely based on these specific cases. Having been a criminal court reporter, Katzenbach would have had a lot of material to draw from in coming up with original ideas for The Traveler. Doug is an intelligent and professionally accomplished serial killer without being a Hannibal Lecter or Ted Bundy clone (although some broad similarities could be drawn in relation to some aspects of Ted Bundy if you were looking to do it), and Merce is a determined cop acting on her own and seeking vengeance without being a stereotypical rogue cop character. Independently of anything else, I also think The Traveler is an interesting exploration of the nature of literature, biography and photography. I have provided a chapter-by-chapter outline below, but I recommend reading the novel itself for all the smaller details that can’t be included in such a condensed summary. I. The Reasons Behind Detective Barren’s Obsession 1. Detective Mercedes (Merce) Barren is notified of her niece Susan’s murder and breaks the news to Susan’s parents. 2. Merce investigates the crime scene and the autopsy. 3. Merce attends the trial of captured serial killer Sadegh Rhotzbadegh for the murder of Susan, then realises it may not have been him. II. An English Lit Major 4. Doug locates Anne Hampton, an English lit major who “has potential.” III. Boswell 5. Doug Kidnaps Anne. 6. Anne is trained by Doug to obey him. IV. A Regular Session of the Lost Boys 7. Martin (Marty) Jeffers takes a session of his sex-offender psychiatry group, then finds out a detective from Miami has called and wants to speak to him. V. A Singular Pursuit 8. Merce tries to convince Lieutenant Burns from Homicide that Rhotzbadegh may not have murdered Susan. 9. Merce gets to work herself on going over the evidence again; visiting the crime scene, questioning the medical examiner at the morgue, and drinking alone in her apartment. 10. Merce questions Rhotzbadegh in prison, then investigates a press pass found at the crime scene by questioning staff at the Miami Dolphins and at the print company that provides the passes. She gets Doug’s name. VI. An Easy Person to Kill 11. Anne is taught by Doug about being ‘his Boswell’ (an allusion to James Boswell, famous for his biography of Samuel Johnson), documenting Doug’s journey and his thoughts. Then he shows what he’s capable of by killing a homeless guy on the side of a road. VII. Disbelief 12. Merce talks to Marty about Doug, and Marty is ambivalent about co-operating. VIII. Other Dark Places 13. Doug tells Anne about his life. IX. Another Regular Session of the Lost Boys 14. Marty runs another therapy session while Merce stalks him, finds a key to Doug’s apartment in his desk, goes to Dougs apartment and finds photos of his victims. X. Many Roadside Attractions 15. Anne acts as Doug’s Boswell as he talks about his life. Doug poses as a magazine photographer and gets two women to take their clothes off in a secluded forest reserve intending to kill them but aborts when a forest ranger comes by. XI. One Trip to New Hampshire 16. Merce ambushes Marty outside his apartment, confronting him at gunpoint with the photos from Doug’s apartment of his victims. Merce wants Marty’s help, but doesn’t want to go to the police. Marty fears she wants to kill Doug. XII. Another Trip to New Hampshire 17. Doug gets $120,000 of emergency money out of his fraudulent bank account and they head toward Cape Cod. By now, Anne is so trained to go along with Doug’s orders that she has a chance to escape and it doesn’t occur to her to take it. XIII. An Irregular Session of the Lost Boys 18. Marty leads a therapy session and figures out where he thinks Doug may have gone. When Marty fails to meet Merce, she questions his therapy group and finds out where he’s probably going. XIV. No Man’s Land 19. Marty arrives at the Jeffers family’s old home, finding Doug and Anne there with the current owners held captive, and talks to his brother. Merce arrives later and attempts to shoot Doug and, while Anne manages to get hold of Doug’s gun and wound him, Doug gets the upper hand and shoots Merce. The shot is a cold-blooded action but non-fatal for Merce. Doug takes a dingy out on the water and shoots the bottom out of it, consoled by the thought that he was never caught. Go back to the top of this page My Sister's Keeper, by Jodi Picoult I will discuss the central ethical dilemma of Jodi Picoult’s My Sister’s Keeper, the way the story has been told using multiple character perspectives, the issue of medical ethics, and the ending of the novel. Many readers have had a strong response to the ending and a lot of fans of the novel have expressed their concern that the film had a different ending. Jodi Picoult even put a message on her website expressing her own concerns and explaining the situation surrounding the change (that is, that she [or possibly her publisher] had sold the film rights and, although she was disappointed, the decision to change the ending was not hers – but that there are still a lot of good points to the film). I, personally, listened to the audio-book of the novel then watched the film (then got the novel to see it on the page). However, some may prefer to watch the film then read or listen to the novel so you don’t focus on what is missing from the film instead of what is included. If you intend to read or listen to the novel at some stage, I recommend doing it before you read on – or at least before you read past the spoiler alert further down. The audio-book has the added bonus of being read by Jodi Picoult herself. I think it is very beneficial to hear writing read by the author because I can listen to the way they deliver the words and the emphases they place on different aspects of the writing in the way they read it. You can purchase the audio-book and be listening to it within minutes (when you choose the download option) via the following link: My Sister's Keeper Picoult also has a range of free audio interviews, podcasts, and extra material about the novels on her website http://www.jodipicoult.com/. The Amazon page for Jodi Picoultalso has U.S. book tour dates and a movie trailer for My Sister’s Keeper. The major ethical dilemma: is it right to sacrifice one child for another? The major ethical dilemma and source of conflict for the plot is as follows: Kate needs a kidney or she will die. Her sister Anna is the only compatible donor available. Anna gets a lawyer and seeks medical emancipation from her parents so she won’t have to donate her kidney. Their mother, a lawyer, commits to fighting Anna’s efforts at medical emancipation so Kate can get Anna’s kidney. Early in the novel, the reader is faced with the issue of how much it is reasonable to expect Anna to sacrifice for Kate. Should she give up her kidney, or should she be able to choose not to donate it – even if that means Kate will die? Picoult has described My Sister’s Keeper as “Sophie’s Choice for the twenty-first century.” I will discuss the aspect of a choice to sacrifice one child for another in My Sister’s Keeper, and the overt as well as implicit ways this is conveyed, in more detail further on. One of the things that I think Picoult does well as a writer is to develop stories based on a strong ethical dilemma and facilitating an understanding of multiple sides to the dilemma. While doing this, she also keeps the plot and the nature of the main conflicts between the characters clear throughout each novel. In her novels, Picoult has consistently created fictional situations in which she focuses on multiple characters, each holding a key opinion about the situation which conflicts with that of another character. Rather than attempt to convey a message with each novel, Picoult raises a question that can be transferred to life beyond the novel and encourages each reader to understand several opinions on how to approach the question. (Comparison: Paul Haggis has used a similar approach with his films, raising questions such as ‘Would you ever cheat on your partner?’ and ‘How would you respond to being cheated on by your partner?’ in The Last Kiss; and ‘What lengths would you go to to achieve your goals in life?’ and ‘Is a short life lived genuinely according to your convictions more valuable than a long life of just getting by and deferring or giving up on your goals?’ in Million Dollar Baby.) Networked multi-perspective narrative Picoult has said, in an interview with Bill Thompson, that “I couldn’t let one of them tell you the story because they all had a right to explain to you why they had made the choices they’d made, and that why I wound up with this particular set of multiple narratives." In a podcast on her website, Picoult has said “I thought I was writing a story about a family stricken by one daughter’s terminal illness and that Anna was gonna tell you that story, but I began considering the point of view of everyone else in the family too.” She has told of the inspiration she drew from her own experience of having a child with an illness [an ear condition requiring a number of operations] and how this gave her an insight into how such an illness could impact on members of a family. She continued “I thought of all the sacrifices my other children had made when Jake [her son] was sick; birthday parties they’d missed and Open School Night presentations we didn’t attend. I thought of the fight I once had with my son Kyle, who wanted to know why getting strep throat didn’t rate as high as Jake’s condition. […] When one child gets sick, the whole family does. A family unit is a finite shape and pulling hard on one part of it means that another part has to give a little.” In the novel, Picoult has used six distinct character perspectives to tell the story. This contributes to the understanding of multiple opinions on how to approach the major question of the novel rather than conveying a single message. Readers are encouraged to consider various ethical dilemmas surrounding the issue of sacrificing one child for another via the characters of Anna Fitzgerald, her mother Sara, her father Brian, her brother Jesse, her lawyer Campbell Alexander, and a court-appointed counselor Julia Romano who spends some time with Anna to find out what her wishes are and form an opinion on whether it is appropriate for Anna to remain in her parent’s home in the lead up to the trial. Medical Ethics at the Trial At the trial, a member of the Ethics Board from the hospital Kate and Anna have frequented throughout their lives was questioned about the ethics of the hospital and he gave the following account, which came under six principles: Autonomy; or the idea that any patient over age 18 has the right to refuse treatment Veracity; which is basically informed consent Fidelity; that is a healthcare provider fulfilling his duties Beneficence; or doing what’s best in the interests of the patient Non-maleficence; when you can no longer do good, you shouldn’t do harm like performing major surgery on a terminally ill patient who is 102 years old; and finally Justice; that no patient should be discriminated against in receiving treatment. This account of medical ethics both provides some guidance for judging ethical decisions and hints at a range of areas in which differences of opinion may occur. Anna’s case highlights how ethical guidelines such as those above can be considered in various ways and their application is not always black and white, but can contain many shades of grey. What Picoult does is place such ethical concerns into a ‘novel about family, relationships, and love’; a phrase she associates with all her novels. This is your last chance to read or listen to the novel before reading on. Losing Anna Near the end, having won medical emancipation, Anna is in a car crash, attended by her father in his capacity as a firefighter. In an emotional scene, he pulls her out of the wreckage. She dies, and Kate gets her kidney. One daughter has been inadvertently sacrificed for another; not by a deliberate choice but by an accident that arose indirectly from the circumstances initiated by wanting Anna to donate her kidney. Anna was bred to give from her body to sustain the life of her sister, but her parents had not intended on sacrificing Anna’s life for Kate’s; they just wanted to use her as a compatible biological donor of blood… then other things like bone marrow… then a kidney. The theme of sacrificing one life to sustain another is made very concrete with the death of Anna and the donation of her kidney. However, throughout the whole story, there is a range of more subtle ways in which Anna and other members of the family are sacrificed for Kate: Anna has been subjected to many medical procedures throughout her childhood. Sara has given up her job as a lawyer. Little attention has been paid to Jesse and he has been getting into trouble. Brian has become the sole provider for a family, with three children and probably very expensive medical costs, that has gone from two incomes to one. In a way, the whole family have sacrificed their own enjoyment and meaningful engagement in their own lives to focus their combined efforts on a losing battle to save Kate. In the end, Anna’s kidney saves Kate… barely. The whole ending with Anna’d death and Kate’s recovery is different in the film version, in which it turns out Kate had asked Anna to refuse to donate her kidney because the kidney would only prolong her life of sickness, not cure her, and she was ready to die. In the film, Kate dies and Anna is granted medical emancipation, putting the focus of the story more on their mother’s journey to accept the inevitable death of Kate. Go back to the top of this page The Silver Sword (aka Escape From Warsaw), by Ian Serraillier I will outline features of The Silver Sword sufficient for an appreciation of the main character’s journey to bring her family, separated in WW2, back together. A straightforward plot summary, is available at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Silver_Sword and a review treating The Silver Sword as a novel about the “the difficulties of surviving in a world that has been destroyed by war” is available at www.readingmatters.co.uk/book.php?id=81. The opening paragraphs of the novel set up the main story as well as the general plot structure. The first 5 of 29 chapters follow Joseph Balicki, and the following 24 follow the Balicki children with Ruth as the focal point that holds the story together. This is the story of a Polish family, and of what happened to them during the Second World War and immediately afterward. Their home was in a suburb of Warsaw, where the father, Joseph Balicki, was headmaster of a primary school. He and his Swiss wife, Margrit, had three children. In early 1940, the year when the Nazi’s took Joseph away to prison, Ruth, the eldest, was nearly thirteen, Edek was eleven, and the fair-haired Bronia three. Warsaw under the Nazis was a place of terror, and without their father to protect them the Balickis had a grim time of it. But worse was in store for them. They were to endure hardships and conditions which made them think and plan and act more like adults than children. Great responsibilities were to fall upon Ruth. Many other girls had to face difficulties as great as hers. But if there were any who faced them with as much courage, unselfishness, and common sense as she did, I have not heard of them. First I must tell of Joseph Balicki and what happened to him in the prison camp of Zakyna. Main Characters (Character ages are as at the beginning of the story. 5 years pass in the second plot section outlined below.) Joseph Balicki is a former high school teacher in German occupied Poland, who was imprisoned after turning a picture of Hitler in his classroom to face the wall. He is the father of Ruth, Edek, and Bronia. Jan (10) is an orphaned boy in Warsaw who steals food, has little or no respect for authority, and takes care of stray animals. Ruth (nearly 13) is a caring, responsible, and determined girl who looks after her siblings and teaches local young children. Edek (11), a member of the Polish resistance, is protective of his family but takes risks that are not always necessary. Bronia (3) makes the best of circumstances and follows Ruth’s lead. The novel has 29 chapters, which I have divided into 6 sections and an epilogue. 1. In chapters 1-5, the story of Joseph’s imprisonment in Zakyna work camp, his escape, and his attempt to reunite with his family in Warsaw is told. 2. In chapters 6-10, the plot is taken back to the night Joseph and subsequently his wife Margrit, were arrested, and the story of the Balicki children’s experience in Warsaw between 1940 and 1944 is told. Edek is taken away when he is caught smuggling food, and Ruth takes Jan into her and Bronia’s makeshift home. 3. In chapters 11-13, the story of Ruth and Bronia’s reunion with Edek in Posen is told. Reunited, and having learnt of the end of the war in Europe, the children head for a relative’s home in Switzerland, where their family had agreed to meet if anything separated them. 4. In chapters 14-18, the story of the contrast between Ruth’s sense of responsibility and judgment, and Jan’s (on their journey between Berlin and Bavaria) is told. 5. In chapters 19-24, the story of the children’s shelter at a Bavarian farm and their narrow escape from the Burgomaster, a Government official who has been employed to return Poles to Poland, is told. 6. In chapters 25-28, the story of the final leg of the children’s journey to Switzerland is told. 7. Chapter 29 is an epilogue telling how the children’s lives turn out. Ensemble of Incidental Characters Jan has a series of animals that he cares for: in section 1, he has a kitten; when he re-enters the story in section 2, he no longer has the kitten but has a rooster named Jimpy who dies in a food camp scrum at Posen in section 3; and in section 5, he befriends a dog named Ludwig who stows away and travels with them to the Swiss border before Jan is forced by circumstance to choose between saving the life of Ludwig or Edek. There are numerous incidental characters throughout the story. In section 1, an old Polish couple hide Joseph from German Soldiers. In Section 2, Ivan, the Russian sentry, helps the children. In section 3, Jan helps a British Captain being harassed by a monkey escaped from the damaged Berlin Zoo, and is rewarded for his efforts. In section 4, Bavarian farmers, Mr and Mrs Wolff, shelter and assist the children. In section 5, Joe Wolski, an American soldier of Polish parents, gives them a lift to a camp at the Swiss border. In section 6, Ruth meets with the administrator of the camp. I have selected Ruth’s tenacity as the primary theme to highlight here. That is, her persistent determination to bring her family back together. Her family is separated when her father is arrested and taken to a work camp, and her mother is taken away the same night. Later that year, her brother Edek is arrested for food smuggling and taken away too. Following the battle of Warsaw, Ruth tries to find out what happened to Edek, through the Polish Welfare Office and through the occupying Russian Army. Her persistence pays off when a Russian sentry takes an interest in her problem and brings her news of Edek’s location. Upon travelling to Posen and reuniting with Edek, who is suffering from tuberculosis, it is up to Ruth to lead herself, Edek, Bronia, and Jan on a journey from Poland to Switzerland in the hope that her parents have survived and made it there themselves. This tenactity includes aspects of responsible judgment, compassion, and inventiveness. Responsibility and Judgment Ruth’s responsibility and judgment is contrasted with that of Edek and Jan. When their mother is taken away, Edek shoots at the German soldiers and Ruth tells him he shouldn’t have done it because they might come back for them. As they escape across the roof, the soldiers retaliate by destroying the Balicki’s home with grenades. While living on the outskirts of Warsaw, Edek smuggles food for the Poles to provide relatively well for his siblings until he is caught by the Germans, whereas Ruth takes a less risky approach and also takes on the responsibility of caring for and teaching other children. When Ruth took in Jan following the Battle of Warsaw, she discourages his stealing and later in the story he is sentenced to seven days detention for his involvement in the robbery of an American goods train between Berlin and Bavaria. Ruth’s active compassion, not only for her family but also for others, sets her apart from others around her. While on the outskirts of Warsaw, Ruth teaches local children, and later sets up a makeshift school in Warsaw. In Warsaw, she takes Jan in, and even waits for him when he is detained for seven days, between Berlin and Bavaria. Inventiveness is a quality shared by numerous characters in the story. Joseph uses inventiveness in his escape from Zakyna prison camp. Jan uses inventiveness in helping Joseph make his way through the streets of German occupied Warsaw to jump aboard a train as it slows to turn a bend. Ruth uses it in her efforts to track down Edek. The Bavarian farmer, Kurt Wolff, uses it when he comes up with a plan for the children to escape the Burgomaster by river in canoes. Ruth’s tenacity, guided by responsible judgment, compassion, and inventiveness, makes for a compelling, multi-faceted character that is a good example for younger readers, and is used to guide readers through an interesting setting. Resonsibility, judgment, compassion, and inventiveness are qualities that are shared and contrasted with others characters throughout the novel. Go back to the top of this page
Mass migration likely to leave lasting mark on nation Unprecedented moves Posted: Sunday, September 11, 2005 In a country where movements of tired, poor and huddled masses are an intrinsic part of who we are, the unprecedented mass exodus of people from their homes in the Gulf Region - more than half a million refugees - could unleash changes for years to come. Print-ready version Send to a friend Subscribe to the Banner-Herald E-mail the Editor Discuss in Forums "I think we're looking at an event of enormous political and historical importance," said Steven Hahn, a University of Pennsylvania history professor who chronicled other mass movements in his 2004 Pulitzer Prize-winning book "A Nation Under Our Feet: Black Political Struggles in the Rural South from Slavery to the Great Migration." "We've never faced this type of relocation because of a natural disaster. It's likely to have an enormous impact on our entire country," he said. While many expect New Orleans to rebuild, it's unlikely that everyone is eventually going to move back. Experts say there are lessons to be drawn from historic moves. For example, "New Orleans-style" neighborhoods may develop in larger cities with restaurants, music and cultural aspects of home. Racial and social tensions may also emerge, as thousands of people move into less diverse neighborhoods. "If you have mass numbers going to one place, you're going to have the same tensions you have with any immigrants," said Phillip Gay, sociology professor at San Diego State University. "But if you distribute them in smaller groups, there's a better chance they can settle." In 1980, at least 125,000 Cubans came to Miami in boats. The resulting social service burden was enormous, and eventually federal government paid Florida $370 million in emergency assistance to help defray the costs of such a large, irregular migration. This week in Texas, authorities were soon overwhelmed by food stamp applications - 26,000 in four days. Elsewhere in the country, communities taking in Gulf Coast evacuees by the thousands worried about taxing social programs that in many cases already were stretched thin. To avoid that type of an impact, authorities in 1979 began dispersing a flow of 1.4 million Southeast Asian refugees to all 50 states. The social experiment was only partially effective. Although some of those immigrants settled in their new homes, many more soon began a secondary migration to communities where their relatives were living, where the climates were warmer and where Asian-American populations were already in place. When large numbers of people from one culture have moved - by force or by choice - into a new community, there is "real friction and real problems," said Robert Wheelersburg, an anthropology professor at Elizabethtown College in Pennsylvania. This has happened before - at the turn of the 20th century, when blacks moved North in search of jobs, riots broke out in cities like Springfield, Ill. While thousands are being welcomed with warm meals and new clothes around the country this week, Wheelersburg said it is only a matter of time before some tensions emerge. "I think it could create some real cultural problems moving people to different parts of the country," he said. "New Orleans was very unique. There are many places that aren't so diverse." The size of the migration forced by Katrina is mindboggling. "There's just never been anything like this before, with so many displaced people, and they're going to be displaced for so long," said Judith Owens-Manley, director of community research at Hamilton College's Public Affairs Center in Clinton, N.Y. For the Federal Emergency Management Agency, moving this many people has been overwhelming. "This is the largest relocation of any sort of disaster response in our history," said FEMA spokeswoman Natalie Rule. "We're essentially relocating most of the city of New Orleans." But war, economic disaster, religious and social persecution, and natural catastrophes have forced large populations to relocate many times in the nation's history. In the mid-1850s, 70,000 Mormons traveled in wagons from Nauvoo, Ill., to the Great Salt Lake in Utah to start a new community where they could practice their religion in peace. And then there was the Great Migration, a movement that began around 1915, when more than a million blacks moved to Northern cities in about a decade in what was called the Great Migration. These black migrants built new large, vibrant communities in Detroit and Cincinnati, Chicago and New York, as well as in smaller neighborhoods around the country Just as that migration was coming to an end, the Dust Bowl exodus began. This, the largest migration in American history, saw 2.5 million people leave the Midwest and Great Plains, many heading west to California after drought, wind and economic depression destroyed their fields and their livelihood. Historians point out there were also earlier, and deadlier, migrations - some of them forced. The slave trade forced an estimated 12 million Africans to the United States between the 16th and 19th centuries. And in 1838, more than 16,000 Cherokees were compelled to walk along what would later be known as "The Trail of Tears," a death march from Georgia to Oklahoma in which one out of four people died. And of course there have often been mass movements of people overseas. Authorities may find some important lessons in the aftermath of natural disasters abroad, like Hurricane Mitch in Central America and the 2001 earthquakes in El Salvador, which prompted waves of migration, said Vincent Gawronski, a consultant for the U.S. Agency for International Development's Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance. "Large scale disasters in the developing world have always resulted in poor, desperate, unemployed people moving from rural areas to large cities or even to the United States," he said. Gawronski, an assistant professor of political science at Birmingham-Southern College in Birmingham, Ala., said that it wasn't too long after Hurricane Mitch in 1998 that the apprehension rate of undocumented Hondurans spiked at the US-Mexico border. "We now have 'internally displaced peoples' in the United States," he said. "And the communities bordering the disaster zone are going to feel the brunt of an influx of these people looking for shelter and for a job. The Hurricane Katrina disaster is beginning to look more and more like a disaster in the developing world." Trending this week: © 2017. All Rights Reserved. \| Contact Us
What’s in Taiwan? A “mystery disease” broke out among Filipino workers in two Philips plants in Taiwan. Reports reaching the country revealed that Filipina workers were confined at the Veterans General Hospital in Taipei, showing symptoms of that has been identified as the Steven-Johnson Syndrome. The number of those affected reached 59. The illness is believed to be a severe form of hypersensitivity reaction and may be caused by adverse drug reaction, chemical exposure, and radiation infection. A multi-sectoral Philippine team was sent to Taiwan to confer with their Taiwanese counterparts, visit factories and dormitories, and conduct interviews with the Filipino workers. The team reported that over-use of anti-parasitic drugs could have predisposed some of the workers to hypersensitivity. The anti-parasitic drugs were administered to these workers when they come in contact with minute traces of certain chemicals while working at the factory. This reaction might have lowered their immunity and made them vulnerable to opportunistic infections like Mycoplasma pneumonia. A significant observation was that not all Filipina workers in the same factory got sick but mostly those who took several doses of the anti-parasitic drug. The team has strongly discouraged the indiscriminate use of anti-parasitic drugs especially against medical advice. Local clinics screening workers abroad for deployment abroad have been advised accordingly. Furthermore, a ban has been recommended, and is still maintained, in the deployment of workers to the Philips factories in Taiwan. Surveillance of those cases is on-going as of September of this year.
The Bloodbottler in the BFG Instructor: Jenny Homer Jenny has masters' degrees in public health and public administration. In this lesson, we'll get to know the Bloodbottler, one of the giants in Roald Dahl's 'The BFG'. As his name suggests, he's not a very friendly giant. Find out more in the lesson below. The Nine Giants in The BFG Roald Dahl's The BFG is named for one of the main characters, the Big Friendly Giant. There are other giants in the book who are bigger than the BFG, but they're not friendly at all. These nine giants spend their nights traveling to different places around the world to eat people. In the end, the BFG and a girl named Sophie team up and help capture the giants, who are kept at the bottom of a very deep pit in England. This lesson focuses on one of these giants, the Bloodbottler, who is a gross or ''gruesome sight.'' It is much more than just how he looks that makes the Bloodbottler such a ''ghastly brute'' (someone who is rough and mean). In the chapter ''The Bloodbottler,'' Sophie gets a (very) close-up look at the Bloodbottler's appearance, behavior, and attitude. Who is the Bloodbottler? Roald Dahl vividly describes what the Bloodbottler looks like. He's 50 feet tall, much bigger than the BFG. The only thing he's wearing is a ''dirty little piece of cloth around his bottom.'' He has reddish-pink skin; black hair on his arms, stomach, and chest; long and messy hair on his head; and a ''foul face'' with black eyes and a small nose. The Bloodbottler's huge and greedy mouth takes up most of his face. His lips look like ''two gigantic purple frankfurters,'' or hot dogs, and he has ''craggy yellow teeth.'' Even yuckier are the ''rivers of spit'' that cover his chin. The Bloodbottler has lips like frankfurters. Sophie Meets the Bloodbottler The Bloodbottler goes into the BFG's cave, where Sophie is sitting on the BFG's table. She and the BFG are talking and eating a snozzcumber, a disgusting vegetable. A snozzcumber is kind of like a cucumber. From the moment we meet the Bloodbottler, we can see that he isn't a nice guy. With a ''voice like thunder,'' he calls the BFG ''Runt'' because he's smaller than the other giants. He heard the BFG talking and wants to know whether the BFG is hiding a human somewhere. The Bloodbottler acts like a bully. He points ''a finger as large as a tree-trunk at the BFG,'' calls him names like a ''piffling little swishfiggler,'' and grabs his arm. The Bloodbottler has fingers like tree trunks. To unlock this lesson you must be a Study.com Member. Create your account Register for a free trial Are you a student or a teacher? I am a teacher What is your educational goal? Unlock Your Education See for yourself why 10 million people use Study.com Become a Study.com member and start learning now. Become a Member Back Earning College Credit To learn more, visit our Earning Credit Page Create an account to start this course today Try it free for 5 days! Create An Account
incandescence incandescence 1. (n) the phenomenon of light emission by a body as its temperature is raised 2. (n) light from heat Derived Word(s) 1. Her suburban incandescence is warm, not scalding. 2. Although she was not blessed with Redgrave's white-hot, almost alarming incandescence that grand stature mixed with a girlish vulnerability Richardson had her own gifts. 3. Its roof rose into the air and flew apart, its framework splintered, its walls bulged and burst in one enormous moment of concussion and incandescence. Wiki Images for incandescence definition of incandescence meaning of incandescence 1. One Brown ally explains that "there was incandescence in the Treasury when Blair settled on the EU budget in 2005 without sorting out the CAP." on May 10, 2007 By: Gordon Brown Source: International Herald Tribune on Apr 18, 2008 By: Simone de Beauvoir Source: Word of the Day periphery periphery /pə ˈrɪ fə ri /
What is Bluestone? And What’s The Best Use For It. What Is Bluestone Bluestone Lodge Melbourne To begin with bluestone is not a geological term and does not fall within any distinct category such as igneous, sedimentary or metamorphic. Bluestone in fact represents in excess of 20 separate rock varieties. In the U.S. it is usually a kind of sandstone. It is deep blue in colour, but in other areas of the U.S it is a variety of limestone that was formed in deep water and had less subjection to light. Because of this the rock eventually fades from a deep blue to a light grey after it has been exposed the sun. This also applies to bluestone in Canada and Belgium. In Australia there are two varieties of bluestone, one normally known as Victorian Bluestone which is a kind of basalt. Basalt is an igneous rock made up primarily of feldspar and is usually grey to black and fine-grained owing to rapid cooling of lava at the surface of a planet. In South Australia it is known as a type of slate. Slate is a metamorphic rock which is mostly made up of quartz and is typically pale grey or beige in color. It should be noted that it is a great deal less hard-wearing than the Victorian Bluestone. Chinese Bluestone is generally a grey limestone. Limestone is a sedimentary rock that is mainly made up of minerals calcite and aragonite, which are dissimilar crystal forms of calcium carbonate what is bluestone Bluestone as found in the U.K., the most famous being the stones of Stonehenge, is more specially known as Preseli Spotted Dolerite, found in the Preseli Hills of Wales. Dolerite is of a similar composition to basalt. Bluestone found in New Zealand, also known as Timaru bluestone is similar to Victorian Bluestone and is also know as a grey basalt. New Zealand bluestone is primarily quarried in the vicinity of Timara in the south island (hence it’s name) also near Kokonda, central Otago. What one should do if looking for bluestone particularly if you are looking for bluestone tiles or bluestone pavers, is to ascertain precisely what sort of stone they are. For example, if you are looking for bluestone tiles made from basalt you would hardly want to be presented with bluestone tiles formed from sandstone. sandstone is much softer and not quite as hard wearing. Take your local suppliers guidance on what sort of stone tile is the best for the situation in which you desire to make use of them. It is also extremely important to know just how the kind of bluestone selected changes in colour after extended exposure to light. You can find out more about bluestone click on “Bluestone“. To find what is bluestone like please view our selection of Bluestone Tiles and Bluestone Pavers.
Daniel Dennett: Home \| The whole bibliography \| My book on Consciousness Dennett's theory of intentionality is based on the folk concepts of belief, desire, intention and expectation. In order to explain and predict the behavior of a system one can employ three strategies: a "physical stance", which infers the behavior from the physical structure and the laws of Physics; a "design stance", which infers the behavior from the function for which it was designed (we know when a clock alarm will go on even if we don't know the internal structure of the clock); and an "intentional stance", which infers the behavior from the beliefs and desires that the system must exhibit to be rational. The "intentional stance" is the set of beliefs and desires of an organism that allow an observer to predict its actions. Belief and desires are not internal states of the mind which cause behavior, but simply tools which are useful to predict the behavior. No system is really intentional. The process that defines how beliefs and desires are shaped, and how they affect the organism's behavior, has biological roots. If an organism survived natural selection, the majority of its beliefs are true and the way the organism employs them is the most "rational" (beliefs are used to satisfy its desires). From a biological standpoint, the intentional stance defines the relationship between an organism and its environment. The organism continously reflects its environment, as the organization of its system implicitly contains a representation of the environment. Intentional states are not internal states of the system, but descriptions of the relationship between the system and its environment. An intentional state is not separate from the others, but, holistically, it makes sense only to deal with the cognitive state of an organism as a whole, and with its relationship as a whole with the environment. The propositional attitude is defined by a "notional attitude", which is independent of the real world, and a component which depends from the real world. A notional attitude is defined in a "notional world". An agent's notional worlds are the worlds in which all the agent's beliefs are true and all the agent's desires are feasible. Me and my doppelganger on Putnam's twin Earth have the same notional world, but different propositional attitudes (because we live in two different environments). Intentionality defines an organism as a function of its beliefs and desires, which are products of natural selection. The more an agent's notional worlds stride away from the real world, the less the agent is capable of adapting to it. What creates beliefs and desires is the biological function of cognitive mechanisms. Beliefs must be true and desires must be feasible to be useful to survival. However, Brentano's thesis (that the intentional is irreducible to the physical) is true, because strickly speaking there are no such things as beliefs and desires. Dennett's theory allows for an interpretation within an ecological context, in agreement with Gibson's and Neisser's theories; within an ethological context (cognitive profile of a species); and within a philogenetic context (how an organism evolved do adapt continously to its environment).
Are you an intermediate ESL student? Expand your vocabulary with these new words. April 4, 2015 4 April 2015, Improving your vocabulary is essential for progressing from an intermediate English language learner to an advanced learner. An improved vocabulary helps you better communicate; it is easier to understand and be understood during conversation. Additionally, a diverse vocabulary gives you more options during conversations, to better express your thoughts. Consider the difference between “That’s a nice painting” and “The artist chose vibrant colors for this painting and the result is magnificent”. Communication at an advanced level (or academic level) is about impressing as much as about expressing, and having a rich vocabulary is critical. Intermediate ESL vocabulary That said, it is important not to try to learn hundreds of new words every days. You will not gain anything from doing this, other than been frustrated and extremely tired. At Spoken English Practice, we encourage you to get in to the habit of learning a new word (or two) every day. And then try to use these new words when you are speaking with your English tutor or conversation. The key is to build an active vocabulary, and the only way to do that is by using these new words during real conversations in English. Below is a list of eight words that every non native English speaker should learn how to use. Knowing these words will help you articulate yourself better, and make you look like an advanced English speaker. 1.) Fungible Refers to goods similar in quantity and type that can be exchanged. Synonym > interchangeable. For example “In this recipe potatoes are fungible for carrots. The end result will be the same” or “gemstones are not fungible because of their different cuts and sizes”. 2.) Rudderless Literally means a boat with no rudder, more commonly refers to people or organisations that lack direction or control. Synonym > purposeless. For example “John keeps changing his mind about what he wants to study, he’s rudderless” or “the organisation’s debt is a result of the rudderless management”. 3.) Rhetoric Language (spoken or written) that skillfully persuades and influences people; often has negative connotations. Synonym > oratory. For example “The politician’s rhetoric convinced voters to elect him” or “students will study rhetoric in this semester’s English course”. 4.) Intricacies The complexity of something or someone; having many parts or details. Synonym > complexity. For example “The movie showed intricacies; I had to stay focused to follow the plot” or (a variation of the word) “The miniature model of the castle is intricate”. 5.) Astute Mentally clever with the ability to notice and understand things that others may not. Synonym > shrewd. For example “Only the astute reader would have noticed the grammatical error in the article” or “an astute leader will help the team achieve success”. 6.) Surreal Very strange and unusual, seems not real. Synonym > dreamlike. For example “The sunlight forced it’s way through the fog illuminating the water in one specific spot; it was surreal”. 7.) Influx The arrival of a large number of something. Synonym > inpouring. For example “The city experienced an influx of people for the big rock concert” or “the hot weather brought an influx of flies”. 8.) Oblivious Not aware of something or someone, lacking knowledge. Synonym > unaware. For example, “The crash happened because the driver was oblivious of the other car on the road” or “the teenagers were oblivious of the noise they were making”. Again, remember, when it comes to growing your vocabulary, don’t get too greedy. It is about quality not quantity. So keeping growing your vocabulary one word at a time.
