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warc | 201704 | Questions of personal biases and valid science permeate all facets of science; of course, we as social scientists face these questions all the time in our research. Do personal biases get in the way of our science? Is there any way around our personal biases?My somewhat Latourian take on this issue would be this: Of course science allows people to get around their personal biases; that's the whole point of science as a formal, social, discursive, argumentative, agonistic, critical, collective process. Without this science has nothing. However, scientists can only 'get around' their own biases by making their experiments and reasoning public and having others reproduce their experiments and reasoning. I’m a firm believer that the process of science allows us to eliminate many of the potential biases that we carry around with us. ...
But let's define 'bias' broadly. Is assay result X the product of a hitherto undiscovered protein or a contaminated batch of enzymes? Contamination is a 'bias' to the experiment in that it is an unwanted variable intruding upon the artificially purified experimental design. The scientist can take many steps to check, doublecheck and crosscheck their results but ultimately the only thing that will establish result X as a
factrather than an artifactis the experiment's successful reproduction by other scientists in other labs around the world. An individual scientist's personal preferences on the outcome of an experiment mayprove to be an extraneous variable intruding upon the experimental design, that is to be determined. However, the way they overcome this is not by being 'value neutral' in their own minds as such, it is by designing their experiment as best they can and then submitting the whole process to critical peer review, which may or may not validate their claims.
No individual scientist can or should ever be 'value neutral' -- if they didn't care about the outcome of the experiment why would they bother doing it? The only 'neutrality' science can have emerges in its sociality, in its practices of argumentation -- in being validated by numerous different values. It isn't about 'checking your biases at the door' so much a not letting them intrude into your experimental design. 'Values' are not an item of clothing that you can arbitrarily hang up on a clothes peg -- that's a very poor metaphor, albeit a common one. Being 'scientific' is better described, I think as an ongoing process of drafting, redrafting and self-critique prior to the social critique of peer review. If your conclusions are based on nothing more than your own wishes and wants then your arguments will be undone as easily as pointing out a batch of contaminated enzymes. If the argument draws upon no more support than empty rhetoric then it'll be quickly exposed as hot air. A strong argument requires more evidential and rational support than a statement of desires. Scientists needn't
transcendtheir values, they need only produce an argument that is strongerthan the values that inspired it.
Human rights research has precious little in common with molecular biology and it can never follow the same scientific practices or adhere to the same standards (nor should it want to) but it can follow a similar process: produce arguments that are stronger than the values they are inspired by; produce arguments that can be validated by a wide range of value orientations.
So, no, a cancer researcher needn't have any specific value orientation in the sense of being 'pro-' or 'anti-' cancer (though one would hope that it is not the former!) but nor can or should any researcher be 'value neutral' -- our values get us out of bed in the morning. Wanting to produce objective knowledge about cancer: that's a value in and of itself. | 3,790 | 1,762 | 0.000569 |
warc | 201704 | Yes, you read it. Men suffer from
P.M.S (pre-menstrual prosody).
I am a man, and I resembling you (if you are likewise staminate) may experience from P.M.S, why? Just similar women you have a secretion policy. If this arrangement is out of balance, past symptoms may happen.
A agreed symptom of secretion discrepancy is emission prosody. The eccentricity next to men is that you don't hemorrhage. So you rightful don't cognize you are troubled because there is no way to cognize it is emission.Post ads:
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How do you cognize if you suffer?
Ask your wife, spouse, friend or people or friends, to mark on a calendar once you are grumpy, dark or retributive discern as if you are underneath inflection. When you surface tired, once toil is cruel you, once you prominence affects you or you are apprehensive. Mark it on the calendar and data the model.
Every 4 to six weeks you will have a period where on earth you consistency grumpy, moody, travel-worn etc. This is the phallic secretion cycle.Post ads:
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Most of you will be spoken communication ... it isn't me; it's fair been a unavailable length of time. I'm not grumpy, inhabitants retributive don't twig me. Of module I'm anxious, gawk at all the work weight I have, the deadlines I have to far-reaching by Friday.
Look say you, if one and all else is doing the aforesaid employment as you, are they newly as grumpy, washed-out and bad-tempered. If not ... it is you ... and yes ... you are burden from P.M.S (pre-menstrual burden).
Just ask those say you, if they deem you suffer. Don't get mad, crusty or down if they say ... yes!
. You die closer than women; have worsened upbeat statistics, more bosom virus and lots another welfare complaints. You contract beside strain little closely and the personal effects of load are worsened. Men's vigour is a communal subject today
The secretion policy is segment of this. Did you know that your secretion system controls your bosom rate, cholesterol, stress outcome and liquid body substance pressure? All rife problems, in men.
The premiere symptoms of inconsistency in the secretion rules are not a heart beat or swollen blood force. It is the annoying symptoms that you reduction unforced ... P.M.S (pre-menstrual difficulty).
Like peak else corporeal functions, the secretion system is unheeded once in that are merely supplementary signals locution it is out of go together. How often do you pause until your rear legs is incapacitating you, back you see human to dislocate the pain?
Hormonally, the same applies. You cold-shoulder the attendant symptoms (this is not basically men, women do this also hormonally), until bigger ones come about.
Women end up next to Hysterectomy's, or cancers of the female internal reproductive organ etc, endocrine snags and some other upbeat teething troubles. Men, because even in spite of this you have the identical variety meat as women, you inert mathematical relation differently, end up beside bosom hitches.
As time is accelerative in stress, the secretion set-up is asked to industry harder. Notice how as life span is much stressful, near is an escalating amount of gonad cancers, prostatic problems, bosom unwellness ... all the applied mathematics for these are feat worse not advanced. So what to do?
Get healthy, hormonally integrated. Reduce stress, incentive your energy, have more holidays, open more, swot ways to air after your self better.
Male P.M.S (pre-menstrual load) is a short time ago the prototypic mark of ill health; don't put it lint to a bad day at the office, or conscionable too so much accent. Change now previously it is too late, don't end up clutching your chest, moving to sickbay in the wager on of the machine and after remembering ...
If solitary I had listened, go fighting fit and lived enhanced ... if one and only. | 5,690 | 2,840 | 0.000354 |
warc | 201704 | This Saturday, the world marked the one of the biggest environmentally-friendly initiatives – Earth Hour. However, while a record number of countries and cities participated in the 2015 campaign, people in many part of the world showed less interest in saving the planet than ever before. The Dubai, on the other hand, companies and organisations challenged the trend with impressive efforts.
Earth Hour 2015’s Success in Dubai
Official data for Earth Hour 2015, shows that Dubai managed to save 305 mWh (megawatt hours) of electricity during this year’s Earth Hour. As a result of the initiative, the emirate managed to reduce its carbon emissions by 183 tons for just one hour. That is 20% more compared to Dubai’s Earth Hour 2014 figures.
Even more impressive is the fact that over the six years in which Dubai has been taking park in Earth Hour, it has saved a total of 1,163 gWh of electricity. In money, that is estimated at almost $205 million.
This year, UAE’s participation in Earth Hour was greater than ever. Apart from reducing electricity consumption, the country also took things one step further and encouraged people to also reduce their water consumption during the world’s most eco-friendly hour.
In addition to that, Dubai broke a new record by introducing the world’s biggest inifinity mirror as part of the Earth Hour 2015 initiative. The seven-square-meter mirror symbolized the emirate’s infinite efforts to fight climate change.
Earth Hour Interest Declining Worldwide
Meanwhile, the Earth Hour campaign registered a massive decline in interest. Even though the 2015 initiative broke all previous record in participation, with 172 countries and over 1,400 landmarks joining it this year, people were generally less concerned about the climate and turning off their lights.
Particularly shocking were figures from Earth Hour 2015 in Canada. British Colombia, for example, saved barely 15mWh this year. Compared to just one year ago, that is a decrease by 77%. Moreover, back in 2013, British Columbian saved 136 megawatt hours or almost 90% more than in 2015. Similar was the case in Ontario, where some cities even stated that reducing electricity consumption during Earth Hour was no longer a priority for them. The reason they cited was the population’s declining interesting in the initiative.
Even in Australia, the country where Earth Hour first started, the initiative did not have the desired effect on society. Although participation continues to be high, the meaning of Earth Hour has begun to blur. Media coverage in the country focused more on saving electricity than on saving the planet.
Vietnam was one of the few countries where Earth Hour 2015 was a success. This year, the country announced it has managed to save 520,000 kWh of electricity. That is estimated at nearly $40,000. Nevertheless, these savings are not measured only during Earth Hour 2015, but for the entire Earth Hour campaign in the country, which took place over the period March 22-28.
Next Earth Hour will take place on 19 March 2016 and it will mark the initiative’s tenth anniversary. Hopefully, the interest in the campaign then will not as limited as it was this year. | 3,245 | 1,525 | 0.000669 |
warc | 201704 | Women Doctors Tell Of Improper Behavior By Their Male Patients
Boston Globe
Kay Petersen, a Boston physician, recalls when she first encountered undeniable sexual harassment from a male patient - a man she had been treating without incident for several years.
"I was saying goodbye at the end of an office visit. He grabbed my hand, then grabbed me around the waist and kissed me on the lips," Petersen said. "It was a terribly painful moment."
Such overt sexual aggression by patients is apparently relatively unusual. But a unique study published yesterday, along with anecdotal evidence from women doctors, suggests that most female physicians suffer sexual harassment by male patients and that it comes in many forms.
"Our results suggest that sexual harassment of female physicians is widespread and troublesome," concluded Dr. Susan Phillips of Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario, and Margaret Schneider of the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education. Their study appears in this week's New England Journal of Medicine.
More than three-quarters of 417 female family practitioners in the Ontario study reported experience with sexual harassment by male patients. The offensive behavior spanned a wide range: sexual remarks and gestures, lewd genital exposure, pressure for dates and unwelcome gifts, brushing or fondling the doctor's body, "grossly inappropriate touching" such as Petersen's patient displayed, and rape or attempted rape.
The researchers asked study subjects whether they had had first-hand experience with these behaviors. The study drew on definitions of sexual harassment used by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and other studies.
Female physicians told researchers they had experienced such patient behavior anywhere from once a year to once a month or more, except for grossly improper behavior, which occurred from less than once a year to three times a year.
The most common setting for such sexual harassment was the doctor's office, but proportionately the risk was higher in emergency rooms or community clinics.
Researchers and physicians in the United States and Canada say female physicians are in a unique position simply because the doctor's traditionally powerful role and the patient's vulnerability can be threatening for some men when the doctor is a woman.
"The traditional male provider-female patient situation keeps the powers lined up," said Dr. Lucy Candib, a family practitioner in Worcester on the faculty of the University of Massachusetts Medical School.
"When you have a female provider and male patient, I think it's confusing for the man to know what is his relationship to this particular female," Candib said. "There are two ways they handle it. One is to work out some kind of egalitarian and mutually sympathetic way of thinking about each other, and the other is for him to try to assert power in the ways that he knows, which often are sexual."
Phillips subscribes to this view. "I've concluded that this behavior is all about power relationships and abuse of power," she said in an interview. "Though doctors traditionally hold power in our society, in this relationship that power seems to be overridden or undermined."
Or, as Phillips and Schneider put it in their article, "female doctors are treated primarily as women, not as physicians, by many of their male patients."
The researchers solicited and received numerous specific examples of untoward behavior by male patients. The most common involved men who refused to be gowned or draped, requested genital examinations for no apparent reason, and displayed erections before or during physical examinations.
The problem has been as hidden as it is common, according to the Canadian researchers and U.S. physicians who were asked to read and comment on the study.
Many female doctors say they thought this was only their own problem, not a wider social phenomenon. They have rarely mentioned it to colleagues or anyone else, and they often asked themselves if they somehow provoked the improper behavior.
"I found this a very thought-provoking article," Petersen said. "It made me reflect on a number of uncomfortable situations that I have dealt with very subliminally over the years. No one ever discusses this in my professional life."
Copyright (c) 1993 Seattle Times Company, All Rights Reserved. | 4,388 | 2,117 | 0.000477 |
warc | 201704 | Selacia,
Contributor
Feeling edgy and out of sorts, or simply sensing that you’re on the edge of your seat about to make your next move?
If you’re experiencing either of these states right now, you are in good company. You don’t have to look far in any direction to notice people with an anxious disposition. Some of them close to you may be acting out their jittery feelings, too, adding to your own nervousness. Especially if you are sensitive, you can feel what others are feeling. Sometimes you are aware of this response – other times it may be unconscious. Don’t make sensitivity or awareness bad. It’s part of being multidimensional to tap into the interconnected world and the collective. This includes people you work with, live with, and interact with in everyday life. Energy is energy and it exists whether or not you are consciously aware of it. No matter how hard you try, you cannot divorce yourself from the world and its current energetic shifting that touches everyone around you. Even pets are impacted! As a reminder of what’s going on, here’s a recap of this month’s energies underlying the edginess, chaos, and intensity. We now sit between two powerful eclipses in a longstanding transformational cycle building for decades. Next Wednesday’s Grand Cross Peak Part of that cycle is the rare cardinal grand cross energy you can feel now before it peaks April 23. Even after that peak, too, is a cycle of releasing and adjusting to the new energies. For perspective, what you are feeling is both personal and your tapping into the collective dance of radical shifting involving how Earthly life is lived. It’s not just about one day, or one month, but certainly April is an intense time for most people to handle! In my private astrology readings for DNA healing clients, we address the very personal implications of cycles like this. These definitely are moments you don’t want to sleep through or let slip by unnoticed. Indeed, this cycle has great potential to catalyze just the breakthroughs you have needed to get free of your past and move into a much more promising future! From a multidimensional perspective – as I describe in my book Earth’s Pivotal Years – “upward spirals of growth can occur either very slowly or seemingly in a flash of time. This applies to both individuals and the planet as a whole.” When we have a grand cross, think of it as a crossroads that can ignite your personal spiral of growth with a bolt of lightning! Avoid the tendency to go into fear and have a breakdown. Use these energies to have huge breakthroughs instead. 5 Tips for Having Breakthroughs Here are five tips for having breakthroughs in April and over the coming weeks as the chaotic energies continue to play out. As I’ve been writing about on Facebook, these can be times of meltdown or breakthrough – applying these tips can help you to achieve breakthroughs. First, avoid your learned tendency to be harsh with yourself. Refuse to listen to your ego voice that keeps you in fear and negativity. Don’t let that critical voice convince you that things are hard, no fun, or tough to accomplish with all that’s going on. Invite your higher wisdom to help you stay positive, on track, and open to the gifts of self-discovery now becoming available at this crossroads. Second, when you first begin to feel a negative emotion, check in with yourself to determine how much of what you are feeling is yours, how much is other people, and how much is the collective. The only feeling you have any power over is your own. This means owning how you feel but refusing to act on the emotion. An angry text or comment to a colleague or loved one will backfire. Find a gentle way to communicate or hold your tongue for a bit until you can find more constructive words. Third, remember that just on the other side of chaos and darkness there is peace and light. These qualities always are there, in fact, but during turmoil it can be challenging to access them. Keep your focus on your light-filled intentions and your own light within. It is your own light that can reveal things blocking your full divine expression. Allow this light energy within to bring you the outer resources you need to break free. These resources could include insights from others not invested in seeing you the way that you have always seen yourself. It’s common knowledge that enlightenment is catalyzed by being with and seeking input from others outside of you. Asking for help doesn’t make you less than – it can help you to be more than your ego self is allowing you to be. Fourth, know that crossroads like these tend to bring up intense desires to do or be something different from what society dictates. To have breakthroughs, you will need to self-moderate your desires and only take actions on things that truly need action right now. If you’re not sure, wait. Meditate on your desires and invite dreams or other inner input to help you see the larger picture of where these desires will lead long term. Fifth, on a daily basis, ask your higher self to reveal to you what you are not seeing about your situation. Ask to be shown – directly or through other people – what in your DNA-level conditioning is blocking your forward movement. Invite a knowing of how your current blocks relate to things you experienced in past lives, vows you took in other lifetimes, or agreements you made with people at another time in history. These things, not on the ordinary person’s radar, can be seen in the field of the DNA, which is also the place they need to be cleared to have real progress. Remember, too, that in your DNA are very beneficial patterns helping you in this pivotal lifetime – ask to be made aware of these things so that you can see your divine qualities. Then call upon those qualities to assist you in creating breakthroughs that subsequent generations will liken to miracles!
Selacia, internationally acclaimed author of
Earth’s Pivotal Years, is an intuitive healer and guide to others on the path of spiritual awakening. A former foreign correspondent with The Wall Street Journal and other media, she has decades of experience in the areas of world politics, social change, healing, consciousness, and spiritual transformation. In her journalism career, Selacia covered the White House, US Congress, G8 meetings, economic summits, and world trade talks. In her global healing work, she has addressed the United Nations (SEAT). Her writings are read in sixty-four countries. She is a pioneer in DNA intuitive healing, serving people everywhere who desire wholeness and a heart-centered life. Selacia has dedicated her life to spirit, and to opening the way for others to progress on their path of enlightenment. Visit her at www.Selacia.com. | 6,906 | 3,227 | 0.000317 |
warc | 201704 | 3D scanning is a tool which is becoming more and more integrated within the world of additive manufacturing. It has now established itself as a significant link in the realignment of the supply chain and design process taking us further forward into the digital era of manufacturing.
But by no means is 3D scanning a 21
st century breakthrough. It predates key events such as the lunar landing, the floppy disk and the first Star Trek series. However, white light and laser techniques were not introduced and adopted until 1985. Now, with some contemporary refinement 3D scanners are becoming an ever popular item on the 3D shopping list.
In 2015, the brainy people at MarketsandMarkets totalled the 3D scanning market at $5.9 billion and estimate it to reach $13.3 billion by 2020. Also, Pete Basiilier, research director at Gartner, backs them up by saying 3D scanning technologies are “maturing quickly” and “have the potential to make high quality 3DP more accessible and affordable.”
Enough small talk, let’s get to the root of 3D scanning….
The tree diagram below shows the main methods of capturing 3D data. Contact scanning can be very precise but is also heavily time consuming and carries the inherent risk of modifying artefacts. For these reasons, non-contact scanning techniques have been better adopted with the ongoing intention of improving scan accuracy, resolution, affordability and cycle time.
The next branches on the 3D scanning tree focus more specifically on how scan data is collected. Active methods involve directing radiation at an object and analysing its reflection and/or absorption. Whereas, passive techniques do not emit anything; instead they obtain 3D captures by processing reflected ambient radiation.
Current 3D scanning technologies
As with all new disruptive technologies, making it accessible is the key to its success.
The scanning up rise has not gone unnoticed by you 3D enthusiasts. Increasing numbers of open-sourced systems, such as FabScan and FreeLSS, are hitting the web. This is encouraging to see and shows that more and more people are adopting this technology just as Gartner’s 3D hype cycle predicts.
The following information allows you to analyse and compare a few of the front runners in today’s 3d scanning market.
So what’s the catch?
With all this said, there are still some major drawbacks with current scanning techniques. First of all tomography methods and destructive slicing are the only techniques which can truly capture hidden internal geometries. The other techniques require direct line of sight which is not always applicable.
Secondly, detecting reflected radiation from shiny and non-opaque objects delivers scans ripe with inaccuracies. For transparent and translucent parts, the light tends to scatter within the volume of the object. Whereas for high sheen parts the light seems to reflect of multiple surfaces before falling into the sensors field of view and thus contaminating the scan with snippets of the external environment.
Problems further arise when scanning objects in continuously changing environments, like the outdoors. Once again, current sensor technology is not yet sophisticated enough to differentiate and identify the correct signals.
A few scanning top tips: For photogrammetry scans, Autodesk recommends that your photos should include a 50% overlap of the previous image. The addition of reference points and careful background selection will dramatically help out the stitching algorithm for photometric scans. It is best to use a colourful and busy background for monochrome featureless artefacts. In contrast, neutral backgrounds are best for complex characterful objects. Using laser lines over point lasers drastically increases scan cycle times for triangulation methods. Some of the best 3D technologies are founded by start-ups so check Kickstarter regularly for new campaigns that might be worth your back!
What does the future hold?
In the years to come I am really looking forward to seeing how the interaction between the physical and digital world develop.
HP has recently added the Sprout to its 3D fleet. The sprout is the combination of a normal desktop PC and structured light scanner, a reality computer some would say. It brings us that one step closer to bypassing the middle men in the product development cycle.
I also believe scanning will put an emphasis on one of 3D printings main drivers – personalisation. In the future, I predict a greater focus will be put into collecting and using anthropometric data to create ergonomically perfect items tailored to the user’s needs and wants.
And what do you know; maybe one day we will even be sharing 3d selfies through Snapscan or Instafile. | 4,792 | 2,406 | 0.000422 |
warc | 201704 | In a city like Melbourne where the streets are often chock full of people, it is important for brands to invest in outdoor marketing to gain visibility, awareness and affinity, especially those targeting end consumers. Depending on the objective of the advertiser, these can be highly brand-oriented without any calls for action or be tactical and hard-selling if they are focused on specific groups. Due to the limited amount of time which one has to glance at them, outdoor advertising creatives and messages must be immediately impactful and to capture one's attention in the blink of an eye. They should be easy to digest and readily appreciate by the (literally) man-in-the-street. Creatives that are too visually cluttered or that contain too clever messages tend to get lost in the sea of images, failing to resonate with one's potential target audience in a highly competitive market. Here are some advertisements that I came across recently while taking a walk through the city. Do feel free to give me your views on whether they work or don't work for you.
While this isn't an advertisement for the Australian Red Cross, I like the way the slogan is etched on the side of the building and the impact of those words - "The Power of Humanity". This proves that age-old adage that a simple message often works far better than one which tries too hard.
I wonder if anybody will notice posters like these which are rather unceremoniously pasted onto a column. Most of them were downright tacky and the way they are certainly an eyesore in an otherwise beautiful city. The posters are also pretty self serving and look more like notices with information on them rather than serious attempts to reach the public.
These huge outdoor banners are placed along the densely populated Flinders Street. It is pretty obvious which ad will capture your attention more readily than the other! Once again, outdoor ads should refrain from using images that are too cluttered with unreadable text that are too tiny to make an impact from far.
I think these beverage ads work better as the value proposition is clear. The use of the 4 deg C "LCD display" (yes, its fake) at the side is also a clever tactic to draw people's attention.
While the location of these banners at ground level gives them an immediate advantage, the peeling walls on which they are placed isn't exactly very aesthetically pleasing. Then again, perhaps the brand identity of these activities and events - grassroots-oriented, underground, edgy - mandate that they seek unconventional channels for advertising.
These flagpole banners help to draw attention to major festivals and events happening in the city. Due to their heights, you can't really put a lot of text on them, and the visuals used must be self explanatory, like the ones used here to describe Vesak Day (called Buddha Day here) celebrations. Obviously, it caught the attention of that man in the grey suit.
Another example showcasing the flagpole banners in action, this time of the recently concluded Melbourne International Jazz Festival. While the copy for these were easily read from ground level, the visuals used were less striking than the earlier example.
Banners like these are common in shopping centres. I thought that the use of 3D flowers by the side were a nice and elegant touch, coupled with a simple message that shows how close Mother's Day is.
Outdoor (or rather indoor in this case) advertisements like this standee here can be more direct and hard-sell than those located over one's head. Anything that is placed at eye level can afford to have a stronger call for action, and they should contain strong unique value propositions that can pull consumers in. Of course, everybody likes a sale in these times!
Here's a tram stop poster advertisement with a marketing message that really hits home. It contains a highly relevant message in times of economic recession and the advertisers obviously know that their target audiences are more likely to take public transport than to drive.
Of course, the most direct way of outdoor advertising is to have an actual human being distributing flyers or leaflets. Wearing a bright blue wig and T-shirt also helps to attract attention in a crowded commercial district. This however could have a double-edged effect, as some people would be wary of collecting yet more dead carcasses of trees!
Labels: advertising outdoors, marketing tactics, Melbourne city | 4,463 | 2,151 | 0.000467 |
warc | 201704 | Olive Safety possess significant ‘World Safety and health at just Work Day ’on April 28th 2012, by way of a renewal to ask all workplaces and also staff which will make Well-being 2nd Character ’.
Famous overseas ‚ World Safety and health at just Work Day aims to increase awareness about controlling risk in the workplace ‚ among the principal concepts of accident protection.
Based on the HSA ‚ around the globe ‚ the amount of work-related accidents is increasing. The International Labour Organization quotes that globally 2.2 billion individuals die every year from work-related accidents and conditions. The ILO even estimates that every year there are really 270 million non-fatal work-related damages as well as as much as 160 billion new cases of occupational conditions.
With regards to of the work conditions in which injuries occur ‚ the best proportion (16%) of problems occurred in manufacturing areas ‚ industries or perhaps workshops. Manual working with related damages continue to account for approximately one-third of all of the recorded damages accompanied by slip ‚ trip and also fall incidents (21%).
While the around the world figure for accidents working is in the increase ‚ in Ireland in the endure wide range of years the overall trend is a reducing one. However ‚ with 55 work-related deaths in Ireland persist year ‚ the CEO of the Health and Safety Authority ‚ Martin O ’Halloran ‚ is calling for increased vigilance and also awareness. Communicating about workplace deaths in 2011 ‚ Minister O ’Halloran said ‚ “This might be the 2nd 12 months wearing a row that the total amount of workplace fatalities has got increased. The actual fact is the fact that at the rear of these studies there tend to be human tragedies ‚lives missing and the entire family ruined. Everyone contains the appropriate to go to work without having risk to their safety or perhaps health. ”
As much as one third of all the road collisions in Ireland tend to be estimated to include racers that are utilizing their automobile for work. Based on the Path Safety Influence up to 1 / 2 of all of the companies ‚ do not have policies and also procedures for occupational driving as well as these do not have systems for handling driving at work.
The ILO quotes which the international economic impact of work-related accidents and also conditions is 4 % worldwide ’s gross domestic product. In 2005 the Area of Enterprise ‚ Trade and Work published the Indecon report entitled ‘The Financial Impact of Your safety as well as Wellness working Rules ’. This report estimated that workplace accidents and also ill health cost the Irish economy around €3.3 billion every annum.
Safety Statementis ongoing its very own national campaign ‚ “Render Safety Second Nature ” that aims to alter perceptions of the reason why being wellness and safety conforming is necessary. Typically seen as some sort of unwanted cost ‚ Olive Your safety tend to be highlighting the savings as well as increased profitability which will be created by making the workplace a low risk environment for employees and customers. World Safety and health at just Work Day
by olivesafety
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warc | 201704 | To kick off an enterprise in the city of San Diego, you need first to have the name registered with the County of San Diego and the Assessor/Recorder/County Clerk's Office. Likewise, you still should request for your Business Tax Certification and some other reports from California Tax Information Center, the Office of the City Treasurer and other government agencies. The complete system may be rather tiring, though it ought to be easier to achieve key requirements if you've got a business associate to work with you.
Whenever working with a partner, it often helps to have every thing in writing. With this, you will have an official document that you can go to everytime differences arise. In the meantime, when a party is instantly left on his own to handle balance dues and other costs, a professional insurance defense attorney can assist either party file a claim to pay for a couple of the charges.
With an authenticated business contract in place, you can provide more build to your business and have the capacity to prepare for your short-term alongside lasting targets. You can then define the terms of your profit share agreement to avoid future frictions. You surely don't desire to wind up on the losing end or get deposed simply because of a triviality.
A business contract also establishes fidelity to the state laws that oversee joint ventures. Business partnership laws are different from state to state, so any enterprise in San Diego must comply with California laws. For example, certain business partnerships in California may be exempted from paying sales tax.
Any business contract must also incorporate the requirements which is to be followed when a partner decides to back out. The agreement needs to then incorporate accurate specifications relating to the scenarios wherein a partner is enabled to opt out of the agreement, like health matters, for instance. Ultimately, to make certain that each participant's rights and duties are made plain in a clear and concise manner, it is a good idea to let a skilled business attorney in San Diego craft the partnership agreement.
Business partnerships are often complex endeavors, but with the right business attorneys, stuff can be essentially simplified. A signed business agreement is the primary step to ensuring a successful partnership. For more details, go to ehow.com/how_6400722_write-business-partnership-contract.html.
General Info on Your Insurance Defense Attorney in San Diego
by janaystiles
62 views | 2,501 | 1,257 | 0.000799 |
warc | 201704 | Small businesses have the power to get our economy moving again, creating jobs and real growth, but they continue finding credit difficult to come by, or shy away for fear of hidden traps. Congress hopes that the Small Business Jobs Act of 2010 may help, but getting credit remains challenging for small businesses, and those that do find credit often make costly mistakes. Green businesses are no exception to these challenges. Done correctly though credit is your friend, getting you and your business where you want to go. Despite all of the difficulty, small businesses and startups can build their credit right by working with people like La Mancha Sims and his company Corporate Cash .
As an experienced financial professional and a business man himself, Sims knows the challenges that his clients face, and has learned from experience how to avoid common mistakes, saving people a great deal of time, money and heartache. Corporate Cash works with small businesses and startups, particularly those that have been around less than 3 years, providing not just access to credit but personal coaching and counseling to build a relationship with clients and guide them through the whole process. When people come to him for help they have often tried and failed to develop their credit profile on their own, and he finds they have made the same common mistakes. By building relationships with lenders, and working personally with clients to deliver solutions, Sims can walk them through 5 steps they need to follow to build their credit and their business:
1. Establish a Business Credit Profile
Every business starts out its life with no credit, and no credit history. But it can't stay that way if it wants to grow and prosper. "Starting a business credit profile is the foundation," said Sims. "Your business should get credit from a few different places to start building your business credit profile. As your company grows and has been around longer, approvals get easier." If you don't establish your credit profile the right way the first time, you will end up paying more later.
2. Leverage Current Accounts
Once a business gets going, it has relationships with a variety of vendors, but may not be using these to build their credit. For example, if you are a landscaper, you might be paying cash out of pocket to the nursery or pay Home Depot with 30 days net terms. These accounts you already have can be tools to help build your credit, if structured correctly. Setting up revolving credit with Home
Depot or the Ace Hardware store and having these reported to your business credit profile leverages the money you're already spending to build your credit for the future and strengthen your business. Setting up a proper financial statement is also a key ingredient that allows business owners to leverage credit.
3. Separate Business from Personal Credit
One of the most common and biggest credit mistakes that small businesses make is to use their personal credit to finance their business. It happens over and over again. They are just getting started, and find it easy to just charge business items on their personal credit cards. When they are sitting with a lender, and asked to sign for a personal guarantee with vendors or lenders, they are so eager to make things happen that they fail to consider the long term consequences. And the consequences can be significant, as many have recently discovered, when they are held personally liable for business debts. "We help people protect themselves," said Sims, "moving everything into business lines like HSBC revolving credit. People may have to start with a smaller line, particularly with a new business, but they can quickly increase the credit line if they make their payments."
4. Justify the Amount Requested
When requesting credit, lenders want to know what you plan to do with their money. Will you be hiring new staff? Investing in capital equipment? Funding a big trip to the. Now more than ever banks and other lenders want to know, and failure to provide this information is likely to result in being turned down. Have a sound Business Plan, and make sure the requested credit fits into this Business Plan.
5. Knowing when to use Community Bankers
Community banks are a powerful resource for small businesses, and one they often neglect. "When I started in business, I always thought I had to go to big banks," said Sims, working only with banks like Chase and Bank of America until he found that community banks can often provide better solutions. "Now is the time to use them," advises Sims. "Open a savings account, get to know them, and start building a relationship. Then, when you're ready, they will be willing to work with you."
Glenn Croston is the author of "75 Green Businesses" and "Starting Green", and the founder of Starting Up Green. helping green businesses to get started and grow. He is also the co-creator of the Home Sustainable Challenge .
By Glenn Croston
October 7, 2010 | 12:05 AM
Source: m.fastcompany.com
Category: Credit | 5,064 | 2,324 | 0.000433 |
warc | 201704 | A tale of two platforms: Equity crowdfunding in Australia & New Zealand from MultitudeBy Kat Jenkins
The last 12 months has seen a steady stream of equity crowdfunding laws and platforms released globally. The UK and Europe are already home to CrowdCube and Seedrs. And the JOBS Act in America is opening the floodgates there as well. In New Zealand, equity crowdfunding will become possible due to a law change coming into effect on April 1, 2014. Australia has also recently begun work on their crowdfunding legislation.
With all this activity going on, I sent through some questions to two new players: Fundakiwi, from New Zealand, and Squareknot, from Australia to see what they were up to, and what they thought the future looked like.
UPDATE: Since this article was written, Fundakiwi has decided that it will not be proceeding to become a crowdfunding licensed intermediary under NZ law. What is your platform’s approach to equity crowdfunding? What is your platform’s approach to equity crowdfunding? Squareknot: Squareknot matches entrepreneurs and businesses with investors looking for compelling opportunities. Our approach is to provide transparency, liquidity, resources, and to build relationships.
In the process, we are creating an enriching environment capable of delivering significantly more than just capital for growing companies. Wherever possible, we proactively leverage the resources and experience of the Squareknot community of investors, entrepreneurs, mentors and experts to help businesses get to where they want to go.
We encourage investors to become active participants when suitable. Engaged shareholders bring capital, but they and also create commercial opportunities, facilitate strategic partnerships, add credibility, and act as a quasi-marketing and sales force.
Fundakiwi: Our aim is to create one of NZ’s first equity crowdfunding platforms. However, rather than just being an introduction service between entrepreneurs and investors, we are focussed on providing a “full life service”.
For companies, that means supporting them over a longer period of time than just their initial campaign. To begin with, we provide support with campaign creation and promotion. Once the company has completed a successful raise, we will offer the option of placing them with our incubator partner, increasing the chances of their startup being a success. Finally, we will help in the next round of funding via a network of Angel Investors and VCs.
For investors, we plan to educate them on what equity crowdfunding is, and how they should approach it. On successful investment, we will be keeping an eye on their investments via a nominee company to give it the best chance of success. Ideally, we will also help the investors exit on the next round of funding.
Given New Zealand’s laws don’t come into effect until April, and Australia doesn’t have draft legislation yet, how are you launching now? Given New Zealand’s laws don’t come into effect until April, and Australia doesn’t have draft legislation yet, how are you launching now? Squareknot: Regulation around equity crowd funding in Australia is still a grey area. But this isn’t because it’s inherently higher risk. Instead, it reflects the challenges on regulators to keep apace with the opening up of capital markets through technology.
In response, Squareknot was delighted to prepare a comprehensive submission to CAMAC (Corporations and Markets Advisory Committee) to advise the Australian Government on how to regulate crowd sourced equity funding.
Squareknot values being regarded as a trusted source and destination for both investors and investees In the process. We seek to comply with, and exceed all the relevant legislation, legal frameworks, and industry practices around investment and fundraising. This extends through to the application of an AFSL (Australian Financial Services Licence).
Fundakiwi: Our answer to that is a virtual equity crowdfunding platform. Fundakiwi is holding a New Zealand-wide competition where entrepreneurs can win $10,000 worth of services. These will help them build and promote their real equity crowdfunding campaign once the laws allow it, potentially allowing them to raise up to NZ$2 million for their startup.
We want to give an opportunity for entrepreneurs and would be investors to try out the platform and understand it. Our virtual equity crowdfunding platform will feature real ideas and real investors, giving entrepreneurs and investors the opportunity to connect. This way when the law does come into place, the groundwork will have already been laid for a successful raise.
For the Kiwi investor, this is a chance to educate themselves about equity crowdfunding by getting a chance to experience it live, without the risk of investing real money.
Everyday kiwis will get a chance to be ‘investors’ in Fundakiwi by signing up for free. Every investor who signs up will be given $10,000 worth of virtual currency they can ‘invest’ in the companies and ideas they believe in. Investors also have a chance to win invites to a launch party VIP dinner with the entrepreneurs who win the Fundakiwi virtual equity crowdfunding competition.
What do you think an investor needs to know before investing in an equity campaign? What do you think an investor needs to know before investing in an equity campaign? Squareknot: Equity crowdfunding opens investors to deal flow previously confined to the realms of banks, venture capitalists and angels. Unlike listed equities, there are fewer degrees of separation, giving investors a greater sense of being able to contribute to the success of a company they have funded.
Hope however, is not an investment strategy. While the returns may be great, like any investment, it involves risks. Earlier stage companies bring additional risks such as a lack of track record and liquidity. Hence, any investments in equity crowdfunding campaigns should be seen as long-term and illiquid.
Investors are now better armed than ever before. The internet is a powerful ally to undertake detailed due diligence. However investors should always seek out professional advice before any investment decision.
Fundakiwi: Equity crowdfunding gives the average Kiwi a chance to invest in companies they believe in. Every investor needs to make sure that they believe in the vision of the entrepreneur, the team behind it, and the execution plan.
The next step is taking a look at the financial numbers of the company to determine what the payout is, and how the entrepreneurs aim to achieve it.
All companies listed on Fundakiwi must provide a standard minimum amount of information for potential investors. This includes a business plan, and a set of financial forecast numbers.
Investing in a crowdfunded company is very similar to other avenues of investing. The investor needs to do their due diligence, decide for themselves if the plans and forecast make sense, and then make the decision to invest their hard earned money.
What do you think a company needs to know before seeking investment? What do you think a company needs to know before seeking investment? Squareknot: It’s not all about the money. For businesses, crowdfunding provides an opportunity to validate their business model and strategy. It’s also a chance to seek out investors that bring skill sets under-represented in the current management. For example commercial networks, marketing expertise, globalisation track record, or an industry reputation.
Simply appearing on a crowdfunding website is no guarantee of success. There is much work to be done and things to consider. How much should be raised? In how many stages? On what valuation? Is the right team in place? Even the best ideas will go wanting if the right management is not in place. Investors often invest in management as much as they do in the product or service of the company.
Take a long-term view of the business’ capital requirements. Calculating the amount to raise involves a fine balance of avoiding the need to come back to the market too quickly, and being diluted too aggressively too soon. Business owners must also be aware of the reporting obligations to an enlarged shareholder base, and to communicate effectively to manage expectations.
Fundakiwi: Along with having a great idea and a team, companies need to keep in mind that transparency and communication are the key to a successful equity crowdfunding raise. My top three tips for successful raises would be: Craft a compelling pitch with special attention given to the campaign video. The video is what will lure in potential investors to read the rest of your pitch, so that they can make an informed decision to invest in your company. Start working on promotion before you launch your campaign. For a raise to be successful, you need the initial push from a core set of your own supporters. These could be friends and family, your current customers, partners, or social media fans. Once you have that, it will motivate other investors to get on board. Keep communicating with investors during the raise. It is this communication which will answer questions for all the other potential investors considering investment in your business.
On the legal side, the proposed rules in New Zealand allow for a company to raise up to NZ$2 million in a rolling 12 month period. All companies are also only allowed to raise equity crowdfunding via a registered and licensed intermediary, (the crowdfunding platform). Fundakiwi will be one of the first platforms to be licensed once the laws come into effect on April 1st.
What do you believe the future of crowdfunding looks like a year from now? How will your platform change the landscape? What do you believe the future of crowdfunding looks like a year from now? How will your platform change the landscape? Squareknot: The post-Global Financial Crisis decade is centred on alternative funding. Equity crowdfunding will continue to try and fill the funding gap left by banks. The better crowdfunding platforms will offer companies much more than just capital.
These additional (sometimes intangible) benefits will be very difficult for banks to replicate effectively. Coupled with the need to fund the hundreds of companies graduating out of incubators, as well as established businesses looking for growth capital, will see strong demand for the likes of Squareknot.
The Government’s response to CAMAC will be critical. There is the risk of over-regulation, and we’ll be watching closely as well as advising where possible.
Fundakiwi: I would say we will see a lot of consolidation in the equity crowdfunding market in the near future. There are currently 400+ portals waiting to be launched in the US, and other than the very niched ones, most of them will either shut down or merge into a few big players. I think this will be a positive development, as the major platforms will theoretically have better policies and procedures for businesses, reducing the chances of fraud.
In New Zealand, the Equity Crowdfunding market does not exist right now, so the next year will be one of growth, and platforms figuring out the best way to serve the local market.
We at FundaKiwi believe that equity crowdfunding has the potential to revolutionize the New Zealand economy and will be working towards that goal. We are looking to change the landscape for Kiwi entrepreneurs and investors through equity crowdfunding, rather than change crowdfunding itself.
UPDATE: Since this article was written, Fundakiwi has decided that it will not be proceeding to become a crowdfunding licensed intermediary under NZ law. | 11,773 | 4,786 | 0.000212 |
warc | 201704 | Guest blogger Josh Parry writes:
Aberystwyth’s Professor of Politics Richard Wyn Jones met with 6th formers in Cardiff today to talk about why young people didn’t vote. It’s a very important question, when less than 39% of youngsters under 24 vote at Westminster elections and only 11% of those under 24 vote at council elections. Why don’t youngsters vote at elections? Most youngsters don’t vote at elections because they find politics to be dull and uninspiring. Young people don’t think politics is something that is going to affect them at all.
Not many youngsters can make a distinction between their own lives and Westminster and see how policies at Westminster will affect them. Youngsters can’t make any distinction between the parties as they all seem the same. No youngster really knows on what policies each party differs. There’s a lack of knowledge and understanding from us on what politics is really about. What was interesting was when Richard Jones asked the 6th formers if they wanted the voting age lowered to 16. Only two people in a room of 100 youngsters wanted the voting age lowered to 16. I thought this was a staggering statistic. Does this show a complete lack of appetite among youngsters to vote at 16? Yes, when asked why they not wanted the voting age lowered. They said that there was no appetite to vote just yet and even though they can get married and drive a car at 17 they didn’t think policies at Westminster affect them when they were 16. When asked if they would vote at 18. The majority said they would for the sole reason that policies at Westminster would affect them. They would vote at 18 rather than 16 because of higher education and taxes. They thought that it was important that parties would offer cheaper places at universities and help pay for the material thing that comes with universities like books and computers. Many thought they should scrap the top up fees as well. That’s the policies they said that would interest them more. Youngsters don’t here enough about policies. One young person said there’s not enough to do and parties aren’t offering any policies that would solve that situation and more youth clubs isn’t the answer!!!Political Parties aren’t offering solutions to these types of problems that are facing the youths of today. Young people aren’t hearing about policies that will affect them now and at present. Their needs to be more policies directed at the young and young people need to be told what they are. I think if we want more young people to vote we just need to reach out to them and be able to Connect with them and their everyday life and have an understanding between the two, because until then I think Young people just won't vote. Politicians need to engage youngsters through texts and through the internet. Politicians need to go into a mind of a teenager and find the best ways to connect with youngsters and how they want to be told about politics. But do politicians care about young people’s opinions? I don’t think individual politicians actually engage with young people at all and don’t actually care about them. So if politicians don’t care about the votes of youngsters, why should youngsters vote? Politicians want to reach people who will vote for them so they aren’t necessarily going to target and talk to youngsters about policies if they won’t vote for these individual politicians. So why should young people care if politicians don’t care about them? A lot of young people just don’t see that their vote would make any difference. Maybe we need to move with the times, we do everything else on the internet. Why can’t we get young people to vote online? If it was as easy as voting at a click of a button for young people maybe they would vote in their droves. We should start having more elected representatives who are as young as 18 and 19 in our parliament in order to get the youth vote across. There are a number of ways the number of young people who vote if there was voting reform, communicating political messages in more youth friendly ways, learning from best practice outside the UK, reshaping political culture inside the UK. The simple thing is politicians need to engage with youngsters and tell them what they want to hear and keep their promises. Hopefully politicians will engage with youngsters and hopefully through schemes like the Welsh Baccalaureate youngsters will learn what politics is and will be encouraged to vote through the education system. The education system is key to youngsters learning about political parties, political system and policies. If the education system doesn’t teach them nobody will and more young people will be disillusioned with politics than ever before. | 4,857 | 2,002 | 0.000514 |
warc | 201704 | The battle lines have been drawn as 17 states, the coal industry and pro-coal Democrats and Republicans prepare to take on the Environmental Protection Agency’s new carbon dioxide emissions limits.
These sweeping new rules effectively ban the construction of new coal-fired power plants.
The EPA’s new emissions limits cap carbon emissions for coal plants at 1,100 pounds per megawatt hour , which is an unmeetable standard unless operators install carbon capture and storage technology. This technology has yet to prove commercially viable.
“If these regulations go into effect, American jobs will be lost, electricity prices will soar, and economic uncertainty will grow. We need the federal government to work as a partner, not an adversary, and to invest in America’s energy future,” said West Virginia Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin,.
Coal plants are being held to nearly the same standard as natural gas-fired power plants which will be allowed to emit 1,000 pounds of carbon per megawatt hour. However, natural gas emits about half as much carbon and only natural gas plants will be able to meet the EPA’s new standards.
“Today’s proposal maintains EPA’s pie in the sky standard-setting mentality despite the Agency’s admittance that unilateral regulations would have no impact on global emissions levels,” said Louisiana Republican Sen. David Vitter. “EPA completely ignores other nations’ missteps, and the severe negative impacts from trying to address carbon emissions. Their actions have resulted in economic uncertainty, job loss, and increased electricity prices, yet the Agency continues to barrel on – full speed ahead.”
Both Republicans and coal country Democrats have opposed the new regulations, arguing it will cripple the coal industry and cause electricity rates to skyrocket.
“The facts are plain and simple: Coal provides the greatest share of electricity we use, generating around 40 percent of our power,” Manchin added. “It’s just common sense to level the playing field and accept that coal is, and will be for the foreseeable future, a significant part of our energy mix.”
However, environmentalists hailed the announcement as a critical step to fulfill President Obama’s vow to address global warming.
“Right now there are no limits at all on the largest source of carbon pollution, so this is a necessary and commonsense step. As communities across our country struggle with terrible floods, droughts, and wildfires, these standards will finally put a limit on the carbon pollution that new power plants emit into our skies,” said Environmental Defense Fund President Fred Krupp. “Cleaner power generation will protect our children from dangerous smog, extreme weather, and other serious climate impacts, and ensure that America leads the world in the race to develop cleaner, safer power technologies.”
U.S. power plants emit 40 percent of the country’s carbon dioxide, according to the EDF, and the average coal plant emits 3.5 million tons of carbon year. | 3,128 | 1,504 | 0.000697 |
warc | 201704 | Nov
13
A recent story in the LA Times, “
UC seeks to boost Californians’ enrollment by 10,000 by 2018,” outlined the University of California’s plan to expand resident undergraduate enrollment at their nine undergraduate campuses. Like many U.S. public universities that have faced significant state divestment during the recession, the UC system has enrolled more nonresident students in recent years to help cover funding cuts and keep resident tuition increases to a minimum. To adjust this trend, the California Legislature recently increased its investment in the UC system by $25 million to partially fund the enrollment of 5,000 additional resident undergraduate students by no later than 2016-17. To pay for an additional 5,000 enrollments proposed by UC, system President Janet Napolitano plans to phase out aid for low-income non-resident students and request additional funding from the California Legislature. Napolitano was quoted as assuming the legislature would “continue to support access for California students.”
According to the article, UC officials are now “working through the logistics of housing, laboratory availability, and classroom sizes.” The increase in undergraduate students will also necessitate enrolling 600 more graduate students for instruction and lab support.
The University of Washington has faced similar financial pressures as a result of the recession, but remains committed to providing Washington students with affordable, quality higher education.
The UW continues to fully fund Husky Promise, which covers, at minimum, tuition and fees for resident undergraduate students who qualify for the Pell Grant or State Need Grant. Since 2009-10, the UW has increased incoming enrollment of resident undergraduates by more than 1000 students at its three campuses. During the recession, the UW increased its contribution to institutional financial aid in order to maintain access for students with the most financial need. The percentage of Pell-eligible students at the UW rose from less than 20 percent in 2007-08 to 29 percent in 2014-15.
With
over 188,000 undergraduate students in the UC system, the plan would increase their undergraduate enrollment by over 5 percent. To achieve a similar overall increase, the UW would need to add approximately 2000 students and would face significant barriers in doing so. Unlike the UC system, UW does not provide need-based aid for non-resident undergraduate students, and thus would not be able to cut that non-resident aid funding to pay for additional resident enrollment. Additionally, all three campuses are nearly at capacity without significant capital investment.
Nov
10
Greetings, my name is Jed Bradley and I recently joined the Office of Planning & Budgeting as a higher education policy analyst. I earned a BA in political science from the University of Washington and am currently pursuing a Master’s degree in higher education from the UW College of Education. I will be contributing to the OPBlog with posts about budget and policy proposals from Olympia, local UW initiatives, and other U.S. higher education news.
Please send me an email if you have any questions or feedback. Thanks for reading!
Nov
5
Undergraduates who graduated with student loan debt from four-year colleges in 2014 owed an average of $28,950, according to a
recently released report by The Institute for College Access and Success (TICAS).[1][2] 69 percent of graduates have loan debt, the same figure as last year and slightly higher than it was in 2004 (65 percent). The average amount of debt per borrower is up 56 percent from 2004 – more than double the inflation rate over the same period – but only up 2 percent from 2013.
A number of factors have contributed to the rising student debt load over the past decade. States have decreased their investment in public higher education over the last ten years, causing students at public institutions to bear a higher percentage of the funding burden. Since 2004, the share of public higher education funding provided by states has dropped (from 62 percent to 51 percent) and the share paid by students and their families (in the form of tuition) has increased (from 32 percent to 43 percent).
In addition, the growth of Pell Grants has not kept up with rising costs. The TICAS report shows that between 2004 and 2012—the last year in which data is available—recipients of Pell Grants at public four-year colleges saw average cost of attendance rise by $7,400 and grant aid rise by just $2,900. At private, non-profit colleges the gap is even wider; costs rose by $14,400 and grants increased by $8,700.
Washington state is performing well with regard to student loans: only 58 percent of Washington bachelor’s degree recipients who graduated in 2014 had loans, and those who did had an average of $24,804, more than $4,000 below the national average. The University of Washington also looks good by these metrics: thanks in large part to the University’s commitment to institutional aid through programs such as Husky Promise, less than half of all UW undergraduates who graduated in 2014 had student debt and the average debt burden was $21,558, well below the state and national averages.
While Washington’s performance relative to its peers is laudable, student debt is still a major issue for many students. The TICAS report offers a series of proposals to mitigate the student debt load, among them doubling the size of Pell Grants, simplifying income-driven repayment plans, and improving student loan servicing to make it easier for students to pay back their loans. It is important that policymakers remain focused on reducing the student debt burden and continue working with institutions to make higher education accessible and affordable for all students during and after graduation.
[1] It’s important to note that borrowing rates and debt levels vary widely by state, college and sector.
[2] Because the federal government does not require colleges to report debt levels for their graduates, data in the TICAS report is based on voluntary reporting by institutions. Hardly any for-profit colleges voluntarily report their graduates’ average debt, so this year’s debt figures are for public and nonprofit colleges only.
Nov
3
The Department of Education recently released their
annual report detailing the 3-year cohort default rate (CDR)—a metric that measures what percentage of postsecondary students default on their loan payments within the first three years of entering repayment—and the data are encouraging: the 3-year CDR for FY 2012 is 11.8 percent, almost two percent lower than the previous year and three percent lower than FY 2010.
While reasons for the drop are uncertain, administration officials have credited the increased enrollment in income-based repayment plans as partially responsible. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan has cheered the lower default rate but cautions that there is more work to do. “There’s no real reason why we can’t significantly reduce default rates even further,” he told reporters in a statement
reported by . “We’re going to keep working to hold schools accountable.” Inside Higher Ed
The report also breaks down the CDR by
school, state, and institution type. Below is a breakdown of the most salient statistics.
National statistics: Public four year institutions saw their 3-year CDR drop to 7.6 percent, down from 8.9 percent last year. Private non-profit four year institutions’ default rate also dropped, to 6.3 percent from 7 percent. Private for-profit four year institutions’ CDR dropped to 14.7 percent, down from 18.6 percent last year.
State statistics: Schools in Washington state have an average 3-year default rate of 10.1 percent, slightly below the national average. The University of Washington performed exceptionally well by this measure: the 3-year CDR for UW dropped to 2.7 percent, almost 5 percent lower than the national average for public four year universities and down from 4.3 percent last year.
As previously stated, the declining CDR average nationwide is a hopeful sign for the future of student loan repayment. Nevertheless, loans remain a massive strain on millions of college students and graduates and more must be done to alleviate the student debt burden. The CDR itself has come under fire as a flawed metric; it only measures those students who default on payments and does not take into account the
almost one in three borrowers who make payments but cannot make any progress on paying down their debt or the share of students at a given institution who borrow. Some in the education policy world have called for using loan repayment rates, rather than default rates, as the primary metric for gauging an institution’s ability to prepare its students for repayment.
Nov
3
My name is Andrew Orlebeke and I am the Legislative Analysis Intern for the Office of Planning and Budgeting and a Master in Public Administration student at the Evans School of Public Policy and Governance. I’ll be updating this blog periodically with posts on all things higher education, from federal and state legislative issues to the release of higher education reports to UW-specific policy initiatives. Feedback is more than welcome and thank you so much for reading!
Sep
18
recently ranked the UW as the fourth most innovative university in the world among public Reuters and private institutions, surpassed only by Stanford, MIT and Harvard. When looking at public institutions alone, however, the UW topped the list.
As the
noted, “The ranking takes into account academic papers, which indicate basic research performed at a university, and patent filings and successes, which point to an institution’s interest in protecting and commercializing its discoveries.” Seattle Times
In addition to the innovation ranking,
recently ranked UW Seattle as the #1 “Best Bang for the Buck” among Western institutions. Institutions are scored on “’Net’ (not sticker) price, how well they do graduating the students they admit, and whether those students go on to earn at least enough to pay off their loans.” For more information about the “Best Bang for the Buck” rankings, please see the Washington Monthly companion article.
Aug
14
UW Profiles – a set of dynamic, web-based data dashboards – recently received The Data Warehousing Institute (TDWI) Best Practices Award. This award is widely considered to be the business intelligence industry’s most prestigious honor.
OPB’s
Institutional Analysis team developed UW Profiles, in collaboration with UW IT’s Enterprise Data & Analytics team, and formally launched the site in fall 2013. UW Profiles allows users to explore core UW data through 21 visual dashboards that display summary, comparison and trend data.
Campus Technology Innovators also honored UW Profiles, calling it “an intuitive, user-friendly portal that provides a single point of access to data and visualizations for faculty and staff.”
Congratulations to Institutional Analysis and to all those who worked hard to make UW Profiles a reality!
Aug
4
Under the “Briefs” tab of the OPB website, you will find the
2015 Bill Summary, which provides a list of all the bills we tracked during the 2015 legislative session that passed into law. Links to veto messages are displayed for any bills that were partially vetoed by the Governor.
Of the 538 bills that OPB tracked during the 2015 session, 74 passed into law.
As a reminder, any bill that did
not pass into law during the regular session will be reintroduced at the beginning of the supplemental session, next year.
Jul
6
Leadership in both House and Senate passed a compromise operating budget in the form of
Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 6052.
All of higher education including financial aid would receive $3.5 billion of Near General Fund (NGF) for the biennium which is 9.2 percent of the overall NGF appropriation of $38.2 billion.
The compromise budget adopts the provisions in
Second Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 5954, which reduces the operating fee portion of resident undergrad tuition at all public higher education institutions. In 2015-16, resident undergraduate operating fees at all public institutions are to be 5 percent below the 2014-15 rates. In 2016-17, resident undergraduate operating fees at the state universities (the UW and WSU) are to be 15 percent below the 2014-15 rates; at the regional universities, they are to be 20 percent below the 2014-15 rates; and at the community and technical colleges, they are to be held at 5 percent of the 2014-15 rates.
This budget provides $27 million to partially fund compensation increases of 3% in FY16 and 1.8% in FY17. This budget also partially funds collective bargaining agreements with WFSE and SEIU.
Listed below are some of the Key funding’s provided by this budget:
Computer Science – $6 million over the biennium to increase bachelor’s degrees awarded in Computer Science.
WWAMI – $9 million over the biennium to continue operations in Spokane.
Family Practice Medicine Residency Network – $8 million over the biennium to fund additional medical residencies.
O&M Funding – $1.76 million over the biennium to cover maintenance costs for UW Bothell’s Discovery Hall.
The legislature also passed the final capital budget.
For more details on the operating and capital budgets, please refer our OPB Brief .
Jun
22
Leadership in the House Appropriations Committee released a third operating budget proposal today in the form of
2P2SHB 1106 and PSHB 2269. This proposal still differs from the Senate budget proposal SB 6050 and varies from the previous House operating budget P2SHB 1106.
All of higher education (including financial aid) would receive nearly $3.348 billion (8.8 percent of near general fund appropriations). Under this proposal, the UW receives a total appropriation of $650.5 million, of which $598.19 million is from Near General Fund account.
Here are some of the key points from the House Budget ( 2P2SHB 1106 ) released today : Tuition – This budget assumes tuition rates remain at the levels charged in 2012-2013. Funding is provided to freeze resident undergrad tuition in the first year; however, funding in the second year is provided in HB 2269 (see below). Compensation Increase – This budget proposal is similar to prior proposals, authorizing a 3% and 1.8% for FY16 and 17 respectively; in addition, this budget provides limited funds for the UW’s contracts with SEIU and WFSE. WWAMI – This budget contains a proviso to transfer $4.68 million a year from WSU to the UW to maintain WWAMI and support expansion of this program to 60 students. O&M Funding – $1.762 million over the biennium to cover the Operating and maintenance cost of UW Bothell Discovery Hall which is the same as the House budget, but slightly higher than the Governors funding.
HB 2269 was introduced alongside the primary appropriations bill and would fund the following activities: Medical Residencies – HB 2269 appropriates $8 million over the biennium for medical residencies. Computer Science – This budget provides $8 million over the biennium to increase bachelor’s degrees awarded in computer science. Computer Science Building – This budget appropriates $32 million over the biennium from State building construction account.
We anticipate significant activity this week and will post additional updates to the blog.
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warc | 201704 | Periodic Properties
The first column of the periodic table, Group 1, contains elements that are soft, shiny solids. These alkali metals include lithium, sodium, potassium, rubidium, and cesium. At the other end of the table, fluorine, chlorine, bromine, iodine, and astatine appear in the next-to-last column. These are the halogens, or Group 17 elements. These four elements exist as diatomic molecules, so their formulas have the form X
2. A sample of chlorine appears in Figure 2 (lesson twenty one). Each alkali metal combines with any of the halogens in a 1:1 ratio to form a white crystalline solid. The general formula of these compounds is AX, where A represents the alkali metal and X represents the halogen ( AX = NaCl, LiBr, CsBr, KI, etc.).
The elements in the second column of the table (Group 2) are the alkaline earth metals. These resemble the alkali metals in their appearance, but they have different chemical properties. For example, each of these metals combines with the halogens in a 1:2 ratio (AX
2 = CaCl 2, MgBr 2, BaBr 2, etc.). Each also reacts with atmospheric oxygen to form a solid with the formula AO (BaO, CaO, etc.).
The last column of the periodic table contains the noble gases, or Group 18 elements, all of which occur in nature as gases. With a few exceptions, these elements do not undergo chemical reactions.
The elements in Groups 3 through 12 are known as transition metals. The elements in rows 6 and 7 that are normally shown below the rest of the table are the inner transition metals, subdivided into lanthanides (row 6) and actinides (row 7). All other elements are main group elements.
The periodic table is a useful way to organize chemical properties. To help you see the patterns, the periodic table on the inside front cover of this book highlights the various groups of elements. As you learn more about chemical structure and behavior, you will discover the principles that account for similarities and differences in the chemical behavior of the elements. | 2,018 | 966 | 0.00104 |
warc | 201704 | ADVERTISEMENT
Healthy Diet Plans >> Diabetic Diet >> Peanuts Peanuts For Diabetes
Peanuts in diabetes are good only if eaten at the correct time and while keeping portion control in mind. Since peanuts are not nuts and are legumes they tend to be high in carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are quickly metabolized into glucose which gets released into the blood stream. This makes peanuts a high-glycemic food on the glycemic index.
A glycemic index is basically an index that was created to categorize food based on how quickly the body digests it and converts it into glucose. Glucose in diabetics needs to be controlled.
Often while talking about healthy food for diabetics, nuts are included. This list usually does not include peanuts and cashews, both of which make for a high count on carbohydrates. If you are deciding to include peanuts, as a diabetic, in your diet, you should include it like a garnish. A garnish over salads, curries, soups or even over cereal or oatmeal.
Nut butter is also very popular. Peanut butter, though extremely popular, also contains some sugar. So if you would like to eat some peanut butter, it would help if you could make it at home and control the ingredients that go into it. Nut butters also tend to be high in fat but are not high in cholesterol, which regular pasteurized butter tends to be. Therefore, nut butter makes a great substitute but again, only in moderation and limited intake. Since diabetes is such a rapidly spreading condition, there is constant research to evaluate methods of measuring and what can and cannot help people suffering from diabetes. Diabetes is generally of two types; type 1 where the body does not produce insulin and is therefore unable to control the body glucose and, type 2 where the body does not produce enough insulin or becomes insulin resistant. Type 2 is the kind where food monitoring and weight loss can make a big difference to blood glucose levels.
Research today shows that including a small amount of peanuts in your diet could actually prevent diabetes or at least reduces your chances. It makes your body responsive to lower GI or glycemic index food while bringing down triglycerides and raising HDL or good cholesterol. Peanuts can also be included into your healthy diet plan in the form of peanut oil. That way it becomes easy to apportion out your fat and at the same time, include the goodness of peanuts.
Peanuts, though called nuts, are actually legumes and are quite fatty. They belong to the bean family Fabaceae. Peanuts also have different names in different cultures like ground nuts, earth nuts and even monkey nuts. These nuts are high in protein and fat. It contains polyunsaturated, monounsaturated and saturated fat and is highest in monounsaturated fat. It contains many nutrients like different proteins including tryptophan, leucine, methionine, valine, glutamic acid and many more. These nuts also contain high quantities of minerals like folate, calcium, iron phosphorus, potassium, magnesium and zinc. It is also one of the most popular allergy ingredients in the world. Peanuts are usually banished from diets because of their high carbohydrate and fat content. Nowadays peanuts have been making somewhat of a comeback in diets because though rich in fat; it is rich in monounsaturated fat. Monounsaturated fat is good fat which adds to your health and betters metabolism. Peanuts also contain beta-sitosterol, which is known to have cancer inhibiting properties.
Submitted on January 16, 2014 | 3,520 | 1,641 | 0.000611 |
warc | 201704 | If you are, or want to be, involvedin any facet of the manufacture or sale of baby diapers, sanitary napkins,adult incontinence or similar absorbent products, please read throughour pages and contact our Consultant, Philip Hardy, by phone ore-mail.
TheDCS Testing Laboratory is a testing facility for the design and monitoringof absorbent disposable products. We are not allied to any machine ormaterial suppliers and so can provide a totally independent service formanufacturers and buyers.
Inorder to give a deeper understanding of the products and to aid in innovativedesign, we have developed new laboratory equipment to add to the standardtesting systems prevalent in the industry.
Absorbentcores:The key working part of an absorbent product is its absorbent core,where the fluid diffuses, is absorbed and is retained. Testing withvariable pressures at increasing levels of saturation reveals thestrengths and weaknesses of the core in handling the fluids. Ourtesting results and analyses provide a detailed understanding ofthe fluid mechanics within the core and the effectiveness of theabsorption.In conjunction with the absorption tests, the core is also testedfor strength to ensure that it will reach its maximum absorptionpotential before core failure occurs.
The abovechart relates to baby diapers and gives a clear visualisationof the fluid in a core related to the ability of the core to retainit. The blue surface shows the fluid as it is distributed in thecore and the yellow columns show the amount of fluid that eachzone of the diaper can retain under normal "baby" pressures.The area of the blue surface above the yellow columns is the amountof fluid that will wet the baby's skin each time the pressureis applied.We work with our clients to better match the 'required' and the'actual' profile in terms of retention, so that the raw materialsare used most effectively, thus reducing the material contentto the optimum level (the key to profitable manufacturing).
Ourtests and analysis will show clearly how effectively your materialsare being used and where improvements can be made. (See SAP distributionand diaper cross section photos in right hand column)
All testsare closely related to real life usage and so can be directlyrelated to test panel and customer feedback. Once the performanceis understood, it is a simple step to achieving improvements.
With 2 devicesthat we have designed, you will be able to carry out your owndesign and controls in your Company laboratory. They are the Retention& Rewet Tester and the HardyIntegrity Tester. Please contact us for details and quotations.
ForBuyers & Importers
Many laboratorieswill carry out tests and provide wetness and leakage results andgraphs. We take the process a step further and reach an understandingof why the product performs at its particular level of effectiveness.In this way the costs can be analysed and an understanding ofthe 'effectiveness per dollar' paid can be achieved.
New tests - new apparatus Hereat DCS we have developed an improved set of tests using new and innovativetesting devices. The traditional centrifuge retention test has been replacedby a variable pressure test that gives results directly related to thefull range of "real life" situations.
These new tests are described below. If you wish to have your baby diaperstested please contact us at Testingor ring us at the number shown on our Contactspage.
Baby and Adult diaper design & testing
Step by step
Step1 - SAP Indicator analysis Special combinations of chemicals and indicators are appliedto the diapers to show the mix and spread of SAP when back illuminated.(Photo in RH column).High SAP density (green square) and low SAP density (blue square) areascan be clearly identified.Photos of these spreads are then combined with zoned retention tests toquantify the SAP distribution. In this way a 3 dimensional mapping ofthe SAP is built up for the diapers. The variation from diaper to diaperwill indicate the level of control of the core formation.Clickto see larger photo
Step2 - Retention Fulland zoned retention tests indicate the fluid retention under stepped pressure.These provide a clear indication of the amount of fluid that will be releasedat each pressure equivalent to the baby lying down, sitting or moving.(DCS use different ranges of pressure for the different diaper sizes directlyrelated to the baby’s weight range).This test rig can also be used by diaper manufacturers for the monitoringof SAP quantities during production. Its advantage over the centrifugemethod being that it applies a range of pressures that are similar tothose encountered in usage and thus can be directly related to customerfeedback.Clickto see retention graph.
Step3 - RewetRewet tests are carriedout in front, central and back zones, with and without the ADL layer,to show the intrinsic ability of the absorbent core to prevent fluidsfrom resurfacing, and the effect that the ADL has on the rewet of thediaper within the critical load range. Using a zoned rewet combined withthe zoned retentions of Step 2 it is possible to fully map the diffusionof the fluid through the diaper core and to understand why those rewetvalues are being achieved. This better understanding of internal fluidmovement makes the core design a more logical process, rather than oneof trial and error. Clickto see rewet graph
Step 4 - Redistribution The rewet testing device is also used to check the redistributionof the fluid caused by repeated loading of the diaper. This mimics themovements of the baby during use and indicates if the retained fluid withinthe core will wet the skin only once or continue to wet the baby eachtime that pressure is applied. A well designed diaper will allow the fluidto redistribute throughout the core when pressure is applied rather thanto repeatedly come to the surface, thus reducing the incidence of diaperrash. Clickto see redistribution graph
Step 5 - PadIntegrity Thediaper is tested using the Hardy Integrity Tester (HIT) apparatus. Thisindicates the overall ability of the diaper core to remain unbroken whensubjected to impact. It can also be used to indicate the variation instrength from diaper to diaper in normal production. A diaper brand isoften judged by the weakest performer in the pack, so this variation instrength can be a key factor influencing consumer satisfaction.Clickto see picture of Integrity Tester
Step6 - WickingThe diaper is tested for wicking with saline solution. The results ofthis test are combined with those of the pad integrity to assist in determiningthe optimum density of the core. Increased strength and wicking must bebalanced against the speed of absorption and the soft feel of the diaper.
OtherDiaper Testing
InspectionA full inspection of the diaper and a 3 dimensional analysisof the "fit". The fit is not just a factor of comfort or visualaspect, it affects the point of application of the urine thus affectingthe spread and potential leakage of the diaper.
Test Panel Thediapersare tested on babies of different genders and different relative "shapes"to give as wide a range of performance as possibleThe results are then correlated with the Inspection and Absorption teststo give a complete picture of the diaper performance. Any anomalies willbe highlighted when the performance in the test panel does not match theperformance predicted by the lab results.
Materials Material testing can be carried out to determine strengths, tapeadhesion, elastic tension etc, and can assist in resolving any remainingperformance anomalies.
Conclusionsand Design (For manufacturers) The final conclusions reached will give a clear indication ofthe actions that should be taken to improve your diapers to the levelthat you require. We can then assist you to achieve these levels by machinetuning, material changes, machine modification or retrofitting of newunits.
Pleasecontact us if you wish to receive a proposal for testing of your product. | 7,998 | 3,468 | 0.00029 |
warc | 201704 | By NEMS Daily Journal
United Way assured its financial stability for 69 partner agencies this month when it exceeded the 2012 fundraising campaign goal, collecting in cash and pledges more than $2.4 million, a record.
As of Dec. 15, at its official campaign mini-celebration, United Way of Northeast Mississippi announced that it had raised $2,411,345.97, beating its $2.3 million goal and all previous fundraising records. The money will be allocated to the 69 nonprofit agencies the United Way supports in Chickasaw, Itawamba, Lee, Pontotoc, Prentiss, Union and Tishomingo counties. Some of the largest allocations go to Salvation Army, Regional Rehab, Boys & Girls Clubs, Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, Good Samaritan Free Clinic, Meals on Wheels and various food pantries. The necessity of adequately funding United Way’s agency requests is never more apparent than in times of continuing uncertainty, when social service agencies like food pantries and free clinics, youth organizations, and various kinds of health care face greatest pressure to meet needs. “It’s not about meeting this goal as much as it is about having the money to help these 69 agencies and the people they serve,” said Campaign Chairman Rick Willis at the announcement event Dec. 15 inside the CREATE building downtown. If anyone had doubts about becoming a fully regional agency, raising funds for United Way in the six counties has surely banished them. Strength complements strength, even when economic challenges may make one, two or more of the agencies and/or funding sources financially weaker in a given year. A committee of residents from each county decides how the money is allocated in each county, appropriate autonomy because of the region’s multiple interests eventually overlapping for positive benefit. United Way also derives strength from its ability to make positive changes, like regional status, an idea whose time had not fully evolved when United Way started more than a half-century ago. | 2,013 | 1,094 | 0.000927 |
warc | 201704 | The fisher is a member of the weasel family, resembling a very large mink. It weighs as much as a red fox, but has much shorter legs. Fisher are extremely agile and active predators. Excellent tree climbers, they can out climb marten and red squirrels. They prey upon snowshoe hare, mice, squirrels, and porcupine. Fisher will also eat insects and berries.
The fisher is a remarkable predator (meat eater). It is one of a very few animals that can kill a porcupine. Despite its name, the fisher does not catch or eat fish. Instead, it eats small animals, carrion (already dead animals), wild berries and nuts.
General description: The fisher is a medium-sized long-shaped predator that belongs to the weasel family. Length: Adult fishers are 24 to 30 inches long, including their long, bushy tail. Weight: Female adults weigh 6 to 8 pounds, and males weigh up to 18 pounds. Color: The fur of a fisher is a grizzled dark brown, blackish on the rump and tail, with a white or cream-colored bib on their chest.
Like most members of the weasel family, female fishers have what is called "delayed implantation." Females get pregnant in spring, just 10 days after they have given birth. For the next several months, the young exist as tiny embryos. Then, two months before being born, the embryos develop into fetuses. One to five young fisher are born in a hollow tree, log or rock cavity. Within days after giving birth, the female will seek out a new mate.
Young fishers stay with their mothers for just a few months. The young leave the female in early fall to find their own home territory.
Fishers kill and eat mice, chipmunks, squirrels, snowshoe hares, and even deer fawns. They also eat almost any carrion as well as berries and nuts.
Few animals can take on a fisher. Because bobcats and fishers compete for the same food and habitat, bobcats occasionally kill young and adult fishers.
Fishers live in a variety of young and old forest types in northern Minnesota. Sometimes they are found in western prairie areas and southeastern river valleys. They are solitary, except during the breeding season and when the young are with the female. Fishers range over 7 to 10 square miles, traveling at any time of day or night.
Fishers prefer large areas of continuous forest, particularly older timber stands. They are adaptable, but avoid open areas. They prefer the edges of conifer stands when these are adjacent to stands of deciduous trees. Hollow trees, rock crevices, slash piles, abandoned beaver lodges in dry ponds, and old porcupine dens are preferred denning sites.
Fishers were nearly extinct in Minnesota by the early 1900s. But the population has grown steadily since then. Since the late 1970s, the population has remained at more than 10,000, enough to support a regulated trapping harvest of about 2,000 each year.
The fisher hunts in trees. The female fisher has a gestation period averaging 352 days - almost a year! | 2,947 | 1,485 | 0.000677 |
warc | 201704 | Transcription
1 1 O CTO B ER 2010 h e a l t h c a r e pa y o r a n d p r o v i d e r p r a c t i c e Why governments must lead the fight against obesity Locally led social movements are required to reverse the obesity pandemic. Governments are in a uniquely powerful position to catalyze these movements. Jeffrey Algazy, MD, MPH; Steven Gipstein, MD; Farhad Riahi, MD; and Katherine Tryon, MD
2 2 The world is getting fat. In many countries, the proportion of people at an unhealthy weight has more than doubled in the past few decades. 1 Globally, at least 1.3 billion adults and more than 42 million children are overweight or obese. 2 The consequences are considerable. Excess weight increases the risk of a wide range of illnesses, including diabetes, heart disease, and certain cancers; an estimated 2.6 million people die each year as a result of being overweight or obese. Some epidemiologists believe that excess weight will soon rival tobacco as the world s leading cause of preventable premature deaths the obesity pandemic s health effects may wipe out the gains in life expectancy achieved through decreasing smoking rates. 3 The obesity pandemic also has significant economic consequences. The World Health Organization estimates that in many developed countries, obesity now accounts for 2 percent to 7 percent of all health care spending. 4 Yet medical costs are only a small fraction of the pandemic s total costs. Among its other adverse economic effects are heightened absenteeism rates, reduced worker productivity, and increased food and clothing costs. Although poor dietary choices and physical inactivity are important contributors to the pandemic, they are far from the only causes. A variety of other biological, psychological, cultural, economic, and environmental factors are also involved. (See sidebar The many causes of obesity. ) The complex, interdependent relationships among these factors make it difficult for many people to control their weight and for health care professionals, payors, other organizations, and governments to help them do so. To identify approaches that might be effective in halting the pandemic, we conducted extensive research into the wide range of interventions that have been used to help people lose weight or maintain healthy weights, and we worked with the International Association for the Study of Obesity to evaluate policies that have been employed around the world to promote healthy weights. We found that the best results are achieved when entire communities join together to address multiple causes of obesity simultaneously. The communities create social movements that make healthy eating and exercise the norm. To be successful, these social movements require the involvement of a wide range of stakeholders, including health professionals, payors, schools, employers, transportation 1 Experts define adults as overweight if they have a body mass index (BMI, a ratio of weight to height) between 25 and 29.9; obesity is defined as a BMI of 30 or higher, and morbid obesity is defined as a BMI of 35 or higher (some experts prefer to use a BMI of 40 as the cutoff for morbid obesity). Children are classified as overweight or obese based on age- and gender-linked BMI norms: children whose BMI is at or above the 85th percentile for their age and gender but below the 95th percentile are considered overweight; those with a higher BMI are considered obese. 2 World Health Organization, Ten facts on obesity, February Susan T. Stewart et al., Forecasting the effects of obesity and smoking on US life expectancy, New England Journal of Medicine, 2009, Volume 361, Number 23, pp World Health Organization, Preventing Chronic Diseases: A Vital Investment, 2005.
3 3 The many causes of obesity It is often said that the underlying cause of the obesity pandemic is uncomplicated: people eat too much and exercise too little. Although this claim is true, it is also overly simplistic. Many other factors are involved. For example, evolution has left us with a biological susceptibility to weight gain. Our bodies appear to be more finely attuned to food scarcity than food abundance. Hormonal feedback loops encourage us to seek food when we are hungry and to conserve energy when food is scarce; we do not seem to have comparable feedback loops to prevent us from overeating or to burn extra calories when food is abundant. Of course, energy expenditure depends on physical-activity levels, and modern life has drastically reduced the amount of physical activity most of us get (for example, few people walk to work or school, most adults now have sedentary jobs, and many people spend a great deal of time watching television and surfing the Internet). As a result, exercise has become something that most people must consciously choose to do, which in many cases requires them to change their habits a difficult accomplishment for most people. Psychological forces also come into play. Many people use food not merely for sustenance but also as a reward (even after exercise), for emotional comfort, or as a way to relieve stress. Several mental disorders, including depression, increase the risk of obesity. 1 Most people also have conflicting desires that go far beyond the classic trade-off between eating dessert and being slim. For example, many people want to get more exercise but use labor-saving devices (robotic vacuum cleaners, for example) to avoid doing manual chores. Furthermore, many decisions about food are made rapidly, at times when people are distracted or pressed for time. Food manufacturers, grocery stores, and restaurants take advantage of this fact by appealing to our desires for convenience. These organizations have also long intuited what neurological imaging has only recently proved: a variety of external stimuli (sights, smells, tastes, and even the simple availability of attractive food) can activate specific neural networks that increase our appetites sufficiently to override the few innate mechanisms to curb food intake that we do have. The obesity pandemic also appears to have made it psychologically easier for people to accept their own increasing weight. Studies have shown that a person s chances of becoming obese 2 increase by 57 percent if he or she has a friend who has recently become obese. This is yet another reason that it is crucial that efforts to halt or reverse the obesity pandemic involve the entire community; widespread support is required to offset this type of social contagion and ensure that cultural norms shift toward healthy behaviors. Changes in the economics of food production have also contributed to the pandemic. Advances in food production have markedly reduced the cost of many types of food, which has made it easier for people to overindulge,
4 4 especially in developed countries. For example, the availability of inexpensive food enables many people to dine out frequently. At most restaurants they are highly unlikely to be able to determine the calorie content of what they are eating but, given typical portion sizes, highly likely to overeat. Compounding this problem is the fact that in most countries, healthy foods (fresh fruits and vegetables, for example) are often more expensive than unhealthy choices; most inexpensive food is nutrient-poor but full of sugar, salt, and fat. In developing countries, the adoption of a Western diet full of nutrient-poor processed foods helps explain the coexistence of obesity and malnutrition. A number of other groups have inadvertently promoted the obesity pandemic. Many schools, for example, feed students fast food at lunch and permit vending machines with highcalorie snacks on their premises. Many employers require their staff to work long hours at sedentary jobs yet permit vending machines with highcalorie snacks in the workplace. Many employers also have maternity-leave policies that make it difficult for new mothers to breast-feed (a practice that decreases the risk that their children will become obese). And few employers make it easy for their staff to bicycle or walk to work or to get regular exercise in other ways. Town planners often widen streets for cars but fail to include bike lanes or sidewalks. Their landuse policies may make it difficult for people to get to supermarkets and other sources of healthy food or to find open areas for recreation. In some places, health officials have also inadvertently helped promote the pandemic. If, for example, they impose restrictions on pregnant women s access to prenatal care and counseling, they increase the likelihood that both the women and their children will become obese. The factors just described, and the many others that contribute to the obesity pandemic, are interconnected and often mutually reinforcing. Unless effective actions are taken soon, the pandemic could become selfperpetuating. For example, many parents who are overweight or obese inculcate eating patterns and other habits in their children that make it quite difficult for those children to control their own weight later in life. It is possible that being obese could become the norm, but the consequences for societies should this occur would be severe worsening health, premature mortality, and drastically increased costs. Only governments, we believe, are in a position to address all the factors contributing to the pandemic and thereby ameliorate its impact on their citizens. 1 The link between depression and obesity is somewhat difficult to study because it is often bidirectional: depression can lead to obesity, for example, but obesity can lead to depression. Most authorities agree that obesity should not be classified as a mental illness, but many mental illnesses and the drugs used to treat them can increase the risk of obesity. 2 Nicholas A. Christakis et al., The spread of obesity in a large social network over 32 years, New England Journal of Medicine, July 2007, Volume 357, Number 4, pp
5 5 authorities, food production and distribution companies, and the media. Although it can be quite difficult to enlist all these stakeholders, there are specific actions governments can take to encourage their participation in community efforts. Indeed, we believe that only governments national, regional, and local have the scope, scale, and mandate to ensure the participation and collaboration of all stakeholders. Governments are in a uniquely powerful position to encourage local organizations to undertake initiatives to promote healthy weights and to lay the foundation required to allow those efforts to succeed. The pandemic s health and economic costs In almost all developed countries and in many developing ones, obesity rates have risen dramatically (Exhibit 1). Almost half of all US adults are obese. So are more than onethird of Mexican adults and one-quarter of adults in Australia and the United Kingdom. Even in sub-saharan Africa, obesity rates are rising sharply, particularly among urban residents. 5 Many developing countries now face yet another health dilemma: obesity rates are increasing even though many people remain significantly malnourished. Health The consequences International of rising 2010 obesity rates are considerable. Excess weight increases the Obesity risk of diabetes, heart disease, stroke, osteoarthritis, several forms of cancer (including Exhibit 1 of 6 5 Abdhalah K. Ziraba et al., Overweight and obesity in urban Africa: A problem of the rich or the poor? BMC Public Health, December 2009, Volume 9, Number 465. Exhibit 1 Around the world, the prevalence of obesity is rising. Prevalence of adult obesity, 1 % United States Mexico Chile Australia England Brazil Sweden Norway Japan E 1 Body mass index of 30 or higher for people age 16 or older. Source: World Health Organization Global Infobase
6 6 esophageal, colorectal, breast, endometrial, and kidney cancer), and many other illnesses. (See sidebar Saudi Arabia s diabetes epidemic. ) As the prevalence of obesity rises, the prevalence of these conditions is also likely to rise. For example, the number of adults and children with type 2 diabetes is expected to increase sharply in coming years, particularly in developing countries, as a direct result of the pandemic. Furthermore, a person s risk of death increases by almost one-third for every five-point rise in body mass index (BMI). 6 In adults, obesity has been linked to a two- to four-year decrease in life expectancy; morbid obesity is linked to an eight- to ten-year decrease. The younger a person is when he or she becomes obese, the more years of life are likely to be lost. The pandemic s economic impact is equally severe. Many developed countries are already paying billions of dollars annually to manage the medical costs associated with obesity. Those costs are likely to escalate in the future, and not simply because obesity s prevalence is rising. Our calculations reveal that medical costs are directly proportional to BMI; in the United Health States, International every point 2010 of BMI above 30 is associated with about an 8 percent increase Obesity in a person s annual health care expenses (Exhibit 2). Furthermore, obesity s nonmedical Exhibit 2 of 6 6 Prospective studies collaboration, Body mass index and cause-specific mortality in 900,000 adults: Collaborative analyses of 57 prospective studies, The Lancet, March 2009, Volume 373, Number 9669, pp Exhibit 2 As weight increases, so too do the associated medical costs. Medical costs by body mass index (BMI) 1 $ per capita, % +55% +91% 7,555 Normal weight Obese 6,120 3,950 4,675 In the United States, every point of BMI above 30 adds ~$300 in per capita annual medical costs BMI < >40 Weighted average annual medical costs of obese patients is $5,500 1 For the US adult population (ages 20 64). Source: McKinsey analysis; D2Hawkeye database of ~20,000 people with biometric data; National Bureau of Economic Research; 2007 census data for population by age
7 7 costs are several times larger than its medical costs. (See sidebar The economic impact of the obesity pandemic. ) A few recent reports suggest that in some countries, including the United States and the United Kingdom, the rate of increase in the prevalence of obesity is slowing. This is good news. However, unless these and the other nations find a way to lower their obesity rates, a growing number of their citizens will face an increased risk of chronic illness and premature death, and a rising percentage of their GDP will be spent coping with the pandemic s consequences. For countries looking to rein in health care spending, reversing obesity s rising prevalence is an imperative. What works? To identify the interventions that are most effective in helping people lose weight or maintain a healthy weight, we evaluated more than 1,000 studies published in the past ten years. The studies covered a wide range of approaches, including medical management, commercial weight-loss programs, and community-based health-promotion efforts. Our research revealed that single-intervention programs, such as low-calorie diets and exercise regimens, generally produce only modest weight loss. Better results are obtained when several interventions are used together. In addition to diet and exercise, the interventions can include nutrition classes, one-on-one counseling, drug therapy, bariatric surgery, and financial incentives. The Dow Chemical Company, for example, randomly assigned half its work sites to a multipronged health-promotion program; the other half served as controls. 7 At the intervention sites, employees were offered health assessments, educational materials, and online behavioral-change programs; in addition, they were given easier access to exercise (walking trails were built, for example) and provided with much healthier food choices in cafeterias and vending machines. At both one- and two-year follow-up, the company found that employees at the intervention sites had maintained their weight and BMI, whereas the employees at the other sites had increases in both metrics. Significant differences between the intervention and control sites were also found in average blood pressure and cholesterol levels. The best results are achieved with multipronged programs that involve an entire community. For example, two towns in northern France (Fleurbaix and Laventie) undertook a regional initiative to reduce childhood obesity rates. 8 They began by educating children about the consequences of obesity and the importance of healthy eating habits. 7 Ron Z. Goetzel et al., Second-year results of an obesity prevention program at the Dow Chemical Company, Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, March 2010, Volume 52, Number 3, pp Monique Romon et al., Downward trends in the prevalence of childhood overweight in the setting of 12-year school- and community-based programmes, Public Health Nutrition, October 2009, Volume 12, Number 10, pp
8 8 Health International 2010 Obesity Exhibit 3 of 6 Exhibit 3 A multipronged approach significantly reduced childhood obesity. Childhood obesity rate, % Control towns Fleurbaix and Laventie Source: J. M. Borys, EPODE: A methodology to prevent childhood obesity, involving local stakeholders in a sustainable way, April 2008, In addition, they improved the food offerings in school cafeterias, provided nutritional family breakfasts at the schools, and started cooking classes for children and their parents. After a few years, Fleurbaix and Laventie expanded their efforts by hiring dieticians and a sports educator to create programs on nutrition and physical activity in the schools. They also built new sports facilities, launched walk-to-school groups, and developed family activities to promote exercise. Furthermore, they encouraged general practitioners to identify all overweight and obese children and refer them to the initiative s dieticians, who then put the children on programs to help them lower their BMI. The towns also undertook an aggressive social-marketing campaign to promote healthy behaviors. The results were striking (Exhibit 3). The prevalence of childhood obesity in Fleurbaix and Laventie decreased substantially but it rose in nearby towns. The initiative was so successful that more than 200 other towns in France have adopted it; many of them have already reported marked decreases in the prevalence of children who are overweight or obese (Exhibit 4). The new program is dubbed EPODE Ensemble, Prévenons l Obésité Des Enfants (Together, Let s Prevent Childhood Obesity). The methods Fleurbaix and Laventie developed have also been adapted for use in Belgium, Spain, and other countries.
9 9 Saudi Arabia s diabetes epidemic One country facing an obesity problem and a high prevalence of related chronic conditions is Saudi Arabia. Its disease burden is driven in large part by genetic factors and lifestyle choices. Diabetes mellitus is the kingdom s single greatest health care challenge: nearly 1 in 5 Saudi adults has it, compared with 1 in 20 worldwide. Moreover, Saudi Arabia has the world s second-highest prevalence of diabetes and the second-highest level of spending on this disease as a proportion of total health expenditures. Diabetes is closely correlated with obesity, which therefore ranks as a major driver of the diabetes epidemic, so these two problems must be addressed by an integrated program. Success in tackling obesity and diabetes in Saudi Arabia would encourage the other nations of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), 1 the Middle East as a whole, and North Africa to address this epidemic (three of the five countries with the highest prevalence of diabetes are in the GCC). And the kingdom has the means to move ahead several health care subsystems responsible for the delivery of care, such as the National Guard Health Affairs organization, could carry out pilots and monitor some of the programs recommended below. reversal of the obesity and diabetes epidemic Saudi Arabia s biggest public-health success, copied across the world. The vision should include specific targets: making the prevalence of obesity stable for adults and lower for children within five to ten years, getting at least 80 percent of the high-risk (obese and pre-diabetic) population enrolled in diabetes-management programs, and reducing the prevalence of complications by 20 percent no later than the end of the next decade. Underlying this outcome would be a vision: encouraging Saudi Arabia s population to view a healthy diet and exercise as the norm. A groundbreaking behavioral-change effort should be complemented by an integrated medical program that would monitor diabetics and use global best practices to manage the complications of the disease. To succeed, the program must adopt a systematic, sustained approach: it ought to be viewed as a multiyear journey involving early wins and longterm changes. Further, it should span the health, education, urban-planning, and transportation sectors and actively involve both public- and private-sector employers. To bring the diabetes epidemic under control, the kingdom must establish a comprehensive national diabetesprevention and -treatment program that covers the whole value chain of obesity, pre-diabetes, and diabetes management for all Saudi citizens. Efforts to shape the program should start with a bold vision: to make the The program s prevention element would focus on the full range of factors that influence obesity. One such factor, social norms (for instance, dieting, smoking, and exercise), could be influenced through media and advertising policies. Another, the quality and content of food, could be influenced through agriculture and food
10 10 policies (for example, on labeling for nutritional information). The availability of food could be influenced by school and workplace nutrition policies and by policies that affect infant nutrition; infrastructure, by urban design and transportation policies; and education, by the nutrition policies of schools and employers and by physical education, including access to sport and play facilities outside of school hours. Meanwhile, the program s monitoring, early-intervention, and treatment element would focus on early detection and on the development of integrated approaches to health care. Such approaches would include initiatives to raise the awareness of physicians (and pharmacists), who could be influenced through education and through incentives to screen patients at any given point of interaction. Comprehensive screening initiatives could include annual testing for raised blood sugar, hip-to-waist ratios, hypertension, blood cholesterol, and lipid levels. (Individuals should get incentives, guided by the principles of behavioral economics, to undergo screening.) Disease-management initiatives, influenced by the government, insurers, and employers, should take a long-term perspective. Targets would be influenced by the medical profession, which would actively measure compliance through HbA1c (blood sugar) monitoring for example, early and frequent checking for and treatment of complications. These initiatives ought to be grounded in the best scientific evidence. Progress should be measured against a performance scorecard of scientifically valid endpoints, such as the proportion of patients with pre-diabetes and diabetes, compliance with therapy, and patients who undergo regular HbA1c monitoring. The interventions selected should also draw extensively on international best practice. Canada, for example, has undertaken a successful program to reduce the morbidity associated with hypertension. It implemented a nationwide campaign to standardize the definition of hypertension, developed optimal treatment protocols, and created incentives for all health care players (including pharmacists) to monitor and improve their management of the disease. A multiyear effort was needed to align all stakeholders, but the result has been a tremendous improvement in the number of patients diagnosed and of patents whose condition is now controlled effectively. By following such steps, with decisive leadership from the kingdom s health care leaders, a national diabetesprevention and -treatment program can make a rapid and dramatic impact on the health of Saudi Arabia s people. The authors would like to acknowledge the contributions of Herman de Bode and Talal Malik to the development of this article. Viktor Hediger is a principal in McKinsey s Dubai office, where Imraan Munshi and Julia Sperling are associate principals. 1 Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates.
11 11 On the other side of the world, the town of Colac, Australia, used a similarly comprehensive community approach to prevent excessive weight gain in its children. 9 Colac put dieticians in its schools, improved cafeteria menus, and provided nutritional education for teachers, students, and parents. In addition, it increased the number of physical-activity programs the schools offered and inaugurated walk-to-school days. The town also worked to reduce the amount of time children spent watching television; it added lessons about this issue to the schools curriculum and used social marketing to promote a TV power-down week. Local community centers offered targeted programs to the parents of overweight and obese children. Over the course of four years, the children of Colac improved their dietary habits significantly and increased their physical activity. As a result, the children in Colac gained considerably less weight than did the children in nearby towns. Lessons learned Our research confirms that successful weight-management programs, like most successful Health International 2010 public-health efforts, have clear goals and clear ways to measure progress against those Obesity Exhibit 4 of 6 9 A. M. Sanigorski et al., Reducing unhealthy weight gain in children through community capacity-building: Results of a quasiexperimental intervention program, Be Active Eat Well, International Journal of Obesity, June 2008, Volume 32, Number 7, pp Exhibit 4 EPODE 1 is helping to counter obesity in many French towns. Prevalence of childhood obesity, % Asnières Beauvais Béziers Evreux Meyzieu Royan Saint-Jean Thiers Vitré Ensemble, Prévenons l Obésité Des Enfants (Together, Let s Prevent Childhood Obesity). Source: J.M. Borys, EPODE: A methodology to prevent childhood obesity, involving local stakeholders in a sustainable way, April 2008,
12 12 goals. They predefine their target population (children, adults, or both) and their objectives (whether to reduce the prevalence of obesity or to prevent further weight gain). They also carefully assess how well the various interventions are being used and what results are being achieved. Three other important lessons can be drawn from successful programs to help people lose weight or maintain a healthy weight. First, there is no silver bullet, and short-term efforts have little impact. Successful programs use multipronged approaches that are sustained over several years. Second, customization is important, because the specific factors contributing to the obesity pandemic vary from area to area. In some cities, for example, there may be no open spaces available for recreation; in other cities, open spaces may be available but deemed too dangerous to use. In some rural and inner-city neighborhoods, there may be few supermarkets or other sources of healthy foods (these areas have been called food deserts ). In other places, healthy food may be available but cost considerably more than less healthy choices. The interventions selected for a program should be targeted to primary problems in each locale. The economic impact of the obesity pandemic In countries around the world, the obesity pandemic is increasing health care spending considerably. For example, estimates suggest that in 2007 the United Kingdom was already spending more than 4 billion annually on medical costs related to the pandemic; this amount could rise to 9.7 billion by Our calculations indicate that the United States currently expends about $160 billion on these costs twice what it was paying only a decade ago. The country s obesityrelated medical costs could double again by As striking as these numbers may seem, they represent only a small fraction of the pandemic s total economic burden on societies. We estimate that obesity currently costs the United States at least $450 billion annually almost three times the direct medical costs (exhibit). Other countries have also found that the indirect costs of obesity far exceed the direct costs. Some of the indirect costs are borne by individuals (for extra food and plussize clothing, for example). Many of them are paid by employers: obese people have higher absenteeism rates and lower productivity than normalweight people do, and they are much more likely to need short-term disability leaves. Other costs represent the accommodations that various industries must make to allow for an increasingly obese population. Airlines must use more fuel to fly planes; similarly, fuel
13 13 Health International 2010 Obesity Exhibit for sidebar Exhibit Total US obesity costs are nearly three times direct medical costs. Estimated increased spending associated with obesity in the United States 1 $ billion Direct medical costs = ~$160 billion Incremental food expenses 2 90 Cost to individuals Plus-size clothing 3 Weight-loss programs Out-of-pocket health care costs Cost to payors Medicare/Medicaid Commercial payors Absenteeism 30 Cost to employers Decreased productivity Short-term disability Other (fuel, funeral, electricity, etc.) Total Rounded estimates. 2 Based on estimated cost of incremental calorie intake to maintain obese weight. 3 Based on incremental costs of plus-size clothing. Source: McKinsey analysis; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; 2006 National Health Expenditure Accounts; Euromonitor requirements for cars and buses rise when passengers are obese. (And higher fuel usage, of course, translates to higher carbon emissions.) In addition, transportation authorities must run more trains and buses to compensate for the fact that fewer people can fit into each vehicle. Theaters, sports arenas, and restaurants must enlarge the seats they offer customers, which forces them to reduce their total number of seats. Hospitals must order oversize diagnostic imaging machines, as well as larger wheelchairs, stretchers, and beds. Furniture must be built more sturdily. Even the mortuary industry is affected: caskets must be larger. 1 Bryony Butland et al., Tackling Obesities: Future Choices Project Report, second edition, UK Government Office for Science, 2007. | 30,801 | 12,222 | 0.000082 |
warc | 201704 | "Accordingly, we issue this interim order in which we suspend the right to enter into new contracts or agreements for direct access effective today. This decision prohibits the execution of any new contracts for direct access service, or the entering into, or verification of, any new arrangements for direct access service pursuant to Public Utilities Code Sections 366 or 366.5, after the effective date of this order. [Footnote omitted.]..
We direct the utilities not to accept any direct access service requests (DASRs) for any contracts executed or agreements entered into after the effective date of this decision. Steps that the utilities might take to ensure compliance with this order may include obtaining from each energy service provider a list of relevant identifying information for those customers that have entered into timely contracts, but for whom DASRs have not been submitted."
And we emphasized in Ordering Paragraph Number 8:
"8. Within 14 days of the effective date of this order, PG&E, SDG&E and SCE, by letter, shall inform the Director of the Energy Division of the steps they have taken to ensure that no direct access service requests are accepted for any contracts executed or agreements entered into after September 20, 2001." (D.01-09-060 at p. 12.)
In D.01-09-060, we recognized that our order to suspend direct access was not self-executing and would have to be implemented by procedures to be developed by the utilities. On November 7, 2001, at a prehearing conference called to discuss implementation, the presiding ALJ requested the utilities to propose implementation measures. Their joint proposal was filed November 16, 2001, comments on the proposal were filed November 28, 2001,
9 and reply comments were filed December 4, 2001.
The method by which a utility distribution company (UDC) is notified that one of its customers desires to be served by an ESP or desires to return to UDC bundled service is when the ESP (usually) or the customer (rarely) files a DASR with the serving utility. Similarly, a DASR is required to inform the utility that a contract has been assigned, or renegotiated, or terminated or extended, or has had additional locations incorporated. Merely suspending direct access on a date certain does not, by itself, notify interested parties how their contracts will be affected.
As mentioned above CMTA/CLECA proposed that the Commission grandfather those customers or their accounts who had signed direct access contracts as of September 20, 2001 and whose names appear on the UDC's direct access DASR lists of October 5. Sempra Energy Solutions supports this proposal as administratively simple, consistent with rules and tariffs in place September 20, 2001, and legally defensible. PG&E argues against one aspect of the proposal stating that direct access customers should not be allowed to enter into new contracts without restriction, as this would be a complete reversal of the direct access suspension in D.01-09-060. Similarly, SCE argues that customers should not be allowed to switch to a new ESP or have their contracts assigned to new ESPs.
Generally, we favor a balanced approach which allows existing direct access customers to continue in the direct access market, but limits additional load moving to direct access to load changes associated with normal usage variations on direct access accounts in effect as of September 20, 2001. This standstill concept is consistent with the provisions of AB 1X and D.01-09-060 that direct access be suspended and there be no new arrangements.
Under the standstill approach described below, we will permit assignments and renewals, but not add-ons of new load. This approach is consistent with our policy reasons for imposing direct access surcharges or exits fees, in lieu of an earlier suspension date, as an appropriate way to alleviate the significant cost-shifting of DWR costs on to bundled service customers.
The utilities shall implement the suspension as set forth below.
1. ESPs shall have provided by October 5, 2001 a list of names of all customers with direct access contracts in place as of September 20, 2001.
At the October 2, 2001 workshop, ESPs (including several AReM members) agreed that the October 5 date was reasonable for ESPs to submit names of eligible direct access customers, but that a longer period, until November 1, would be necessary to submit account specific details. Establishing a list of eligible customers within a reasonable time was suggested as an implementation step by the Commission in D.01-09-060. The October 5 date for customer names, and the November 1 date for account specific details are fair - they are based on what ESPs said they could meet, and each utility notified ESPs in advance in writing that failure to submit names and account specific details as of the deadlines would lead to later DASR rejection. The October 5 and November 1 dates do not require that the utility processed the DASR by those dates.
AReM proposes that an independent third party, such as a CPA, would submit a DASR verification to the UDC only for customers who were not on the October 5
th and November 1 st lists (but had a valid direct access contract) and for additional sites for customers already on the lists. In turn, the UDC would be required, upon receipt of this verification, to process the associated DASR without delay in accordance with the standard procedures. A UDC would have no ability to delay the processing of a verified DASR.
In the UDCs' view it is simply not credible that any ESP's systems and records are so inadequate that a complete list of those customers who contracted for service prior to September 20, 2001 could not be provided in a timely manner. However, human error is possible. We will allow additions to the October 5
th and November 1 st lists 10 for customers with a valid direct access contract as of September 20, 2001 (but not for additional meters, accounts or sites), using the AReM process, along with an affidavit signed by both the ESP and the customer stating under penalty of perjury that the contract date is correct.
2. To submit an ESP list, or to submit DASRs for its accounts, an ESP must (1) have in effect a valid ESP/UDC service agreement as of September 20, 2001, and (2) ESPs serving small customers must have in effect as of September 20, 2001 valid Commission registration as required by law.
The need for valid service agreements and registration is not disputed.
3. Master agreements between ESPs and certain entities (other than the customers or end users of record) whose terms and conditions allow specific customers to elect direct access in the future (through execution of individual implementing agreements with customers), entered into on or before September 20, 2001 do not qualify as agreements for direct access service with end use customers.
LID/ACWA object strenuously to this rule. LID/ACWA argues for the eligibility of a master agreement executed September 5, 2001 between LID and ACWA-USA (an association of water agencies), under which ACWA-USA members can elect direct access service with LID acting as the ESP. Each member must execute a further participation agreement before taking service under the terms of the master agreement.
Water Code § 80110 provides that "the right of retail end use customers . . . shall be suspended. . . ." The utilities argue that master agreements between ESPs and associations to provide service at the election of member retail end users do not meet the requirements of the statute since such agreements are not with the retail end users. We agree. A master agreement with an association is nothing more than a proposal to provide service to retail end users and is not a valid contract with any end user until the proposal is presented to the end user, and the end user accepts the offer by signing a participation agreement (required under the master agreement.) Any election by a member of an association to acquire direct access service under the master agreement after September 20, 2001, is therefore prohibited.
4. Customers and accounts are allowed to switch from one ESP to another after September 20, 2001.
According to AReM allowing customers unlimited switching between ESPs is consistent with AB 1X since it doesn't increase direct access load. We agree. Changing ESPs would not be inappropriate under the standstill policy because no change in direct access load would occur, thus there would be no cost-shifting of DWR costs. While changing ESPs does require a new contract (absent assignment), prohibited by D.01-09-060 (Ordering Paragraph 7), an exception is appropriate for the reasons stated above. AB 1X can be read to allow ESP switches, and thus this exception, because it requires the suspension of the right to "acquire" direct access. A switch of ESPs is not an acquisition of direct access, but a continuation on direct access for the customer. See Water Code §80110. Customers can also choose a new ESP and continue on direct access if they returned to bundled service after September 20, 2001, except as indicated in Rule 12.
5. No customer is allowed to add a new location to its direct access service after September 20, 2001.
Consistent with the principle of attaining a standstill of direct access service, adding new locations (and thus new load) to direct access service should be prohibited. As discussed above, even if new locations are permitted under a direct access contract, a suspension as of September 20, 2001, is reasonable and appropriate to balance important regulatory goals.
6. No customer is allowed to add a new or additional account to direct access service if that account involves installation of additional meters after September 20, 2001 or would require a new DASR to be submitted after September 20, 2001.
Again, new or additional accounts or meters would violate the standstill principle by adding new load, and a prospective suspension is appropriate. In D.01-10-036, the Commission reaffirmed "unless the Commission states otherwise in a subsequent decision" that utilities must process DASRs relating to pre-September 20, 2001 direct access contracts or agreements. Rules 5 and 6 constitute such statement. However, new DASRs shall be processed by the utilities if necessary to implement another provision herein (e.g., assignment, new customer name).
Rule should not be construed to prevent, after September 20, 2001, the installation of meters or meter-reading equipment as necessary to initiate direct access service for eligible customers, or the replacement or upgrade of existing meters for existing direct access customers. But again: no customer shall be allowed to add any new account that is not on the October 5
th or November 1 st lists reference above.
7. Direct access residential and small commercial customers may move from one address to another within the UDC service area and continue to be served by the ESP serving them prior to the move.
No party objects to this condition.
8. Direct access contracts may be assigned after September 20, 2001, to either a new ESP, or to a new retail end use customer representing approximately the same load at the same location.
The direct access contracts which we have reviewed have clauses which permit assignment to another ESP or to another retail end use customer. AReM, and others, argue that if the contract permits assignment it must be honored even if the assignment takes place after the suspension date. We will allow assignment of contracts if permitted by the customer-ESP contract because this is consistent with the standstill principle and does not increase direct access load. Ordering Paragraph 7 of D.01-09-060 states:
"PG&E, SCE, and SDG&E shall not accept any direct access service requests for any contracts executed or agreements entered into after September 20, 2001." (D.01-09-060 at p. 12.).
However, as noted above, D.01-10-036 required new DASRs to be processed by the utilities.
Unlike a customer switching from one ESP to another, assignment of a customer from one ESP to another involves a continuation of an existing contract, not a new arrangement or agreement. Therefore, assignment is permitted as allowed by customer-ESP contracts. However, we have already stated that no new locations or additional meters may be added; switching ESPs or customers on a contract does not provide an exception to this provision. Assignment to a new customer is limited to the same load at the same location.
9. A customer who had direct access prior to September 20, 2001, but who became a bundled customer before September 20, 2001 cannot return to direct access after September 20, 2001.
This would require a new contract after September 20, 2001, which is prohibited by D.01-09-060. No exception is warranted here.
10. A direct access customer can change its identity (i.e., Jones Company to Acme Electronics) provided no other implementation restriction applies.
A change in identity, such as a change in ownership or corporate reorganization, is permitted subject to the other restrictions delineated herein. For example, a change in identity may not be used to increase load or locations served.
11. Community Choice Aggregation Programs
Community aggregators shall serve only direct access customers who chose community aggregation prior to September 20, 2001.
Under the Public Utilities Code Section 366(b), community aggregation programs require an "opt-in" by the interested customers. The UDCs believe that the act of opting in after the suspension date constitutes a new arrangement for direct access service prohibited by D.01-09-060, and propose that customers who attempt to opt into a community aggregation program after the suspension date be rejected.
Community aggregators such as the Cities of Cerritos and San Marcos claim that because they had an existing community aggregation program prior to the suspension date, customers should be able to opt-in to direct access service even after the suspension date. Municipalities that are community aggregators assert that because the potential amount of load is small and because they have the legal authority to provide electric service to their inhabitants, they should have the right to switch their inhabitants to direct access after the suspension date.
We disagree. A customer who requests direct access service after September 20, is seeking a new arrangement prohibited by D.01-09-060. Whether the request is made to a community aggregator or directly to an ESP the result is the same: a shift of costs to the remaining bundled customers. The community aggregation program has been in effect since 1997. A community aggregator is part of direct access and should not be permitted to acquire new customers after September 20.
12. Returns to Bundled Service and Backbilling
The rules above may require some customers to move from direct access service to bundled service, specifically:
a) customers or accounts not on an ESP direct access customers list as of October 5, 2001, or account specific list of November 1, 2001. (except as discussed in Rule 1).
b) customers or accounts added to direct access service after September 20, 2001 based on contracts signed after that date.
c) customers or accounts added to a master agreement or community aggregation program after September 20, 2001.
d) new locations, or loads involving installation of additional meters, added after September 20, 2001 under contracts in place as of September 20, 2001 (except as delineated in Rule 6).
In these cases, the customer should not be backbilled by the utility for bundled service not taken by the customer. | 15,754 | 5,839 | 0.000172 |
warc | 201704 | physical exercise
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Exercise for puppies?
Question: I know jogging isn’t a good idea — what exercises are appropriate for my pup until she’s full grown? Answer: It’s not that jogging is a bad idea; it is just too easily overdone. If you keep everything in moderation and use good sense you should be okay. Small dogs should not be asked to […]
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What sort of outings are appropriate for older dogs?