Alfred Nobel: the Man Behind the Prize. Only available on StudyMode • Topic: Nobel Prize, Dynamite, Alfred Nobel • Pages : 5 (1953 words ) • Download(s) : 1465 • Published : April 16, 2005 Open Document Text Preview Alfred Nobel: The Man behind the Prize. Alfred Nobel is known for starting the Nobel Prize. This prize is given every year to some of the greatest minds in the world who through their work, help to better society. In opposition to the improvement of society, is the fact that Nobel's other known inventions brought much death and destruction to the world (Frost). This combination of inventions helps to pose the question who was Alfred Nobel, and why did Nobel create this prize to help the world. In this paper I will find out who was the man behind the inventions that brought so much death and destruction to the world. I will also find out why he created this prize to have people work to better the planet and protect life itself. Lastly there have been many awards given out, and I will investigate some of the winners and the role that the Nobel Prize played in their subsequent lives. It seems to me that if it was not for Alfred Nobel's invention of blasting caps and dynamite the industrial revolution and the great gold rush wouldn't be the same as we know it today. The explosive properties of dynamite allowed people to move mountains to build new roads, and dig deeper mines to reach the vast wealth underground. This creation made one of the biggest impacts in the world in my opinion, and it fascinates me to know that the creator of something so powerful seems to have shifted direction in his later years to a more peaceful manner. The reason I wrote this report is that I wanted to find out where Nobel came from and what forces played a role in his creation of such a destructive power. Also, I am very curious what caused his shift in perspective to create a prize to better society. Over the years there have been many winners of the 5 Nobel prizes, and I intend to investigate some of their individual contributions to help determine criteria for winning the prizes. Alfred Nobel was born to Immanuel and Andriette Nobel in Stockholm Sweden on October 21 1833 (Frost). Nobel was the 2nd youngest of 4 children. His father, Immanuel Nobel, was a great inventor but a very poor business man and his mother, whom he dearly loved, "kept the family together" (Fant). After many ill-fated business decisions and going bankrupt, Immanuel Nobel decided to move the family to Russia in the hopes of starting a new life (Fant). The Nobel family settled in St. Petersburg, Russia where Immanuel Nobel started a mechanical workshop. Alfred Nobel started to attend school in St. Petersburg where he excelled in his studies, especially chemistry (Fant). As Alfred Nobel grew into a young man he became well traveled, and consequently learned five different languages fluently (Fant). In his spare time he wrote novels, poetry, and plays (Fant). As Nobel got older, he started to help in his father's workshop. While working at the workshop Nobel learned about and became fascinated by nitroglycerin (Frost). Nobel and his father became very competitive in trying to find out who was better at creating a "massive explosion" (Frost). Young Nobel finally won the competition with his father by using nitroglycerin to create a larger explosive device (Frost). Afterwards, Alfred Nobel discovered how to utilize the power contained within the nitroglycerin compound; however it was still a very volatile substance (Dynamite). Nobel knew there was a huge potential for such an explosive but he needed to figure out a way to make it safer. Nobel "worked 16 hours a day" to find out how to harness the power of this unstable destructive substance (Dynamite). In 1864 a large amount of nitroglycerin exploded accidentally at the factory where Nobel worked with the dangerous substance (Frost). Nobel's younger brother, Emil, was killed in the accident. Determined to find a way to make this explosive safer to use, Nobel returned to work the next day and worked day and night. Nobel never mentioned the accident but did move his experiment to an offshore barge (Frost). After many... tracking img
Sentence Examples • In point of doctrine, they differ in their view of the relation between God Vishnu and the human soul; whilst the former sect define it by the ape theory, which makes the soul cling to God as the young ape does to its mother, the latter explain it by the cat theory, by which Vishnu himself seizes and rescues the souls as the mother cat does her young ones. • Mammals are few in species, but remarkable, especially Macacus niger, an ape found nowhere else but in Bachian; Anoa depressicornis, a small ox-like quadruped which inhabits the mountainous districts; and the babirusa or pig-deer of the Malays. How would you define ape? Add your definition here. comments powered by Disqus
World Earthquake, Tsunami, Volcanic eruption, Politics World earthquake and tsunami forecast incorporates anticipated occurrence of earthquake along with tsunami in every month round the year. Volcanic eruptions, tornado, typhoon, hurricane or cyclone are also predicted monthly. Besides, political situation of the World is predicted from Indian astrology along with destructive events. Important days of the World incorporates eventful dates of every month. Such an important day is specially eventful for the World as a whole as well as for the individuals. Important days can help them guessing impacts of the powerful events of the World. Earth information in the light Vedic science can enable to learn nature and features of the components; soil, water, fire, air and space respectively. Summary of Chinese astrology is also included. Some unique pictures taken by NASA are furnished. This noble endeavor of predicting earthquake, tsunami, volcanic eruptions and political happening might be useful to all. World Earthquake, Tsunami, Important Days, Chinese Zodiac Online World events of earthquake, tsunami, volcanic eruption, mudslide and global political situation are discussed. Important and eventful days to the World as well as to individual is included. Vedic information of earth and its elements are analyzed in different light. Chinese Zodiac in a nutshell has been portrayed. Unique pictures of the World and the space taken by NASA will be of joy. 1. Earthquake and Tsunami of the World 2. Important Days of the World 3. Earth Information 4. Chinese Zodiac 5. Unique Pictures of Space and the World Important TIPS - World Besides World reports, viewers may read the following aspects of life. World Peace is a relative terminology, nothing absolute is possible. - Asish Kumar Das
SQL cover pic Structured Query language (SQL), is used to communicate with the database. SQL provided rich commands to interact with the database and used to perform data manipulation operations. If you want to start from the beginning then you are at right place. This course is designed to provide a closer look at core SQL concepts, syntax along with examples. This course provides SQL Tutorials, Interview Questions, Quiz, self-assessment exercises and books. Browse Social Media
Sand Casting the Engine Block I thought some people might get a kick out of seeing how the sand casting process that we used to make our blocks and crankcases works. It combines a bunch of different manufacturing techniques from rapidprototyping (commonly called “printing”), casting and machining. A mold into which the molten metal will be poured to make the engine block must be made. It has outer walls that define the shape of the outside of the block, and it has “cores” that define the shape of the internal cavities of the part. These are made out of sand that is held together with a binder material. The way these are made these days is to use a laser-sintering process. A computer-controlled laser hardens a thin layer of sand in the shape that is required for the core or mold part. Then a fresh layer of sand and binder is deposited onto the just-hardened layer and the laser makes another pass, building up the part layer-by-layer. Sand cores for the MkII Clarke-Brayton engine Sand cores for the MkII Clarke-Brayton engine Above you can see a variety of the sand cores and molds that were used for our engine block/head. Basically, you need to have sand filling up all the spaces where you do not want metal. Building the mold is kinda like building a “negative” of the engine. All the cores are assembled together. Special coatings are sprayed on to improve the surface finish of the metal and ensure that sand does not stick to it. The cores you see assembled here will be passages within the engine block. Some of these passages will be to allow the air to flow through the engine as needed. Some will be for coolant to flow through making sure the engine does not get too hot.s_CIMG4722 There is a last piece that goes on top of the assembly you see above but unfortunately I do not have a picture of the whole mold ready for pouring. In designing the mold, special care needs to be taken that the molten metal will be able to fill up all the gaps completely, allowing air to escape through vents as more metal is poured in. After the metal cools and hardens, all the sand gets broken up and cleared away, leaving just the metal part!s_CIMG9663 That part is closely inspected using 3D scanners to ensure dimensional tolerances were maintained and x-ray scanners to make sure there are no internal cracks or other problems that cannot be seen from the outside. Next the part is put in to computer-controlled machining centers that will cut away excess material and provide all of the tightly controlled dimensions, surface textures and other features that are required to make an engine work property! Here is a video that shows a similar process being done for a different engine block. This video was not made at the foundry that is casting our parts. First Pour Our first block has been poured at the foundry – ACTech in Freiberg, Germany. I was tempted to title this post as, “It LIVES!” We have been working on computer models of this complicated part for so long, to finally see a photograph of a real block made of compacted graphite iron instead of 1’s and 0’s is very very exciting. MkII Clarke-Brayton Engine block just after being poured at the foundry The block is now being prepared for machining, after which it will look much sleeker! The bulk of our smaller parts are already out for quote and we anticipate beginning testing on August 1st. Maybe I will save the, “It LIVES!” post title for when the engine is actually breathing. Happy Memorial Day, everybody! Motiv Releases Design of MkII Clarke-Brayton Engine I have been woefully absent from these pages the last several months since we started the design effort on the new engine. I am excited to finally be able to share what the team has been working on so dilligently. The MkII Clarke-Brayton Engine is the next step in dramatically reducing fuel consumption in trucks, automobiles and generators without increasing costs. It is also the next step in developing a highly efficient compression-ignition 100% natural gas engine that can meet the up-coming greenhouse gas emissions regulations. This is a boxer configuration split-cycle engine implementing what we have come to call the Clarke-Brayton cycle. The thermodynamics of this engine are virtually identical to our previous “CCI” design but are implemented in a much more conventional way. Everything that we published in our SAE paper at the 2013 World Congress holds true for this engine, but many of the difficulties related to the old engine are resolved. MkII Clarke-Brayton Engine MkII Clarke-Brayton Engine Section of the MkII engine Section of the MkII engine As with the previous design, in the MkII air moves sequentially through three cylinders, starting at the mid-sized cylinders at the top of the section image. This architecture allows us to achieve a 56:1 compression ratio leading to a 30MPa peak pressure. It has far less surface area for heat loss than a comparable conventional diesel due to the very small bore of the combustion chamber. The small combustion piston area leads to lower forces on the crank than a conventional engine would have if it were able to reach similar pressures, reducing rod bearing friction compared to conventional architectures. A lack of net forces on the main bearings due to the opposing forces of the piston pairs reduces main bearing friction compared to conventional engines. It expands exhaust gasses all the way to ambient pressure before the exhaust stroke. Gas transfer from one cylinder to the next is begun at equal pressures on either side of the valve, which keeps velocities low, minimizing pumping losses and eliminates blow-down. The power is produced in almost a 50-50 split between the combustion (central) and exhaust (largest) pistons. There is a power stroke every revolution. All valves are actuated by overhead cams. Piston ring sealing is completely conventional, eliminating the dynamic effects of the old design and greatly reducing the reciprocating mass. The major components of the MkII Clarke-Brayton Engine have already been released to the foundry for casting and everything else should be released for fabrication within a couple of weeks. We will test this summer at a globally renowned engine development lab and I hope to have results to share shortly after that. A team of just three people designed the MkII from a back-of-the-napkin idea to a fully developed test engine in 7 months. Azra Horowitz and John Clarke have both put in herculean efforts to get this done in time despite a couple unexpected thorny technical challenges along the way. I could not be more proud to be working with them.
Embedded FPGA, The Ultimate Accelerator How embedded FPGAs compare to discrete FPGAs. An embedded FPGA (eFPGA) is an IP core that you integrate into your ASIC or SoC to get the benefits of programmable logic without the cost, but with better latency, throughput, and power characteristics. With an eFPGA, you define the quantity of look-up-tables (LUTs), registers, embedded memory, and DSP blocks. You can also control the aspect ratio, number of I/O ports, making tradeoffs between power and performance. FPGAs are optimal hardware accelerators because they provide the extreme acceleration available only from dedicated hardware, but can be reprogrammed, allowing the acceleration logic to be updated with new algorithms and interface standards. Standalone FPGAs are a convenient and practical solution for some applications, but embedded FPGA IP takes the concept to the next level, supporting extremely low latency and high throughput communications with significant cost savings for high-volume applications. Examples of the benefits of eFPGAs include: • Higher performance. The eFPGA is connected to your ASIC through a wide parallel interface, offering dramatically higher throughput, with latency counted in single-digit clock cycles. • Lower power. Programmable I/O circuitry accounts for half of the total power consumption of standalone FPGAs. An eFPGA has direct wire connections to the SoC, eliminating the large programmable I/O buffers altogether. In addition, an eFPGA can be sized exactly to your requirements, and you can tune the process technology to trade off performance vs. power. • Lower system cost. An eFPGA die size is much smaller than standalone FPGAs — the programmable I/O buffers, unused DSP and memory blocks, and over-provisioned LUTs and registers are all eliminated. In comparison, traditional FPGAs have high pin counts with the pins closely spaced, forcing you to manufacture a PCB with many layers. Embedded FPGAs eliminate the need for specialized PCBs, as well as all of the support components such as power regulators, clock generators, level shifters, and passive components. • Higher system reliability and yields. Integrating FPGA functionality into an ASIC improves system-level signal integrity and eliminates reliability and yield loss associated with having a standalone FPGA on the PCB. In future posts, we’ll be discussing some of the technical hurdles we’ve overcome to make this technology available, such as novel approaches to eFPGA/ASIC boundary timing closure and deeply embedded FPGA test pattern generation. We’ll also talk about some of the opportunities for this disruptive technology, such as ultra-fine-grain algorithm acceleration and real-time embedded vision acceleration. Achronix delivers a GDS II representation of its Speedcore IP that can be integrated directly into your SoC or ASIC. We also provide you with a custom, full-featured version of our ACE design tools, that you can use to design, verify and program the functionality of the Speedcore eFPGA. Achronix has been around for over a decade, and has years of experience developing specialized high-performance FPGAs. The Speedcore eFPGA is designed for compute and network acceleration applications and is based on the same high-performance architecture that is in Achronix’s Speedster 22i FPGAs, which have been in volume production for years. Speedcore eFPGAs are architected in a modular fashion to allow you to define the resource requirements, allowing Achronix to rapidly configure the Speedcore IP for delivery. This modular architecture allows Achronix to easily port the FPGA core to different process technologies and metal stacks. Speedcore IP is now available on TSMC 16FF+ and is in development on TSMC 7nm. Related Story Tech Talk: EFPGA Acceleration When and why to use embedded FPGAs, and how they co-exist with—and compare to—other processing elements.
Know Your Terms: A Cloud Glossary Cloud GlossaryTo insiders the cloud is fairly straightforward to understand, but I frequently come across businesses and individuals that have a hazy idea about what the cloud and its associated terms really mean. This situation isn’t helped by cloud-washing and by marketing teams that split ever finer hairs in an attempt to differentiate their clients from each other. It’s difficult to assess the benefits of a technology if you don’t have a firm grasp of what that technology actually is. I thought it would be useful to provide a short glossary of the basic terminology that readers will come across in cloud-focused publications and vendor websites. The meaning of these terms is in flux and some of them are simply used incorrectly by many, so my definitions may differ slightly from those of others, but they reflect an accurate understanding of cloud platforms. Virtualization is the foundational technology underlying cloud platforms. In a nutshell, virtualization allows “virtual” servers to be run on top of physical servers. Virtual servers are more or less comparable to physical servers in their capabilities, but because they are, in effect, software, they are massively more flexible, can be spun up and down in seconds, can be moved between physical servers, and replicated as needed. Public Cloud When most people think of the cloud, it’s the public cloud that comes to mind. Public clouds uses virtualization technology to build an infrastructure layer on top of a vendor’s physical infrastructure. The virtualized infrastructure is then made available to the public via a control panel and API, allowing them to deploy servers and networks of servers very quickly. I’m going to concentrate on Infrastructure-as-a-service here, but public Software-as-a-service and Platform-as-a-Service offerings adhere to the same principle. Private Cloud Private clouds are similar in construction to public cloud services. The only significant difference is that whereas in the public cloud, many different clients are using the same physical infrastructure, private cloud hardware is dedicated to one organization. Private clouds lose some of the cost and scalability advantages of public clouds, but many companies like their IT staff to be accountable for the performance of hardware, rather than a third party — private clouds allow that deeper level of accountability. Hybrid Cloud Simply put, a hybrid cloud is a combination of public and private cloud components that work together. For example, one might run analytics over large data sets in the public cloud, because it is more efficient than buying or leasing the necessary hardware, but then store and access the results of that analysis in a private cloud over which one has more control. Elasticity is related to scalability, but frequently scaling is thought of as scaling up. Cloud platforms can be very quickly scaled both up and down, which can result in significant cost savings, in addition to the obvious performance and availability benefits. Cloud Compatibility In the early days of cloud technology, cloud platforms were built using closed and proprietary technology. It was impossible to move a virtual server or workload from one cloud vendor to another. The result was vendor lock-in. Open standards and open source cloud projects like OpenStack have resulted in cloud platforms becoming more compatible, which helps commoditize cloud resources and foster competition between vendors. Cloud Marketplace The multitude of cloud vendors makes it difficult for potential clients to properly assess the qualities of the various platforms. Cloud marketplaces like ComputeNext work as a brokerage, providing access to many different platforms in a central interface, allowing users to compare vendors and deploy resources much more efficiently than if they had to go directly to vendor sites. Start typing and press Enter to search
"The Giver," Vocabulary from Chapters 9-13 Activities for this list: definitions & notes only words 1. exempt grant relief from a rule or requirement to From this moment you are exempted from rules governing rudeness. 2. prohibited forbidden by law From this moment you are prohibited from dream-telling. 3. dismayed struck with fear, dread, or consternation Jonas might be feeling dread or consternation ("fear resulting from the awareness of danger") about his upcoming training as a Receiver, especially since the Chief Elder had warned him about the indescribable pain. But these feelings are not the same as the discouraging sense of disappointment at discovering that his new schedule would leave him no time to play. 4. compel force somebody to do something 5. restriction an act of limiting The restriction of medication unnerved him. 6. comprehension an ability to understand the meaning of something 7. conceivably within the realm of possibility 8. intricate having many complexly arranged elements; elaborate The intricate designs on the cloth represent the complex memories that Jonas will receive; the designs were embroidered into the cloth with a needle, which parallels the painstaking transfers of the memories through the Receiver's hands into Jonas's body and mind. Just as the cloth contains the intricacies for the functional bed underneath, the Receiver holds the complex memories so that the rest of the community can work and sleep more easily. 9. conspicuous obvious to the eye or mind But the most conspicuous difference was the books. 10. diminish decrease in size, extent, or range 11. successor a person who inherits some title or office But that does not mean I am perfect, and when I tried before to train a successor, I failed. The phrase "I failed" turns the word "successor" into a pun ("success" and "successor" come from the same Latin words "sub" which means "after" and "cedere" which means "to go"). The Giver was unsuccessful in training his successor, who's supposed to come after him and replace him as the Receiver. Even though one can inherit the trait of light eyes that enables perception and reception, s/he must be chosen and trained for the title and office of Receiver. 12. transmit transfer to another “Simply stated,” he said, “although it’s not really simple at all, my job is to transmit to you all the memories I have within me. 13. deft skillful in physical movements; especially of the hands 14. disgrace bring shame or dishonor upon The room was absolutely silent, and for a moment Jonas feared that he might disgrace himself now, on the first day of his training, by falling asleep. 15. torrent an overwhelming number or amount 16. exhilarating making lively and joyful 17. tentative hesitant or lacking confidence; unsettled in mind or opinion Tentatively he opened his eyes—not his snow-hill-sled eyes, for they had been open throughout the strange ride. 18. obsolete no longer in use 19. perceive to become aware of through the senses You should be able to perceive the name without being told. Almost everyone in the community has dark eyes, which represent their inability to see beyond the present. But Jonas, Gabe, and the Giver all have different, lighter eyes, which enable them to perceive and receive the world in all its forms and colors throughout history. 20. quizzically in a questioning manner 21. weary physically and mentally fatigued He seemed terribly weary. 22. admonition cautionary advice about something imminent 23. fleeting lasting for a markedly brief time This time it was not a fleeting impression. This time the sled had—and continued to have, as he blinked, and stared at it again—that same mysterious quality that the apple had had so briefly. 24. wry humorously sarcastic or mocking Then he smiled wryly. “You’ve come very quickly to that conclusion,” he said. “It took me many years. Maybe your wisdom will come much more quickly than mine.” 25. frustration the feeling of being thwarted in attaining your goals But when the conversation turned to other things, Jonas was left, still, with a feeling of frustration that he didn’t understand. 26. irrational not consistent with or using reason 27. astonishing so surprisingly impressive as to stun or overwhelm Jonas glanced around at the astonishing array of volumes. From time to time, now, he could see their colors. 28. assimilate take up mentally "Assimilate" also means "make alike" or "become like one's environment" (Latin "similis" means "like"), which would be a desirable action in a community that "went to Sameness." The Giver is not exactly sure what happened to the memories when they were released, and he doesn't explain how they got assimilated. They couldn't go back to him, so they could have somehow just slowly blended into space and into the people's minds so that they were no longer shockingly different images and emotions. 29. embedded enclosed firmly in a surrounding mass 30. eventually after an unspecified period of time or a long delay "Lie down," he said. "It’s time, I suppose. I can’t shield you forever. You’ll have to take it all on eventually." Sign up, it's free!
An Innovative Institutional Arrangement Which Incorporates the Risk Preferences of Water Users by Norman J. Dudley, Document Type: Proceeding Paper Part of: Risk-Based Decision Making in Water Resources V An innovative institutional arrangement that incorporates the risk preferences of water users is being refined in Australia. It is especially relevant for river and reservoir management in highly variable climatic environments. Its worldwide applicability is likely to increase markedly if the forecast increases in water supply and demand variability come about because of enhanced greenhouse effects. Uncertainty about water supplies and demands caused by unpredictable climatic events is the focus here, rather than other risks such as failure of engineering structures. Four categories of uncertainty about water supply and demand in the current and immediately following seasons can be identified. These depend on the location and design of the system. For three of these, a water user's lack of control over the allocation of the current reservoir contents between use in the current season and carryover for future seasons is a major source of uncertainty and conflict under traditional, centralized reservoir management. Higher carryover means higher supply reliability as well as changed timing of supply, but it also means higher reservoir spillage and lower mean supply. Even if reservoir carryover decisions are made democratically, the outcome for individual water users is likely to become increasingly unsatisfactory as preferences become more diverse and water scarcity intensifies in the future. In contrast, the new institutional arrangement allows water users to determine their own supply reliabilities by managing their own shares of reservoir space, reservoir inflows, and downstream tributary flows. The arrangement is applicable to uses as diverse as flood control, riverflow maintenance, urban and industrial supply, wetland maintenance, pollution dilution, and irrigation. Known as `capacity sharing,' it encompasses two basic forms - percentage sharing of streamflows and priority sharing of streamflows. It allows individual users, or groups of similar users, to manage their water supplies as if each user had his own small reservoir on his own small stream. Each can manage his water supply according to his risk preferences. As well, each is encouraged to use water efficiently since any water saved in one period is his own to use later. Users can determine their water supply probabilities much more objectively, which aids long-term planning. The plan provides a superior property right for water marketing, which further promotes economic efficiency of water use and incorporation of risk preferences. Diagrams are used to explain these features. Subject Headings: Reservoirs \| Risk management \| Water demand \| Uncertainty principles \| Water conservation \| Streamflow Services: Buy this book/Buy this article Return to search
How to Grow: Groundcherry Learn about groundcherries, including varieties and how to plant and grow them. Listen to Podcast: ground-cherries-When is a tomato, not a tomato? When it’s a cherry? If that doesn’t make much sense, you’ll understand the confusion over ground cherries. These tomato family fruits grow close to the ground. The “cherry” refers to the yellow fruit inside the papery husk. The fruits have a sweet flavor with just a hint of tomato. Ground cherry is native to Chile and Peru. European explorers introduced it to South Africa in the 1800s and that’s how it got one of its common names, the Cape gooseberry. It’s also known as the Inca berry, golden berry or my favorite, Amour en cage, or love in a cage. Ground cherries have also gotten popular. We recently returned from a vacation in Maine and saw ground cherries for sale for $6/pint at a local market. Luckily, you don’t have to spend that kind of money to have these tasty treats in your garden. If you can grow tomatoes, you can grow ground cherries. Select named varieties such as ‘Goldie’ and start them indoors 6 weeks before your last frost. Transplant seedlings into well-drained, compost-amended soil in full sun. I pay little attention to our ground cherries until September when they come into full glory. Harvest the papery husks when they turn yellow or drop off the plant. The “love in a cage” is the yellow fruits inside that keep producing until frost. Once you grow ground cherries in your garden you’ll have them forever. They self sow readily. Each spring I thin out our patch of seedlings, spacing them 1 foot apart. You can eat them fresh, or make pies, salsa, jams or bread. You can even buy some ground cherry fruits at the local farmer’s market now and spread some of the fruits in your garden. The seeds will survive the winter and germinate next spring. From the Vermont Garden Journal.
myAfrica BETA User Guidelines \| Account/Register \| Get Help Edwin James Barclay Edwin James Barclay Edwin James Barclay (1882-1955) was a Liberian politician. He served as President of the country from 1930 until 1944. More by user: miba Created: 22nd Jul 2008 Modified: 22nd Jul 2008 Professional Information Working primarily in: Description of Work: Edwin Barclay, a member of the True Whig Party which ruled at that time, served as foreign minister and secretary of state of Liberia in the government of Charles D.B. King from 1920 until 1930. He became President of Liberia in 1930 when President King and Vice-President Allen B. Yancey resigned because of a scandal. He was elected in his own right for the first time in 1931. Barclay was selected to complete King's term as president. One of his first official decisions was to repeal the famous Port of Entry Law of 1864 that had restricted the economic activities of foreigners in the country. Subsequently, in the early 1930s concession agreements were signed between the Liberian Government and Dutch, Danish, German and Polish investors. The depression of the 1930s brought Liberia to the verge of bankruptcy. By 1931, it became apparent to the Liberian administration that continued loan repayments were not possible. The government asked for consideration from the lending bank and Firestone but to no avail. Firestone attempted to use the United States Government, to force the Liberian Government to comply with the loan agreement, through the use of gunboat diplomacy. U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt rejected this interference in Liberia internal affairs, in a memorable memorandum to the State Department, Roosevelt wrote: "At all times we should remember that Firestone went to Liberia at his own financial risk, and it is not the business of the State Department to pull his financial chestnut out of the fire except as a friend of the Liberian people." Ultimately, the Liberian Legislature passed the Moratorium Act suspending payment of this loan until terms could be negotiated that were more suitable to Liberia's ability to pay. Barclay is credited with helping the country survive some of Liberia's greatest threats to its sovereignty in that country's history. These included threats by the League of Nations led by Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States to recolonize the country unless reforms were made, aggressive actions by France and a coup attempt by the Firestone Tire and Rubber Company which owned much of Liberia's land. When Barclay appealed to the League of Nations for financial aid, the Council of the League of Nations expressed a willingness to assist Liberia with certain stipulations. The League of Nations drew up a plan of assistance which could have, if it had been implemented, eventually abrogated the independence of Liberia. One chief sticking point was the League's requirement to have their delegates placed in key positions within the Liberian government. Barclay and other Liberian officials considered this request to be an infringement upon the sovereignty of Liberia. When Liberia refused to accept the League's plan, the major powers, including the United States, withdrew recognition of the Barclay's administration. In 1934, President Franklin Roosevelt restored diplomatic relations with Liberia, after President Barclay implemented some of the measures that had been proposed by the League of Nations. After three years of negotiation, an 'agreement' was reached along lines suggested by the League, which were beneficial to Firestone. Two key officials were placed in positions to advise the government, but with limitations set forth by the Liberian government. Loan payments were continued with the assistance of the League. Barclay retired in 1944 and was replaced by William Tubman. On May 27, 1943, Edwin Barclay became the first black man to appear as a guest of honor before the United States Congress and be officially introduced from its rostrum. He was repaying President Franklin D. Roosevelt for the trip he had made to Liberia after the Casablanca Conference. Biographical Information Edwin James Barclay (At a Glance) Gender: male Interests: Politic, Culture, Art Place of Origin: Liberia Edwin Barclay's paternal grandparents moved from Barbados to Liberia with their children in 1865. Edwin's father, Ernest Barclay and uncle, Arthur Barclay were also important Liberian politicians. In 1901, at the age of 19, Edwin wrote a Liberian patriotic song, "The Lone Star Forever." (source wikipedia) More People Liberia, Social Sciences Occupations, Liberia Liberia, Administration Most Active Stories
What is done during a joint injection/aspiration? We use local anesthesia when we are injecting fluid into joints or taking fluid out of the joint through aspiration. If we inject fluid, it is meant to medicate the joint in someway, whereas if we take fluid out of the joint, it is generally to collect fluid that can be tested by our laboratory as a way to help us determine the health of your joint. What benefit is derived from a joint aspiration? The fluid we acquire from the joint can be analyzed in a number of ways. For example, we can assess the number of white blood cells or red blood cells, which are indicators of immune health. We can evaluate the potential for gout or pseudogout with crystal analysis. We can also look directly for infection through culturing procedures. At times, removing fluid from the joint is meant to be therapeutic, as removing excess fluid can reduce pain and increase mobility. Similarly, injections can sometimes also result in these outcomes. What is usually injected into the joint space, and what is the benefit? Injections for the joint can be used to address many conditions, which are typically inflammatory problems. These conditions include different forms of arthritis and gout. Anti-inflammatory injections of corticosteroids such as methylprednisolone or triamcinolone prevent the gathering of cells that leads to inflammation of the joint. Other agents, such as hyaluronic acid, can lubricate the joint, thereby providing pain relief and increased mobility. Which joints are usually injected? Joint injections can be used for a number of joints and are often used for the knee, ankle, elbow, shoulder, wrist, thumb, and other small joints in extremities. Lower back joints can also receive injections. Though the hip joint can be injected, it may require fluoroscopy for guidance. What are the risks of joint injections and aspirations? Most of the side effects associated with putting a syringe into joints are local. These effects include allergic reactions that irritate the skin. The joint may swell after injections and cause some pain. This reaction occurs in about 1 out of 50 patients. Other local reactions that occur much less frequently are whitening of the skin around the injection point, thinning of that skin, and tendon rupture. In rare occasions, systemic side effects, such as fevers, organ reactions, and rashes may occur. Infection is a risk, but infections due to injections and aspirations are extremely rare. For instance, less than 1 in 15,000 corticosteroid injections results in infection. These medications act locally and have few systemic side effects (such as a fever, rash, or a disturbance of an internal organ).
Saturday, August 24, 2013 Make Learning FUN, ASCD, Best Practices - Part 2 2. Was the activity copied from a textbook? 1. Loved this! I have said this for years and the argument back is "how else do you determine a grade?" My response is it isn't an accurate grade anyway.. I always marvel how some kids who have no idea what they are doing can figure out the right answers on a worksheet. Give that child an "A" for survival skills! First Grade by the Sea 2. Thanks Pauline. I find talking to the kids and listening to their questions helps me to know what they do and don't understand. Then when they write about it I can assess them After I know they really get it. I agree survival is NOT the name of the game.
With a mission to explore, explain and protect the natural world, the California Academy of Sciences’ incredibly innovative 412,000 square foot structure has become the world’s greenest museum and is sure to attract many seekers with similar goals in mind. In hand with their focus of understanding how life has evolved and how can it be sustained, their new building is saturated with sustainability from its walls that are insulated with recycled blue jeans, to its vast energy generating solar canopy, radiant floor heating, glass walls which provide 90% of the buildings lighting needs, and a 2.5 acre living roof whose six inches of topsoil act to prevent valuable rainwater from becoming another casualty of the storm water drainage system. While taking in the museum’s novel new appearance, one’s eyes are immediately drawn to the living rooftop blanketing the building with native plants that will host numerous species of birds, butterflies, and insects. This earthen roof reduces the inside air temperature by 10 degrees and is one of the reasons why many eco-minded individuals are choosing to build into the earth instead of making their presence known up top. Besides trimming down on energy consumption and reducing erosion and water waste, these sub-surface hideaways allow free roaming creatures to better survive amidst an increasingly humanistic habitat. For more information on hobbit-approved housing, visit: subsurfacebuildings.com and be sure to learn more about the California Academy of Sciences green makeover at calacademy.org/.