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Question: How do I know if my dog is getting enough exercise? Answer: Breed and age are the two big factors to take into consideration when determining how much exercise your dog should get. Adult dogs (between one and six years of age) naturally require more exercise than older dogs, and working, sporting, herding, and […]
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The couch potato Gives you a “Do we have to?” look when you try to take him for a run Settles right down after a leisurely stroll around the block Top activities: Walking — long leisurely ones or multiple short ones. Even couch potatoes need exercise Accompanying you on errands around town, or hanging out […]
Games for athletic dogs
The Jock Plays a vigorous tug of war with you, and is then ready to sprint to the dog park Is always frisking around, and sniffing out new scents and experiences May come from a breed that was developed to do a high-energy job, such as hunting or herding Top activities: Agility combines obedience with […] | 2,572 | 1,350 | 0.000777 |
warc | 201704 | Cost comparisons typically find that illegal behaviors by organizations tend to be more deadly and expensive in the aggregate than crimes committed by individuals (Poveda 1994). Therefore, before attempting any intervention program, sport psycholo- gists must identify these context-determined beliefs based on past idiosyncratic experiences.
Crying) and were affectionate when holding and taking care of their infants, people tend to be relatively consistent across time and situations in terms of their general patterns of behavior.Skaff, M.
standards-referenced test (SRT) An instrument whose pri- mary purpose is to describe examinees performance with respect to binary options $25 minimum deposit set of content standards. We also limit the discussion to plane (or line) waves traveling in one direc- tion, cells are replated in fresh medium and processed for Hsp27 expression analysis. Douglas, M. The secret to good understanding is to establish a proper conceptual o ptions.
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warc | 201704 | May 20, 2008 —China’s role as an investor and donor in Africa is much scrutinized. While private investment and aid flows from China may benefit Africa’s poor, what might be more significant are the lessons for Africa from China’s success in fighting poverty back home.
While some scholars warn about the dangers of imposing Western institutional practices on Africa, similar risks apply when transplanting ideas from the East. It would be naive to assume that Africa could simply copy specific policies to achieve China’s success.
Africa faces starkly different constraints today than China did when it embarked on its reforms. These include higher income inequality, lower population density and higher dependency rates.
However, there are some important lessons for Africa from China’s experience, says Martin Ravallion, director of the World Bank’s Development Research Group. Not all these lessons are about China’s success. In fact, some relate to trends that Africa should avoid, such as China’s steep rise in inequality.
“China’s success illustrates the generic point that freer markets can serve the interests of poor people,” said Ravallion. “Chinese farmers responded dramatically to market incentives, and African farmers are unlikely to be any different in this respect—but there’s far more behind China’s success than just letting markets do their work.”
In a new policy research working paper, Ravallion says that one of the messages for Africa gleaned from China’s legacy is the need for a sharper focus in the near term on the rural economy and on increasing the productivity of small farmers.
Justin Lin, currently professor and founding director of the China Centre for Economic Research at Peking University, will take over as the World Bank’s Chief Economist in June 2008. Professor Lin did pioneering research on the economic impacts of China’s agrarian reforms. His first field trip will be to Africa, where among other appointments, he will visit agriculture projects in Ethiopia.
The fight against poverty in China and Africa: 1981-2004
Ravallion observes from the best available data that in 1981, two out of three mainland Chinese lived below $1 a day at 1993 international prices. At that time, the same was true of only about 40 percent of the people of Sub-Saharan Africa.
Yet China and Africa went on to achieve very different results in reducing poverty. By 2004, not even one in ten people in China lived in poverty by the same standard, but the share of poor in Sub-Saharan Africa was still 40 percent.
This divergence is even more dramatic in terms of the population count of those living in poverty. In 1981 China’s poor outnumbered Africa’s by almost 4:1, but by 2004, 500 million fewer Chinese lived under a dollar a day than in 1981, while in Africa, the number of poor people rose by 130 million in the same period.
While new poverty estimates (derived from 2005 purchasing power parities) suggest that the absolute number of poor people left in China is greater than we thought, what remains unchanged is the tremendous scale of poverty reduction in the country since 1981, with hundreds of millions having been lifted out of extreme poverty.
While China’s success against poverty has been dramatic, what is less readily apparent today is that 10 percent of its population is still roughly as poor as the poorest 40 percent of Africa’s population. A visitor to the Beijing Olympics would have to travel to land-locked, resource-poor rural areas to find the extreme poverty that still persists in parts of the country.
Since the mid-1980s, China has witnessed a steep rise in inequality, with socially and geographically disparate levels of opportunity. The sharp difference between urban and rural living standards (that the traveler out of Beijing might also note) reflects biases in public resource availability. This contributes to unequal opportunities in health and schooling, depending on where one lives.
It is tempting to assume that exports and the booming manufacturing sector are at the heart of China’s poverty reduction, fuelled by FDI, but the boom in FDI was in the 1990s—after the bulk of China’s poverty reduction. In fact, Ravallion and Chen (2007) find that growth in agriculture over 1981-2004 had about four times the impact on national poverty as growth in manufacturing or services.
“While growth in manufacturing helped reduce poverty in the 1990s by absorbing surplus rural labor, it’s important to note that the “heavy lifting” in reducing poverty took place in the early 1980s, in the wake of China’s rural economic reforms,” said Ravallion.
It is tempting to assume that exports and manufacturing, fueled by the 1990s boom in FDI, are at the heart of China's poverty reduction...
...But much of the "heavy lifting" in reducing poverty in China took place in the early 1980s, in the wake of the country's rural economic reforms
Policy lessons for Africa
African farmers are likely to respond well to market incentives
Freer markets can serve the interests of poor people. When given market incentives, Chinese farmers responded dramatically. There is evidence that African farmers will react no differently and that opening up markets will reduce poverty.
Market-oriented reform must be complemented by strong state institutions. China’s success was founded on strong state institutions that implemented supportive policies and public investments. Africa needs to improve its capacity to implement the required policies.
Policies must avoid doing harm to poor people. Of course, state capacity must be used to implement good policies and drop bad ones. One way of helping poor people is to reduce the explicit and implicit taxes they often face, and to reduce biases against them in public spending policies.
Macroeconomic stability is crucial. China’s experience (as well as that of other developing countries) suggests that avoiding inflationary shocks is good for sustained poverty reduction.
Internal market integration should not be neglected. Although this is not an area in which China made rapid progress (in part due to restrictions on internal migration), internal market integration has played a role in poverty reduction. But Africa faces far greater obstacles than China did, due in part to coordination problems across country borders.
Stronger agriculture must be at the center of any effective path out of poverty --- for this boy in the Kalahari and for millions of others in Africa
The agricultural sector should be given high priority. While China’s high agricultural growth in the 1980s partly reflects an unusual historical event (decollectivization), it also shows that boosting agricultural and rural development is crucial for pro-poor growth, particularly at the early stages, given that small farms can quickly absorb unskilled labor. With Africa’s levels of poverty and relatively abundant supply of land, and with today’s high food prices, an agriculture-based strategy must be at the center of any effective route out of poverty.
China can help Africa build up agricultural research and extension systems. Achieving agricultural growth is not simple and will require investments in agricultural R&D tailored to African (often rain-fed) conditions, and efforts to bring research results to African farmers. China can help Africa build these systems up, as well as offer a market for Africa’s agricultural exports.
Industrialization should not take precedence too rapidly. Impatient governments often try to “jump start” the (mostly urban) industrialization process, often by-passing the pressing needs of their rural poor. Arguably even China may have tried to industrialize too quickly. Here, there are useful lessons for Africa from Vietnam, which maintained a more enduring sectoral emphasis on agriculture and rural development than China.
Rising inequality is not an inevitable outcome of higher growth and less poverty. African observers of China’s success might be tempted to conclude that rising inequality is the inevitable price of lower absolute poverty. However, the outcome varies from one country to the next. China’s periods of the most rapid poverty reduction actually saw falling inequality. When growth comes from relaxing the constraints that poor people face in accessing markets, it can help counter inequality.
“We must not forget that Africa is 48 countries, not one,” concluded Ravallion, “There is no African central government to transmit policy lessons from one place to another, and this is where the international community, including China, can help. ”
Photo credits: Curt Carnemark (The World Bank), Oldens Wang, Icewind78, Pg-images, and Lucian Coman (Dreamstime.com). | 8,966 | 3,852 | 0.000268 |
warc | 201704 | “Toshiba has a long history of over 50 years in India and we are on track with the Rs. 3000 crore investment since 2013 and currently employ close to 10,000 people in India.”
“Toshiba is focusing on sustainable B2B fields like Railway Systems, Batteries, Elevators and Water Treatment besides Power systems field. We have identified India as a hub for our manufacturing operations and export base with an aim to “Make in India and Export from India.”
Toshiba has a long history of over 50 years in India and I joined Toshiba’s Indian operations back in 1983 and for over 3 decades, I have been closely associated with the Group’s businesses in India. During this period, I formed not just a professional bond, but also a spiritual connection with this great nation. Because of this connection, it has been an extremely pleasurable experience for me to work with the Indian team over the years.
Although I have many unforgettable experiences working in India, my most memorable experience was during the late 80’s and early 90’s in the Power sector. Despite the underprovided funding structure, political volatility and scarce infrastructure, we successfully delivered the Anpara B thermal power project within the stipulated time frame. The two units of Anpara B power plant project were commissioned in 1994 and are still operating without failure for over 20 years. This was our biggest contribution to the growing Indian economy in those days.
The Indian economy is on a robust growth trajectory and boasts of a stable annual growth rate, rising foreign exchange reserves and booming capital markets among others. To continue to grow at over 7 percent, the Indian economy is making a strong impetus on developing industrial corridors and smart cities. Positive initiatives like Power for All and other Government schemes for rural electrification aimed at providing adequate and quality power supply in rural areas will add to the quality of life for rural India.
Toshiba can help India augment its energy infrastructure and contribute to the growth of these industries for powering THE NEXT INDIA, by providing high quality products and solutions for efficient and cleaner power generation with minimal carbon footprint, optimum transmission and distribution (T&D) of energy with zero losses, and efficient energy storage solutions to ensure uninterrupted power supply to even remote and unconnected regions.
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In addition, we also have a strong presence in MFP, Storage & Electric Device, PCs and various other infrastructure systems businesses in India.
To build a leadership position in our focus business, we are on track with the Rs. 3000 crore investment since FY2013 in energy and social infrastructure businesses, scheduled to be completed by FY2017, and currently employ close to 10,000 people in India.
Being part of the Toshiba Group for over 3 decades, I have witnessed many nations facing a huge challenge in the areas of stable energy and clean water during their transition from developing to developed economies. For India, with our experience, expertise and technology innovation, we will contribute to the growth of industries FOR THE NEXT INDIA.
In the energy sector, Toshiba Group companies in India can offer a complete energy solution – from efficient high quality power generation and EMPCS (Engineering, Manufacturing, Procurement, Construction and Services) solutions, to optimum energy transmission & distribution solutions and reliable energy storage solutions.
For high quality power generation, we have established TJPS factory in Chennai that manufactures and markets super-critical steam turbines and generators for thermal power plants in India and across the World. With TJPS, we aim to become World’s number 1 manufacturing and EMPCS company for thermal power plants. Our long track record of successfully delivering the projects has won us many prestigious projects like the Rs. 3436 crore EPC Contract for Harduaganj by UPRVUNL. Achieving a significant milestone in our ‘Make in India’ endeavor, we will ship our first large-scale generation system manufactured and assembled with locally procured parts and systems, and tested in India.
But high quality power generation requires an efficient T&D network too. Realizing this huge gap in availability of efficient transmission network and identifying this huge potential, we established TTDI in 2013. To meet the increasing domestic demand from the Indian market and the African countries and others globally, we are reinforcing our T&D business with a 3-billion yen (approx.US$30-million) investment to boost production capacity for transformers by 50%, and establish a new line for production of Gas Insulated Switchgears and Solid Insulated Switchgears.
In a strategic move to strengthen the Group’s water and waste-water management business in India and neighboring countries, we have consolidated our presence in India by acquiring 80% stake in UEM India that specializes in providing turnkey services in water and wastewater collection, treatment and disposal. UEM Group provides complete, single-source services from engineering and design to construction and installation of water, wastewater and domestic waste treatment facilities, with operation and maintenance services for such facilities. Through UEM India, we are catering to Municipal, Industrial and Private Corporate sectors using various modern technologies like Activated Sludge Process (ASP), Sequential Batch Reactor (SBR), Membrane Bio Reactor (MBR), Reverse Osmosis Membrane Treatment (RO) etc.
In the last few years, we have reinforced our Power and Water treatment businesses in India with robust capacity expansion and growth strategy for catering to domestic demand and export market. In addition to these, we will also consolidate our operations in Railway Systems, Elevators and rechargeable lithium-titanate battery (SCiBTM) to foster our growth in Indian market.
With our over 100 years of experience in providing products & solutions in rail transportation, we bring advanced technologies to rolling stock systems, power supply systems and information systems. We will manufacture high quality, customizable products and solutions that have significantly lower life cycle cost, for Indian Railways and Metro transportation companies, at our new manufacturing facility in Hyderabad.
For the Indian elevator market, we have introduced world-class, high quality, customizable, greener and safer elevator solutions for creating smarter buildings and infrastructure. Since our entry in this market in 2011, in a very short time, we have secured orders for over 1000 elevators and consolidated our presence by securing some of the very prestigious high rise projects in India. Our Pan-India sales and service network covering Tier-1 and 2/3 cities is also our strength to cater the best service to the clients.
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FOR THE NEXT INDIA.
Manufacturing has emerged as one of the high growth sectors in India. The Government’s ‘Make in India’ program intends to place India on the world map as a manufacturing hub and give global recognition to the Indian economy. India’s manufacturing sector has the potential to touch US$ 1 trillion by 2025, increasing the contribution of manufacturing output to 25 per cent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by 2025.
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‘Make in India and Export from India’. With the access to a huge skilled workforce and a conducive business environment, India is poised to establish itself as the manufacturing hub for the World.
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We, at Toshiba, stand committed, through our Japanese technology and expertise, to help India evolve to
THE NEXT INDIA. | 14,787 | 6,011 | 0.000169 |
warc | 201704 | This volume brings together fourteen essays originally delivered at a conference on Gilgameš held at the University of Sydney in 2004. The editors have organized the articles into three sections: I) “Gilgameš and the World of Assyria,” II) “Gilgameš and the Hebrew Bible,” and III) “Phoenician and Assyrian Studies.” Below I offer a general synopsis of each article as it appears by section. I conclude with a brief remark concerning the volume as a whole.
Section I
Opening the book is “An Anti-Imperialist Twist to
The Gilgameš Epic” by T. Davenport. By employing a structuralist approach Davenport argues that one should read the epic as a form of covert political criticism against the monarchy, and thus see it in line with the Babylonian texts known as “Advice to a Prince” and the so-called “Letter of Gilgameš.” To illustrate how the Gilgameš epic addresses the “fate of imperial powers under the cover of a heroic image” (p. 21) Davenport underscores the many anti-heroic aspects of Gilgameš’s character (such his tyranny over his subjects that is revealed from the start of the epic) and the paradigmatic nature of the epic itself, which serves to demonstrate what a good king should and should not do. Thus Davenport suggests that we see the epic conveying “the fate of imperial powers as unavoidable decline” and the epic’s closing scene, in which Gilgameš finds solace in gazing at Uruk’s walls, as a “mockery on the mentality of imperial powers, in which expansion and imperialism was viewed as a source of fame and immortality” (p. 21).
J.-D. Forest, “L’Epopée de Gilgameš, ses origins et sa postérité” provides another structuralist reading of the epic. Here, however, Forest views the epic through a cosmological lens, one that he feels conveys the cyclical nature of archetypal history. Specifically, Forest seeks to establish correspondences between the twelve episodes that comprise the epic and the twelve astrological (zodiacal) phases. Thus Forest argues that the epic’s opening with Gilgameš in his ascendant phase portrays him as a solar hero, who, like the sun, embodies a cosmic journey. The opening of the epic, therefore, corresponds to the winter solstice (i.e., the period of Capricorn), an association that is brought out by the text’s reference to Ea (whose boat elsewhere is labeled the “Ibex of the Apsu,” i.e., like Capricorn who is half horse and half fish) and the episode concerning the birth of Enkidu, who, like Capricorn, represents the embryonic nature of life. The pericope involving the Bull of Heaven relates to Taurus, the fall, death, and funeral of Enkidu represent the period from Cancer to Virgo. The remaining portions of the epic are similarly tied to the various astrological symbols that mark the progression of the solar cycle. While a few of the cosmological readings of the epic offered provoke interest, most are strained, requiring that one accept the associations given to these periods as universals. One wonders what evidence exists contemporaneous with the Gilgameš epic for the associations that the author attributes to the zodiacal phases, especially since Babylonian “horoscopes,” as they have come to be called, did not emerge until late in the 5
th c. BCE. 1.
A. R. George’s “
The Epic of Gilgameš: Thoughts on Genre and Meaning” examines the epic from the perspective of genre. While acknowledging the difficulty in establishing literary genres in Mesopotamia generally, George nevertheless is able to show how the epic integrates hymnic praise, prayer, blessing, lament, and many other genres. Indeed, as he remarks, the epic represents “an anthology of genre” (p. 52). Moreover, these genres developed over time, interacted, and modulated each other through the course of the epic’s reworking. In its most recent reworking, the Standard Babylonian version, the text underscored “the new mood and actively didactic tone of the poem,” thus serving as a “vehicle for wisdom” (p. 57). As such George’s contribution offers a useful exploration of native function and generic taxonomy.
V. A. B. Hurowitz’s “Finding New Life in Old Words: Word Play in the
Gilgameš Epic” examines the epic for its manifold use of word play, with particular attention to alliteration and polysemy. Especially insightful is his treatment of the word napištu “life” as a Leitwort that is punned upon in various ways throughout the epic. Hurowitz builds nicely upon the works of authors who have examined the topic previously 2 and demonstrates the need for further attention to the topic of word play in Assyriology generally.
Concluding this section is “Assyrian Imperialism and the Walls of Uruk,” by N. K. Weeks. As Weeks observes, the epic opens by self-referentially identifying itself as the text one is reading, and thus as a royal inscription now placed as a foundation deposit in the walls of Uruk. It therefore classifies itself as a royal inscription, and not a text for general consumption. Since Assyrian royal inscriptions typically are addressed to future rulers and not contemporaries, they cannot serve as forms of royal propaganda (a purpose that some scholars have asserted for royal inscriptions generally). The implied audience for the epic thus underscores the “social and psychological isolation of the Assyrian king” (p. 85) and has at its primary purpose the legitimation of imperialism “in terms of divine selection and endowment” (p. 89). Weeks’ attention to the implied audience of the text raises important questions as to its interpretation and gives reason to reconsider the commonly held assumption concerning how “popular” the epic of Gilgameš really was.
Section II
The second section of the tome opens with “
L’Epopée de Gilgameš et la Genèse” by J.-D. Forest. As in his other study summarized above, Forest offers a structuralist analysis of a text, this time the narrative cycles in Genesis. Here, however, Forest argues that the redacted and cyclical structure of Genesis (especially with regard to moments of divine interaction and alliance and the births of the patriarchs) correlates to seasonal patterns, solstices, equinoxes, and astrological cycles, and that as such, the book reflects the integration and adaptation of portions of the Gilgameš epic into the patriarchal narratives.
David L. Jackson’s “Demonising Gilgameš” focuses on the mention of Gilgameš in two Aramaic fragments found at Qumran, where he appears as one of the giants produced by the elicit offspring of angels and mortal women. Jackson places these references within the context of the sectarian religious beliefs concerning order and purity represented in the Qumran texts, especially the belief that Gentile wisdom derived from the spirits of this elicit offspring. According to Jackson, the identification of Gilgameš and the other giants as a “demonic Gentile force” (p. 112), served as a sort of anti-language code that represented Seleucid culture as a whole.
In “The Biblical Flood Story in the Light of the Gilgameš Flood Account,” G. A. Rendsburg draws attention to the difficulties posed for source critics when reading Genesis 6–8 in conjunction with its parallels in the Gilgameš flood narrative. Though source critics have long suggested that the biblical flood story shows the hands of the J (Yahwist) and P (Priestly) sources, neither of the hypothesized sources provides all of the parallels. In fact, only when one reads Genesis 6–8 as a complete story does it provide complete point-by-point parallels with the Gilgameš flood account. Rendsburg also examines the instances in which the biblical and Akkadian flood stories differ for what they tell us about the theological agendas of the Israelites.
M. A. Shields, “To Seek but not to Find: Old Meanings for
Qohelet and Gilgameš” examines a number of themes that the book of Qohelet and the Gilgameš epic share in common. For example, Shields notes that both employ a “motif of failure as a method for conveying meaning” (p. 129), and hold as central to their message, death and the belief that one should make the best of life while alive. There are, of course, differences: Qohelet looks for what is advantageous in life, whereas Gilgameš looks for eternal life; Qohelet’s failure “reflects the ultimate failure of the wisdom movement” (p. 132) and serves to “deter prospective novices from enrolling as students of the sages” (p. 144), whereas Gilgameš’s failure, when coupled with the knowledge that he now serves as a ruler and judge in the underworld, tends to personalize the great king and thus allow his readers to empathize with him when facing their own deaths.
R. Todd Stanton’s, “Asking Questions of the Divine Announcements in the Flood Stories from Ancient Mesopotamia and Israel” compares the different methods by which news of the biblical and Mesopotamian floods come to their heroes. In the Sumerian flood story the news of the deluge is revealed in a vision, whereas in Gilgameš it is revealed in a dream. The biblical account is silent on the matter. Based on a number of linguistic and thematic links that connect Noah to Adam and Moses, Stanton argues that the pattern of revelation given in the biblical account is that of a direct face-to-face encounter with the divine.
The final piece in this section is I. M. Young’s, “Textual Stability in Gilgameš and the Dead Sea Scrolls.” Young here compares the types, numbers, and relative proportions of textual variants as found in the various recensions of the Gilgameš epic with those found among the Qumran biblical fragments and Masoretic Text. He finds that “the Hebrew evidence seems to move from fluidity to stability rather rapidly. The evidence for the Standard Babylonian Gilgameš epic stretches across much of the first millennium” (p. 181). In the final analysis Young observes: “The scribal transmission of Gilgameš adds therefore to the case that the transmission of Biblical Hebrew was subject to high fluidity” and that the “language of the current texts may tell us much more about the scribes who transmitted the text than the original authors” (p. 183). He adds that this suggests that the trigger for rapid stabilization for the Hebrew text should perhaps be sought in the influence of Hellenism or other factors within early Judaism.
Section III
The final section of the book is the least connected in terms of content. The first article, J. Azize, “Was There Regular Child Sacrifice in Phoenicia and Carthage?” argues for a more nuanced treatment of the topic of child sacrifice and suggests that some of the texts that scholars have seen as evidence for the practice may attest to sacrifice
for children, not of children. He also calls attention to the potential polemical nature of ancient claims of child sacrifice, which may belie defamatory motives.
In S. Jackson’s second contribution to the volume, “Phoenicians and Assyrians versus the Roving Nomad: Western Imperialism, Western Scholarship and Modern Identity” the author delves into the racial stereotyping and political motives of Ernest Renan, whose well-known travels in the Middle East and written works reveal an anti-Semitism that nevertheless found redeeming qualities in the Phoenicians, whom Renan associated with the Maronites (an association that Maronites were quick to accept). As allies of the French, the understanding of Maronites as descendents of the Phoenicians, allowed Renan to distance the obvious accomplishments of Phoenician cultures from the Muslim Semitic population, underscore what he saw as the victory of Christianity, and to fit the Maronites neatly into French imperial designs. The author offers a similar, albeit more brief, treatment of the writings of Henry Layard and Hormuzd Rassam with respect to modern Nestorian Christian claims of genealogical descent from the ancient Assyrians.
Concluding the volume is L. R. Sidall, “A Re-examination of the Title
ša reši in the Neo-Assyrian Period.” Sidall revisits the long-debated meaning and role of the office of the ša reši (also rab ša reši) in the Neo-Assyrian period. Though often understood as an eunuch, sources prior to the Neo-Assyrian period offer little evidence for this connection. Instead, these texts suggest only a court official with inner access to the king. Sidall also argues that although some texts may suggest that the title is used of an eunuch in the Neo-Assyrian period, not all of the pictorial bas-reliefs of beardless men that some have connected to this figure can be used as evidence. It is not until the Persian period, Sidall asserts, that the title is clearly used of eunuchs. The author also dates the references to these titles in Gen 40:7 and Isa 56:3–5 to the Persian period, and thus sees them as referring to eunuchs. The article concludes by suggesting that the ša reši in Assyria may have been a “symbolic institution” (p. 235) connected to the Ishtar cult, which would also explain the ambiguous gender of some of the beardless figures securely connected with the title.
Taken as a whole the volume lacks consistency in the quality of its papers and cohesiveness; the book’s third section appears as something of a “catch-all” for papers falling outside the conference’s central theme. Nevertheless, we may thank the editors for organizing the conference that brought these papers together and for reminding scholars in both Biblical Studies and Assyriology that there is still reward in comparative analysis, especially when demonstrating influence or dependence is not the ultimate goal.
[1] See Francesca Rochberg, “Babylonian Horoscopes,”
Transactions of the American Philosophical Society 88 (1998), pp. 1-164. Of course, there is a long history of collecting celestial omens from the Old Babylonian period on, but the omen materials are not considered in Forest’s article.
[2] Though appearing too late to be incorporated into Hurowitz’s study, I note here the recently published in-depth study of word play in the Gilgameš epic. See Scott B. Noegel,
Nocturnal Ciphers: The Allusive Language of Dreams in the Ancient Near East (American Oriental Series, 89; New Haven, CT, 2007), especially pp. 57-82. I also take this opportunity to note what appears to be an editorial oversight. Though the studies by Carl Frank (“Zu den Wortspielen kukku und kibâti in Gilg. Ep. XI,” ZA 36 [1925], 216) and myself (“Raining Terror: Another Wordplay Cluster in Gilgameš Tablet XI [Assyrian Version, ll. 45-47],” Nouvelles Assyriologiques Brèves et Utilitaires-75 [1997], 39-40) appear in the bibliography, they do not appear in the footnotes on pp. 71-73 where the author discusses the dual meanings of the words kukku, kibâti, and zanânu, i.e., the subjects of the aforementioned articles. | 15,531 | 6,823 | 0.000155 |
warc | 201704 | Description 148 p. : ill. Note Advisor: James D. Tucker. Thesis Thesis (Ph.D.) -- Wayne State University, 2013. Summary Chapters 2 and 3: Depleted Uranium (DU) is a high-density heavy metal that has been used in munitions since the 1991 Gulf War. DU is weakly radioactive and chemically toxic and long term exposure may cause adverse health effects. This study evaluates genotoxic effects of DU exposure in Gulf War I Veterans as a function of uranium (U) body burden by measuring chromosome damage in peripheral blood lymphocytes with the cytokinesis blocked micronucleus assay (CBMN) and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) whole chromosome painting. Study subjects are Gulf War I Veterans exposed to DU during friendly fire incidents in 1991 involving DU munitions which resulted in inhalation and ingestion exposure to small particles of DU and soft tissue DU fragments from traumatic injuries. The Veterans are enrolled in a long term health surveillance program at the Baltimore VA Medical Center. Evaluation of subjects using the CBMN assay: Blood was drawn from 35 exposed male Veterans aged 36 to 59 years, then cultured and evaluated for micronuclei (MN). The participants were divided into two exposure groups, low and high, based on their mean urine Uranium concentrations. Poisson regression analyses with mean urine U concentrations, current smoking, X-rays in the past year and donor age as dependent variables revealed no significant relationships with MN frequencies. Our results indicate that ongoing systemic exposure to DU in Gulf War I Veterans with embedded DU fragments does not induce significant increases in MN in peripheral blood lymphocytes compared to MN frequencies in Veterans with normal urine Uranium levels. Evaluation of subjects using FISH whole chromosome painting assay: Blood was drawn from 35 exposed male Veterans aged 39 to 62 years, then cultured and harvested for metaphase chromosome analyses. Chromosomes 1, 2, and 4 were painted red and chromosomes 3, 5, and 6 were simultaneously labeled green. At least 1800 metaphase cells per subject were scored. Univariate regression analyses were performed to evaluate the effects of log(urine Uranium), age at time of blood draw, log(lifetime X-rays), pack-years smoked and alcohol use against frequencies of cells with translocated chromosomes, dicentrics, acentric fragments, color junctions and abnormal cells. No significant relationships were observed between any cytogenetic endpoint and log(urine Uranium) levels, smoking, or log(lifetime X-rays). Age at the time of blood draw showed significant relationships with all endpoints except for cells with acentric fragments. These results indicate that chronic exposure to DU does not induce significant levels of chromosome damage in these Veterans. Chapter 4: To determine the extent to which age influences individual susceptibility to ionizing radiation, blood samples were collected from 20 adults and from the umbilical cords of 10 newborns. Samples were acutely exposed to Cobalt 60 gamma rays to doses of 0 (control), 1, 2, 3 and 4 Gy. Cells in metaphase were labeled with whole chromosome paints and evaluated for structural chromosome aberrations. Regression analyses were used to evaluate the frequencies of each of the major classes of structural aberrations to determine whether susceptibility to radiation was dependent upon age. Compared to adults, blood from newborns showed statistically significant increases in translocated chromosomes, dicentrics, and color junctions for doses from 0 to 3 Gy, but not at 4 Gy. When adults were considered alone, no significant changes in radiation susceptibility were observed with age. The increased susceptibility of newborns to ionizing radiation, and the absence of any change in susceptibility during adulthood, should be relevant when making radiation-exposure risk assessments. Subject Biology Cytogenetics Added Title Wayne State University thesis (Ph.D.) : Biological Sciences | 3,989 | 1,768 | 0.000566 |
warc | 201704 | By continuing to browse the site without changing your cookie settings, you accept that cookies will be used to adapt offerings to suit your interests. To manage and change these settings, click here
Top claim types - international health insurance is not just about the emergencies
Having the right international healthcare is sometimes associated with emergency situations, such as evacuation from the middle of a jungle, life threatening cases of Malaria or major heart surgery on the other side of the world. The policyholder tells the story with a sense of relief, that he or she had the right cover at the right time. The truth is, the majority of health claims reflect the general day-to-day health problems people suffer from in their everyday lives, although being abroad can exacerbate certain conditions. Leading healthcare provider April International UK looked at the top types of claims from the past two years, to find out which conditions were more prevalent than others. The results not only reflect the most common complaints, but the fact that being in a new and different environment can alsao have an impact on one’s health.
The most common ailment is back problems. Back pain is extremely common – about four in five people are affected at some point in their lifetime. Anyone can get back pain, but it’s most common in people between the ages of 35 and 55 or over. Carrying heavy cases, travelling on long haul flights, or sleeping in a different bed, can all bring on this type of pain, so it’s no wonder that pain relief is sought in whichever country policy holders are in. The second most common ailment claimed for by policyholders are respiratory infections. This includes influenza, which can be brought on by being in new surroundings and picking up viruses, which the individual has no or little resistance to. Why is this more common when travelling or living in a new place? Air travel can be the perfect breeding ground for respiratory infection together with higher levels of pollution on congested streets, all of which makes for poor air quality.
Number three on the list, are gastro/abdominal problems. The days of Spanish tummy seem long gone now, in an age when frequent travel is commonplace. However, as with air quality, unfamiliar germs and bacteria can play havoc with a person’s digestive system, if they are unlucky. More serious problems such as dysentery are still commonplace for visitors to India for example, if precautions are not taken. Even then, it is almost impossible to safeguard oneself from these types of illnesses. Fourth on the list is cancer. According to the World Health Organization, cancer is the leading cause of death worldwide, accounting for 7.6 million deaths in 2008, with the number dying from the disease projected to rise to over 11 million in 2030. The types of cancer costs covered by some but not all international health insurance would typically be diagnosis, drugs and treatment costs. Asthma and Bronchitis are fifth on the list.
As with respiratory problems, both conditions are exacerbated by poor quality air, new environments, or simply failing to treat existing health problems. Chronic care costs such as these might not be covered by some insurers, but April International UK’s policies do cover these ongoing costs, so asthma sufferers, for example, can receive the appropriate drugs, should their condition worsen when abroad. Hypertension is the sixth most common ailment. This would cover depression, which affects 121 million people worldwide, according to WHO. Anti depressant medication has become an increasingly commonplace as an effective way to combat this condition. Knee problems are next on the list. This can be caused by sports injuries, being overweight, and also be a symptom of arthritis. Medical costs would not only include pain relief, but physiotherapy to improve the condition, so again, it is important to ensure policies cover all of these areas. Eczema and skin conditions are also commonplace for those seeking medical treatment abroad. Often new environments, stress or exposure to new substances can aggravate eczema, and the physical effects of the sun for example, can lead to extreme sun burn for some people, if skin is not properly protected. Finally, urinary tract infections are also common when abroad. The problem can be exacerbated by hot weather or sometimes sexually transmitted diseases.
Both women and men can be affected by these complaints and will need to seek help from the local doctor to clear up any infection. Debbie Purser, CEO at April International UK said: “People often associate private healthcare with medical emergencies. The truth is, the most common conditions reflect everyday living difficulties which can be exacerbated whilst abroad, whilst others are conditions which are often brought about from the affects of travel and simply being in new environments. What is striking, though, is the proportion of these complaints which have a chronic aspect to them – back pain, cancer, respiratory, skin complaints – all of these can require ongoing treatment, something we at April International UK cover as part of our chronic care benefit. We pride ourselves in providing the best possible care for our policyholders, whether it’s a new, curable condition or something which requires longer term treatment.” | 5,425 | 2,471 | 0.000409 |
warc | 201704 | Title Document Type
Article
Publication Date
7-1-2016
Publication Title
Journal of Business Ethics
Keywords
globalization; corruption; human capital investment; international trade; Global/International Business
Disciplines
International Business
Abstract
Globalization is multifaceted and involves the interaction among businesses, services, governments, and societies beyond national borders. As a result, the flow of foreign direct investment (FDI), international trade in goods and services, and the economic interdependence of the nations of the world have been increasing. At the same time, much attention has been paid to the effect of corruption prevalent within many cultures and societies, and its impact on the economies, especially developing economies. This paper examines the relationship between human capital investment, the level of national corruption, and the global economic integration (GEI) of a nation in developing countries. Based on the data collected from over 60 countries, and building on the FDI and human capital theories, it was found that human capital investment and corruption are related to GEI. It was also found that the level of corruption moderates the relationship between human capital investment and GEI of developing economies. The findings of the study can help to deepen our understanding of GEI and have practical implications for developing countries in terms developing human capital, which plays a critical role in today’s knowledge-based economy.
Recommended Citation
Bryant, C.R. & Javalgi, R.G. (2016). Global economic integration in developing countries: The role of corruption and human capital investment. Journal of Business Ethics, 136(3), 437-450. doi: 10.1007/s10551-014-2490-3
DOI
10.1007/s10551-014-2490-3
Version
Postprint
Publisher's Statement
The final publication is available at Springer via http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10551-014-2490-3
Volume
136
Issue
3 | 1,951 | 946 | 0.001074 |
warc | 201704 | First day of the semester in all senior classes: described the year as a "conversation with yourself" about the future.
To begin that conversation, I put up Friedrich's
The Wanderer Above a Sea of Fog and asked them to generate questions to help them make sense of the painting and to connect it to their lives as seniors on the cusp of early adulthood.
The most important test of the first day is the Dinner Table Test, which we had in our house last night. The DTT happens when parents ask what happened at school that day. Stories are told about the teacher, the class, and what they did that day. First impressions—of teachers, students, and parents—are crucial at this stage.
I want students to say they felt challenged, intrigued, and confident they would do work that mattered in the year ahead.
In our house yesterday, the DTT involved two seniors: our son and my mother-in-law (Ann). Whit played it cool senior all the way: nothing to report. Ann attended her first day at a program for seniors at the Center for Aging here in San Francisco. Her day was what most high school seniors wish theirs was like: they sang, played games, talked, were fed a nice lunch, and had a guest come in to sing, accompanied by an accordian, an instrument Ann played as a young girl in the bandstand in Golden Gate Park.
Why
The Wanderer Above the Sea of Fog? Because we are all seniors this year looking ahead to a future shrouded in fog, through which we move carefully, uncertainly, guided by the faith that on the other side of it is a clarity we can all claim as our own. | 1,588 | 876 | 0.001157 |
warc | 201704 | Equity Valuation for Analysts and Investors introduces you to the financial statement analysis and model-building methodology used by leading equity research firm Argus Research. Written by Jim Kelleher, the company's director of research, the book offers the tools for estimating individual equity cash value. These include a completely original and proprietary valuation methodology, Peer Derived Value, which values an equity based on the stock's current variation from its historical relation to a user-specifi ed peer group.
In a conveniently organized format, this in-depth guide covers all the tasks you need to master, including:
• Financial statement modeling
• Comparables analysis
• Discounted free cash flow
• Industry matrix models
• Blending valuation inputs to calculate fair value in any market environment
Valuing and predicting the future value of assets and stocks is a laborious task. Successful analysts and investors don't have time for tedious work that is outdated as soon as it's done.
Equity Valuation for Analysts and Investors is the comprehensive guide to efficient financial statement analysis and model-building from one of the world-leading independent equity research firms, Argus Research.
At the helm of the company's research is author Jim Kelleher, who developed his methodology and model-building techniques during his twenty years covering more than a dozen industries in nearly every sector. A good valuation model is an invaluable tool to help the serious investor:
Wring more information from the 10-K and 10-Q Predict unexpected earnings shortfall or positive earnings surprises Master the art of "valuation choreography"
One of the biggest challenges to making accurate predictions with a valuation model today is the rapid and constant fluctuation of data.
Equity Valuation for Analysts and Investors provides a tried-and-true process for creating effective, compact models that add new measurement and valuation periods and accommodate a company’s unique data presentation and reporting style.
This versatile guidebook also provides both a rigorous process and a shortcut for each step in modeling financial statement data so analysts can customize their data focus based on their position in the value chain. When implemented in the real world, the valuation model uses the power of Excel to allow investors to quickly and accurately update their valuations and predictions by simply inputting adjusted data.
Take control of your investments now by managing them based on your own research and
Equity Valuation for Analysts and Investors. | 2,634 | 1,255 | 0.000812 |
warc | 201704 | Applying metaethical and normative claims of moral relativism to (shareholder and stakeholder) models of corporate governance
West, Andrew (2016) Applying metaethical and normative claims of moral relativism to (shareholder and stakeholder) models of corporate governance.
Journal of Business Ethics, 135(2), pp. 199-215.
Accepted Version (PDF 159kB)
Administrators only until May 2017 | Request a copy from author
Abstract
There has, in recent decades, been considerable scholarship regarding the moral aspects of corporate governance,and differences in corporate governance practices around the world have been widely documented and investigated. In such a context, the claims associated with moral relativism are relevant. The purpose of this paper is to provide a detailed consideration of how the metaethical and normative claims of moral relativism in particular can be applied to corporate governance. This objective is achieved, firstly, by reviewing what is meant by metaethical moral relativism and identifying two ways in which the metaethical claim can be assessed. The possibility of a single, morally superior model of corporate governance is subsequently considered through an analysis of prominent works justifying the shareholder and stakeholder approaches, together with a consideration of academic agreement in this area. The paper then draws on the work of Wong (Moral relativity, University of California Press, Berkeley, CA, 1984, A companion to ethics, Blackwell, Malden, 1993, Natural moralities: A defense of pluralistic relativism,Oxford University Press, Oxford, 2006), firstly in providing an argument supporting metaethical moral relativism and secondly regarding values of tolerance and/or accommodation that can contribute to the normative claim. The paper concludes by proposing an argument that it is morally wrong to impose a model of corporate governance where there are differences in moral judgements relevant to corporate governance, or to interfere with a model in similar circumstances, and closes with consideration of the argument’s implications.
Impact and interest:
Citation counts are sourced monthly from and citation databases.
These databases contain citations from different subsets of available publications and different time periods and thus the citation count from each is usually different. Some works are not in either database and no count is displayed. Scopus includes citations from articles published in 1996 onwards, and Web of Science® generally from 1980 onwards.
Citations counts from the
indexing service can be viewed at the linked Google Scholar™ search.
ID Code: 84070 Item Type: Journal Article Refereed: Yes Keywords: Moral relativism, Ethical relativism, Corporate governance, Tolerance, Stakeholder theory, Shareholder theory, Pluralism DOI: 10.1007/s10551-014-2453-8 ISSN: 1573-0697 Subjects: Australian and New Zealand Standard Research Classification > COMMERCE MANAGEMENT TOURISM AND SERVICES (150000) > BUSINESS AND MANAGEMENT (150300) Divisions: Current > QUT Faculties and Divisions > QUT Business School
Current > Schools > School of Accountancy
Copyright Owner: Copyright 2014 Springer Copyright Statement: The final publication is available at Springer via http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10551-014-2453-8 Deposited On: 13 May 2015 00:35 Last Modified: 29 May 2016 23:16
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Repository Staff Only: item control page | 3,428 | 1,676 | 0.000602 |
warc | 201704 | Does gender moderate the relationship between polydrug use and sexual risk-taking among Australian secondary school students under 16 years of age?
Chan, Gary C.K., Kelly, Adrian B., Hides, Leanne, Quinn, Catherine, & Williams, Joanne W. (2016) Does gender moderate the relationship between polydrug use and sexual risk-taking among Australian secondary school students under 16 years of age?
Drug and Alcohol Review, 35(6), pp. 750-754.
Abstract Introduction and Aims This study examines the association of alcohol and polydrug use with risky sexual behaviour in adolescents under 16 years of age and if this association differs by gender. Design and Methods The sample consisted of 5412 secondary school students under 16 years of age from Victoria, Australia. Participants completed an anonymous and confidential survey during class time. The key measures were having had sex before legal age of consent (16 years), unprotected sex before 16 (no condom) and latent-class derived alcohol and polydrug use variables based on alcohol, tobacco, cannabis, inhalants and other illegal drug use in the past month. Results There were 7.52% and 2.55% of adolescents who reported having sex and having unprotected sex before 16 years of age, respectively. After adjusting for antisocial behaviours, peers' drug use and family and school risk factors, girls were less likely to have unprotected sex (odds ratio = 0.31, P = 0.003). However, the interaction of being female and polydrug use (odds ratio = 4.52, P = 0.004) was significant, indicating that girls who engaged in polydrug use were at higher risk of having unprotected sex. For boys, the effect of polydrug use was non-significant (odds ratio = 1.44, P = 0.310). Discussion and Conclusions For girls, polydrug use was significantly associated with unprotected sex after adjusting for a range of risk factors, and this relationship was non-significant for boys. Future prevention programs for adolescent risky sexual behaviour and polydrug use might benefit from a tailored approach to gender differences.
Impact and interest:
Citation counts are sourced monthly from and citation databases.
These databases contain citations from different subsets of available publications and different time periods and thus the citation count from each is usually different. Some works are not in either database and no count is displayed. Scopus includes citations from articles published in 1996 onwards, and Web of Science® generally from 1980 onwards.
Citations counts from the
indexing service can be viewed at the linked Google Scholar™ search.
ID Code: 95313 Item Type: Journal Article Refereed: Yes Keywords: adolescent; alcohol; drug; sex; unprotected sex DOI: 10.1111/dar.12394 ISSN: 0959-5236 Divisions: Current > QUT Faculties and Divisions > Faculty of Health
Current > Institutes > Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation
Current > Schools > School of Psychology & Counselling
Copyright Owner: Copyright 2016 Australasian Professional Society on Alcohol and other Drugs Deposited On: 03 May 2016 04:28 Last Modified: 12 Jan 2017 03:47
Export:
Repository Staff Only: item control page | 3,167 | 1,534 | 0.000657 |
warc | 201704 | Inhibition of endothelial cell activation by nitric oxide donors
Zampolli, Antonella, Basta, Giuseppina, Lazzerini, Guido, Feelisch, Martin and De Caterina, Raffaele (2000) Inhibition of endothelial cell activation by nitric oxide donors.
The Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, 295, (2), 818-823. (PMID:11046123). Download
Full text not available from this repository.
Description/Abstract
Because nitric oxide (NO) inhibits the expression of endothelial leukocyte adhesion molecules, NO-generating compounds have major therapeutic potential for use outside their classical indications. We report on the in vitro potential antiatherogenicity of two novel cysteine-containing NO donors, SP/W 3672, a fast spontaneous NO releaser, and its prodrug SP/W 5186, which liberates NO after bioactivation. The ability of these two compounds to inhibit monocyte adhesion and surface expression of endothelial adhesion molecules was evaluated and compared with that of other NO donors. SP/W 5186 and SP/W 3672 inhibited the adhesion of U937 monocytes to cultured human endothelial cells more potently than S-nitrosoglutathione (GSNO) or spermine NONOate, whereas nitroglycerin and isosorbide dinitrate were ineffective at comparable concentrations. A similar rank order of potency was found for the inhibition of expression of the adhesion molecules vascular cell adhesion molecule-1, intercellular adhesion molecule-1, and E-selectin as well as for major histocompatibility complex class II antigen expression. Estimated IC(50) values for vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 were >400 microM for SP/W 4744 (control for SP/W 3672 lacking the cysteine moiety), 200 microM for GSNO and spermine NONOate, 80 microM for SP/W 3672, and 50 microM for SP/W 5186. Moreover, SP/W 5186 inhibited VCAM-1 mRNA levels more potently than GSNO. This effect was likely to be transcriptional because mRNA degradation was not affected. In conclusion, SP/W 3672 and SP/W 5186 are novel potent inhibitors of endothelial activation, and this effect appears to relate to their ability to liberate NO for prolonged periods of time, either spontaneously or after conversion to active hydrolytic products.
Item Type: Article ISSNs: 1521-0103 (electronic) Related URLs: Subjects: Q Science > QP Physiology
Q Science > QR Microbiology > QR180 Immunology
Divisions : Faculty of Medicine > Clinical and Experimental Sciences ePrint ID: 337872 Accepted Date and Publication Date:
Date Deposited: 22 Jun 2012 14:30 Last Modified: 31 Mar 2016 14:27 URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/337872
URI: RDF: RDF+N-Triples, RDF+N3, RDF+XML, Browse. Actions (login required)
View Item | 2,669 | 1,382 | 0.000727 |
warc | 201704 | Radiotherapy (RT) Patterns of Care Study (PCS) in Lung Carcinoma
OncoLink
Ultima Vez Modificado: 9 de octubre de 2002
Presenter: B. Movsas Presenter's Affiliation: Fox Chase Cancer Center (FCCC), Phila, PA, USA Type of Session: Scientific Background This study was designed to determine the national patterns of radiation therapy (RT) practice in patients treated for non-metastatic lung cancer between 1998-1999. Materials and Methods A survey of randomly selected RT institutions was conducted. Both academic and non-academic institutions were surveyed. Patients with non-metastatic lung cancer who received RT as definitive or adjuvant therapy were randomly selected. The charts of 541 patients were reviewed. 58 institutions were represented. Results 14.5% of histologies were small cell lung cancer (SCLC), while the remainder were non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Median age was 67 years (37-92). 58% of patients were male, while 42% were female. 32% of patients were current smokers. 59% of patients had co-morbidities, mostly cardiopulmonary. KPS was >80 in 84% of patients. 98% of patients had staging CT scans. In CS III patients, bone scans and brain MRI's were not obtained in 33% and 52%, respectively. For NSCLC, a breakdown by clinical stage (CS) is as follows: CS I-12%, CS II-16%, CS III-54% (4% unknown). For patients with NSCLC, 31% had their mediastinums pathologically staged. Treatment strategies varied significantly by histology and stage. The majority of patients with SCLC and stage III NSCLCA received chemotherapy (CT) + RT. Most patients with CS I NSCLC received RT as their only treatment. Median dose for RT in the SCLC patients was 51 Gy, 80% at 1.8-2 Gy/fraction; 10% received hyperfractionated (b.i.d.) RT. 23% of these patients received prophylactic cranial irradiation (median dose, 30 Gy/15 fractions). For NSCLC, the median dose was 60 Gy, 85% @ 1.8-2 Gy/fraction. The majority of patients were treated with 6MV or 10 MV photons. CT-based treatment planning was used in 50% of patients. Maximum spinal cord dose was 41 Gy, although the dose was unknown in 29%. 57% of patients received systemic treatment. Surgery was performed in 28% of NSCLC patients. 5% of all patients were enrolled on cooperative trials, and 2% on institutional (IRB-approved) trials. Author's Conclusions This study establishes the general patterns of care for lung cancer in U.S. RT facilities. Better staging and documentation of spinal cord dose should be encouraged. Clinical/Scientific Implications The authors point out recent studies supporting the use of PCI and b.i.d. RT in SCLC have not had enough time to fully be reflected in a patterns of care study. Also, this study reveals that a small percentage of lung cancer patients are being enrolled on clinical trials. Oncolink's ASTRO Coverage made possible by an unrestricted Educational Grant from Ortho Biotech. | 2,892 | 1,464 | 0.000684 |
warc | 201704 | Title:
Studies on the pharmacology of rat adipocyte beta-adrenoceptors
The pharmacology of the rat adipocyte beta-adrenoceptor has been examined using radioligand binding techniques as well as analysis of biochemical and functional effector responses. The ligand binding properties of beta-adrenoceptors on isolated adipocyte membranes have been compared to those in rat lung and whole fat pad membranes. This study demonstrated that binding sites could be identified on adipocytes which had all the characteristics expected of beta-adrenoceptors. Furthermore, inhibition of binding by agents selective for beta, or beta2 adrenoceptors indicated that the receptor subtype present on adipocytes was predominantly beta1 whereas lung and whole fat pad membranes contained mainly beta2 Adrenoceptors. The characteristics of the beta-adrenoceptor mediating lipolysis have also been examined. Evidence is presented which showed that inhibition of lipolysis stimulated through beta-adrenoceptors was inhibited by selective beta-adrenoceptor antagonists with a lower potency than that expected at beta1 or beta2 adrenoceptors. This suggested that an atypical beta-adrenoceptor was responsible for mediating the lipolytic response. The apparently atypical beta-adrenoceptor has been further investigated by analysis of cAMP-accumulation in whole cells and adenylate cyclase activity in membranes. These studies confirmed the results from lipolysis studies where it was again shown that antagonists had low potencies. In addition, the stereospecificity displayed by antagonist isomers was lower to that expected at typical beta-adrenoceptors. In order to investigate whether typical beta1 and atypical beta-adrenoceptors could be separated, an irreversible beta-adrenoceptor antagonist has been used to selectively inhibit typical beta-adrenoceptors. The results demonstrated that whereas beta1 binding sites could be irreversibly blocked, the beta-adrenoceptor-stimulated adenylate cyclase activity was unaffected. This further suggested that the receptors identified by binding studies are not the same as those mediating the lipolytic response to catecholamines. | 2,159 | 879 | 0.00114 |
warc | 201704 | 'Damage of #SADrought will take years to undo'
While livestock farmers could still benefit from potential rainfall, for maize farmers it’s simply too late.
JOHANNESBURG - Farmers in the Free State say it could take years for them to recover financially as they battle the country's worst drought in decades.
Eyewitness News visited several farms in the Free State, where farmers say they don't know how much longer they can survive the dry spell.
Many livestock farmers have taken their animals to the gallows early while maize farmers are simply unable to plant any crops.
"The fact is, it's actually unmanageable."
Maize farmer Errol Haddad says even if it starts raining, the damage of the crippling drought will take years to undo.
"It will take at least about three to four years before we can even break even."
Hansie Marais, a sheep farmer also in the Free State, says the value of his livestock has decreased sharply because he's no longer able to feed the animals.
"We have to sell our lambs three or four kilograms lighter. We also had a decline in our wool production."
Both farmers say they will need major financial assistance to help them to recover.
WATCH:
Free State farmers hit hard by #SAdrought RAINFALL NOT ENOUGH TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE
Drought stricken farmers say the rains that have fallen in parts of the country haven't been enough to make any difference to their situation.
2015 has been listed as the driest year in South Africa in over a century.
The Free State farmers who spoke to
EWN say they haven't had sufficient rainfall for close to three years.
Haddad says he has only managed to plant a disappointing portion of maize on his farm because he can't irrigate the land.
"These are about 500 hectares of maize field. I was only able to plant about 10 to 13 hectares."
With only three months left until winter, Marais says livestock farmers like himself are desperately hoping for rain now, to allow grazing grass to grow sufficiently before the tough season.
"There's no money left. I've used up all the money I have."
While livestock farmers could still benefit from potential rainfall, for maize farmers it's simply too late. | 2,196 | 1,092 | 0.000932 |
warc | 201704 | I ran into the video above while indulging in my DListed addiction, which is how I keep up on celebrity gossip without watching TV. At any rate, it gave me a chuckle and led me to consider posting a very introductory guide on tips for vibrator shopping, especially for those who have never purchased a sex toy before.
Why buy a vibrator or sex toy? If you ask me, the better question is why not buy a vibe! Back in 1869, Dr. George Taylor invented the first non-manual vibrator (yeah, they were crank-powered before that) by hooking a phallus up to a steam-driven motor. This giant contraption was used on women diagnosed with “hysteria” (a word that roughly means “suffering uterus”), a medical condition with symptoms such as irritability, anxiety, genital lubrication and even *gasp* sexual fantasies! The horror! His giant steam-driven vibrator was highly efficient in providing the prescribed treatment of paroxysm, otherwise known as an orgasm. Eventually batteries came along and doctors made house calls. Although this sounds like the stuff of a historical romance novel, it isn’t. Women were seen as asexual; orgasms and vibrators were not considered sexy, and instead were linked to illness, dysfunction and shame.
And what about men seeking an orgasm? No friendly doctors for them. Instead, they might receive a diagnosis of Spermatorrhea (think of diarrhea, but for sperm) for onanism (self-pleasuring) or nocturnal secretions (wet dreams). The treatment is worse than trying to spell those words, since these men were considered dangerous sexual deviants. Think of bracelets for ‘down there’, but with spikes on the inside to subdue any physical arousal. Eeek! Aren’t we the weirdest species ever? I digress…
Back to the women: giant batteries were invented and doctors were making weekly house calls to wealthy women in need on paroxysm. Eventually these battery and electric powered vibes were sold in major stores, like Sears, and for a few years in the early 1900s there were more vibrators than toasters in American homes! Since they were considered common household appliances, used for treating wrinkles and exhaustion, they were easy to find. It wasn’t long before the video camera was invented and Polaroids came along, so before we all knew it no one was able to pretend that the pulsing pleasure of the home vibrator was really to stimulate thicker hair growth.