Text size: A \| A \| A [Print] What kind of recreational opportunities does wilderness offer? The Wilderness Act calls for "outstanding opportunities for solitude or a primitive and unconfined type of recreation" in wilderness. The challenge is to provide recreational opportunities while keeping wilderness an area "without permanent improvement or human habitation, an area "...where man himself is a visitor who does not remain." Visitors must accept wilderness largely on its own terms, without modern facilities provided for their comfort or convenience. Users must also accept certain risks, including possible dangers arising from weather conditions, physical features, and other natural phenomena, that are inherent in the various elements and conditions that comprise a wilderness experience and primitive methods of travel. Wilderness visitors enjoy camping, hiking, hunting, horse packing, fishing, climbing, canoeing, and many other wilderness-dependent activities. Give us your feedback
Power Dissipation in a Conductor When a conductor carries a current, the process is not 100% efficient. The conductor heats up so some of the energy used to drive the current through the wire is wasted as heat. We can find an expression for the amount of energy so wasted. We can write this as We can write this as Multiply these together to obtain This means that when a potential differenceis applied along a conductor, causing it to carry a currentheat is generated in the conductor at a rate, We can obtain other expression for the power consumed using Ohm's law, Substituting this directly into the equation forgives Alternatively we can write It is important to realise that V above is the potential difference (also called the voltage drop) across the conductor, and not the voltage applied to one ened. For instance, a power cable may have a voltage applied at one end of 4000 V, but the voltage drop may be only 40V across the entire length of the conductor. If the resistance of the conductor isthe power dissipated is then
Ancient Laws, Modern Wars Victor Davis Hanson reminds us of some ancient learning, and helps us apply it to the present day. After eight years of withdrawal, what rules should the U.S. follow to effectively reassert itself in world affairs? The most dangerous moments in foreign affairs often come after a major power seeks to reassert its lost deterrence. The United States may be entering just such a perilous transitional period. Read more at: […] 1. Avoid making verbal threats that are not serious and backed up by force. After eight years of pseudo-red lines, step-over lines, deadlines, and “game changers,” American ultimatums without consequences have no currency and will only invite further aggression. 2. The unlikely is not impossible. Weaker powers can and do start wars. Japan in December 1941 attacked the world’s two largest navies based on the false impression that great powers which sought to avoid war did so because they were weak. That current American military power is overwhelming does not mean delusional nations will always agree that it is so — or that it will be used. 3. Big wars can start from small beginnings. No one thought an obscure Austrian archduke’s assassination in 1914 would lead to some 18 million dead by 1918. Consider any possible military engagement a precursor to far more. Have a backup plan — and another backup plan for the backup plan. 4. Do not confuse tactics with strategy. Successfully shooting down a rogue airplane, blowing up an incoming speedboat, or taking an ISIS-held Syrian city is not the same as finding a way to win and end a war. Strategic victory is time-consuming and usually involves drawing on economic, political, and cultural superiority as well as military success to ensure that a defeated opponent stays defeated — and agrees that further aggression is counterproductive. via Military Deterrence & Trump’s Leadership Abroad: Principles for Foreign Policy \| National Review Read the whole thing.™ There’s more there and they are all true, useful, and important. One that we Americans are very prone to is number four above. It’s always a problem, where is the dividing line. There is a murky area in there as well that some theorists coming after Clausewitz refer to as the ‘operational’. While I see their point, which is valid, these theories are already too complex, so it is best to do our best to maintain a sharp clear line. If they are doing their job, the TLAM strike in Syria in Syria was strategic. It may or may not deter Hasan, although that is certainly desirable, but it depends on his calculus of survival. If he thinks he is more likely to survive by doing such things, he will. He is, after all, a man of weak morals, caught in a corner. He will do his best to survive, just as Saddam did. But the point of that strike, which occurred while the President was having dinner with the Chinese Premier, was not Syria. It was Iran and North Korea, and it was notice to their sponsor states, Russia and China, that we were quite unhappy, and that the eagle just might scream in other parts of the world. It’s important to realize that the United States, while it may be possible to destroy it, it can only be destroyed by what is essentially a nation level suicide-bombing, and only Russia (and maybe China) can do it. America’s only real enemies are internal. And that too has precedent, especially with Rome. Are we there? I don’t think so, but there are troubling signs. My reading is that the first signs of decline are corruption, venality, and a deterioration of will. I do see these signs in abundance, and we would be wise to check our course. Or maybe we did, and that why we have Trump. Guns of August, Redux courtneyskiniSome may well call this a fantasy, but is it? Or is it what happens when America takes the gloves off, and decides some more winning is in order. “On July 29th 20 Iran successfully launches a Shahab rocket and orbiting satellite, proving it has a formidable functioning delivery vehicle, then announces it has produced sufficient fissionable material at its Natanz facility to build two nuclear bombs in 2017 and begins work on underground test facilities in the basalt formations beneath the great salt desert of Dacht-e-Kavir. Supreme Leader Ali Khameini announces boldly that his nation has manufactured weapons-grade fissionable material enriched to nearly 100% (in lieu of 5% enrichment for peaceful nuclear reactors). Two days later Great Satan launches the most audacious regional series of regime changes ever implemented in history, Officially dubbed ‘Operation Boundless Freedom” Allies and enemies alike refer to it as ‘Operation Great Satan” 3 Iranian submarines are destroyed – 1 in the Med, 1 in the Atlantic and 1 in the Indian Ocean. Another surrenders and defects near Barcelona. Naval and air force assets at Bandar Abbas are hit with a combination of missiles and a French- Saudi Amphibious assault from Qatar and the UAE. Waves of Tomahawk cruise missiles streak through Persian aerospace from ships and subs – effectively targetting the Iranian air force – air fields, missile sites and air defense systems are struck down within hours. Communications are totally co opted or overwhelmed cybernetically. B2 Stealth bombers sortee to to strike IRRGC command and control HQ’s. “American warplanes and missiles carefully avoid striking research reactors in Teheran and Ispahan as well as the nuclear reactor at Bousher–less than 100 kilometers from Kuwait–as well as the centrifuges themselves at Natanz in an effort to prevent the spread of radioactive material to nearby population centers. However, other missiles producing electromagnetic pulses do knock out virtually all of Iran’s electric grid and computer systems” Airborne troops from Great Britain and Great Satan sieze all passes through the Zagros mountains – effectively cutting Iran in half. Special Forces strike and hold especial clerical compounds in Tehran and Qom right before Friday prayers. Nearly 20% of Iran’s ruling praetorian guards and mullahs are captured, killed or missing by breakfast time. Armed insurgencies break out across Iran as ex and au currant MEK groups strike, sieze and hold towns and cities. Great Satan’ s seaborne regime changing Marines hit the surf just north of the Litani river in Lebanon and methodically grind and leap frog straight through the heart of Hiz’B’AllahLand. Known missile batteries and weapons caches (many in innocent civilian rich areas) are captured by chopper borne marines and French commandos or trashed. HBA’s command complex in Beirut is clamped shut by heavily armed Marines after precision cruise missile strikes. Al Manar – HBA’s ‘suicide channel’ seems to be co opted – running a marathon of “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy” in Arabic overdubs. All communications in the ME are totally wacked – from Bashar’s Al Sana network to Al Jazeera – regular programming has been replaced with the most outrageous cable quality programming Great Satan can jam like “Playboys Girls Next Door” and choice selections from ‘Girls Gone Wild’ Within 5 days, Iran is reduced to a state of near paralysis, unable in any sense to retaliate militarily, its entire economic infrastructure in shambles. By this time the largest armored division in history has left Iraq and “Old Ironsides” is within striking distance of a thunder run into downtown Tehran. via GrEaT sAtAn”S gIrLfRiEnD: Guns Of August, more at the link. Will it happen like that, of course not, this is a theoretical. But something very like it could happen if Iran pushes Donald Trump. He has given no indication, ever, that he plays to do anything but win. And a two-week war, followed by the other country starting to rebuild itself, and remember Iran under the Shah was a pretty secular place, and there are still lots of non-Moslems there, fits that description, I think. You, of course, remember all the hand wringing back before the Iraq wars about Saddam’s vaunted troops, how good they were and how we would take enormous casualties, and how they had stood off Iran for a decade. Yeah, the answer is two words “Thunder Run”, or if you prefer “73 Easting”. That we’ve been thrashing around attempting to assassinate individual terrorists for a few years because of a lack of leadership, does not indicate that is all we can do. And something else here, this version is from Great Satan’s Girlfriend, but the study was written by Francois Heisbourg. The bio states this: For there are some extraordinary surprises in this consummate, if brief, but brilliantly conceived work by the man who is perhaps Europe’s leading global thinker–chairman of the London-based International Institute for Strategic Studies, adviser to French presidents and ministers of defense and foreign affairs going back to Valery Giscard d’Estaing and top adviser to French arms makers from Thompson to Matra. Friday Roundup Cleaning out some tabs, interesting stuff that we’ve been hoarding. Well, yeah, he makes some sense to me, at that, From Melanie Phillips: The hand-wringing by western politicians and commentators over the appalling humanitarian catastrophe in Aleppo reveals something far worse even than the nauseating virtue-signalling of pointlessly blaming themselves for having decided not to bomb Syrian President Assad’s forces. It reveals they still don’t understand just how morally culpable they actually are. The current breast-beating is all about how the US and Britain made a terrible mistake in not bombing Assad’s forces years ago in this dreadful war. But the issue that made them back away was valid then and remains valid now: that those who might come to power if Assad were removed would be as bad, if not worse, for both the Syrian people and the rest of the world. People were, however, totally missing the point then just as they are doing now. Assad is the puppet of the Iranian regime whose infernal purposes, in gaining regional power in order to perpetrate genocide against Israel and jihadi terrorism against the west, he dutifully serves. Iran needs Assad in power. Without Iran, Assad would not be committing these atrocities. To stop him, the west needs to stop Iran. Seems to me, she has a point, rather as if we had let Germany conquer Russia while we dealt with Japan. The Schwerpunkt the Grossgeneralstab called it. Apply force where it will do the most to damage the enemy, not the least. -Mark Steyn on the passing of John Glenn Churchill on America and Britain Still so, as proved this year. All three from Ace’s An American Hero Story here In a remarkable World War II story that almost went untold, a devoutly Christian US Army sergeant refused to turn over his Jewish soldiers to the Nazis, even after a gun was placed to his head. Now, 30 years after his death, the Jewish people are showing their appreciation for his bravery. Roddie Edmonds was a humble man and didn’t speak about his experiences in World War II, even when his children inquired. When he passed away over 30 years ago, his widow gave his wartime diaries to their son, Baptist Pastor Chris Edmonds, in Maryville, Tennessee. Sergeant Roddie Edmonds in uniform.Photo by: Yad Vashem/Wikimedia Commons A few years ago, one of the pastor’s daughters read through the diaries for a college project and was amazed at what she found. Despite being taken prisoner of war shortly after arriving in Europe, her grandfather was a hero. He had saved hundreds of Jewish soldiers, motivated only by his Christian belief. Edmonds was a Master Sergeant with the 422nd Infantry Regiment in the US Army. On December 16, 1944, just a few months after arriving in Europe, Edmonds found himself fighting in the disastrous Battle of the Bulge. The last major German offensive campaign of World War II, it caught the Allied Forces by surprise, resulting in 89,000 casualties. On December 19, Edmonds and an estimated 23,000 other American soldiers were taken prisoner by the Germans. The sound of American Heroism: “We are all Jews,” Edmonds calmly replied. Iran’s defense minister: Trump could trigger “world war” and “destruction” of Israel if he provokes Iran Thinks he's qualified to tell the United States what to do Thinks he’s qualified to tell the United States what to do Well! I guess we’ve been warned. During his campaign, Trump was strongly critical of the agreement that saw Iran agree to limits on its nuclear program in exchange for the lifting of international sanctions on its oil industry and finances. In September 2015, the billionaire told a crowd: ‘Any commander-in-chief worthy of defending this nation should be prepared to stand up on 20 January 2017 [inauguration day] and rip to shreds this catastrophic deal.’ He also called the deal a ‘disaster’ and ‘the worst deal ever negotiated’. This has led to panic among US allies in the Gulf, Iranian Defense Minister Hossein Dehghan has claimed. And so the Jackals circle and whine. My thought is that if Iran is hell-bent on having a war with the United States and our allies, as it has seemed since the 70s, then it would be best (least bad, really) to just do it now, before they get nuclear weapons. Ambitious sods, aren’t they? One remembers that Saddam’s Iraq fought this bunch to a stand still for 10 years, I see little to make me think they have learned anything. Still, I suppose if they want to try this on, at some point we will have to accommodate them, even if to us it looks like a waste of blood (mostly theirs) and treasure. We do have maritime trade, and our allies, including Israel to protect, and maybe a sharp lesson would be salutary for others as well. For me, the key lessons from the last 16 or so years are these. 1. Think hard, before voluntarily going to war, it’s almost never a good idea. 2. We have no mandate to fix every problem in the world. We do have allies we’ve pledged to defend. 3. If one must fight, fight hard and win decisively. 4. This ain’t the Pottery Barn, if we didn’t start the war, we have no obligation whatever to clean up the mess, or pay for it. We may choose to do so if we reckon it’s in our interest, but it’s voluntary. You want to play with the big kids, well the big kid rules are in play. East of Eden 146968_600In 1949, the Truman administration withdrew the American forces occupying South Korea and in January 1950 the Secretary of State, Dean Acheson, delivered his famous ‘Perimeter Speech’ which pointedly placed Korea outside our perimeter. It was a major blunder. In June 1950, North Korea attacked, causing the Korean War. The war was fought gallantly by amongst others, the very US forces that had been withdrawn. It was a costly mistake, in both treasure and blood. The war ended mostly because the newly elected General Eisenhower would not rule out the use of nuclear weapons to end it. Why are we rehashing this now? Because a similar scenario faced Obama in 2009. In Iraq, we had defeated everybody who cared to play. Yes, the initial war (and especially its aftermath) had its problems, mostly caused by not enough troops there to do the job of pacification. But again, when Bush bit the bullet and committed to the surge, eventually the country was pretty much pacified. In his rush to leave Iraq, Obama made the same sort of blunder. Unlike Truman, he didn’t immediately institute repairs, however costly. Going all the way back to World War II, we had been a counterweight to any and all the extremist groups in the area. Jess said a few day ago, that Britain never had all that much force east of Eden, but British forces were feared. The same was true, except occasionally for the United States. The Middle East never required huge forces over time. Although, at times, it did require large forces, as during the gulf wars. What they did require was the absolute support of Israel, and some small forces, in theater, and the fact of large forces available. That was enough to hold the balance, and keep the fanatics, mostly quiet. That was really not all that much strain for America. Simply having a few thousand troops in Iraq seemed to intimidate all the nutters into keeping the peace. And, in fact, it was safer than Chicago is now. In a way, it was a less stable counterpart to the Cold War. The forces were held in equilibrium, not so much by what America would do, as by what she could do. But even what she would do was impressive. I doubt many Arab powers were unimpressed by the steady flow of American supplies, flown nonstop from CONUS by the Air Force, during the Yom Kippur war in 1973, in the face of denied overflight rights from all Europe. Who doesn’t want friends like that? You think that maybe had something to do with peace between Israel and Egypt, signed a few years later at Camp David, and which has held (mostly) ever since? Much the same is true for Jordan, and Saudi Arabia, problematic as its religion has always been for the US. This carefully wrought work of generations, starting possibly with Eisenhower’s intervention, against our two oldest allies, Britain and France, in Suez, in favor of Egypt. This is what Obama has ruined. he has brought it to the point that no one in the region, has any trust in the word of the United States, nor should they. Over the last 8 years, we have proved to be a feckless, toothless allies, almost always willing to support the wrong side. The post-Pax America middle east is proving to be a cesspit, that threatens the health of the entire world. Jess’ title was (and is) apt. The tectonic plates are in fact shifting, and where they will end up and the earthquakes they will cause is unknowable but very unlikely to be good for much of anybody. Lessons? Probably a few. The main one might be that countries driven by the voters are not very reliable over the long term, at least usually. Perhaps living under the existential threat of the Soviet Union forced the people of the United States to buckle down and think long-term, but perhaps instead it was the World War Two generation’s horror at what they had to endure to repair the mistakes of their father’s generation that caused the unusual situation. I think it likely was both. There’s something that sharpens the mind, when in elementary school, you are seriously practicing “duck and cover” that the softer generations that followed mine will never know. or maybe they will, on the streets of home, as the terror attacks mount. But whatever the cause, Obama has thrown away the carefully crafted perception of power that sustained quasi-peace in the middle east for generations. What will replace it, other than deadly chaos, is unknown. Although the Pakistani guaranty of Saudi territorial integrity may provide a gruesome clue. I do know this, whatever (if anything) that is to replace that chaos, America will have to lead, and the will to do so has been lacking for ten years. If she doesn’t, and that doesn’t really mean she’ll have to intervene that often, but she must show her inflexible will on behalf of her friends, or chaos will ensue, and likely envelop Europe as well. Syria, Just War, Unlikely Allies, and a Bit More. So tonight Parliament will vote on joining us, the Russians, the French and some others in air attacks in Syria (they already are in Iraq). It’s a contentious issue, as you might imagine. Obama’s throwing away the belated victory that GEN Petraeus gave us left a foul taste in their mouth, as it did many of ours. Jeremy Corbin is against it, of course. He is against it as near as I can tell because it might be good for western civilization. That said he may be right, even if for the wrong reasons. David Cameron claims to lead a Christian nation, and in fact, there are many exemplary Christians in the United Kingdom. But if he truly believes that, he should be able to justify intervention on Christian grounds. That is difficult. When Christian nations go to war (and that is what this amounts to) they should be guided by the Just War Theory. This was mostly written by Thomas Aquinas, and later expanded by The School of Salamanca. For the most part, we all abide with the Roman Catholic Church’s Just War Doctrine which states: • there must be serious prospects of success; And this is where the problem is. There is almost no chance of air strikes achieving peace if the they abide with proportionate force. Those are what in logic we call an “AND Statement”. They all have to be true, and that cannot happen. So Corbyn is arguably right, but because his premise is so wrong, he is essentially eliminated from the discussion. I see the New York mob has told ISIS that they will protect New Yorkers as well. many are treating it as somewhat of a joke. That’s easy to do, but it’s not all together. If one were to look at World War Two, one would find that the mafia (under Lucky Luciano) had much to do with keeping the Port of New York working smoothly, they do have some power, and it’s not always used for evil. There’s also this, one of my nieces used to live in Brooklyn, in Gambino’s neighborhood, in fact, and during the days when New York was out of control. But not her neighborhood, she says she barely had to lock her car, security was so good, and no, it wasn’t the NYPD. Don’t look gift horses in the mouth, the Mob isn’t a bunch of do-gooders, but when our interests coincide, it’s better to have them on our side than not. George Will writing in The Washington Post speaks of Hitler, not as a madman, but as the implementor of a coherent worldview. It is a far more scary view than as a madman, especially if we were to apply it to a nuclear Iran. Here’s a bit: Snyder presents a Hitler more troubling than a madman, a Hitler implementing the logic of a coherent worldview. His life was a single-minded response to an idea so radical that it rejected not only the entire tradition of political philosophy but also the possibility of philosophy, which Hitler supplanted by zoology. “In Hitler’s world,” Snyder writes, “the law of the jungle was the only law.” The immutable structure of life casts the various human races as separate species. Only races are real and they are locked in mutual and unassuageable enmity, in Hitler’s mind-set, because life is constant struggle over scarcities — of land, food and other necessities. Source: Does Iran’s anti-Semitism run too deep for deterrence? Hat tip and more from: Hitler’s worldview I really meant to write today about the ridiculous crony-capitalist fraud-o-rama taking place in Paris this fortnight, but it will have to wait for another day. As long as India says go away, and China and the US are not willing to go back to the thirteenth century standard of living, it’ll be ignored, just as Kyoto was. Another good reason not to elect Hillary! though. %d bloggers like this:
Assignment help The misuse of technology is not only affecting an individual at present time, but can result in a long term issue as well. They adopt bad habits such as chat speak, which causes proper English to fade out of their lives, the excessive use of a calculator, which limits their mental capabilities, as well as being lazy and not going outdoors to get some required exercise which may lead to future health related issues. According to the American Record Guide, the problem with most of these technologies is that they isolate people, kill conversation, and encourage sedentary behavior (make people lazy and fat). They also waste time that may be useful (Vroon, 53). One example given by the author is television, which he feels leads to a plethora of problems.”Television, for example, isolates people and destroys conversation. These days the family seldom even watches television together-there are too many sets in every household. TV destroys attention span-just another way it turns people against reading. It creates passivity, controls people’s thoughts, sets the terms of politics, teaches people to want things they don’t need, and stimulates the appetite for junk food. It is mind-numbingly intrusive and invasive. Its speed and aggression are downright pugnacious. It is even turning people into wimps”
When Avicenna (Ibn-e-Sina), the great Iranian physician and philosopher, was young, one day he was traveling to another city. He was riding a mule and had all his books loaded on another mule. As it happened he crossed the territory of a band of brigands. The bandits saw the lone rider and the two mules as easy prey and attacked and overcame the hapless scholar. They robbed him of all his belongings and the two mules. Avicenna pleaded with the chief of the outlaws to let him have his books back since they were no use to them, but they were the sum total of his knowledge. As it happens the head bandit was a wise and insightful person and could tell that this young student had much potential. He gave him a single mule and his books back and told him, “Remember only that knowledge is yours which is contained in your head.” Avicenna headed the thief’s advice and was on his way to becoming one of the greatest physicians in the history of humanity. Leave a Reply
23 December 2008 When you first get up in the morning, your muscles and soft tissues are tight. In fact, at that time your muscles are generally about 10 percent shorter than their normal resting length. As you move around, they stretch to their normal length. Then when you start to exercise, your muscles stretch even more to about 10 percent resting length. This means that you have a 20 percent change in muscle length from the time you get out of bed until your muscles are well warmed up. According to the basic laws of physics, muscles work more efficiently when they are longer; they can exert more force with less effort. This means, too, that longer muscles are much less prone to injury. © Free Blogger Templates 'Greenery' by Ourblogtemplates.com 2008 Back to TOP
Wednesday, 28 May 2014 Left brains and right brains in English language teaching Author Gaetan Lee . Tilt corrected by Kaldari. CC From Wiki If you've seen my IATEFL talk, you'll know that someone asked why I didn't include 'left brained/right brained' teaching. Well, as I mentioned then, one of the reasons is that Philip had already done a pretty thorough job of critiquing it. Unfortunately the article in question was not available online, -until now that is! Left brain / right brain differences in ELT If you ever go to ELT conferences or read magazines for language teachers, you will probably have come across references to the differences between left and right brains. For example, at the 2006 TESOL France Colloquium, Rita Baker gave a presentation entitled ‘The Global Approach to Understanding English Tenses’, the abstract for which says that ‘the Global Approach is a 'whole brain', visual and kinaesthetic way of teaching and learning, starting with the 'big picture' (right brain) so that the 'details' (left brain) can be understood in context.’ An article by Larry Lynch (2007),entitled ‘Using Right and Left Brain Activities in English Language Teaching and Learning’, describes the importance of developing the different skills and abilities located on either side of the brain. One best-selling international coursebook (Cunningham & Moor, 2005) offers a quiz for students that asks them to consider whether they are left or right brained. The examples I have given here are purely illustrative: a quick internet search will bring up many, many more. The popular history of left brain / right brain differences The power of metaphor References and further reading Darn, S. (2005) Neuro Linguistic Programming in ELT Dörnyei, Z. (2005) The Psychology of the Language Learner. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Monday, 19 May 2014 EBEFL asks part 2: The evidence strikes back... One odd thing that happened after IATEFL was people suddenly assuming I was an EFL expert. I started getting questions about the efficacy of this or that method or the merits of vocabulary versus grammar. To be honest I generally have no idea and while it may be expedient for me to cultivate an image of being a knowledgeable so-and-so that's not the case. I'm not expert in very much and more importantly other 'experts' are probably not as expert as we may think. How do I know this? Maths. According to Fred Perry there are around 100 journals relating to SLA and language teaching at present. Each of these puts out around 3 or 4 issues a year (3x10=300) and each one has, let's say, about five articles a piece which is about 1,500 articles a year. There is no way anyone could reasonably be expected to keep up with these and all the articles/books that have gone before them. Rod Ellis may be an expert on SLA but how would he fare in discussions of ELF, testing or corpus linguistic? So in short I don't know that much and nobody knows everything. These two points bring me to two requests: No. 1. I'd like to try to help spread the 'ask for evidence' meme created by Sense about Science. If anything came out of the talk at IATEFL for me it's the need for teachers to be less afraid of asking questions and challenging the status quo. I had a large number of emails thanking me from people saying they'd always thought something was not quite right but never felt they couldn't say anything. Some had even got into trouble for questioning 'established practice'. There is nothing wrong with asking the question 'how do you know that?' In fact, it's sad that educators should feel they can't. As long as you are not rude or patronising it's reasonable to expect an answer. So the next time someone claims that 'teacher talking time should be reduced' or 'grammar mcnuggests are bad for students' or that 'students have nine different types of intelligence' politely enquire on what grounds the speaker makes those claims and be cautious of accepting 'my experience' or 'it's obvious' as answers. There may be very good reasons for the claims, then again there may not. Either way, you'll learn something. I've always been pleasantly surprised that people, who are probably far busier than me, have taken the time to respond to my emails. And that brings me to... No. 2 I'd like to ask anyone who is an expert/knowledgeable in a particular field, be it motivation or vocab to get in touch. As I said earlier, it's impossible for anyone to know everything and with that in mind I'd really like to start having some guest bloggers, particularly those who can offer teachers practical advice based on research. Ideally you'd be highlighting the research evidence that a certain practice or set of practices 'work' or conversely, don't. Let me know at Wednesday, 7 May 2014 Hubbard or Gattegno I've recently been reading up on the silent way for another post and it has inspired this post, which is a trivial game. The rules are simple. Read the statements below and decide if they were said by Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard or Silent way founder Caleb Gattegno. Scroll down for the answers. 1. " Consciousness . . . is present in every cell and in every amount of energy in the soma’" 3. "‘Ogden’ is the name we have given to the [amount of] mental energy mobilized to retain an arbitrary sound or an arbitrary connection." 4. "I have been engaged in a study of applications of technology to illiteracy and illiterate or semiliterate populations." 5. "The supporters of mankind could achieve their ends if they could shift to becoming holders of the relativity that generates tolerance of the other, But . . . they do not seem ready to pay the price: abandonment of absolutes passed on from times when awareness was not the concern of people." 6. "An educational program[me] which begins with the child's parents, progresses through kindergarten and grade school, through high school and into college and preserves at every step the individuality, the native ambitions, intelligence, abilities and dynamics of the individual, is the best bastion against not only mediocrity but against any and all enemies of mankind" 7. "I have need of more lives to chisel myself, my quantum, further and [to] make me more myself by making me more human" 9. "I am an energy system endowed with awareness. Hence I can become aware of the energy inputs I receive and know them for what they are" All of the even numbers are Hubbard and the odds are Gattengo. L. Ron Hubbard (1911-1986) started life as a TEFL teacher in Guam whereas Gattegno (1911-1988) started life as a maths teacher. All Gattegno quotes come from Stevick.
Friday, 3 May 2013 The decline of small farmland birds A thought-provoking and highly interesting presentation was delivered to members of the Northants Bird Club at their monthly meeting on Wednesday evening. The talk was associated with the decline of small farmland birds, typically Tree Sparrow, Corn Bunting, Yellowhammer, Reed Bunting and Linnet. Dr Alan Larkman delivered the presentation, illustrating the evidence for his personal but well-evidenced views on why the small farmland seed-eaters are not increasing despite initiatives to help them. He discussed the dynamics of why it is that large birds such as Pheasant, Woodpigeon, corvids etc have all increased since the mid-1970s but the small bio-mass birds that depend on smaller seed-types in a well-scattered format have seen a complete reverse in fortune. Dr Larkman argued that despite a strong lobby to curb the numbers, the general increase in raptors did not adversely affect these dwindling species, and in fact there is some evidence that a healthy raptor population serves to improve the overall strength and resilience of small bird species. Not surprisingly, modern agricultural practises that are efficient and effective at reducing the all-important weed-seeds for birds was sited as the main overall negative factor affecting small farmland birds. Not only is the amount of weed seed much less, but the insect food that is critical to nestling survival is also much-reduced. It seems that the productivity of nesting birds is reasonable and has actually improved, but the ability for birds to sustain themselves during critical 'bottlenecks' of low food availability means that they simply cannot survive. We have all seen game crops and strips and even wild bird crops designed to provide help to these birds; excellent for the successful larger birds and even the small birds until the food effectively runs out at the end of January or February. With no natural seed bank available until late summer, small birds then either move off if they are fit to do so or effectively starve to death. It is then not surprising to witness birds such as Reed Buntings moving in to gardens during the latter part of the winter and spring - they are simply responding to food availability. Dr Larkman is based in West Oxfordshire, which in many respects mirrors similar habitat to many areas of Northamptonshire. His studies are based locally and he has collated research completed by others interested in the same area of work. To provide evidence of his theories and also to satisfy his passion for small farmland birds, Dr Larkman and a band of volunteers maintain a variety of feeding stations to help support birds, particularly during the 'hunger gap' of late winter/spring. His slides were just amazing with fabulous images of hundreds of Linnets, Yellowhammers etc all feeding together on carefully scattered seed, hanging feeders groaning under the weight of amassed Tree Sparrows and other telling images depicting what actually can be done to support our feathered friends. For me, the presentation was hard-hitting, extremely compelling and above all inspirational. I just hope that Alan is provided with the appropriate platform to convey his views which surely should affect the policy and execution of modern agricultural practises and European initiatives to support small farmland birds. My thanks to Alan for a fascinating presentation and coordinating the support for vulnerable local bird species. Neil M Post a Comment
Why Does Fat Accumulate Around My Belly? Call it your "muffin top," "middle-age spread," "jelly rolls" or "apron," but there's nothing harmless about belly fat. Excessive belly fat puts you at a high risk of developing chronic disease. Men with a waist larger than 37 inches and women with one larger than 31.5 inches should be concerned about the potential health consequences. Understanding why your belly expands can help you take measures to shrink it. Dangers of Belly Fat Increased belly fat correlates with increased risk of metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. Women with a lot of belly fat are more likely to develop breast cancer or need gallbladder surgery. Subcutaneous fat, which lies just below the skin and usually is found at the hips and thighs, doesn't act metabolically like visceral fat does. The deep-lying belly fat surrounds internal organs and releases inflammatory compounds that negatively affect your system. Hormonal Causes of Belly Fat In men, testosterone drives the development of belly fat. Even in a man's youth, he's putting down visceral fat cells, but high levels of testosterone often keep them from expanding. As he ages and testosterone naturally decreases, these fat cells expand, and his belly grows. In women, fat is usually concentrated in the hips, thighs and buttocks to support childbirth and breastfeeding. But as she ages and estrogen production decreases, much of that fat redistributes to the belly, forming visceral fat. Dietary Reasons for Belly Fat Belly fat can accumulate at any age, though, especially if you make poor dietary choices. Too many calories from anything can cause your middle to expand. Too much saturated fat, found in full-fat dairy and fatty cuts of meat, and trans fats, found in some processed foods, can contribute to visceral fat development. A diet heavy in refined sugar and grains often correlates with a larger waist size. A study published in a 2009 issue of the Journal of Clinical Investigation found that people who consumed fructose-sweetened soft drinks were more likely to have visceral belly fat. Even diet soda drinkers could be at risk. A study published in a 2015 issue of the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society detected an association between consuming diet soda daily and increased abdominal girth. Refined grains, such as white bread and pasta, can also contribute to belly fat. A study in a 2010 issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed a correlation between increased refined grain intake and the development of belly fat. Choose whole grains, such as brown rice or barley, instead, to help keep your visceral fat growth at bay. Lifestyle Encourages a Fat Belly According to the Rush University Medical Center, a lack of physical activity encourages the buildup of belly fat. Be more active regularly, by choosing the stairs over the elevator or parking farther out in the lot, but also by consciously exercising most days. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends you exercise at least 150 minutes per week at a moderate intensity. Increase that level of exercise to experience more benefits, which include reduced accumulation of belly fat and disease risk. Getting too little or too much sleep, less than 5 hours or more than 8 hours per night, also correlates with extra belly fat. Being under too much stress, whether it's from bills or strict work deadlines, causes your body to pump out more of the hormone cortisol. Cortisol has an effect on where you store your fat and, in many people, it leads to the development of visceral fat.
The Fall of Rome An error occurred trying to load this video. Try refreshing the page, or contact customer support. You're on a roll. Keep up the good work! Take Quiz Watch Next Lesson Your next lesson will play in 10 seconds • 0:05 Reasons for Fall • 0:46 Internal Corruption • 1:38 Division • 2:17 Outside Invasion • 4:05 Lesson Summary Add to Add to Add to Want to watch this again later? Login or Sign up Create an account to start this course today Try it free for 5 days! Create An Account Recommended Lessons and Courses for You Lesson Transcript Instructor: Jessica Whittemore This lesson explains the gradual fall of Rome. In doing so, it highlights corruption, division, and outside invasion as the main reasons for the fall of the Eternal City. Reasons for Fall As the familiar saying goes, 'Rome wasn't built in a day.' As the not so familiar saying also goes, 'It didn't fall in a day either!' To explain this saying, we're going to look at the gradual decline of Rome, culminating with its sacking in the year 476 CE. In doing this, we're going to blame internal corruption, division, and outside invasion for the demise of Rome, known to the ancient world as the Eternal City. Although there are a plethora of reasons for the fall that we could cite, most of them can be traced back to these three. Internal Corruption Let's get started with internal corruption. As the Empire grew, it became very hard to govern and control. Violence began replacing law and order. Instead of emperors, generals, and politicians being chosen on the basis of merit, positions of power were paid for or gained through violence that could rival any modern day mob movie. Adding to the problem, the rulers of Rome - many of whom had bought or murdered for their positions - had little desire to actually govern, let alone preserve the city. Without a strong central power base, civil wars waged between feuding political groups, while corrupt officials levied devastating taxes on the people of Rome. Inflation soared, commoners died of starvation and disease, and the lights of the Eternal City began to dim. In an attempt to keep the light of Rome from completely dying, one emperor, Diocletian, stepped in with a plan to save the day. However, his 3rd-century plan actually gives us our second reason for the fall of Rome: division. Seeing that the Empire was just too large to govern effectively, Diocletian decided to divide it into Western and Eastern halves. When one of Diocletian's successors, the famous Constantine, officially moved the capital of the Empire from Rome to Constantinople in the first half of the 4th century, the center of political power moved with it. Outside Invasion To history, the Eastern part of the Empire came to be known as the Byzantine Empire, while the Western half remained under the faltering control of Rome. Since the political force of the Empire had moved East, Rome was, in a manner of speaking, left to fend for itself against not only corruption from within, but also our third reason for its fall: outside invasion. As the Byzantine Empire of the East began to thrive, Rome and its surrounding areas faced further decline. With the political power of the Empire now in the East, and with the city of Rome suffering from corruption from within, the ancient city was ripe for attack. Soon nomads from the North, known as the Germanic tribes, began attacking along the northern borders of the Empire. Without a strong leader, or a strong, well-disciplined military, the city could not mount a suitable defense. Around the year 410 CE, Rome, the city once thought unconquerable, was invaded by the Germanic Visigoths led by Alaric, a name which has become synonymous with the demise of Rome. The Eternal City was looted, much of its ancient architecture was reduced to rubble, and its people were ravaged. For many historians, this event signaled the beginning of the very end for the Eternal City. To unlock this lesson you must be a Study.com Member. Create your account Register for a free trial Are you a student or a teacher? I am a teacher What is your educational goal? Unlock Your Education See for yourself why 10 million people use Study.com Become a Study.com member and start learning now. Become a Member Back Earning College Credit To learn more, visit our Earning Credit Page Transferring credit to the school of your choice Create an account to start this course today Try it free for 5 days! Create An Account
Difference between Alzheimer's and dementia If you’re confused about the difference between Alzheimer’s and dementia, you’ve come to the right place to find out some answers. When it comes to getting older, some of the most common fears people have are around Alzheimer’s and dementia. These are two words we hear used a lot when it comes to older people’s health and care... but what do they actually mean? And what’s the difference between the two? The difference between Alzheimer’s and dementia The word ‘dementia’ doesn’t refer to one specific condition. It actually describes a set of symptoms which result from a deterioration of brain function. These symptoms can include problems with thinking, reasoning, learning, memory and language; behavioural and emotional problems; and difficulties with daily activities. An estimated 200,000 Australians have dementia. It's more likely to affect older people, but it’s not an inevitable part of growing old, and it’s different from the forgetfulness that often comes with ageing. Unfortunately, there’s no cure, and it gets worse over time. It can be caused by many different conditions. The most common of these conditions – and the one you’ve probably heard of – is Alzheimer’s disease. What is Alzheimer’s? Alzheimer’s disease is the most common condition that causes dementia, with around six in every 10 cases caused by Alzheimer’s disease. While technically it is a ‘cause’ of dementia, you’ll often hear it referred to as a ‘type’ of dementia. If a person has Alzheimer’s, the ability of the brain to send signals between nerve cells is damaged, which affects the ability to think, and communicate actions to the rest of the body. Doctors don’t currently understand much about why this happens. Early symptoms can include memory getting worse, finding it difficult to do daily tasks, and becoming more irritable than usual. Alzheimer’s tends to come on gradually, and the condition progresses over time: symptoms worsen, and others may appear. Eventually someone with Alzheimer’s will need looking after all the time How do the symptoms of dementia and Alzheimer’s compare? There is a really wide range of possible dementia symptoms, but Alzheimer’s symptoms are a little more specific. Dementia symptoms vary depending on what is causing them, and also vary from one person to the next. The main dementia symptoms fall into three different groups: • Difficulties with remembering, thinking and language. The person might be forgetful, repeat questions, struggle to remember words and have conversations, or be disoriented. • Difficulties with daily activities. They might struggle with their routine – maybe becoming unhygienic or neglecting their home. They might also get lost in familiar places. • Emotional and behavioural difficulties. There are a whole range of these, including being withdrawn or apathetic, low or anxious, suspicious of others, or even aggressive. The person could also be restless and have trouble sleeping. The different causes of dementia may have different symptoms in the early stages. But as the conditions progress, someone is more likely to have the full range of dementia symptoms. In Alzheimer’s specifically, the first thing that tends to appear is memory problems. The person might also lose interest in their favourite activities or hobbies. As time goes on, these problems will get worse. The person may get more confused, and struggle to plan and follow instructions. In the later stages of Alzheimer’s, more serious symptoms like hallucinations, aggression, depression and incontinence can appear. It’s also important to think about the impact dementia and Alzheimer’s can have on family carers. Looking after someone with dementia can be very stressful, and family carers should seek support if they need it, and look after their own health. Treatment options for Alzheimer’s and dementia There are treatments available for some causes of dementia, and one of these is Alzheimer’s disease. The aim of treatment is to help the person to manage their daily life independently for as long as possible. The most commonly used dementia treatments are medicines which treat the symptoms of Alzheimer’s and can help slow the progress of, but won’t stop, the underlying disease itself. Unfortunately, they don’t work for everyone. It’s also important to remember that they don’t cure or reverse Alzheimer’s. These medicines can also have a similar effect in another type of dementia called dementia with Lewy bodies. But for other types, like vascular dementia, there are no known treatments yet. You can read more about current research into dementia and Alzheimer's, here. Is there any chance of recovery from Alzheimer’s or dementia? Sadly, at present there’s no cure for any of the conditions that cause dementia, and no chance of reversing the progression of the underlying disease. By its nature, it gets worse over time, until someone is likely to need round-the-clock care. Who’s most at risk of Alzheimer’s and dementia? There are a few factors than can affect how likely you are to get dementia. The main one is age: the older you get,the more likely you are to get it. At age 60–64, around one in 100 people have it. This rises to around six in 100 for people aged 75–79, and as high as 30 in 100 at age 90–94. Some of the risk factors for dementia are actually within your control. For example: smoking, being overweight, and not getting enough exercise all seem to increase the risk of dementia. It’s also thought that poor diet might play a part. There are some other health conditions that increase your risk of dementia, including un-managed diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure and high-cholesterol particularly later in life, Parkinson’s disease, normal pressure hydrocephalus, Down’s syndrome, and some forms of multiple sclerosis. Dementia may not run in the family, but there’s evidence that it can in some situations. Alzheimer’s is one of the causes that can have a genetic link: someone with a parent, brother or sister with Alzheimer’s will be at slightly increased risk. When looking at the difference between Alzheimer’s and dementia, the key thing to remember is that the two aren’t mutually exclusive, one is a type of the other. A person with Alzheimer’s also has dementia, but only some people with dementia have Alzheimer’s. If you’re caring for an aging loved one, or someone with dementia or Alzheimer's, it can be hard to know where to turn to for help. If you want advice from a real person who can help guide you and connect you with the right support, call The Bupa Aged Care Support Line between 8am – 6pm, Monday to Friday, on 1800 780 038. It’s free, and available to everyone. Alternatively, find out more about Bupa Aged Care and our person first approach to caring for people who live with dementia and Alzheimer's disease. Bupa Aged Care Do you want to learn more about our person first approach to Aged Care? Find out more Back to top
'Twas the Night Before Christmas... The poem we collectively know as ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas’ is actually titled ‘A Visit from St. Nicholas’. It was written by Clement Clark Moore in 1823 (though first published anonymously it was later attributed to and acknowledged by Moore) and is an iconic poem; one of the best-known American poems, in fact. It was instrumental in ushering in a cohesive public image of Santa Claus which has endured to this day. The “jolly old elf” with the red cheeks and nose, the round belly, the fur clothes, and the white beard were not agreed upon attributes of St. Nick until Moore’s poem. Everything about ‘A Visit’ now stands as canon, including the fact that Santa makes his rounds on Christmas Eve rather than Christmas Day. Did you know that two of the reindeer, Donder and Blitzen, are named for thunder and lightning? If you speak German you already knew that - the rest of us might be surprised. But the hows and whys of the poem don’t matter. It’s the feel of it. It conveys a sense of absolute wonder for me. It always has. These lines especially: “And mamma in her 'kerchief, and I in my cap, Had just settled our brains for a long winter's nap, When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter, I sprang from my bed to see what was the matter. Away to the window I flew like a flash, Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash. The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow, Gave a lustre of midday to objects below” When I was a kid Christmas Eve crackled with magic. It was a mystical night. Sometimes, growing up in Vancouver, there’d even be snow outside. The tree in the living room would be twinkling with hundreds of colored lights, reflecting off crystal icicles, heirloom ornaments, and handmade treasures nestled in every bough. All other lights in the house would be dimmed so the tree seemed enormous, like the entire room existed only to house it. There would always be Christmas music on the stereo. My sister and I would set out milk and cookies for Santa, a carrot for Rudolph, and choose a good spot for our stockings (we didn’t have a fireplace). Sometimes we’d get to hear a story before being shooed to bed. Sometimes ‘A Christmas Carol’ and sometimes this very poem. Once in bed if I lay very still I could hear the strains of the Christmas music drifting up the hall. Bing Crosby. Nat King Cole. Tony Bennett. The sound of it and the memory of the warmly lit tree and the knowledge that frost lay thick and crisp just outside the window and the thrill of it being Christmas Eve dancing up my spine would weave the most perfect spell. Nothing could break it. Nothing could quash it. It was absolute magic. Even now the memory of that feeling is so sharp and clear that I shiver just a little in remembered excitement. I always thought that hearing a noise on the lawn on Christmas Eve would be the ultimate gift. Any other night and it would be alarming but on Christmas Eve if I’d heard a clatter I would eagerly have sprung from my bed to see what was the matter. It wasn’t the anticipation of seeing Santa Claus that would have driven me out of the covers, necessarily, though I did always love seeing my full stocking waiting for me on Christmas morning. But that sense of the unknown, the moon gleaming off the snow, and something magical waking me... that was the truest thrill. The poem, to me, seemed to speak to that part of me. Like somehow I wasn’t the only one who wanted a magic experience to shake me from slumber and show me something marvelous and impossible. Then too I always loved how it ended: And away they all flew like the down of a thistle. Poof! Up into the air, light as snow, shimmering indistinct into the distance, and a voice calling out under the stars “Happy Christmas”. Magic! A beautiful end. And so now all that’s left me to say is an echo of words already said a hundred, a thousand times before: Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night! - Corinne Simpson
When the words ‘miracle’ and ‘crops’ show up in the same sentence, some type of genetic modification is typically involved. However, when it comes to the story of Sumant Kumar and his rice crop, only all-natural, non-genetically modified processes were used. By applying only manure and no herbicides, Kumar was able to produce the largest amount of rice on one hectare of land in history. A modest farmer in the village of Darveshpura, Sumant Kumar never expected to create world records with his rice crop. He anticipated a good season due to the heavy rains his village had experienced, but he never could have imagined producing the amount of rice that he yielded. Through all-natural means, Kumar grew 22.4 tons of rice on just one hectare of land. To prove just how wild this amount is, this farmer typically yielded 4 to 5 tons of rice per hectare previously. Why is this feat so incredibly impressive and important? First, this everyday farmer was able to produce the world’s greatest amount of rice without dabbling in genetics or unnatural means. His 22.4 tons beat Yuan Longping, an agricultural scientist otherwise known as the “father of rice.” Kumar’s weighty amount of rice also surpassed the International Rice Research Institute, a group of scientists funded by the World Bank. Essentially, his all-natural and modest way of farming created a miracle not even biotech seed companies are able to produce. While Kumar did have the greatest amount of rice, his fellow farmers Krishna, Sanjay, Bijay, and Nitish all had crops weighing over 17 tons as well. Again, this number is at least double of what is considered typical for the area. The second reason this feat is so important is because of the significance rice has throughout the world. For at least half of the global population, rice is a staple food eaten at almost every meal. With hunger being such a worldwide issue, a change in rice production like Kumar’s, could have an enormous impact. While you may say, “Oh, that must have been a fluke,” think again. Many scientists and citizens thought the same thing, leading to inspections of the crops. Upon inspection, everything appeared to be as Kumar claimed and soon, more success stories began popping up. Shortly after Kumar’s super rice, his neighbor, Nitish, ended up with a crop of potatoes that demolished the previous world record. Then, another villager broke the record in India for wheat growth. The small village of Darveshpura was dubbed the “miracle village” of India, and everyone wanted in on their secret. John Vidar of The Observer had the chance to speak with the young farmers about their miracle crops. Nitish Kumar, when asked about his success, replied, “In previous years, farming has not been very profitable. Now I realize that it can be. My whole life has changed. I can send my children to school and spend more on health. My income has increased a lot.” The other farmers in the area are experiencing this success, not from a secret in the soil, but instead a secret to their crop growing system. To grow the crops, a process called the “System of Rice Intensification” is used. Most rice farmers throughout the world plant three week old rice seeds in water-saturated fields. Instead of doing this, the villagers of Darveshpura opted to plant about half as many seeds and transplant them individually and at a much earlier time. They also spaced the seedlings in a grid-like pattern. By doing so, the area was drier and weeding was easier to manage. This system has proven to be effective time and time again, and the villagers of Darveshpura are certainly reaping the benefits. This Indian miracle is important for a multitude of reasons. Thankfully, the villagers are able to feed and take care of their families, and their ways of farming may lead to great changes in rice crops and other crops around the world. With these substantial changes in growth, we may just be getting that much closer to solving the issue of hunger and poverty throughout the world. Here’s to hoping! - Elizabeth K. Image courtesy of Flickr.