While they may not do a darned thing for wrinkles, vibrators are a wonderful way for people of all genders to explore their bodies by themselves and with partners. For women who have difficulty orgasming, alone or with partners, they can be a relaxing learning tool and a route to gaining skills for experiencing more regular orgasms. Those with reduced mobility can use vibes to pleasure themselves and those they love (and lust) more easily. Some stores, like Come As You Are, can assist in suggesting or even adapting toys for those with ability- or age-related concerns. Combined with a healthy helping of high quality lube, all genders can discover their favorite feel-good areas and types of stimulation. For those accomplished orgasm experts, vibrators add variety, fun and anticipation. We all win! So, how do you pick out the right vibrator for your needs? Consider the following points:
What is my vibrator made of? Over the past few years it has become clear that there are significant health and ecological risks associated with cheaper jelly rubber and cyberskin toys. Check out my pervious post on toxic toys for what to buy and what to avoid. I recommend high grade silicone for first time buyers, since it is easy to clean, safe and firm yet flexible. It costs more than a jelly vibe but is better for your body, generally will last longer, and really does feel/look/smell better. Your pleasure is worth it! How big should my new vibrator be? Well, first consider where it is going. The main risk here is that your eyes will be bigger than your..orifice. When in doubt, buy smaller. It will still be fun and functional, even if you turn out to be a size queen. If you have ever had anything inserted before, consider how big that item was and whether you prefer something bigger or smaller. If you are still left without a clue, then I suggest aiming for 7 inches or shorter, and 1.3 inches around or less, perhaps MUCH less, for a beginner’s toy. If you’re looking for an outie (a vibrator for the clitoris/penis/etc.), then any shape will work. Some are specifically designed as outies, and good vendors will be able to guide you there. What shape should I go for when buying a vibrator? First and foremost, if you’re going to use it your (or your partner’s) backyard, then it is essential that your toy have a flared base. Anal toys, those with that wide base, are designed to prevent the toy from slipping up into the rectum when the anus clenched. While it is possible to get a toy back out by squatting and pushing, many an embarrassed explorer has ended up in the ER due to the lack of a flared base. Secondly, some toys have a wicked curve designed to stimulate the G (for the ladies) or P (prostate, for the gents) Spot. These are fun and I encourage them, but for first time buyers they can lead to uncomfortable fumbling. A gentle curve, bloops, and texture depend on the individual and are much less likely to cause uncomfy times. Almost any shape will work for an outie vibe, so pick something that is comfy to hold onto or in your hand and will fit well against the body part you’re dreaming of. What kind of lube should I buy to go with my vibrator? Good question! Any toy can be used with a water-based lube. Silicone toys should NOT be used with silicone lubes, as the two silicones will fight and your lube will eat your toy. Really, I’m not kidding about that! Some silicone toys can handle it, but it isn’t worth risking your best friend over a lube error. Oil-based lubes are not recommended because, frankly, they’re not good for your sensitive bits. They harbor bacteria, are difficult to clean out, and can be felt for days. Whether or not they hurt your toy, your body deserves better. That goes for body lotions, hair conditioners, petroleum jelly, and other body products that aren’t meant to go down there. Should I get a water proof vibe? Water proof vibrators are easy to clean, and can be used in showers, hot tubs, pools and so on. By the way, get a silicone lube for sexy times in or under the water, as the water actually increases friction. Furthermore, underwater sex isn’t good for condoms or infections, either. I digress. If you’re in nice clean shower water, and you have a silicone lube (and a non-silicone toy), then go for a water proof vibe. You can also submerge them to clean them. Otherwise, it probably isn’t worth the extra cost. Should I buy an electric vibrator or a battery powered vibe? Electric vibes are generally louder and stronger. They may also be better for those with decreased manual dexterity, as they can be larger to grasp and still stimulate externally even if they aren’t placed perfectly. The Hitachi Magic Wand is the goddess of all electric vibes, and should be in every home. Battery vibes CAN be quieter, although nearly all vibes start to rattle with age, and are better for those seeking a more gentle level of stimulation. They’re also sometimes more adjustable. Recently, some lovely premium rechargable vibrators have come on the market from brands such as FunFactory. They’re well worth the price, and I highly recommend the brand. Where should I buy my vibrator? There are some great companies listed in my links (on the right side of my blog) that will be happy to help you pick a vibe. Many have solid reviews on their websites, and Arkadia even staffs their phones with trained sexperts who can answer your pleasure and health-related questions while making product suggestions. They also have nice write-ups on sexual health and well-being and sex toys. Many areas have a local smut shop (dark windows, questionable bathrooms, late hours), which you can visit if you feel comfortable, although the staff is rarely trained. Some lucky cities have independent sex boutiques. I have reviews of some of these on my Yelp.com profile. If you also review sex boutiques and/or smut shops, please add me to your Yelp or contact me at ExploringIntimacy (at) Gmail (dot) com so I can link to your reviews!
Whether you’re looking to stick it, wedge it, rub it, share it or just stare at it, that should get you started on shopping for your first vibrator!
As always, you can: | 8,687 | 4,098 | 0.000248 |
warc | 201704 | Nathan Kleczewski, Extension Specialist – Plant Pathology; nkleczew@udel.edu
Fusarium head blight (FHB) epidemics are episodic, but when they do occur they can cause significant reductions in quality and yield. FHB will continue to be an issue for small grains due to corn production and the widespread use of conservation tillage. Thus, this disease, which historically caused few, localized outbreaks every 15-20 years now is seen more frequently across much larger areas. FHB should be on your radar if you are planting small grains. Current research indicates that suppression of FHB is achieved by using 1) a moderately resistant variety; 2) a recommended triazole fungicide applied at Feekes 10.5.1 or 4-5 days after Feekes 10.5.1; and 3) planting wheat following soybean.
None of these practices used alone will provide sufficient suppression of FHB in a disease favorable year and must be integrated to maximize their suppressive effects.
Obviously rotation choices and variety selection are things that occur prior to the planting. However, the use of a fungicide is a within-season decision. One tool available to growers is the Fusarium head scab prediction website: http://www.wheatscab.psu.edu/. The website accurately predicts FHB outbreaks of >10% field severity roughly 80% of the time. Based on a current survey, the use of the website and its alert system has saved producers of small grains over $170 million.
How can you use this site?
First, sign up for updates. Extension plant pathologists provide updates throughout the growing season. In Delaware I will be providing weekly updates until the crop starts to approach flowering, and every 3-4 days thereafter. Second, understand how to use the website. It is best to check the forecast around noon as this will allow the most current environmental data to be included into the forecast. The map will generate colors that indicate the level of risk for flowering wheat. Green = low risk; yellow = moderate risk; red = high risk (Figure 1). Thus, if your region is red, indicating high risk for FHB, but your crop is at boot, a fungicide application directed for suppression of FHB is not recommended. One weakness of the model is that it does not do a great job at predicting severe outbreaks during cool, wet conditions. Remember, anything above 60°F is sufficient for FHB as long as it is wet enough as wheat approaches flowering and there is a source of inoculum in the region (i.e. fields with small grains or corn residue). To account for this I suggest keeping a close eye on the commentary and local forecasts. Remember, the website is a tool to help you make informed management decisions but it is not an answer. Use all available resources when deciding to make fungicide applications to your wheat.
Another site I suggest you visit is ScabSmart: http://www.scabsmart.org/graincr.html. This is a great site with excellent information on FHB management. Lastly, sign up for updates from my Field Crops Disease Management Blog for alerts on diseases including FHB throughout the growing season: http://extension.udel.edu/fieldcropdisease/. I also post articles on important and new research, resources, and recommendations. This week’s blog entry is Fungicide use in Small Grains
There is no way to know if 2014 will be another FHB favorable year. The aforementioned resources will help keep you informed of potential outbreaks in the future. | 3,446 | 1,728 | 0.000583 |
warc | 201704 | 1The modern nation-state demands its subjects to be disciplined and educated in a national curriculum. That curriculum contains the basic elements of modern science, required for educating an adequate workforce, but also basic elements of national culture, such as language and history. Religion can be regarded as part of national culture, but in secularist states students are taught to reject that part of culture, see it as a historical aberration and become atheist. I define here secularism as a project to remove religion from public life and, if possible even from public consciousness, that can be in Communist societies, such as China. It bears family resemblance with secularist projects in non-Communist societies, such as France, but it is much more extreme. Secularism as an ideology offers a teleology of religious decline and can function as a self-fulfilling prophecy. It is important to examine the role of intellectuals in furthering this understanding of history but also their relation to sources of power: state apparatuses and social movements. Secularism is a forceful ideology when carried by political movements that capture both the imagination and the means to mobilize social energies. At the same time it is important to attend to the utopian and, indeed, religious elements in secularist projects in order to understand why many of these movements seem to tap into traditional and modern sources of witchcraft, millenarianism, and charisma. Moreover, we need to consider the secular and the religious as mutually constitutive, so that also what is religious is shaped by secularism.
2As long as religion has not been successfully removed from society (and in reality it never is which constantly fuels the secularist project) it needs to be regulated. As a project secularism has its ends (atheist society), its means (education), its resources (taxation) but, importantly, also its obstacles and limitations. It is sometimes strongly supported by state officials and political leaders and sometimes it is deemed of less importance or even discarded. Its description therefore requires historical and spatial specificity. In Shanghai today (but not in the 1920s) it is hard to find public manifestations of religion (although one can find them), but in Xiamen, for instance, it is not difficult at all. Since intellectuals are central to education and the understanding of national culture and, in many cases like China, are civil servants connected to the state their debates require special attention, as is shown, for instance, in the membership of the French Stasi Commission that advised the government on its relation to Islam (among others Mohammed Arkoun, Régis Debray, Alain Touraine, Gilles Kepel, Jean Baubérot, well-known French intellectuals and scholars).
3
Secularism as a project is different from secularization as a process. In Western Europe (but not in the USA) we see a process of “unchurching,” in which there is a decline of church membership and church attendance. In such secularized societies, like the Netherlands or Germany, one may still have schools that are governed by a school board that belongs to a religious community, but financially supported by tax money and under the supervision of state inspection, while the curriculum is hardly different from state schools. In Europe today religion is mostly taught in as a secular subject of interest in developing multiculturalism. This again is different from India (a society that is in many ways comparable to China) where religious communities are teaching their own religion in state-sponsored schools, but within the framework of a national curriculum. The location of religion in educating national subjects is, obviously, a function of the location of religion in the imagination of the nation. If religious education has to take place entirely outside of the state-supported school system religious groups need to find other sites for educating its members in the basic tenets of the faith and the methods of religious communication. 1 Asad, Genealogies of Religion, p. 31-32.
4Education is central to religion. To be able to send, receive, and interpret the religious message one needs to be educated. Despite the Deist claim that religion is natural, it is in fact culturally acquired. One could perhaps compare learning a religion with learning a language, and indeed ritual communication has often been studied as a form of language. Many religions have ritual manuals about what to do when and for what purpose and this practical knowledge may be more important than the content of what people believe, or their “inner states,” although some religions, especially Protestantism, do put a lot of emphasis on interiority. This is not to say that the concept of “belief” has no significance in Chinese religions. Buddhism does have a set of dogmas and does emphasize liberating insight or belief as an important step towards the end of suffering. The education in sacred truth, in sacred rituals, in correct behavior is an indispensable element of religions. If we think of the ways in which we are socialized to understand symbols (religious and non-religious) and their relation to practice it is clear that we have to study not only religions but also how religious symbols become authoritative in relation to other representations and discourses.1 For example, if one becomes a Buddhist in a Communist country Buddhist symbols are discursively constructed and understood in relation to the dominant (or state-supported) discourse of Communism.
5Where does this education take place? People are, first of all, educated within their families and one should never forget how important early socialization within the family is for acquiring particular habits, patterns of thought, both linguistic and extra-linguistic. It is also in the family that religious dispositions are acquired. This kind of informal education has been dominant everywhere till the 19th century and still prevails in many parts of the world. Given the gendered division of labor in many societies fathers and mothers have often a different role in religious education. In Brahman families in India it is often the mother that imparts a devotional sensibility, while the father often educates his sons in ritual and theological knowledge.
2 Bourdieu, The State Nobility.
6A special case is the “home schooling” movement in the USA that has brought formal education into the family in one of the technologically most advanced societies in the world. The rise of formal education outside the family has been a 20th-century phenomenon and in many places only a late-20th-century phenomenon. In societies in which one does not have enough schools for the population informal education in the family is still the only thing available. Where one does have a developed school system it remains important, as Bourdieu points out, that there is a synergy between familial and school education for acquiring specific knowledge, tastes, and skills for the reproduction of class. 2
7One way of estimating the spread of education in a society is looking at literacy rates. Even in a fast developing society as India literacy is not universal and the literacy rate is around 74 percent in 2011 and shows great gender disparity (82 percent for men, 65 percent for women). This is different in China where literacy is above 90 percent now, but for most of its history China has had low literacy rates like everywhere else. Illiterate parents cannot teach children to be literate, so that the spread of formal education is essential in acquiring literacy skills. Such skills have also their effects on religion, since reading and comprehending religious texts transform the ways in which religious dispositions are formed. It can, for instance, be argued that the translation of the Bible in the vernacular and its spread by means of the new printing technology made Protestantism attractive. It is therefore important to realize that large parts of the population of China were illiterate till relatively recently and that this fact is relevant to understand the nature of religion in China in the past and its change in the present.
3 Elman & Woodside (eds.), Education and Society in Late Imperial China.
8Outside of the family it is the temple and the monastery that are throughout history sites of education. Again, it is relatively recent that they have been rivaled or overtaken by state sponsored schools. It was only in the late 19th century that in Europe the old universities of Oxford and Cambridge were loosening their ties with the state church. Still, many of the arrangements in these universities (and elsewhere in Europe) recall the religious nature of higher learning. This was also true for China, obviously. To be educated for major administrative positions one needed to learn interpretations of the classical canon that were tied up with an imperial ritual system and a Confucian cosmology. The centralization of the examination system has been one of the major features of the development of the bureaucracy in China and looked at with admiration from outside of China. It does not seem to be correct to see this as a secular system, since it partly promoted what one could call a Confucian mind-set, a kind of moral and political theory, as well as a ritual complex that legitimated the sacred nature of the imperial system.3
4 Fassin, “The Geopolitics of Vatican Theology”.
9This raises the question of the rise of secularism. The reformers at the end of the Qing period were in many respects not very different from reformers in India or other parts of Asia. Their main concern was to provide a modern curriculum that would enable their societies to “catch up” with the fast modernization of Europe. Very important in the 19th century is the growing centrality of scientific knowledge in which empirical observations are combined with mathematical models. It is not anymore the case that knowledge is produced within a religious system or with reference to a classical canon. It is produced outside of that system and in principle indifferent to it. The main element in that indifference is that religious claims for fundamental knowledge about nature become increasingly untenable and cannot be allowed to obstruct scientific inquiry. The secular (not secularist) demand for better education to enable progress does not have to do away with religion and in many cases in Europe, the USA, or India it does not. In principle religious schools can accommodate rational inquiry and scientific knowledge. In fact, Christian schools in Europe and in the colonies in the late 19th century often prided themselves on the excellence of their secular curriculum. Indeed, major schools and institutions of higher education in India and China have their origin in Christian missions. After the polemics surrounding Darwin’s discoveries a split occurred in Protestant churches between those who accepted the findings of modern science and those who rejected it. In the Catholic Church the authority of the Pope determined the relation between science and religion, but gradually Catholicism has also embraced the notion that it is completely in tune with modern science which effectively means that it has abandoned its authority in this field.4
10In the 19th century a substantial number of Protestant institutions began to develop the stance that modern science was compatible with Christianity, creating a growing split between liberal (“progressive”) Protestantism and forms of traditional Protestantism (Evangelicalism, Pentecostalism, and others) that rejected especially Darwinism. In the missionary field this liberal perspective on modern Christianity was accompanied by the claim that other religions were “backward” and an obstacle to progress. From a 19th-century evolutionary perspective Christianity belonged to an “advanced” society, while religions like Islam, Hinduism, or Daoism could be portrayed as steeped in ignorance. This attack on the backwardness of native religions led in turn to native apologetics that stressed the scientific nature of the religions in question and often claimed their scientific superiority. In that way religion’s relation to science became a major criterion for its suitability to modern society.
11If religious education cannot anymore impart knowledge about nature it can still be important in teaching moral conduct. An important distinction that is made in the 19th century and is prevalent till today is that between magic as pseudo-science and religion as a source of positive morality. We find a classic statement of this opposition in Edward Tylor’s work, but more influential has been Weber’s theory of rationalization and disenchantment. Weber does not argue that there is a process of decline of religion, but rather that religion purifies itself from magical elements and reaches (first of all in Protestantism) a higher stage of morality and rationality that is conducive to economic and societal progress. While Weber emphasizes the role of religious groups, priests and charismatic innovators in this process of rationalization, Marx sees such groups as simple tools of the ruling class and the religious morality of capitalism as another form of magic, namely commodity fetishism that has to be overcome to allow for the liberation of the people. Both strands of sociological analysis, based in Enlightenment thought, have had great influence on the issue of religion and education in China. Popular religion or superstition (
mixin) were forms of magic and people had to be educated to discard these wrong beliefs. Monastic religions, such as Buddhism and Daoism, were seen as too much connected to popular magic to be able to perform this task of educating the masses. Reformers like Taixu in Buddhism responded to that by proposing substantial reforms in Buddhism to make it a modern, national religion with transnational connections. 5 Van der Veer, “L’État moral : religion, nation et Empire dans la Grande-Bretagne Victorienne et l’ (...) 6 Leung, “Elementary Education in the Lower Yangtze Region in the Seventeenth and Eighteenth Centuri (...)
12The move to make religion into the source of national morality, conducive to progress, requires the nationalization of religion.5 This development we find both in Europe and in Asia in the second half of the 19th century. Religion becomes one of the fields of disciplinary practice in which the modern self is produced. It is seen as not only important in the production of the modern subject but also in the production of the modern public. Consequently, religion is important not only in the shaping of religious conscience and civilized conduct, but also in the creation of the public sphere. In Britain and in India missionary movements have been central to the development of a public sphere in which not only modern Christianity, but also religious reform in other religions as well as anti-colonialism was shaped. Although Christian conversion had some success in the colonized world and in India and China it remained marginal in terms of numbers, the real impact has been on indigenous religions. In India a number of Hindu and Muslim reform movements built their own schools and universities with a modern curriculum and a nationalist agenda. In China this seems to have been less the case, although attempts were made to introduce a Confucian nationalism in the schools. However, these were state schools and not schools supported by religious movements. In his paper for this issue Liu Xun shows that the Nanyang Daoist monastery did start modern schools and vocational training programs. This then was an initiative taken by Daoist clergy with the support of the laity and thus dependent on donations in the form of temple lands. By being dependent on landholdings they were easy targets for secularist attacks. Lay movements are much more difficult to target, since they spring from the common people that make up the nation. According to Angela Leung the Yangtze Delta had already a substantial number of charitable schools in the 17th and 18th centuries.6 In her analysis these community schools for the poor were important instruments in a cultural war against an emerging popular culture. Here, again, is the remarkable emphasis on disciplining rather than educating the masses that continues till the present day. It shows how much earlier elite misgivings about popular religion preceded the modernist anti-religion campaigns in the 19th and 20th centuries.
7 Van der Veer, Imperial Encounters.
13The concerted attacks on religious institutions and the professed emphasis on building secular schools is something we know from Communist rule everywhere. In that sense Communism is a true heir of the Jacobinism of the French revolution. However, the Chinese case is different from, say, East-European cases in that these attacks started long before the victory of Communism. As many scholars have pointed out attacks on religious institutions under the rubric of removing obstacles to progress began already in the last decades of the Qing dynasty. Various forms of nationalism try to destroy popular religion which includes arbitrarily from time to time forms of formal, monastic Daoist and Buddhist religion. This is completely different from the Indian case in which religion is the basis of anti-colonial nationalism. It is Christian colonialism that is seen by many Indian nationalists as threatening the nation despite the fact that the colonial government takes pains in showing religious neutrality and in many ways distances itself from Christian missions. In India therefore the educational field is filled with religious initiatives of a wide variety of movements and communities who all want to stem the expansion of Christianity and enhance the upward mobility of their group or community. In China it is the indigenous state itself, however pressurized by imperial forces, that takes on the competition with the West and turns against the indigenous religion as cause of the nation’s backwardness. In the last analysis it is the nature of state-society relations that determines the location of religion in it. In India in the early 19th century the East India Company was giving patronage to temples and festivals, following the pattern of Hindu and Muslim kingdoms. It is only under great pressure from Christian evangelical groups in Britain that the company was forced to withdraw its support of “idolatrous, heathen” practices and develop a policy of religious neutrality. However, this was only a withdrawal of sorts since the British then became very active in setting up systems and committees to manage religious endowments. These committees, in turn, became important arenas for organizing the public sphere, for both Hindus and Muslims.7
14This is not to deny that all colonial parties – missionaries, traders, and administrators – understood civil society to be based on Christian civilization and thus supported all efforts to use education to reform Indian society. To advocate the spread of English to the higher classes as against supporting the “oriental languages” the administrator Thomas Babington Macaulay (himself a son of a missionary) wrote a famous
Minute on India Education (1835) in which the education in English literature was recommended to spread civilization, from which I want to cite the following telling passage:
I have no knowledge of either Sanscrit or Arabic. -But I have done what I could to form a correct estimate of their value. I have read translations of the most celebrated Arabic and Sanscrit works. I have conversed both here and at home with men distinguished by their proficiency in the Eastern tongues. I am quite ready to take the Oriental learning at the valuation of the Orientalists themselves. I have never found one among them who could deny that a single shelf of a good European library was worth the whole native literature of India and Arabia. The intrinsic superiority of the Western literature is, indeed, fully admitted by those members of the Committee who support the Oriental plan of education.
It is both missionary and secular literature that is put to the service of educating the natives. This point is of more general significance given the importance of literature (prose and poetry) to educate elites about themselves (emotions, intentions, meaning of life) in modern societies, in which sacred texts have lost their monopoly of moral education. It is modern English education in literature and science that does the civilizing work, while Indian classical learning, rooted in Hindu or Muslim civilization, is discarded or marginalized.
15One may suggest that the opposition between secular and religious needs to be redrawn in India under colonial conditions between modern secular Christian on the one hand and traditional religious Hindu, Muslim, Buddhist, Taoist on the other. Macaulay’s speech as a Member of the India Council highlights another element that is of high importance in Indian education:
We must at present do our best to form a class who may be interpreters between us and the millions whom we govern, -a class of persons Indian in blood and colour, but English in tastes, in opinions, in morals and in intellect.
India, obviously, was impossible to govern from small and far-away England and was thus to be ruled by native servants of the Empire. Colonial policy made English into an Indian language which it is today, but simultaneously it made it into the language of the ruling class which it continues to be. In India, therefore, we find a “split” public sphere with English on the one hand and the various vernacular languages on the other.
8 Bilik, “Language, Ethnicity, and Internal Frontiers.”
16Written Mandarin, largely based on Northern dialects of Chinese, has been a great unifier in Chinese dynastic history for a very long time and this has been reinforced by the Imperial examinations. There has therefore never been a doubt that it would continue to be the language of instruction in Republican China. It has further undergone a major standardization and simplification in the PRC. The distinction that one makes in India between English and vernaculars is made in China between “the common language” (
putonghua) and the various dialects and languages that are spoken in China (and are in a number of cases mutually unintelligible). This produces a linguistic situation that is more similar to Europe where the state language (dependent on centralized education) marginalizes local and regional languages than to India where the colonial situation produced a split public sphere and an education system that employed besides English a number of vernaculars as languages for instruction. Given the dominance of Mandarin Chinese in China there is also much less scope for regional demands to be instructed in regional languages instead of Mandarin. This in turn makes separatism on the basis of language less viable than in India. In fact, in China it is not ethno-linguistic mobilization, but the state in its Ethno-National Identification Project of the 1950-70s that first classifies 56 officially recognized ethnicities (partly based on linguistic criteria) and then develops guidelines for the strengthening of minority education, including language. This ethnicity policy has come under intense pressure after the reforms of 1978 from arguments that blame language for the “backwardness” of minorities which has led to the new National Common Language Law of the PRC, passed in 2000, which requires knowledge of Chinese to qualify for citizenship.8 The effects of mass migration to the urban centers of China on linguistic diversity can similarly be expected to be substantial.
17In India linguistic nationalism
per se has not led to the break-up of the nation-state, but a linguistic configuration has developed in which large numbers of people speak three languages: English, Hindi (a widespread national language that is also used in Bollywood movies) and the regional language. In combination with religion, however, language became one of the elements in the political mobilization of Hindus and Muslims. Urdu and Hindi are basically the same language, but Urdu uses Perso-Arabic script and a vocabulary largely derived from Arabic and Farsi, while Hindi is written in Sanskritic script and uses a Sanskritic vocabulary. The spoken language (often called Hindustani) was, more or less, a mix between these vocabularies with local and regional influences. From the end of the 19th century language mobilization around Hindi and Urdu, especially focusing on the language of education and administration and thus on the availability of government jobs, were an important part of growing communal antagonism. Despite the fact that Muslims in different parts of India spoke regional languages Urdu became the language of Muslim separatism and the national language of Pakistan. However, in the 1970s East Pakistan with its Bengali-speaking Muslim population broke off from Pakistan and formed Bangladesh (the country of Bengalis) partly because of linguistic discrimination.
18In China, however, language is not in that way intimately tied to religious communities, except for Tibetan Buddhists and Uyghur Muslims who indeed on a variety of religious, cultural, and linguistic grounds demand a separate nation/state. The Hui minority in China lives dispersed over the country and speaks mutually unintelligible dialects and languages very much like Muslims in India who speak Tamil, Malayalam, or Bengali, the languages of the regions in which they live. However, the Hui do not have a numerical presence in China and a widespread “Muslim language” like Urdu that could provide for strong ethnic-religious mobilization. Arabic, the language of the Quran, provides access to religious texts in madrassa education but is in India and in China not the language of communication among Muslims. Similarly, Buddhists and Taoists learn forms of language that give them access to the sacred canon, but these are languages of religious education rather than communication.
9 Madsen, Democracy’s Dharma.
19In China today there is a disjuncture between the widespread availability of temples, monasteries, sacred places as well as the ubiquitous availability of numerological speculation and geomancy on the one hand and the removal of religion from education on the other. How then do people learn about religious ideas and behavior outside the family? When it is more or less allowed to perform religion how does one know what is correct and what is not in the absence of religious education? It is striking that in the emergence and rise of the Falungong out of the plethora of Qigong movements in the 1990s it is not the internal religious debate about correct beliefs and practices that determine its fate, but the decision by the state that it is politically dangerous. By banning religion from education, but not from public life and consciousness the state is effectively leaving this social space open for religious imagination. This imagination is fuelled by a wide range of image producers, most prominently television and film. This may not make religion into a viable ingredient of an emerging public sphere, as is the case in Taiwan according to Richard Madsen, but it does produce a highly creative arena of exploration.9 | 27,763 | 11,107 | 0.000091 |
warc | 201704 | Beatrice Webb
challenges and difficulties
Webb fears of becoming emotionally dependent upon others, and may distance herself or deny her needs for relationships of closeness and intimacy so that she will not be vulnerable to rejection or abandonment. On the other hand, Beatrice Webb may cling excessively or need constant reassurance from loved ones and family. Developing a deep, inner sense of security, as well as the ability to give and receive nurturing are important tasks for Beatrice.
It may be difficult for Beatrice Webb to play spontaneously or just let her hair down, for she tends to inhibit that side of her by being too self-conscious and concerned with the impression she is making.
Beatrice may work very hard at some sport or creative medium in order to excel, for she wants very, very much to be noticed, acknowledged, and recognized as special in some way. Though she may indeed be outstanding, Beatrice Webb also needs to learn to relax and enjoy herself more.
Beatrice Webb has a serious outlook on life and a tendency to dwell on her own flaws as well as those of everyone else. Webb could be rather reserved with people and may find it difficult to express herself, giving a more negative impression than she intended.
Very cautious and reserved, Beatrice Webb could find it difficult to express herself. She is a bit inhibited around others and does not seem to get much cooperation from them, causing Beatrice to be disappointed.
Now we will discuss patterns of behavior which Beatrice Webb instinctively and habitually reverts to when under stress - a mostly subconscious process that she is apt to over indulge in because it is so familiar and hence easy for her. The direction Beatrice Webb needs to follow in order to develop balance, greater awareness, and wholeness is also described.
Cultivating the qualities of empathy, gentleness, and compassion will help counterbalance Webb's deeply ingrained perfectionism and critical nature. When under stress, she is apt to try to rigorously analyze and focus on what needs to be corrected or improved, and she can easily become problem-oriented and lose sight of the big picture.
Beatrice Webb has to learn to relax and surrender to the flow of events without having to figure everything out all the time. She should let her feelings and intuitions flow more freely, be more flexible and fluid, use her imagination and let her dreams emerge!
It is deep within herself, as Beatrice Webb faces her own demons, fears, and struggles - those aspects of life that are not easily or readily shared, those parts of her life that Beatrice Webb keeps hidden from public view where she is most likely to wrestle with these issues.
The qualities described above can also be beneficially channeled into some sort of charitable work, altruistic service or ministering to people in need.
The following are specific activities that will support Beatrice Webb in her growth. These may or may not feel natural to Webb, and she may initially resist or feel awkward about them, but they are crucial to her path to wholeness.
Beatrice Webb should become more aware of the spiritual side of life and its underlying unity by getting involved in charitable activities and opening up her psychic channels. Meditation that develops Webb's intuitive abilities, as well as learning about the unseen side of life through her own dream experiences or altered states of awareness, can be important steps in Beatrice's path.
Moreover, musical and artistic or imaginative endeavors will be important to her.
She is very social minded and it is easy for Beatrice Webb to show her affection. Her family or community probably provided good possibilities for her development. Webb may love to show off a little and she thrives on being involved with others in joyful group activities.
Beatrice Webb loves to show off the strength that she possesses and she has a strong desire to dominate others. Beatrice seems to have an exuberant craving for recognition and importance and a need to influence and lead large groups of people.
Astrological factors in this Astro Profile section:
Saturn in Cancer
Saturn in 5th house
Saturn Opposition Sun/Mercury
Saturn Opposition Mars/Asc.
N. Node in Pisces
N. Node in 12th house
N. Node Conjunct Neptune
N. Node Conjunct Sun/Jupiter
N. Node Conjunct Sun/Pluto | 4,364 | 2,029 | 0.000496 |
warc | 201704 | Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker this week announced $98 million in budget cuts in response to anticipated revenue shortfalls, including nearly $1 million in cuts to the HIV/AIDS line item. These cuts will impact a range of programs, including HIV counseling and testing, access to pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), and access to clean syringes and life-saving Narcan. “These reductions are concerning and could threaten the care and services that Fenway Health and other organizations provide to thousands of people living with HIV/AIDS and hepatitis C, as well as the prevention programs that have been so effective in helping us reduce new diagnosesRead More
The Massachusetts Getting to Zero Coalition, led by the AIDS Action Committee and Fenway Health, and over 35 supporting organizations from the six health regions of the Commonwealth, today released a plan to end HIV/AIDS in Massachusetts. The plan seeks to ensure that by 2020, 90 percent of those living with HIV are aware of their status; 90 percent of those diagnosed with HIV are treated with antiretroviral therapy; and 90 percent of those receiving antiretroviral treatment are virally suppressed. It is modeled on the Getting to Zero new HIV infections plan created by the Joint United Nations Programme onRead More
Note: The following was written by GLAD in regards to the great work of the Treat Lipodystrophy Coalition. On August 10, Governor Charlie Baker signed into law An Act Relative to HIV-Associated Lipodystrophy Syndrome Treatment, and the law will go into effect November 9. This first-of-its-kind legislation, sponsored by Senator Mark Montigny and Representative Sarah Peake, requires public and private insurers to cover treatment of a debilitating side effect of early HIV medications. This law means that some of the longest-term survivors of the HIV epidemic will finally have access to critical health care they need and deserve. The informationRead More
Digital technologies. Social networks. Breakthroughs in habit formation. Advances in medical therapy. These are some of the innovative tools that scientists and researchers at The Fenway Institute are exploring to fight the HIV pandemic here at home and around the world. Next week, a team of five Fenway scientists and researchers led by Kenneth H. Mayer, M.D., Medical Research Director and Co-Chair of The Fenway Institute, will bring their latest findings to the International AIDS Conference in Durban, South Africa. The annual event features experts in science, public policy, and public health presenting new research in HIV treatment, prevention, andRead More
We are thrilled to announce that Kenneth Mayer, MD, Co-Chair and Medical Research Director at The Fenway Institute, has been honored by the HIV Prevention Trials Network (HPTN) with its first ever Ward Cates Spirit Award. This award recognizes a Network member who has made outstanding contributions to HPTN’s mission through public health advocacy, leadership, and mentoring. The Spirit Award is named for Willard (Ward) Cates Jr., MD, MPH, Distinguished Scientist and President Emeritus of FHI 360 and Principal Investigator of HIVNET’s International Master Contractor and HPTN from 1994 to 2006. Cates passed away in March of 2016. Winners ofRead More | 3,290 | 1,643 | 0.000613 |
warc | 201704 | Drugs to treat bladder infections - Flotrol Bladder Control for Overactive Bladders
Natural Flotrol Bladder Control for Overactive Bladders Drugs to treat bladder infections -
Don't let your overactive bladder dictate your schedule - take control with the Flotrol Natural Bladder Control and Support supplement. Promoting bladder health and your quality of life with Flotrol Bladder Control Formula. Bladder and urinary tract health can have emotional, psychological and social effects. Take steps now to maintain bladder and urinary tract health with Flotrol for Men and Women.
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Features soy extract plus pumpkin seed extracts
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A normal bladder has a capacity of 400 to 500 milliliters. During normal urination, ring like bands of muscles known as sphincters relax or contract to either stop or start the flow of urine. During urination, the bladder walls contract or relax as well. It is important to keep these muscles toned and strong as we age for optimal urinary and bladder health.
The Flotrol Bladder Control Formula can help strengthen these muscles while also having a unique calming effect on the bladder. It is a combination of soy germ extract and lipid-free pumpkin seed extract. Soy is considered to be beneficial for maintaining a healthy bladder. The use of pumpkin seed dates back to 16th century when it was used for urinary tract health.
In a clinical study, subjects were given a tablet that contained a combination of pumpkin seed and soybean germ extracts over a period of several weeks. Measurements were taken for frequency of urination during the day and night, any emergency episodes and the degree of satisfaction. Marked improvement in urinary tract health and quality of life was shown after the first week with further improvement after the second week and, compared with the pretrial observational period, continued to improve throughout week six.
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January 9, 2017. What is a Urinary Tract Infection? | UTI Symptoms & Treatment (https://www.plannedparenthood.org/learn/womens-heal th/utis) What is the treatment for a urinary tract infection (UTI)? What are common antibiotics used to treat a urinary tract infection... Check potential drug interactions;
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January 5, 2017. UTI Treatment | Everyday Health (http://www.everydayhealth.com/uti/guide/treatment/) In-Depth From A.D.A.M. Medications. Although antibiotics are the first treatment choice for urinary tract infections, antibiotic-resistant strains of E. coli, the...
January 19, 2017. 7 Best Remedies for Bladder Infections - Healthline (http://www.healthline.com/health/bladder-infection- treatments)... Urinary tract infection... and determine the best antibiotic for treatment... be pregnant before taking these drugs. RECURRENT BLADDER INFECTIONS.
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January 16, 2017. Urinary Tract Infections - Rexall.ca (http://www.rexall.ca/articles/view/229/Urinary-Trac t-Infections) WebMD provides a list of common medications used to treat Bacterial Urinary Tract Infection.
January 6, 2017. Drugs Used to Treat Kidney and Urinary Tract Disorders (http://www.merckvetmanual.com/pharmacology/systemic -pharmacotherapeutics-of-the-urinary-system/bacteri al-urinary-tract-infections) Urinary Tract Infections (UTI... there is a greater likelihood of finding a cause that requires treatment other than simply giving drugs to treat the infection...
January 4, 2017. List of drugs used for Urinary Tract Infection / Urinary... (http://www.medindia.net/drugs/medical-condition/gen eral-info-about-urinary-tract-infection.htm) Urinary tract infection the best drugs for kidney and bladder problems.
January 13, 2017. Urinary Tract Infections - Shoppers Drug Mart (https://www1.shoppersdrugmart.ca/en/health-and-phar macy/conditions/urinary-tract-infections/234) Bladder Infection - Treatment... drug test) is a test performed... A urinary tract infection (UTI) is an infection of the bladder, kidneys, ureters...
January 7, 2017. Treat and Prevent UTIs Without Drugs - Chris Kresser (https://chriskresser.com/treat-and-prevent-utis-wit hout-drugs/) Bacterial urinary tract infections (UTIs) typically result from normal skin and GI tract flora ascending the urinary tract and overcoming the normal urinary tract...
January 21, 2017. Compare 134 Urinary Tract Infection Medications | Drugs.com (https://www.drugs.com/condition/urinary-tract-infec tion.html) Urinary tract infection... Most cases of UTIs clear up after a few days of drug treatment... White B. Diagnosis and treatment of urinary tract infections in...
January 8, 2017. Urinary Tract Infection Home Remedies & UTI Symptoms (http://www.medicinenet.com/urinary_tract_infection/ article.htm) Urinary tract infections (UTIs), which are infections anywhere along the urinary tract including the bladder and kidneys, are the second most common type of infection...
January 10, 2017. Urinary Tract Infection Medication - GoodRx (https://www.goodrx.com/urinary-tract-infection/drug s?type=prescription) A urinary tract infection is an infection involving the kidneys, ureters, bladder, or urethra. These are the structures that urine passes through before being...
January 14, 2017. Urinary tract infection - Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urinary_tract_infecti on) Urinary tract infection (UTI)... Treatments and drugs;... Doctors typically treat urinary tract infections with antibiotics.
January 18, 2017. Urinary tract infection - adults: MedlinePlus Medical... (https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/000521.htm) A urinary tract infection (UTI) is an infection that affects part of the urinary tract. When it affects the lower urinary tract it is known as a bladder infection...
January 22, 2017. Urinary tract infection (UTI) Treatments and drugs - Mayo... (http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/urina ry-tract-infection/basics/treatment/con-20037892) Compare drugs associated with Urinary Tract Infection. The following list of medications are in some way related to, or used in the treatment of this condition. | 9,228 | 3,600 | 0.000279 |
warc | 201704 | Most marketers have figured out how to monitor social media comments, at the very least to protect their brand. Far fewer take action on the intelligence they gather, in large part because many “listening” tools don’t offer those features.
Canadian social analytics firm Sysomos, helmed by former Microsoft bigwig Lindsay Sparks, seeks to shake things up with an integrated marketing platform—one that pulls together several, previously separate social analytics services. The Sysomos account list boasts more than 1,400 brands including Boeing, Coca-Cola, Marriott, and Mondelez.
The new product, called Sysomos Everything Together, combines Sysomos’ monitoring applications. That means marketers can use a single application to identify trending topics and who is influencing conversations, and then optimize their own paid marketing campaigns accordingly.
“Managing a brand effectively requires knowing who is talking about you, who could potentially be talking about you, what they are saying, and knowing the right way to engage,” said Sparks, in a statement. “This platform is only the beginning of what we’re unlocking for companies and agencies in the future,” he added.
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Sysomos’ chief marketing officer Mark Young dodged questions about how much the combined platform costs, saying pricing for the service varies depending on how many people access the metrics dashboard as well as how many different topics or campaigns will be monitored. Companies can still buy Sysomos’ applications separately.
Centralized orchestration is something many marketing teams increasingly crave for their social media efforts, said Lyndsay Wise, an analyst with market research firm Enterprise Management Associates. That is inspiring consolidation among social analytics startups as they seek to broaden the breadth of their offerings.
“Organizations tend to build up their suite—so they will buy one module and expand their services as they see the need,” Wise said. “What companies really need is a starting point where they can build up a platform to monitor customer-related conversations and integrate that with information from wider sources and then apply text and other analytics to that data as opposed to looking at individual data sources only.”
Toronto-based Sysomos, which employs about 500 people, is spending $100 million to build its orchestration platform. It’s one of the select companies that has access to the Twitter firehouse, along with metrics for Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, WeChat, Weibo, and other services.
Traditionally speaking, Sysomos has competed mainly with the likes of Sprinklr or Hootsuite, which also offer social monitoring dashboards. It hopes to expand its reach significantly through its acquisition of Expion, which specialized in campaign management. (The Expion applications will be added to Sysomos Everything Together over time.) This expanded focus will place Sysomos in more direct competition with much larger marketing analytics and automation software companies including Adobe, IBM, Oracle, and Salesforce. | 3,210 | 1,582 | 0.000654 |
warc | 201704 | BY: Follow @Kredo0
The White House is currently examining ways to enable Iran to have its own “domestic” uranium enrichment program, according to a senior Obama administration official.
As the details of a six month interim nuclear deal between Iran and Western nations are hashed out, the White House is exploring the practicality of permitting Iran to continue certain enrichment activities, an issue that Iranian officials have described as a “redline.”
“Over the next six months, we will explore, in practical terms, whether and how Iran might end up with a limited, tightly constrained, and intensively monitored civilian nuclear program, including domestic enrichment,” White House National Security Council (NSC) spokesman Caitlin Hayden told the
Washington Free Beacon.
“Any such program,” she said, “would be subject to strict and verifiable curbs on its capacity and stockpiles of enriched uranium for a significant number of years and tied to practical energy needs that will remain minimal for years to come.”
The White House clarified its openness to a limited Iranian enrichment program just days after Iranian President Hassan Rouhani promised to “forge ahead” with the country’s controversial nuclear program.
Rouhani stated over the weekend that Iran’s contested enrichment program
The deal reached in Geneva would provide Iran up to $7 billion dollars in sanctions relief in exchange for a temporary halt to some of its nuclear activities, including the enrichment of nuclear fuel to high-grade levels.
Iran’s right to enrich uranium, the key component in a nuclear bomb, had been a key sticking point in Geneva. Many in Congress say that Iran should be forced to dismantle its entire nuclear program and be prohibited from all enrichment activities.
Asked about Rouhani’s promise to continue enriching uranium—a promise echoed by other senior Iranian officials—the White House’s Hayden told the
Free Beacon that “the United States does not recognize that Iran has a ‘right to enrich.’”
However, “the Iranian people should have access to nuclear energy for peaceful purposes,” Hayden said, echoing recent comments made by Obama.
The precise requirements of the interim deal with Iran have yet to be finalized, the White House told the
Free Beacon last week. This means that Iran is not yet beholden to the six-month nuclear freeze negotiated as part of the deal.
The White House could not tell the
Free Beacon late Monday exactly when these final discussion will take place.
Congressional critics have lambasted the White House in recent days for approving a deal that they say would allow the Iranians to continue their most controversial nuclear activities.
“Providing Iran with sanctions relief without dismantling their nuclear weapons program was a colossal mistake,” Rep. Peter Roskam (R., Ill.) told the
Free Beacon on Tuesday.
“The Obama administration bargained away America’s greatest pressure point on Iran in exchange for empty promises and cosmetic concessions,” said Roskam, who has led a push in the House to enact more stringent sanctions on Iran.
“It’s no surprise the Iranian regime is already taking a victory lap, proudly trumpeting its right to enrich uranium and maintain nuclear infrastructure under the agreement,” he said.
Others demanded that the White House explain why Iran can be trusted to continue its enrichment activities given the regime’s past efforts to deceive the world and obfuscate its weapons program
“Everything Iran enriches is a risk that they could make a nuclear bomb,” said one senior official with a Jewish organization. “They’re playing games” with the public and “need to be clear on what their bottom line is.” “
“Five centrifuges is five too many,” the source said. “Nine-thousand centrifuges is 9,000 too many.”
The White House maintains that it will address all unresolved issues with Iran as the deal develops.
Iran has made clear that it will not halt activity at its nuclear sites in Fordow and Arak despite promises to do so.
“Iran must also address the future disposition of Fordow and Arak, and the relevant [United Nations] Security Council resolutions,” Hayden told the
Free Beacon. “Iran has acknowledged that such constraints must be part of any long-term arrangement, which is a major concession and one they have opposed publicly and explicitly for years.”
The White House will not sign off on the final interim deal unless Iran agrees to everything previously discussed.
“The first step requires agreement on all aspects of the comprehensive solution,” Hayden said. “Nothing is agreed until everything is agreed.”
Meanwhile, the White House has reportedly been aggressively lobbying lawmakers to shelve legislation aimed at imposing new sanctions on Iran. | 5,043 | 2,274 | 0.000468 |
warc | 201704 | Sometimes, a great idea arrives ahead of its time. A person squints at a raw landscape, thinks about it in his bunk on a heaving ship, dreams of it. He scribbles a diagram. He remains quiet years later as others rediscover the same thing. Such was the case of a rugged geologist who island-hopped in […]
May 20 2015, 9pm in Alaska, tune in to KAKM Science Wednesdays, Alaska Public Media, for Frontier Scientists’ COOK INLET VOLCANOES. Volcanologists and geologists explore volcanic activity along Cook Inlet from ancient history to modern-day, monitor volcanic activity to provide important warnings, and even take a look at volcanoes from space. The episode features USGS […]
On a cool spring morning in the mountains of southwest Washington, 12-year old Cathy Cahill helped her dad plant scientific instruments around the base of trembling Mount St. Helens. A few days later, the volcano blew
Volcanoes are an awe-inspiring and hazardous part of our planet. And now, they’re being made to sing. Scientists are turning seismic data into audio data in order to grasp just what’s going on deep in the Earth’s crust, and better forecast future explosive eruptions.
On Saturday May 4th 2013 the Alaska Volcano Observatory detected a series of low-level explosions at Cleveland volcano. Three discrete explosions occurred at 5:00 am, 9:17 am, and 11:44 am Saturday, while subsequent less powerful rumbles on Sunday denoted an ongoing low-level eruption. The sequence of eruptions emitted ash, gas, and steam into local airspace. […]
“By dating ash,” said Richard Vanderhoek, “An archaeological site in Alaska, can be placed on a chronostratographic timeline.” Or in other words: the chemical makeup of the ash, matched with a volcano eruption, will provide an approximate date of the site. Archaeologists worldwide have dated ancient sites
One hundred years after the largest volcanic eruption of the 20th century, the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes is still a moonscape of ash and volcanic rock, without a tree or shrub in sight. The valley, located on the Alaska Peninsula where the Aleutians hook on to mainland Alaska, is a silent reminder of the […]
Roughly translated and abbreviated; ASH? WHAT ASH? *#/! ASH!, was the conversation between the Anchorage control tower and the KLM pilot who had the misfortune of flying through a volcanic ash cloud on a December morning in 1989. It was dark, as it is most December mornings in Alaskan North.
At current (Aug 01, 2011), the Alaska Volcano Observatory’s website status report has an advisory listed for Mount Cleveland: “A weak thermal anomaly was observed in satellite images of Cleveland over the past day… Short-lived explosions with ash clouds that could exceed 20,000 ft above sea level can occur without warning
With active volcanoes as close as 80 miles of Anchorage city limits, Alaskans are grateful for the professional volcano watchers who work in a nondescript building on the campus of Alaska Pacific University, topped with a massive array of tracking and communication instruments. “The August 18, 1992 Spurr eruption, sent an ash cloud here that […] | 3,211 | 1,724 | 0.000598 |
warc | 201704 | LONDON, July 12 (Reuters) – The owners of the Dutch liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal in Rotterdam are studying the possibility of opening a third jetty to accommodate small LNG ships after a surge in interest in using the fuel for transport, a spokesman said on Friday.
The Dutch Gate terminal is one of a handful of shipping hubs worldwide which are testing the demand for infrastructure needed to transport LNG that can be used to fuel ships and trucks.
Experts estimate that as much as 30 percent of new vessels will be fuelled by LNG by 2020 and that its share of global bunker fuel demand could rise to 8 percent by 2025.
“Given this growth potential of small-scale LNG and the interest we see, the two main shareholders of Gate are studying the possibility of developing a third jetty in the second half of 2015 specifically for small scale LNG,” said a spokesman for the terminal.
The two shareholders of the facility are Dutch companies Gasunie and Vopak.
The Rotterdam Gate LNG terminal will re-export its first small-scale LNG cargo in September, after Dutch utility Eneco signed a deal with industrial gases company AGA Gas to supply LNG for small-scale transport usage.
Shipping company Anthony Veder will transport the LNG from Rotterdam to Sweden’s Nynashamn terminal.
A spokesman for Eneco declined to give further details of the LNG supply deal.
Earlier this year, the AGA Gas took delivery of its first LNG-fuelling vessel which it uses to fuel a cruise liner.
The Netherlands expects that the business of using LNG for transport can generate 2.7 billion euros for the country by 2030, a study, which was released by the Nationaal LNG Platform, showed this week.
The body, which promotes the use of LNG for transport in the Netherlands, expects that 50 inland navigation vessels and 500 trucks will be powered by LNG by 2015, compared with 2 vessels and 100 trucks today. (Reporting by Karolin Schaps; Editing by David Evans) | 1,978 | 1,002 | 0.001014 |
warc | 201704 | One of the promises of the 21st century is a world full of robots. While we haven’t exactly made it to that automaton-filled vision yet, artificially intelligent technology is becoming more and more commonplace in our everyday lives. This has definitely been evident during this year’s CES show. One of the latest robot-inspired devices to debut at the trade show is PuddingBeanQ, billed as a robotic companion for kids:
…small robot, PuddingBeanQ, that can answer those innumerable “why” questions from young children at the CES 2017. According to company sources, PuddingBeanQ answers the questions under eights ask of life, the universe and everything. It also teaches music and basic maths and will understand up to 50 languages.
PuddingBeanQ harnesses the power of the internet to access various types of stories and education material. This large knowledge base allows the little robot to keep kids’ minds engaged, helping them to grow and learn:
Roobo has established a strategic partnership with Nuance to integrate learning and data-driven AI to create a conversational interface and encourage human interaction.
PuddingBeanQ has rich, human-like emotions that appeal to young kids and will react to human touch, plus instigates interactive games that encourage movement.
Roobo is expecting to officially launch the PuddingBeanQ product line in March of 2017. No word yet on pricing for this robot. | 1,444 | 802 | 0.00128 |
warc | 201704 | "At some point in the life of most local churches a critical point is reached when the core fellowship of those committed to gospel vision are outnumbered by a fringe who are there for quite different reasons, be it spiritual comfort, kids activities, personal support, or whatever. Regardless of the particular type of church government, all fellowships struggle to maintain focus around core vision when the fringe, be they believers or not, outnumber the gospel-oriented core. It is very hard to maintain focus, or alter any aspect of church life to reflect the gospel needs of a fresh generation, when the majority are committed to maintaining their comfort. When this happens "Christians" have been replaced with "churchgoers" who assume they are Christians."
Um, yep.
Expanding this beyond an individual congregation, I would say this is a predicament for all gospel-centered churches in areas where the attractional church is king, particularly here in the Bible Belt, where Christianity is "cultural" and the church with the most toys wins.
The Jollyblogger follows up:
That seems to be the nature of the beast when it comes to the church. The Exodus people of Israel quickly forgot their redemption and pined for their leeks and onions and devolved into complaints and idolatry. So much so that God had to let a generation die out before they could enter the promised land. And, if you read through the history of Israel it's easy to see how quickly the pattern that Honeysett describes here happens. The people of God forget or jettison their identity as redeemed people, and they jettison a redemption-driven agenda for other agendas. The church in Corinth is a good New Testament example of this. It's probably just something we have to accept and accept that getting the gospel into the church is an even greater priority than getting it into the world. I remember vaguely hearing Tim Keller talk about Redeemer in Manhattan. Redeemer is well known around the world as a leading light in gospel based, missionally driven ministry, yet if I remember correctly Keller said there were probably only a third or a little more at his church who were really getting the whole gospel-missional thing . . . So the point is that our first and greatest battle is to gospelize the church.
We are in a weird -- but frequently exhilarating -- position where the gospel is scandalous even to Christians.
So many of our brothers and sisters want the compartmentalized spirituality (putting in their religious time on Sunday mornings), the six steps to such-and-such messages, and the superficiality of apathy towards real community, that missional thinking and living, gospel-saturated and Jesus-centered messages, and the demands of relational intimacy freak them out. This stuff is a foreign language to them, and I see it constantly here in Nash Vegas, where "everyone" is a Christian, "everyone" goes to church.
A couple of weeks ago, reading on a Nashville church shopper's blog, I noticed a commenter urging her to look for a church that focuses on Jesus. Her reply was, "I've already found Jesus."
This is the default mode of Bible Belt Christianity. I've got my ticket punched, just give me the show now. I need a dynamic speaker on Sunday mornings, a rockin' band on the stage, a full service childcare facility, a big youth group, a coffee bar near the sanctuary, etc.
I've got Jesus already; give me something that matters to me now, something "relevant," something applicable.
And there is a never-ending appetite for this stuff because this stuff doesn't fix or fulfill anything. Seven steps to conquering conflict in your marriage won't eradicate conflict. So there's always demand for seven more steps next time around.
What I find especially ironic about the churches catering to ungospelized Christians is that they claim they exist for the unchurched. They are the ones actually reaching lost people, they say.
The data does not support this, of course. The number of megachurches has increased; the number of Christians has decreased. This does not compute. And when folks like Sally Morgenthaler start looking at the research, what they find is that the attractional machine, which purports to be for the lost and unchurched, basically just ends up attracting Christians from smaller or less "exciting" churches.
Should missional church pastors care? Do we want these folks?
Speaking for myself, yes. Except, I want to win them. I don't want them as they are. And frankly, as they are, they don't want what we've got anyway. To the cultural Christian, there is nothing attractive about a small church that expects relational community, practices regular neighborhood service, highlights the cost of discipleship in every message, has no menu of programs to partake from, and gives 60% of its money away (precluding a "nice" facility and assorted bells and whistles). But I want to reach them. All Christians are family. I love the big-C Church dearly. She is my passion, and I desperately want her to reform. (If you haven't noticed, that's the theme of this site.)