Having gout is a terrible condition, one that renders one almost useless in many respects. Many people suffering from gout become dependent on others until they are able to recover through a gout treatment procedure that is carried out at a medical hospital or an alternative medicine center. Imagine someone who is up and doing suddenly requiring to be carried or aided to walk to the bathroom or back and forth from the car. Gout usually affects the big toes of the feet or the knees among other body joints and it causes a great deal of pains and swellings due to inflammations in the affected parts. The affected joints become red and swollen, tender and painful with a lot of discomfort for the affected person. This disease usually starts in the night when someone is asleep or in the early hours of the morning when someone is about to wake and leave the bed, and it could become terrible over time to be quite unbearable. The pains and swellings could come and go within 3 months, and there you have acute gout; but it is chronic when the pains and the swellings persist beyond 3 months to 6 months and even years. Before going ahead to highlight the topic gout treatment available, it must be mentioned here that gout occurs when uric acid in foods we eat become so much as to be excess in the body, most especially when this is due to the inability of the body organs to process and eliminate the uric acid. The uric acid then forms and crystallizes around the big toes, the knees, or any other joints of the body, and there start to cause painful swellings and great discomforts when the uric acid reacts with the body’s defense mechanisms. What then are the topical gout treatments available to someone suffering from the disease? One of the alternative means for avoiding or getting rid of gout is by drinking a lot of fluids or water. Water or any other suitable fluids help to flush uric acid out of the body through urination. When you drink water a lot, uric acid is not allowed to form or crystallize because they are washed out of the body system through the volume of urination that you undergo. In addition, when you use herbal therapies like dandelion tea, you also produce a lot of urination. Dandelion can be made into a tea and taken anytime you like, and it works as a diuretic and flushes out uric acid and other toxins from the body system through urination and so on. You can also take other herbal teas like lime among others; but when you visit a qualified herbal therapist, you will be guided into other herbs to use and how to use them. You must also consume a lot of Vitamin C from fresh fruits, and eat a lot of veggies, while all the while avoiding alcohol, smoking and any form of fast foods. You must avoid the consumption of red meat, turkey and other gout foods as a means of alternative gout treatment that you must consider.
Insomnia - from an NIS perspective by Dr Allan Phillips D.O. Pineal + Serotonin = Digestion + Energy ?? Is this equation a riddle, a nightmare or irritable bowel syndrome?! Not a day goes by without some patient commenting on or expressing some statistic relating to their sleeping patterns. A good night’s rest is dependent on the availability of three major ingredients: 1. Cell surface receptors: they play a vital role in addressing cellular demands by allowing ligands to be freely available to instruct the nucleus. 2. Glyconeoenesis: to produce the sustainable fuel to allow the brain to rest (liver + glucagon). 3. Having adequate levels of serotonin for pineal function. A simple example of how sleep patterns revolve around blood sugar can be demonstrated when wine is consumed in excess. The up-regulation of insulin very rapidly reduces the active glycogen component, which in turn limits delta sleep patterning. The net result is a night of broken and un-refreshing sleep. Seemingly quite unrelated to insomnia, is the function of the thalamus gland. This gland is a precursor to any action initiated by the hypothalamus. Without the thalamus being proactive, the glandular orchestra will have difficulty in being able to up-regulate or down-regulate chemistry according to our body’s needs. An example of this is the control of ADH, the hormone that is produced when the body is overheated. Thalamus to hypothalamus (CRH) to posterior pituitary. Similarly, in light of insomnia – the insight of the thalamus ensures blood sugar recovery is enabled after a long and busy day. Thalamus to somatostatin to glucagon to glycogen released from liver. Glucagon stimulates an increase in blood concentration of glucose. The brain in particular has an absolute dependence on glucose as a fuel, because neurons cannot utilise alternative energy sources like fatty acids to any significant extent. When blood levels of glucose begin to fall below the normal range, additional glucose is necessary. Serotonin and melatonin Many studies have shown that depletion of serotonin levels results in insomnia, as it is necessary for the onset of sleep. Serotonin is metabolized to the hormone melatonin, which is known to help regulate the sleep cycle. Any increase in serotonin levels will increase melatonin levels. Omega 3 supplementation is very helpful. A broken sleep cycle to void urine means an upset to the digestive and recuperative powers of the body to be effective. Any issue that is affecting the digestive cycle while sleeping will influence serotonin. How would that be? Enterochromaffin cells in the gastrointestinal tract are sites of synthesis and storage of serotonin and are dependent on the integrity of the G I tract function. NIS gives you a major advantage in being able to monitor all aspects of the GI tract function. One sleep cycle comprises of four stages and last for about 90-120 minutes. Dreams can occur in any of the four stages of sleep but the most vivid and memorable dreams occur in the last stage of sleep (also commonly referred to as REM sleep). The sleep cycle repeats itself about an average of four to five times per night, but may repeat as many as seven times. Thus, you can see how a person can have several different dreams in one night. Most people, however, only remember dreams that occur closer toward the morning when they are about to get up. When dreams cannot be recalled, it is no indicator that those dreams never happened. Some people swear on the fact that they simply do not dream when in reality, they just don't remember their dreams. Phase 1: Eyes move back and forth erratically Often called REM sleep, this stage occurs at about 90-100 minutes after the onset of sleep. Blood pressure rises and heart rate and respiration speeds up and becomes erratic. Voluntary muscles are paralyzed. This stage may also be referred to as delta sleep and is the most restorative part of sleep. This is also where the majority of your dreaming occurs. Phase 2: Entering into light sleep Characterized by Non-rapid eye movements (NREM), muscle relaxation and slowed heart rate. The body is preparing to enter into deep sleep. Phase 3 and 4: Also characterised by NREM These two phases involve periods of deep sleep with phase 4 being more intense than phase 3. Your body temperature drops and muscles relax. You are completely asleep. These phases repeat themselves throughout a night's sleep.
What is Freemasonry? “The Noble Society of Freemasons takes good men who want to make a difference and helps them through the sacred art of initiation become masters of themselves and builders of better communities.” No one knows for sure how or when the Masonic Fraternity was formed. Masonry is speculated to have formed from the stone-masons guilds of the Middle-Ages which traveled across Europe building the grand castles and buildings that are present in many European cities today. Others suggest its roots extend back more than 3,000 years to the times of King Solomon, others claim the roots of Freemasonry existed within man the moment he first looked up to the heavens. UGLEHowever old or young the fraternity may be, Freemasonry, as it is known today, is officially recognized as originating in London, England in 1717. Records show that in that year, four lodges formed to create the Grand Lodge of England. The Grand Lodge of England still exists today and is now known as the United Grand Lodge of England (UGLE). George WashingtonShortly after its “grand” formation, Freemasonry traveled rapidly across Europe and to the newly settled American colonies. In fact, many of the founding fathers of the United States were freemasons to include; George Washington “The Father of Our Country”; Benjamin Franklin and Robert Livingston, two of the five men who drafted the Declaration of Independence; Paul Revere who made his famous ride to warn of British approach; John Hancock whose name boldly appears in defiance of King George III; John Paul Jones who helped establish the Continental Navy and traditions which continue to our modern fleet; the French liaison to the Colonies Marquis d’Lafayette, without whose aid the war could not have been won; and Pierre-Charles L’Enfant, designer of the city of Washington, D.C. These are but a few of the men and ideals with whom a Mason becomes associated through his labors. With them he shares an eternal bond of duty, courage, and service to liberate humanity from tyranny, injustice and intolerance. We the PeopleFreemasons could be found during this time period in many countries that held the ideals of individual enlightenment, democracy and equality. In fact, Freemasons were prominent as founding fathers in several nations during the late 1700’s to mid 1800’s such as Canada and Mexico. ShrinerFreemasonry is also a charitable organization. During the 1800’s and 1900’s, before the Federal government enacted measures ensuring these rights to all Americans, Masons directly provided for the shelter and assistance to its members, widows and orphans through insurance, orphanages, homes for the aging, and other vital social services. Today, Freemasons contribute more than $2.5 million every day to causes ranging from the Shriner’s Hospitals for children suffering from burns or bone diseases; Scottish Rite Centers which provide services to children suffering from hearing, eye, speech and other communicative disorders; medical research funding for childhood illnesses; direct financial contributions to local schools and communities; and providing care to disabled and infirmed Masons and their families at Masonic Homes across the country.
This content is not yet available over encrypted connections. Liberal Democracy Liberal Democracy The Free State Wednesday, November 16, 2011 Federalist Society: A Federal Sunset Law: How to maintain Limited Government Our Founding Fathers deliberately designed a Governmental System and Federal Government to make it difficult for them to pass laws. And make the Federal Government more powerful and intrusive. With things like the the three Co Equal Branches, Executive, that carries out laws and can propose them. Congress that writes laws and oversees the other two branches including themselves. The Judicial Branch that obviously decides cases in the Criminal and Civil Justice System. And sometimes passes on cases as well as ruling on the Constitutionality of laws that the Executive and Legislative passes. And of course forcing the Executive and Legislative Branches to work together to pass new laws. This is what Checks and Balances are about to make it difficult to pass laws and even harder to pass laws. Because even if one party controls both the White House and Congress. If the Opposition Party has enough Senate Seats, they can block legislation that the Senate Majority Party is trying to pass. And even if one party controls both the Administration and Congress, to amend our Constitution. That takes a Two Thirds Majority in both Chambers of Congress. As well as 67 States to pass and Amend the Constitution. To me as a Liberal Democrat and a big believer in Limited Government, these tools are necessary to prevent government from becoming too big and powerful. And preserving Individual Liberty and Constitutional Rights from eroding, by people who believe America is too free. And Liberal Democracy doesn't work and we need Big Brother protecting us from ourselves. The reason why the Federalist Society and other Classical Conservative groups are in favor of creating what's called Sunset Provisions. To laws that are passed by the Federal Government. Meaning that after a law is passed, it would have to renewed every 5-10 years or so. To give the Administration and Congress a chance to revisit laws that they passed. Which to me makes sense and would give the Administration and Congress a chance to take another look at their laws and policy's. Across the board and to see what's working, what's not working, what needs to work better and what should be eliminated. Instead of keeping in laws and policy's that don't work very well or no longer work. Just because the President and Congress passed that law a long time ago. The Elementary and Secondary Education Act is an example of a law with a Sunset Provision. To reexamine the Federal Government's role in education and see if they are helping or hurting Public Education in America. And what if anything they can do better, the Welfare to Work Law of 1996 is another example of this. The Bush Tax Cuts that were passed in 2001 and 2003 are other laws with Sunset Provisions. Instead of just keeping laws in place because they were passed a long time ago. I would go even farther then Sunset Provisions and call for an Executive Review of all Federal Laws, Policy's and Programs. And exactly see what's working and what's not working. What can work better, what needs to work better and what needs to be scaled back and even eliminated. And call for a new Federal Constitutional Convention to come together to see what the Federal Government does well. What they don't do very well and what they can and should do better. And just limit the Federal Government to do what it does well that the Private Sector shouldn't be doing.
EXT1 gene exostosin glycosyltransferase 1 About 480 mutations in the EXT1 gene have been identified in people with hereditary multiple osteochondromas type 1, a condition in which people develop multiple benign (noncancerous) bone tumors called osteochondromas. Most of these mutations are known as "loss-of-function" mutations because they prevent any functional exostosin-1 protein from being made. The loss of functional exostosin-1 protein prevents it from forming a complex with the exostosin-2 protein and adding heparan sulfate to proteins. It is unclear how this impairment leads to the signs and symptoms of hereditary multiple osteochondromas. The EXT1 gene is located in a region of chromosome 8 that is deleted in people with trichorhinophalangeal syndrome type II (TRPS II). TRPS II is a condition that causes bone and joint malformations including multiple osteochondromas (described above); distinctive facial features; intellectual disability; and abnormalities of the skin, hair, teeth, sweat glands, and nails. As a result of this deletion, affected individuals are missing one copy of the EXT1 gene in each cell. A shortage of exostosin-1 protein causes the osteochondromas in people with TRPS II. The deletion of other genes near the EXT1 gene likely contributes to the additional features of this condition. Cytogenetic Location: 8q24.11, which is the long (q) arm of chromosome 8 at position 24.11 Molecular Location: base pairs 117,797,496 to 118,111,819 on chromosome 8 (Homo sapiens Annotation Release 108, GRCh38.p7) (NCBI) • exostoses (multiple) 1 • exostosin 1 • EXT • N-acetylglucosaminyl-proteoglycan 4-beta-glucuronosyltransferase
Research Point – Odilon Redon, Two Trees c.1875 If only we could all manage to convey so much feeling in our work as Redon does here, the clever contrast between the dark shadows and brightly lit trees focus our attention, giving the trees a vitality that is almost human-like. The use of chiaroscuro focuses the eye on the parts you might normally skip, forcing you to look at the detail of the varied marks used. It is evocative, expressive and almost emotional, the left tree leans into the right tree, rather like two people meeting for a private conversation. Redon was a French symbolist painter, printmake, draughtsman and pastellist, with a clear love of detail, even in the small details of the flowers and the darkest areas. Around this time he made many other works of art, including this Angel in Chains, very colourful but still with the powerful contrast of light and dark A few years earlier in 1872 he drew Fallen Angel, again with the same focus on the interplay between light and dark, he understood the dramatic element it added.fallen-angel-1872 It is clear to see the influence of Rodolphe Bresdin on his work, his master and teacher who was himself interested in depicting nature and its intricate details.39 Clifford Ackley, chairman of the Department of Prints, Drawings and Photographs of Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, called Redon ‘the father of modern art, coming of age with the onset of the French Symbolist poetry movement of the 1860s, he sprung more from literature than the visual arts, eventually having a huge impact on surrealism.’ His other works depict a surreal world of impossible landscapes, strange creatures and demons. He was a close friend of Les Nabis, the prophets or symbolists, who believed in the idea that colour and shape could represent experience. He was influence by Rembrandt and his chiaroscuro technique and also by his many years of working in monochrome. It taught him the importance of tone.ophelia
Library‎ > ‎Media‎ > ‎ Three Types of Habitable Worlds posted Jun 1, 2012, 4:10 AM by Abel Mendez There are three types of worlds in the universe that might support life. Habitable planets orbit stars from which they could obtain the energy necessary to maintain a surface biosphere. Tidal heating due to the gravitational interaction with the star, or internal heat due to the formation process and radiogenic elements might also contribute to the biosphere energy of planets. Habitable moons might support a subsurface biosphere by tidal/internal heating (i.e. Europa) but also a surface one if the parent planet orbits in the habitable zone of the star (i.e. sci-fi Pandora). Habitable nomads (aka rogue, orphan, free-floating planets) are only limited to their internal energy unless they are also subjected to tidal heating due to a companion (i.e. sci-fi Bronson Beta). Other more exotic energies sources have been proposed to support a biosphere (i.e. dark energy). Unfortunately, it will be very hard to impossible to assess the subsurface habitability of any exoplanet and we might only be capable to measure surface habitability for planets, or those moons in the habitable zone.
Road Rage and Aggressive Driving Road Rage and Aggressive Driving There is a fine line between these two labels for driving behavior. Aggressive driving leads to road rage either on the part of the driver or on the part of the victim. People who are aggressive drivers feel they “own the road.” They have little to no regard for other drivers and are reckless and dangerous. These drivers have a lot of anger, resentment, and frustration and they take that with them when they get behind the wheel of a vehicle. Generally, aggressive drivers are those who are poorly educated with a high level of stress and little ability to cope with that stress. Road rage is what results from an aggressive driver's driving habits. They generally have a short fuse and if you try to stop them from their unsafe behaviors, they become agitated and often violent. What’s most surprising is that the aggressive driver often is not the main person involved in a road rage incident. Road rage results from aggressive driving in one of two ways: 1. The aggressive driver exhibits unsafe behavior and another driver attempts to stop that behavior. The aggressive driver becomes angry that someone would stand up to him or her and that anger comes out with unbridled rage. 2. The aggressive driver exhibits unsafe behavior and another driver becomes angered at the recklessness. He or she confronts the aggressive driver in a threatening way, thus precipitating a road rage incident. Aggressive driving is a choice just as road rage is a choice. Studies have found that it’s a learned behavior as well. Unfortunately, hundreds of cases of road rage each year end with serious injuries or even fatalities. Most drivers have feelings of road rage because it is a cultural norm. People learn this behavior from childhood when being driven by parents and adults. Also, by the time adolescents begin to drive they have been exposed to thousands of hours of TV programs that feature drivers behaving badly or dangerously and getting away with it. Legally there is a difference between "road rage" and "aggressive driving." Only a few states have enacted special aggressive driving laws. Road rage cases are normally processed as assault and battery (with or without a vehicle), or "vehicular homicide." Perhaps the biggest cause of unsafe highways is people's unwillingness to scrutinize their own conduct, preferring to blame other drivers. Surveys consistently show that most people have an inflated self-image of their motoring ability, rating the safety of their own driving as much better than the average motorist's. Share by:
iSoul In the beginning is reality Lorentz interpreted The question is how to interpret the Lorentz transformation. In a previous post, Lorentz generalized, a modest generalization of the Lorentz transform was derived. Absolute reference speeds were combined with a relative actual speed. Let’s step back and look at a map of space and time: Interstate Drive Times & Distances Sample Interstate Drive Times & Distances Sample This map of nodes and links on the U.S. interstate highway system displays travel distances and driving times between cities. If you look closer, you can see that it is based on a standard travel speed of about 50 mph (with some local variations). So each point on the network represents a travel distance and a travel time: in other words, space and time are in sync. Now compare this map with some actual travel experience, say, one traveler going at 40 mph and another at 60 mph. If they start together, after one hour of travel they will have gone 40 and 60 miles respectively, compared to the standard of 50 miles. After one hour, the standard “map” distance is 50 miles but the actual distances are 40 and 60, so space and time are not in sync with these travelers. The problem is space and time can no longer be mapped together: either the distance traveled or the travel time can be mapped but not both. At most all the distances for one travel time or all the travel times for one distance can be mapped. A physicist approaching this situation might ask, is there some function of space and time that can still be mapped? Is there a quantity that is invariant no matter what the travel speed is? Can an alternate map be constructed? The answer is yes and the key is the Lorentz transformation. Note that this is for an alternate map: if travel speeds equal the standard speed, no new map is needed. So we’re looking at speeds u and u’ that differ from the standard speed, c. The alternate map has one limitation: it’s from the point of view of one traveler. But an alternate map can be constructed for any traveler and the principles of its construction are the same for all travelers. That’s the best that can be done. Post Navigation
Public Relations Spain - Key Messages Public Relations Spain - Key Messages Key messages are statements which synthesize the information of a message in a clear and simple way. Distinguished, specifically, for being very succinct. They are announcements which have the intention of communicating just one subject (an idea, a concept, a fact, an indication, etc). An effective key message cannot leave room for interpretation or second meanings. Furthermore it cannot be too brief or too extensive because it may not explain much or confuse the public respectively. Effective key messages cannot be edited by the media, due to the fact that they are information in a pure state. For example, some politicians use cryptic phrases or rhetorical speeches which are endless. This language can be good material for analysts, but they are far from being effective key messages in its transmission to the general public. It is vital that the key messages have content, in other words, they cannot be rhetorical, otherwise they will not arouse interest from anybody and they will not fulfill their communication goal. This may seem obvious, but it is a frequent error made by those who present speeches full of sensationalism which has little relevant content for the public. The inclusion of emotional references can be considered during the elaboration of key messages, as long as it is not used carelessly or superficially, its exploitation should have a main reason behind it. The dynamic of the media may leave little space for the preparation of all the news which determine the present day. For this reason, when the broadcast of a message is made by a spokesperson in a clear, concise, ordered and attractive way, it will simplify the reporter’s labor, who will probably use these declarations with the minimum of cuts. The technique used to prepare key messages can be practiced by any spokesperson and it is also valid in order to assist in the elaboration any type of speech. Moreover, key messages are an exercise which may help those who are not necessarily great speakers, but have the duty to communicate to the public through the media. We are talking about heads of various organizations that were not prepared to face a public appearance or an interview. Journalists look for the concrete set of words of an individual and they appreciate it when they are able to transmit their ideas in plain words and short phrases but rich in content. A spokesperson with clear ideas and an accurate language creates far much more affinity than someone who speaks in a way which is diffuse and redundant. Now we will review two examples of how the technique of key messages is well used. When communicating is vital <<Remain calm and evacuate downtown Manhattan. My heart is with all of you. I’ve never seen anything like that. (…) I can only say that we will use all the resources we have to try to rescue as many people as possible. (…) Those in charge in the city are alive and we are evaluating the situation>> These were the words that Rudolph Giuliani, who at the time was the mayor of New York, said right after the terrorist attack of September 11th. Simple phrases but full of meaning and integrity, in the middle of the great catastrophe and confusion, helped the people of Manhattan maintain calm and act in an orderly way and trust that things were under control. Rudolph Giuliani took every opportunity he had when he was near to journalists to address the issue to the New Yorkers and transmit these messages. Key messages are the axis of every public relations campaign, and so they must permeate all the documents that are given to the press (notes and dossiers), speeches of the spokespeople, institutional advertisements and in any information that is spread by the organization.
Sunday, April 18, 2010 :L L Foreign direct investment (FDI) in its classic form is defined as a company from one country making a physical investment into building a factory in another country. It is the establishment of an enterprise by a foreigner. Its definition can be extended to include investments made to acquire lasting interest in enterprises operating outside of the economy of the investor. The FDI relationship consists of a parent enterprise and a foreign affiliate which together form an international business or a multinational corporation (MNC). In order to qualify as FDI the investment must afford the parent enterprise control over its foreign affiliate. The IMF defines control in this case as owning 10% or more of the ordinary shares or voting power of an incorporated firm or its equivalent for an unincorporated firm; lower ownership shares are known as portfolio investment. A foreign direct investor may be classified in any sector of the economy and could be any one of the following: * an individual; * a group of related individuals; * an incorporated or unincorporated entity; * a public company or private company; * a group of related enterprises; * a government body; * an estate (law), trust or other societal organisation; or * any combination of the above. Methods of Foreign Direct Investments The foreign direct investor may acquire 10% or more of the voting power of an enterprise in an economy through any of the following methods: * by incorporating a wholly owned subsidiary or company * by acquiring shares in an associated enterprise * through a merger or an acquisition of an unrelated enterprise * participating in an equity joint venture with another investor or enterprise Foreign direct investment incentives may take the following forms: * low corporate tax and income tax rates * tax holidays * other types of tax concessions * preferential tariffs * special economic zones * investment financial subsidies * soft loan or loan guarantees * free land or land subsidies * relocation & expatriation subsidies * job training & employment subsidies * infrastructure subsidies * R&D support * derogation from regulations (usually for very large projects)
Much of the debate surrounding homework's positive and negative effects on students concerns what amount of homework is appropriate. Studies certainly reveal a correlation between homework and academic achievement, but some studies show that too much homework can harm a student's health. The national PTA recommends 10 minutes of homework per grade, but the amount of homework actually doled out to students varies from school to school and teacher to teacher. Academic Success The Review of Educational Research published a comprehensive survey of all the studies on homework and achievement performed between 1987 and 2003. It found a strong connection between the two, particularly in high school. In elementary grades, homework helps youngsters establish healthy study habits and keeps parents connected to what their children are doing at school, the survey concluded. Homework in high school leads to higher scholastic success. Rising Standards More and more students not only seek post-secondary education but have to compete for acceptance with students from other countries whose homework load is perceived to be even higher. This has led to an excessive amount of homework for some students over the last decade. While homework can certainly prepare high school students, in particular, for college -- and make them lifelong learners in general -- the amount of homework demanded for higher academic achievement and expected by many parents can cause stress and anxiety for some students. Sleep Deprivation A study from academic journal Child Development reveals that when students lose sleep from excessive studying, their comprehension of material and ability to excel on tests declines. Analyzing diaries of hundreds of school children who recorded the duration of homework they completed each night and the amount of sleep they got revealed that those who missed out on regular hours of sleep struggled to understand lessons and test instructions and questions the next day. Extracurricular Activities In addition to homework, many students are involved in extracurricular activities. This limits students' free time even more. So if a grade 11 student gets out of class at 3 p.m., attends soccer practice from 3:15 to 4:30 p.m., arrives at home after showering to eat dinner at 5 p.m. and then completes the recommended amount of homework for his grade (110 minutes) beginning at 6 p.m., the student does not have any free time in the day until after 7 p.m. This assumes that the student fully understands the homework and does not struggle to complete it, as many students do, and that the student does not have part-time employment or family responsibilities that further consume evenings and weekends, leaving even less time for homework.
A learning journal is an excellent tool for any serious student. By creating a record of what you have learned, you are better able to make connections with previous knowledge, to understand the obstacles that go into acquiring that knowledge and to chart your own intellectual development and personal growth. Step 1 Choose your journal. This can be anything from a composition book to a leather-bound diary, as long as you find it inviting enough to write in. Step 2 Pick a quiet time and place to write, free of pressing obligations and distractions. Remember that this is a special time for you to reflect on yourself, not the laundry or the electric bill. Step 3 Follow a consistent format. Although there is no strict way to keep a learning journal, it may help you to have that structure to guide your writing. You might begin your entry by first describing what you are learning. Step 4 Talk about any factors affecting the learning process. Are you studying alone or in a group? How does this alter your understanding? Did you come to this subject on your own, or was it assigned? Step 5 Write down your feelings about and reactions to what you are studying. Do you agree or disagree? How have your assumptions been challenged? What has inspired you? Note any quotes or concepts that intrigue you. It's helpful to have your learning materials and notes close by for this purpose. Step 6 Reflect on what you have learned from the experience, and place it within a larger context. How have you gotten to this point? What can you do to improve in the future? How can you use what you have learned, and how does it relate to anything else?
Monday, February 8, 2010 Japanese emperor or French king When we were in Hawaii, we learned about several waves of ethnic groups that came to work in sugar cane fields and elsewhere: Chinese, Portuguese, Japanese. In Louisiana, we learned about the Acadians traveling from France to Acadie (Nova Scotia) where they settled in a better life until the British deported them forcibly and in mass. The contrast between the two stories I heard was strong. The Japanese emperor was asked if he would allow his subjects to emigrate to Hawaii and he agreed they could. He designated a diplomat in his administration to move to Hawaii and inform his government of their conditions regularly. This was in the latter 1800's. Much earlier, prior to the French revolution, in the period of severe oppression and exploitation of the peasantry, French seeking a better life agreed to emigrate to the emerging colonial empire in what is now Nova Scotia, the other Canadian maritime provinces and other nearby lands. When certain British colonial authorities decided they didn't like French in their lands and expelled them, some returned to France while others were deported or drifted to various eastern seaports, like Boston and Savannah. Many were jailed or oppressed. Some did travel more directly to southern Louisiana, the heart of the present Cajun ('Cadian) community. So it looks to me like the Japanses emperor watched out for his subjects while the French king oppressed them, including those who temporarily returned to France when expelled after about a century of living in the new world. Whether it is the schools or the government, citizens can be viewed as fodder for manipulation, or as valued people to be cared for. Sometimes, it is said there are two views of human nature, X and Y. One is that humans are devils and sluggards and in constant need of correction, punishment and scrutinizing. The other is that humans are intelligent and good sources of ideas and effort. Of course, an organization can include proponents of both views, which sometimes oscillate in the same mind. But these views are about the nature of people. There can probably be two (or more) views about the nature of government and administration, too. One view might be that it is the right of the governors to extract every ounce of sweat, allegiance and taxes from the people they can. Another might be that the government is the steward and assistant of the people, who ought to live better because of the government's effort, not worse. Popular Posts Follow @olderkirby
Closeup view of the Tri Delt sundial A rubric is a guide that describes the criteria that will be used to score or grade an assignment. A rubric identifies the traits that are important and describes the levels of performance (e.g., unacceptable to excellent) within each of the traits.Rubrics can:--Clarify for student the expectations for an assignment.--Reduce bias and improve consistency in scoring.--Communicate to students both their strengths and weaknesses.--Assist faculty in determining which (student) skills are well-developed and which skills require improvement. When developing a rubric: 1. Determine what the rubric will encompass. Think about the following questions: • Why are you creating the rubric, and what is its purpose? • What is the assigned task, and how does it breaks down (are there multiple tasks that are equal or unequal)? • What kind of feedback do you want to provide? • How might you describe different levels of student performance? 2. Define the criteria. What knowledge/skills are required to complete this assignment? Review the learning objectives for the course (and program, if appropriate). If possible, review previous student work from the task or assignment to help inform this work. Be cognizant of the number of criteria that you have. Too many will make an unwieldy rubric. Aim to have criteria that is distinct, measurable and/or observable, and essential to the item that is being assessed. 3. Design the rating scale. Determine how many levels of achievement you want to assess (typically 3-5 are used). Think about whether you will use numbers or descriptive labels for your different levels of achievement, and what those labels will be. 4. For each criterion, develop descriptions for each level of the rating scale. Create statements that exemplify performance at that particular level of the criterion. Use clear, unambiguous language consistently across all levels. This provides clear expectations for your students, and other reviewers (if you will assess using multiple reviewers). 5. Pilot the rubric. Ask for others to review your rubric. Ensure that the language and levels accurately reflect your intentions for the rubric. Revise as necessary. 6. If you will be using the rubric with multiple reviewers, you should norm the rubric before use. This simple process provides an opportunity for reviewers to come together before the actual assessment to finalize the language and composition of the rubric. Norming typically results in more consistent results across reviewers. 7. When norming, typical steps include: • The facilitator of norming (usually the person who developed the rubric), initially talks through the rubric as applied to several examples of student work. • Reviewers are asked to independently score a few student examples. • Raters are brought together to discuss their scoring processes and look for patterns in consistency and inconsistency. • The group reconciles inconsistencies in scoring. Consensus is acceptable: not all reviewers have to agree. • Repeat c-d with a new set of student examples. • Consider tweaking rubric language for pervasive inconsistencies. • As necessary, repeat steps c-d until score is consistent.