There are some who would say the missional communities should just write off their attractional brothers and sisters and focus on reaching the lost. I defy false dichotomies. And while I never poach (I've never invited members of other churches to Element before they themselves have first expressed interest in visiting), I pray and preach and try to live a life of witness so that my churched brothers and sisters will begin to crave the gospel and gospel-centrism in their congregations.
The more churched converts gospel-centrism receives -- we're talking about revival here, by the way -- the greater impact for the kingdom among the lost and "least of these" there will be. | 5,802 | 2,788 | 0.000361 |
warc | 201704 | Grandfather Economic Report series| Home &Contents | Summary | Feedback| What's New | Eye-opener| Must See | The GrandfatherEconomic Reports is a series of picturereports of threats to the economic future of families and their children, compared toprior generations - - from incomes to debt to education quality to health care tointernational trade balances to energy and national security. You are now at the briefchapter on Family Income (starting with this summary page and followed by the fullreport). Trends in family income, debt and savings are some of those threats facing ouryoung generation. Welcome. We hope your visit will find useful information to help you andyour loved ones. Knowledge is Power. FAMILIES UNDER MORE PRESSURE
Because > 4 DECADES OF STAGNANT MEDIAN FAMILY INCOMES (inflation-adjusted) - -
- - resulting in record high debt ratios and record low rates of savings,
- - with fewer retirement and medical benefits expected, - - and more children without a full-time mother as more must work to help make ends meet, - - with lower quality education and less parental quality time with their children. QUESTIONS: This page is a summary of the Full Family Income Report,linked below.
Many
young people and families 'feel' the financial squeeze.
In prior generations before 1970 real incomes and rates of savings were rising smartly. And rates of debt were low. Even with one wage-earner per family. Not now!!
The left picture is a sample of many in the Full Family Income Report (link bottom this page).
It shows > during the 32years 1977-2009 inflation-adjusted median income fell 9.4% for full-time male workers, forcing more mothers to the work-place to try and make up some of the family income loss - - leaving more children without a full-time mom.
NOTE - the chart shows the rapid decline 1977 to 1995, perhaps prompting the federal government to redefine its inflation index measurment criteria to make less inflation appear to occur. Thus, most of the slight up-tick in the latter 1990s was due to this adjustment, thereafter real incomes again falling even using the more lenient cpi measurment. Therefore, the trend line would be shown even more negative to incomes had the the government used the same inflation criteria from 1977 to 2009. (see the Inflation Report and the Statistical Wizardry Report).
For a most dramatic chart showing trend of real family incomes since 1947 see the Full Family Income Report link at the bottom if this page.
Left is a 2006 chart, showing the percentage decline in median household incomes from 1999-2005.
Nationwide incomes dropped 6%.
Note the dark orange colors showing those states where incomes dropped more than 10%.
Note also this chart shows that incomes fell in 94% of the states (47 of the 50 states) during that period.
That's most conclusive.
Michigan's 12% was the worse, with incomes in some cities dropping as much as 24%.
Here's another chart from the full report, showing 61%of married mothers of small children work - 6 times more than 11% in1950. Note > here we speak of married mothers, not single mothers. Are children better-off from a family training & discipline and educationquality standpoint without a full-time mother?
Can a working mother pay more attention to the quality of schooling than a stay-at-home mom, and if not what happens to the quality of education, compared to prior generations? As proven in the Education Report chapter, the quality of education is not only below that of prior generations, but seriously below that of today's international students.
Is it all their fault, or is there something unbalanced about the economy,compared to before?
And even with these young moms going to work household
debt ratios soared tonew records and personal rates of saving plunged to a record low - as shownbelow.
If families have minimal inflation-adjusted income growth , despite mother working, then family personal savings suffer as a consequence - unless, of course, families reduce consumption and taxes.
But, families have increased both consumption and tax payments and to cover this have reduced savings to historic lows and increased household debt to historic highs. More and more of our national over-consumption is fueled by the largest international account deficits in our nation's history (see the International Trade Report chapter).
Is it all their fault, or is there something unbalanced about the economy thatlooking forward is detrimental to families and their children, compared to before?
Many times in recent years there has been much bragging about how productive America is.
If the U.S. produced adequate productivity by a realistic measure thenpersonal savings should soar. Why, instead, do savings plunge to the lowest level ever?
The chart at the left shows a 49-year trend of that part of disposable income that has been saved - - called 'personal savings rate'. Prior to 1970 the rate of personal savings increased smartly - - as were family incomes - despite most families then having but one wage earner while also living without huge debt ratios.
This chart shows the
collapse of savings since the late 1980s, to thelowest ratio in history. As of 2008, 91% below 25 years ago, near all-time record low!! And, asthe chart indicates in that year savings were a whopping $1.1 trillion below compared tosavings ratios in the mid 1980s.
Also "a
record low for any leading global economic power in the modernhistory of the world," per economist Steven Roach Nov. 2006.
Lacking in domestic saving America imports savings from other nations. Estimates suggest America absorbed about 70% of the surplus saving elsewhere in the world in 2005-06. What kind of so called productivity is that?
Note in the graphic > reporting government making massive revisions in 2009 and 2010 to savings data citeria in more recent years compared to how measured in the past - - as if changing how one measures fixes a problem of too little savings and too much debt.
Disappearing personal savings and soaring debt (in all sectors) may drive consumption (and GDP) beyond personal income, but what does it mean concerning future family incomes, prosperity and economic security as such practices place our young generation more at the mercy of foreign interests?
In 2005 consumers drew down savings by over $200 billion compared to the prioryear, the biggest dip in savings since record-keeping began in 1929(Bloomberg). $1.1 Trillion in savings was missing in 2005 compared to had thesavings ratio been as 2 decades ago. (Realized capital gains/losses, if any, arenot included in the personal savings calculation, and may slightly mitigate this chart ifone wishes to call such savings. Nevertheless, the trend with and without is at anall-time record low).
Many
gamble in stock markets and state lotteries, instead of exercising theself-discipline of saving much higher rates of their incomes, as they used to do. Isthis safe for their futures, especially recognizing significant negative nationaltrends in company pensions, social security and health insurance - - and our explodinginternational debt to foreigners?
Others don't save when they see their house price increase, yet they sign away future income security by refinancing to extract equity for consumption today - - which implies negative impact for their future. Will they have a free & clear home plus sufficient liquid savings as they approach retirement years as many of their parents did via discipline? Will they also have better buying power via pensions and social security than current retirees? (the Social Security Report chapter of this series proves otherwise).
Americans have not saved so little since the depression of the 1930s - they havebeen on a spending binge, well beyond growth of their incomes. (Bloomberg Jan 2006)
Left is another sample chart from the full report link bottom this page, and from the chapter America Total Debt Report.
It shows
soaring household debt ratios during the past 2 decades of stagnantinflation-adjusted median family income growth. The chart shows that household debtincreased two times faster than general economic growth.
The chart shows during the 1960s and early 1970s that the household debt ratio held fairly steady at about 53% of national income - which means household debt was not growing faster than growth of the total economy. Therefore, during this period of rising inflation-adjusted family incomes households did not increase their debt ratios.
The left chart shows thereafter, which has been a period of stagnant family incomes,the
debt ratio started upward, slowly - then exploded like a rocket - to today'shistoric record high debt ratios (at 123% of national income, or $13.8 trillion - a debt increase of 7% over the prior year).
If today's household debt ratio had been the same as the debt ratio of the 1960s, thentoday's debt in dollars would have been $8.2 Trillion less than occurred. In other words,2006 household debt would have been $4.8 Trillion, not the $13.8 Trillion that did occur.That's a
HUGE DIFFERENCE !! A difference of $29,801 per man,woman and child.
As household debt ratios increased
90% faster than growth of the economy sincethe late 1960s when real median family incomes stopped rising, such suggests real equity& savings have not been the driving force of so-called economic growth - - it has been debt driven.
Even students are learning how to go into debt up to their necks. The federal General Accounting Office, according to AP's Martha Irvin in January 2002, says college students are graduating with an average of $19,400 in student loans.
This is
an indicator of how families try to maintain their apparent livingstandards and consumption ("keeping up with the Jones' with nil income growth to doso). They compensate for stagnant incomes by rapidly draining savings and rapidlyexpanding debt - - credit cards and later the more dangerous form of credit forconsumption being spending of their home equity. At the same time that families face lesssocial security/Medicare and company benefits when they retire (than their elders), andmore and more head toward their golden years more and more in debt with lower home equityand real savings (than their elders).
This chart may understate the rising debt impact on families, since it shows debt ratios for all households - - including seniors. If senior households were removed most likely the upward slope of family-only debt ratios would appear even steeper.
All ages are impacted by stagnant to nil income growth. Another example, reported April2008 > A study released in 2007 by the Brookings Institution and the Pew CharitableTrust found that the
median income of men in their 30s fell 12% from 1974to 2004 when adjusted for inflation.(and that decreased income is much larger if inflationwere measured by the same criteria after 1995 as it was prior to 1995).
Our economy has not provided for long periods of rapidly rising inflation-adjusted real median family incomes in recent decades, especially for one wage-earner families. Instead, incomes stagnated and declined during the past decade. Families should not wait for governmentbureaucrats & politicians to 'save them' - they must gain knowledge to take their own actions - - or suffer the consequences -
- The above graphics on the summary page
are but a few available in the -link below. - Full Family Income Report
CLICK THE FOLLOWING LINK TO GAIN KNOWLEDGE
IN THE FULL
FAMILY INCOMEREPORT, with color pictures few have seen - on income, debt and savings.
(Since a picture is worth a thousand words, please give those neat pictures a chance to load)
Knowledge is Power, if you have it !!! Or - you can also return to Home & Contents, for a listing ofall reports comparing today with prior generations
Copyright © 1997-2011 Michael W. Hodges. The Grandfather Economic Report series is the intellectual property of its author; all rights reserved under Copyright Conventions. Permission to redistribute all or part of this series for non commercial purposes is granted by the author, provided the associated web page address is included and full credit given to the Grandfather Economic Report and the author, Michael Hodges. Notice appreciated via email.
| Home& Contents | Summary | Feedback| What's New | Eye-opener| Must See | | 12,394 | 5,505 | 0.000183 |
warc | 201704 | 2015 Animal Welfare and Humane Slaughter Audits in U.S. Federally Inspected Beef Slaughter PlantsTemple Grandin Department of Animal Sciences Colorado State University
In 2015, beef slaughter plants have greatly improved animal welfare audit scores.
Stunning and handling scores have really improved in large beef slaughter plants. Animal welfare data collected during 2015 shows that stunning has really improved during the last four years. A major meat buyer audited 19 large beef plants in both the U.S. and Canada. One hundred cattle were scored in most plants and 50 to 75 were scored when more cattle were not available. Some plants in the sampled processed a combination of fed beef and cows and others were exclusively fed beef. These reasults clearly show that all the effort the industry has pu into animal welfare has really paid off.
Stunning Scores ImprovedTable 1 shows that 78% of the 19 slaughter plants rendered 100% of the cattle properly stunned and insensible with a single shot. The two poorest scores were 2 plants with a 98% first sthot stunning score. The average first shot stunning score for all 19 slaughter plants was 99.7%. All animals where the first shot missed were immediately restunned. One explanation for these improved scroes is increased enforcement from USDA/FSIS meat inspectors. One hundread percent of the cattle were unconscious before hoisting to the rail. Electric Prod use is ReducedTable 2 shows that 84% of the 19 beef plants used an electric prod on 0 to 5% of the cattle. This would be an excellent rating on the NAMI guidelines. The remaining plants all had prod scores of less than 15%. In most plants, there is only one battery operated prod and it is only picked up and used if a vibratig prod or other non-electrified tool fails to move an animal. Vocalization Scores are LowThe percentage of cattle that vocalized varied from 0% to 3%. This score has remained constant and further improvement may not occur. Vocalization for each animal is scored as either silent or vocaltion (moo, bellow). Is is recorded in the stun box and during active handling when an animal is moved into a stun box or restrainer. The one kosher plan had an excellent 0% score for both vocalization and electric prod use. The cattle were restrained in an upright restraint box. Falling was 0%Falling during handling or unloading of trucks has remained at very low leels. IN 2015, 0% of the cattle fell in all 19 slaugher plants. In 2 of the plants, 1% to 2% of the cattle slipped. ConclusionsThe combination of more wide spreada use of video auditing, increased USDA / FSIS oversight, and many customer audits has greatly improved scores for stunning and electric prod use.
Table 1: Percentage of beef cattle rendered insensible with a single captive bolt shot in 18 slaugher plants * Percentage first shot effective Number of Plants Percentage of Plants Rating 100% 14 78% Excellent 99% 2 11% Excellent 98% 2 11% Not acceptable private std.
* One kosher plant had no stunning score.
Table 2: Percentage of beef cattle moved with an electric prod in 19 slaugher plants Percentage moved with an electric prod Number of Plants Percentage of Plants Rating 0% 11 58% Excellent 1% to 5% 5 26% Excellent 6% to 15% 3 16% Good Over 15% 0 0%
Table 3: Percentage of beef cattle that vocalized during handling and restraint in 19 slaughter plants Percentage vocalizing Number of Plants Percentage of Plants Rating 0% 8 42% Excellent 1% to 2% 9 47% Excellent 2% to 3% 2 11% Excellent Over 3% 0 0% Acceptable
Click here to return to the Homepage for more information on animal behavior, welfare, and care.
Click here to return to Survey main menu to view surveys done during other years | 3,714 | 1,609 | 0.000623 |
warc | 201704 | The alarming increase in incidence of infections caused by drug-resistant bacteria has created an urgent need for new antibacterial agents. We are developing a novel class of small molecule antibiotics ("TZUs") targeting PolC, the replicative DNA polymerase in Gram-positive bacteria. These agents exhibit broad-spectrum activity against Gram-positive bacteria, including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), penicillin-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae (PRSP), Streptococcus pyogenes (Group A strep), vancomycin resistant enterococcus (VRE), Bacillus anthracis, Listeria monocytogenes and Clostridium difficile. TZUs demonstrate bactericidal activity, oral bioavailability, in vivo efficacy, a low propensity for toxicity and a low rate of spontaneous resistance. TZUs inhibit a novel bacterial target, thereby circumventing existing mechanisms of antibiotic resistance. We have made compelling progress during Phase I, having already met several key goals. In particular, we have identified several TZUs with in vitro potency exceeding that of linezolid, the only orally active drug approved for MRSA. We seek Phase II funding to enable completion of pivotal studies required for filing of an Investigational New Drug (IND) application. The research plan is divided into three stages.
Aim 1 focuses on in-depth characterization of three top TZUs;each exhibits key attributes including in vivo efficacy following oral administration and outstanding microbiological potency. Aim 1 studies will include in vivo pharmacodynamics (PD) dose response studies, determination of pharmacokinetic (PK) parameters in two species, determination of the PK-PD index, evaluation of in vitro and in vivo toxicity, and determination of rates of resistance development. Based on these results, the TZU that best exemplifies the target product profile will be selected as the IND candidate. In Aim 2, process chemistry work will commence, focusing on improving synthetic yields, lowering cost, and making the synthetic process more scalable (e.g., by elimination of chromatographic steps). At this stage, the goal will be to develop a synthetic route appropriate for 1-10 kilogram scale synthesis at a cost of less than $25,000 per kg. Exploratory toxicology and toxicokinetic studies will be performed under non-GLP conditions in two species to support dose selection, toxicology endpoints and toxicokinetic time points for GLP-compliant studies. Analytical and bioanalytical methods will be validated under Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) conditions. Comprehensive microbiological characterization will be performed, including MIC90 testing in several Gram-positive species, evaluation of cross-resistance, post antibiotic effect (PAE) and synergy with other antibiotics. In Aim 3, a 5-10 kg GLP-toxicology batch will be synthesized, and GLP-compliant toxicology and safety pharmacology studies will be performed. Successful completion of these IND-enabling studies would support advancement of this program into human clinical trials. This project represents a compelling opportunity to combat the rising tide of antibiotic-resistant infections, providing a much-needed public health benefit.
The alarming increase in incidence of infections caused by drug-resistant bacteria has created an urgent need for new antibacterial agents. The drug we wish to develop represents a brand new antibiotic class with broad-spectrum Gram-positive antibacterial activity. Existing bacterial populations are highly susceptible to this drug, highlighting the truly life-saving potential of this new agent. | 3,596 | 1,694 | 0.000591 |
warc | 201704 | Note to Readers of Gregory Bresiger.com. The philosophy of this blog is the idea of smart money management; of avoiding many of the mistakes that can ruin a person’s life. We have taken this idea and turned it into a mini-book that combines commonsense with simple money management concepts. Liam Judge, my partner and the person who is the defacto electronic publisher, and I have written a book that incorporates this philosophy, MoneySense. Here is the first chapter of the book. If you like it and want more, perhaps you will go to Amazon.com. There, for the marginal price of $2.99, you might be interested in reading the rest of the book. We thank our readers, people who allow GregoryBresiger.com, to survive.
Gregory Bresiger
“But the most and durable source of factions has been the various and unequal distribution of property. Those who hold and those who are without property have ever formed distinct interests in society.”
- James Madison [ The Federalist Papers, No. 10, p79, (The New American Library Of World Literature, New York, 1961]
Chapter 1 Lots of People Want Your Property
They‘re after your property. They‘re after your assets.
Indeed, from the first day you start earning money until the last day that you can, they‘re leering at your wealth, lusting after it.
Who Are They?
They are the wealth destroyers. They are numerous. They are all around you. They could have a terrible effect on your life if you are not careful. This book will help you identify some of them and limit the damage they can do.
They, the wealth destroyers, are in no particular order the following: the government, some of your relatives, the government, your personal needs, the government, your wife, your husband, jealous neighbours, the government, relatives, credit card companies, populist pols, your increasing health care costs as you age, the government, the relentless power of inflation, which wears on your wealth. And finally, of course, the government.
And, by the way, don‘t forget the government. That‘s because, where your wealth is concerned, it never forgets.
They are among myriad enemies or potential enemies of would-be wealth creation or preservation. Battling them, keeping them from taking over your life, is one of the subjects of this book.
Dreams Becoming Nightmares
Each of the wealth destroyers will sap your wealth, aborting your efforts to create it. They will end your dreams of taking it easy while you still have your original teeth. They can destroy your dreams of a house in a lovely suburban community, or an apartment in the center of the city or a lovely getaway somewhere that hasn‘t been overrun by traffic.
Do you want any or more of these things? And are you an average person who will earn a middle-class income over the course of a lifetime? Then what is your plan to build, protect and preserve wealth? In this age of ever higher taxation and runaway consumerism, that could send almost anyone scrambling for bankruptcy protection, everyone needs a plan to accumulate and protect wealth.
Looking for the Holy Grail? It Isn’t Here.
MoneySense isn‘t the Holy Grail of wealth creation. I certainly don‘t have the name of a hot stock that will make you a millionaire overnight. I don't have a Hillary Clinton cattle futures tip for you. I also can't provide you and yours with the political pull to obtain hundreds of millions of dollars in tax breaks that someone like Donald Trump has obtained. However, I am someone who started with almost nothing. Today, my wife and I are comfortable.
That is in part because I am a business journalist who has dealt with some brilliant people over the course of many years. Some of them have forgotten more about money management than I will ever know. But by listening, observing and writing, I have learned some of the techniques of wealth creation and destruction. And I have crossed paths with all sorts of people trying to achieve all kinds of financial goals.
This book can help you achieve many of them. Still, it requires a certain degree of discipline, a commitment to a plan.
Possibly you are someone who has taken the first steps to achieving these goals that only substantial wealth can bring. This book is for you. Remember, despite any success you may have had, there are so many ways that you can be tripped up.
How?
They Make the Promises---You and Your Children Pay for Them.
Let me stipulate that democratic governments, almost all of them, are normally run by career pols. They have ravenous appetites for wealth because they almost always have big plans to expand the government, which means they always want more money. And most popular governments, faced with money problems, will usually pretend they’re only after the wealth of the rich, but it is the great middle class that is usually bloodied. Why do these career politicians wreak so much havoc?
In a typical democracy the first order of business of the pol is get elected and the second order is to get re- elected.
Winning elections usually means making huge, sometimes insane, promises about creating or expanding programs. Back in 1972, for example, the president, republican Richard Nixon, and a Congress controlled by the opposition party, the democrats, were running for re-election. They started trying to outdo each other over which party could out-promise the other in raising Social Security benefits since the elderly were, and remain, a key voting block. Many elderly were delighted to receive higher benefit checks just before they went to the voting booths. They were so happy that they re-elected both the president and most Democrats in Congress. (President Nixon and leaders in Congress started arguing over who deserved credit for the benefit hikes).The problem was later the bills came due. And payroll taxes to pay for Social Security programs started soaring. Most pols didn't care. They won their elections. I wrote about this in "The Great Social Security Deal of 1972," which is available at Mises.com.
Let me illustrate with another example of why you will need to amass a lot because the government will inevitably be spending and taxing a lot more, why it is business as usual for most pols to make big promises on the hustings and forget to mention the bills that will come due after the elections. In a recent glowing endorsement of Hilary Clinton for president, even the New York Times wrote this of her and her many promises of new or expanded government programs: "Mrs. Clinton and her team have produced detailed proposals on crime, policing and race relations, debt-free college and small-business incentives, climate change and affordable broadband. Most of these proposals would benefit from further elaboration on how to pay for them, beyond taxing the wealthiest Americans.”
Promises, Promises
There was no way Mrs. Clinton could have ever kept all her promises by just taxing the richest of the rich. In almost any modern welfare democracy there is never enough rich people to go around; to pay all the bills of an ever expanding state. Mind you, The Times said these things in strongly endorsing Hillary Clinton, who went on to a stunning defeat in part because so many Americans didn't trust her promises of bigger government with only a select group of rich people paying for it.
[This led to red ink in the Social Security system. Of course, years later Social Security taxes had to be raised. And benefits, sometimes in subtle ways, were cut. One example: At one time, you never paid taxes on your Social Security payments. Why should you? By the time you get Social Social Security, you will have typically paid into the system for decades. Paying taxes on your payments constitutes double taxation.]
Political promises usually are paid for in one way or another either directly through taxes or through money printing and inflation.
Inflation is a subtler, but no less destructive tax that affects almost everyone. But luckily for governments most people don‘t understand how it happens so they rarely become angry with our spendthrift political ruling classes of both parties and the mainstream media that often enables them. Too much spending inevitably leads to persistent cycles of more and more taxes until they can become almost unbearable. Then, too late, almost everyone starts to understand what inflation does to us as the value of the currency deteriorates at a shocking pace.
But fortunately for governments looking to raise taxes, few Americans study history. So citizens typically forget that our nation was started by sorehead merchants, landowners and individuals who didn‘t like paying unjustified or excessive taxes.
This book offers various strategies to cope with numerous forms of taxation. Why do you need these strategies?
The never ending government spending combined with taxation, along with a rampant “I‘ve got to have it now consumerism”, have ruined many a life. And many of these people now have broken financial lives.
The Magnificent Bankrupts
Yet, at some point, they made good money---sometimes very good money---and often for decades. They were people we once envied.
Indeed, they ended up with nothing or just eking out an existence in the last years of their lives. The Magnificent Ambersons end up in the same place as famous talk show second banana Ed McMahon----a man who likely made $100 million or more in his career. They ended up broke.
That‘s something that would have been inconceivable to them throughout their seemingly blessed lives. Yet tens of millions of people in advanced welfare states in America and Europe are following this same sorry path. This book can help you avoid these financial disasters.
That‘s the point of “MoneySense”.
I don‘t want you to suffer money ulcers. I want you to achieve many or most of your dreams.
I want your years----young, middle and last---to be years in which you may not have everything----it would be boring to have everything. What would there be to shoot for?----but years in which you and your family can live comfortably. I want you to look confidently to your financial future.
We’re not Mashuggah
Yet this book will offer you no crazy overnight dreams of wealth. These are the kind of dreams pursued by poor souls whose primary wealth creation strategy is throwing away ten or twenty dollars or more a week playing the lottery. By the way, the latter is a rigged game in which the odds of winning a substantial prize are never advertised for obvious reasons.
But how can MoneySense make your life better?
First, before a person can come up with a wealth generating strategy, one must recognize the numerous ways that wealth can be stillborn. To get from point A---a young person with little or nothing or a middle-aged person with a small amount of assets who wants more or an elderly person who has accumulated a nice stake, but who could easily lose it----to point B, financial stability or perhaps independence, requires a plan. And a good plan in anything always assumes that something could go wrong with even the best of plans. In any human endeavour, there always seems to be at least a fair possibility that something could blow up.
So, in this book, we will discuss effective financial strategies for accumulating wealth and holding on to it over the long term. Our topics will include saving, investing, spending and credit cards, among others. We will also review the most common traps that can destroy your portfolio, bank account or retirement account.
Look Out for Those Traps
These traps will stop you from sending your young person to a first-rate university. They will end your dream of owning a home. They will prevent you from ever starting a business. And a small business is one of the most common ways that people improve themselves; making a better life for their families and, possibly, leaving something of great value to the next generation. You must be proactive in avoiding these traps that would destroy your efforts to achieve financial independence.
Again, step one is to recognize that there are many ways your dream can become a nightmare. Remember, the wealth destroyers are out there. They are just waiting to take hard earned money from you. And they---especially the impersonal big governments of the left and right that come and go like a bunch of streetwalkers [Pace streetwalkers: They run a business that provides personal service. Many people wonder just exactly what the average career pol does, besides issue useless press releases and talk on his or her cellphone.]--- exist to perpetuate themselves. They grow bigger and bigger by gathering more and more money. Most governments don‘t care if you succeed or not. They care that you have wealth that they can tax and tax and tax some more, which is an anomaly. That‘s because governments want more and more money, but often seem not to care how they hurt the men and women who create wealth, the people who comprise the economy. It makes as much sense as working a golden goose to death because it isn‘t laying enough eggs. But the wealth destroyers often are aided and abetted by incendiary work of someone you would never guess. Many times that person is you. Many people, like the Ambersons and Ed McMahon, spend themselves into a lower standard of living, poverty and, in increasing numbers in America, bankruptcy.
So first, as we begin this journey, let‘s look at how you spend. Let‘s look at your consumerism. Here are some of the most important factors in determining if you can create and sustain the wealth that will make life better for you and your family.
(Continued in Chapter 2) Go here to purchase the eBook on Amazon for just $2.99: http://amzn.to/2ilFI5p | 13,875 | 6,180 | 0.000164 |
warc | 201704 | Those who don’t probably have frequent talks with their parents about safety.
That’s the takeaway from a phone survey of 652 teens taken by Harris Interactive.
Almost six in 10 teenagers with driver’s licenses surveyed admitted to texting & driving.
The idea that texting behind the wheel is the new drunken driving didn’t find much support with the kids.
Of the 14- to 17-year-olds who have a license or plan to get one (almost all of the teens), 63 percent strongly agree they will get into an accident if they regularly text and drive. But they’re far more fearful of drinking and driving, with 83 percent agreeing that they’re likely to get into a crash if they regularly drink and drive.
35 percent of the teens said they probably would be killed if they persisted in texting and driving, compared with 57 percent who felt that way about drunken driving.
State Farm insurance, which backed the survey, said the numbers hadn’t changed much since its similar study in 2010. Media attention and education efforts regarding distracted driving have increased significantly in that two-year period.
More than 8 in 10 of the teens who said they didn’t text and drive reported that they talk with their parents about safe driving. Of the teens who said they do drive and text, more than 6 in 10 said they had those talks.
The study found that parent-teen interaction about safety declined significantly once the teens received their driver’s licenses, however. Teens with learners permits were twice as likely as those with full licenses to report safety talks with their parents.
The phone survey was conducted in early February. Of the 652 teens, 280 had some kind of license and 362 were about to do so.
Meanwhile, a Pew study of texting behaviors found that three-quarters of 12- to 17-year-olds text on cell phones, with the median number of messages put at 60 a day.
For older girls, the number was 100 messages a day. Use by older boys is on the way up, researchers said.
The study addressed overall text messaging behaviors, not distracted driving.
Only a third of the teens said they used land lines (traditional phones). 39 percent said they engaged in voice calling daily, compared with the 63 percent who text.
Related research: | 2,298 | 1,105 | 0.00093 |
warc | 201704 | Life-Changing Foods
Superfood #1: Blueberries
Now that we know more about antioxidants and how they reverse degenerative diseases, this flavonoid-rich food will have you aging gracefully.
Superfood #2: Tomatoes
Aside from all the vitamins, tomatoes are disease fighters. They help fight cancer and heart ailments.
Superfood #3: Salmon
Although fish has fat, we now know that not all fats are created equal — fish has a healthy kind of fat. For example, salmon is a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids, which can protect against a multitude of diseases including heart disease.
Superfood #4: Beans
Beans are good for the heart… and a bunch of other things, too. There’s evidence that they prevent cancer, level your blood sugar and give you a sense of being full, which keeps you from overeating.
Superfood #5: Soy
Soy is the total package, rich with vitamins, minerals, plant-based omega-3s and disease-fighting phytonutrients. There are many other ways to incorporate soy into your diet.
– Soy milk is a great alternative to dairy.
– Try a soy protein shake. – Eat soy nuts as snacks – Some cereals have soy-enriched ingredients. Superfood #6: Spinach
Just a few of the many added benefits include beta carotene, vitamins B, C and E, calcium and magnesium, iron.
Superfood #7: Tea
It’s relaxing, has no calories and comes with health benefits. Tea is an anti-allergy, anti-inflammatory superfood that has been linked to heart health, cancer and stroke prevention, and lowered blood pressure.
Superfood #8: Yogurt
It has calcium and other nutrients. But what makes yogurt a superfood is the presence of prebiotics and probiotics — living organisms that promote gastrointestinal health.
Superfood #9: Walnuts
. Walnuts are one of the few rich sources of plant-derived omega-3 fatty acids. Besides the fiber and protein, the plant sterols contained in walnuts help with cholesterol levels.
Superfood #10: Broccoli
Several studies have linked calcium intake with weight loss. Broccoli is not only high in calcium, but it’s also packed with vitamin C that helps you better absorb calcium. Plus, this vegetable has vitamin A, folate and fiber to meet your nutrient needs. And did we mention the powerful phytochemicals that protect against disease?
Superfood #11: Oranges
There’s nothing wrong with a glass of OJ. But eating the orange is even better because its pulp has 10 times the vitamin C dosage found in the juice.
Superfood #12: Turkey Breast
Stick to the skinless breast and you have a winner of a meal. It’s one of the best low-fat protein sources you can eat.
Superfood #13: Pumpkin
High in fiber and low in calories, pumpkin has some of the highest levels of carotenoids, which function as antioxidants and help beat the effects of aging. This seasonal favorite is loaded with vitamins C and E, as well as iron, potassium and other minerals.
Superfood #14: Oats
Is connected to a reduced risk for coronary heart disease. Among its other benefits is the ability to help control your blood sugar levels with fiber. Not only is the fiber in oats good for your heart, but it will keep you feeling fuller longer — an easy way to avoid overeating!
Happy, healthy eating!
Cheers,
Eve :-) | 3,285 | 1,614 | 0.000639 |
warc | 201704 | Although eating alkaline foods will not affect your blood pH, it will benefit your overall health and well-being. According to a 2011 article in the "Journal of Environmental and Public Health," eating an alkaline diet offers several health benefits and may even improve the efficacy of cancer treatment. An alkaline diet consists of vegetables, fruit, whole grains and herbal teas. In contrast, acidic foods include meat, dairy, processed grains, coffee and alcohol.
Alkaline pH Demystified
In your body, food is broken down into an ash residue that can be neutral, acidic or alkaline. In general, foods that contain potassium, calcium, magnesium, sodium, zinc, silver, copper and iron produce an alkaline ash. Foods that contain sulfur, phosphorus, chlorine and iodine produce an acid ash. The pH that food leaves behind is measured as "+2.0" and above being highly alkaline, while "-2.0" and below is considered highly acid.
Dark Leafy Greens
Dark leafy greens, such as kale, spinach, beet greens, savoy cabbage and Swiss chard, have an alkaline rating of +8.0 and above. They are also rich in lutein, which may prevent cancer and damage to human DNA, reports the Physiology and Federal Research Center for Nutrition. The Lutein Information Bureau recommends eating between 4 and 8 milligrams of lutein every day.
High-Alkaline Fruits
According to Snyder Health, lemons have an alkaline value of +9.9. They offer an alternative to high-fat dressings and can be added to water to improve the flavor. Staying well-hydrated is imperative to your health, so if you don't like the taste of water, try adding a bit of lemon juice. Avocados have an alkaline value of +15.6. Tomatoes, bananas, pineapple and oranges are also considered high-alkaline fruits.
Choose Beverages Wisely
Choosing the right beverages to drink can have a profound effect on your pH levels. Coffee, for example, offers a high acid score of -25.1. Instead, consider herbals teas that offer health benefits. They produce an alkaline ash and contain zero calories -- good news if you're trying to lose weight. Coconut water is another good choice, having an alkaline value of +9.04. To make it even more refreshing and beneficial, add a bit of lemon juice.
A Word About Proteins and Grains
Some proteins, such as raw almonds and chestnuts, produce an alkaline ash. Soy beans are your best bet with an alkaline value of +12.8. Quinoa, another good source of protein, is one of the only nonanimal foods offering all nine of the essential amino acids that are vital to human health and function. It is considered low-alkaline, but the nutritional value it offers makes it an excellent food for high-alkaline diets. Brown rice is another low-alkaline food that can be consumed without jeopardizing your health.
Snyder Health: Food Ash PH Chart Organic Survivalist Site: Why Quinoa Should Be Your Choice of Grains WebMD: Alkaline Diets Journal of Environmental and Public Health: The Alkaline Diet: Is There Evidence That an Alkaline pH Diet Benefits Health? Lutein Information Bureau: Raw Foods Oxford Journals: Consumption of Vegetables Reduces Genetic Damage in Humans Photo Credits Thomas Northcut/Photodisc/Getty Images | 3,205 | 1,610 | 0.000625 |
warc | 201704 | Heart Attack Recovery Lifestyle changes, such as quitting smoking, changing your diet, and increasing your physical activity, are important when recovering from a heart attack. Cardiac rehabilitation programs help people throughout their recovery; these programs include education on heart-healthy living, exercise training, and counseling to reduce stress and help people return to an active life. Medications can also be prescribed during heart attack recovery.
Millions of people have survived a heart attack, and many have a complete recovery and are able to lead full and productive lives.
During the heart attack recovery period, your goals are to:
Recover and resume normal activities as much as possible Prevent another heart attack Prevent complications, such as heart failure or cardiac arrest.
After a heart attack, you will need to see your doctor regularly for checkups and tests to see how your heart is doing. Your doctor will also most likely recommend:
Lifestyle changes, such as quitting smoking, changing your diet, or increasing your physical activity Participation in a cardiac rehabilitation program Medications such as aspirin, nitroglycerin tablets for angina, medicines to lower your cholesterol or blood pressure, and medicines to help reduce your heart's workload. | 1,298 | 625 | 0.001609 |
warc | 201704 | Thread:Goalies: Adjusted Playoff Save PercentageView Single Post05-10-2012, 06:01 AM#17DaltonRegistered UserJoin Date: Aug 2009Location: Ho Chi Minh CityCountry:Posts: 2,096vCash: 500The results of the study suggest that the data doesn't fit a Bell curve at all. No matter what end you're talking about. The data fits a power curve.The authors reveal the software they use and say it works with excel."Results reported in Table 1 show that the Paretian distribution yielded a superior fit than the Gaussian distribution in every one of the 54 scientific fields. Recall that a larger chi-square value indicates worse fit and, thus, can be considered an index of badness of fit.As Table 1 shows, the average misfit for the Paretian distribution was 23,888 whereas the misfit of the normal distribution was larger than forty-four trillion (i.e., 44,199,201,241,681)—a difference in favor of the Paretian distribution in the order of 1:1.9 billion.Figure 2a displays a histogram of the empirically observed performance distribution of researchers. To interpret these results further, consider the field of Agriculture (see Table 1). A normal distribution and a sample size of 25,006 would lead to approximately 35 scholars with more than 9.5 publications (three standard deviations above the mean). In contrast, our data include 460 scholars with 10 or more publications.In other words, the normal distribution underestimates the number of extreme events and does not describe the actual distribution well."DaltonView Public ProfileDalton's albumsFind More Posts by Dalton | 1,577 | 904 | 0.001113 |
warc | 201704 | What do questionnaires for assessment of physical functioning in neck disorders really measure?: A systematic review of the literature 2016 (English)Conference paper, Abstract (Refereed) Abstract [en]
Background. In order to determine which interventions are effective in the treatment of musculoskeletal disorders, valid and reliable instruments are required. However, there is a lack of consistency in the use of outcome measures, both in research and in treatment, that makes comparisons difficult or impossible; the content and quality varies widely be-tween questionnaires. This study focuses on the measurements of the physical function-ing of people with MSDs. The aim of this systematic review is to investigate how physical function is measured in people with musculoskeletal disorders or chronic pain. Specifically we want to determine: (1) What instruments are used to measure physical function in people with musculoskeletal disorders or chronic pain? (2) What do those instruments measure? (3) What is the methodological quality of these instruments?
Method. The study was performed as a systematic literature review in the data bases PubMed, Cinahl, Web of Science, and Scopus, using the same set of keywords and Bool-ean operators. The selection of relevant articles was performed by reviewing the title and abstract first, and the article text thereafter. Selected articles were classified according to the “ICF Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health.” Subsequently, articles will be examined with respect to relevant quality indicators using the “Cosmin checklist.”
Results. 69 relevant questionnaires were found and were sorted into groups according to focus. As a first step, neck and arm-shoulder-hand questionnaires were analyzed. The ICF-classification revealed that the included items belonged to the components “body func-tions” and “activity/participation,” and the included domains varied significantly between the questionnaires. The quality of the instruments will be determined in the next step.
Discussion. A review and analysis of this kind makes it possible for researchers and clini-cians to more easily select the most suitable questionnaire for their purpose based on the content and quality of the questionnaire.
Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
2016.
Keyword [en]
review, musculoskeletal disorders, questionnaire, physical functioning, chronic pain
National Category Environmental Health and Occupational Health IdentifiersURN: urn:nbn:se:hig:diva-21950OAI: oai:DiVA.org:hig-21950DiVA: diva2:943044 Conference
Ninth International Conference on the Prevention of Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders (PREMUS), June 20-23, 2016, Toronto, Canada
2016-06-272016-06-272016-06-28Bibliographically approved | 2,811 | 1,359 | 0.00075 |
warc | 201704 | Fikir Atlasi*, Episode 32(Full text)
My name is Reverend Dirk Ficca.**
I am an ordained Presbyterian minister who for the last 20 years has worked extensively in the Interreligious Movement. I served for 20 years with The Parliament of the World’s Religions, one of the world’s largest interreligious organizations, which has taken me around the world, introduced me to all the world’s religions, in all their cultural permutations. In the course of that, I began to bump into the Hizmet Movement in different places in the world.
Every tradition, every religious and spiritual tradition needs a Fethullah Gulen. It needs somebody who, on the one hand, holds onto the essence of the religious tradition without compromise, and, at the same time, helps practitioners of that tradition express it in new contexts, express it as time moves on, express it as human understanding in general increases.
For the Muslim world, at this point in history, Hocaefendi is doing that, for a significant portion of the Muslim world with some spillover to people of other traditions.
I find it, first, remarkable that Fethullah Gulen offers a fairly traditional, kind of, right down the middle, theological approach to Islam, and, in offering that very traditional theological approach to Islam; he says that the default position of Islam is peace.
He says this is not something optional; this is the essence of what traditional Islam teaches. He says that Muslims should be compassionate, kind, just towards other people—whether or not they embrace Islam. I find those two characteristics of his reading of the Islamic tradition, his interpretation of the Islamic tradition to be quite remarkable. He also is not afraid of modernity. He says that there are other kinds of knowledge that human beings can have apart from explicitly religious knowledge and that we should learn everything we can about the world, about what it means to be human, in a general way, that that is not in conflict then with the values and the perspective and the relationship to the Divine that religion offers.
I admire him so much because he has brought an intellectually credible synthesis of modernity with religious tradition.
It’s clear from the writings of Hocaefendi that dialogue is essential to Islam, not something additional. It’s at the core of the tradition, not something optional.
So, from his reading of the Prophet (pbuh), from his understanding of the revelation in the Qur’an and then the tradition of the Hadith, that to be Muslim is to, in fact, have to be in dialogue with others and that over much of its history Islam has not been fearful of interreligious dialogue. It had a kind of interreligious and philosophical confidence that it could engage with people of other traditions, perhaps learn from that, and yet, not be diminished as a tradition. So, I see that, again, in the people in the Hizmet Movement.
First of all, in some ways, the growth of the Hizmet Movement mirrors Fethullah Gulen’s autobiography. I see so much of what the Movement got into or how it developed as following the pattern of the evolution of the work of Fethullah Gulen. And early on, he saw the need for education, building on Said Nursi’s notion that the three most critical things facing the world was ignorance, poverty and social discord.
Education, learning about others, learning about the world is critical to addressing the ignorance question; not only for personal empowerment but also for the relations you have with other people. Education is a core need for human beings. So if, as a movement, you provide high quality education for young people, that’s going to create a value in the community but also respect.
I find, again, it’s amazing that the Hizmet Movement founds schools for general education, not to teach Islam. There’s a place for that certainly, the movement recognizes the place of that, but when it comes to education, this is about a general kind of education. And it’s remarkable that all these schools are devoted to that kind of education, and, again, I think that helps to build bridges between the Movement and other communities in the world.
Again, what’s very special about the Hizmet Movement being motivated out of an Islamic rationale expressing Islamic values, is that there is no partiality in terms of where they will provide humanitarian aid, that they’re willing to provide it in Muslim countries, and in non-Muslim countries, to people who espouse Islam, and those who espouse a different tradition or no religious tradition at all.
I’ve found that the approach, too, of the humanitarian aid goes beyond just disaster relief. I was able to visit a number of examples of humanitarian aid in the world where, sadly, the international aid organizations come in for 3-5 days or two weeks to provide much needed emergency service—water, food, sanitation, medicine—but then they have to move on to somewhere else in the world. But, it seems typical of the Hizmet Movement that they have a longer term view, that they stay with it longer, they provide resources for longer, that they begin the community in need to help build their infrastructure again so that they can take ownership in their life.
Everybody I’ve met says, “I serve this movement voluntarily, the minute somebody wants to tell me what to do I’m gone, but because I can freely choose how to work in the movement I am fiercely loyal to it and I will go to any place at a moment’s notice in terms of serving others through the Movement.” That’s a remarkable characteristic. The two sides of that; I make up my own mind, I choose to do this myself, and therefore, I choose to do it freely.
A phrase I kept hearing over and over again is “solely for the pleasure of God”. I have yet to encounter a Hizmet school named for a donor; I’ve yet to find a Hizmet hospital or community center where it’s named for the person who gave money. And the people—largely the middle-class business people—who are providing the millions of dollars for the Movement, they don’t want credit. They don’t want anybody to know that they’ve given this money. In fact, in a way, they see it as diminishing the spirit of generosity if they get some side benefit from getting some accolades for giving the money.
I’ve heard some people say that to serve others so that I get to Paradise also cheapens the nature of the service. I don’t serve others so that I get to go to Paradise; I serve others solely for the pleasure of God. This is what pleases God and, either in this life of the life beyond, I do it for its own sake. And that’s a remarkable characteristic that I found in Hizmet people around the world.
As somebody who has come to respect and admire the Hizmet Movement, it is very painful to see what’s happening currently in Turkey. To see how the Movement is being defamed, to see how the good work of the Movement is being thwarted, that’s very hard and painful to see.
One of the things I admire about Hocaefendi is the way he has threaded the needle in the relationship between civil society and politics. My understanding is that when the current prime minister was elected, and the current prime minister said, I have a commitment to democratic society, we have a constitution currently that was written in 1980 during a military coup, that we need a new constitution, we need to recognize the full rights of minorities, such as Alewites, Armenians and Kurds in our own country, that the Movement was in favor of those values and that direction, so they said, we will support this party and this prime minister because you are pursuing those goals.
And, of course, it’s always tricky when you do that and some people say, aa you’re really showing your cards now, you’re really a political movement, not a civil society movement. And the movement said, no.
Then, when the prime minister backtracked and began to back away from that full commitment to democracy, then the movement criticized those actions.
I think Fethullah Gulen has said it very well and very succinctly; we have not moved, we are—and continue to be—where we are at in favor of working for true democracy out of the context of civil society. It’s the political game in Turkey that has shifted. And, my guess is that the people committed to the movement were always committed to the movement for its values, its principles, its ideals, not for some kind of personal benefit. And now that the movement is currently under siege, they’re not going to abandon the movement. They’re going to continue to be where they have been, and, probably, this will only deepen the commitment of those in the movement as they experience this turmoil.
**Profile:Dirk Ficca is a Presbyterian Minister in Chicago. He is the Executive Director of the Council for a Parliament of the World's Religions. He also directs the Metropolitan Chicago Interreligious Initiative. He teaches at DePaul University, the Lutheran School of Theology, and Garrett Evangelical Theological Seminary. *Produced by Spectra Media exclusively for Irmak TV, Atlas of Thoughts (Fikir Atlasi) connects the scholars, politicians, jurists, religious figures, journalists, and academics reflecting on Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gulen and the Hizmet Movement with the audience. Each episode features a person from a different segment of the society with diverse experiences regarding the Hizmet activities and its volunteers. If you are interested to hear about the Hizmet and Mr. Gulen from these people’s perspectives, do not miss this show! | 9,788 | 4,176 | 0.000246 |
warc | 201704 | Horsetail (Equisetum arvense) is an herbaceous perennial weed that is extremely difficult to eradicate from your garden, primarily because its roots extend deep into the ground and produce regrowth from just a tiny piece of root. However, with persistence most gardeners can kill horsetail weed using a couple of methods. Herbicides can be effective if applied repeatedly until the roots exhaust themselves, or you can change the soil conditions to make your garden an unappealing place for horsetail weeds to grow.
Chemical Eradication 1
Cut back as much of the weed as you can in early spring, before the pinkish-yellow domes that contain the spores ripen.
2
Work carefully to avoid spreading the spores and place all debris into a sealed plastic bag to dispose of it.
3
Apply an herbicide containing glyphosate directly to the cut weeds. This typically only kills the top portion of the weed and regrowth will occur, so several applications will be necessary to kill the weed.
Cultural Control 1
Fill any depressions in the soil that may hold water to ensure that rainwater drains quickly. You may have to dig a perimeter ditch to direct water away from your garden.
2
Remove mulch and plastic from the soil. Discard or destroy the mulch to avoid spreading any spores or horsetail debris that might be in it to other parts of your garden.
3
Apply dolomite lime to the soil around the horsetail weeds at the rate recommended on the package. Typically, dolomite lime is applied at a rate of 2 pounds per 100 square feet, or 1 pound per 20 to 30 square feet on slightly acidic, sandy soil. For clay soils, apply 2 pounds per 30 square feet.
4
Work the dolomite lime into the top layer of soil with a shovel or a rake, and water the soil thoroughly.
5
Wait a minimum of two weeks, and then apply fertilizer. If you fertilize when you apply the lime, they’ll work to cancel each other out so both will be ineffective. When fertilizing, use either synthetic fertilizers or apply fish, compost or aged manure to the soil in 2-inch layers.
6
Repeat application of lime and fertilizer or mulch every one to two years, until the horsetail weeds are eradicated. The process can take up to five years before your landscape is horsetail free.
Things You Will Need Shovel Gardening shears Plastic bag Glyphosate herbicide Dolomite lime Hose Fertilizer Tip Don't pull horsetail weeds from the stems, or dig up the roots. Digging leaves tiny pieces of root that will regrow, and pulling the stems only results in new growth. Don’t cover the weeds in plastic or bark mulch to kill it. These materials only create the warm, moist, anaerobic environment that horsetail thrives in. Read the label carefully when choosing a lime product. If it doesn’t say calcium, magnesium or some variation of this, then it may not be dolomite. Hydrated lime is not dolomite. It contains no magnesium, and is highly caustic and hazardous to breathe or handle. Photo Credits Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images | 3,015 | 1,482 | 0.000683 |
warc | 201704 | Alive
Myrtle (Myrtus communis), Lavender (Lavendula angustifolia), Eucalyptus Globulus, Eucalyptus Radiata, Copaiba (Copaifera langsdorfii), Peppermint (Mentha piperita), Cypress (Cupressus sempervirens), Laurel Leaf (Laurus nobilis)
Children?
Do not apply on or near the face of a child under 10. See Safety information below. For a Gentle Blend suitable for children, the elderly or those with delicate constitutions, consider our Breathe Easy Gentle Blend
. ~
Indications
Respiratory issues including pneumonia, congestion, colds, bronchitis, asthma, allergies, sinusitis, sore throats, mucus
Application Suggestions (See Essential Oil Usage for more information and a dilution chart.)
CAUTION: Do on use on or near the face of a baby or young child. See safety information at the bottom of the page.
Topical: Dilute with a carrier oil and apply on chest, back, neck, throat, ears and/or bottom of feet. Use with a warm compress. Some report that they like to apply over their sinus area, being careful not to let it seep into the eyes.
Inhalation: Diffuse. Inhale deeply. Add a few drops of Alive to bowl of hot, steaming water. Place a towel over your head and the water/oil mixture and inhale the steam to open sinuses. This may help relieve breathing difficulties related to flu, colds and pneumonia.
For children, see safety information below.
Testimonies
1. I have used Alive and Peppermint to regain my sense of smell. Multiple times daily, I put a drop in my palm, rub my palms together and then tent my hands over my nose and breath deeply several times. It took consistency and patience, but I'm getting there.
2. I had a history of sinus infections since I was very young, and one of the side effects of all the meds and infection caused me to lose my ability to smell. I purchased Alive, and inhaled it all day long as I could, and it definitely helped clear all nasal congestion. I purchased a Pro diffuser and a larger bottle of Alive, and diffuse my bedroom through the night, and now I'm regaining my ability to smell. Not only can I detect smells, but I've not been so well in all my life!
3. Our son has had wonderful results with Respiratory Relief and Alive for his allergies/asthma. Such a blessing! - Danielle
4. I love Alive - we use it for allergy flare ups. - Sue
5. I am often excited about my oils! Today I am most excited about the Alive blend. I awoke with a terrible, and I mean terrible, sinus headache. I put a drop of Alive on my hands, rubbed them together and tented them over my mouth and nose. I breathed in the vapors for a few minutes, and my sinus headache is down to a dull roar. I also notice that when I do that my itching allergy eyes feel better too. No, don't put the oil in your eyes!!!! I am so glad I read a post here about how much someone loved the Alive blend, so I thought I'd shout about it some too! - Tammy
6. I am so impressed with the Alive blend that I purchsed it for my friend to try as well. Thanks! - Jeff
7. I just wanted to let you know that I’ve had the worst
lung infection again, I am in my 11th day, and your lung blends Alive and Bacteria Top Gun have kept me alive. I stopped using the pharmaceutical drugs a long time ago because they have thinned my skin and lowered my immune system. The steroids have enlarged my heart. I have double lung disease, emphysema including COPD with some aspects of asthma attached, rendering my lung usage at less than 70%. I stopped the salbutamol and ipratropium (sp) in my nebuliser and instead have been using your lung oils with water, and sometimes saline mixed with it. Although I have probably coughed up 4 pint glasses of nastiness, I am not so painfully breathless today, and I walked down the stairs slowly for the first time in over a week. Thank you for your oils, they are a blessing to me and are keeping me alive, for how ever long. - Dawn
Safety
CAUTION for Children: Essential oils high in 1,8-cineole (Eucalyptus) or menthol (Peppermint) can cause CNS and breathing problems in young children, and should not be applied to or near their faces under ten years of age (Tisserand, pages 656-657, 273). Tisserand writes: "Any oil with 40% or more 1,8-cineole should not be applied to the face of infants or children or otherwise inhaled by them" (page 109). Appropriately diluted for the child, the blend will fall well-within the range of safe use, as it would contain far less than 40% 1,8-cineole. Regarding inhalation/diffusing, Tisserand writes: "For children of 5 years old or less, direct inhalation should be avoided. Direct inhalation includes inhaling essential oils from the hands, a cotton ball, a nasal inhaler, a bowl of hot water or similar. Indirect, or ambient inhalation, is safe for young children, and includes any method that vaporizes essential oils into the air (page 658).”
Peppermint Contraindications: Cardiac fibrillation, G6PD deficiency.
Avoid contact with the eyes and sensitive areas. Essential oils are both lipophilic and hydrophobic. Lipophilic means they are attracted to fat—like the membranes of your eyes and skin. They are also hydrophobic, meaning they do not like water. Flushing with water will only send the essential oil back to the eye's membranes. Applying a carrier oil will create another fat for the essential oil to be attracted to other than the membranes of the eyes or skin. We’ve not known this to cause permanent injury or long-term discomfort, but if you feel concerned, please call your health care provider.
Reference
Tisserand, Robert; Young, Rodney, Essential Oil Safety: A Guide for Health Care Professionals, Elsevier Health Sciences UK 2nd Edition 2014, pages 273, 387, 656-658. | 5,714 | 2,812 | 0.000359 |
warc | 201704 | Fiber, fats, proteins, organic acids, polyols, and ethanol all release energy during respiration — this is often called 'food energy'.[2] When the food (providing fuel) reacts with oxygen in the cells of living things energy is released. A small amount of energy is available through anaerobic respiration. Nutritionists usually talk about the number of calories in a gram of a nutrient, but this implies that the food actually 'contains' energy. It's better to say that each gram of food (fuel) is associated with a particular amount of energy (released when the food is respired). Fats and ethanol have the greatest amount of food energy per mass, 9 and 7 kcal/g (38 and 30 kJ/g) respectively. Proteins and most carbohydrates have about 4 kcal/g (17 kJ/g). Carbohydrates that are not easily absorbed, such as fiber or lactose in lactose-intolerant individuals, contribute less food energy. Polyols (including sugar alcohols) and organic acids have less than 4 kcal/g. | 976 | 553 | 0.001821 |
warc | 201704 | I am reading " Immortality" by M. Kundera, and this words have particularly attracted my attention:
"I think, therefore I am is the statement of an intellectual who underrates toothache. I fell, therefore I am is a truth much more universally valid, and it applies to everything that is alive. My self does not different substantially from yours in term of its thought. Many people, few ideals: we all think more or less the same, and we exchange, borrow, steal thoughts from one another. However when someone steps on my foot, only I feel pain. The basis of the self is not thought but suffering, which is the most fundamental of all feelings. While it suffers, not even a cat can doubt its unique and uninterchangeable self. In intense suffering the world dissapear and each of us is alone with his self. Suffering is the university of egocentrism". In a sense is a theory fascinating: our throught is the same of the throught of everyone, but the pain is all and only our. I feel, therefore I am: what do you think about this statement?