Tuesday, March 30, 2010 Cisco router memory types. When it often seems transparent to the user Cisco routers rely on 4 different types of memory for it's operations. This is an important concept in the Cisco world and as a Network administrator you need to be familiar with them The types memory types are: Flash, RAM, ROM, and NVRAM. Flash Memory: Flash memory is used to store and run the Cisco IOS software - the router's operating system. When a router is powered down, the contents of Flash memory are not lost. However, its contents can be upgraded by "flashing" the chip. While a router is running, the contents of Flash are set to a read-only mode. Flash memory for a Cisco 2500 series router ranges in size from a minimum of 4MB up to a maximum of 16MB. You might consider adding additional Flash memory to meet the space requirements of the IOS version that you have chosen to run. For a Cisco 2501, the base IP version of IOS 12.0 requires a minimum of 8MB of Flash memory. So, if you had a Cisco 2501 that shipped with only 4MB of Flash, you would require at least one additional 4MB SIMM. For IOS versions with more advanced feature sets, it is not uncommon to require at least 16MB of Flash. RAM: Random Access Memory (RAM) represents the non-permanent or volatile working area of memory on a Cisco router. When the router is powered down, the contents of RAM are lost. By default, RAM is broken up into two main areas - Main Processor Memory, and Shared I/O Memory. Main Processor Memory is where the routing table, ARP tables, and running configuration are stored. Shared I/O Memory is used as a buffer location for temporarily storing packets prior to processing. Most Cisco 2500 routers will have 2MB of RAM soldered to the system board (this amount, however, depends on the revision number of the router), along with one SIMM slot to add additional RAM. The maximum amount of RAM that can be added to a Cisco 2500 is 16MB. If 16MB is added, that provides a maximum of 18MB of available RAM. In cases where a RAM SIMM is installed, its capacity will be used as Main Processor Memory, while the onboard RAM (2MB) will be used as Shared I/O memory. If no SIMM chip is present, that 2MB of on-board RAM will be split between both areas, providing each with 1MB of working space. This should be avoided for performance reasons. ROM : In older Cisco router models, Read-Only Memory (ROM) chips were used to store the IOS software. In newer models, this is no longer the case. As mentioned previously, the IOS image is now stored in Flash memory (it can also be stored on a TFTP server, as I'll discuss in the next chapter). ROM is now used as the memory area from which a Cisco router begins the boot process, and is made up of a number of elements. These elements are implemented via microcode, a set of programming instructions that are contained in ROM. NVRAM: Non-Volatile Random Access Memory (NVRAM) is used as the storage location for the router's startup configuration file. After the router loads its IOS image, the settings found in the startup configuration are applied. When changes are made to a router's running configuration, they should always be saved to the startup configuration (stored in NVRAM) or they will be lost when the router shuts down. Remember that the running configuration is stored in RAM, which is erased when the router is powered down. On a Cisco 2500 series router, NVRAM is a relatively tiny 32KB in size. Knowing what's going on where is an important part of not only understanding how a Cisco router operates, but will also help to determine the source of problems or issues,should the need arise.
Saturday, December 21, 2013 Christ as Sol Invictus "Ceiling Mosaic -Christus helios, the mosaic of Sol in Mausoleum M, which is interpreted as Christ-Sol (Christ as the Sun). Detail of vault mosaic in the Mausoleum of the Julii. From the necropolis under St. Peter's Mid-3rd century Grotte Vaticane, Rome. Mosaic of the Vatican grottoes under St. Peter's Basilica, on the ceiling of the tomb of the Julii.v Representation of Christ as the sun-god Helios or Sol Invictus riding in his chariot. Dated to the 3rd century AD. "Early Christian and pagan beliefs are combined in this third century mosaic of Christ as a sun-god. The triumphant Christ/god, with rays shooting from his head, is pulled aloft by two rearing horses in his chariot. The Dionysian vines in the background become the vines of Christ." Title: Christ as Sol Invictus Late 3rd century "The First Apology" by St. Justin Martyr, an early Christian, quotes Psalm 19:5-6, a verse that was very popular with early Christians. It was associated with the ancient Christian custom of praying toward the East, the direction of Christ's Ascension and second coming, instead of toward Jerusalem as Jews did: "And hear how it was foretold concerning those who published His doctrine and proclaimed His appearance, the above-mentioned prophet and king [David] speaking thus by the Spirit of prophecy. "....In the sun has He set His tabernacle, and he as a bridegroom going out of his chamber shall rejoice as a giant to run his course." Christ was also associated with "the Sun of justice with its healing rays", a Messianic image from Malachi 3:20." Christ as Sol "Sol Invictus ("Unconquered Sun") was the official sun god of the later Roman Empire and a patron of soldiers. In 274 the Roman emperor Aurelian made it an official cult alongside the traditional Roman cults. Scholars disagree whether the new deity was a refoundation of the ancient Latin cult of Sol, a revival of the cult of Elagabalus or completely new. The god was favored by emperors after Aurelian and appeared on their coins until Constantine. The last inscription referring to Sol Invictus dates to 387 AD and there were enough devotees in the 5th century that Augustine found it necessary to preach against them. "The idea, particularly popular in the 18th and 19th centuries, that the date of 25 December for Christmas was selected in order to correspond with the Roman festival of Dies Natalis Solis Invicti, or "Birthday of the Unconquered Sun", is challenged today." Sol Invictus "Since 1970, the rule for the Roman Rite of the Catholic Church is: "The Epiphany of the Lord is celebrated on 6 January, unless, where it is not observed as a Holy day of obligation, it has been assigned to the Sunday occurring between 2 and 8 January." "In the Church of England also, the feast may be celebrated on the Sunday between January 2 and 8 inclusive [citation needed] although the official date of epiphany in the UK is always January 6. (...) In the Episcopal Church in the United States, the feast of the Baptism of the Lord is always the Sunday after January 6. "The earliest reference to Epiphany as a Christian feast was in A.D. 361, by Ammianus Marcellinus. St. Epiphanius says that January 6 is hemera genethlion toutestin epiphanion (Christ's "Birthday; that is, His Epiphany"). He also asserts that the Miracle at Cana occurred on the same calendar day." Epiphany on Wikipedia "The Christkind (German "Christ-child", pronounced [kstknt]) is the traditional Christmas gift-bringer in regions of Austria, the Czech Republic, Croatia, parts of Germany, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Portugal, Switzerland, Slovakia, Hungary, France, Upper-Silesia in Poland, parts of Hispanic America, in certain areas of southern Brazil and in the Acadiana region of Louisiana. In Italian, it is called Gesù Bambino, in Portuguese Menino Jesus ("Jesus Boy"), in Hungarian Jézuska ("Little Jesus"), in Slovak Ježiško ("Little Jesus"), in Czech Ježíšek ("Little Jesus"), in Latin America "Nino Dios" ("God Child") and in Croatian Isusić ("Little Jesus"). "Promulgated by Martin Luther, explicitly to discourage the figure of St. Nicholas, at the Protestant Reformation in 16th-17th-century Europe, many Protestants changed the gift bringer to the Christ Child or Christkindl, and the date of giving gifts changed from December 6 to Christmas Eve. A gift-bringer familiar to children in Central Europe, the Christkind bears little resemblance to the infant of Bethlehem. [2] The Christkind was adopted in Catholic areas during the 19th century, while it began to be gradually replaced by a more or less secularized version of Saint Nicholas, the Weihnachtsmann (Father Christmas, Santa Claus) in Protestant regions. "The Christkind is a sprite-like child, usually depicted with blond hair and angelic wings. Martin Luther intended it to be a reference to the incarnation of Jesus as an infant. Sometimes the Christ Child is, instead of the infant Jesus, interpreted as a specific angel bringing the presents, as it appears in some processions together with an image of little Jesus Christ. It seems also to be rooted in the Alsatian-born myth of a child bringing gifts to the baby Jesus. [citation needed] Children never see the Christkind in person, and parents tell them that Christkind will not come and bring presents if they are curious and try to spot it. The family enters the living room, where the Christmas tree has been put up, for the opening of presents (the Bescherung) when the parents say that they think that the Christkind who has brought the presents has now left again. In some traditions, the departure is announced by the ringing of a small bell, which the parents pretend to have heard or which is secretly done by one of the adults in the family. "Since the 1990s, the Christkind is facing increasing competition from the Weihnachtsmann in the American version of Santa Claus, caused by the use of Santa Claus as an advertising figure." Christkind - Wikipedia
Canaan Dog • Breed Group : HERDING • Origin : Israel • Average Height : 19" - 24" • Average Weight : 35 - 55 lbs. • Life Span : 12 --13 years Photo Courtesy of : Canaan Dog Rescue Network Canaan Dog Rescue Organizations • Size 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 • Energy 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 • Intelligence 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 • Ease of Training 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 • Hypo-Allergenic 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 • Shedding 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 • Good with Kids 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 • Good with Other Pets 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 • Guard Dog 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 • The Canaan Dog originated in the 1930s in the land of Canaan out of breedings of the wild dogs of Israel, which dated back to biblical times working as guard and herding dogs for the Israelites. Drawings of dogs which looked like the Canaan Dog were found in tombs that date back to 2200 BC. Arab desert-dwelling groups (Bedouins) still use the dogs for guarding their camps and sheep and for herding the flocks. The original story of the Canaan Dog begins with it being a pariah dog in the ancient times of Israel. Many believe that this dog breed could actually date back to biblical times, making it one of the oldest dog breeds still around today. Thought to be a herding dog and a guard dog of those ancient Israelites, the Canaan Dog roamed the region, helping to protecting the flocks of sheep and other animals as well as to guard those that slept in the camps. When the Romans removed the Israelites in the second century, the Canaan Dog began to lessen in numbers and may have come close to dying out in those scattered years. As the Israelites were moved, these dogs had taken refuse in the Negev Desert, which was a sort of oasis for Israeli wildlife. Roaming free, these dogs continued an undomesticated life, though they were helped by other cultures that drifted into the area. At one point, a Dr. Rudolphina Menzel found these intelligent dogs and used them as guard dogs for Jewish settlements, and through interbreeding, they became the Canaan Dog we know today. • Temperament An incredibly reliable breed, the Canaan Dog is a natural herder that likes to complete tasks that require it to use its intelligence. While this sounds like it's only going to be good as a worker dog, this breed is also very easy going at the same time, sometimes even referred to as aloof. The Canaan Dog is able to handle tasks on its own, without much supervision and it thrives on being independent in this way. If you leave this dog alone for a while, it's not going to be upset with you, so it makes it a perfect breed for those that might not have a lot of time to give a dog breed a lot of attention. That doesn't mean that the Canaan Dog doesn't like attention, but that they don't require a lot of interaction in order to be satisfied. But the trick with a higher intelligence dog like the Canaan Dog is that they tend to become bored when they're doing repetitive tasks that they don't find stimulating. In longer training sessions, they can simply ignore commands and requests if they find something else that seems more interesting to them. It's best to continue to challenge them with new things that will allow them to continue to develop their learning. The Canaan Dog is also quite cautious around strangers, so they will need to be taught to socialize with people that will be in their life frequently. But this feature allows them to be high quality guard dogs. They will bark whenever they are in the presence of someone they don't recognize. This is a perfect dog for a family that wants a little extra protection or for a single that wants a loyal protector. The Canaan Dog is also gifted in feats of agility, tracking, and chasing. It should also be noted that this dog breed is generally quite calm, which makes him a good dog to have in a family setting. And since this breed wants to be loyal to just one person or one family, it can be a great match. Health Problems As one of the healthiest and hardiest breeds, the Canaan Dog is not prone to any major difficulties. The Canaan Dog is one of the easiest dog breeds to groom as the coat is simple to groom and to maintain. A weekly brushing with a coarse brush will help to keep stray hairs from becoming too much of a nuisance. Try to comb the hair out one a week as well to keep the appearance nice and healthy and comfortable for the dog too. It should be noted that this dog is a seasonal shedder, so you will have times of the year when shedding can be problematic- especially if you're not keeping up with the weekly brushings. The Canaan Dog is certainly going to want to be active, as its natural herding tendencies make it a more active breed that enjoys running around. This is certainly not a dog that will be happy just sitting around the house, doing nothing. You will need to create plenty of activity for this breed, including regular walks and physical activities that allow the breed to flex its intelligence and agility. You will want to not only take a Canaan Dog out for regular walks and let it run around without any direction for at least an hour each day, but you will also need to construct an intense training schedule that will help strengthen their mental fitness as well as their physical fitness. Playing games like fetch and other retrieval games might work well for their herding capabilities, but if this dog can use those skills in another setting - that is the preferred method. Constantly challenging this dog is going to be challenging for you and for the dog itself. You will need to create a program in which the dog is able to go on a long run with you and then perform challenging tasks at the end of that activity. If you aren't a naturally active person, you might want to rethink your decision to get a Canaan Dog as they can become irritable and upset when they aren't able to exercise as often as they would like. The Canaan Dog is what many breeders would call highly intelligence and absolutely trainable. They are more than willing to learn new tasks that are given to them and are likely to pick up new tricks and feats with ease. You can show them something and they can figure out how to repeat this task without much work at all. However, they naturally will follow the lead of the person they consider their 'herder,' so once you have established your position, training can become easier. That said, the risk with any highly intelligent dog is that they tend to become bored if they feel like your training is not challenging them enough. If they feel like something is not 'worth' their time, then will often resist the training and not listen to commands. In these instances, they can be very difficult dogs to train. They will require constant motivation and commands in order to keep them on task. You will want to have new activities that will challenge the Canaan Dog, perhaps having them look or hunt for things that you put in your yard or on a walk. They are natural herders as well, so any sort of activity that allows them to do this will also help to train them mentally as well as physically. Repetitive training is not advised for these dogs as they will become bored as they have probably already learned the task and want to move onto something else new and exciting. Like other breeds, the Canaan Dog will need to learn socialization skills at a young age in order to be able to determine who is a friend and who is a stranger. They are aggressive and will bark if they feel that they are with someone that can not be trusted, so as a puppy, they need to be taught how to behave. The trick with training the Canaan Dog is that you will need to be paying attention to everything they do during the session. These are dogs that can be manipulative and will try to avoid doing certain things that they may not want to do. With consistent training that involves some sort of reward, you will be able to manage their behaviors. Think about ways to encourage positive behaviors and to motivate this breed towards doing what you want them to do. They aren't necessarily going to respond to punishments that you dole out.
Jerome Bruner: ACTUAL MINDS POSSIBLE WORLDS (Cambridge Univ Press, 1986) Home \| The whole bibliography \| My book on Consciousness This is an analysis of narrative literature (written by a professional psychologist) but it ends providing hints towards a full-fledged theory of the self. Bruner shows that there are, basically, two kinds of thinking (paradigmatic and narrative), and they are like two different substances in that they represent the world in different ways and they obey different laws. They are irreducible to each other. One is reasoning, and the other one is narrating. One produces logical arguments whose goal is truth. The other one produces stories whose goal is plausibility. Abstract form is the key element of the former, whereas human psychology is the key element of the latter. Bruner points out that human civilization has developed sophisticated analyses of how to think in the paradigmatic way, but has little to say about how to think in the narrative way (how to write good stories). Bruner believes that narrative thinking incorporates two dimensions: the "landscape of action" (the plot) and the "landscape of consciousness" (the motivations). The former outlines the actions and the actors, the latter outlines their mental states (goals, beliefs, emotions). After a lengthy discussion of Vygotsky, Bruner builds upon the Russian's theory: reality belongs to two spheres, the natural and the social, the former being more aptly described by paradigmatic thought (sciences) and the latter being more aptly described by narrative thought (humanities). After an equally lengthy discussion of Goodman, Bruner accepts the idea that minds are tools to create worlds. TM, ®, Copyright © 2005 Piero Scaruffi
Calorimetry a new paradigm in cell-based assays Measuring the metabolic activities in living organisms is a well established science. In 1784, Antoine Laurent Lavoisier and Pierre Simon de Laplace cleverly devised the first calorimetric device, using heat to measure chemical and physical changes. Calorimeters have evolved to become a modern tool for the advancement of science. SymCel is introducing the first calorimeter developed specifically for cell-based assays suitable for both advanced metabolic research as well as drug discovery and development applications. Creating solutions for you calScreener™ technology is valid for monitoring changes in biological processes caused by physical, chemical or biological stimuli. Changes in metabolic activity will cause changes in heat dissipated from the cell, tissue or organism. Depending on the biological process involved different kinetic behaviors are anticipated. The graphs are idealized examples of the different heat output over time from different cellular processes. The CalScreener™ principle Biological processes caused by physical, chemical or biological stimuli in which metabolic changes are anticipated are all valid for the analysis. The calPlate™ containing the individual sealed cups holding the cell culture are placed in a thermostatic chamber set at the target temperature with a precision within thousands of a Kelvin. The cups rest upon a heat-flux detecting sensor, the thermopile. The sensor is attached to a heat-sink with a large mass compared to the cell-culture cups. All heat produced is transferred to the heat-sink giving rise to a signal in the thermopile sensor proportional to the heat-flow. The measured heat is thus independent of the model system or the process involved. We have a label free, real-time, detection system applicable to a wide range of biological applications Calorimetry technology can be applied to Drug development Bioavailability – Are your compounds able to affect living cells?, Target validation, Hit validation; rapid assessment of effect on cells, Rapid filtering of hit compounds with in-built toxicity testing & Lead selection. Protein Production Identification of High-producing Clones & Optimization of Culture Conditions. Identify toxicological events at early stage in the discovery process. Basic Research Metabolic monitoring & Proliferation assays. calScreener™ is not limited to these few applications. The application areas are limited only by the imagination of the scientist. We strongly encourage you to discuss with us your label-free cell-assay ideas and requirements. The instrument was initially developed to analyze adherent eukaryotic cells but may be used for any cell type suspended or adherent, including bacterial cells and yeast. All types of changes in the cellular metabolism can be monitored since calScreener™ gives a measurement of the combined changes in metabolic rate. A majority of cellular processes such as cell death and cell proliferation affects the cellular metabolism to a large degree. More subtle processes such as cell signaling also give rise to changes in metabolic turnover. The use of a calorimetric methodology to detect major, as well as, subtle cellular events is a well established methodology. The SymCel calScreener™ is a high sensitivity, easy to use calorimeter designed for cell biological work, opening up a new set of opportunities for research scientists and drug development. SymCel calScreener™ uses no label –no additives. This results in faster assay development and cost savings since there are no reagents involved. The assay maintains the native environment of the cell and errors introduced by additions of antibodies or other reagents are avoided. The use of heat production measurement to monitor cell metabolism is also a non-destructive method facilitating further downstream analysis of cells for e.g. RNA expression levels. There is no need to have prior knowledge of a specific drug-target or the involved pathways or reaction mechanism. Many of the current available cell-biological analysis technologies depend on ‘end-point’ measurements where data is derived from a specific time point (e.g. reporter gene assays). calScreener™ collects a continuous data-stream facilitating research of kinetic behavior such as cell growth or apoptosis. The continuous read-out makes it easier to find the interesting time-points for measuring cellular events. calScreener™ is currently being tested by a select number of labs to obtain user feedback and peer-reviewed scientific publications. calScreener is now available to the market, Q1 2014. Using a suitable cell-model calScreener™ is suitable for toxicology applications. The most common experiment would involve the comparison of the metabolic response of a novel compound with different know toxicological standards. We use cookies to identify users as unique individuals. They help us to register the number of visitors and give us statistics and information about how many users we have on the site and what they do. You can make settings in your web browser to not accept cookies. Below are some publication examples of biological processes and applications where heat measurements have been conducted using calorimetric equipment, including measurement of basic cellular responses such as cell proliferation, cell death (apoptosis) and cell signaling.
Eye Problems and Eye Care Tips Eye Problems and Eye Care Tips For children, an eye exam before the age of six is always the best. Most of the school screenings are very good but there are times that some subtle problems are present that can become much larger issues in the event that they are missed. The window of opportunity to fix any of those problems is known to close around the age of eight or nine. In the event that everything is normal, then the exams are going to be every three to five years if that is acceptable. Diabetic retinopathy is the diabetic eye disease that is most common and it is also the main underlying cause of blindness within adults in America. Your good vision is going to depend upon having a healthy retina. Even though diabetic retinopathy might not cause any changes to your vision immediately, over time the disease can develop into a worse condition and may cause you to lose your vision. Normally, this condition will affect both of the eyes. Eye Care Tips: - * While writing with the right hand, ensure light is on the left side so that the shadow does not fall on the writing material. Drink lots of water. This is indeed one of the effective eye care tips. If you have developed dirk circles under eyes then put slices of cucumber and potato to treat them. * Soak Amla in water overnight. Strain it and use the water washing the eyes. It will provide a healthy comfort to the eyes. * Use an umbrella or sunglasses to avoid prolonged exposure to sunlight. * Soaking cotton in lukewarm milk and placing it on the eyes also gives a soothing relief to tired eyes. Give a break to your eyes every 20 minutes this will help improve your productivity too. Make it a practice to relax the eye muscles by closing it at fixed intervals daily. Close it and think something pleasant. Red, itch eyes can be treated by splashing water mixed with salt. It cures the eye infections. If the eye tends to be puffy, take a nap for a short span, it will help. * Keep away from lamps that produce heat. Natural Treatment for Eyes: - Black Eyes: - Apply an ice pack or a cold compress for 15 minutes once each hour for 4 or 5 hours. Droopy Eyelids: - For immediate, temporary relief, chill 2 teaspoons in ice water and place them over your closed eyelids. If weakened muscles are the cause, increase your dietary protein and add supplements of vitamin C, bioflavonoid, and vitamin E. Dark Circles: - Dark circles are caused by lack of sleep, fatigue, genetics, poor circulation of blood, or illness. You can read preventive methods and Under Eye Remedies to get rid off dark circles. Dry Eyes: - Inadequate nutrition or lack of humidity in desert-dry air or overheated rooms may instigate itching and burning not caused by allergy or eyestrain.
China / Society Religious groups call for less joss sticks By Mo Jingxi ( Updated: 2014-01-22 21:36 Religious groups in China on Wednesday called for temple visitors to burn less joss sticks during Spring Festival, as excessive incense sticks burning has contributed to worsening air quality. Addressing a news conference, spokesmen for the Buddhist Association of China and the Chinese Taoist Association said the practice of burning a large amount of joss sticks is irrational and affects air quality. In Chinese tradition, burning joss sticks in temples is a ritual to pray for blessings. In recent years, as the Chinese get richer, more people choose to burn incense sticks in temples to pray for a better life during traditional holidays. In some cases, they burned hundreds of dollars of incense sticks. According to Hu Xuefeng, the host of the Yonghegong Lama Temple, a popular religious destination in Beijing, a crowd of nearly 100,000 people went to the temple to burn incense sticks on the first day of the lunar calendar last year. Hu said it is unnecessary and irrational for the public to rush to the temples and burn a lot of incense sticks to seek blessings on the first day of the lunar calendar year. "In fact, three sticks at a time is absolutely enough to show their sincerity," Hu said. According to Ming Jie, spokesman for the Buddhist Association of China, the way that people burn as much incense sticks as possible deteriorates air quality and poses a fire risk. "People sometimes misunderstand the meaning of burning joss sticks and tend to equal the blessings with the number and weight of the incense sticks they burn," Ming said. In a bid to improve the temple environment, the Yonghegong Lama Temple initiated measures to deal with the air pollution caused by irrational burning of incense sticks in December, including presenting visitors with free joss sticks. "Since the adoption of such measures, the number of joss sticks burned per day has greatly dropped, and we have seen an obvious improvement of the air quality in the temple," Hu said. According to Hu, previously, the temple will collect two trucks of the burnt dust of the incense sticks a day before they offered free ones. Moreover, the free sticks offered by the temple are higher quality than those brought by visitors, Hu said. According to Hu, the amount of dust produced by poor-quality joss sticks well exceeds those generated by high-quality ones. "By burning high-quality incense sticks, the temple has resumed a solemn and dust-free environment for visitors," he added. Hot Topics
A Hornbook Curio B9 This month’s curio is a Hornbook. These were used as primers by young children learning to read and write. Typically they were a piece of written or printed material pasted onto a board (often made of wood, ivory or lead) and covered with a sheet of transparent horn. The horn covering protected the text from tears or marking. Sometimes the back board was also decorated. The handle made them easier to hold, leaving the other hand free to write. Horn books usually displayed the alphabet in upper and lower case, sometimes also followed by numbers and the Lord’s Prayer. All that remains on the Trinity hornbook is a fragment of the Lord’s Prayer. The alphabet would have originally been displayed above this on the upper half of the paddle. The horn covering was usually edged with brass or leather. On this hornbook, you can see the marks where the edging of the horn would originally have been held down with tacks or nails. The hole on the handle would have allowed a cord to be threaded through it, allowing the book to be fastened to the body. Visual evidence of the use of hornbooks dates back to the 14th century (see, for example, here) and they are referred to in 16th century literature, but the oldest actual survivals are 17th century. Hornbooks were produced quite cheaply and in large numbers but not many have survived. Later hornbooks were also produced in gingerbread. Horn was also sometimes used to cover book labels. We have a few examples here in the Library. The first (B.4.24) is on a velvet binding with the title recorded under horn nailed down with green silk ribbon. B.4.24, front cover There are two similar bindings in the Library of Corpus Christi College. These bindings are characteristic of the ‘Old Royal’ Library of Henry VIII. Another example (O.4.42) has a label on the lower right hand corner of the back cover with a handwritten title (probably 13th century) under horn held down by nails. Labeling such as this probably indicates ownership in a well-ordered and organised Library. This manuscript was owned by Abbey Dore in Herefordshire. O.4.42, back cover B.15.2 has its original label pasted to the inside front cover. You can see the holes where the nails held it in place. This label indicates that it is from the library of Syon Abbey, Middlesex. The Abbey had an extensive library prior to the Dissolution which was divided into two collections: one for the monks and one for the nuns. The label records the book title (divisiones thematum super epistolas et evangelia dominicalia cum aliis), 2nd folio (miam et) and original donor (Bracebridge). Medieval cataloguers would often use the first few words of the second folio to distinguish between different copies of the same text. B.15.2, inside front Finally, B.16.13 has a horn label (early 16th century) on the back cover which records that it was a gift from Thomas Traver, vicar of Walthamstow in Essex. There are also indications of chain marks at the bottom of the first leaves. The library to which this volume was given has not been identified with any certainty, but labels on outer covers (rather than on the spine) make more sense in a chained library where the books might be displayed on reading desks: see, for example, the chained library at Zutphen in The Netherlands. B.16.13, back cover B.16.13, f.1r The hornbook and volumes B.15.2 and O.4.42 are currently on display in the Wren Library during public opening hours. Recent Additions to the Wren Digital Library (V) Recent additions to the Digital Library include an Italian poem printed in the sixteenth century, a musical score by C. Hubert Parry, an eighteenth-century notebook and an album of photographs from the First World War. Grylls.6.218, Germini sopra quaranta meretrice della citta di Firenze A poem in octaves, I Germini, is a burlesque take on the game of Tarot, and describes 40 of the 92 cards that made up the whole set in the Florentine version of the game. In the original game, these cards represented a varied series of characters (the Madman, the Pope, the Emperor…), and sometimes portrayed the city’s noble women. In this version, the situation is inverted, and the women portrayed are actually prostitutes. It is likely that contemporary readers would have recognised some Florentine noblewomen behind the comical descriptions. This text also holds a particular place in the history of card games, as it reports the exact order of the germini which remained unchanged until the beginning of the twentieth century, when the game disappeared from Italy. R.2.48, Autograph Score of ‘Blest Pair of Sirens’ Parry’s score was presented to the Library in 1891, three years after the first performance by the Bach Choir at St James’ Hall in London on 17th May 1887 in a concert to celebrate Queen Victoria’s golden jubilee. It was conducted by Sir Charles Villiers Stanford who, earlier in his career, had been the organist of Trinity College and who had commissioned the piece. The composition was based on Milton’s ode, ‘To a Solemn Musick’. The Library also owns the autograph copy of Milton’s manuscript (R.3.4) containing this ode (page 4). R.2.45, William Bowyer, Varia R.2.45, ff.5v-6r This small notebook of miscellany was possibly kept by the printer, William Bowyer (1699-1777). It contains a fascinating collection of material including recipes, ‘stories’, receipts and memoranda. The recipes include a seed cake (12r), blacking for shoes, lip salve, and a remedy for the bite of a mad dog (at the bottom of f.6r). It passed into the possession of John Nichols (1745-1826), Bowyer’s apprentice and business partner who inherited the printing business on Bowyer’s death. Under successive generations of the Nichols family, the printing business became well-established and particularly well known for producing books of antiquarian interest. G.13.112, Album of Photographs of the 1st Eastern General Hospital This album of photographs of the 1st Eastern General Hospital was given to the library by Myfanwy Griffiths in 1946. She was a relative (probably a daughter) of Colonel Joseph Griffiths (1863-1945), a surgeon at Addenbrooke’s who was instrumental in the establishment of the Hospital and its Commander. The album contains photos taken during the period in 1914 when the Hospital was housed in Nevile’s Court and the surrounding grounds of the College. It later moved more permanently to a cricket ground shared by King’s and Clare Colleges which is now the site of University Library. For more about the hospital see our earlier blog.
What does Buford Gene mean? Buford Gene meaning in Urban Dictionary The Buford Gene had been discovered in 2007 by Dr. Schlossenger Beaufort in Austria. Its located on chromosomes 6 and 9 between your URA3 and LYS2 loci. The Buford gene happens to be determined to promote 5-fluoro-orotic acid (FOA) and a-aminoadipic acid (aAA) production. These chemical substances have the effect of "awesomeness" in a person by encouraging comfort in accordance circumstances plus the power to rise to all the occasions. Additionally prevents producing b-galactosidase which can be responsible for "lameness" in people. This gene has however become successfully cloned, given that Buford Gene can simply be expressed from initial. The actual only real understood types of getting the Buford Gene is through sexual reproduction with a known provider.
Why wear two hearing aids and not just one? You have TWO ears for a very good reason. Hear much better when you can hear properly with both ears. We use both our eyes. The same goes for our ears. Wearing one hearing aid would be the same as wearing eye glasses with only one lens in it. When wearing one aid you do not allow the ears to work together to sort out the sounds. What are the benefits of wearing TWO hearing aids? As the old saying goes, 2 heads are better than one. We could keep going with 2 hands, 2 legs, 2 eyes, 2 ears are better than 1, etc., etc. But what are the actual advantages? More Natural The hearing becomes much more natural with sounds coming from all around you. Being able to identify where the sound is coming from is only possible with two aids. Otherwise how can you tell which direction a bus is coming crossing the street without looking? It is twice as easy to understand the words when others are speaking. It enables your to participate in conversations when there is noise around you. Lazy ear The unaided ear tends to lose its ability to hear and understand over time. Both ears need to be kept active. Hearing is less tiring. Listening becomes more pleasant. Wider hearing range A voice that’s barely heard at 3 metres - with one ear - can be heard up to 12 meters, with two ears. More comfortable Listening to loud sounds is more balanced. Get in touch with us to book your free hearing test either at home or at one of our local branches.
Things go poorly for Coca-Cola project to grow fruit in Egypt When it was formally launched in 1977, the project was expansively touted as a promising and profitable joint venture -- a mutually advantageous alliance of Egyptian and American capital. For the Coca-Cola Company, the plan to harvest thousands of tons of citrus fruit from the Egyptian desert likewise offered a chance to bolster its public image in the developing world. For Egypt, the project could have been the shining achievement in President Anwar Sadat's controversial opendoor economic policy, a scheme to involve massive amounts of foreign capital in fulfilling the country's critical development needs. Today, though, after three years of bureaucratic roadblocks that defied even the intervention of President Sadat, Coca-Cola has reduced by half its financial investment and has withdrawn completely from the management of the project. In some ways, the circumstances that provoked the company's decision are sadly illustrative of the ministerial inertia that has so far deterred many large US firms from doing business in Egypt. Coca-Cola's story began in 1975 when it was negotiating its eventual return to the Egyptian soft-drink market from which it had been banned because of its operations in Israel. President Sadat suggested that Coca-Cola put its expertise to work in reclaiming a portion of the Egyptian desert. Making the desert bloom is one of Mr. Sadat's most compelling priorities. In 1977, backed by a governmental decree, the newly formed Ramses Agricultural Company, of which Coca-Cola owned 50 percent, signed a contract with five other Egyptian businesses giving it access to 15,000 acres of desert east of Cairo between the capital and the Suez Canal city of Ismailia. Coca-Cola, having successfully grown citrus fruit in desert conditions in Arizona and Florida, contributed $5 million to provide both equipment and technical personnel. Work subsequently began to prepare the land to yield 30, 000 tons of fruit a year for both export and domestic consumption. During the negotiations, however, no one thought to ask the Egyptian Army for permission to use the land, even though the area is adjacent to an old military airfield and a training academy for Egyptian pilots. Company officials, after they had signed the contract and begun to install their equipment, were thus dismayed when they found one day that the Army had appropriated almost 6,000 of their acres for use as a bombing range for trainee pilots. Military authorities argued that the land had always belonged to them but later agreed to reduce their claim to about 3,000 acres. Coca-Cola, however, contended that what was lost deprived the project of its most productive acreage and threatened the viability of the whole venture -- since no one would want to work there when the bombing started. There followed a dispute with the Ministry of Irrigation. The ministry contested Coca-Cola's assertion that approximately 7,500 cu- bic meters of water would be needed per acre and offered the project only 3,700 -- not enough, the company claimed, to make the project work. There were likewise disagreements, later resolved, with customs officials over the amount of duty to be paid on imported equipment. Finally, by late 1980, its problems with the Army and the Irrigation Ministry still outstanding, Coca-Cola pulled out of the project, leaving the management entirely to its counterparts in the Ramses Agricultural Company. The company's withdrawal came after a personal appeal for help last year by Coca-Cola president J. P. Austin to President Sadat, who apparently listened sympathetically but was himself unable to remove the obstacles. Lower level company representatives made similar approaches to other Egyptian authorities and in every case, laments one executive, they were assured the problems would be taken care of tomorrow. "But," he says, "tomorrow never came." That view is challenged by a senior official in Egypt's general authority for foreign investment. Too often, he says, foreign companies enter Egypt through the open door with a "take it or leave it" attitude and prove to be either unwilling or unable to adapt to local conditions. Coca-Cola, the authority points out, would have been able to import its machinery and supplies completely duty-free and would have enjoyed both a tax holiday amounting to 17 years and a discount in the cost of electric power. The Army, it is asserted, had agreed to give up control over nearly half the acres it claimed and, assures one authority official, the amount of water could have been increased gradually once the pr oject got under way.