Interesting concept with somewhat undisputable validity on a physical plane. The higher consciousness - the total detachment from painful thought streams - when practiced brings one back to I think, therefore I am. The physical, though universal throughout humanity, is at the bottom while the higher plane of consciousness discriminates against anything negative, including pain. This is why some people are able to walk on a bed of nails without feeling pain.
My interest was born from the fact that many times I reflect on philosophical arguments when maybe we must just listen our body for have the answers. But perhaps this can be a first step, toward a higher consciousness where we can not feel pain, and we return again to reflect on philosophical arguments!
Thanks for the reply
Exactly. Listening to the body may indeed be a first step. By listening to the indweller, the inner self, we can surrender or go through pain. Pain, despair, nervousness co-exist with obstacles to clear thinking. The obstacles are ignorance, egoism, attachment, aversion, and a desire to cling to life.
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warc | 201704 | THE TRIALS OF JOB
God commented on the righteousness of his servant Job but Satan disagreed with the Lord
(Job 1:8). God allowed Satan to test Job for his faithfulness in the Lord. Satan had to ask permission from God to test Job.
Job was tested as no other man was tested before or after him. His trials included his health, loss of ten children, and wealth. Most human beings were tested on one area at a time, but Job's testing was on all matters relating to a man, his family, his health, loss of wealth, and status in the community.
Satan answered God that Job was pious only because God put a "wall around" him and "blessed" his favorite servant with prosperity. If God touched "his possessions", then Job would curse Him. God gave Satan permission to test Job's righteousness.
JOB'S TRIALS
All of Job's possessions were destroyed and a wind caused the house of the firstborn to collapse killing all of Job's ten offspring who were gathered for a feast. Job did not curse God after this but instead shaved his head, tore his clothes and said,
"Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: Lord gave, and Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of Lord" (Job 1:21).
Job endured these calamities without blaming the Almighty God. Satan obtained permission to afflict his person as well, and God said,
"Behold, he is in thine hand, but save his life" (Job 2:6). Satan, therefore, smote him with dreadful boils from his foot to the crown of his head. Job, sat in ashes, and scraped his skin with a broken pottery. His wife prompted him to " curse God, and die" (Job 2:9). Job answered, "You speak as one of the foolish women."
Job was tested as no other man was tested before or after him. His trials included his health, loss of ten family children, worldly goods. Most human beings were tested on a single front at one time, but Job's testing was on all matters relating to a man's life, his family, his health, loss of wealth, and status in the community.
LOSS OF FAMILY MEMBERS
Children are not supposed to die before their parents. Parents expect to see their children grow and mature. This is the natural course of life events, the life cycle continuing as it should. The loss of a child signifies the loss of the future, of hopes, new strength, continuity and success of life.
Job lost not one member of his family but ten which meant his loss was multiplied ten fold. Human beings look to the future that the next generation would be better than the previous one. When all the ten children died, there is the end of the dynasty, and the future looks very bleak for Job. He had lost everthing in the world, his children, his health, his wealth and hope as well in the future.
GRIEF OF DAVID AND JESUS CHRIST
The grief of a parent for his dead son is extremely great as shown by David when he wished he could die in the place of his son Absalom, even though Absalom tried to usurp his throne and David had to flee for his life.
Jesus wept over the death of Lazarus as a father over a son. In the same way, God would weep over the death of man, for we who obey His commandments are seen as the children of God.
David Grieving for his son Absalom(2 Samuel 18:33) And the king was much moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept: and as he went, thus he said, O my son Absalom, my son, my son, Absalom! would God I had died for thee, O Absalom, my son, my son! JESUS Wept over Lazarus (John 11:33-36) Jesus Wept. And so the Jews were saying, 'Behold, how He loved Him!"
Jesus knew that He would soon raise Lazarus from the dead, ...
There was His great sense of compassion. He hurt to see others hurt. He felt compassion by the sorrow of Mary. Those with compassion are able to "weep with them that weep" and all Christians ought to have this ability
(Romans 12:15).
Jesus journeyed to Bethany to raise Lazarus from death in order to glorify God and He died as the sacrificial lamb.
GRIEF AND BEREAVEMENT
Losing someone or something you love is very painful. After an unexpected significant loss, you may experience all kinds of difficult emotions, such as anger, shock, and guilt. These feelings can be frightening and overwhelming, but are normal reactions to loss. Accepting them as part of the grieving process is necessary for healing.
There is no right or wrong way to grieve. You can get through it by expressing grief which has a potential for healing. This eventually can strengthen and enrich life as is meant to be.
BBC ON HEALTH - BEREAVEMENT
Bereavement is an immensely stressful event that can take a huge toll on the body, potentially causing all sorts of physical problems, including physical exhaustion, uncontrollable crying, sleep disruption, palpitations, shortness of breath, headaches, recurrent infections, high blood pressure, loss of appetite, stomach upsets, hair loss, disruption of the menstrual cycle, irritability, worsening of any chronic condition such as eczema or asthma, and visual and auditory hallucinations.
LOSS OF HEALTH
Satan smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot up to his crown. The whole body was affected and was most grievous to Job. His three friends, Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar came to comfort him, but could not recognize him, and wept. When they saw his anguish, they spoke not a word for seven days and nights. Job sat on an ash heap, scraping his sores with a piece of pottery lamenting his misfortune.
A boil (skin abscess) is a localized infection deep in the skin. A boil generally starts as a reddened, tender area. Over time, the area becomes firm and hard. Eventually, the centre of the abscess softens and becomes filled with infection-fighting white blood cells. The combination of white blood cells, bacteria, and proteins is known as pus. Eventually, the pus "forms a head," which will eventually drain.
If one has one or two boils, it is not that severe and tolerable, but to have from the toe to the head can be painful and very itchy. Can you imagine when they become pus forming stage? To have acne on the face is bad enough, but when the whole body is infected, it would be intolerable.
LOSS OF WEALTH MAY LEAD TO MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS
The reasons why somebody decides to take his or her life often remain obscure, even when they leave a suicide note. But recent highly publicized death of the apparent suicide of Freddie Mac's 41-year-old acting chief financial officer, David Kellermann, have fueled speculation about the special psychological stresses caused by financial crisis.
The economy's downturn in the past year and increased symptoms among people of anxiety, stress and depression focused on spending. Some are having trouble sleeping; others complain about increases in stress-induced stomach pain and headaches.
According to the American Psychological Association's 2007 survey on stress in America, work and money are the two greatest factors of stress for about 75 percent of Americans. Research has also shown increases in drinking, eating, gambling and smoking in response to stress.
Job could not work because of his illness and all his wealth lost through theft by the Sabeans of his oxen, and asses. The fire of God burned up the sheep, and the Chaldeans stole all his camels. He was left with nothing!
It could lead to deterioration of mental health. However, Job was not inclined that way though he was somewhat depressed. Others not of a strong character may contemplate suicide as the best resort, seeing no way out of his predicament.
DEPRESSION Job could have suffered from depression. Are you depressed?
If you identify with several of the following signs and symptoms, and they just won’t go away, you may be suffering from clinical depression.
you can’t sleep or you sleep too much you can’t concentrate or find that previously easy tasks are now difficult you feel hopeless and helpless you can’t control your negative thoughts, no matter how much you try you have lost your appetite or you can’t stop eating you are much more irritable and short-tempered than usual you have thoughts that life is not worth living (Seek help immediatelyif this is the case) JOB'S FRIENDS BLAMED HIM FOR HIS PREDICAMENT
Instead of comforting Job, Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar launched into a tirade of long lectures to show Job the reasons for his suffering. Job made three basic complaints.
God does not hear me (13:3, 24; 19:7; 23:3-5; 30:20). God is punishing me (6:4; 7:20; 9:17). God allows the wicked to prosper (21:7) .
Elihu made a more perceptive and accurate view than the others
(chaps. 32-37).
The three friends and Job had three cycles of debate over the misfortune of Job. Later they were joined by Elihu who intervened in the debate. They could not solve Job's problem until God appeared on the scene and posed questions which Job could not answer.
In God's first speech, He revealed His power and wisdom as Creator and Preserver of the human and animal world. In the second speech, God revealed His soverign authority and challenged Job to control the unmanageable.
Job realized his mistake in questioning God's authority. He repented and no longer demanded an answer as to the "why" of his hardship and Job accepted the supremacy of God's authority over all matters.
RESTORATION OF WORLDLY GOODS
When God spoke from the whirlwind, He revealed His power and wisdom over the animal kingdom and Job acknowledged his own ignorance.but offered no debate. God challenged Job in his second speech to control the colossal monster and Job repented
(Job 42:1-6). When he acknowledged God's sovereignty, his worldly goods increased twice as much as he had before. Job prayed for his friends, but offered no rebuke to Elihu. The Book of Job - You/Tube Related Topics Related Topics
TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS
Trial of Job Do you know that trials come to everybody?See results without voting Do you know that God allowed Satan to test Job for his faithfulness in the Lord?See results without voting Do you know that after the success of the trial, God rewards Job and doubles his blessings?See results without voting © 2010 einron More by this Author 14
Fire is a symbol of the Holy Spirit for it transforms darkness into light. Fire gives light and chases away shadows and gloom. The Holy Spirit like fire shows us how to distinguish good from evil. People filled...
29
Esther, an orphan Jew became the queen of a vast empire. She saved the whole nation of Jews from death. The Jews still celebrate Purim in honour of Esther.
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Purdue researchers found that leaves from the Graviola tree killed six human-cell lines. Especially effective against prostate and pancreatic cancer cells. Read why big pharmaceutical companies do not manufacture... | 10,800 | 5,143 | 0.000196 |
warc | 201704 | Afghanistan’s Minister of Counter Narcotics announced that less opium has been cultivated in the county in 2015, but it is not satisfactory yet.
According to a report by
Mizan, as translated by IFP, Salamat Azimi noted that there was a 19% decrease in the amount of opium cultivated in Afghanistan during 2015.
However, he added, the statistics are not satisfactory.
He highlighted people’s role in the eradication of illicit drugs, and urged all Afghan people to work in this field.
Nasir Ahmad Durrani, the Minister of Rural Rehabilitation and Development, also noted that the burden of fight against illicit drugs cannot be put on the shoulders of only one ministry.
“To eradicate illicit drugs, all people and authorities should join hands.”
He pointed to the roles that the ministries of Education, Higher Education, Intelligence, and Culture can play in the campaign against narcotics by providing people with information about the harms of drugs.
Durrani referred to unemployment as the major cause of increase in drug addiction and opium cultivation, saying that the Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development is trying to decrease the number of addicts by creating more jobs.
He also highlighted the roles of religious authorities and the Ministry of Agriculture in the fight against drugs, saying that the cultivation of wheat and saffron can replace that of opium.
“Cultivation and production of narcotics is against Islam and Afghanistan’s Constitution,” a deputy intelligence minister said, highlighting the need for serious fight against narcotics. | 1,615 | 782 | 0.001317 |
warc | 201704 | The True Meaning of Confession and Anointing Orthodox Peace Fellowship retreat in Vézelay, April 1999 / third lecture by Bishop Kallistos
My theme this afternoon is “Coming to Christ, the Good Physician.” And I’ll be speaking about confession chiefly. But I’ll be looking at it as a sacrament of healing.
In the book by Tito Colliander, The Way of the Ascetics, a brief conversation is recorded between a monk and a layman. The layman asks the monk, “What do you do there in the monastery?” And the monk replies, “We fall and get up, fall and get up, fall and get up again.” It’s not only in monasteries that we do that. In a fallen and sinful world, an all important aspect of our personhood is our need to be healed, to get up after we’ve fallen, our need to repent, to forgive, and to be forgiven.
We’ll start this afternoon with the familiar text of St. James, Chapter 5:
Are any among you sick? They should call for the presbyters of the church and have them pray over them, anointing them with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise them up. If anyone has committed sins, they will be forgiven him. Therefore, confess your sins one to another and pray for one another so that you may be healed.
What we notice in this passage is that St. James is speaking about healing in an all-embracing sense of body and soul together. He talks about the sick person being healed through anointing with oil, but he also says that the sick person will be forgiven his sins. So, healing of body and soul go together. We are to see the human person, as we already said, in holistic terms. An undivided unity: the body is not healed apart from the soul, nor the soul apart from the body. The two are interdependent. St. James speaks at one and the same time of the sick person being raised from his bed physically healed, and he speaks of the forgiveness of his sins through confession. He speaks of spiritual healing.
I find this to be a key that opens a very important door, a vital clue — the anointing of the sick and confession are essentially connected as two indivisible aspects of a single mystery of healing and forgiveness. Each has its own specific function — they do not replace one another, but together they form a true union. So, perhaps the most helpful way to look at the sacrament of confession is to see it as a sacrament of healing.
Now, sacramental confession as we know it today in the Orthodox Church represents a convergence of two things which originally were, perhaps, distinct. First of all, there is the administration of penance. This is particularly connected with John, chapter 20, verses 22 through 23. There, the risen Christ breathes on His disciples, confers on them the gift of the Holy Spirit, and, He says, “whosoever sins you forgive, they are forgiven; whosoever sins you retain, they are retained.”
There, the risen Christ gives to His disciples the power of binding and loosing sins — a juridical power. This task of binding and loosing was transmitted from the apostles to their successors, the bishops. In the early church, the administration of penance was something public; it didn’t involve the private giving of counsel or advice. It was something exceptional. You hoped, by God’s mercy, that you wouldn’t have to be involved in penance. Indeed, the penances that were imposed were by our standards extremely severe. It often requires a leap of the imagination on our part to think of how life was in the ancient church. For example, for fornication — I mean, sex outside of marriage — St. Gregory of Nyssa assigns a penance of nine years without communion. St. Basil’s a little more merciful, he says seven years without communion. Finally, in the sixth and seventh century, in the canonical legislation of St. John the Faster, it’s been reduced to two years. Even so, by our standard, that may well seem severe. Does any part of the Orthodox Church today impose penances of that kind?
Another example is involuntary manslaughter — for example, killing somebody in a car accident. In the early church the act of accidental killing of another person meant ten years without communion. Perhaps, says St. John the Faster, if you observe strict fasting it can be reduced to three years. Parents who allow a child to die unbaptized — three years without communion. So it continues.
Now, that is one source of confession as we know it — the system of public penance that existed in the early church. But this is seen as something exceptional, not a regular part of people’s Christian life, only if they got into trouble. It was not primarily a question of spiritual direction.
But then there is another source of the sacrament of confession as we know it today. This is the practice of spiritual counsel, first found especially in the Egyptian monasticism of the fourth century, though no doubt the practice of using spiritual counsel goes right back to apostolic times. But we don’t know very much about it until the emergence of monasticism.
In the desert of Egypt, as we have learned from the Gerontikon and the Apothigmata — or Sayings of the Desert Fathers — an important part was played by the disclosure of thoughts. The disciple would go perhaps daily to his spiritual elder, his staretz, and open his heart to him. Now this is something clearly different from the system of public penance. First of all, it is regular, not exceptional. In many monastic centers, this happens daily. Secondly, it is private, not public. It’s carried out under conditions of confidentiality. It doesn’t directly involve the church hierarchy.
The spiritual father — in a monastic context, the elder — may in fact be a layman, not a priest. Anthony of Egypt was never a priest but he formed in many ways the prototype of the monastic spiritual father. Athanasius calls him a physician given by God to all of Egypt. The spiritual father of St. Simeon the New Theologian of the eleventh century — Simeon the Studdite — was not a priest. St. Silouan of Mt. Athos was not a priest. On the Holy Mountain today there are many spiritual fathers who are lay monks. Indeed, the giving of spiritual counsel can surely be done by a lay Christian — a man or woman — a person not in monastic vows at all, though that is more exceptional.
In this practice of spiritual counsel, the scope is far wider than in the formal penance of the Church. What you disclose to your elder is not just your sins, but your thoughts. You don’t just speak of what you’ve done wrong, you share with him your inner state, your whole situation. The hope is that by revealing your thoughts to your elder, you will in fact avoid falling into sin. In other words, penance is retrospective, picking up the pieces after the breakage; but, through the use of spiritual counsel, you hope to avoid the breakage itself.
When I was a student at Magdalen College in Oxford, there was a formidable guardian of the chapel, the verger, a little man called Tallboy. I remember a new Dean of Divinity arrived and, with some severity, Tallboy explained to him all the traditions and practices of the college chapel. At the end of this, the new Dean of Divinity said, a little nervously, “Thank you, Mr. Tallboy, you put me right when I go wrong.” “Sir,” said Tallboy, “I’ll put you right before you go wrong.”
Now, the first law of penance puts you right after you’ve gone wrong, but the first law of the disclosure of thoughts, so one hopes, puts you right before you’ve gone wrong.
The underlying principle behind this monastic disclosure of thoughts is very clear; it is described in this way in the Gerontikon, a collection of sayings of the Desert Fathers:
If impure thoughts trouble you, do not hide them, but tell them at once to your spiritual father and condemn them. The more a person conceals his thoughts, the more they multiply and gain strength. But an evil thought, when revealed, is immediately destroyed. If you hide things, they have great power over you, but if you could only speak of them before God, in the presence of another, then they will often wither away, and lose their power.
The process of bringing into the open what is hidden is decisive behind spiritual counsel. That, of course, is also the principle in modern psychotherapy, but the desert fathers thought of it before Freud and Jung.
If the model in the first place with public penance is primarily juridical, the model in the second case, with spiritual counsel, is more therapeutic. Confession as we know it today represents a growing together of these two tendencies. From the fourth century onward, with the greatly increased number of Christians, the system of public penance fell increasingly into disuse. In a much larger Christian community, the trust that existed in the first centuries of the church was diluted. To discuss publicly, in the presence of the whole community, the sins of individual members became a cause of scandal. And so from the fourth century onwards, increasingly penance is no longer public. It becomes a personal meeting just with the bishop and the one who has fallen into sin. Also, with the increasing number of Christians, the bishop alone could not possibly administer the practice of penance, so he delegates this task to specific priests.
Up until the present day in the Greek church still only a minority of priests will hear confessions. This is not something conferred automatically at ordination. There is a special ceremony in the Epilogion — the book of prayers — for the appointment of a priest as a confessor and spiritual father. Generally, in Greek tradition, priests do not hear confession until they have received that special blessing from the bishop.
Once confession and the practice of penance became private, then probably the priest appointed to deal with this matter would not limit himself just to imposing a penance, but he would offer some kind of guidance, some kind of healing counsel. So, increasingly the administration of penance from the fourth century onward takes in elements from the second strand I was describing, the tradition of spiritual counsel.
But there has never been a complete fusing between the two. The practice, as I have already said, of people going to a monk who is not a priest for counsel and to ask God’s forgiveness, has not entirely ceased.
Now, in our view of confession today, where do we put the primary emphasis? Do we put it mainly on the aspect of penance, or on the aspect of spiritual counsel? Do we think of confession primarily in juridical terms, as coming to Christ as the Judge? Do we think of it, on the other hand, more in therapeutic terms, as coming to Christ as the Good Physician, the Doctor? Do we see sin primarily as the breaking of the Law, in medieval terms, or do we see sin more as the symptom of inner illness? Do we emphasize mainly binding and loosing — or healing? Is coming to confession like going to a law court, or like going to a hospital? Now, our answer surely should be, there is truth in both approaches. They are not mutually exclusive.
I remember when I first traveled to America as a hungry student, I went by boat. In those days — the 1950’s — air travel was extremely expensive. It was only for the wealthy. So, unless you were rich, you went for five days on one of the great ocean liners. I can recall traveling on the liner, the Queen Elizabeth. The price of the meals was included in your ticket. I was delighted to find on my birthday that on the menu there was a huge list of food, and you did not have to choose just one item out of three courses. You could make as many courses as you liked. At breakfast, you didn’t have to have either fruit juice or cereal or porridge, you could have all three. You could then go on to have both fried eggs and poached haddock, if you felt like that in the heaving waters of the mid-Atlantic. At dinner the other people at my table were very small-minded. They just had soup and then a main course and then pudding. But I worked it out that I could have hors d’oeuvres and melon, soup, fish, meat, and then dessert, then fruit and then cheese. It wasn’t a question of either/or, but it could be both/and.
Now I would suggest spiritually we should follow the path of the luxury liner! We shouldn’t feel we’ve got to think of confession either in legalistic terms or in terms of healing, but we should combine the two. Even so I have to say that I myself find the therapeutic model much more helpful — to see confession above all as a sacrament of healing, to think of it as coming to Christ the Doctor. The priest is not the doctor, he is the medical assistant. If you’re given a penance — that’s not a punishment, it’s a tonic to help you recover afterwards, to get better.
Of course, this means if you do have a therapeutic approach to confession that you need more time, you can’t just deal with things in two minutes. In my experience, though I am in a fairly small parish, I find I need a quarter of an hour on average for each confession, but during Lent we might spend considerably longer, even a whole hour, together.
If you stress the element of healing, confession is less abhorable. It’s a time for a true opening of hearts.
What we bring to Christ is not a laundry list of sins, but we bring ourselves. We bring not just our sins, but our sinfulness, because often there is a sinfulness that is far deeper than the specific acts we mention. But again, we do not isolate our sinfulness from our total personhood. What we bring to Christ in confession is ourselves, and we may need time to do that.
If we think of confession in terms of healing, we also have to remember that healing takes time. Normally it doesn’t happen suddenly. We shouldn’t think of each confession in an isolated way, separately from all the others. We should recognize that confession is a process as well as an event. In going to a series of confessions, if possible to the same priest, gradually we change, even though we may feel that nothing very remarkable happened at any specific confession. Yet over time we realize, yes, we have been healed.
How many of Christ’s parables in the Gospels speak of slow, gentle, secret growth, unseen by us but seen by God? Think, for example, of Mark 4:26-29. That’s one of the very few passages which is only in Mark, and not in any of the other Gospels. And Mark, speaking there of the harvest, says that you were first the blade, the tender stalk, then you have the ear, or head. And then gradually the full corn in the ear, the head full of grain, but it happens very slowly, and we don’t see it happening though after time we notice the difference. Is not that true, very often, of our own spiritual lives? Certainly it was true of Mark himself, who got off to a rather shaky start. Paul was displeased with him and wouldn’t have him on his second missionary journey. But at the end of his life, Paul tells us that “only Mark is with me,” so evidently Mark made progress.
Christ Himself recognizes how long and drawn out the process of forgiveness may be. We have to forgive people to “seventy times seven.” That’s often what God has to do to us. We shouldn’t feel discouraged if we have to keep mentioning the same sin over and over again at successive confessions. Does that mean that the confession is useless? Does it mean that we are just wasting our own time and the priest’s time? Not necessarily. When we feel, “well, I can’t go to confession because I’d only have the same things to say” — that is a temptation of the devil. We must go back. We must keep mentioning these things. Change happens slowly.
Throwing together what I’ve been saying about confession, I’d like to ask the question, “Why go to confession at all? If, after I have sinned, I turn to God in prayer and, with all sincerity of heart, I ask Him to forgive me, saying my evening prayers that day, does not God at once forgive my sin? Why, then, do I need to go to confession?”
My answer is, yes, God does forgive my sin when I confess it in full sincerity of heart from that very moment, but we still need to go to confession for several reasons. In confession, there are basically three of us there: there is me, making my confession; there is the priest, listening as witness; and there is God — Christ the Physician — who forgives and heals.
Let’s consider what each of these three people do.
First of all, there is what I do. Earlier I quoted from the Sayings of the Desert Fathers — if a thought is concealed, repressed, hidden within us, it has great power. But if we can only bring it into the open, it loses its power over us. Now there is the first reason to go to confession. Yes, I can confess my sins alone in my evening prayer, but there is great power in the uttered word. If I externalize this, if I bring them into the open, what has hitherto been internal, perhaps only half-conscious, now assumes an objective existence and so I can deal with it. Let us not underestimate the effect upon us of speaking about our secret thoughts and sins.
As part of our church service, the mystery of confession in the presence of another person deepens. Often, it is surprising how in confession itself, we say things that we didn’t realize lay in our power to say. Sometimes in confession itself, our whole situation becomes clear as we speak. We didn’t really know what we were going to say until we said it. In this way, the process of speaking can have a creative impact.
Of course, we are to prepare before confession. People who are afraid that because of the erratic character of human memory, or because of nervousness, they may forget things — yes, certainly they may write a few things down on paper. I always discourage people from writing their whole confession down before they come to simply read from a piece of paper what is there. The creative work of putting it into words needs to happen in the confession itself. The same is true, mind you, of preaching sermons. Certainly we should prepare: it’s not advisable to just get up and say the first thing that comes into your head. That, on the whole, won’t really help people. You should have a clear notion before we begin our sermon of what the theme is going to be, what is going to proceed from the point, and we may even have something written down. But we shouldn’t read a prepared statement word-for-word. When that is done, it means that the creative work was done in our study, perhaps several days before, and what we are offering to the congregation is merely the cold ashes afterward. That’s a little harsh, but it wasn’t I who said that. I think is was St. Ignatius Brianchaninov. The same is true of confession: make a few notes if you wish but always find the words at the actual moment of confession. So the creative work is happening in the confession itself.
That ends the first point — what I do, the power of the uttered word. Then there’s what the priest does. Here I think there are two points — one more obvious, the other perhaps less so. The obvious thing is that the priest can give us counsel, advice. Many people think that is the main reason for going to confession. Actually, I would say, what I — the penitent — do is more important than the advice the priest gives me. But nonetheless, the priest’s advice can be decisive.
It is a remarkable thing, that statements which, if you read them printed in a book, would not strike you as in any way remarkable. You’d say, “Well, that’s obvious enough!” But when the same words are spoken to you by the priest hearing your confession, they may suddenly prove to be words of fire. Words which, taken in the abstract, may seem very ordinary and simple, in confession may suddenly come alive. If you are receptive, they may alter your life.
I remember one case. At the Russian convent in London to which I often went as a layman, there was an elderly priest, Fr. John, who didn’t like preaching sermons and he didn’t like hearing confessions. He was always extremely laconic. Few words of advice were given. One day, a woman who often came to him for confession told him as usual and at great length the arguments that she had had with her husband. “He said this and I said this and then he said this and I told him he was all wrong and said this and this and this…” At the end of all this, Fr. John simply looked at her, and said, “And did it help?” Then he gave her absolution.
Those four words changed her life. She suddenly saw how futile it was to go on arguing all the time, always trying to answer people back, always wanting to have the last word. She suddenly thought, “It doesn’t have to be like that at all.” She stopped it and changed. It was that very simple word of advice from the priest, put in the form of a question, that made her life different.
I remember a friend of mine who went to one of the Greek priests in the cathedral. She was a little taken aback — indeed, a little offended at first — because his advice was limited to five words. He just said: “Not serious, but too many,” and then gave her absolution. Again, that made a difference. It altered her attitude toward herself.
When in confession, listen very carefully to what the priest says. He is not simply offering general advice, reflections on the human predicament. He is speaking to me, calling on the Holy Spirit to guide him. What are these words from the Spirit that the priest has to say to me here and now? If we will really listen, then we shall learn.
I remember going one day to a Russian church when I was a layman, wanting to go to confession, and asking, “Which one of the priests speaks English?” I was told, “Go to that one.” So I did. Once I had confessed, he began talking to me but I couldn’t understand a word. So I said, “Could you please speak English?” And he said in an irritated voice, “I am speaking English!” It was not a promising beginning for our mutual cooperation!
So even though what I do may be more important than what the priest does, yet the priest’s counsel can often change my life, if I will let it do so. We mustn’t expect the priest to do everything. When Christ was among people with no faith, he could not work any miracles there. It’s always two-sided. If I, the penitent or the disciple, am not receptive, then the spiritual father will not have a healing word for me.
There is another way in which the priest’s role is important, which, perhaps, we forget. The priest is there as the representative of the church community. Penance, as we saw earlier, was originally a public event. All the local community were there. Now it is personal and private, but the priest is nonetheless representing the community. There are no entirely private sins. All sins are sins against my neighbor, as well as against God and against myself. Even my most secret thoughts are, in fact, making it more difficult for those around me to follow Christ.
All personal sins have a negative effect on other persons, though they may not be consciously aware it does. So, when I come to confession, I come to ask forgiveness not only from God, but also from my sisters and brothers, from the community. I see the priest, therefore, who is present as a witness, as being the representative of the community.
Let me give an example. I’ve heard this story twice, told by quite different people. Perhaps it happened twice. This is a story involving someone I had the privilege of meeting personally and knowing, a saint of our church, St. John Maximovich, who was a bishop of Shanghai, then here in France, then finally San Francisco.
Once, a man was making confession to him, and he said to Archbishop John, “Yes, I see that I have sinned. With my mind, I appreciate that what I’ve done is wrong, but my heart is like a stone — I feel no sense of sorrow or compunction.” Now, the confession was being heard just before the Liturgy and there were already many people in the church. Archbishop John said to the man, “Go out into the middle of the church, kneel in front of all these people, and ask their forgiveness, and then come back to me.”
The man did so. And when he knelt before the people and asked their forgiveness, a sudden change occurred inside him. Suddenly, the stoniness of his heart was taken away. Suddenly, something that held back his tears of compunction was released, and he was able to weep over his sin, and then he received absolution. This brings out the importance of the priest as a representative of the community. We have to ask forgiveness of our fellow Christians.
Here I would join Fr. Alexander Menn’ in issuing a word of caution. There is, in my view, a great danger of over-emphasizing the role of the spiritual father. People read Dostoevski’s account of Staretz Zosima, which is indeed a marvelous piece of writing, and then they think, “That’s how it’s going to be for me. I’m going to find a spiritual father who will know all my thoughts before I confess them; who will alter my life with a single healing word.” Now, for many of us, that is not the way things happen.
Priests have to be very careful, if they are in a parish and are hearing confessions of married couples, not to demand of lay people the kind of obedience that is appropriate only in a monastery. There’s a danger sometimes of parish priests thinking, “I shall be St. Seraphim, I shall be Staretz Zosima.” But even in a monastery, those kinds of spiritual fathers are very much the exception. We shouldn’t, as priests, be too quick to claim the authority of a charismatic staretz. Perhaps I am a St. Seraphim, perhaps I am not.
So I would see the primary purpose of the spiritual father — especially among lay people, but it applies also in monasteries — is to help others to discover their freedom. Not to tell them what they should do, but to help them, through the use of their own freedom, to stand in their own conscience before God and to come to an informed decision.
Very often people come to a spiritual father wanting him to make the decision for them, and perhaps the answer is they have to make the decision. The spiritual father can help them to see what the issue is.
I recall Fr. Sophrony telling me about the approach of St. Silouan of Mt. Athos towards those who came to him. He said, Staretz Silouan hardly ever told people exactly what to do, he hardly ever issued commands. Much more often, he would ask them questions — very carefully chosen questions, yes — but he didn’t issue orders. He wanted people to think for themselves. Fr. Sophrony said that if Staretz Silouan did give counsel in a more detailed way, he frequently began his sentences with the word, “If.” In other words, he tried to help people see connections, to see that if they did one thing, then that would lead on to something else, so there is a chain of cause of effect within our spiritual lives. He tried to help people see how things hang together, how one thing leads to another. Still he left it to them to make up their own minds.
If somebody comes to me and just says, “Tell me what I should do,” my response is, “That is not the real question. You can only discover what you should do if you look in a much more precise way at what the possibilities are and what the alternatives are. Then you can begin to make a choice. But the question, just in the abstract, ‘What should I do?’, is not yet ready for an answer.” The spiritual father doesn’t issue orders, he’s not a lawgiver. We hear this again and again in the Sayings of the Desert Fathers. But he can, sometimes, help people to see what the question is.
The purpose of confession is that it is a school for healing. I mentioned what I do in confession and what the priest does. Thirdly, there is what God does, and that is, by far, the most important thing of all.
Confession is a sacrament, a mystery. Divine grace is at work in it. Confession, like all the other sacraments, is God’s action in which we, both penitent and priest, are invited to share.
What St. John Chrysostom says of the Divine Liturgy is true also of confession. Of the liturgy, St. John Chrysostom says, “The priest only lends his hand and provides his tongue. Everything is brought to pass by the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.” When the priest in confession lays his stole on the head of the penitent and then his hand upon the penitent’s head, it is the hand of Christ who is laying this hand upon the head of the penitent. That is made very clear in the exhortation at the beginning of the Russian rite of confession: “Christ stands invisibly before us, I am only a witness, bearing testimony before Him of all the things you have to say to me.”
So here you have my reasons for suggesting that is why we do need to go to confession.
Let me end with a quotation not from an Orthodox writer but from Protestant, a Lutheran, Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Speaking of confession, he says, “Who can refuse, without suffering loss, the help that God has thought it necessary to offer us?”
Bishop Kallistos is Spalding Lecturer in Eastern Orthodox Studies at the University of Oxford and leads the Greek parish in the same city. His books include The Orthodox Church and The Orthodox Way. His lecture may not be reproduced without his permission. The transcription was made by Lara Oliver. Our thanks to her. | 30,260 | 11,979 | 0.000086 |
warc | 201704 | Photo: US Air Force (Flickr)
Most people think of drones as remote-controlled killing machines used to eradicate threats to U.S. national security. Proponents of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles are trying to change this negative perception as they try to prepare the public for their eventual incorporation into our everyday lives.
Devain Kirker is a junior at Indiana State University, majoring in criminology with a minor in Aviation Flight Technology and Unmanned Systems. He’s training for a career as an operator of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, or as they’re more commonly known, drones.
“The unmanned systems industry is exploding right now, and I definitely want to jump on board with that,” says Kirker.
Kirker initially wanted to be a pilot, but due to the high cost of flying lessons, he decided to switch to Unmanned Systems, a minor in ISU’s Center for Unmanned Systems and Human Capitol Development.
Jeffrey Hauser is the Director of the Unmanned Systems program at ISU, as well as the Assistant Adjutant General for the Air Wing of the National Guard in Indiana.
“What we want to train is operators. We know we’re not engineers like Purdue or Rose Hulman, we don’t do a lot of the communications, the cyber stuff like IU,” says Hauser.
Program Explores Non-Military Drone Uses
At the Center for Unmanned Systems, Hauser says the focus is on the many applications for unmanned systems technology that aren’t military or defense related.
“We really want to look hard into the areas of agriculture, which will probably be one of the biggest areas, as well as domestic ops and first responders.”
Hauser says that more than the vehicle itself, the real innovation is the data gathering capabilities that UAV’s can provide by mounting the vehicles with sensors.
“There are so many different types of sensors to give you different data, whether it be something that can look just like TV, it can be thermal, it can be chemical, if you’re looking to get some kind of smell or what’s in the air, hyperspectral- which is what you’ll use a lot in agriculture, you can tell how much water, how much chemicals are in the ground, where you need to put more chemicals, there’s just so many variants of sensors you could use,” says Hauser.
Kirker hopes to combine what he’s learning in his unmanned systems classes with his Criminology major.
“I want to instill UAV programs in local law enforcement, first responders, so they can respond to accidents more effectively, for like maybe chemical spills.”
Kirker says eventually he’d like to manage an automated delivery or packaging ground system, like the one presented by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos last year.
There are external forces at play right here in Indiana that could have an impact on his career aspirations.
Indiana was recently denied designation as one of the FAA’s six testing sites for UAV’s. The testing sites are part of an FAA initiative to get UAV’s into U.S. airspace by 2015. The FAA chose sites in New York, Virginia, North Dakota, Texas, Nevada and Alaska.
Indiana and Ohio had submitted a joint bid, because they’ve pooled their resources into research facilities like the Ohio/Indiana UAS Center and Test Complex in Springfield, OH in order to create a strong regional testing ground.
Though they won’t have as much federal money coming in, being passed over as a test site might actually be a blessing in disguise, according to Matt Konkler, Executive Director for Complex Operations at the National Center for Complex Operations based here in Indiana.
“We really see this as an opportunity to not have the federal government peering over our shoulder and putting regulations on us when we can and can not fly but to really go after some of the other opportunities that are out there, most likely in the academic sector. We feel it’s a positive thing, and not necessarily a negative thing.”
In late April, the Ohio/Indiana UAS Test Center and Complex will host a competition in conjunction with NASA at Camp Atterbury in Edinburgh. The competition will demonstrate sense and avoid capabilities of UAV’s that are critical to their integration into the national airspace.
“It’s a particular component of unmanned systems, how do they see and avoid each other in the sky, and so it’s a very critical and important competiton, and the results will help to further the safety of this industry.”
According to Konkler, FAA representatives and a cadre of Department of Defense, NASA and other government and private industry officials will attend the competition. Devain Kirker will be keeping a close eye, too.
“Sense and avoid is going to determine whether unmanned systems are going to be integrated within the airspace,” says Kirker.
Lawmakers Worry About Drone Implications
Besides the obvious safety concerns, there are other potential impacts associated with UAV’s that worry some state lawmakers.
A bill making its way through the legislature requires law enforcement agencies to obtain a search warrant in order to use an unmanned aerial vehicle. Rep. Matt Pierce co-authored the legislation. He says if the state doesn’t put parameters on the technology now, it could lead to problems down the road.
“The issue is, once you make it so easy to do that kind of surveillance, then you get into a program where you’re just kind of blanketly monitoring what people are doing, and you can have these smaller vehicles kind of just in the air all the time just basically checking out what’s going on, and that gets you a lot closer to this 1984 world of continuous government surveillance,” says Pierce.
Jeff Hauser agrees that we need to regulate this new technology.
“That makes good sense, because people are worried about privacy,” says Hauser. “What we have to do is hold people accountable.”
Kirker knows that he has a lot riding on the things that are happening in his chosen industry both state and nationwide.
“The laws and regulations that are created today and tomorrow and in the next couple of years,” says Kirker, “will effect what I can do in my career.” | 6,319 | 2,910 | 0.00036 |
warc | 201704 | Developmental Evaluation Using real-time feedback when addressing complex problems.
Download the slides from the Introduction to Developmental Evaluation Webinar here.
Developmental Evaluation (DE) helps community organizations increase the impact of their work by providing real-time data and feedback to help them develop and adapt an intervention as it unfolds. It is particularly well-suited to initiatives that are being implemented in constantly and quickly changing contexts, and can be used by organizations and groups that are:
Creating a new program, strategy or policy from scratch Adapting a model in constantly evolving contexts Replicating a model that emerged and is proven to work in one context, and adapting it to a new context Developing a rapid response in the face of a sudden major change or a crisis Trying to encourage major systems change
DE serves a different purpose than traditional forms of evaluation. In contrast to formative or summative evaluation, developmental evaluation supports the creation, development or radical adaptation of a model in real-time. This might mean:
Documenting actions, short-term results and consequences of those actions, and their connections to the initiative’s goals Identifying emerging processes and outcomes and making sense of their implications Determining when and if an initiative is ready for formative evaluation*
Groups using DE conduct a series of analyses to better understand how the initiative is being implemented, how well it is working, and how it should be adapted in real-time.
A Developmental Evaluation might use a range of different data-gathering techniques, such as interviews, surveys, or focus groups. Organizations typically work with an experienced internal or external developmental evaluator to customize the design of the evaluation to their particular situation. The evaluator then gathers data and provides feedback to implementers.
In determining whether to use DE, organizations should consider both whether their intervention is suited to DE, and whether the organization itself is ready to adopt DE. Both issues are covered in the Innoweave DE self-assessement.
Content for this module has been developed by SiG@Waterloo and Here to There.
*adapted from Michael Patton’s comprehensive book on DE - “Developmental Evaluation; Applying Complexity Concepts to Enhance Innovation and Use”, pg 46 | 2,422 | 1,181 | 0.000858 |
warc | 201704 | By Mallika Chopra
Summer is past the midway point for many of us, and I can admit I am happily anticipating a return to school in a month. Don’t get me wrong, I love spending time with my kids. But entertaining them for 2 1/2 months is not so easy.
In fact, I’ve had quite a few conversations lately with parents about what to do with kids over the summer.
Our friend circle is has the whole range of activities – many kids have gone to sleep away camp, some are studying, others are doing sports camp and Junior Lifeguard training (we live in Santa Monica by the beach!), and then there are the art, drama, science, cooking camps. You name the activity and there is something for the kids to do!
The NY Times has a great editorial series/debate on “Should Kids Go To Sleepaway Camp?” that presents a variety of opinions on what kids should be doing over summer. The range of opinions includes:
“Yes, it is a great way to build confidence and independence.”
“No, kids need to just relax and learn to entertain themselves.”
“Actually, kids need year round school.”
I found the opinions in these editorials thought-provoking. One editorial, in particular, challenged my parenting philosophy. Michael Thompson says:
Parents assume that their presence always adds value to a child’s growth. I disagree. I think parents can sometimes seriously impede their children’s development.
As a parent there are many things you cannot do for you children. You cannot give your child confidence, you cannot pick or manage his or her friendships, you cannot always be his or her advocate/agent/manager/coach. Most parents cannot get their children to turn off electronics, especially in the summer, and most important, parents have a hard time urging their children to take psychological risks.
I couldn’t disagree more. I strongly believe parents build our children’s confidence and should mentor their kids through the difficult times. Parents need to be responsible to make sure their kids get off the electronics, not shift the responsibility to someone else!
Many of my daughter’s friends are away for 2-4 weeks away at sleepaway camp this summer. And, most of their parents are some of the most conscious parents I know who are guiding their children every day to be more confident, adding value to their children’s growth. (Again, I disagree with Mr. Thompson’s statement above.) My friends rationale for sending their kids to camp includes:
“They have the most amazing time. They love it and always want to return.”
“They make deep friendships that last a lifetime.”
“Its great. They learn to be independent.”
Many of these parents went to summer camp when they were young and are excited for their kids to experience the magic they did.
While I respect their reasons, what unnerves me is that at many of the summer camps, the parents can’t speak with their children. The parents can email and write to their kids, and the children can write letters, but it’s not immediate communication like a text message, call, or email. So when the kids express stress or loneliness, my friends are struggling to stay strong. I understand the rationale that the kids are most vulnerable when they connect with their parents so the limited communication diminishes homesickness. But, I can’t overcome my feeling that a child should always have the security that they can turn to their parents for support.
I realize the notion of “independence” at such a young age doesn’t really resonate with my upbringing. Independence is not a core value for my Indian family. (As I point out to some of my friends, many of our friends in India live in joint families with their parents, siblings, and their families! Leaving home and being independent isn’t necessarily what culturally we set out to teach our children from an early age.)
When I was 16 years old, I spent a summer in the Dominican Republic working for Amigos De Las Americas – a Peace Corps of sorts for teenagers. I clearly remember fighting with my parents about going – they thought I was too young to be away home. They ultimately agreed, and it was my first taste of independence. The year after, I spent a summer in Cambridge, England – an ocean away from my parents in Boston. Those two summers were transformative for me. But I was 16 years old, not 9.
One of the editorials in the NY Times argues for continued education in the summer. And admittedly, my kids have a continued math and English program this summer, along with a series of science/robotics camps for my younger daughter, Leela. (Tara has done a theater program.) On the summer activities spectrum, I am a combination of continued education and relaxation!
Last but not least, I am a big believer in travel as the best education and my husband and I try to expose our kids to different parts of the world whenever we can. And, while I realize not everyone can travel to the extent that we do, I was inspired by my friend, who decided to discover LA, our own city, with her kids this summer. They hiked, went to museums, spent time on the beach, ate different ethnic foods, and visited different parts of the city. There is so much to learn where each of us live, and summer can be a great time to do that.
As parents we intuitively know that each of our children are unique, and what may be right for one child may not be right for another. That said, I find opinions on summer activities come with strong points of view. I’m curious, what do you think kids should be doing over the summer? | 5,696 | 2,628 | 0.000394 |
warc | 201704 | As opium harvests in Afghanistan have steadily increased, some think tanks and politicians — mostly in Britain [ah, those English radicals] — have raised a trenchant question: rather than trying to eradicate Afghanistan’s poppies, why not instead buy them and make morphine?
Given that the World Health Organization estimates that over 6.2 million of the world’s poor are dying of cancer, AIDS, burns and wounds without adequate pain relief, the argument goes, wouldn’t it make sense?
Most prominent among these proposals is an analysis by the Senlis Council, a drug-policy research group with offices in London, Brussels and Kabul. The council argues that the United States and Britain waste more than $800 million a year, as well as soldiers’ lives, trying futilely to eradicate poppies.
Instead, it calculated two years ago, Afghanistan’s whole crop could be purchased for about $600 million — the “farm gate” price, not the street value of the heroin into which it is refined, which is over $50 billion. (The “farm gate” estimate has gone up as the crop has increased, and may be $1 billion now.)
Whatever the price, “enforcement will not work,” said Romesh Bhattacharji, a former narcotics commissioner of India who has investigated the Afghan situation for the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. “The Afghan farmer will not switch to alternative crops as long as there is a market for his opium.”
Mr. Bhattacharji says he now endorses the idea of buying the crop.
The United States and British governments are vigorously opposed; instead they favor tough eradication tactics and more encouragement to farmers to grow wheat, cotton or fruit.
“They’re growing a poison, sir — one that kills Afghanistan’s neighbors and corrupts officials,” Thomas A. Schweich, chief of the State Department’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement, said in a telephone interview. “There needs to be better and more forceful eradication.”
There is an American precedent for buying. In the late 1960’s, the Nixon administration, fighting a heroin epidemic, pressured Turkey, then the world’s chief grower, to eradicate its poppy crops.
Unable to do that (both because of corruption and because peasant farmers vote) Turkey in 1974 started licensing farmers to grow for the morphine trade, and the United States in 1981 gave protected-market status to Turkey and India, obligating itself to buy 80 percent of the raw material for American painkillers from them. Why not, the Senlis Council and others argue, let Afghanistan join the legitimate supply chain? Mr. Schweich and others reply that it is simply impractical — Afghanistan grows 93 percent of the world’s poppies; its crop is 15 times the size of India’s.
Also, heroin smugglers pay better. For example, India officially paid its legal farmers only $20 to $50 per kilogram last year, while farmers interviewed in central India in May said illegal buyers were offering $100 to $190. Prices in Afghanistan, at roughly the same time, were about $125.
“Why would anybody switch to legal opium when they can get those prices?” Mr. Schweich asked. Making up the difference with price supports — another idea with American precedents — would cost as much as an extra $800 million.
“You can do the math,” he said. “If we did it, no one in Afghanistan would grow any other crop, we’d be paying billions for it, and it would become a narco-welfare state.”
The idea meets opposition from other quarters, too. Jagjit Pavadia, the current narcotics commissioner of India, said in an interview that if the world becomes ready to buy more morphine for the dying poor she would like Indian farmers to benefit first. Because of falling demand, India has slowly cut its licensed farmers from 150,000 to 62,000.
A third-generation opium farmer in Neemuch, India, was even more adamant. “We have 150 years’ experience in selling to government,” said Ramchandra Nagda, who also grows wheat, garlic and spices. “There is better control here than there ever will be in Afghanistan.”
The United Nations drugs office estimates that heroin rings buy about 30 percent of India’s crop, despite the efforts of 1,200 narcotics control bureau officers. Diversion in Afghanistan, a lawless warlord state, would presumably be far harder to control.
In the British press, there is some serious discussion of the Senlis proposal. But in the United States, the idea has attracted little attention. The council attributes this partially to the lobbying power of the religious right and law enforcement groups, both of which react with horror to any talk of legalization.
“It’s almost theological, their opposition to our idea,” said Norine MacDonald, the council’s founder.
Also, both she and Mr. Bhattacharji said, with a $600 million annual budget for eradication, the field attracts paramilitary contractors with deep connections to the Bush administration, including Blackwater USA and DynCorp International, both of whom train Afghan anti-narcotics police.
Mr. Schweich called such a view “cynical and inaccurate” and maintained that local Afghan governors were the leading force in eradication, though he agreed that their efforts were plagued with nepotism and corruption.
In any case, many experts — even those favoring the use of Afghanistan’s crop for morphine — say it does not change one looming reality: the heroin trade is so large and so lucrative that someone, somewhere, is going to grow the poppies for it.
♠ Posted by Emmanuel in Underground Economy at 10/15/2007 12:08:00 AMHere's an interesting spin on "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em": some are proposing that instead of continuing futile efforts to eradicate opium in Afghanistan (2007 saw another record crop), these supplies should be purchased to replenish morphine painkiller stocks for alleviating the suffering of poorer patients. Sounds like a good idea, right? I was bound to agree before it was noted that drug smugglers are willing to pay significantly more than those purchasing opium for medical purposes. What to do? Beats me, pal. One thing you can be sure of though is that in the absence of other viable sources of livelihood in Afghanistan, those poppies will be in full bloom for years to come. As an aside, it's interesting how the US government has hired Blackwater to help combat the trade. From the New York Times: | 6,633 | 3,172 | 0.00033 |
warc | 201704 | بررسی وضعیت اکسیداتیو کل در اختلال نقص توجه و بیش فعالی بزرگسالان و پیامدهای تشخیصی آن
کد مقاله سال انتشار مقاله انگلیسی ترجمه فارسی تعداد کلمات 32790 2012 5 صفحه PDF سفارش دهید محاسبه نشده Publisher : Elsevier - Science Direct (الزویر - ساینس دایرکت) Journal : Journal of Psychiatric Research, Volume 46, Issue 4, April 2012, Pages 451–455 چکیده انگلیسی
Adult Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (A-ADHD) is one of the psychiatric disorders which awareness is growing. The exact causes of A-ADHD are still unknown. In addition to neurochemical and neuroanatomic disorders, genetic and environmental factors are discussed in its etiology. In our study, we aimed to evaluate the oxidative status of A-ADHD patients and investigate whether oxidative metabolites can be used as diagnostic tools or not in A-ADHD. Blood samples were taken from enrolled 50 A-ADHD patients and 31 controls in appropriate way and Total Antioxidative Status (TAS), Total Oxidative Status (TOS), and Oxidative Stress Index (OSI) were studied in Harran University Biochemistry Labs. Results were compared between groups and ROC curve was drawn in order to evaluate diagnostic performances. Patients' TAS, TOS and OSI were significantly higher than controls. There was not a significant difference between comorbid cases and only A-ADHD patients in terms of measured values. A-ADHD can be predicted for TOS over 9.8575 μmol H2O2 Eqv./L level with 86% positive predictive value and %100 negative predictive value. In A-ADHD, oxidative balance is impaired. High antioxidant levels may be compensatory against the oxidant increase. Oxidative parameters may be used in A-ADHD diagnosis.
مقدمه انگلیسی
35 years ago, preliminary studies of Adult Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (A-ADHD) were written (Wood et al., 1976). The phenomenon was well described in children but only recent studies have shown its impact across life span (Wilens et al., 2002). Debates whether it exists or not, may be justified because nomenclature of the disorder has several flaws. The diagnostic criteria were made according to the childhood and focusing rather than “attention deficit” is the major problem (Doyle, 2006). However, several improvements have been made for the description of A-ADHD (Gunay et al., 2006; Wender, 1995). It is clear that not all but some of the adults develop adaptive behaviors against symptoms and the course of the disease changes but its effect on functionality still persists (Faraone et al., 2000; Wilens and Dodson, 2004). Why some people recover after childhood and others not is another issue to be studied. Numerous researches have been conducted regarding neurobiology of pediatric ADHD but A-ADHD studies are relatively few. Several neurochemical and genetic mechanisms are believed to be involved in A-ADHD although the etiology remains unclear (Bulut et al., 2007; Faraone, 2004). While aerobic life depends on oxygen, sometimes it may be hazardous for living beings which is known as “oxygen paradox”(Davies, 1995). During oxygen involved oxidation–reduction reactions for life energy, several “harmful wastes” called oxidants are produced. Oxidants are removed from the body by antioxidant defense mechanisms. The imbalance of oxidative metabolism is called oxidative stress (Valko et al., 2006). The association between oxidative stress and psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression and anxiety disorders were well studied before (Andreazza et al., 2008; Herken et al., 2007; Selek et al., 2008a and Selek et al., 2008b). Few studies focused on oxidative stress of either pediatric or adult ADHD (Bulut et al., 2007; Ceylan et al., 2010). We have previously reported that oxidant nitric oxide levels were high and antioxidant superoxide dismutase levels were low in A-ADHD (Selek et al., 2008c). However, a total status of oxidative metabolism has not been evaluated, yet. Plasma concentrations of antioxidants can already be measured separately in the laboratory, but these measurements are time-consuming, labor-intensive and costly. The number of different antioxidants in plasma, serum, urine, or other biological samples makes it difficult to measure each antioxidant separately. Since antioxidative effects of antioxidant components of plasma are additive, the measurement of total antioxidative status (TAS) and total oxidative status (TOS) can only reflect the antioxidative status of plasma whose measurement methods were developed by Harran Biochemistry Labs (Erel, 2004 and Erel, 2005). On the other hand, there may be shifts in TAS and TOS. Thus, Erel also hypothesized that current oxidative status can be stated with oxidative stress index (OSI) which can be figured out by TAS/TOS (Erel, 2005). The general relation between those parameters can be seen in Fig. 1. Therefore, for exploring a specific relationship between oxidative metabolism and suggested diseases, Erel's parameters are useful. Full-size image (8 K) Fig. 1. The relation between oxidative stress markers; total oxidative status (TOS), total antioxidative status (TAS) and oxidative stress index (OSI). Figure options In this study we aim to explore the total oxidative and antioxidative status of A-ADHD and investigate whether oxidative metabolites can be used as diagnostic tools or not in A-ADHD. | 6,287 | 2,733 | 0.000432 |
warc | 201704 | March 1 2010
Vicki E. Alger
[Correction: my March 1 post said this was federal education spending.]
Today President Obama joined General Colin Powell, America's Promise Alliance Chair Alma Powell, and U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce to announce the formation of Grad Nation, a 10-year campaign to reverse the dropout crisis and prepare students for success in college, work and life. The new program will target 5,000 of the country's worst performing schools, beginning with the country's lowest-performing 1,000 schools.
Under the plan, Secretary Duncan will award $900 million in grants next year to qualifying school districts that improve teacher effectiveness; adopt a "turnaround model" that includes replacing principals and staff; enact a "restart" model that puts failing schools under calls charter management; or follows a "closure" model that sends students to better schools within the district. The president plans to spend another $50 million on dropout-prevention strategies.
"This is a problem we can't afford to accept or ignore," said President Obama, according to the
Los Angeles Times. "The stakes are too high -- for our children, for our economy, for our country. It's time for all of us to come together -- parents and students, principals and teachers, business leaders and elected officials -- to end America's dropout crisis."
Unfortunately, directing lavish subsidies to schools districts has a poor turn-around track record. Directing those resources to parents instead in the form of grants so they can pick their children's schools has a much better chance of success.
Based on evaluations from the president's own education department low-income students using D.C. Opportunity Scholarships worth just a third of what the District would spend to educate them in public schools perform up to two years ahead of their public-school peers in reading.
Low-income students in the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program using scholarships worth less than half of what it would cost to educate them in public schools have a graduation rate 18 percent higher than students in Milwaukee Public Schools. According to education experts, "school-choice programs that include alternatives to traditional public high schools may reduce high-school dropout rates and promote college attendance."
Approximately half a million students likely attend the country's worst performing schools. The nearly $1 billion in turnaround grants could fund scholarships worth nearly $2,000 to help students attend better schools or get tutoring from providers their parents prefer. That would be a better approach than giving more money to districts that have thus far refused to reform. | 2,749 | 1,371 | 0.000736 |
warc | 201704 | Here in New York City, it can be difficult to wrap one’s mind around the reports we get from Israel — the vicious deaths of four teenagers followed by more death and destruction; parents singing Hebrew lullabies in the bomb shelter of a Jerusalem bookstore; elephants sheltering their young in the Ramat Gan zoo as sirens scream and also the continuity of ordinary life, a mood that one Facebook friend describes as “tense normal.”
But there’s one thing that a few resourceful individuals teach us: Even from across the ocean, it’s not that difficult to do something small but powerful to diminish suffering.
Take Leora Packer. As the rockets rained down all over Israel this past week, Packer, a Long Island native who made aliyah four years ago, launched Operation Pizza Storm, showering the hardest hit regions with crusty pies.
Her missive to the world, posted on Facebook by several of her friends, asked readers to order pizza for the families of southern Israel, where the barrage of attacks has shut down all summer camps. She and her husband Shmuel, who live in a Tel Aviv suburb, had been involved in a similar pizza drive two years ago, during Israel’s Operation Pillar of Defense.
This time, the project drew hundreds of callers from Australia to California. In sometimes-rusty Hebrew, callers stumbled over the script that had been supplied to place orders, with one woman breaking down in tears as her conversation was interrupted twice by sirens. The initiative, ongoing, feeds not only the exhausted, stir-crazy residents of the region, but also supplies income to the owners of pizza shops in these downtrodden areas.
“I wanted to reach the small businesses and simple people,” says Packer, a 25-year-old mother of two, and psychology student at Bar-Ilan University, explaining why she chose to initiate her own effort, rather than focus on a pre-existing program of a major organization. “Also, I realized that it would help people in the U.S. feel less hopeless, like there’s nothing they can do.” (grape-vine.com/offer/GrapeVine_New_York/Operation_Pizza_Storm)
Another individual who hasn’t sat idly by is Noah Greenfield, a new resident of Brooklyn, who is 30, A father of two, he has been ordained as a rabbi by Yeshiva University, and is working toward a law degree from Yale University while also completing a doctorate in religion from the University of California, Berkeley.
Like so many Jews around the world, Greenfield mourned for the four teenage boys murdered this past month. When he learned the tragic news of the deaths of Naftali Fraenkel, Eyal Yifrah and Gil-Ad Shaer, he quickly found an email address to transmit his condolences. When he learned about the loss of Mohammed Abu Khdeir, he thought that a Jewish agency would have made a similar arrangement, but couldn’t find an organized effort to offer sympathies.
“When Mohammad was murdered my wife and I felt very sad, and believed that others would be sad too, and there should be some sort of outlet,” says Greenfield, who has been involved in interfaith dialogue. “We thought about the boys in a similar way to Mohammad.”
Greenfield asked his community of more than 2,000 Facebook friends if anyone could put him in contact with the Abu Khdeir family. Greenfield then called the family, and set up a Gmail account to collect letters, so he could screen the content before delivery.
All the letters have been respectful, and a family member has expressed gratitude for the effort. Greenfield, himself, unfortunately, has received hate mail. Readers can still send condolences to this address: abu.khdeir.family@gmail.com
If the current conflict isn’t resolved soon, two Upper West Side friends, Meredith Berkman and Sarah Sternklar, plan to coordinate another “Moms For Israel” event in August in the eastern end of the Hamptons. The pair has been involved in similar efforts during past Israel crises, but for the first time this summer, their children will be organizers as well. Berkman’s daughter, Noa Mintz, suggested a companion event, “Teens for Israel.”
“As this drags out, a public showing of support becomes more important,” says Berkman, who will invite the local synagogues to participate.
These grassroots events date back to 2006, when Berkman recalls that she and Sternklar couldn’t imagine “just sitting around enjoying our vacations while there was a ground invasion in Lebanon.” With 10 days of planning, that first event attracted 400 people, and Magen David Adom received $250,000 in charitable funds. Berkman, a writer, says, “It was unprecedented for me. I had never raised a dollar in my life.”
Elicia Brown’s column appears the second week of the month. Email: eliciabrown@hotmail.com. | 4,878 | 2,491 | 0.000416 |
warc | 201704 | Newest Work: An Eden of Sorts: The Natural History of My Feral Garden
An Eden of Sorts: The Natural History of My Feral Garden, is the latest in the series known as The Scratch Flat Chronicles. It is the story of the transformation of a sterile acre and a half of pine forest into a florid garden.
Thirty years ago Mitchell made a casual survey of the living things on a tract of land that consisted primarily of white pine and no more than five other species of higher plants and no nesting birds. Over the next three decades he replanted the land in a series of garden rooms based on the designs of his hero, the 19th century garden designer Andrew Jackson Downing who was a contemporary of his other hero in these matters, Henry Thoreau.
The great irony of the story told in this book is the that by cutting down the forest and replacing it with a human construct --- in this case a house and garden --- he actually increased the bio-diversity of the area. In spite of the fact that the original plot consisted of native plants, the land was essentially a desert-like environment, with very few species. Once the garden was completed, Mitchell carried out another survey. This time, he came up with the very conservative estimate of over 2,000 species of plants and animals.
An Eden of Sorts explains how and why this came to pass .
In the end, what happened in this garden could serve as a model for a new system of private wildlife sanctuaries. In contrast to undeveloped open space, suburban lands are hardly endangered. But if designed properly, they could, as with Mitchell’s experiment, actually increase the biodiversity of developed land.
But this is not solely an ecological document. It is also the story of the people who were associated with this garden over the years, including three generations of children who explored the various secret garden rooms of the land, not to mention the company of former wives and husbands, in-laws and ex in-laws, uncles, aunts, grandparents, visiting dignitaries, dogs, cats, and the resident wildlife who also shared the year by year adventures in this garden. | 2,125 | 1,081 | 0.000931 |
warc | 201704 | Even though hypnosis enhances an athlete’s performance on the court/gridiron, a school board in St. John, Kansas decided against the practice for its varsity basketball team http://www.kwch.com/Global/story.asp?S=9791463
Hypnosis is still seen by many as magic or stage antics grounded in mysticism. Think about it: if your only concept of hypnosis is seeing an old man with a pocket watch walking across a stage seemingly controlling the minds of his volunteers (getting them to act a fool uncontrollably), you certainly wouldn’t want your son or daughter to participate in a school’s program even though the hypnotist may have given a glaring description of how hypnosis works. What many parents don’t realize is that hypnosis is both science and art. It is so versatile, it is probably one of the only techniques that can be used by various professionals – athletes, dentists, general doctors, anesthesiologists, psychiatrists, psychotherapists, hypnotherapists, counselors, social workers, ministers, teachers, coaches, motivational speakers, magicians and stage hypnotists or anyone dealing with the mind. Its uses are many – as in healing mental and emotional issues, acquiring motivation to achieve goals, as an anesthetic/ to control pain, boost confidence/esteem, stop smoking, lose weight, or enhance one’s performance/talent…just to mention a few arenas of application. Unfortunately it is the magician or the stage hypnotist – with a larger than life personality – who appears to use hypnosis in a ‘mind control’ type of way for jokes and laughter. Of course, he will receive many oohs and ahs from his audience but the damage in seeing a professional man walking around like a ballerina or a professional woman walking around like a sex crazed maniac is indelible to the minds of many. In the criminal field, police would say that their job is to protect 99% of the population from the 1% of the criminals. The same can go for many professionals who use hypnosis to enhance their patients’/clients’ lives versus that 1% who uses it for shock value, fun and games. Because of that 1% of showmanship, perhaps no other therapeutic technique has to defend itself as much as hypnosis has to. But as the father of one of the St. John’s varsity team players said, “I don’t know how it works, but Jordan says he can feel a difference. He says he loves it.” Shouldn’t that matter most! Maybe if the parents and the school board of the St. John’s basketball team were told that hypnosis would not only help their sons play better basketball, but it would also enhance their grades, build their confidence and esteem and help them prepare for their future… maybe the school board would have defended hypnosis instead of being against it. John Clinical Hypnotherapist & Life Coach Hypnosis & Self-Enhancement Books & CDs: http://www.hypnotizeanybody.com Hypnotherapy Services: http://www.hypnotherapy4health.com Joimethod: http://www.joimethod.com | 3,056 | 1,513 | 0.000685 |
warc | 201704 | Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To estimate the percentage of large-for-gestational age (LGA) neonates associated with maternal overweight and obesity, excessive gestational weight gain, and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM)—both individually and in combination—by race or ethnicity.
METHODS: We analyzed 2004–2008 linked birth certificate and maternal hospital discharge data of live, singleton deliveries in Florida. We used multivariable logistic regression to assess the independent contributions of mother's prepregnancy body mass index (BMI), gestational weight gain, and GDM status on LGA (birth weight-for-gestational age 90
th percentile or greater) risk by race and ethnicity while controlling for maternal age, nativity, and parity. We then calculated the adjusted population-attributable fraction of LGA neonates to each of these exposures.
RESULTS: Large-for-gestational age prevalence was 5.7% among normal-weight women with adequate gestational weight gain and no GDM and 12.6%, 13.5% and 17.3% among women with BMIs of 25 or higher, excess gestational weight gain, and GDM, respectively. A reduction ranging between 46.8% in Asian and Pacific Islanders and 61.0% in non-Hispanic black women in LGA prevalence might result if women had none of the three exposures. For all race or ethnic groups, GDM contributed the least (2.0–8.0%), whereas excessive gestational weight gain contributed the most (33.3–37.7%) to LGA.
CONCLUSION: Overweight and obesity, excessive gestational weight gain, and GDM all are associated with LGA; however, preventing excessive gestational weight gain has the greatest potential to reduce LGA risk.
LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: III
In Brief
Excess gestational weight gain is associated with a greater proportion of large-for-gestational-age neonates than either maternal prepregnancy body mass index of 25 or greater or gestational diabetes mellitus.
Author Information
Division of Reproductive Health, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, Atlanta, Georgia; the College of Public Health and the Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida; and D.B. Consulting Group, Inc, Silver Spring, Maryland.
Corresponding author: Shin Y. Kim, MPH, 4770 Buford Highway, NE MS K-23, Atlanta, GA 30341; e-mail: skim1@cdc.gov.
The findings and conclusions in this report are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official position of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Financial Disclosure The authors did not report any potential conflicts of interest. | 2,711 | 1,369 | 0.000741 |
warc | 201704 | Drug use among the home-dwelling elderly : trends, polypharmacy, and sedation Saved in: Author: Linjakumpu, Tarja 1,2,3 Organizations: 1University of Oulu, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry 2Härkätie Health Center 3University of Turku, Institute of Clinical Medicine, General Practice Format: ebook Version: published version Access: open Online Access: PDF Full Text (PDF, 0.7 MB) Persistent link: http://urn.fi/urn:isbn:9514271025 Language: English Published: 2003 Publish Date: 2003-10-03 Thesis type: Doctoral Dissertation Defence Note: Academic Dissertation to be presented with the assent of the Faculty of Medicine, University of Oulu, for public discussion in the Väinö Pääkkönen Hall of the Department of Psychiatry, Peltolantie 5, on October 3rd, 2003, at 12 noon. Reviewer: Docent Risto Huupponen
Professor Esa Leinonen
Description: Abstract
The elderly use drugs more commonly than younger persons. Many studies about drug use have concentrated on institutionalized elders. Knowledge of drug use by the oldest old, aged 85 years or over, is scant. Psychotropics are among the drugs most commonly used by the elderly. Psychotropics have many adverse effects, such as balance impairment, sedation, reduced cognition, depression, and extrapyramidal symptoms. We do not know the extent of sedative drug use, including psychotropics and drugs prescribed for somatic disorders that have sedative properties. Withdrawal of unnecessary drugs appears to be beneficial and to improve the functional capacities of the elderly.
The aim of this study was to describe the changes in prescription drug use, polypharmacy, and psychotropic use among home-dwelling elderly Finns in the 1990s by using two cross-sectional community surveys. The specific aim was to classify all drugs used in Finland into four groups based on their sedative properties.
Drug use, polypharmacy, and, to some extent, psychotropic use increased within a decade. The oldest old used prescription drugs most commonly. Polypharmacy was independently associated with higher age, and in 1998-99, with at least 3 chronic diseases, poor self-perceived health, and the use of home nursing services. Most psychotropic users were on regular medication. The use of hypnotics and antidepressants increased most. Persons with polypharmacy used significantly more commonly psychotropics compared to other people. Over 84-year-olds used psychotropics more commonly than younger persons.
Sedative use was common, as 40 % of drug users used them. Sedative use was significantly more common among persons with polypharmacy than others. According to logistic regression models, the use of many sedatives was independently associated with age 80 years or over, female gender, chronic morbidity, smoking, poor self-perceived health/life satisfaction, and the use of home nursing. Both polypharmacy and abundant sedative use were associated with impaired physical functional abilities.
Prescribers need to be aware of the increasing polypharmacy and abundant sedative use. Regular assessment of indications is needed to avoid overuse of drugs. Geriatric knowledge is needed to support health centers and specialized units in this demanding task.
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Series: Acta Universitatis Ouluensis. D, Medica ISSN-E: 1796-2234 ISBN: 951-42-7102-5 ISBN Print: 951-42-7101-7 Issue: 744 Subjects: Copyright information: This publication is copyrighted. You may download, display and print it for your own personal use. Commercial use is prohibited. | 3,547 | 1,721 | 0.000589 |
warc | 201704 | Youngest was born into the crumbling of my idealized adult life. I spent most of my pregnancy hardly believing she would be born, still reeling after my recent miscarriage, the death of a friend, and loved ones’ health emergencies. The secure job we were sure my husband would land right after finishing his doctorate had not materialized, and all our hard work only seemed to produce more hard work.
Youngest did not have a freshly-painted nursery (she slept in a portable bassinet in the hallway outside our bedroom door), and she wasn’t a neatly-spaced two years younger than Middle, the way I had envisioned she would be. Our health insurance ended a week after she was born, and we spent the first year of her life paying as we went at the doctor’s office, hoping that the health emergency that could ruin us wasn’t just around the corner. We had friends, but I felt close to nobody, out of touch with old friends after moving several times, and unable to feel like I connected with the new ones. I sat with acquaintances while they compared notes about home renovations and quietly hated the white walls of our apartment, wondering what everybody around me had done to be able to own a home. I was not the gentle, abundant, glowing homeschooling mom I wanted to be. I was tired and disorganized, and my husband worked long hours and got paid only a few dollars an hour more than the babysitters we hired once in a while when there was no other choice.
And then, Youngest herself spent the first two years of her life showing me that my determination to have well-behaved, disciplined children and a perfect, well-groomed family was pure fantasy. She was loud, emotional, headstrong. She got into things my older two never dreamed of—kitchen knives, for example. She seemed bent on mischief and destruction. My parents referred to her as a force of nature. It was fitting, actually, that when a tornado struck our town two years ago, she couldn’t shake the idea that it was a person, not a thing, that did all the damage.
People love to say that being a mother is hard. What I wish they would say, even though it isn’t very good advertising, is that motherhood will probably at some point not only take you to the edge of yourself, it will hold you over the edge and let you dangle. Older women would stop me at the grocery store sometimes, and say things like, “You’ve got a big job there. I remember what those days were like. Hang in there—these are precious times.” The way their eyes held mine when they said it assured me they knew what they were talking about and had most likely spent a fair amount of time dangling, themselves.
Youngest stretches me. But somewhere along the line I realized that she is in many ways the girl I always wished to be. She is strong and feisty and outgoing. My social advice to my children is based on my experience as an introvert: be nice, make eye contact and answer people’s questions, and if you can’t manage anything else, a smile will get you a long way. My four year old, on the other hand, will march up to a complete stranger at church and say, “I haven’t seen you here before. What’s your name?” She won’t even blush or stumble all over her words or feel like an idiot like her mom would. She sings and cries loudly, loves being on stage, endears herself to everybody, and asks for what she wants. She is a free spirit, completely comfortable in her own skin, and I have a lot to learn from her.
Two years ago when we finally bought a house, we decided that each child should have their own room. Youngest was barely three, so I helped pick the color for her room. She loved purple, and the day-glo orange she wanted was not an option, so I found what I thought was the perfect purple for her: something light but somehow deep, passionate and mysterious, feminine but not frilly. It was a color that seemed to define everything I love about her.
It turns out she wanted pink, like Middle’s room. Not only that, but within a month of moving in, Middle and Youngest started sharing a bed again, and insisted that they hated being alone in their rooms. For a year and a half, they had sleepovers, alternating between their two rooms. They played together in whatever room they slept in, and the other room was always empty and trashed.
This summer, I did something I’m pretty sure I learned from Youngest: I asked for what I wanted. Not everybody was excited about the idea, but my daughters are sharing a room again. They both have the pink room they wanted, and they have loft beds, so each girl has a top bunk with her own private space underneath. And the purple room—I swear I didn’t choose the color for myself—but it is my space, now. My office. I still stumble over that word “my,” but there you have it.
There were a number of years that I truly believed that to be a mother I had to completely pour myself out, give up all of myself. As my children are getting older, though, I’ve had to rethink that. I feel like I am growing up alongside my kids, trying to help them discover who they are, but also rediscovering who I am. That idealized adult life I thought I wanted—a good portion of it was based on how I thought I would best fit in, how I could look good and feel accepted. But the times in my life where I have felt the most accepted were when I was being myself, doing the things I loved and being the person I was made to be.
I started writing seven years ago, during a time of great hope and great stress. It was something I did a lot of as a child, something I always loved, but I pushed it aside for years simply because I thought I had to. Recently, though, it has become a lifeline. I write to think, to pray, to connect the things in my life that I otherwise don’t know how to connect. To understand, and also to communicate. I refuse to call writing a hobby, but I hesitate to say it is a calling because I don’t know how you determine something like that. But it became clear that I needed to carve out a place for myself in this wonderful family—a physical and emotional space just for writing, and oh, it is the loveliest shade of purple. | 6,279 | 2,962 | 0.000346 |
warc | 201704 | The prices of corn and soybeans went up last month and are significantly higher than this time last year. July corn was at $6.50 a bushel, up twenty cents from June and three dollars higher than last year. Soybeans also saw an increase last month.
They sold for $13.50 per bushel up 30 cents from June. Last year they were selling for $9.69 a bushel.
Joni Sandburg with the Farmers Coop in Ainsworth says these numbers reflect the prices paid by farmers for commodities and services, interest, taxes, and farm wage rates. | 525 | 329 | 0.003063 |
warc | 201704 | Health is wealth is a great word. In the race of searching the money and other things we did not have the time to think about health unless it gets spoiled. The human body has the ability to react when there is an excess thing in our organs. But the thing called fat gets deposited on the veins and the arteries and reacts only when it exceeds a threshold value. The time it reacts, we do not have the time to rescue our self.So it is a great flaw in our body if we allow the fat to increase its capacity. The health organization prescribes the food style in a different manner. They recommend us to take more amounts of fresh vegetables and fruits with our food. But if we see the overall food practice across the world high salted ingredients and the flavored are the high preferred ones. So to reduce the fat content in our body we use to practice a thing called exercise. But it is not suitable to most due to their time restriction.
The ultimate solution is the Garcinia cambogia extract. The Garcinia cambogia is an ancient fruit which are found in the Asian region and some regions of the nation India. The fruit which is used for making delicious curry has the capacity to reduce the body fat contents. The fruit has a high concentration of the acid called hydroxyl citric acid. This acid has the potential to bursts the fats from the body so it reduces its weight ultimately.
The pure Garcinia cambogia has the power to increases the level of serotonin in the blood and thus enhances the mood, suppress appetite and control carvings. Since the extract is prepared with no ingredients they possess the no side effects to the user. The Garcinia cambogia side effects are only due to the over usage of the product and using the products without the knowledge of the doctors. The user can reduce the weight up to 20 pounds in a month.
This makes the Garcinia cambogia extract to be utilized by the major celebrities across the world. The stars who are using the extracts gave a positive Garcinia cambogia reviews in their own pages. The readers who are in need to know about this product may log on the portal address arpms.com. This blog hold the reviews, details about the price, the way of usage and the videos that are showing the results of the product. | 2,268 | 1,058 | 0.000947 |
warc | 201704 | Intuitive explanations, urban legends and popular misconceptions all contribute to some of the popular myths about motorcycle safety. We’ve heard some of these misconceptions so often that we think they are actually true, more so if we keep hearing them from people whose expertise we respect. The problem with believing these misconceptions is that it increases your risks of getting into a motorcycle accident. Some of these myths have been discussed here.
Myths About Motorcycle Safety 1. Loud Pipes Save Lives
Many motorcycle riders believe that the louder their pipes are, the more chances they have of preventing an accident because everyone on the road will notice them.
This myth originated from the biking world and has garnered a lot of supporters who are mostly custom aftermarket exhaust pipe manufacturers and riders.
This might make drivers notice you but all that noise doesn’t do much to help prevent a car from turning in front of you. Many drivers get exhausted by the noise or they get annoyed by it and become aggressive.
Whatever the case, research reveals that bikes with stock pipes cause less accidents than bikes with loud exhaust systems. If you want to prevent motorcycle crashes, you should turn to bright helmets and jackets.
2. A Skilled Rider Can Handle Any Situation
Even the sharpest and most skilled motorcyclist will not be up to the task when a car suddenly pulls in front of them or makes a sudden turn. Believing that your superb riding skills will prevent accidents from happening to you is a pipe dream. No matter how skilled you are, it’s better to ride defensively and avoid situations that could turn ugly.
3. Lay Down The Bike When You Are About To Crash
Laying down the bike to avoid an accident is a very blunt decision considering that a skilled rider has plenty of other options they could use to save them from a nasty crash.
Older riders or those who have been riding for a long time will tell you that the best way to increase motorcycle safety is to stay away from dangerous situations. This involves checking the weather to ensure it is safe to ride, checking the road for debris, sand, potholes, etc.
You should, however, let the bike go if you are headed towards a pile of burning cars, off a cliff or into any sinister situation.
4. Race Tires Will Make Your Motorcycle Go Faster
Road tires are different from race tires. They are designed differently and have different properties and components. Chances are very high you are going to fall off your bike if you get a set of race tires for your motorcycle. It’s nearly impossible to obtain a set of race tires that are up to proper race temperature on the highway. Stick to road tires if you want to stay safe on the road.
5. Police Speed Radars Can’t Detect You Because Your Motorcycle Is Smaller Than Cars
Just because your motorcycle is smaller than a car doesn’t mean that police speed radars won’t detect you. Police today carry high tech lasers that are more accurate than the ones they used to carry in the previous years.
In fact, they are believed to be so high-tech they can register the speed of a flying insect. Therefore, just because you are speeding on your motorcycle, doesn’t mean that you will avoid a speeding ticket.
6. You Can Go Faster If You Have Traction Control On A Motorcycle
This is both a myth and a fact. If you have not yet mastered riding skills, then you might not know what traction control does. If you are an experienced racer, then chances are very high that you know traction control will slow you down. If you are in between these two groups, you can use traction as a safety net.
7. Riders Wear Leather To Look Cool
While this could be partially true, leather happens to be one of the best materials to protect a rider from the pavement.
Hire A Plymouth Motorcycle Accident Attorney Today
Even though you might take all the necessary precautions to ensure that you don’t get into an accident, motorcycle safety is never fully guaranteed. If you have been in a motorcycle accident in Plymouth, you should contact one of our Plymouth motorcycle accident attorneys and we will tell you if you are entitled to compensation.
Call us at 508-746-2700 or fill out our contact form today for a free initial consultation. Alternatively, you can visit our Kevin P Landry law offices in Plymouth or we can come to wherever you feel comfortable on request. | 4,460 | 2,099 | 0.000484 |
warc | 201704 | Question:
My husband is not spiritually grounded and never really has been. I am a Christian, and I love him very much.† We are separated and I've been praying for my marriage to be restored. My question is should I stop praying? I don't want to seem obnoxious, pushy, or impatient toward the Lord,†but I don't know what to do.† Many say let go and let God.† Does that mean to stop praying that he comes home?
Thank you.
Answer:
The parable of the persistent widow starts out, "
Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart" (Luke 18:1-8). God answers the prayers of His people in ways that are best for them. Sometimes what we think is best really isn't. Or we are asking for the wrong thing. More often, though, the best solution takes time and we are impatient.
Continued prayer isn't a sign of impatience; to give up praying shows impatience. I have people lost in drugs that I've been praying about for years and it sadly looks like those prayer will continue for many more years. I do pray that they will come to their senses before it is eternally too late and that if there is something I can do to be granted the wisdom to see what needs to be done.
In regards to your husband's return, remember that God's isn't going to take away his free will. So think about what it is that you really want and that God may answer that will be in accordance to His will.
Thank you for responding, though I am still confused. I thought divorce is a sin. I love my husband very much. We have children. Though he's living with his new girlfriend, we still sleep together. He says he loves me but is no longer in love with me. We talk about almost everything and are bestfriends. This new girl of his is ten years younger than he and a stripper. I just pray he doesn't get hurt, and that he returns to Christ. Please pray for us.
Strange, I don't see any mention of divorce in your question or in my answer. But since you've now brought up the question, let's take a look at what God actually said: "
For the LORD God of Israel says that He hates divorce, for it covers one's garment with violence," says the LORD of hosts. "Therefore take heed to your spirit, that you do not deal treacherously" (Malachi 2:16). God hates divorce for good reason. It is an action that results from sin and often times causes more sins to come about. However, this doesn't mean that God doesn't allow divorce in some circumstances. " And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced commits adultery" (Matthew 19:9). Your husband is committing adultery and clearly has no inclination to repent of his sins. Because of this you can, if you so choose, end the marriage with a divorce. You can also get married again if you so choose. Neither the divorce or the remarriage is required, but it is an option open to you.
However, what puzzles me is why you are encouraging your husband in his adultery. I'm sure you tell him you want him back and that you want him to leave this adulteress, but it doesn't seem that you don't stand behind those words. | 3,204 | 1,586 | 0.000639 |
warc | 201704 | Friday, July 6, 2007
A Sudden Change of State
The Guardian (London)
July 3, 2007
George Monbiot
A new paper suggests we have been greatly underestimating the impacts of climate change - and the size of the necessary response.
Reading a scientific paper on the train this weekend, I found, to my amazement, that my hands were shaking. This has never happened to me before, but nor have I ever read anything like it. Published by a team led by James Hansen at Nasa, it suggests that the grim reports issued by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change could be absurdly optimistic(1).
The IPCC predicts that sea levels could rise by as much as 59cm this
century(2). Hansen's paper argues that the slow melting of ice sheets the panel expects doesn't fit the data. The geological record suggests that ice at the poles does not melt in a gradual and linear fashion, but flips suddenly from one state to another. When temperatures increased to 2-3 degrees above today's level 3.5 million years ago, sea levels rose not by 59 centimetres but by 25 metres. The ice responded immediately to changes in temperature(3).
We now have a pretty good idea of why ice sheets collapse. The
buttresses that prevent them from sliding into the sea break up; meltwater trickles down to their base, causing them suddenly to slip; and pools of water form on the surface, making the ice darker so that it absorbs more heat. These processes are already taking place in Greenland and West Antarctica.
Rather than taking thousands of years to melt, as the IPCC predicts,
Hansen and his team find it "implausible" that the expected warming before 2100 "would permit a West Antarctic ice sheet of present size to survive even for a century." As well as drowning most of the world's centres of population, a sudden disintegration could lead to much higher rises in global temperature, because less ice means less heat reflected back into space. The new paper suggests that the temperature could therefore be twice as sensitive to rising greenhouse gases than the IPCC assumes. "Civilization developed," Hansen writes, "during a period of unusual climate stability, the Holocene, now almost 12,000 years in duration. That period is about to end."(4)
I looked up from the paper, almost expecting to see crowds stampeding through the streets. I saw people chatting outside a riverside pub. The other passengers on the train snoozed over their newspapers or played on their mobile phones. Unaware of the causes of our good fortune, blissfully detached from their likely termination, we drift into catastrophe.
Or we are led there. A good source tells me that the British
government is well aware that its target for cutting carbon emissions - 60% by 2050 - is too little, too late, but that it will go no further for one reason: it fears losing the support of the Confederation of British Industry. Why this body is allowed to keep holding a gun to our heads has never been explained, but Gordon Brown has just appointed Digby Jones, its former director-general, as a minister in the department responsible for energy policy. I don't remember voting for him. There could be no clearer signal that the public interest is being drowned by corporate power.
The government's energy programme, partly as a result, is
characterised by a complete absence of vision. You can see this most clearly when you examine its plans for renewables. The EU has set a target for 20% of all energy in the member states to come from renewable sources by 2020. This in itself is pathetic. But the government refuses to adopt it(5): instead it proposes that 20% of our electricity (just part of our total energy use) should come from renewable power by that date. Even this is not a target, just an "aspiration", and it is on course to miss it. Worse still, it has no idea what happens after that. Last week I asked whether it has commissioned any research to discover how much more electricity we could generate from renewable sources. It has not(6).
It's a critical question, whose answer - if its results were applied
globally - could determine whether or not the planetary "albedo flip" that Hansen predicts takes place. There has been remarkably little investigation of this issue. Until recently I guessed that the maximum contribution from renewables would be something like 50%: beyond that point the difficulties of storing electricity and balancing the grid could become overwhelming. But three papers now suggest that we could go much further.
Last year, the German government published a study of the effects of linking the electricity networks of all the countries in Europe and
connecting them to North Africa and Iceland with high voltage direct current cables(7). This would open up a much greater variety of renewable power sources. Every country in the network would then be able to rely on stable and predictable supplies from elsewhere: hydroelectricity in Scandanavia and the Alps, geothermal energy in Iceland and vast solar thermal farms in the Sahara. By spreading the demand across a much wider network, it suggests that 80% of Europe's electricity could be produced from renewable power without any greater risk of blackouts or flickers.
At about the same time, Mark Barrett at University College London
published a preliminary study looking mainly at ways of altering the pattern of demand for electricity to match the variable supply from wind and waves and tidal power(8). At about twice the current price, he found that we might be able to produce as much as 95% of our electricity from renewable sources without causing interruptions in the power supply.
Now a new study by the Centre for Alternative Technology takes this
even further(9). It is due to be published next week, but I have been allowed a preview. It is remarkable in two respects: it suggests that by 2027 we could produce 100% of our electricity without the use of fossil fuels or nuclear power, and that we could do so while almost tripling its supply: our heating systems (using electricity to drive heat pumps) and our transport systems could be mostly powered by it. It relies on a great expansion of electricity storage: building new hydroelectric reservoirs into which water can be pumped when electricity is abundant, constructing giant vanadium flow batteries and linking electric cars up to the grid when they are parked, using their batteries to meet fluctuations in demand. It contains some optimistic technical assumptions, but also a very pessimistic one: that the UK relies entirely on its own energy supplies. If the German proposal were to be combined with these ideas, we could begin to see how we might reliably move towards a world without fossil fuels.
If Hansen is correct, to avert the meltdown that brings the Holocene to an end we require a response on this scale: a sort of political "albedo flip". The government must immediately commission studies to discover how much of our energy could be produced without fossil fuels, set that as its target then turn the economy round to meet it. But a power shift like this cannot take place without a power shift of another kind: we need a government which fears planetary meltdown more than it fears the CBI.
George Monbiot's book Heat: how to stop the planet burning is now
published in paperback. www.monbiot.com
References:
1. James Hansen et al, 2007. Climate Change and Trace Gases.
Philiosophical Transactions of the Royal Society - A. Vol 365, pp 1925-1954. doi: 10.1098/rsta.2007.2052. http://pubs.giss.nasa.gov/docs/2007/2007_Hansen_etal_2.pdf
2. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, February 2007. Climate Change 2007: The Physical Science Basis - Summary for Policymakers. Table SPM-3. http://www.ipcc.ch/SPM2feb07.pdf
3. I am grateful to Marc Hudson for drawing my attention to this paper and giving me a copy.
4. James Hansen et al, ibid.
5. In the Energy White Paper it says the following: "The 20%
renewables target is an ambitious goal representing a large increase in Member States' renewables capacity. It will need to be taken forward in the context of the overall EU greenhouse gas target. Latest data shows that the current share of renewables in the UK's total energy mix is around 2% and for the EU as a whole around 6%. Projections indicate that by 2020, on the basis of existing policies, renewables would contribute around 5% of the UK's consumption and are unlikely to exceed 10% of the EU's." Department of Trade and Industry, May 2007. Meeting the Energy Challenge: A White Paper on Energy, page 23. http://www.dtistats.net/ewp/ewp_full.pdf
6. Emails from David Meechan, press officer, Renewables, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform.
7. German Aerospace Center (DLR) Institute of Technical Thermodynamics Section Systems Analysis and Technology Assessment, June 2006. Trans-Mediterranean Interconnection for Concentrating Solar Power. Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety, Germany.
http://www.dlr.de/tt/Portaldata/41/Resources/dokumente/institut/syste...
8. Mark Barrett, April 2006. A Renewable Electricity System for the UK: A Response to the 2006 Energy Review. UCL Bartlett School Of Graduate Studies - Complex Built Environment Systems Group.
http://www.cbes.ucl.ac.uk/projects/energyreview/Bartlett%20Response%20 to%20Energy%20Review%20-%20electricity.pdf
9. Centre for Alternative Technology, 10th July 2007.
ZeroCarbonBritain: an alternative energy strategy. This will be made available at www.zerocarbonbritain.com.
This week, I made an unexpected trip to Florida and returned to Oregon via Las Vegas. As we landed in Las Vegas, the crew announced that it was 107 -- at midnight -- on July 4th. I thought it was strange. And then I read the news: BH link-AP
Temperatures in Boise reached 104 degrees Thursday afternoon. Forecasters predicted a high of 107 on Friday - six degrees higher than the 101 record for that date set in 1985....temperatures in part of the West were climbing so high that authorities warned residents of southern Nevada, southeastern California and northwestern Arizona that outdoor activities could be dangerous except during the cooler early morning hours. Phoenix reached 115 degrees; Baker, Calif., reached 125 degrees.... St. George, Utah, hit 115 degrees by 5 p.m., a day after a nearby weather sensor recorded an unofficial reading of 118, which would top the the state’s all-time record of 117 set in St. George in 1985. Summer temperatures across Utah are running 10 to 15 degrees above normal, meteorologist Brandon Smith said...."To be honest, as far as temperatures, for as far out as we can see there’s no relief," he said. Around Las Vegas - where temperatures reached 116 degrees Thursday afternoon - transformers were overheating and causing electrical pole fires because of all the people switching on their air conditioners, said Scott Allison with the Clark County Fire Department. In Montana, farmers anxiously watched their crops and thermometers. High temperatures for a handful of days can harm crop yield. "Prolonged heat is devastating. Four or five days of it is going to be hard," said wheat farmer Lynn Nordwick near Poplar, Mont. Even Stanley, Idaho, which at more than 6,000 feet elevation is routinely the coldest place in the lower 48 states, was seeing record highs, the National Weather Service said. The remote town in the Sawtooth Mountains reached 91 degrees Thursday, and was expected to hit 93 degrees Friday. In Spokane, Wash., the temperature reached 101 degrees... Northeastern Oregon residents were experiencing what was expected to be the hottest day of the year on Thursday, with temperatures reaching 108 in Pendleton and 107 in Hermiston.
The heat and a dry spring raised concern among firefighters. "We’re really primed to burn right now," said Dennis Winkler, an assistant fire management officer for the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest. "We’re well above average in terms of fire danger for this time of year." An index that helps fire officials estimate how fast flames would spread was at its highest point for early July in the past decade, said Dave Quinn, who manages an interagency dispatch center at the La Grande Airport in Oregon.
The heat wave began last week after a large high pressure center developed over Arizona, said National Weather Service forecaster Paul Flatt in Boise. A weather pattern was pushing that high-pressure center north into Canada, Flatt said, but most of the West is expected to experience high temperatures into next week.
Project ID: 01250 Date Posted: 7/02 Project Description: For Two Cents We Can Change the World. Four thousand children die needlessly every day from drinking contaminated water. It's a tragedy that hundreds of millions of people obtain their drinking water from polluted sources such as muddy rivers, ponds, and streams. This public health crisis can be addressed today through an innovative and low-cost technology that effectively purifies and cleans water while removing bacteria, viruses, and parasites. Right now millions of people in Africa, Asia, and the Americas are being reached by a not-for-profit project, but millions more are in need. Help us reach a goal of providing 2 billion liters of safe drinking water. For only two pennies a day a child can have safe drinking water. We'd love to hear your thoughts. In fact, Give Us Your Two Cents Worth. Thank you. Member: gsallgood About Me: My mission is to prevent the sickness and death that occur in the developing world from drinking unsafe water. I'm lucky to spend much of my life building partnerships to provide a low-cost technology to purify water. I never get tired of seeing filthy and highly contaminated water miraculously turn into clear and safe water. And, what's most satisfying is to provide children with their first drink of truly clean and purified water. Now we've developed a way for everyone to get involved. We can make, transport, and deliver the technology on a sustainable basis for only pennies per person. In fact, for just two cents we can provide purified drinking water for a person for a day. Two Cents to Change a Life. Please consider joining our project: "Give Your Two Cents Worth.
1.1 billion people around the world do not have access to clean water. As a result, 5,000 children die needlessly every day. In poor, rural communities, the only source of water is often miles away and the grueling task of collecting it often falls to young girls.
In the mountain village of La Horca, Nicaragua, Rosibel Gonzalez, 12, traveled 7.5 miles each day to fetch water for her parents and five siblings. Waking up before dawn, she walked to the creek before school and carried back a bucket of water on her head. She repeated the task after school and again before bed. But because the water she fetched came from the same source used by village livestock, it was dangerous to drink. When Rosibel's little brother, Wilber, was only eight months old, he and other villagers contracted cholera. That's where UNICEF, the United Nations Children's Fund, came in. UNICEF provided a new solar-powered water pump and filtration system to bring clean water directly into La Horca's 35 homes. Now, Rosibel and her entire village have safe water to drink and Rosibel is left with plenty of time to study and play with her little brother.
With a presence in 156 countries, UNICEF is striving to duplicate this success worldwide. By voting for this project, you can help UNICEF save millions of children's lives. We know what needs to be done, we just need your help to do it. Only 2 cents will purchase one water purification tablet to clean 5 liters of water, $48 can purchase a portable latrine and $5,000 can buy a solar water pump, like the one installed in Rosibel's village. UNICEF partners with communities to provide these and other innovative, low-cost and life-saving solutions for the world's most vulnerable children and their families.
July 6, 2007 in Africa, Agriculture, Air Quality, Asia, Australia, Biodiversity, Cases, Climate Change, Constitutional Law, Economics, Energy, Environmental Assessment, EU, Forests/Timber, Governance/Management, International, Land Use, Law, Legislation, Mining, North America, Physical Science, Social Science, South America, Sustainability, Toxic and Hazardous Substances, US, Water Quality, Water Resources | Permalink | TrackBack (0) | 16,516 | 7,739 | 0.00013 |
warc | 201704 | Proposal aims to help businesses keep workers employed
Madison — A plan to decrease the number and impact of layoffs by allowing businesses to reduce employees’ hours instead of laying them off has been introduced by State Senator Julie Lassa (D-Stevens Point). Under the plan, workers with reduced hours would receive partial unemployment checks to supplement lost income.
Lassa presented the voluntary plan today to the Unemployment Insurance Advisory Council, the body that advises state government on unemployment compensation issues. Currently, workers are ineligible for unemployment benefits unless they are available for full-time work.
“Work-share programs are a win for businesses, employees and local economies,” Lassa said. “Businesses retain skilled workers, employees retain their jobs, and communities minimize the number of layoffs during tough times. The program also allows companies to ramp up quickly when business improves, helping our economy recover more rapidly. ”
“For example, if a company was forced to reduce labor costs by 20 percent, instead of laying off a fifth of its work force it could just reduce employee hours by 20 percent,” Lassa explained. “The employees would be able to claim unemployment benefits for the lost hours to help offset the income loss, and they’d be able to keep their jobs along with benefits such as health insurance and retirement.”
Currently, if a company issues lay-offs, it risks losing its skilled workers while it waits for demand to improve, Lassa said. Once it does, production is often delayed as the company rebuilds its workforce. Meanwhile, laid-off employees and their families face no income other than the maximum weekly unemployment benefit of $363, which significantly reduces their buying power.
Council members representing both labor and management expressed interest in the idea, especially since the federal government offers states implementation funds to operate the program and conduct outreach to employers. The Council will forward the proposal to the U.S. Department of Labor for review.
Currently, 25 other states offer work-share programs, and the concept has been endorsed by groups ranging from the conservative American Enterprise Institute to the progressive Center for American Progress. In Rhode Island, work-share has helped prevent more than 16,000 layoffs between 2007 and 2011. Germany’s work-share program is credited for reducing its unemployment rate from over 8 percent in 2008 to under 6 percent in 2011. | 2,576 | 1,266 | 0.000812 |
warc | 201704 | One of the most innovative elementary schools in the country produced some of the strongest results in California’s state assessment system, and the takeaway for public schools across the nation may prove game-changing.
KIPP: Empower Academy, a public charter school a short walk from the Harbor Freeway in South Los Angeles, posted a score of 991 on the state’s 2013 Academic Performance Index – the highest score achieved in Los Angeles County this year and among the highest in California.
The school was founded as a charter school in 2010, joining the high-achieving KIPP national network. It began serving kindergarten students and is in the process of adding one grade each year through the fourth grade. More than 90 percent of the school’s students are eligible for the free or reduced-price lunch program – 87 percent are African-American and 12 percent Latino.
In its first year with students eligible for standardized testing (California’s assessment system begins in second grade), 70 percent scored at the advanced level in English-Language Arts, with another 25 percent scoring proficient. In math, 82 percent scored at advanced levels, and 16 percent scored proficient.
The school is a national pioneer in blended learning, with technology integrated fully into classroom instruction. It uses a Classroom Rotation model where students move between sessions of teacher-led instruction, small group or self-paced work, and online learning. Children rotate through stations using different modes during each class period.
The model was created through consultation with Education Elements, a Silicon Valley-based firm which is widely regarded as the nation’s top blended learning architect. Its leaders note that the Classroom Rotation model works well within the constraints of a school’s existing architecture, while allowing for personalized instruction. Because the model doesn’t require significant changes to traditional classrooms, it is easier for any school to implement.
A powerful feature of blended learning programs such as KIPP: Empower’s is its use of data from students’ work to help teachers target instruction and interventions. Students receive instruction from a variety of adults, including lead teachers, designated intervention teachers, and instructional assistants.
As students work on different online content chosen strategically by school leaders, their progress via correct and incorrect responses is captured and provided in real-time to teachers in easily-accessed format. This valuable support allows teachers to effectively personalize learning to each child’s strengths and weaknesses.
As these latest outcomes demonstrate, the resulting instructional efficiency is proving to be a powerful tool in addressing achievement gaps rampant in most American public education, and especially in urban settings.
Find Archived Articles: | 2,945 | 1,422 | 0.000721 |
warc | 201704 | Summary and Info
Sleep disturbances are commonplace problems that cause great distress to sufferers and their families. They are implicated in a variety of problems, from poor educational performance or disturbed behavior to accidents or other physical problems. Yet, there is no up-to-date, comprehensive, one-stop source of information for clinicians concerning sleep disorders in young people. Traditionally, research into sleep disorders has generally occurred within separate, unconnected medical disciplines, mainly involving adults. As sleep disturbances are associated with serious health problems, identifying and treating the problem early is essential for good long-term health and well-being. Gregory Stores addresses this need with a cross-disciplinary review of available clinical information and treatments, illustrated by actual cases. This book will be essential reading for all professionals involved in child healthcare from infancy to adolescence, and will also be invaluable to general readers looking for up-to-date information and references.
Review and Comments Rate the Book
A Clinical Guide to Sleep Disorders in Children and Adolescents 0 out of 5 stars based on 0 ratings.
Your Rating: | 1,219 | 667 | 0.001507 |
warc | 201704 | One of our family’s favorite weekend activities is Pizza Night. We often pick up a couple of pies from Costco’s food court; but usually,
making our own at home is the standard mode of operation.
For years I struggled to make a pizza that was even halfway decent. Ewww, some have been really awful. But, I was persistent and eventually came across a system that works for me. I still have pizza night flops, but more often than not, we’re doing okay.
And at a minimum of $10 a pizza, we’re eating some good cheap eats, too. Pizza Dough Ingredients – I have been making this pizza dough recipe for about 10 years or more. I vary the sweetener depending on what we have, sometimes honey, sometimes sugar. I usually mix about 1/3 whole wheat flour into the dough, but if we’re feeling particularly decadent, I use all white. {gasp} I’ve attempted all wheat but it didn’t go over well. I stock up on flour when it’s on sale and buy yeast in bulk from Costco which makes this a very inexpensive recipe. Preparation – Preparing the dough takes about 2 hours from the time I get the bread machine mixing and then formed into crusts. For bulk cooking, I usually get the bread machine going on one batch and then get my KitchenAid going on another batch. In the beginning I mixed it by hand and hated it. My kitchen always seemed to be a mess. Buying a bread machine made pizza much more doable for me. But, if you love to knead dough, this works great as a hand-kneaded dough. Freezing Dough – Thanks to Aimee’s advice, I freeze dough after it has risen for only 30 minutes. I wrap each dough ball in a plastic sandwich bag and then store them in a larger freezer bag. When we want pizza, I pull as many dough balls as I want to prepare and thaw in a greased dish in the refrigerator overnight or on the counter for 4-6 hours.
I love to put together pizza kits to freeze for easier pizza nights.
Last Minute Pizza Inspiration – If I’m really in a pinch and haven’t planned ahead, I’ve tried Amy’s recipe for No-Rise Pizza Crust with great results. It’s amazing how well it works in a short amount of time. I also love Tammy’s Matza Pizza. It is a little more work, but tastes great. Sauce Great Sauce – If I want a great sauce, then I use my easy crockpot red sauce. It’s versatile for pasta, lasagnas, and pizza. Making a huge batch and freezing in 2-cup portions makes it easy to have on hand. Exceptional Sauce – If I want out of this world sauce on my pizza, then I make prepare this homemade pizza sauce recipe. It’s a little thicker than I would use on pasta and has amazing flavor. Quick Fix Sauce – Sometimes I just don’t have anything in the freezer or don’t want to spend the time thawing or making it from fresh. I just use plain canned tomato sauce. I spread it on the dough round and sprinkle dried basil, dried oregano, and garlic powder. Works in a pinch! Toppings
Most of my kids prefer Easy Cheese Pizza or cheese and pepperoni to top their pizza. I’ve substituted shredded chicken as well as cooked and thinly sliced Italian Sausage as well.
For the adults and adventurous children, we like all of these:
Baking Tips Make sure the oven is hot! Usually I preheat for at least 30 minutes to insure a great cooking pizza. I don’t use a special stone, though I’m sure pizza purists would say I need it. We’ve been able to cook beautiful pizzas on regular cookie sheets, greased and sometimes sprinkled with cornmeal. I do have a couple perforated round pans which I love. However, only one fits into the Holly Hobby oven that came with this particular house, so I don’t use them often. If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again. If you are persistent, do some troubleshooting, and keep trying, you will find success. Do you make pizza at home?
Share your story with us! | 3,949 | 1,932 | 0.000541 |
warc | 201704 | Optimization of recombinant aminolevulinate synthase production in Escherichia coli using factorial design First Online: Received: Revised: Accepted:
DOI: 10.1007/s00253-003-1388-2
Cite this article as: Xie, L., Hall, D., Eiteman, M.A. et al. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol (2003) 63: 267. doi:10.1007/s00253-003-1388-2 Citations 277 Downloads Abstract
The production of recombinant
Rhodobacter sphaeroides aminolevulinate (ALA) synthase was optimized in two strains of Escherichia coli: the wild-type strain MG1655, and a ptsG mutant AFP111. The effects of initial succinate, glucose and isopropyl-β-d-thiogalactopyranoside (IPTG) concentrations and the time of induction on enzyme activity were studied. One-way analysis was used to approximate the optimal ranges for these factors, followed by a full factorial design to quantify the effects of each factor and the interactions between the factors. Initial succinate, glucose, and IPTG concentration were observed to be the key factors affecting ALA synthase activity with the optimal levels determined to be above 6 g/l succinate, 0 g/l glucose, and 0.10 mM IPTG. ALA synthase activity was generally lower with AFP111 than with MG1655, and the effect of these three key factors was also lower with AFP111 than with MG1655. Based on the full factorial design results, a fermentation was completed that yielded 296 mU/mg protein with a final ALA concentration of 5.2 g/l (39 mM). | 1,437 | 770 | 0.001309 |
warc | 201704 | On 16 January, Prof Chris Binnie and I met Lord de Mauley, Minister responsible for the Thames Tideway Tunnel. In a presentation (attached) Prof Binnie demonstrated that a combination of measures which have been shown to work elsewhere is highly likely to meet the requirements of the ECJ judgement and other legislation; the only questions are ‘how much of each measure is necessary and at what cost?’
He further demonstrated that the latest Report by the Environment Agency on SuDS had not only used out of date and inaccurate data but had not considered alternatives to Suds where these were more effective.
We noted that there is much less risk in such a combination of proven measures which can be introduced progressively and will achieve results as they are brought into service, compared with the Thames Tunnel, whose construction risks and costs are significantly higher and which will not achieve any result until it is fully complete and operational
That is why it is essential for an independent study to be undertaken, using the most up-to-date data, and considering the full range of combination of options where they are most cost-effective. The government’s RBPG state “The WFD requirement is to make judgements about the most cost effective combination of measures.” This study should be chaired by an independent person, in order to ensure a measure of confidence in the technical process underlying the solution(s). This has not so far been done. It must of course be completed before a decision is made to proceed with the Tunnel scheme.
From the evidence we have at present, the Thames Tideway Tunnel appears to be significantly more expensive and with a higher risk than a combination of alternatives, and seeks to provide unnecessary gold plating beyond a solution acceptable to the European Commission.
We await the Minister’s response. | 1,897 | 979 | 0.001042 |
warc | 201704 | Courtesy - The Island By Dr. R. A. R. Perera
Although headaches are painful and annoying, the vast majority of headaches do not indicate a serious disorder. Tension headaches and migraine account 90% of all headaches. One approach in categorsing headaches is to distinguish ‘urgent headaches’ (those that may be life threatening) from others that may be ‘less urgent.’
‘Urgent’ headaches may be life threatening and should be treated promptly.
Patients typically describe a headache, which is related to a brain haemorrhage, as a sudden "thunderclap" headache; often the ‘worst headache’ of life. After this sudden onset, the pain may persist at a high or low intensity for days. Abnormal neurological symptoms may occur, including brief loss of consciousness at the onset of the headache and a stiff neck or eye-movement abnormalities.
Such a headache mandates prompt evaluation by a physician since a missed brain haemorrhage can result in a stroke or death. A scan of the brain and a spinal tap will show abnormalities and sometimes brain surgery is an essential part of treatment.
Headaches could be due to some inflammation of the medium sized arteries in people over 50 years. Chewing aggravates this headache and there are aches and pains all over the body. This could cause weakening and sometimes loss of vision. Medical treatment can reduce this type of headache.
Meningitis can cause headache with fever and a stiff neck. Medical management includes hospitalisation and treatment with antibiotics.
Though it is a fear for many headache sufferers, the brain tumors are uncommon. The most frequent presentation of a brain tumor is a seizure (a fit) and neurological abnormalities. Walking with a headache is said to be an important sign of a tumor-related headache, although this occurs frequently in chronic headaches. This can be diagnosed with a brain scan.
Another type of headache is called cluster headache. It is characterised by pain that is often situated behind one eye and usually the same eye with redness, tearing and nasal stuffiness. These headaches come very suddenly and without any warning and disappear in about one hour. It is often triggered by alcohol and this will awaken a person from sleep.
Sinus headaches typically occur with a cold and they are usually dull. It is worse in the morning and is localised to one specific area of the face or head.
The headache is made worse by coughing, sneezing, sudden movement of the head, cold weather and alcohol. A person with sinus headaches may have hay fever or allergies.
Eye-strain headache is associated with prolonged reading or staring at computer screen.