Converting Crop Performance Analysis into Agroecosystem Enhancements How can native ecosystems such as prairie, wetlands, forest, and savanna make farms more profitable? Unprofitable areas of farms (pictured below–the red areas in Crop Performance Analysis) can be made more profitable by removing them from production. Additionally, the landowner can often enroll these areas in government-funded conservation programs that will help cover 50-90% of the costs of restoring native ecosystems, in addition to making annual rental payments. Native ecosystems have other values as well, which include improving our water quality, wildlife habitat, supporting pollinators and beneficial insects, and reducing soil loss.
What is LED? Light Emitting Diode (LED) A solid that directly converts electrical impulses into light. Some LED's today incorporate fluorescent materials to change the color characteristics of the emitted light. Was this helpful? 1 0 contact us about this question Enter ZIP code to get local Promos * Limited to the 48 states.
Edit Article wikiHow to Run 400 Meters The 400 is one of the most challenging but rewarding races on the track. It's the type of race you need to sprint for but still have a strategy. Like the half mile, it requires a balance of both speed and endurance. Because of this, it can be very difficult but also very fun to run. There's nothing that makes you feel more powerful than running as fast as you can for a long distance. 1. 1 Don't eat or drink anything right before the race because it will cause cramps, but be sure to eat well a while before and stay hydrated. 2. 2 Run shorter races like the 100 and the 200 to improve your speed for the race. If you run enough of these it will improve your speed and give you an idea of how close to your top speed you are going. 3. 3 Run the 800 and mile help for endurance in the 400, but running any further becomes less helpful because it starts to focus too heavily on aerobic endurance over anaerobic endurance, which is the opposite of what the 400 is about. 4. 4 Lift light weights with high repetitions to help your muscles get used to fatigue and handle it better. 5. 5 Running the race: go out fast the first 100 and then "float" the second 100, easing slightly but still going very hard. Then really hammer the third 100 near all-out effort, and then push as hard as you can until the finish. The 400 is often won by the person who slows down the least. Do not run flat footed. 6. 6 Talk yourself into it. To run a 400 at your best you have to really want and be pumped about it. Get yourself excited about the race. Community Q&A Add New Question • How do I run 400 meters without getting winded easily? wikiHow Contributor Work on your cardiovascular endurance; as said before, work on running the 800 and the 1600 (mile). The best way to avoid getting tired would to be repeating a mantra in your head and pushing yourself further than your limits. • Should my mouth be open when running? wikiHow Contributor No, you should breathe only by your nose. By doing so, you can keep a better control of your cardiac rhythm and avoid loosing your cadence. • What should I do if I suddenly found out that my name was added to a 400 meter race? wikiHow Contributor Do your best to run the 400 meter and stick to someone who is running with you. If you can't run, talk to the person who added you. • How do I maintain my stamina? wikiHow Contributor Push yourself just slightly at least twice a week (not on consecutive days) to keep your body maintaining its fitness level. For stamina, you should do continuous or mild interval work that are more cardio-based than toning. • Should I sprint in the first 100 meters of the race? wikiHow Contributor Yes, you should. When running against other runners, it will be hard to catch up to them if you are only going 50 percent of your maximum speed for the first 100 meters, versus 90 or 100 percent. Unless you can accelerate extremely fast, I suggest going full speed straight away. You may slow down a tiny bit after the first 100 or 150 meters. • Is tightening of leg muscles good for a 400m race? wikiHow Contributor • Are spikes important in a 400 m race? wikiHow Contributor Yes! Always use spikes on a rubber track if you can, because it helps improve your speed and momentum. • How can I avoid getting tired when running? wikiHow Contributor You have to pace yourself at the beginning of your race, then sprint the last 200 meters. • Are pads useful for races? wikiHow Contributor No. Pads aren't needed for running; there won't be too much physical contact between racers, and pads could be uncomfortable and slow you down. • How do I start in the 400 meter run? wikiHow Contributor Go out pretty fast. Don't use all you have right away, though, or you will run out of energy. Go fast the first few meters. At about the last turn on the track, use all you have. Show more answers Unanswered Questions Show more unanswered questions Ask a Question 200 characters left • Before the race make sure you are well hydrated, as this will help you keep the needed speed throughout. • Be sure you have a good feel for the race before running it for time. • Pump your arms as hard as you can and get your knees higher at the last 100. • Have someone to try to beat. This will make you go faster. • Always run any distance with somebody, especially someone around your ability who will push you. • Be very careful to avoid crashing at the very end of the race. This tends to happen a lot. • Don't start too fast, save some energy till about the last 100 meters. • If possible, start by using a block. • Getting some light training well before the raise can decrease you time significantly. • When you get to the last bend give it your 100% best - it's ok to be in the back at the beginning but then kick it at the last 150 meters. Article Info Categories: Running In other languages: Español: correr los 400 metros planos, Italiano: Correre i 400 Metri Piani, Português: Correr 400 Metros, Русский: бегать на 400 метров, Deutsch: Die 400 Meter laufen Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 112,565 times. Did this article help you?
Science: Magnetism & Shock Therapy 'Stroke' Treatment Mickey Poduje (pronounced 'poh-DOO-yay') , 50, had been out all day with her husband Noel on their 9.5 metre long motorboat off the Massachusetts USA coastline. When they returned to the dock, she climbed out to do her usual job of securing the lines. Then she collapsed. It was a 'stroke'; a blood vessel had burst in her brain, paralysing her right side and leaving her mute at first. At the rehabilitation hospital she just mostly said 'when ... when ... when' over and over again. Six months later, Mickey could say a few individual words, but physicians said her speech wouldn't get much better. 'People were saying, what you see is what you get', Noel recalled. They were wrong... Six years after that horrible day at the dock in 1996, Mickey Poduje entered a laboratory in Boston, USA, and had a metal device the shape of a figure-8 pressed to her right temple. It sent magnetic pulses into her brain. And the result, published just this year, is that her speech did improve slightly. It's one of a handful of recent experiments in 'stroke' patients that sound like the fantastic promises of an old traveling medicine show. Improving speech by zapping the brain with magnetism? Making weakened limbs work better by putting coils on the head and releasing current so weak it could come from a battery? Those ideas have spurred interest in a handful of laboratories in US America and abroad. The few preliminary results produced so far are not cures. They are more intriguing than life-changing. But scientists hope that with further refinement, the techniques could provide new tools for treating 'strokes', which attack some 700_000 US Americans a year. Take the magnetic approach, called repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation or 'rTMS', which involves sending tightly focused magnetic pulses into the brain. 'A lot of us believe that this is really going to be a turning point in intervention in neuroscience', said Dr.Randall Benson of 'Wayne State University' and the 'Detroit Medical Centre'. While physicians have already shown that implanting electrodes in the brain to deliver stimulation can help control tremors, he said, 'rTMS' offers a way to stimulate brain circuits without surgery. Benson is just starting a study of using the magnetic stimulation to improve 'stroke'-related language impairment, but in a different way from the approach tested with Mickey Poduje. British researchers, meanwhile, are beginning studies to see whether it can help 'stroke' patients overcome problems with swallowing or using a weakened and clumsy hand. Mickey Poduje's problem, called 'nonfluent aphasia', shows up to some extent in more than a third of 'stroke' patients, though most recover to some degree. Their speech is hesitant, broken up and poorly articulated. They have trouble coming up with words they want to say, especially verbs. So they often have trouble communicating their needs. 'They almost talk like a telegram', said Margaret Naeser of the 'Boston University' neurology department and the 'Veterans' Affairs Healthcare System' in Boston, USA, principal investigator of the federally funded 'rTMS' ('rapid transcranial magnetic stimulation') research project that included Poduje. She thought of trying magnetic stimulation because 'MRI' brain scans showed that in 'aphasia' patients with a 'stroke' in the left side of the brain, an area on the right side became over-active when the patients tried to describe a picture. Could this be interfering with the brain's attempts to find a word? She approached Dr.Alvaro Pascual-Leone, an 'rTMS' expert at 'Harvard Medical School' , because she knew magnetic stimulation can paradoxically be used to calm brain circuits. They launched a study together. Alvaro Pascual-Leone Pascual-Leone Poduje was one of four patients in the study, all of whom had suffered a 'stroke' at least five years earlier. Researchers focused on their ability to look at drawings of common things like a hammer, cup or a tree, and say what they were seeing. For the experimental treatment, the researchers pressed an 'electromagnetic coil' to the right temples of their patients, near the over-active brain area, and applied 'magnetic pulses' for 20 minutes, five days a week, for two weeks. That brought surprisingly durable results. Poduje, for example, went from being able to name what she was seeing in only four out of 20 drawings before the experiment to seven by two months later, and 12 by eight months afterward. As a group, the four patients showed significant continuing improvement two months and even eight months after the magnetic treatments ended. The patients told the researchers they noticed it was easier to name the pictures. They also showed improvement in their spontaneous speech after the treatments. Poduje, now 59, said in a brief telephone interview recently at her home in 'Needham Heights', Mass., USA, that the treatment helped her. Asked if it was easier to remember words, she replied, 'little'. She improved enough after the experiment to become eligible for a speech therapy program that focused on improving speech output. Noel Poduje accepts the laboratory documentation that his wife got better, but says Mickey's speech had been improving anyway, and that he didn't notice any dramatic effect in her everyday speech from the magnetic stimulation itself. He never saw the experiment as anything more than research that might help somebody down the road, he said. Poduje said that while his wife's speech continues to improve, it remains markedly impaired. She says single words or strings a noun and a verb together, he said. The continued improvement shown by patients on the picture-naming tests even eight months after the treatments was a surprise, Pascual-Leone said. It 'suggests we are opening up the possibility for the brain to establish and implement a new strategy to gain access to language', he said. He suspects the brain-circuitry suppression brought on by the magnetic stimulation is helping the brain abandon fruitless strategies to regain its language abilities, and explore new ones. Naeser, who is continuing the research, said she suspects 'rTMS' would help most when paired with speech therapy, rather than used by itself as in the preliminary experiment. 'I guess we could say we're on the right track, but we haven't cured "aphasia"', Naeser said. Martha Taylor Sarno, an 'aphasia' expert and professor of rehabilitation medicine at the 'New York University School of Medicine', called Naeser's results 'fascinating'. 'Anything that suggests recovery is interesting because so little is out there that can provide any significant difference in performance in people with "chronic aphasia"', she said. Meanwhile, at a 'National Institutes of Health' lab. in Bethesda, USA, researchers have found that sending a weak electric current into the brain can make 'stroke' patients slightly more nimble with a weakened limb. That happened with six patients whose upper arms had been weakened by a 'stroke' two or more years before. They practiced a series of simple tasks -- things like turning over cards, picking up beans with a spoon and stacking draughts pieces -- until they were doing them as fast as possible. Then researchers put one 'electrode' on their foreheads and another on top of their heads, and either ran a weak electrical current between the 'electrodes' or merely pretended to for 20 minutes. The study participants repeated the series of tasks, both during the stimulation and afterwards. When subjected to real current, or within about 25 minutes of getting real current, every patient completed the tasks slightly faster than at other times. They shaved an average of about four seconds off a performance that normally took about 44 seconds. Dr.Leonardo Cohen Dr.Leonardo Cohen That's not much, concedes Dr.Leonardo G. Cohen , who did the work with colleague Dr.Friedhelm Hummel (tel: USA-301-951-8347 hummelf@ninds.nih.gov ). But it resulted from just a single treatment, not combined with any kind of training regimen, in patients who had suffered their 'strokes' long before, Cohen said. He said he expects that if such treatments are given repeatedly, paired with training in people just after their 'strokes', 'we will be able to go much further'. It's not clear why the weak current helped the 'stroke' patients perform, he said. But it appears to prime the part of the brain that's going to be called on, like giving it 'a little bit of a cup of coffee', he said. In any case, Cohen's lab. has started working with a rehabilitation hospital to see if the brain stimulation can help when paired with standard treatments just after a 'stroke'. 'I want to see it working in the regular rehabilitation environment', Cohen said. 'If it does there, then we may have something important in hand'. "Magnetism, Electricity May Treat Strokes", Associated Press in Yahoo! News, 2004-11-28, Su, 07:21 EST Contact Information: Dr.Leonardo G. Cohen Human Cortical Physiology Section Medical Neurology Branch, NINDS Building 10, Room 5N22610 Center Drive MSC 1430 Bethesda, MD 20892-1430 Telephone: 301-496-9782 office, Fax: 301-402-1007 Email: cohenl@ninds.nih.gov Post a Comment Links to this post: Create a Link << Home
Year of the World 5453 Year of Christ 254 Lucius the pope, a Roman, was elected pope after Cornelius under emperor Gallus Hostilianus. He was exiled by the emperor Volusian (Volusianus). He was released from exile after the death of the same emperor, and again returned to Rome. He ordained that two priests and three deacons should always be about a bishop, giving testimony of his life and transactions. Before being led to martyrdom at the command of Valerian (Valerianus) he left all his power over the churches to his archdeacon Stephen (Stephano). His martyrdom having been accomplished on the 25th day of the month of August, he was buried in the cemetery of Calixtus on the Appian Way after having sat for three years 3 months and 3 days. The chair was then vacant thirty-five days.[According to Eusebius ( 7.2), Lucius did not hold the papal office quite 8 months, when dying he transferred it to Stephen. He spent a short period of his pontificate in exile. He is referred to in several letters of Cyprian as agreeing with his predecessor Cornelius in preferring the milder treatment of lapsed penitents. He is commemorated on March 4th. His term is generally given as 252-3 CE, or 253-4 CE.] Year of the World 5458 Year of Christ 257 Stephen (Stephanus) the First, the pope, a Roman, and a very good man, ordained that the priests, and their Levites, should not wear the garments designed for pious uses at any other place than in the churches and in sacred transactions, so that by acting to the contrary they would not suffer the punishment visited upon Belshazzar (Balthasar), the Babylonian king, who touched the sacred vessels with unworthy hands. This pope was of the same opinion as Pope Cornelius concerning those who returned to the faith, and held that no communion was to be had with those who were rebaptized. After he had converted many to the Christian faith by his words and works, he was beheaded by Gallienus, or those who at the command of Decius persecuted the Christians; and thus he suffered martyrdom with many others of his people, and was buried in the cemetery of Calixtus on the Appian Way on the 2nd day of August. He sat (in office) seven years, five months and two days. The chair was vacant for twenty-two days.[According to Eusebius ( 7.2), it was Stephen to whom Dionysius wrote the first of his epistles on baptism, as there was no small amount of controversy whether those returning from any heresy whatever should be purified by baptism. Stephen held office for only 2 years, being then succeeded by Sixtus. He withdrew from church fellowship with Cyprian and certain Asiatic bishops on account of their views as to the rebaptizing of heretics. He is commemorated on August 2nd and was succeeded by Sixtus II.] Sixtus the Second, a pope, native of Athens in Greece, from having been a philosopher, became a disciple of Christ while the Decian and Valerian persecutions were still going on. This was a highly learned man, who with great industry aimed to discredit and disperse the heresies of Sabellius[Sabellius, African bishop of the 3rd century CE, taught that God exists as one person, the Son and the Spirit being but different manifestation of God; the doctrine of a model Trinity, that is, characterized by form without reference to substance.] and Nepos.[Nepos asserted there would be an earthly reign of Christ.] However, because of his preaching of the Christian faith contrary to imperial prohibition, he was accused and taken prisoner to the temple of Mars to make sacrifices to the pagan god or lose his head. And as he went to martyrdom Lawrence (Laurentius), the archdeacon, said to him, Father, where are you going without your son and servant? Sixtus answered, Son, I do not leave you. There are much greater trials awaiting you in the battle for the Christian faith. In three days you will follow me. What you have in wealth, give to the poor in the meantime. On the 6th day of the month of August there were slain with Sixtus, six deacons, namely Felicissimus, Agapitus, Januarius, Magnus, Innocentius and Stephen (Stephanus). He sat for two years ten months and twenty-three days. And the papal see was vacant for thirty-five days.[Sixtus II, Roman bishop in 257, suffered martyrdom under Valerian on August 6, 258. He restored the relations with the Eastern and African churches that had been broken off by his predecessor on the question of heretical baptism. He was succeeded by Dionysius.] Dionysius was a monk, and became a pope. He divided the churches and cemeteries at Rome among the priests; also the outlying rectories and bishoprics, so that each would be content with its own jurisdiction. He ordained that no lay or ecclesiastical tribunal should condemn any person unless he first be found guilty by credible witnesses. In his declining years he called a Council in the city of Antioch against Paul, the bishop there. And although Dionysius, because of his age, did not himself attend, yet he was represented in writing in all the transactions of the Council through Maximus. When he died he was buried in the cemetery at Calixtus. He consecrated twelve priests, six deacons and seven bishops, and sat six years two months and four days; and the chair was vacant six days.[Dionysius was pope from 259 to 268. To him fell the task of reorganizing the church after the persecution of Valerian. At the protest of some of the faithful at Alexandria, he demanded from their bishop (also called Dionysius) explanations touching his doctrine. He died December 26, 268.] Year of the World 5463 Year of Christ 264 Felix the pope, a Roman, lived in the time of Aurelian. He was a righteous man, worthy of every praise. He ordered that the sacrifices to the martyrs should be celebrated by the priests every year, and also that the mass was to be celebrated only at consecrated places and by spiritual persons. He also ordained that the consecration of churches take place in a festal manner and in due form, and that churches whose consecration was not remembered, or whose walls were in ruin, should be reconsecrated. After having consecrated nine priests, five deacons and five bishops, this Felix became a martyr. He was buried on the Aurelian Road to Rome on the 30th day of the month of May, in the church which he had built in honor of the Lord two miles from the city. He occupied the papal chair four years 2 months and 15 days; and then the chair remained vacant for five days.[Felix I was pope from January 269 until his death in January 274. His name is given as a martyr in the Roman calendar and elsewhere, but his title to this honor is by no means proved. He appears in connection with the dispute in the church of Antioch between Paul and Samosta, who had been deprived of his bishopric by a council of bishops for heresy. He ordered the church building to be given to the bishop who was "recognized by the bishops of Italy and the city of Rome." (, t.I, ed., Duchesne, 1886).]
Where Have Ghost Ships Been Found? Where Have Ghost Ships Been Found? Where Have Ghost Ships Been Found? Where Have Ghost Ships Been Found? A ghost ship is a supposedly haunted or ghostly vessel, such as the Flying Dutchman. The same term is also used to describe derelict ships found adrift with their entire crew either missing or dead, such as the Mary Celeste or the Baychimo and the crew have eerie expressions and there is no sign of foul play. It may sometimes also be used to refer to ships which have been decommissioned but not yet scrapped, such as the Clemenceau. Folklore, legends, and mythology * Undated: The Caleuche is a mythical ghost ship which, according to local folklore and Chilota mythology, sails the seas around Chiloé Island, Chile, at night. * 1748: The Lady Lovibond is said to have been deliberately wrecked on Goodwin Sands on 13 February and to reappear off the Kent coast every fifty years. * 1795 onwards: The Flying Dutchman, a ship manned by a captain condemned to eternally sail the seas, has long been the principal ghost ship legend among mariners and has inspired several works. * 1858 onwards: The Eliza Battle, a paddle steamer that burned in 1858 on the Tombigbee River in Alabama, is purported to reappear, fully aflame, on cold and windy winter nights to foretell of impending disaster. * 1880: The ship Seabird, under the command of John Husham, grounded itself at Easton's Beach, Rhode Island. She had been returning from a voyage to Honduras and was expected in Newport that day. The ship was apparently abandoned in sight of land and drifted off course. The only living thing found on the ship was a dog. Historically attested * 1872: The Mary Celeste, perhaps the most historically famous derelict, was found abandoned between Portugal (mainland) and Portugal's Azores archipelago. It was devoid of all crew, but largely intact and under sail, heading toward the Strait of Gibraltar. While Arthur Conan Doyle's story "J. Habakuk Jephson's Statement" based on this ship added some strange phenomena to the tale (such as that the tea found in the mess hall was still hot), the fact remained that the last log entry was 11 days prior to the discovery of the ship. * 1884: The Resolven was found abandoned between Baccalieu Island and Catalina, Newfoundland and Labrador, with her lifeboat missing. Other than a broken yard, she had suffered minimal damage. A large iceberg was sighted nearby. It has been claimed that none of the seven crew members or four passengers were accustomed to northern waters and it was suggested that they panicked when the ship was damaged by ice, launched the lifeboat, and swamped, though no bodies were found. Three years later, Resolven was wrecked while returning to Newfoundland from Nova Scotia with a load of lumber. * 1917: Zebrina, a sailing barge, departed Falmouth, England, with a cargo of Swansea coal bound for Saint-Brieuc, France. Two days later she was discovered aground on Rozel Point, south of Cherbourg, without damage except for some disarrangement of her rigging, but with her crew missing. * 1921: The Carroll A. Deering, a five-masted cargo schooner, was found stranded on a beach on Diamond Shoals, North Carolina. The ship's final voyage had been the subject of much debate and controversy (see main article), and was investigated by six departments of the US government, largely because it was one of dozens of ships that sank or went missing within a relatively short period of time. While paranormal explanations have been advanced, the theories of mutiny or piracy are considered much more likely. * 1931: The Baychimo was abandoned in the Arctic Ocean when it became trapped in pack ice and was thought doomed to sink, but remained afloat and was sighted numerous times over the next 38 years without ever being salvaged. * 1933: A lifeboat from the 1906 wreck of the passenger steamship SS Valencia off the southwest coast of Vancouver Island was found floating in the area in remarkably good condition 27 years after the sinking. Sailors have also reported seeing the ship itself in the area in the years following the sinking, often as an apparition that followed down the coast. * 1955: The MV Joyita was discovered abandoned in the Pacific. A subsequent inquiry found the vessel was in a poor state of repair, but determined the fate of passengers and crew to be "inexplicable on the evidence submitted at the inquiry". * 1969: The Teignmouth Electron was found adrift and unoccupied in the Atlantic. Investigation led to the conclusion that its sole crewmember, Donald Crowhurst, had suffered a psychiatric breakdown while competing in a solo around-the-world race and committed suicide by jumping overboard. * 2003: The High Aim 6 was found drifting in Australian waters, 80 nautical miles (150 km; 92 mi) east of Rowley Shoals, with its crew missing. * 2006: The tanker Jian Seng was found off the coast of Weipa, Queensland Australia in March. Its origin or owner could not be determined and it was scuttled in April. * 2006: In August the "Bel Amica" (which is one "L" short of the modern Italian spelling of "Good Friend") was discovered off the coast of Sardinia. The Coast Guard crew that discovered the ship found half eaten Egyptian meals, French maps of North African seas, and a flag of Luxembourg on board. * 2008: The abandoned 50 ton Taiwanese fishing vessel Tai Ching 21 was found drifting near Kiribati on 9 November. The ship had suffered a fire several days previously, and its lifeboat and three life rafts were missing. No mayday call was received, and the ship had last been heard from on 28 October. A search of 21,000 square miles (54,000 square km) of the Pacific Ocean north of Fiji by a US Air Force C-130 Hercules and a New Zealand Air Force P-3 Orion found no trace of the Taiwanese captain or crew (18 Chinese, 6 Indonesians, and 4 Filipinos). * 2012: The Ryō Un Maru, a Japanese fishing vessel swept away by the March 2011 tsunami was found floating adrift towards Canada, no crew believed to be on board. The vessel was sunk on 4 April 2012 by the US Coast Guard. Follow us on Twitter! Follow us on Twitter! Get our Latest Updates!
Victory by any means? Part 1: Rules of War & Humanitarian Law In times of war and armed conflicts, what are the legal and ethical standards that must be upheld to ensure the dignity and human rights of all peoples? What are the challenges associated with upholding the rules of war and what exactly constitutes a violation of International Humanitarian Law? Part 1 of this article provides an analysis into the ICRC rules of war and International Humanitarian Law. Part 2 will discuss what Canada is currently doing to combat illegal war tactics, in ensuring that ethical and legal war tactics are utilized. Rules of War and IHL In political dialogue surrounding armed conflicts, the rules of war are often highly contested and widely debated areas of legislation. Formally known as International Humanitarian Law (IHL), the rules of war are essentially a set of international laws and regulations specifically stating what is legally permitted during an armed conflict. The Geneva Conventions of 1949 and their additional protocols form the foundation of IHL. The conventions and protocols are globally recognized international treaties which seek to protect innocent civilians and military during armed conflicts, as well as, limiting the barbarity of war. Upholding IHL is a global responsibility shared by all states in protecting innocent civilians and those who are bystanders of armed conflicts. This includes the protection of overseas and national aid workers, medical personnel, prisoners of war, internally displaced persons (IDPs), and wounded, sick and shipwrecked troops not taking part in the conflict. Ratified by 196 states, IHL is a universal legal framework upheld through the national legal systems and diplomatic resolution mechanisms within each individual state. Failure to uphold the rules of war during an armed conflict or serious violations of IHL are identified as war crimes resulting in further investigation and prosecution. War Crimes War Crimes constitute not only a violation of IHL, but also severe breeches of the Geneva Conventions and their additional protocols. In the occurrence of an armed conflict, war crimes can be identified as any means of torture, killing, intentional infliction of suffering, abuse, unlawful deportation, confinement or taking of hostages. Under IHL, illegal war tactics are identified as any means of torture, imprisonment or incarceration without due diplomatic consent or legal intervention and the intentional targeting of innocent civilians and civilian dwellings. Torture, as defined by the United Nations involves the intentional infliction of physical or psychological pain and abuse, racism, discrimination, cruel and inhumane treatments towards individuals or detainees. Non-governmental and non-profit organizations such as the Association for the Prevention of Torture (APT), the Center for Justice and International Law (CEJIL), Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch seek to increase the transparency and accountability of violators of IHL, strengthen legal frameworks for upholding IHL and strengthen the capacity for states to prevent such practices from taking place. During an armed conflict, the state experiencing the conflict and its neighbouring states experience various factors which both threaten the safety of innocent personnel, and place the livelihoods of innocent civilians in jeopardy. In such times, states frequently experience weakened security forces which in turn result in increased fatalities and injured civilians. The rules of war are necessary as they protect innocent personnel from the threats generated by an armed conflict. But do they really, in practice? Photo: A U.S. Army soldier assigned to Charlie Company, 82nd Airborne Division shakes the hand of a young Afghan child while on a dismounted patrol at a village in southern Afghanistan (2010), by United States Armed Forces via Wikimedia Common. Licensed under Public Domain. About Sabrina Natale Sabrina Natale is a Junior Research Fellow at NATO Association of Canada. Sabrina holds an Honors Bachelor of Arts Degree from the University of Toronto with specialization in Political Science. Her studies have focused on international relations, global governance and Canadian politics. Sabrina is currently working towards the completion of a Graduate Certificate in International Development from Humber College. Sabrina is currently part of a team developing a project proposal for the Canadian Physicians for Aid and Relief (CPAR) for Global Affairs Canada. As an emerging international development professional, Sabrina hopes to work within human right's and with intergovernmental organizations both throughout Canada and overseas.
Thursday, December 15, 2011 9 Myths About Seasonal Affective Disorder Posted by admin on Dec 14, 2011 When it starts getting cold outside and dark earlier, many of us feel like snuggling up in a blanket and just going to sleep as soon as we get home from work. But for as many as 14 million Americans, winter can bring on a period of major depression. They start eating more, experience a low mood for weeks, and feel like sleeping rather than taking part in their normal hobbies or social groups. These people suffer from seasonal affective disorder, or SAD, a condition that is largely misunderstood by the public. Let's set the record straight about these nine SAD myths. 1. It's synonymous with depression Seasonal Affective Disorder is a type of depression, but it doesn't necessarily have the same symptoms as the "classic" depression that most of us are familiar with. Depression can refer to many different mood disorders, most of them involving low moods. Other symptoms we commonly associate with depression include thoughts of suicide, insomnia, changes in weight, and withdrawal from social activities. SAD normally involves the blues, weight gain, and can bring about some of the other symptoms, but many people don't experience the deep sadness and therefore don't even realize they have SAD. Instead, they just think they're low on energy, causing them to sleep more, eat more, and stay in a lot. 2. The drop in temperature is the cause Some of us might get sad when it gets cold because we can't wear our cute summer clothes anymore or spend quality time outside. But true SAD isn't significantly affected by the temperature. The most widely accepted cause of SAD is a decrease in exposure to sunlight. Since skies are often more overcast in the winter and nights are longer, the mood disorder is often associated with wintertime and its colder temperatures. But someone who moves to an area with less sunlight but similar temperatures can still easily develop seasonal affective disorder. 3. It only occurs in the winter The majority of SAD cases do crop up in the days between fall and spring, but there are instances of people getting the symptoms during other seasons. This is sometimes called reverse SAD or summer (or spring as the case may be) SAD. The exact symptoms are slightly different, since reverse SAD sufferers tend to lose weight and have trouble sleeping. There's a greater occurrence of this variant of SAD cases in warmer areas and places near the equator, maybe because of changes in barometric pressure and rainfall. 4. It's just holiday blues There are several reasons to be down around the holidays. If you're not able to see your family or you're not part of a couple, you might be lonely when Christmas and other important celebrations roll around. If you did get to have a great time during holiday festivities, you're probably disappointed when you have to go back to work and wait another year to enjoy family reunions. Seasonal affective disorder is more than these holiday blues. Sadness and lethargy during only one season that lasts more than two weeks at least two years in a row might be SAD. Take a moment to consider whether you're just bummed that your vacation is over or whether you could have a serious disorder. 5. There's no danger in it For many people with SAD, the depression might not feel like much more than an extended phase of being down in the dumps. But this mood disorder can be just as dangerous as any other type of depression. Some people turn to alcohol to cope or have accidents due to their lack of energy and attentiveness. In severe cases or when a person also has another mental illness, SAD can cause people to experience thoughts of suicide. 6. It's a new disorder Even though the name "seasonal affective disorder" didn't come into use until 1984, the season's change on a person's mood has been observed for hundreds of years throughout the world. Researchers didn't take it seriously, though, until 30 or 40 years ago; before that, it was considered a normal part of depression or just typical holiday loneliness. It wasn't until 1970 that someone decided to try a light treatment in the U.S. to combat their blues. By 1984, Norman E. Rosenthal had studied the disorder, named it, and published a paper. Though initially met with skepticism from the psychology world, Rosenthal's idea eventually caught on and is now a recognized disorder. 7. You just have to wait it out If you're experiencing SAD symptoms, don't let anyone tell you that you just have to deal with it. Sure, it'll pass by the time the seasons change, but there's no reason to waste a quarter of every year being depressed when there are viable treatments available. For the most mild cases, exercising 30 minutes a day can pull a person out of a funk. Light treatments, where sufferers expose themselves to artificial lights for a certain amount of time each day, are effective in 60% of cases. Antidepressants can also help some patients who don't respond to light boxes. 8. People in northern countries are affected the most Sure, Canadian hospitals make sure their staffs are fully up-to-date on SAD treatments every winter, but that doesn't mean that all countries in the north are full of mopey, moody people. Countries toward the North Pole experience longer nights, with one area of Norway going without sun for 1,500 hours. Since many attribute SAD to a lack of sunlight, it would make sense that most people in such a dark country would be depressed. Rates of SAD are higher in some countries than in the U.S., but in others, they are much lower. Iceland, for example, where they might only see the sun for 4 hours a day during the winter, has an astoundingly low occurrence of sad. Immigrants to other countries from Iceland also rarely experience the mood disorder, meaning evolution in Iceland may have made many citizens immune to the depression. 9. It only affects adults Women between 18 and 30 years old are the most likely victims of SAD, but that doesn't mean there's not a chance for younger people. Studies have found that between 1% and 5% of children and adolescents suffer from seasonal affective disorder, a lower rate than adults, which may be as high as 9% in some areas of the U.S. Kids and teenagers who have SAD symptoms may see their grades drop in the winter and will often choose sleeping over going outside or socializing with friends after school. Taken From Insurance Quotes No comments: Post a Comment
Skip to main content See other formats 106 JOURNEYS IN PERSIA LETTEE sx number of retainers armed with long guns standing round the edge of the carpet. He was well dressed, but a savage in speech and deportment. As to the dress of the Bakhtiaris, the ordinary tribesmen wear coarse cotton shirts fastening at the side, but generally unfastened, blue cotton trousers, each leg two yards wide, loose at the bottom and drawn on a string at the top, webbing shoes, worsted socks if any, woollen girdles with a Kashmir pattern, and huge loose brown felt coats or cloaks with long sleeves, costing from fifteen to twenty-five Jcrans each, and wearing for three or four years. The Khans fre- quently have their shulwars of black silk, and wear the ordinary Persian full-skirted coat, usually black, but "for best" one of fine blue or fawn cloth. All wear brown or white felt sbull-eaps, and shave their heads for a width of five inches from the brow to the nape of the neck, leaving long side-locks. The girdle supplies the ' place of pockets, and in it are deposited knives, the pipe, the tobacco-pouch, the flint and steel, and various etceteras. Every man carries a long smooth-bore gun slung from his left shoulder, or a stout shillelagh, or a stick split and loaded at one end (the split being secured with strong leather), or all these weapons of offence and defence at once. These very wide shulwars, much like the " divided garment/' are not convenient in rough walking, and on the march a piece of the hem on the outer side is tucked into the girdle, producing at once the neat effect of The men are very well made. I have never seen deformity or lameness except from bullet wounds. They are not usually above the middle height, though that is exceeded by the men of the Zalaki tribe. They are darker than the Persians. As a general rule they have straight noses, with very fully expanded nostrils, good
Chernobyl and the north Wales sheep farmers, 30 years on The power station today The Chernobyl nuclear disaster in 1986 is widely believed to have caused the death of at least 4,000 people, with a further untold number of children born with abnormalities. The explosion forced the evacuation of more than 100,000 Ukrainians and Belarussians, laying waste an area measuring 3,000 sq miles (7,769 sq km) that remains uninhabitable to this day. Within weeks of the fire that started at about 01:30 BST on 26 April, 30 years ago, hill farmers across north Wales were also dragged into the developing crisis. Heavy rain in April and May drenched higher ground with alarming quantities of radioactive caesium and iodine. The authorities reacted by imposing a blanket ban on the sale of all farm animals. Panic spread. Glyn Roberts, now the president of the Farmers Union of Wales, said: "At the time we were worried what effect the fallout would have on our health. My wife was expecting and we were worried what effect it would have on our children, that was the prime issue. "The news was difficult to believe, and it made you think 'how safe is nuclear energy production?'. "I remember I was in Ruthin market when we were told that we could not sell any of our lamb or beef. That was when it hit home, and there was quite a bit of accumulative cash flow problems." Image caption Glyn Roberts' farm was one of 344 in Wales to be put under restrictions Mr Roberts, and others at the time, felt the government's response was too slow, and matters came to a head at a public meeting in Llanrwst, Conwy county, when representatives of the Welsh Office were not allowed to leave until firm promises of compensation were given. "When someone said that the issue was not going to be addressed that night, the crowd outside went a bit wild," he said. "Following that, Nicholas Edwards the Secretary of State came to this farm and we explained our situation. "From there things did move on a bit and we were told that there was going to be some compensation." In total, 344 Welsh farms were put under restrictions, with animals' radiation levels monitored before they were allowed to be sold at market. The number of failing animals peaked in 1992, but some still recorded higher levels of caesium as recently as 2011. 'Abnormal lambs' A year later, the authorities decided the numbers were then insignificant and there was no reason to continue the monitoring. This saved the taxpayer about £300,000 a year. Some farmers were in favour of further monitoring, if only to maintain the public's trust in Welsh meat, but the majority approved and welcomed the end of a long saga that started 1,500 miles (2,414km)away deep, in the former Soviet Union. The following years were still full of concern for many Welsh hill farmers. "Every farm has some abnormal lambs born, but I believe that for the first years after Chernobyl there were more abnormalities in the lambs," Mr Roberts said. "I have no evidence, but that is what I feel." But at least the Welsh farmers were able to stay in their homes and keep their livestock and livelihoods. It was a different story in northern Ukraine, where anyone living within a 30-mile (48km) radius of the power plant had to leave their homes. As well as the cities of Chernobyl and Pripyat, that meant the emptying of villages and hamlets. One of the largest was Parashev, some 10 miles (16km) east of the power station. Maria Adnamova was born there and, after a few years of enforced exile, she, her husband and a few other unhappy souls decided to return. Image caption Maria Adnamova is one of just five people living in Parashev But the world had moved on, and Parashev with its hundreds of empty homes, shops, schoolroom and council offices rotted away before their eyes. Today, the widowed Mrs Adnamova, 81 years old and with failing health, is one of just five people existing in Parashev. A translator for Mrs Adnamova explained why the threat of Chernobyl's poisoned legacy was not enough to keep her from her home. "They were evacuated late on 3 May. They were given a house some place in the Kiev region, quite far from here, but she did not like the climate. She decided to return, because her parents and grandparents live here. She will die on her own land." The power station stands at the centre of a sprawling complex of buildings and can be seen from many miles away. The fourth reactor, the cause of so much suffering, is encased in a crumbling concrete shell, built in the years immediately after the disaster. Image caption The fourth reactor will eventually be encased in this 'sarcophagus' Its usefulness has expired and will be replaced by the so-called sarcophagus, the international community's expensive answer to the vexing issue of how to deal with the problem of reactor number four. At first glance, in the bright spring sunshine, it could be mistaken for the Wales Millennium Centre. Built by the Americans it will, later this year, be slid along the ground, a few meters at a time, before finally engulfing the crumbling reactor and its still poisonous contents. No trip to Chernobyl is complete without a visit to Pripyat. A few days before we filmed, a minibus of Welsh football fans also made the journey. A city of almost 50,000 people at the time of the disaster, Pripyat was, according to our guide, the model of Soviet efficiency. Image caption Pripyat was evacuated before the fairground was ever used Today, the countless empty tower blocks, supermarkets, swimming pool, hotel and shops, and the fairground that never opened, is a permanent reminder of the dangers associated with the nuclear industry. Pripyat was emptied in just a few days, and will never again be called home. On the outskirts of the Welsh capital lives one of the world's most renowned nuclear physicists, an expert on the dangers posed by radiation. Prof Glyn O Phillips, a consultant to the International Atomic Agency for more than 20 years, specialising in the effects of radiation on the human body, is an ardent supporter of nuclear energy production, but worried the Chernobyl story may not yet be over in Wales. Image caption Prof Glyn O Phillips said it was possible the effects of Chernobyl could be felt in Wales for generations to come "The word that they use officially is low risk. But risk is a very difficult question when you deal with low level radiation," he said. "There is great uncertainty and extrapolation is only possible with time and we will only see in the next generation or generation after that whether there are any significant effects to be demonstrated then." On Tuesday in Chernobyl, and also in Pripyat, people will stand to remember those who died, the lives that were ruined and the dreams that were lost with them. Here in Wales, the disaster's legacy may be felt for generations to come. Related Topics More on this story
CESNUR - center for studies on new religions Department Seal 2000 Annual Report on International Religious Freedom: Released by the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor U.S. Department of State, September 5, 2000 Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion The Government does not require religious groups to register. Colonial era statutes banned all non-Christian religious groups from Angola; while those statutes still exist, they are no longer in effect. Religious Demography Christianity is the religion of the vast majority of the country's population of 10 to 12 million, with Roman Catholicism the country's largest single denomination. The Roman Catholic Church claims 5 million adherents, but such figures could not be verified. A Luanda Catholic FM radio station, Radio Ecclesia, airs weekly several hours of church services and overtly religious programming. The major Protestant denominations also are present, along with a number of indigenous African and Brazilian Christian denominations. The largest Protestant denominations include the Methodists, Baptists, United Church of Christ, and Congregationalists. The largest syncretic religious group is the Kimbanguist Church, whose followers believe that a mid-20th century Congolese pastor named Joseph Kimbangu was a prophet. A small portion of the country's rural population practices animism or traditional indigenous religions. There is a small Islamic community based around migrants from West Africa. In colonial times, the country's coastal populations were primarily Catholic while the Protestant mission groups were active in the interior. With the massive social displacement caused by 25 years of civil war, this rough division is no longer valid. Foreign missionaries were very active prior to independence in 1975, although the Portuguese colonial authorities expelled many Protestant missionaries and closed mission stations based on the belief that the missionaries were inciting pro-independence sentiments. The post-independence Government was a one-party state until 1991 and nationalized all church schools and clinics. Missionaries have been able to return to the country since the early 1990's although security conditions due to the civil war have made it impossible for them to return to most parts of the interior. Members of the clergy in government-held areas regularly use their pulpits to criticize government policies. In 1996 a German clergyman was charged with subversive activities for speaking out on social issues, but there were no reported cases of such charges during the period covered by this report. There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners. Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to be returned to the United States. While in general the rebel group UNITA permitted freedom of religion, interviews with persons who left UNITA-controlled areas revealed that the clergy did not enjoy the right to criticize UNITA policies. Section II. Societal Attitudes There are amicable relations between the country's religious denominations, and there is a functioning ecumenical movement, particularly in support of peace. Section III. U.S. Government Policy Embassy officials and official visitors from Washington routinely meet with the country's religious leaders in the context of peacekeeping, democratization, development, and humanitarian relief efforts. Church groups are key members of the country's civil society movement and are consulted regularly. Embassy officials, including the Ambassador, the Director of the Agency for International Development, and others, maintain an ongoing dialog with the leaderships of all of the country's religious denominations. [end of document] Africa Index \| Table of Contents \|
How To Get Rid of Thrombophlebitis By Subodh / January 11, 2012 Thrombophlebitis is the condition experienced by a person when blood clots in his blood vessels. This blood clotting results in inflammation. Most of the times, the swelling and infection are seen in the legs of the patients, but the swelling and infection can also appear on neck and arms. It is important for us to understand the causes of the disease, before going for treatment. An injury to the vein is one of the major causes behind blood clots. In some situations, you might face this problem due to an inherited clotting disorder. Inactivity can also be a reason behind thrombophlebitis. Other risk factors might include obesity, paralysis, smoking, birth control pills after hormone therapy, cancers and pregnancy. There are very rare cases of complications for Thrombophlebitis, provided that it is superficial. However, if the clot is in deep vein, it might lead to certain complications due to deep vein thrombosis. For one thing, it may cause pulmonary embolism. In case of pulmonary embolism, the clot travels towards the lungs of the person and becomes dislodged. The deep vein thrombosis is also capable of causing certain threats including heart attack and stroke. If a person is already having congenital heart defects, he or she may face heart attack due to thrombosis. The clot is most likely to block the artery that can lead to immediate stroke. If the clot accumulates in the veins of the patient, it causes varicose veins. If the veins of a person swell due to clotting, stasis pigmentation occurs, which increases the pressure in the blood vessels. There are a number of treatments that are being used by physicians to solve the problem. Some of the most common solutions are given below: 1. Filter Blood thinners might be used by your physicians, for getting rid of the clot in your vessels. However, if it is not prescribed for you, you may be required to buy a filter. A filter is inserted in by the surgeons into the vena cava, in order to prevent the clot for entering the lungs. 2. Compression stockings Support stockings are suggested by most doctors in order to reduce the swelling on the affected leg. It also helps in eliminating the pain. 3. Clot removal Surgery is the only solution for removing the clot, if the artery or vein of your pelvis gets blocked. 4. Varicose vein stripping This treatment is mostly done for cosmetic purposes. The affected vein having a clot is removed through surgery. It doesn’t require you to stay in the hospital, for days. The patient can easily resume his or her normal activities after a few days of taking treatment. 5. Angioplasty Angioplasty is considered as one of the most popular procedures that are being used by physicians to remove clots from the blood vessels. This procedure includes a small surgery through which a small stent is installed intoyour vein in order to keep it open. Antibiotics and analgesics are used for eliminating pain and infections. Applying heat to the area can also decrease the swelling and pain.