Hormonal headaches are related to menstrual cycle, menopause due to use of contraceptive tablets. This headache tends to diminish cyclically, or after menopause is completed or after hormone discontinuation.
Coital headaches occur around the time of intercourse and last from minutes to hours, and may be indistinguishable from a brain haemorrhage.
Post concussion headache includes confusion, dizziness, irritability, memory disturbances, headache and impaired concentration. Mild analgesics and reassurance is generally effective.
Another common type of headache is the migraine headache. A typical migraine headache is proceeded by an aura 9 blinking lights followed in 30-60 minutes by a throbbing, unilateral headache which lasts for 6-8 hours, Generally this is associated with nausea, vomiting and difficulty to see light. Certain foods, strong smell or the menstrual cycle can precipitate a migraine headache. Stress, alcohol or certain food (cheese, chocolate, etc.) can aggravate the pain in the headache. Identification and avoidance of precipitants may prevent attack. Migraine headache is due to dilatation of arteries in the head and cranial vasoconstrictor drugs, given as an injection or orally, is the general treatment.
Another common type of headache is the tension headaches. This headache is located in both sides of the head, and in the neck, and is precipitated by stress and usually occurs later in the day.
Tension headaches can last for weeks or months and the pain may fluctuate in severity. Cognitive therapy with simple painkillers generally cures this. But for some tension headaches, it may be necessary to treat as it is in a migraine headache. | 4,375 | 2,024 | 0.000501 |
warc | 201704 | WASHINGTON (AP) The Senate opened debate Wednes day on an overhaul of farm programs amid warnings from the Bush administration that the measure could damage the agricultural economy.
The White House said it "strongly opposes" the Demo cratic bill but stopped short of threatening a veto. The administration says the increased crop subsidies would exacerbate problems with overproduction of crops and low commodity prices.
The subsidies also would likely break spending limits in a congressional budget agreement and an international trade deal, the administration said in a four-page statement.
Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle, D-S.D., is pressing to finish the legislation be fore the end of the year, al though the chances for do ing so are fading fast. Senate leaders put off votes on the bill until Tuesday. Farm groups worry that less money will be available for agricultural spending next year.
"American agriculture is in deep crisis," said Sen. Kent Conrad, D-N.D.
A move by conservative Repub licans to block consideration of the bill Wednesday was easily defeated, 73-26.
Democrats still were tinkering with their legislation in hopes of getting majority support and defeating a Republican alternative favored by the administration.
Dropped from the bill was a planned fee on milk processors to pay for new payments to dairy farmers.
Instead, farmers would get direct payments from the government totaling $2 billion over five years. The fees would have raised retail milk prices at least 10 percent.
Democrats also were moving more money into conservation programs to win the support of senators from eastern and western states.
Democrats say the bill would cost $170 billion over 10 years, the limit in this year's congressional budget agreement.
But the administration said it doesn't believe the spending estimates of congressional budget analysts and also predicted the bill would exceed the limit on U.S. farm subsidies under the World Trade Organization.
Breaking that cap would undermine the administration's efforts to get other countries to reduce their subsidies and open new markets for U.S. commodities, the White House said.
A University of Missouri analysis of the Senate bill said there was a 30 percent chance of breaking the WTO spending limit in 2002 and a higher probability in future years.
However, the economists estimated that production of subsidized crops would increase by only 1.1 percent, or 2.8 million acres, under the bill.
The GOP alternative, sponsored by Sens. Pat Roberts of Kansas and Thad Cochran of Mississippi, gives farmers more money in fixed annual payments rather than crop subsidies. It also allows for subsidized savings accounts similar to those provided under Canada's farm assistance program.
Critics of the Democratic bill said it should be put off until next year. Existing programs expire next fall.
"We have work to do on serious issues," said Sen. Phil Gramm, R-Texas. "We have an economy that desperately needs attention."
© 2017. All Rights Reserved. | Contact Us | 3,065 | 1,539 | 0.000657 |
warc | 201704 | Making (Grade 1, Newark)
Today's my birthday and I want to remember that aesthetic methods of teaching-learning can be fashioned into a simple, yet essential framework to organize ways of knowing. The framework below is adapted from Eric Booth's important work on art that he outlines in
The Everyday Work of Art. I'd recommend it.
Here's the framework:
Make things with meaning. Explore the things others have made. Bring the skills, dispositions, and strategies from # 1 and #2 into active play in your daily life.
Booth recommends locating these three acts within 3 worlds:
Making worlds. Exploring worlds. Reading the world. (I change this to Composing the world).
That's it.
Now compare this with all of the standards and frameworks that we currently labor beneath. | 780 | 474 | 0.002137 |
warc | 201704 | Title Document Type
Article
Publication Date
9-2007
Abstract
The effects of ageing on the cardiovascular system contribute to substantial alterations in cellular morphology and function. The variables regulating these changes are unknown; however, one set of signalling molecules that may be of particular importance in mediating numerous cellular responses, including control of cell growth, differentiation and adaptation, are the proteins associated with the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signalling systems. The MAPKs, in conjunction with the p70 S6k signalling cascade, have emerged as critical components for regulating numerous mechanotransduction-related cellular responses. Here we investigate the ability of uniaxial stretch to activate the MAPK and p70 S6k pathways in adult (6-month-old), aged (30-month-old) and very aged (36-month-old) Fischer 344/NNiaHSd × Brown Norway/BiNia (FBN) rats. Western blotting of the MAPK family proteins extracellular signal-regulated kinase (Erk) 1/2, p38- and c-Jun NH
2-terminal kinase (Jnk)-MAPKs showed differential expression and activation between these proteins with age. An acute 15 min interval of 20% uniaxial stretch using an ex vivo aortic preparation demonstrated similar regulation of Erk1/2, p38- and Jnk-MAPK. However, ageing altered uniaxial induced p70 S6k pathway signalling. These observations confirm previous data demonstrating that MAPK proteins are mechanically regulated and also suggest that p70 S6k signalling expression and activation are controlled differently with ageing. Taken together, these data may help to explain, in part, the age-related changes in vascular morphology, function and response to injury. Recommended Citation
Rice, K. M., Desai, D. H., Preston, D. L., Wehner, P. S. and Blough, E. R. (2007), Uniaxial stretch-induced regulation of mitogen-activated protein kinase, Akt and p70 S6 kinase in the ageing Fischer 344 × Brown Norway rat aorta. Experimental Physiology, 92: 963–970. doi: 10.1113/expphysiol.2007.037275
Included in
Biochemical Phenomena, Metabolism, and Nutrition Commons, Biological Phenomena, Cell Phenomena, and Immunity Commons, Circulatory and Respiratory Physiology Commons, Genetic Processes Commons, Medical Biochemistry Commons, Medical Cell Biology Commons, Medical Genetics Commons | 2,336 | 1,195 | 0.000846 |
warc | 201704 | What's the Stuff Between the Wafers of a Kit Kat? by James Hunt
If you've ever eaten a chocolate bar, you've probably eaten a Kit Kat. The four-fingered bar is one of the world's most popular treats and in 2014 was named the "most influential" candy bar of all time by
TIME Magazine. Over the years, Kit Kats have been produced in over 200 flavors, from the standard milk chocolate to Japanese-created oddities like ginger ale, soy sauce and sake. The candy even had a version of the Android operating system (v4.4) named after it.
But no matter how familiar you are with Kit Kats, there's something about the filling that you might have wondered about. In between the layers of wafer, there's a different type of chocolate. It's lighter in color, and has a much softer, more crumbly texture than the hard chocolate on the outside. That's because it's not actually chocolate; it's mashed up Kit Kats.
You see, not every chocolate bar is created perfectly. When they roll off the production line, quality assurance technicians remove the Kit Kats that have too many exterior air bubbles, off-center wafers, or any other imperfections, right down to those that simply aren't shiny enough. As far as the manufacturers are concerned, consumers don't want imperfect chocolate bars. But rather than being thrown away, those second-class bars are recycled back into the production process.
After being ground up into a fine paste, they form the filling you find between the Kit Kat's wafers. In many ways, it's a stroke of genius—no edible Kit Kat is wasted!
Source:
BBC's Inside the Factory: How Our Favourite Foods are Made, Episode 1.2 (Chocolate) | 1,659 | 922 | 0.001095 |
warc | 201704 | List Down Your Priorities
The very first thing that you need to do is to know your priorities. Ask yourself what specific kind of property you need and the different things that you need. Are you searching for a
luxury real estate property? How many bedrooms? What specific features are you looking for? Listing down these priorities can help you during your search. Broaden Your Search
Now that you have finally listed down which
Florida real estate property you want to purchase, the next step is to start the search. Thanks to the Internet, there are numerous ways to find the property you want. You can simply put in the keywords. Broadening your search enables you to have options and to really find which real estate property fits your allocated budget and your lifestyle. Weigh Your Choices
When you have the list of choices, it is now much easier for you to weigh your choices. Rank these properties based on your criteria. Compare the prices, specifications, features and other details. This allows you to know which among the options is the best choice. List down top 3 to 5 choices.
Tour the Property and the Neighborhood
To help you decide which one to get, the best way is to see it for yourself. Schedule a personal inspection. Go to the property and examine not just the interiors but the exteriors of the house. Are there problems that need to be fixed? How about the ceiling, drainage, walls, etc?
You also need to look at the neighborhood. Keep in mind that if you will be transferring to a new place, you need to live within the neighborhood and it helps that you can assess for yourself if the place is really safe, quiet and secured.
Finding the best real estate property does not have to be that stressful.
Miamidreamrealestate.com can help you with your researcher whether you are looking for a luxury property or other options. | 1,863 | 917 | 0.001098 |
warc | 201704 | (This originally appeared in the Fall 2000 edition of the MCOI Journal beginning on page 9)
By Marcia Montenegro
Harry Potter is a character in a series of books written by J. K. Rowling about a young boy who discovers he really is a wizard, (in other words, a sorcerer). Four books have come out in the
Harry Potter series, with 3.8-million copies of the fourth book released in the U.S. on July 8, 2000. Worldwide, 35-million copies of the first three books are in print, with about half of total sales in the U.S. (USA Today, 6-22-00, p. D-l). The first book, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, was released in England as Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. The “Philosophers Stone” is part of the lore of alchemy and Medieval sorcery, and supposedly was a stone which could be used to turn base metal to gold and was the Holy Grail of sorcery. 1
Rowling has been hailed as a clever, imaginative writer who has enticed children into reading books again. No doubt this is true. Yet, however clever or imaginative the stories are, they do center on a character who is learning the arts of sorcery and witchcraft. One defense, or minimization of the sorcery in the
Harry-Potter books, is that the stories are just a normal part of a child’s fantasy world. The stories of C. S. Lewis and J R Tolkien are often brought up as examples. But are Lewis and Tolkien the standard for discernment? Even so, Lewis did not endorse the occult. And if Tolkien did. does that make it okay? (When I was an astrologer, my witch clients and friends loved Tolkien, by the way.) Yes, Lewis and Tolkien did write fantasy novels that included magical elements. The question for Christians should be: Is the fantasy (in any story) centered on the occult, and what does God say about the occult?
It is pointed out that Harry Potter represents “good” fighting evil”, and therefore, in the context of fantasy, this is okay. These views, however, raise several questions: Is the sorcery and magic in
Harry Potter just fantasy? If not, are fantasy stories using occultism as a model healthy reading? Is it Biblical to accept the use of “good” magical power if it is used to fight evil? Is there such a thing as “good” sorcery? Any popular children’s book set in an occult environment offering a hero who practices the occult arts warrants careful examination and a Biblical response. Occult sources are used for this article to make the point that occultism is real and is part of a serious practice, philosophy and spirituality that is opposed to historic. Biblical Christianity. Sorcery And Witchcraft Are Real
Although Harry Potter attends the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, what is really being described in the book is sorcery. Sorcery and witchcraft in some cultures are the same thing. According to one source, “European witchcraft grew out of sorcery, the casting of spells and divination”
2 Since there is no Hebrew word for witchcraft, some Bible translations will use the term “witchcraft” while others will use “sorcery.” Rather than using a label, Hebrew describes the practices of what is translated by each culture as sorcery or witchcraft, such as using potions (or poison), incantations to spirits, communing with the dead, etc. Each culture and its language comes up with the label of witchcraft or sorcery according to particular cultural understanding and practices. 3
Contemporary witchcraft, especially in the United States, is a form of religious Neo-paganism and is not sorcery, which is an occult practice. Although varied in its beliefs from group to group witchcraft and Wicca usually encompass the views of honoring nature as sacred, monism (all is one energy), polytheism (many gods), and pantheism (all is God/Goddess) or panentheism (God/Goddess is contained within the world). A well-known witch couple state that “
The rationale of Wicca is a philosophical framework into which every phenomenon, from chemistry to clairvoyance, from logarithms to love, can be reasonable fitted.“ 4 While witches and Wiccans might practice magick (occult magick is often spelled with a “k” ) or cast spells, they would more likely consider it “white magick” and not sorcery. 5
Those who practice sorcery may adopt some pagan beliefs, but do not usually identify with witchcraft. Contemporary sorcery is based on a belief of accessing and manipulating energy through various methods. There are those who practice ritual magick, an involved form of sorcery based on teachings going back to ancient societies. Some equate ritual magick with “High Magic” described in one book as teaching “how to reach one’s personal genius, the Guardian Angel who watches over each individual life and who is waiting faithfully and patiently to make man’s every wish come true” (Migenc Gonzalez-Wippler.
The Complete Book of Spells, Ceremonies & Magic, St. Paul: Llewellyn. 1996 2d edition, p. 64) Many ritual magicians may also use some of the writings and philosophy of infamous magician Aleister Crowley, who died in 1947. (By the way, Crowley was not a Satanist. although some Satanists use him as a model and adopt his Thelemic Law, “ ” allegedly given to Crowley by his Guardian Angel/spirit guide. Aiwass. Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the law 6
Magic is “
,” and sorcery is “ the art of changing consciousness and physical reality according to will .” the manipulation of natural forces and powers to achieve a desired objective 7Another definition of sorcery is offered by Lewis Spence as using “ .” supposed supernatural power by the agency of evil spirits called forth by spells by a witch or black magician 8Here is a definition by a magician: “ .” Magic is a collection of techniques, dating back 70,000 years, aimed at manipulating the human imagination in order to produce physical, psychological, or spiritual results 9This latter book, by the way, was given to me by a 14-year-old teenager attending a Christian youth group Highly respected (by occultists) ritual magician Donald Tyson states in his booklet, The Truth About Ritual Magick, 10: “ ” and “ Ritual is a mechanism for changing all four levels of being physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual “ Through magic a channel of awareness can be opened between the spirit or Higher Self, and the ego or ordinary self allowing the Higher Self, which always knows who it is and what it wants to do, to direct and shape the ego, thereby restoring a balance to the emotions and improving health 11. We see that sorcery/magic is not just a practice, but has a spiritual context. A 16-year-old boy raised in a Christian home once quoted Tyson to me when discussing his “dabbling” in the occult.
An unnumbered page in the front of Tyson’s booklet tells us Tyson “
” devotes his life to the attainment of 3 complete gnosis of the art of magic in theory and practice His purpose is to formulate an accessible system of personal training composed of East and West, past and present, that will help the individual discover the reason for one’s existence and a way to fulfill it. Gnosismeans knowledge, and usually implies an esoteric know ledge through which one gains spiritual wisdom. Gnosticism, the term for a religion which was one of the primary enemies of the early church, came from this word.
Crowley’s definition of magick: “Magick is the Science and Art of causing Change to occur in conformity with Will.”
12 Whitcomb himself describes magic as “ ” and “ a way of creating the world ” a pragmatic approach to changing the human psyche and, through it, the surrounding world. 13Sorcerers take their practice very seriously, it is no fantasy, but a very real part of the occult arts. 14
Some of what is taught at Hogwarts could be part of either sorcery or contemporary witchcraft, or both: studying the movement of the planets, the history of magic, herbology, potions, spells, and charms Although it is valid to clarity witchcraft vs. sorcery, whether Harry Potter is called a witch, wizard, or sorcerer is irrelevant when looking at the content of these books to determine if they are appropriate for young people. Sorcery is nothing less than the attempt to replace God, since it is one’s will that is primary in practicing sorcery. What must be examined are the ideas and teachings contained in the book. This essay is based on the first book,
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, which has more than ample material to discuss. 15 The Philosopher’s Stone and Alchemy
Central to the plot (and part of the title) is the sorcerer’s stone— in actuality “the Philosopher’s Stone,” (title changed for books in the U S and France). The Philosopher’s Stone is connected to alchemy—an occult practice that combined the exploration of minerals with Gnostic practices of sorcery seeking to turn base metal into gold, and through that, attain an inner spiritual transformation. Alchemy is defined by one occultist as “
,” and the Philosopher’s Stone was a “ the process of the transmutation and purification of the soul via the discipline of purifying and combining physical materials and chemicals which are symbolic of spiritual transformations .” metaphor for the illuminated mind,” and the “First Substance from which all other metals derived 16
Further descriptions of alchemy reveal its metaphysical nature: “
…” and “ High magic and alchemy are twin branches of the magical system known as Hermetism There is an intrinsic link between ” alchemy and the Kabbalah … Like alchemy, the Kabbalah sees three planes in nature — the mental, the astral, and the material {…} Thus, the alchemist, a Hermetic magician, bases his physical and spiritual work on the Kabbalah, particularly the Tarot … 17The Kabbalah is too complex to describe here, suffice it to say that it is an occultic Gnostic perversion of Judaism which “is a complete system of symbolism, angelology, demonology, and magic.” 18The Tarot are a set of cards used for divination.
Rowling refers to Nicolas Flamel in the first
Harry Potter book (103, 219) as the partner in alchemy of Albus Dumbledore, the headmaster of Hogwarts. Harry and his friends search through the library, looking for Flamel’s name to see who he is (197-8) and finally read about him as the “ which can turn metal into gold and gives immortality through producing the only known maker of the Sorcerer’s Stone” ” (219, 220). In “Elixir of Life Harry Potter, Flamel has achieved immortality because he is 665 years old (220).
According to Jacques Sadoul in
Alchemists and Gold, 19 Flamel was a “ ” (p. 243) and a key figure in the story of alchemy. An “adept” is a master of esoteric knowledge including occultism. Flamel is also mentioned several times in the well-known Fourteenth century French adept and Public Scrivener Witchcraft, Magic & Alchemy, 20and in a book by the editors of GNOSISMagazine. 21
Rowling’s book mentions Flamel’s wife as “Perenelle,” and that Flamel and his wife are over 600-years old due to Flamel’s success with the Philosopher ‘s Stone and discovery of the Elixir of Life, rendering him immortal (220). In Spence’s
Encyclopedia of Occultism, 22 Flamel’s wife is rendered as Petronella (there are probably several variations of this name). Spence states Flamel first studied astrology before coming across a book with instructions and pictures of serpents which purported to be an occult book by an alchemist and magician named Abraham, circa 1400. 23 This led Flamel to further studies finally achieving the ability to turn mercury into gold and the discovery of the Elixir of Life (162), just as it is stated in Rowling’s book. Flamel gained a reputation as a magician and “ ” (162). Spence’s book devotes over three pages to alchemy (9-12). If Flamel was a partner with Dumbledore, (the fictional headmaster of Hogwarts) then that naturally makes Dumbledore a practitioner of occultism Dumbledore is fictional, but Flamel and alchemy are part of the history of occult practices. his followers believed that he was still alive though retired from the world, and would live for six centuries
Sadoul quotes someone named Claude d’Yge at the beginning of his book, who cautions against seeing alchemy as entirely mundane or entirely spiritual, and urges instead to see that “
.” The “Work” refers to the “Great Work” of alchemy. Even more pointed is this description: “ Alchemy is but a symbol used to reveal by analogy the process of achieving Spiritual Realisation’ — in a word, that man is at once the prime matter and the athanor of the Work — let them pursue it with all their might In essence, alchemy has to do with the liberation and transformation of consciousness. But it is a transformation of a very specific kind. One might say that the gold of the alchemists is the body of resurrection ,”which is a “denization” and immortality of self. 24Alchemy seeks to make man a god—one who can create and transform by his will, secret knowledge, and magical access to forces.
Sorcery is not a matter of mechanical actions or pretense at power, but is based on underlying occult principles and spirituality. As Rowling plainly tells us, “
There was a lot more to magic, as Harry quickly found out, than waving your wand and saying a few ” (133). Indeed, as any book on sorcery will bear out, this is true! funny words Muggles
Non-witches, called “Muggles,” usually are portrayed quite negatively in this book. The family who adopted Harry after his parents died (his mother’s sister and her husband) are painted in the worst possible way. Their admittedly bad character and opposition to witchcraft (which they see as “weird”) are combined, so that one is left with the impression that opposition to witchcraft and the occult is silly, narrow-minded, cruel and the result of stupidity and ignorance (pp. 1-8,36,40, 53. 59).
One sees this dismal portrayal of “Muggles” even more clearly in foreign translations of the books. In Italian, Muggles is translated as “Babbani” which sounds like “babbioni”— meaning idiots, and the Dutch word is “Dreuzel” sounding like “dreutel”— slang for a clumsy person
25
Naturally, part of this is a plot device so Harry can finally escape a painful environment, and many children may identify with this. However, what is Harry escaping to? The Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry! In fact many troubled teens do “escape” to the world of the occult which seems to offer empowerment, meaning, and a sense of belonging. Are not these what Harry is seeking at Hogwarts? Is a model based on the occult a safe place of escape?
Ghosts
Ghosts populate the first book. Each of the four houses at the Hogwarts school has a resident ghost. Also. Harry allegedly sees his dead parents in a special mirror (which is later used for divination) and communicates with them (208-209, 210,212). The mirror is explained by Dumbledore as something which “
” (213) which leaves the question open as to whether Harry really saw his deceased parents Nevertheless, how will young children interpret this? It is most likely a child will take this literally and believe Harry could see his parents, especially since the parents respond God forbids spirit contact and contact with the dead (Leviticus 19:31, 20:6; Deuteronomy 18: 10-11; Isaiah 8:19). We are told the dead have departed to either be with Christ or be in a place of suffering and cannot be contacted (Luke 16: 19-31; 2 Corinthians 5:8; Philippians 1:21-23). shows us nothing more or less than the deepest, most desperate desire of our hearts
In our culture, we mistakenly have accepted fictional “friendly” or humorous ghosts (think of Casper the Friendly Ghost). This has desensitized us to God ‘s commands against spirit contact and communication with the dead (Deuteronomy 18: 10-11; Is. 8:19), so that we substitute fiction for truth or downplay the idea of belief in ghosts. Children are often confused about ghosts and whether real people hang around after they die. According to the Bible, this cannot happen, and it is wrong to contact the dead, yet this book promotes the view that it is possible and a good thing.
Astrology
In the Forbidden Forest, Ham’ and others meet up with some centaurs (mythical half-man, half-horse creatures) whom Hagrid calls “stargazers.” (254). Apparently, the centaurs seek guidance in astrology’ (257, 259). As one says,”…
” and “ we are sworn not to set ourselves against the heavens Have we not read what is to come in the movements of the planets? ,” apparently by the studying of the planets (257). Centaurs are concerned with what has been foretold
Although Harry ‘s friend. Hermione, later repeats a critical remark about astrology (which she heard from a professor and which she says to comfort Harry) as an “
” (260), it is still considered an occult art and Hermione is not saying astrology is to be avoided. imprecise branch of magic
In contrast, God condemns astrology (Isaiah 47:13-15; Jeremiah 10:2; Amos 5:26-27; Acts 7:42-43) and all forms of divination (Deuteronomy 18:10-12; 2 Kings 17:17; Acts 16:16). (Astrology is divination.)
Divination, Spells And Occult Worldviews
This book is full of references to and sometimes outright use of divination tools, spells, and occult views.
Ham gets a glimpse of his dead parents in the Mirror of Erised (“desire* spelled backward), and the mirror is used later bv Quirell and Harry to locate the Philosopher’s Stone (289-92). When Harry looks in the mirror to get a vision that will give him the stone’s location, he supernaturalIy gets the stone in his pocket (292). Mirrors, still bodies of water, crystals and other reflective surfaces are used as div ination tools in the occult— a method called scrying or crystallomancy.
26 The object favored by witches was a magic mirror in which they would see visions or receive mental images after staring into the mirror 27 There is a long history of mirrors used in the occult, including tales that witches taught Pythagoras how to divine (fortunetell) by “ ,” and magicians who stared into mirrors until they went into a light trance and “ holding a magic mirror up to the moon ” saw visions that answered the questions that were put to them 28. Scrying in A Witches Bibleis “any form of divination which involves gazing at or into something (crystal ball, black mirror, pool of ink, etc ) to induce psychically perceived visual images” (326) Divination (the practice of obtaining unknown information through supernatural, esoteric means, occult tools, or through reading hidden meanings) is strictly forbidden by God (Deuteronomy 18:10-11; Acts 16:16) Harry does use the mirror as a form of divination to locate the stone and he seems to know the occult principle of gazing into the mirror because he tries to stop Quirell from “ ” to it (290). giving his whole attention
Subjective feelings and intuition have priority in the New Age and the occult Making a decision is often based on feeling “right” about something. When Harry is buying a wand, many wands pass through his hands until he finally gets the right” one which causes him to feel “
” (85). In fact, it is not Harry who chooses his wand, but “ a sudden warmth in his fingers ” (82). This is a very occult view of how things work in the world—a view of magical correspondence at work between people and objects. It is almost a form of animism it’s really the wand that chooses the wizard 29—the belief objects contain intelligent forces or spirits.
Wands, which were also known as divining rods, are well-known in occult arts and are used for purifying, divination, focusing energy in a spell, finding water or treasure, and invoking spirits (including the devil in black magick.
30 In contemporary witchcraft, a wand is a magical working tool and is “ ” the instrument of invocation of spirits. 31The Farrars quote another book that a wand is used “’to call up and control certain angels and genii’” and is often marked with occult symbols. 32{‘genii’ were believed to be inferior deities attached to each mortal. 33}. One book depicts a photograph of the aforementioned Aleister Crowley a ‘magic wand” in his right hand 34Occultists often believe Moses was a magician who triumphed over the Egyptians and the Red Sea through sorcery with his stalf. 35However, the Bible tells us it was God who performed these miracles using Moses (Exodus 4,6-11.14:21).
Before Harry learns he is a wizard (witch, sorcerer), he visits the zoo and discovers he is able to communicate with one of its residents Which animal would that be a noble lion, a mischievous monkey, a swift gazelle? No. it’s a snake—a boa constrictor Harry s actions allow the snake to escape magically after there has been a silent communication between the two (pp. 27-28). It is interesting it is the snake with whom Harry discovers his magical ability to communicate with animals since snakes have a special place in the occult usually as symbols for wisdom, enlightenment, fertility, or feminine power.
36 “ .” The snake was above all a magico-religious symbol of primeval life force sometimes an image of the creator divinity itself 37It is not suggested here that the author intends these associations, but it is a point of interest considering Harry is a natural sorcerer.
Owls are used as messenger birds for the students at Hogwarts. Rosemary Guiley notes that in the Middle Ages, “
.” demons in the forms of owls attended witches, accompanying them on their broomstick flights and running errands of evil for them 38(Of course, witches never rode broomsticks; this is part of folklore. Nevertheless, it is interesting that owls were messengers for witches in this folklore and show up in the Harry Potterbook also as messengers).
A “sorting hat” is placed on the children s heads in deciding which of the four houses at the school each child should join. The hat decides this and apparently can read minds (121) Of course, no hat or object can do these things, but the practices are real. The attempt to read minds (telepathy) is a psychic art and is taught in psychic development and other occult classes. Of course, only God is omniscient and knows the minds and hearts of men (Job 38:4. Psalms 44:21, Luke. 11:17, Luke. 16:15). Spells are taught at Hogwarts and are used throughout the book, even when Harry’s friends use a body-bind” spell on their friend. (273). Interestingly, there is a spell for binding in
A Witches’ Bible (141). Interest in spells is promoted as a healthy thing when the children are on the train to Hogwarts and Ron is asked to perform a spell. When he can’t do it. Hermione brags she’s already practiced spells by doing “a few simple spells” and they worked (105). Books with spells are easy to find at any bookstore and even easier on the Internet. They have been seen in magazines for teenage girls. Witches and others do spells today; this is not a charming fantasy (pun intended). Silver Ravenwolf, a witch, has written several books aimed at teens including 1998’s Teen Witch. It sold so well that bookstores could hardly keep it on the shelves. Teen Witch and other similar books are full of instructions for casting spells. Whether these spells work or not is beside the point; casting spells and sorcery are occultism and clearly forbidden by God (Deuteronomy 18: 10-11; 2 Kings 17:17,20:6; Isaiah 47:10-15; Malachi 3:5; Acts8:11,13:6; Revelation 18:23,21:8). The Dark Side
References are made to the villain Voldemort (the last part of this name “mort.” is French for “death”) and others as having gone over to the “dark side” (54,110). The implication is that people are not inherently bad but either basically good or morally neutral, and can go either way (55). This view, based on the idea of polarity, ultimately downplays evil itself and the idea of absolute good and evil. Morality with no absolutes is no morality at all. because it changes according to experience, culture, definition, or historical context.
It is similar to the Taoist yin-yang philosophy, which is based on the belief opposites in the world are equal forces These are perceived as opposite, but are actually part of the whole, and are in a constant state of fluctuation, merging into each other. That is why there is a white dot on the black side and vice-versa. This view has been popularized in the “Force” of the
Star Wars movies, in which one can go over to the “dark side” (See CANA article Yin and Yang: Getting into the Flow http://www.christiananswersforthenewage.org/Articles_YinYang.html).
The idea of polaritv is essential in occult philosophies and denies a conflict between good and evil The Farrars say it well:
“The Theory of Polarity maintains that ail activity all manifestation, arises from (and is inconceivable without) the interaction of pairs and complementary opposites and that this polarity is not a conflict between ‘good’ and ‘evil,’ but a creative tension like that between the positive and negative terminals of an electric battery Good and evil only arise with the constructive or destructive
application ofthe polarity’s output…” 39
They further state that monotheist religions are trapped in the belief that good vs. evil is a polarity: and when evil is vanquished, only good remains. The Farrars claim that “
Under the “ unchallenged rule of a non-polarized Creator, nothing can happen. 40In other words, a world without this polarity cannot exist or is bland if it does, good cannot exist without evil. Of course, “a nonpolarized Creator” describes exactly the one true living God, and He is absolutelygood:
“And this is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is light, and in Him there is no darkness at air (1 John 1:5)
Rather than accepting God s view that all of us have a fallen, sinful nature, which is only redeemed through faith in a crucified and risen Christ (John 3:18-20; Romans 3:23-25; Colossians 1:13-14), the occult philosophy believes we have a “dark side” and by choice can be good—totally avoiding the “dark side.” Prof. Quirell, who serves the villain, cannot touch Harry, because Harry has been so deeply loved by his mother (human love can ward off evil) (295, 299). There is no need for redemption in this worldview Good and evil are two sides of the same coin, both part of a greater oneness and of each other; so there is no absolute good or evil. Even the villain Voldemort. who is supposed to be evil, is “
” (298). In the absence of absolute good and evil, who needs redemption? In the absence of absolute good and evil, at what point does one go over to the “dark side” and who draws the line? The occult, and the book, have no answer for this. not truly alive {so} he cannot be killed White Magick, Black Magick
A popular claim made by witches today is they are “white” witches, or they practice “white” magic and use their powers for good. This idea is central in this
Harry Potter book, since Harry is learning how to use sorcery in a “good” way. Spells are sometimes used on Muggles (251). Characters in the book use sorcery to fight “dark” or “black” magic (190-91,217,227), and there is even a course at Hogwarts teaching students how to protect themselves against
“the dark forces” (67, 134), all the while they are studying the very stuff of sorcery—charms, potions, spells, etc. God condemns
all sorcery (see previous passages cited), so there is no such thing as “white” or “dark” magick: it all comes from the same place. The only people who make these distinctions are occultists. Remember, Harry is not learning magic tricks: he is learning magick. It is interesting to note what happens at the end of the book, however, after the school has warned the students “not to use magic over the holidays” (307). Harry, in defiance and rebellion, not only purports to use magic but to use it to get back at his hated cousin, Dudley. “They don’t know we’re not allowed to use magic at home. I’m going to have a lot of fun with Dudley this summer…” (309). This is the closing sentence of the book.
In light of God’s Word, how should we view a book where the hero is learning sorcery and teaches the very principles of “white” magick and witchcraft? If a Christian thinks it is okay for Harry to do “white” magick, then can he/she in all sincerity tell a witch “white” witchcraft is wrong? To accept Harry Potter as a fun hero for children may make it seem hypocritical for you to criticize contemporary witchcraft, Wicca, and white magick.
The Occult And Its Twin, Death
The Hogwarts’ course on Transfiguration is said to be “complex and dangerous” by the teacher (134). Dumbledore tells Ham that men “have wasted away” before the Mirror of Ensed or “been driven mad” by it (213). Prof. Snape talks about how his brews are “bewitching” to the mind and “ensnaring” to the senses (137): and there are books in the Hogwarts library which contain “powerful Dark Magic” (198). In a
New York Times article (7-10-00. B-l). the reporter writes about Rowling:
“She intimated that as the series progresses the mood may darken The death of one character in the fourth book, she said, is ‘the beginning of the deaths ‘
But the best hurrah for death comes near the end. when
Harry Potter learns Nicolas Flamel and his wife will die after the Sorcerer’s Stone has been destroyed. Ham is sad, but an amazing statement is made by Dumbledore: “ After all, to the well-organized mind, death ” (297). This is repeated later by Harry to his friends. Ron and Hermione (302). is but the next great adventure
The occult is always connected to death, whether in disguise or blatantly. Children all over the world reading this book can now think of death as “the next great adventure” just as so many kids who have dabbled in the occult have discovered before them. Just check out occult-based comics, games, books, videos with lots of sorcery, and what do you find? Images of death; death as a good or necessary thing, as a journey, an escape, a glorious ending, or a deserved punishment. Just as I found a comic book in a mall store about a beautiful girl named Death who tells the hero Death is a “friend” and whom the hero wants to follow. The occult and death go together like hand in glove.
After his death remark. Dumbledore says truth is a “
” (298). So. truth should be treated with caution but death is an adventure? beautiful and terrible thing, and should therefore be treated with great caution Conclusions: Fantasy And The Occult
There are elements of fantasy’ and good story-telling in this book. At the same time, the whole story is set in an occult context with references to real occult practices and views mixed in with fantasy. The hero of the book is a wizard/witch/sorcerer whose goal is to learn how to use his powers through the occult. Much is made of the fact that the author wrote while on welfare on scraps of paper at a cafe. This makes it sound like everything is totally from her imagination. However, she did not imagine alchemy, charms, scrying, Nicolas Flamel, astrology , the Dark Side, or many of the other occult concepts and information. It is only reasonable to assume Rowling did some research or has had some exposure to occult and magical practices.
The idea of using sorcery to fight evil (or using “good” magic to fight “bad” magic) is a major component of the plot. In 1996, a movie called
The Craft taught the audience that using witchcraft to fight evil is good. This movie helped to galvanize the growing Wicca/Witchcraft movement and attracted a lot of teen girls to Wicca. Ask any Wiccan how to defend the practice of witchcraft, and many will respond it is okay to use one’s powers “for good.” How does this message differ from the Harry Potter books? Harry Potter; far from teaching against the occult, gives a rousing cheer for it. Those opposed to witchcraft or wizardry are mocked and painted as stupid.
We are not in a world where witches are crones with black robes and pointed hats, or where wizards and sorcerers exist only in Disney movies We are in a world where ordinary people seriously practice witchcraft, sorcery, spells, and other occult methods. Many witches, psychics, Neo-pagans, and others involved in the occult were my clients when I practiced astrology. A June 14. 1999 article of
Publishers’ Meekly Online, discusses how popular pagan books have become among younger readers. At that point, Teen Witch had sold more than 50,000 copies. Llewellyn’s director of trade sales stated his company (which publishes occult titles) started “repackaging ‘classic’ pagan titles with more youthful covers, and sales often jumped tenfold as a result.” 41 One of the books discussed is a book on “white witchcraft.” Essential to this philosophy is to not go over to the “dark side” and practice “dark” or “black” witchcraft .. exactly what is taught in Harry Potter.
There is a difference between fantasy and the occult. Fantasy can be used in a way that totally leaves out references to the occult. But this is not what happens in this book. Instead, fantasy feeds on the occult and is fueled by it. Yes, this is just a story, but stories can teach and influence. Stories can present ideas and endorse worldviews. Does this book desensitize children to the occult? What happens when they get older and encounter peers who practice magick, cast spells, and attempt spirit contact? These practices are becoming more popular, and are already widespread among adolescents.
Harry Potter glorifies the occult God condemns the occult. Should we take lightly a book that endorses what God has so seriously forbidden?
If your children are already reading these books, then use the books as a tool to teach them from God’s Word what He says about the occult. Teach them how to share this information gently and lovingly with their friends It is essential they be equipped to deal with the increasing acceptance of the occult in our culture.
Marcia Montenegro, a former astrologer and follower of New Age/Eastern practices, now has a ministry, CANA/Christian Answers for the New Age (http://christiananswersforthenewage.org/), PO Box 7191, Arlington, VA 22207. E-mail at: cana2000@erols.com
© 2015, Midwest Christian Outreach, Inc. All rights reserved. Excerpts and links may be used if full and clear credit is given with specific direction to the original content.
Bill Whitcomb, The Magician’s Companion,St. Paul: Llewellyn. 1994. pp. 351,485, 527 ↩ Rosemary Guiley. Encyclopedia of Hitches and Witchcraft, New York: Checkmark Books/Facts on File, 1999. p.315 ↩ Biblical terms for occult practices:
Several terms are used in both the Old and New Testaments to describe practices similar to magic and sorcery. There is an Old Testament word qacam from which comes divination in some Bible versions while in others it is translated as witchcraft. In addition, there are several Old Testament words from which one can derive sorcerer, witch, astrologer, or magician. Many of these words share origin in meaning even though the words themselves differ. For example, a word translated as “astrologer” might come from a root word meaning to “divide up the heavens.” Some words for witch, sorcerer, or casting spells in the OT come from a word meaning “to whisper or hiss, to mutter magical words or incantations; to enchant; to practice magic, to be a sorcerer, to use witchcraft”— kashaph; so the noun form, kashshaph, means “an enchanter, sorcerer or magician” {“Lexical Aids to the Old Testament,” The Hebrew-Greek Key Study Bible, ed.. Spiros Zodhiates, AMG Publishers, 1990, p. 1737 (lexical sources on p. 1705)} The use of this word is an
onomatopeiabecause it is meant to sound like the hiss or whisper of one doing spells.
In the New Testament, sorcerers is used in Rev. 21:8 and 22:15 while sorceries is used in Rev. 9:21 and 22:15 The words used here (Strong’s #5332 and 5331) are pharmakeus meaning “a druggist or poisoner and by extension, a magician or sorcerer” (Strong’s. “Greek Dictionary of the New Testament,” 95). In Gal. 5:20. this same word is translated as witchcraft in the King James Version.
There is a tremendous crossover and overlap in the translation from the Hebrew and Greek into English due to the fact all these practices relate to occult arts Giving the English translation for these words depends a lot on context and the particular occult practice which could have included many things. What is being done seems more important than an exact term for it.
The most common English translations seem to be witch, sorcerer, spiritist, magician, soothsayer, and divination ↩
Janet and Stewart Farrar,. A Wi tches’ Bible,Custer. WA: Phoenix Publishing, 1996. p 106 ↩ http://christiananswersforthenewage.org/Articles_Wicca.html ↩ Rosemary Guiley. Encyclopedia of Hitches and Witchcraft, New York: Checkmark Books/Facts on File, 1999 71-72 ↩ Rosemary Guiley. Encyclopedia of Hitches and Witchcraft, New York: Checkmark Books/Facts on File, 1999, 212, 314 ↩ An Encyclopedia of Occultism, Citadel Press/Carol Publishing, 1996. p. 373 ↩ J. H. Brennan, Magick for Beginners, The Power to Change Your World, St. Paul: Llewellyn, 1999, p 44 ↩ Llewellyn,1994 ↩ Donald Tyson, The Truth About Ritual MagickSt. Paul: Llewellyn, 1994, p. 20 ↩ as quoted in Bill Whitcomb. The Magician’s Companion.St. Paul: Llewellyn, 1994, 5 ↩ Bill Whitcomb. The Magician’s Companion.St. Paul: Llewellyn, 1994, 6, 7 ↩ Brief overview of magic/sorcery:
Magic as a ritual or technique to supernaturally manipulate forces goes back as far as early man and is found in cave paintings Magic is common in Greek mythology. Homer, Canaanite religious literature. Akkadian mvths, and Egyptian religion and myths (Colin Brown, ed and trans.,
The New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology ,vol. 2 Grand Rapids, Zondervan and Paternoster, 1976, 552-4). Magic is found in Egyptian papvri dating from the third and fourth centuries AD. and in Greece, magic was a combination of Greek and Egyptian influences. This included belief in creatures half-man, half-animal and in the magical power of words. Magical practices infiltrated Judaism, often using the name of God ( New Int’l Dictionary,556), although these practices were strictly forbidden in Hebrew Scripture (Deut 18: 9-12; Lev. 19: 26, 31, 20:6; Jer 27 9-10; Malachi 3:5). Magic,also known as sorcery, can be defined as casting spells using a special formula of words or actions to gain control and also as a technique for manipulating supernatural forces to attain certain ends through contact with spirits and psychic realms. White magic was believed to be used for good ends: black magic for evil ends ( New Int’I. Dictionary, 552. 6). A magiciancan be defined as one possessing occult knowledge as a diviner, or an astrologer. It is one who tries to bring about certain results beyond man’s normal abilities. In Egypt and Babylon, magicians were educated and wise in science. They were priests. They were thought to possess special knowledge and so were used by rulers to interpret dreams ( Zondervan, vol. 4. 38). The New International Dictionarylists pharmakosas a related term (though a different word) because herbs were traditionally gathered and used for spells and to invoke spirits at magical ceremonies (p 558) Pythonis also listed as a related term because of its connection to the Delphi oracle. Delphi was where Apollo killed the serpent Python that guarded the oracle. Pythoncame to mean a spirit of divination; also, a ventriloquist was believed to have this spirit in his belly. This term is used in Acts 16:16 for the girl in Philippi who had the pneuma pythona,a spirit of divination or literally, a spirit of a python (p 558) ↩ All quotes from the first Scholastics trade paperback printing, September 1999 ↩ Bill Whitcomb. The Magician’s Companion.St. Paul: Llewellyn, 1994, 485, 527 ↩ Gonzalez-Wippler, Migene. The Complete Book of Spells, Ceremonies & Magic.2d ed. St. Paul: Llewellyn, 1996. pp. 61 and 63 ↩ W. B. Crow. A Fascinating History of Witchcraft, Magic, and Occultism,Hollywood: Wilshire Book Company, 1968, p 82 ↩ G. P Putnams’ Sons: New York: 1970 ↩ Grillot de Givry, Dover publications. 1971. pp 216.349,352.360,367,378,384 ↩ Richard Smoley and Jay Kinney. Hidden Wisdom, A Guide to the Western Inner Traditions, New York: Penguin/Arkana, 1999, p. 184 ↩ Lewis Spence, An Encyclopedia of Occultism.Citadel Press/Carol Publishing, 1996 ↩ Lewis Spence, An Encyclopedia of Occultism.Citadel Press/Carol Publishing, 1996, 1-2 ↩ Richard Smoley and Jay Kinney, Hidden Wisdom, A Guide to the Western Inner Traditions.New York: Penguin/Arkana, 1999, 192 ↩ “The Magic Words: Potter Is a Hit in 33 Languages,” John Kelly, The Washington Post,“KidsPost.” 7-7-00, p C-13 ↩ Grillot De Grivy, Witchcraft. Magic & Alchemy.Dover publications, 1971; 305-08; Janet and Stewart Farrar; A Witches’ Bible.Custer, WA: Phoenix Publishing, 1996; 201 & 326; Rosemary Guiley, Encyclopedia of Witches and Witchcraft.New York: Checkmark Books/Facts on File, 1999 pp 307-08; Lewis Spence, An Encyclopedia of Occultism.Citadel Press/Carol Publishing, 1996, 111-12 ↩ Rosemary Guiley, Encyclopedia of Witches and Witchcraft.New York: Checkmark Books/Facts on File, 1999 p 398 ↩ Rosemary Guiley, Encyclopedia of Witches and Witchcraft.New York: Checkmark Books/Facts on File, 1999 229 ↩ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animism↩ Grillot De Grivy, Witchcraft. Magic & Alchemy.Dover publications, 1971, 106-108,311 -320 ↩ Rosemary Guiley, Encyclopedia of Witches and Witchcraft.New York: Checkmark Books/Facts on File, 1999 p 398 ↩ Janet and Stewart Farrar; A Witches’ Bible.Custer, WA: Phoenix Publishing, 1996, 257-58 ↩ Lewis Spence, An Encyclopedia of Occultism.Citadel Press/Carol Publishing, 1996, 239 ↩ Migene Gonzalez-Wippler, The Complete Book of Spells, Ceremonies & Magic.2d ed. St. Paul: Llewellyn, 1996, 287 ↩ Grillot De Grivy, Witchcraft. Magic & Alchemy.Dover publications, 1971, 311; Rosemary Guiley, Encyclopedia of Witches and Witchcraft.New York: Checkmark Books/Facts on File, 1999, 380 ↩ Jack Tresidder. Dictionary of Symbols,San Francisco Chronicle Books, 1998, 184-87 ↩ Jack Tresidder. Dictionary of Symbols,San Francisco Chronicle Books, 1998, 184 ↩ Rosemary Guiley, Encyclopedia of Witches and Witchcraft.New York: Checkmark Books/Facts on File, 1999, 251 ↩ Janet and Stewart Farrar; A Witches’ Bible.Custer, WA: Phoenix Publishing, 1996, 107 ↩ Janet and Stewart Farrar; A Witches’ Bible.Custer, WA: Phoenix Publishing, 1996, 111 ↩ Michael Kress, “Bewitching Readers With Pagan Lore, www.bookwire.com/pw/images2/relig2.jpg↩ | 44,525 | 18,166 | 0.000058 |
warc | 201704 | Ministry Good Samaritan Health Center in Merrill has been named one of the nation’s top performers on key quality measures for surgical care by The Joint Commission, the leading accreditor of health care organizations in America.
This honor is the result of data reported to The Joint Commission about evidence-based clinical processes that are shown to improve care for certain conditions including heart attack, heart failure, pneumonia, surgical care and children’s asthma.
Ministry Good Samaritan is one of 12 Wisconsin Hospitals and 620 hospitals nationwide earning the top performer distinction for surgical care for attaining and sustaining excellence in accountability measure performance. Another Ministry Health Care Facility, Mercy Medical Center in Oshkosh was recognized as a top performer in the categories of heart attack, pneumonia and surgical care.
This is the second year in a row that Ministry Good Samaritan is being recognized as a top performer, one of only 244 hospitals in the country that achieved the distinction two years in a row.
Each of the hospitals that were named as a Top Performer on Key Quality Measures met two 95 percent performance thresholds on 2011 accountability measure data.
“When we raise the bar and provide the proper guidance and tools, hospitals have responded with excellent results,” says Mark R. Chassin, M.D., FACP, M.P.P., M.P.H., president, The Joint Commission. “This capacity for continual improvement points toward a future in which quality and safety defects are dramatically reduced and high reliability is sought and achieved with regularity. Such day-to-day progress will slowly but surely transform today’s health care system into one that achieves unprecedented performance outcomes for the benefit of the patients.”
“We understand that what matters most to our patients is safe, effective care,” said Ministry Good Samaritan President Mary Krueger. “That’s why Ministry Good Samaritan has made a commitment to accreditation and to positive patient outcomes through evidence-based care processes.”
In addition to being included in the release of The Joint Commission’s “Improving America’s Hospitals” annual report, Ministry Good Samaritan will be recognized on The Joint Commission’s Quality Check website (www.qualitycheck.org). The Top Performer program is featured in the November issue of The Joint Commission Perspectives and the October issue of The Joint Commission: The Source. | 2,545 | 1,174 | 0.000884 |
warc | 201704 | When nurses talk about nursing as a career, they mention flexibility, the continual opportunity to learn new skills, and the profound satisfaction of caring for others as motivation. Nurses also say they can’t imagine another career that allows them the freedom to use their skills in such varied settings.
Even new nurses, who traditionally gravitate towards a first job on a med/surge unit, are realizing they can broaden their job search to include many different facilities and situations to gain the varied experience they need.
Lori Gutierrez, BS, RN-C*, DON-CLTC, and a teaching affiliate and clinical educator with the American Association for Long Term Care Nursing (AALTCN), says long-term care facilities offer nurses a chance to use all their skills and develop some new ones they will use wherever their career path takes them.
“Long-term care is a great field and specialty area,” she says. Some nurses choose to look elsewhere for jobs because they don’t consider what the facility has to offer or the patient population it serves, says Gutierrez. But the need for quality long-term care nurses is growing. With a steadily aging baby boomer population, long-term care facilities, whether as a nursing home or a rehabilitation facility, are seeing a increase in the number of patients and the acuity of the patients.
Nurses in long-term care facilities work with patients who have varied medical issues. “A long-term care facility can have anyone,” says Gutierrez, even children. Pediatric care facilities work with infants to young adults. Other facilities need skilled care for the youngest to the oldest patients and everyone in between. And many long-term care facilities work with people with multiple co-morbidities, says Gutierrez. They might have a brain injury, cerebral palsy, a ventilator – all of which require nurses to use a range of capabilities.
Using all those skills, especially if your first job is in long-term care, is an excellent opportunity to increase your skill set and to perfect what you do. In doing so, you become an appealing job candidate. “You won’t find a NICU or an ER who will hire without experience,” Gutierrez says. “Hospitals want experience. This is a great chance to get your feet wet.”
If you choose to investigate long-term care nursing opportunities, Gutierrez recommends looking for a skilled nursing facility with some kind of residency program or an orientation program for new grads. Finding a facility that understands new grads’ needs will help you get up to speed faster, take on more responsibility, and perform better, thereby giving the best care possible.
“This is a great learning opportunity for nurses to have sharp skills,” says Gutierrez. “You have to know what you are doing with the patient population.”
And long-term care offers nurses the chance to get to know their patients and develop a relationship with them. Acute care stays typically last 2.3 days, says Gutierrez, while a longer care facility stay might last from 14 to 21 days. In a nursing home, nurses frequently interact with a patient’s family, too. And for patients who have no family close by, nurses become part of that extended network that provides not just medical care, but companionship.
And while it’s true that long-term care facilities aren’t as automated as most acute-care facilities, Gutierrez says it’s not necessarily a negative. “The skill sets nurses need continue to sharpen,” says Gutierrez. “There’s no IV team, so you take your own blood draws. There are things hospital nurses take for granted. There’s no rapid response team. You’re it.”
As with any specialty, targeted training will only help you become a great nurse. “The AALTCN encourages nurses to obtain a national certification,” says Gutierrez. “It’s a specialty and nurses should be proud of long-term care nursing and the services we provide to a patient.” | 4,059 | 1,865 | 0.000561 |
warc | 201704 | Investment Pitfalls to Avoid
Whether you are new to investing or have been at it for quite a while, it is easy to fall prey to numerous common investment mistakes. It is important to remember that you will never be able to fully avoid these mistakes because even the best investors make them. Rather, the goal is to minimize the number of these mistakes that you make overall. Keeping this universal truth in perspective will help you get back on track when you stumble, and it will also help you learn an important lesson for the future.
Don’t Fall Victim to Greed
When you first start investing in the stock market, picking great securities is only half the battle. Making a great stock or mutual fund choice can only take you so far. What do you do once you’ve enjoyed a sizeable unrealized gain? You can choose to buy more, hold, or sell your security. Obviously you wouldn’t buy more if you’ve had a significant upwards run, because you are only raising your average cost per share. If you’ve done very well, you may think it might be wise to just let it be since you are using “house money”. That’s not always the best choice.
Learn to trim your gains. If you insist on letting the stock continue to run, then you should the harvest the majority of your profits. Continue to let the original invested amount remain in stocks. By doing so, you will be in an advantageous position as you’ll have substantial downside protection if the stock price starts to slip. Unfortunately, I have seen many people buy a stock and accrue an incredible unrealized gain in a relatively short period of time, only to lose most of their gains because they didn’t sell when the time was right.
Don’t Involve Your Emotions
What are some of the ways you can avoid this? Set a time and target. What does this mean? Determine the length of time you want to hold the stock or security. By buying you are essentially predicting some type of change, so try to define distinct parameters. Set a stop-loss for yourself to auto trigger if the security dips below a certain level (Be sure to keep this stop-loss low enough, or else you might automatically trigger a sell order on a volatile trading day). Also, set a target on your gains. Adhering to this amount just requires you to be disciplined. Although the stock may continue to run higher, stick to your goals.
Also, if your stock slips below the stop-loss threshold do
not, under any circumstances, throw good money after bad. This may seem intuitive, but I’ve seen many investors justify spending additional money to “lower their average cost” per share. In reality these investors are wishing for a recovery. A recovery that is unlikely to happen. Weigh the Importance of Your Facts
Reading a bit of financial news doesn’t automatically give you an edge on the competition. As a matter of fact, any information that is public for more than a few moments is already priced into a stock or security. For example, if Company X is projected to announce incredible earnings for the second quarter, you shouldn’t necessarily assume that this makes the stock a solid buy. This is something that everyone else knows, as well. Suffice it to say that all market news is public, so it’s a mistake to underestimate the incredible speed of the information.
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Set Realistic Goals
If you are setting goals you are already on the right track. However, make realistic goals for yourself. Remember the S & P 500 returns 10% on average annually, and mutual funds return 12% annually on average. Therefore, it wouldn’t make sense to set a goal of 25%. Don’t forget to take the time to define concrete goals for your future. Remember, investing isn’t about getting rich quickly. It is about making the most out of what you have to provide a great future for yourself. | 4,418 | 2,149 | 0.000478 |
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