Where is Jerusalem? I am often asked where is Jerusalem? Jerusalem is also known as, the Holy City is located in the Holy Land. There are a lot of ancient sites that are mentioned in the books of Judaism and Christianity. Billions of believers hold in their hearts and minds the name of Jerusalem. In old maps of the world, Jerusalem is located in the center. Indeed, Jerusalem is the center of all. At the center of the Holy Land, is the city of Jerusalem is located. This relatively small city of Jerusalem is highly important place, with full of history. Even for people that are non-believers, Jerusalem holds something extremely special. The authentic architecture and the religious atmosphere make it a must see destination for people from all around the world and anyone traveling to see real beauty. Jerusalem is considered by Jews, Christians and Muslims as the Holy City. For all these religions, Jerusalem is significant as the site of historical saints and prophets such as: Abraham, Solomon, David, Zachary, Hezekiah, Jeremiah, Isaiah, Jesus and others. In the center of the Old City of Jerusalem, there is The Church of the Holy Sepulcher. In this place Jesus was crucified, buried and resurrected. This sacred site is the most important Christian site in the world. Every Christian in the world that wishes to perform pilgrimage will visit this holy place. In the Holy Bible, the Holy Land and Jerusalem are God’s property; what significant is the literary representation of Jerusalem as a foundling, reared by God, and the promises of God to the city in Psalms. As described in the “Mishna” and codified in the “Shulchan Aruch”, Jewish pray in the direction of Jerusalem and the Temple Mount. Where is Jerusalem is the Holy City, it is the site of the Temple, the Crucifixion and the Resurrection of Jesus. As mentioned in the New Testament, Jesus was taken shortly after his birth to this Temple. The Last Supper, evening before the Crucifixion, took place in Jerusalem. Outside the city walls, Jesus was crucified and buried. 300 years later, the Church of the Holy Sepulcher was built at the same place. So, where is Jerusalem? Since the 10th century BC Jerusalem is known as the site of King Solomon’s First Temple, which was built on the top of Mount Moriah. The Second Temple was built also at the same place. Where is Jerusalem
The interior of a windmill You have by now learned to tell the different types of mill apart from a distance and have inspected their exterior features at close quarters. You will doubtless have realized the effect of tranquillity, self-assurance, power - and splendour - of a windmill on its surroundings. The mills will have fascinated you so much that you will also wish to learn more about the mysterious interior equipment. Have you ever entered a working corn mill? You should really do so, for you will be delighted with the romantic atmosphere created by the whirring and vibrating, the rumbling, the creaking and groaning of the timber; all this is to be heard in the dust-covered interior of the mill, which does its work though one cannot really see whence it gets the power for it. It seems to generate this power of itself, for at first sight one can hardly imagine that the noiseless breeze passing so imperceptibly over the land does all this. It is the same thing as with a sailing-vessel (for that matter, there are many points of resemblance!), in which we experience the beneficial effect of gliding silently, without any engine noise, through canals and lakes, at one with nature around us, accompanied only by a solitary bird uttering its cry. As the sailing-vessel is to the puffing cargo steamer, so is the working windmill to a factory interior. It is now time to learn exactly what this mechanism looks like. We have already seen that in the top of the mill's cap is mounted the wind shaft, slightly inclined from front to rear; in front the shaft is supported in the neck bearing, which in turn rests on the breast beam, a strong beam forming a part of the cap structure. The tail of the shaft is supported in the tail bearing resting on the inner tail beam; and at the end of the shaft is the thrust flange which takes the thrust on the shaft and prevents it slipping backwards. Wind shafts used to be of wood and very heavy; in the poll end there were two large square openings, at right angles to each other. The stocks were passed through these openings and were firmly secured with the aid of wooden wedges. The stock nearest to the mill body is the 'inner stock', the other is the 'outer stock'. More than a hundred years ago the wooden shafts began to be ousted by iron ones. In that case the poll end is a casting, provided in the same way with two large square openings for the stocks to pass through. Mounted on the wind shaft is the brake wheel, a wheel with a large number of cogs. The rim of this wheel is of heavy construction and is surrounded by a ring of heavy wooden blocks which are kept together by means of an iron band. This ring of brake blocks constitutes the BRAKE, by means of which the wind shaft can be braked and stopped. To achieve this, one merely has to contract the band with brake blocks about the wheel. This problem was formerly solved in an ingenious way. When we look at the figure, we find the brake catch, a flat iron having the form of a scimitar and adapted to swing about a point of suspension. The principle of the method of operating the brake. When the brake rope is pulled, the brake catch swings from right to left, so that - in the meantime - the brake lever can be lowered, the brake clasps the brake wheel, and the mill stops. A pull at the brake rope causes the brake lever to rise and thus, by means of the pin in the slot of the catch, makes the latter move to the left. During this movement the brake lever is quickly lowered and by its own heavy weight contracts the brake band on to the wheel. If the brake is to be taken off, one merely has to pull the brake rope slowly; the brake lever is then slowly raised and the pin moves upwards along the catch, past the slot. When the lever is then slowly lowered, the pin will automatically drop back into the slot of the catch, thus taking up its position at rest, so that the brake lever is fixed in its highest position and the brake band remains clear of the rim of the brake wheel. Now that we are up in the cap, we can see how the cap is supported on rollers which make it possible for the cap to be turned. The rollers, placed within two concentric rings, remain equally spaced; they are all directed radially towards the centre of the mill and run on tracks above and below them. In a brick tower mill the curb, supporting the lower roller track, rests on the brickwork and in a wooden mill on the upper sill, i.e. the beams connecting the upper ends of the wooden corner posts of the mill body. The upper roller track is fixed to the cap circle and the whole is enclosed by a circular wooden band. The large brake wheel drives a smaller gear wheel, the wallower (cogs in a flange or staves between two disk-shaped flanges), which is mounted on the upright shaft and causes it to turn. In the drainage mills we found the rotary motion of the wind shaft to be transmitted below to the shaft of the scoop wheel or of the Archimedean screw. In corn mills the upright shaft on the stone floor carries a large spur wheel, which drives the smaller stone nuts, of which there are two, three, or sometimes even four. Between the top floor and the stone floor is the bin floor; this is the floor where the SACK HOIST is to be found. The sack hoist consists of a drum with a gear wheel, driven by a separate wheel on the upright shaft. These gear wheels can be made to mesh or be disengaged as desired. Thus it is possible to drive the drum at will by the power of the mill and to hoist the sacks of grain from below with the aid of the rope wound round the drum. The actual grinding of the grain takes place between two big MILLSTONES, which are enclosed in a wooden casing. The contact surfaces of the stones are provided with spiral furrows. The lowermost stone, the BEDSTONE, is stationary and the uppermost stone, the RUNNER STONE, revolves above it. The runner stone has a hole in the centre, the eye. A bin, mounted on a floor above it, feeds a hopper, and from the hopper the grain falls into the shoe and thence into the eye of the runner stone. It is ground between the stones, moves through the furrows to the outer edge, and passes as meal through the casing. A wooden spout communicating with the casing conveys the meal to the meal floor beneath, where it is collected underneath the discharge opening in sacks, ready for transport. These wooden spouts can be shut off at the lower end by means of wooden gates, which can be raised. The bedstone is kept in place on the stone floor by means of wooden clamps. The quant has to drive the runner stone and thus has to be firmly anchored in it. This is achieved by means of a rynd, i.e. a cast-iron cross with equal arms, having in the centre a square opening for the cock-head of the spindle to pass through. The four arms are let into the stone and cemented into it. Tentering: the adjustment of the gap between runner stone and bedstone is shown in the diagram It is this part of the mill which is very familiar in heraldry in numerous escutcheons of families which were associated in one way or another with a windmill. Several variations of it exist, generally in a form with slightly concave arms. The mill rynd in heraldry In a strong wind the power of the mill increases, it will be able to grind larger quantities than in a slack breeze. In order to make use of this greater capacity, the gap between the stones has been made adjustable, so that it is possible, dependent on the available power, to admit larger or smaller amounts of grain between the stones, thus regulating the load and increasing the output. This adjustment (tentering) was carried out in a very simple, but ingenious way. The runner stone rests on the bridge tree via an iron 'stone spindle' passing through the bedstone. One end of the bridge tree is hinged to the wooden framework of the mill and the other end is held up by means of a suspension system in such a way that the weight of the millstone is balanced as much as possible by a counterweight. The force required to move the stone up or down is thus only slight. One merely has to raise or lower the cord a little if one wants to raise or lower the runner stone. Later on, an automatic centrifugal governor came to be used for this purpose. The drive of the stones is also turned to account to vibrate the shoe, so that the flow of grain cannot be interrupted, but will continue uniformly. The stones have a diameter of some five feet and a thickness of twelve inches. They used to come from the volcanic regions of Germany and the quartz beds of France; owing to their constitution they were porous and consequently had good cutting properties. For some purposes, millstone grit was sometimes used and later on composition stones. The sharpening of the furrows is called DRESSING and this is a highly skilled job; the grade of the meal largely depends on it. When the stones have been used for some time, they become dulled and have to be dressed. For this, the runner stone has to be raised, which is a heavy job in the cramped space available for it. The dressing itself takes place by the light of an oil lamp hanging over the stone, for the poor daylight entering through the small windows of the mill is on the one hand too scanty to allow proper work and on the other hand causes cast shadows, which would make dressing even more difficult. The shutters are therefore closed. For the dressing operation use is made of special hammers, called bills, drawn out to a chisel point at each end. It is self-evident that dressing was a difficult and lengthy job and formed an important event in daily mill routine; all that time no grain could be ground. By means of the position of the sails the miller would inform everybody in the neighbourhood that the stones had been raised, so that for the time being no grain could be accepted for grinding. The governor, which automatically adjusts the distance between bedstone and runner stone In barley mills and rice-hulling mils, HULLING STONES were used instead of millstones. They were somewhat larger than the common millstones and the casings were also constructed a little differently. The barley or rice did not have to be ground but was hulled, i.e. the thin outer covering of the grains had to be removed. The stones were usually gritstones and the runner stone had only a few deep and wide furrows, through which the grains were flung out as the stone revolved, without being ground between the stones. The wall of the casing was lined on the inside with tin sheeting, in which holes had been beaten in such a way that the sharp points were turned inwards, thus forming a cylindrical grater. The grains were flung against it and rubbed by the circular edge of the stones, freed from their hulls or shells, and smoothed. Whilst barley, used to be a favourite national food, in the early part of the nineteenth century it was replaced more and more by imported rice; this rice too was treated in the hulling mills. For the grains to be flung out it is necessary that hulling stones should revolve faster than millstones; it was a heavy job and hulling mils were powerful mills, which required a strong wind for operation. It was possible to use a higher or a lower gear in the mill, as desired, according as the speed was low or high. Instead of a sack hoist such mills often contained an elevator buckets on an endless belt - which lifted the barley and regularly poured it into the hoppers. For all the additional work a third spindle was present, taking its drive from the upright shaft via a separate gear wheel. Besides mills for grinding and hulling there were also OIL MILLS for pressing oil from seeds, MUSTARD MILLS, and the like, as well as mills in which all sorts of coarse and hard materials were ground fine. The last category includes the mills which made dyewood into DYE, the CHALK MILLS, the TRASS MILLS, etc. This grinding operation took place in a kollergang (an edge mill), i.e. a couple of runner stones rolling on their edges in a stone pan. The principle of the kollergang or edge mill, two edge runner stones rolling on the pan, with wooden guides The stones are mounted on a shaft, which is driven by the stone spindle from the spur wheel. There is an outer and an inner stone, the latter running about 8 inches closer to the spindle, so that a broad track is covered by the two stones. The seed is pulverized between the heavy rolling stones and the pan underneath. A couple of curved wooden guides following the motion of the stones ensures that the seed rolled out under the stones is promptly returned to the track of the runners. When it has been pulverized sufficiently, the meal is brushed together and poured into a receptacle underneath through a gate which can be opened. We shall discuss the further treatment of these oil-seeds in oil mills later on. The most important parts of the interior equipment of a TIMBER SAWMILL are of course the SAW FRAMES, i.e. the wooden frames with saw blades, which are reciprocated by the movement of the mill. Crankshaft and saw frames in a sawmill (after Krook) In the upper part of the mill there is a horizontal crankshaft, which is driven by means of the gear wheel mounted on it, the crank wheel. The rotation of the wind shaft is transmitted via brake wheel and wallower to the upright shaft, and further downwards the upright shaft carries a crown wheel, which in turn drives the crank wheel. When three cranks are present, they are placed at 120o to each other, so as to ensure as uniform a distribution of forces as possible. Vertically suspended from each of the cranks is a connecting rod, the lower end of which is fastened to the saw frame. To the left and the right of each crank the crankshaft is supported in a bearing block in which the shaft is able to rotate while at the same time being firmly held in it. As a rule there is one large saw frame, about 4 feet broad and 6 feet high, located between the front of the mill and the upright shaft, and two smaller saw frames at the back. Mills of the paltrok type usually have two saw frames, one on each side of the upright shaft; for balancing purposes the third crank is then used to move up and down a dummy frame, which has the form of a case containing weights; the latter is placed on the frame floor, above the saw frames. Occasionally there are four saw frames in a sawmill, two in front and two at the back. A saw frame is a strong wooden frame consisting of two uprights which are connected at the top and the bottom by the heavy tensioning beams. The saw blades are tensioned between them. Above the upper tensioning beam there is another connection between the uprights, the cross-head; to the latter the connecting rod is fastened. Because the upper end of the connecting rod performs a rotary motion, it is necessary that the point of application of the connecting rod on the saw frame should be able to make a small pivoting movement. This is made possible by the cross-head; it has been let into the uprights by means of pins. The whole saw frame is moved regularly up and down by the cranks via the connecting rods. The lower tensioning beam in its highest position always remains some four inches beneath the sawing floor. The big frames serve to cut up the thick baulks and logs; this is done in smock mills, which are stronger than mills of the paltrok type. The latter saw wainscot, the smock mills saw baulks. The baulks, logs, and boards to be sawn are lashed up on a carrier moving over the sawing floor of the mill, each saw frame having its own carrier. Sometimes a set of rollers is found instead of a carrier. The sides of the saw frames slide in grooves of lignum vitae, so that they are forced to reciprocate vertically. At the downward stroke the saw makes its cut and with the upstroke the carrier with the timber to be sawn has to be advanced slightly. This movement is performed with the aid of the TIMBER FEED. This consists of a shaft, on which are mounted a small pinion and a large toothed wheel, the ratchet wheel; the latter has a great many oblique teeth. The teeth of the pinion mesh with those of the rack, i.e. a long and straight iron with a series of teeth on it, which in the central part of the carrier is integral with it. Simultaneously with the motion of the saw frame a reciprocating lever moves the end of an arm up and down, so that with each stroke the ratchet wheel is advanced by one or two teeth and the carrier correspondingly is advanced a little with every upstroke. On the frame floor there is a separate similar ratchet wheel, which provides in a similar way for the rotation of a wooden roller round which the crane rope or a towing rope has been wound. The crane rope passes over the pulley in the crane outside, and in this way it is possible in mills of the paltrok type to hoist the logs and baulks from the water by wind power. Similarly in the smock mills the baulks are dragged from the water with the aid of the towing rope and along the slipway on to the sawing floor, so that they may be deposited and fixed on the carrier. A ratchet mechanism again ensures that the roller cannot rotate backwards of its own accord. The timber feed of a sawmill (after Boorsma) We will now return once more to the OIL MILLS, the edge runner stones of which have already been discussed. The task of these mills was to press oil from the different kinds of seed: coleseed, linseed, rapeseed, and sometimes also hempseed. These oils were indispensable to daily life at that time, and they served for the most varied purposes: for human consumption, for technical purposes, for lighting (rapeseed oil for the old-fashioned oil lamps), etc. In the oil mill the seed was first crushed under iron cylinders and then ground and rubbed in the edge mill. After having been heated, if necessary, it was pressed by means of rams and pulverized by stamps. A single-working mill had, in addition to the couple of stones, one set of rams and three stamps. Most mills, however, were of the so-called double-working type: two sets of rams and six stamps. There were even a few mills equipped with two clouble mechanisms. All these RAMS and STAMPS, like the edge runner stones, are driven by a system of gear wheels from the main shaft of the mill. Method of driving rams and stamps of a double-working oil mill. Above left: the method of lifting the rams and stamps By the side of the edge runner stones there was a fire-place, built of fire-bricks; this was fired with peat and served to heat the ground seed, the meal, in advance. Opposite the fire-place was the pressing block for the first operation. The heated meal was put in a woollen bag, which was packed in a horsehair cover in the form of a kind of mat. During the pressing operation the oil was able to escape through the numerous pores of the fabric. The package was put in the cavity of the first pressing block intended for it and locked in it with the aid of spacing blocks. These included two wooden wedges, one of which was inserted with the thick end up and the other with the thick end down. The former was the pressing wedge, the latter the releasing wedge. Above the block hung the two rams, the striking ram and the releasing ram. The striking ram was then put into operation and through the numerous strokes on the pressing wedge the contents were greatly compressed in consequence of the wedge shape. This operation was not allowed to take place too quickly, for the oil had to have time to flow off through all the pores into the receptacles underneath. In view of this there were only two cams on the cam shaft for the first pressing ram. Oil pressing After fifty strokes the mass had been pressed sufficiently and a few blows of the releasing ram on the releasing wedge sufficed to remove the spacing blocks, and the mass, which had become a cake, was taken from the bag. The cake then still contained some oil, but this was removed from it by the second pressing operation. For this purpose the cake was broken up and pounded in the pots underneath the stamps, and, after being re-heated, it was subjected to the same treatment again in the second pressing block. When all the remaining oil had thus been removed, the cake, which still contained a few per cent of oil, could be removed and stored, to be sold as cattle feed. The correct number of the strokes with the ram was checked by means of a bell, which was operated by a ratchet system after a given number of strokes had been set, and which then, amidst the deafening noise of the stamps, warned the attendant that it was time to 'release'. An oil mill at work, with its frequent booming strokes, could be heard for miles around, and inside the mill the thumping was so terrific that people could not make themselves heard. This frequently gave rise to a special kind of deafness. An outsider cannot understand how the people living in the neighbourhood could endure such a noise going on night and day, but it seems they got used to it in time and did not hear it any more. They even awoke at night when for some reason or another the mill stopped, and then they were unable to get to sleep again because of 'the unpleasant noise' of the unusual 'silence'! The interior equipment of the various other types of industrial mills, which have been mentioned more than once, does not differ essentially from the above descriptions, and it would take us too long to discuss all these types in detail. In the paper mills, milling and stirring mechanisms were driven by rotating shafts, in the dye mills, chalk mills, tan mills, etc., in which some material was pulverized, edge runner stones operated in the way described above. Stamps were used in fulling mills and snuff mills. Several details have had to be left out of account, but the reader will have got some idea of the way in which the windmills could perform their widely varied task. One thing, however, of which no description can give an idea, is the very clever way in which the various wood constructions were made by the millwrights in the old days; they bear witness to highly developed craftsmanship. The numerous small details too, so well thought-out and finished with such care, fill us with admiration of the men who with very simple tools were able to construct it all so perfectly. Anyone interested in windmills will therefore find it worth his while to devote close attention to their interior. - next chapter - Copied from :
testosteroneWhat is Testosterone: Testosterone is a steroid hormone that is secreted mainly in the testes of males and the ovaries of females. A tiny amount of testosterone is also discharged through adrenal glands. Testosterone is basically the primary male sex hormone and plays a vital role in primary and secondary sexual characteristics development. Sexual Characteristic sexual characteristics are androgenic effects that include development of reproductive tissue as testis and prostrate. Secondary sexual characteristics are anabolic effect that involve muscle growth, bone development, hair growth, voice deepening. Testosterone is also ideal for general healthiness of body. It helps in prevention of osteoporosis. Male body produces around ten times more testosterone than compared to the female body. How Testosterone function: The production of testosterone is regulated by the pituitary gland located in the base of the brain. It produces hormonal signals, which ultimately results in production of Testosterone. These hormone signal travels through the bloodstream and activates sex organs. They also control the testosterone level in the bloodstream. Most of the testosterone circulates in blood with carrier protein. These Testosterone are called bound testosterone, and do not play an active role in the body. Unbound testosterone that circulates freely in blood, enters in different cells of body, and play anabolic and androgenic effects. Post a comment You Might Interested In Latest Comments Scroll to top
The specialty about Formula 1 car race is that, the cars used in these races are very high performance and follow certain standards laid down by the FIA, (Federation Internationale Automobile). For, every team that participate in Formula 1 car race need to follow certain rules laid down by the FIA. The main reasons behind these rules are as follows: Every team who participate in these events must strictly follow the security measures laid down by FIA. Although, every team constructors re offered certain margin of flexibility to optimize the automobile for performance, but they have to follow certain uniformity in the performance and design of every automobile. Cars who participate in Formula 1 have a single seat and an open cockpit. To strengthen the auto chassis it is mainly formed from a carbon fiber composite. Another important rule that every Formula 1 car need to follow is that, the combination of automobile and driver cannot exceed 600 kg. Th entire weight also include engine and any fluids added to it, such as fuel and water. Though, all the vehicles who participate in these races have the same design quality, each has a aerodynamically perfect engine. To accomplish this, team engineers add "wings" or spoilers in front & rear of the car in certain strategic positions. To improve the overall performance of the vehicle the teams have recently begun adding additional, spoilers of small size to different car areas. Because of the light weight of these cars, they can easily flip if a draft gets under them. While speeding at a high rate. Therefore, the body of each cars has been constructed in such a manner that it sit almost right on the ground. Even the tires used in the race has to follow rule laid down by FIA. Earlier, slick tire (made of tread) were used by the teams for such events. From the year 1998, grooved tire became mandatory. These tires were designed to limit the speed of the cars while making sharp turns. The tires consisted of four grooves. It is believed that slick tires are going to make a comeback during the 2009 car racing sports season.
Definition of Metcalfe's law in US English: Metcalfe's law Computing Telecommunications • A principle which states that the usefulness or value of a network is proportional to the square of the number of its users. 1990s. From the genitive of the name of Robert M. Metcalfe (b. 1946), U.S. inventor of the Ethernet, who first formulated the law + law. Metcalfe's law /ˈmɛtkɑːfs lɔː/
Catholic Encyclopedia (1913)/Secret Societies From Wikisource Jump to: navigation, search A designation of which the exact meaning has varied at different times. "By a secret society was formerly meant a society which was known to exist, but whose members and places of meetings were not publicly known. Today, we understand by a secret society, a society with secrets, having a ritual demanding an oath of allegiance and secrecy, prescribing ceremonies of a religious character, such as the use of the Bible, either by extracts therefrom, or by its being placed an altar within a lodge-room, by the use of prayers, of hymns, of religious signs and symbols, special funeral services, etc." (Rosen, "The Catholic Church and Secret Societies," p. 2). Raich gives a more elaborate description: "Secret societies are those organizations which completely conceal their rules, corporate activity, the names of their members, their signs, passwords and usages from outsiders or the 'profane.' As a rule, the members of these societies are bound to the strictest secrecy concerning all the business of the association by oath or promise or word of honour, and often under the threat of severe punishment in case of its violation. If such secret society has higher and lower degrees, the members of the higher degree must be equally careful to conceal their secrets from their brethren of a lower degree. In certain secret societies, the members are not allowed to know even the names of their highest officers. Secret societies were founded to promote certain ideal aims, to be obtained not by violent but by moral measures. By this, they are distinguished from conspiracies and secret plots which are formed to attain a particular object through violent means. Secret societies may be religious, scientific, political or social" (Kirchenlex., V, p. 519). Narrowing the definition still more to the technical meaning of secret societies (societates clandestinae) in ecclesiastical documents, Archbishop Katzer in a Pastoral (20 Jan., 1895) says: "The Catholic Church has declared that she considers those societies illicit and forbidden which (1) unite their members for the purpose of conspiring against the State or Church; (2) demand the observance of secrecy to such an extent that it must be maintained even before the rightful ecclesiastical authority; (3) exact an oath from their members or a promise of blind and absolute obedience; (4) make use of a ritual and ceremonies that constitute them sects." Though secret societies, in the modern and technical sense, did not exist in antiquity, yet there were various organizations which boasted an esoteric doctrine known only to their members, and carefully concealed from the profane. Some date societies of this kind back to Pythagoras (582-507 B.C.). The Eleusinian Mysteries, the secret teachings of Egyptian and Druid hierarchies, the esoteric doctrines of the Magian and Mithraic worshippers furnished material for such secret organizations. In Christian times, such heresies as the Gnostic and Manichaean also claimed to possess a knowledge known only to the illuminated and not to be shared with the vulgar. Likewise, the enemies of the religious order of Knights Templars maintained that the brothers of the Temple, while externally professing Christianity, were in reality pagans who veiled their impiety under orthodox terms to which an entirely different meaning was given by the initiated. Originally, the various guilds of the Middle Ages were in no sense secret societies in the modern acceptation of the term, though some have supposed that symbolic Freemasonry was gradually developed in those organizations. The fantastic Rosicrucians are credited with something of the nature of a modern secret society, but the association, if such it was, can scarcely be said to have emerged into the clear light of history. Secret societies in the true sense began with symbolic Freemasonry about the year 1717 in London (see MASONRY). This widespread oath-bound association soon became the exemplar or the parent of numerous other fraternities, nearly all of which have some connexion with Freemasonry, and in almost every instance were founded by Masons. Among these may be mentioned the Illuminati, the Carbonari, the Odd-Fellows, the Knights of Pythias, the Sons of Temperance and similar societies whose number is legion. Based on the same principles as the secret order to which they are affiliated are the women-auxiliary lodges, of which almost every secret society has at least one. These secret societies for women have also their rituals, their oaths, and their degrees. Institutions of learning are also infected with the glamour of secret organizations and the "Eleusis" of Chi Omega (Fayetteville, Ark.) of 1 June, 1900, states that there are twenty-four Greek letter societies with seven hundred and sixty-eight branches for male students, and eight similar societies with one hundred and twenty branches for female students, and a total membership of 142,456 in the higher institutions of learning in the United States. The judgment of the Church on secret oath-bound associations has been made abundantly clear by papal documents. Freemasonry was condemned by Clement XII in a Constitution, dated 28 April, 1738. The pope insists on the objectionable character of societies that commit men of all or no religion to a system of mere natural righteousness, that seek their end by binding their votaries to secret pacts by strict oaths, often under penalties of the severest character, and that plot against the tranquillity of the State. Benedict XIV renewed the condemnation of his predecessor on 18 May, 1751. The Carbonari were declared a prohibited society by Pius VII in a Constitution dated 13 Sept., 1821, and he made it manifest that organizations similar to Freemasonry involve an equal condemnation. The Apostolic Constitution "Quo Graviora" of Leo XII (18 March, 1825) put together the acts and decrees of former pontiffs on the subject of secret societies and ratified and confirmed them. The dangerous character and tendencies of secret organizations among students did not escape the vigilance of the Holy See, and Pius VIII (24 May, 1829) raised his warning voice concerning those in colleges and academies, as his predecessor, Leo XII, had done in the matter of universities. The succeeding popes, Gregory XVI (15 Aug., 1832) and Pius IX (9 Nov., 1846; 20 Apr., 1849; 9 Dec., 1854; 8 Dec., 1864; 25 Sept., 1865), continued to warn the faithful against secret societies and to renew the ban of the Church on their designs and members. On 20 Apr., 1884, appeared the famous Encyclical of Leo XIII, "Humanum Genus." In it the pontiff says: "As soon as the constitution and spirit of the masonic sect were clearly discovered by manifest signs of its action, by cases investigated, by the publication of its laws and of its rites and commentaries, with the addition often of the personal testimony of those who were in the secret, the Apostolic See denounced the sect of the Freemasons and publicly declared its constitution as contrary to law and right, to be pernicious no less to Christendom than to the State; and it forbade anyone to enter the society, under the penalties which the Church is wont to inflict upon exceptionally guilty persons. The sectaries, indignant at this, thinking to elude or to weaken the force of these decrees, partly by contempt of them and partly by calumny, accused the Sovereign Pontiffs who had uttered them, either of exceeding the bounds of moderation or of decreeing what was not just. This was the manner in which they endeavoured to elude the authority and weight of the Apostolic Constitutions of Clement XII and Benedict XIV, as well as of Pius VIII and Pius IX. Yet in the very society itself there were found men who unwillingly acknowledged that the Roman Pontiffs had acted within their right, according to the Catholic doctrine and discipline. The pontiffs received the same assent, and in strong terms, from many princes and heads of governments, who made it their business either to delate the masonic society to the Holy See, or of their own accord by special enactments to brand it as pernicious, as for example in Holland, Austria, Switzerland, Spain, Bavaria, Savoy and other parts of Italy. But, what is of the highest importance, the course of events has demonstrated the prudence of our predecessors." Leo XIII makes it clear that it is not only the society explicitly called Masonic that is objectionable: "There are several organized bodies which, though they differ in name, in ceremonial, in form and origin, are nevertheless so bound together by community of purpose and by the similarity of their main opinions as to make in fact one thing with the sect of the Freemasons, which is a kind of centre whence they all go forth and whither they all return. Now, these no longer show a desire to remain concealed; for they hold their meetings in the daylight and before the public eye, and publish their own newspaper organs; and yet, when thoroughly understood they are found still to retain the nature and the habits of secret societies." The pope is not unmindful of the professed benevolent aims of these societies: "They speak of their zeal for a more cultured refinement and of their love of the poor; and they declare their one wish to be the amelioration of the condition of the masses, and to share with the largest possible number all the benefits of civil life. Even were these purposes aimed at in real truth, yet they are by no means the whole of their object. Moreover, to be enrolled it is necessary that candidates promise and undertake to be thenceforward strictly obedient to their leaders and masters with the utmost submission and fidelity, and to be in readiness to do their bidding upon the slightest expression of their will." The pontiff then points out the dire consequences which result from the fact that these societies substitute Naturalism for the Church of Christ and inculcate, at the very least, indifferentism in matters of religion. Other papal utterances on secret societies are: "Ad Apostolici," 15 Oct., 1890; "Praeclara," 20 June, 1894; "Annum Ingressi," 18 Mar., 1902. The extension of the decrees of the Apostolic See in regard to societies hitherto forbidden under censure is summed up in the well-known Constitution "Apostolicae Sedis" of Pius IX, where excommunication is pronounced against those "who give their names to the sect of the masons or Carbonari or any other sects of the same nature, which conspire against the Church or lawfully constituted Governments, either openly or covertly, as well as those who favor in any manner these sects or who do not denounce their leaders and chiefs." The condemned societies here described are associations formed to antagonize the Church or the lawful civil power. A society to be of the same kind as the Masonic, must also be a secret organization. It is of no consequence whether the society demand an oath to observe its secrets or not. It is plain also that public and avowed attacks on Church or State are quite compatible with a secret organization. It must not supposed, however, that only societies which fall directly under the formal censure of the Church are prohibited. The Congregation of the Holy Office issued an instruction on 10 May, 1884, in which it says: "That there maybe no possibility of error when there is a question of judging which of these pernicious societies fall under censure or mere prohibition, it is certain in the first place, that the Masonic and other sects of the same nature are excommunicated, whether they exact or do not exact an oath from their members to observe secrecy. Besides these, there are other prohibited societies, to be avoided under grave sin, and among which are especially to be noted those which under oath, communicate a secret to their members to be concealed from everybody else, and which demand absolute obedience to unknown leaders." To the secret societies condemned by name, the Congregation of the Holy Office, on 20 Aug., 1894, in a Decree addressed to the hierarchy of the United States, added the Odd-Fellows, the Sons of Temperance, and the Knights of Pythias. The order of Odd-Fellows was formed in England in 1812 as a completed organization, though some lodges date back to 1745; and it was introduced into America in 1819. In the "Odd-Fellows' Improved Pocket Manual" the author writes: "Our institution has instinctively, as it were, copied after all secret associations of religious and moral character." The "North-West Odd-Fellow Review" (May, 1895) declares: "No home can be an ideal one unless the principles of our good and glorious Order are represented therein, and its teachings made the rule of life." In the "New Odd-Fellows' Manual" (N.Y., 1895) the author says: "The written as well as the unwritten secret work of the Order, I have sacredly kept unrevealed," though the book is dedicated "to all inquirers who desire to know what Odd-Fellowship really is." This book tells us "Odd-Fellowship was founded on great religious principles" (p. 348); "we use forms of worship" (p. 364); "Judaism, Christianity, Mohammedanism recognize the only living and true God" (p. 297). The Odd- Fellows have chaplains, altars, high-priests, ritual, order of worship, and funeral ceremonies. The order of the Sons of Temperance was founded in New York in 1842 and introduced into England in 1846. The "Cyclopaedia of Fraternities" says (p. 409): "The Sons of Temperance took the lead in England in demonstrating the propriety and practicability of both men and women mingling in secret society lodges." That the object of this order and its kindred societies is not confined to temperance "is evidenced by its mode of initiation, the form of the obligation and the manner of religious worship" (Rosen, p. 162). The order of the Knights of Pythias was founded in 1864 by prominent Freemasons (Cyclop. of Fraternities, p. 263). In number, its membership is second only to that of the Odd-Fellows. Rosen (The Catholic Church and Secret Societies) says: "The principal objectionable features, on account of which the Catholic Church has forbidden its members to join the Knights of Pythias, and demanded a withdrawal of those who joined it, are: First, the oath of secrecy by which the member binds himself to keep secret whatever concerns the doings of the Order, even from those in Church and State who have a right to know, under certain conditions, what their subjects are doing. Secondly, this oath binds the member to blind obedience, which is symbolized by a test. Such an obedience is against the law of man's nature, and against all divine and human law. Thirdly, Christ is not the teacher and model in the rule of life but the pagan Pythagoras and the pagans Damon, Pythias and Dionysius" (p. 160). The "Ritual for the subordinate Lodges of the Knights of Pythias" (Chicago, 1906) shows that this organization has oaths, degrees, prelates, and a ritual that contains religious worship. In regard to female secret societies, the Apostolic delegation at Washington, 2 Aug., 1907, declared (Ans. no. 15,352-C): "If these societies are affiliated to societies already nominally condemned by the Church, they fall under the same condemnation, for they form, as it were, a branch of such societies. As regards other female secret societies which may not be affiliated with societies condemned expressly by the Church, the confessor must in cases of members belonging to such societies, apply the principles of moral theology which treat of secret societies in general." The document adds that members of female secret societies affiliated to the three societies condemned in 1894 will be dealt with by the Apostolic delegate in the same manner as male members when the necessary conditions are fulfilled. Finally, in regard to the condemnation of individual societies in the United States, the council says (no. 255): "To avoid confusion of discipline which ensues, to the great scandal of the faithful and the detriment of ecclesiastical authority, when the same society is condemned in one diocese and tolerated in another, we desire that no society be condemned by name as falling under one of the classes [of forbidden societies] before the Ordinary has brought the matter before a commission which we now constitute for judging such cases, and which will consist of all the archbishops of these provinces. If it be not plain to all that a ~society is to be condemned, recourse must be had to the Holy See in order that a definite judgment be obtained and that uniform discipline may be preserved in these provinces".
At UC Santa Barbara, researchers in the Department of Chemical Engineering and at Center for Bioengineering (CBE) have turned to the human body's own mechanisms for inspiration in dealing with the necessary and complicated process of coagulation. By creating nanoparticles that mimic the shape, flexibility and surface biology of the body's own platelets, they are able to accelerate natural healing processes while opening the door to therapies and treatments that can be customized to specific patient needs. "This is a significant milestone in the development of synthetic platelets, as well as in targeted drug delivery," said Samir Mitragotri, CBE director, who specializes in targeted therapy technologies. Results of the researchers' findings appear in the current issue of the journal ACS Nano. "While these platelets flow in our blood, they're relatively inert," said graduate student researcher Aaron Anselmo, lead author of the paper. As soon as an injury occurs, however, the platelets, because of the physics of their shape and their response to chemical stimuli, move from the main flow to the side of the blood vessel wall and congregate, binding to the site of the injury and to each other. As they do so, the platelets release chemicals that "call" other platelets to the site, eventually plugging the wound. "We were actually able to render a 65 percent decrease in bleeding time compared to no treatment," said Anselmo. "The thing about hemostatic agents is that you have to intervene to the right extent," said Mitragotri. "If you do too much, you cause problems. If you do too little, you cause problems." These synthetic platelets also let the researchers improve on nature. According to Anselmo's investigations, for the same surface properties and shape, nanoscale particles can perform even better than micron-size platelets. Additionally, this technology allows for customization of the particles with other therapeutic substances -- medications, therapies and such -- that patients with specific conditions might need. "This technology could address a plethora of clinical challenges," said Dr. Scott Hammond, director of UCSB's Translational Medicine Research Laboratories. "One of the biggest challenges in clinical medicine right now -- which also costs a lot of money -- is that we're living longer and people are more likely to end up on blood thinners. When an elderly patient presents at a clinic, it's a huge challenge because you have no idea what their history is and you might need an intervention." With optimizable PLNs, physicians would be able to strike a finer balance between anticoagulant therapy and wound healing in older patients, by using nanoparticles that can target where clots are forming without triggering unwanted bleeding. In other applications, bloodborne pathogens and other infectious agents could be minimized with antibiotic-carrying nanoparticles. Particles could be made to fulfill certain requirements to travel to certain parts of the body -- across the blood-brain barrier, for instance -- for better diagnostics and truly targeted therapies. Additionally, according to the researchers, these synthetic platelets cost relatively less, and have a longer shelf life than do human platelets -- a benefit in times of widespread emergency or disaster, when the need for these blood components is at its highest and the ability to store them onsite is essential. Popular posts from this blog
Twenty-two reasons to rapidly develop Thorium based Nuclear Power generation. We need badly to develop a Thorium based molten salt fast breeder nuclear reactor to develop our energy needs in the future. Lest anyone should be threatened by the words fast breeder, it simply means it uses fast neutrons instead of thermal neutron, and breeder means it produces more fissible material than it consumes, in the case of Thorium the ratio is about 1.05. Here are 22 good reasons for Thorium: 1. Cheap and unlimited raw material. 2. Much less TRansUranium waste, 0.01% waste products compared to a Uranium-235 fast breeder. 3. Produces Pu-238 as one of the final TRans Uranium products, in short supply and much in demand for space exploration nuclear power. 4. Radioactive waste decays down to background radiation in 300 years instead of a million years. 5. Does not produce Plutonium 239, which is the preferred material used in nuclear bombs. 6. Produces isotopes that helps cure certain cancers. 7. Thorium Nuclear Reactors are earthquake safe. 8. No risk for a meltdown, the fuel is already molten. 9. Very high negative temperature coefficient leading to a safe and stable control. 10. Atmospheric pressure operating conditions, no risk for explosions. 11. Virtually no spent fuel problem, no storage or transport. 12. Scales beautifully from small portable generators to full size power plants. 13. No need for evacuation zones, can be placed near urban areas. 14. Rapid response to increased or decreased power demands. 15. Lessens the need for an expanded national grid. 16. Russia has a Thorium program. 17. China is having a massive Thorium program. 18. India has an active Thorium program. 19.Lawrence Livermore Laboratories is developing a small portable self-contained Thorium reactor capable of being carried on a low-bed trailer. 20. The need for a Yucca Mountain nuclear storage facility will eventually go away. 21. Produces electricity at a cost of about 4 c/kWh. 22. Can deplete some of the existing radioactive waste and nuclear weapons stockpiles. 1. Cheap and unlimited raw material. There is enough Thorium around for a million years at today’s worldwide energy generation level , and not only that, it is a by-product of mining heavy metals and rare earth metals. The price is the cost of extracting and refining, which can be as low as $40/Kg. No extra mining required for extracting the Thorium. 2. Much less TRansUranium waste, 0.01% waste products compared to a Uranium-235 fast breeder. The Thorium process has a much higher efficiency in fission than the Uranium process. See the figure below. 4. Radioactive waste decays down to background radiation in 300 years instead of a million years. Initially a Thorium reactor produces as much radioactivity as other nuclear reactors, since fission converts mass to heat, but the decay products have a much shorter half-life. See the figure below. 5. Does not produce Plutonium239, which is the preferred material used in nuclear bombs. The higher Plutonium isotopes and other TRansUraniums are about as nasty as they get, and need expensive protection against terror attacks, and need to be stored for a very long time. 6. Produces isotopes that helps cure certain cancers. For decades, medical researchers have sought treatments for cancer. Now, Alpha Particle Immunotherapy offers a promising treatment for many forms of cancer, and perhaps a cure. Unfortunately, the most promising alpha-emitting medical isotopes, actinium-225 and its daughter, bismuth-213, are not available in sufficient quantity to support current research, much less therapeutic use. In fact, there are only three sources in the world that largely “milk” these isotopes from less than 2 grams of thorium source material. Additional supplies were not forthcoming. Fortunately, scientists and engineers at Idaho National Laboratory identified 40-year-old reactor fuel stored at the lab as a substantial untapped resource and developed Medical Actinium for Therapeutic Treatment, or MATT, which consists of two innovative processes (MATT-CAR and MATT-BAR) to recover this valuable medical isotope. 7. Earthquake safe. Thorium reactors have a very simple and compact design where gravity is the only thing needed to stop the nuclear reaction. Conventional Nuclear reactors depend on external power to shut down after a SCRAM, where poison rods fall down to halt the reaction. The next figure shows the concept of a Thorium reactor. The idea is to empty the fissile U-233 core through gravity alone. Since the fuel is already molten, it can run out into channels like pig-iron into cooling heat exchangers with water supplied through gravity alone. As we can see the reactor hardened structure is compact, and can be completely earthquake and tsunami proof. What can be sheared off are the steam pipes and external power, but the shutdown can complete without additional power. 8. No risk for a meltdown, the fuel is already molten. The fuel in a Thorium reactor is U-233 in the form of UraniumFluoride (UF4) salt that also contains Lithium and Beryllium, in its molten form it has a very low vapor pressure. The salt flows easily through the heat exchangers and the separators. The salt is very toxic, but it is completely sealed. 9. Very high negative temperature coefficient leading to a safe and stable control. This is another beauty of the molten salt design. The temperature coefficient is highly negative, leading to a safe design with simple and consistent feedback. What does that mean? It means that if temperature in the core rises, the efficiency of the reaction goes down, leading to less heat generated. There is no risk for a thermal runaway. In contrast, Chernobyl used graphite moderated Uranium , and it suffered a thermal runaway as the operators bypassed three safety circuits trying to capture the last remaining power during a normal shut-down. The reactor splat, the graphite caught fire and the rest is history. Five days later two nuclear installations in Sweden shut down their reactors due to excessive radiation, but it took a while before they could figure out what had happened. First then did the Soviets confess there had been an accident. 10. Atmospheric pressure operating conditions, no risk for explosions. Materials subjected to high radiation tend to get brittle or soften up. Thorium reactors operate under atmospheric conditions so the choice of materials that can withstand both high temperatures and high radiation is much greater, leading to a superior and less expensive design. There is no high pressure gas buildup and the separation stage can be greatly simplified. 11. Virtually no spent fuel problem, no storage or transport. I am following the events at Fukushima Nuclear Power plants with great interest. How ironic that the greatest risk is with the spent fuel, not with the inability to shut down the working units. The spent fuel issue is the real Achilles’ heel of the Nuclear Power Industry. Thorium power works differently as nearly all fuel gets consumed as it is generated. When the process shuts down, that is it. Only the radioactivity that is en route so to say will have to be accounted for, not everything generated thus far in the process. The difference is about 10000 to one in the size of the problem. Time to switch over to Thorium. 12. Scales beautifully from small portable generators to full size power plants. One of the first applications was as an airborne nuclear reactor. Granted this was not a Thorium breeder reactor, but it proves nuclear reactors can be made lightweight. Thorium reactor may be made even lighter as long as they are not of the breeder type. 13. No need for evacuation zones, can be placed near urban areas. Thorium reactors operate at atmospheric pressure and have a very high negative temperature coefficient, so there is no risk for a boil-over. They are easily made earthquake-safe since no pressure vessel is needed. 14. Rapid response to increased or decreased power demands. The increase in power output to increased power demand is faster than in coal-fired power plant. All you have to do is increase the speed of flow in the core and it will respond with raised temperature. 15. Lessens the need for an expanded national grid. The National Electric grid is at the breaking point. It needs to be expanded, but neighborhood resistance is building in many areas where they need an expansion the most. The grid is also sensitive to terrorism activities. As we can see the national grid is extensive, and under constant strain. A way to lessen the dependency on the national grid is to sprinkle it with many small to medium sized Thorium Nuclear Power generators. They can be placed on barges in rivers and along the coast, giving the grid maximum flexibility to respond in case of an emergency. 16. Russia has a Thorium program This is a self-contained Thorium Nuclear Reactor on a barge. Coolant readily available. Hoist it a couple of cables and the town will have all the power it needs. 17. China is having a massive Thorium program. The People’s Republic of China has initiated a research and development project in thorium molten-salt reactor technology, it was announced in the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) annual conference on Tuesday, January 25. An article in the Wenhui News followed on Wednesday. Chinese researchers also announced this development on the Energy from Thorium Discussion Forum. Led by Dr. Jiang Mianheng, a graduate of Drexel University in electrical engineering, the thorium MSR efforts aims not only to develop the technology but to secure intellectual property rights to its implementation. This may be one of the reasons that the Chinese have not joined the international Gen-IV effort for MSR development, since part of that involves technology exchange. Neither the US nor Russia have joined the MSR Gen-IV effort either. A Chinese delegation led by Dr. Jiang travelled to Oak Ridge National Lab last fall to learn more about MSR technology and told lab leadership of their plans to develop a thorium-fueled MSR.The Chinese also recognize that a thorium-fueled MSR is best run with uranium-233 fuel, which inevitably contains impurities (uranium-232 and its decay products) that preclude its use in nuclear weapons. Operating an MSR on the “pure” fuel cycle of thorium and uranium-233 means that a breakeven conversion ratio can be achieved, and after being started on uranium-233, only thorium is required for indefinite operation and power generation. 19.Lawrence Livermore Laboratories is developing a small portable self-contained Thorium reactor capable of being carried on a low-bed trailer. A Democratic member of the United States House of Congress (Joseph Sestak) in 2010 added funding for research and development for a reactor that could use thorium as fuel and fit on a destroyer-sized ship. Lawrence Livermore national laboratories are currently in the process of designing such a self-contained (3 meters by 15 meters) thorium reactor. Called SSTAR (Small, Sealed, Transportable, Autonomous Reactor), this next-generation reactor will produce 10 to 100 megawatts electric and can be safely transported via ship or truck. The first units are expected to arrive in 2015, be tamper resistant, passively failsafe and have a operative life of 30+ years. 20. The need for a Yucca Mountain nuclear storage facility will eventually go away. Since Thorium consumes the fissile material as it is getting created, the need for a long term storage facility of the Yucca Mountain type will eventually go away. In remote locations there can be built Thorium Nuclear Power generators that consume spent material from other nuclear processes. The need to do it in remote locations is the hazard of the already existing nuclear wastes. It should be possible to reduce the existing stockpile of nuclear wastes and nuclear bombs by about 90% and make electricity in the process. The cost to do this is higher than the normal process due to the additional cost of security. 21. Produces electricity at a cost of about 4 c/kWh. The cost to produce electricity with Thorium generators should be about 40% less than Advanced Nuclear and about 30 % less than from Coal (with scrubbers). Solar generation is about 4 times more expensive (without subsidies) Wind power is cheaper when the wind blows, but the generation capacity has to be there even when the wind doesn’t blow, so the only gain from wind power is to lessen the mining or extraction of carbon. Even if we double the renewable power we will only go from 3.6% to 7.2% of total energy needed. Hydroelectric power is for all practical purpose maxed out, so all future increase must come from Coal, Natural Gas, Petroleum or Nuclear. Thorium powered Nuclear Generators is the way to go. Many of the pictures are from a slide presentation given by David Archibald in Melbourne Feb 5 2011. He posted it “for the benefit of all” which I have interpreted as waving the copyright of the pictures What a difference between Trump and Obama on meeting with Putin. Two Limericks. President Trump met Vladimir Putin July 7 2017 in Hamburg. The meeting was scheduled for 35 minutes to shake hands and size each other up, instead it lasted for over 2 hours. It lasted so long that at one time Trump’s support team sent in his wife Melania to remind him he was to meet with Theresa May in a few minutes, but he continued for another hour, so his meeting with the British P.M. got postponed. The meeting was frank and robust, and they agreed on a cease fire in Syria and a common goal with respect to North Korea, but disagreements were out in the open to be tackled by normal diplomacy. With Putin and Trump face to face Which alpha-male did win the race? It’s the art of the deal. With T. Rex it’s for real. Poles Missile Defense back in place. Trump made an end-run on Putin by going first to Poland, a former Warsaw Pact country and re-arming them with the Patriot missile defense system and making preparations for exporting Liquid Natural Gas to Eastern Europe, thus making them independent of Russian Gas. This is leadership. This too is real leadership, Melania Trump explaining something to Putin (in perfect German, which they both speak), and Putin, starstruck listens. Totally opposite to Obama’s lack thereof. Barack Obama, Vladimir Putin Headline in Washington Post Aug. 6 2013: Obama cancels summit meeting with Putin. Obama will still attend the Group of 20 economic summit in St. Petersburg, Russia, but a top White House official said the president had no plans to hold one-on-one talks with Putin while there. Instead of visiting Putin in Moscow, the president will add a stop in Sweden to his early September travel itinerary. Crybaby, why go to Sweden? Putin will not give you Snowden? Air Force One is no toy You’re a man, not a boy. Face it Obama, you’re beaten. Why did he go to Sweden? Was it to learn of the success of the 25% VAT (National sales tax)? Was it their success in rooting out home schooling? Was it their solid support of the Palestinians over the Israelis? Was it confusion between Sweden and Norway? Norway, not Sweden gives out the Nobel Peace Prize, and he needs people who still admire him. Was it to learn more about green energy? Was it because Sweden has the ideal welfare state where even the conservatives are for it? Was it because everybody belongs to a union in Sweden, even the employers have their union? Was it to show Putin he is having more flexibility after the election? Was it because Sweden now has 123 young men for every 100 young women thanks to taking in so many “refugees”, mostly young Muslim men of draft age? Whatever the reason, it was not leadership. Why was Obama silent on Russian hacking before the election? A Limerick. Obama did not mention hacking ’til Trump sent old Hillary packing. For he couldn’t reveal how the Dem’s tried to steal the process by voter fraud backing. Hmm, let’s see. Obama knew of Russian successful hacking of two states, Illinois and Arizona, and knew of Russia trying to hack 21 states election processes. The DNC computer server was hacked, and they prevented FBI and NSC from investigating the server. It can only mean the DNC had their own illegal election fraud operation going on, and silence was a necessity. After the election he tried to frame the Trump election operation. Makes sense. Hillary, Hillary, who do you blame? Thanks, that’s should do it. The whole nursery rhyme: Russian embassy trolls, a Limerick, April 1. A message from embassy trolls. From Russia with love, as it rolls. AP checked: Is it true? April fool! We fooled you! They fooled AP’s “fake news” controls! And they do not understand what is a joke. President Obama’s last acts of revenge on Israel the week of the Trump inauguration, a Limerick. On Israel’s right to exist Obama and Kerry insist. Make Jerusalem free and so start WWIII! Obama’s revenge – with a twist….. On Dec 23 President Obama without support from Congress abandoned all support of Israel. These are ominous times for the world. Sunday, Jan. 15: Paris Conference for 70 nations Sunday, Jan. 15: Fatah and Hamas Meeting in Moscow for unity talks. Monday, Jan. 16: EU foreign ministers’ council and the foreign ministers of the Quartet meet. Tuesday, Jan. 17: U.N. Security Council convenes for its monthly open-debate on the Israeli-Palestinian issue in New York. Obama okays Russian sales of Uranium to Iran, enough to make 51 nuclear bombs, a Limerick. Let me see: 116 tons of natural Uranium, contains 0.7% of U235, properly enriched translates to 812 kg of U235, from which you can make 51 nuclear bombs. Since Iran sold their reactor coolant, it must be for making bombs. Way to go, Obama! Your Iran agreement at work! Obama did what to Iran? From Russia with love to Tehran. A Uranium load to make nukes to explode, but not on his watch. Kicked the can.
On comparing things using lines; or, How to make graphs that say what you want them to In a recent Wall Street Journal editorial by Richard McNider and John Christy, the authors make the claim that not only was John Kerry “flat wrong” on Climate Change in his Feb. 16 speech in Indonesia, but that the climate models used to predict climate sensitivity have “been … consistently and spectacularly wrong”. I won’t expound here on the actual claims that McNider and Christy make in their piece — plenty of others have already weighed in on the issue (including the Guardian, ThinkProgress, and ClimateScienceWatch). What I am interested in discussing here is the sole figure used to make their point — specifically the omissions and obfuscations it employed to make their point seem irrefutable. So, let’s go through a “what’s wrong with this picture” exercise, and see if we can learn something about statistics and why you should always question what you see. Below, the figure in question: What is going on here? 1. Confidence limits The first issue is the lack of confidence intervals (sometimes called “error bars” or “uncertainty ranges”) in the plots. This is especially concerning since all three lines result from averaging a HUGE amount of data (or model output). Without identifying what these are, and they are likely large, we have no way of knowing if these curves are actually different. 2. Shifting baseline A second clue that perhaps the data (and model results) are not being presented in the most appropriate way is apparent from the footnote indicated by the asterisk: The linear trend of all three curves intersects at zero in 1979, with the values shown as departures from that trend line What this means is that the graph isn’t actually showing “Global mid-tropospheric temperature” — what it’s showing is the deviation of global mid-tropospheric temperature from a linear trend fit to each data set. This is often referred to as a “shifting baseline”. In other words, the plot doesn’t really say anything about the differences between the models and the data, but only about how each of them differs from their own linear trend. To be clear, we are not being shown the real data/model output. In fact, since we are not given the information on the linear trends we cannot even rule out that the data have a larger total trend than the models (i.e. the opposite of McNider and Christy’s point). 3. Improper fit? There’s another problem with the graph. If the displayed values are departures from a best fit line to the actual temperature data (presumably from 1979 to 2012), how is it possible that the deviation (or residual) from the best fit line also displays a linear trend? In fact, in the case of the model line, the residual never goes below zero. Put simply, if you fit a straight line to a series of points, there will always be points that lie both above and below the best fit line. This appears to not be the case for McNider and Christy’s fit, particularly for the model line. So what’s going on here? Essentially the data that went into the plot have been manipulated in a way to give an impression that may not have been supported by the original data. I will give you an example. Below I have plotted two exponentials that behave similarly over the 40 year time span. One has a less-steep slope in the first 20 years (the black line), the other a steeper slope (the red line). I have also added some noise (the grey and pink regions, which reflect some uncertainty, see Point 1). fake data Now imagine that I fit a linear trend to only the first 20 years on both curves. In the case of the black curve, slowly varying, the linear fit looks like it captures much of the slow variation (including points above and below the line). If this were air-temperature, the linear fit is a pretty good approximation to the data. If I do this with the red line, though, a linear fit over the first 20 years does not work as well. Now instead of showing you this plot – which would convey that the red and the black curve look alike and that linear fits derived from the first 20 years work well for one but not for the other – I show you the smoothed residual – i.e. the difference between the original data and the linear fit as a function of time. For the black the residual is small. For the red it is big. This is similar to the plot shown by McNider and Christy. They argue that because the red residual (the model) is larger than the black residual (the data) this means that the models are warmer than the data. But this conclusion is not supported by their figure (as I just showed you). In fact, in the example I presented the red curve (the models) are always colder than the black curve (the data). In conclusion, the plot shown by McNider and Christy does not show what they say it shows. Instead, it appears to pull out a number of tricks to promote a message. If it had been submitted to a peer-reviewed journal it would never have made it through. That’s not to say that everything meant for the public has to be peer-reviewed, or that a publication’s OP-ED desk has to have the scientific background to spot a problem. But it does highlight that there should exist a basic honesty in scientific discourse — whether between scientists or when engaging with the public. Interfering with that honesty erodes everybody’s trust in the scientific process.
Loading presentation... Present Remotely Send the link below via email or IM Present to your audience Start remote presentation • Invited audience members will follow you as you navigate and present • People invited to a presentation do not need a Prezi account • This link expires 10 minutes after you close the presentation • A maximum of 30 users can follow your presentation • Learn more about this feature in our knowledge base article Do you really want to delete this prezi? Lighthouse and Water as Symbols To the Lighthouse Sanjani P on 29 March 2013 Comments (0) Please log in to add your comment. Report abuse Transcript of Lighthouse and Water as Symbols Lighthouse as Symbols S a n j a n i P r o r d d u u u t and Water In To the Lighthouse, therefore, it is impossible to separate Woolf's characters from external objects. They unite symbolically with each other. Their harmonious unification stands for and inspires each other in a way that it is difficult to speak of subject and object as divided opposites. This fusion serves us to perceive the feelings, memories and reactions of characters about life and reality. In this respect, the sea is a powerful symbol in To the Lighthouse, because the setting of the novel takes place on an island surrounded by the sea. The Ramsay family also has a house called 'the Lighthouse' on this island, and thus the sea can be seen and heard by the members of Ramsay family all day long, permeating their thoughts and reflections. Literary Criticism GÜNE, Ar Gör Dr Ali. "Symbolism in Virginia Woolf’s To the Lighthouse." Universidad Revista de la Facultad de Letras 16.2 (0): 173-188. http://www.edebiyatdergisi.hacettepe.edu.tr/1999162AliGunes.pdf. Web. 12 Mar. 2013. - Dr. Ali Discussion Questions Light and Dark Happiness Life Isolation Family Relations Unity W A E R LIGHTHOUSE T 1. What is the significance of having 'lighthouse' in the novel's title? 2. What does the journey to the lighthouse in part III symbolize? 3. Which character symbolizes the lighthouse and/or the water the best? 4. What is the purpose of Woolf's use of symbolism? 5. What other objects does Woolf to symbolize the characters? To stir the pot: Is there any external object that symbolizes you? How? Peace Human Ignorance Life and Reality Light and Dark Popular in Modernist Literature Symbolize characters Water Peace Human Ignorance Life and Reality Light and dark Light and dark Family Relations Memory Lighthouse "the whole bay spread before them and Mrs Ramsay could not help exclaiming, 'Oh, how beautiful!' For the great plateful of the blue water was before her" (16). "they came there regularly every evening drawn by some need...gave to their bodies even some sort of physical relief" (24). "messages of peace breathed from the sea to the shore" (162). "he reached the edge of the lawn and looked out on the bay beneath" (51). "lt was his fate, his peculiarity, whether he wished it or not, to come out thus on a spit of land which the sea is slowly eating away, and there to stand, like a desolate seabird, alone. it was his power, his gift, suddenly to shed all superfluities, to shrink and diminish so that he looked barer and felt sparer, even physically, yet lost none of his intensity of mind, and so to stand on his little ledge facing the dark of human ignorance, how we know nothing and the sea eats away the ground we stand on- that was his fate, his gift." (51-2). "He was bearing down upon them. Now he stopped dead and stood looking in silence at the sea. Now he had turned away again" (54). "that the monotonous fall of the waves on the beach, which for the most part beat a measured and soothing tattoo to her thoughts and seemed consolingly to repeat over and over again as she sat with the children the words of some old cradle song, murmured by nature, “I am guarding you—I am your support,” but at other times suddenly and unexpectedly, especially when her mind raised itself slightly from the task actually in hand, had no such kindly meaning, but like a ghostly roll of drums remorselessly beat the measure of life, made one think of the destruction of the island and its engulfment in the sea, and warned her whose day had slipped past in one quick doing after another that it was all ephemeral as a rainbow—this sound which had been obscured and concealed under the other sounds suddenly thundered hollow in her ears and made her look up with an impulse of terror" (19-20) "Never did anybody look so sad. Bitter and black half-way down, in the darkness, in the shaft which ran from the sunlight to the depths, perhaps a tear formed; a tear fell; the waters swayed this way and that, received it, and were at rest." (25) "First, the pulse of colour flooded the bay with blue, and the heart expanded with it and the body swam, only the next instant to be checked and chilled by the prickly blackness on the ruffled waves...so that one had to watch for it and it was a delight when it came, a fountain of white water; and then, while one waited for that, one watched, on the pale semicircular beach, wave after wave shedding again and again smoothly a film of mother of pearl." (24) "to that fabled land where our brightest hopes are extinguished, our frail barks founder in darkness...'But it may be fine—I expect it will be fine,' said Mrs. Ramsay" (6). "his eyes fixed on the storm, trying to the end to pierce the darkness, he would die standing" (41). "His own little light would shine, not very brightly, for a year or two, and would then be merged in some bigger light, and that in a bigger still" (42). "It was sympathy he wanted, to be assured of his genius, first of all, and then to be taken within the circle of life, warmed and soothed" (44-5). ''now all the candle were lit, and the faces on the both sides of the table were brought nearer by the candle light" (112). "There it was before her--life. Life, she thought--but she did not finish her thought. She took a look at life, for she had a clear sense of it there, something real, something private, which she shared neither with her children nor her husband. [...] she was on one side, and life was on another." (70) "she looked across the bay, and there, sure enough, coming regularly across the waves first two quick strokes and then one long steady stroke, was the light of the Lighthouse. It had been lit' (72). "she looked at the steady light...which was so much her, yet so little her" (75). "But for all that she thought, watching it with fascination, hypnotized. As if it were stroking with its silver fingers some sealed vessel in her brain whose bursting would flood her with delight, she had known happiness, exquisite happiness, intense happiness, and it silvered the rough waves a little more brightly, as daylight faded, and the blue went out of the sea and it rolled in waves of pure lemon which curved and swelled and broke upon the beach and then the ecstasy burst in her eyes and waves of pure delight raced over the floor of her mind and she felt, it is enough! it is enough!" (75-6) "Everything became very close to one...Everything in the whole world seemed to stand still. The Lighthouse became immovable, and the line of the distant shore became fixed. The sun grew hotter and everybody seemed to come very close together and feels each other's presence, which had almost forgotten" (208). "No! the weather will be bad!" "Why do you have to ruin everything? Just as I'm getting along so well with Mom!" "No going to the Lighthouse, James," he said, as he stood by the window, speaking awkwardly, but trying in deference to Mrs. Ramsay to soften his voice into some semblance of geniality at least." (16) The Lighthouse was then a silvery, misty-looking tower with a yellow eye, that opened suddenly, and softly in the evening. Now — James looked at the Lighthouse. He could see the white-washed rocks; the tower, stark and straight; he could see that it was barred with black and white; he could see windows in it; he could even see washing spread on the rocks to dry. So that was the Lighthouse, was it? No, the other was also the Lighthouse. For nothing was simply one thing. The other Lighthouse was true too" (211) Beacon - Control, Light, change Light tower - unchanging O V E R V I E W "power sweeping savagely in" (40). "a fountain of white water" (24). "and to have no letters or newspapers, and to see nobody; if you were married, not to see your wife, not to know how your children were—if they were ill, if they had fallen down and broken their legs or arms;" (7) "When darkness fell, the stroke of the Lighthouse, which had laid itself with such authority upon the carpet in the darkness, tracing its pattern, came now in the softer light of spring mixed with moonlight gliding gently as if it laid its caress and lingered stealthily and looked and came lovingly again" Perception Full transcript

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