australia ' s “ exceptional ” heatwave has produced record - breaking temperatures, with at least six of the first seven days of 2013 among the top 20 hottest days in the past century. the extreme january heat has prompted the bureau of meteorology to issue a special climate statement, with further updates planned as the scorching temperatures continue. data for monday is still to be fully analysed by the weather bureau, but it may be the hottest of the series and could generate a record average maximum beyond the 40. 17 degrees reached on december 21, 1972. such a result would make it six days in a row when the national average has been above 39 degrees ; tomorrow is expected to make it seven. prior to this series, the longest run of 39 degrees or more was four days, in 1973. “ this event is ongoing with significant records likely to be set, ” the bureau statement said. “ a particular feature of this heatwave event has been the exceptional spatial extent of high temperatures. ” the final four months of 2012 were the hottest on record for australia and january is making an early run at adding to the sequence of especially hot weather. “ australia - wide, and for individual states, we are currently well above average by many degrees, ” said aaron coutts - smith, the bureau ' s nsw manager for climate services. sydney is set to cop its first major blast of the searing heat that has grilled much of australia for the past week, with 43 degrees forecast. today ' s 40 - degree prediction for perth is one sign that any relief for the bulk of central and southern australia from the current sweltering temperatures will be shortlived. “ we are seeing that re - intensification ” of the heat, said dr coutts - smith. melbourne, which is expecting 31 degrees today will feel chilly on wednesday with a maximum of just 20 degrees before the mercury starts climbing back to 37 degrees on friday, the bureau predicts. the data for national averages shows the maximum reached 39. 2 on january 2, 39. 6 on january 3, 39. 3 on january 4, 39. 3 on january 5 and 39. 6 on january 6. interestingly, none of the states has broken individual maximum highs, at least in the data until january 6, underscoring how large in size the overall weather pattern is. the weather bureau ' s manager for climate monitoring, karl braganza on monday described the event as a " dome of heat " over the continent. nsw, which is likely to endure extreme


##scoring how large in size the overall weather pattern is. the weather bureau ' s manager for climate monitoring, karl braganza on monday described the event as a " dome of heat " over the continent. nsw, which is likely to endure extreme temperatures today, has to exceed 44. 1 degrees on average to beat the record set on january 14, 1939. this year, the hottest day was on january 5 when maximums averaged 41. 1 degrees, with hay airport hitting 47. 9 degrees, according to data up until january 6. for victoria, the hottest day on record was 44. 5 degrees on black saturday, february 7, 2009, when bushfires left 173 people dead. in the current spate of heat, the hottest day was january 4 when temperatures across the state averaged 41. 2 degrees. up until january 6, yarrawonga had posted the hottest temperature in the state at 45. 7 degrees on january 5, while portland ' s 42. 1 on the previous day was a new daily maximum for that location, the bureau said. nationwide, the hottest single temperature recorded during the heat - up to january 6 - has been the 48. 6 degrees reached at red rocks point in wa on jauary 3. that ' s about 2 degrees below the 50. 7 degrees all - time record set on january 2, 1960.


how to get shading right recent improvements to window technology make substantial air conditioning energy savings possible. however, shading remains a time - tested method to accomplish the same end. architectural and site shading can have an even greater impact on reducing daily cooling use than upgrading windows. using both a prototype building and modeling simulations, a study by our team at the national renewable energy laboratory ( nrel ) evaluated the relative impacts of different solar load control strategies. the study points the way toward optimizing the interaction of various methods for reducing solar heat gain. this is helpful, as the wide variety of shading options currently available can make choosing an effective solar load control strategy confusing ( see snapshots of shading options, he sept / oct ' 00, p. 20 ). the prototype house was built in 1998 in tucson, arizona, as part of the department of energy ' s building america program. its integrated package of energy - saving features includes structural insulated panels ( sips ) for the wall and roof construction, white coating on the roof, spectrally selective windows, architectural shading, an interior location for the air handler and ducts, highefficiency air conditioning equipment, and solar water heating. building america ( see clean breathing in tract homes, p. 29 ) works with five building industry teams to produce advanced residential buildings on a community scale. systems incorporated into these houses are evaluated by conducting successive design, test, redesign, and retest iterations until cost and performance trade - offs yield innovations that can be cost effectively implemented in production - scale housing. rgc courthomes, inc., built the prototype, with input from the ibacos building america consortium. building performance was modeled using a detailed hourly energy simulation tool and was measured while the building was unoccupied for a period of 12 days. model inputs included direct measurements of the net air exchange rate, surface reflectance, and window transmittance. model results, after calibration, showed good agreement with the direct measurements of cooling loads and air conditioning energy use. analyzing the interactions between building performance and solar load control strategies in a prototype house can facilitate the optimization of cost and performance trade - offs in large - scale production. typical new productionscale houses in the tucson market are framed on a slabon - grade foundation with stucco exterior finish and a sloped concrete tile or flat built - up bituminous roof. these standard - practice houses are built using standard construction materials and techniques, including nominal 2 x 4 wood framing, fiberglass batt insulation


- grade foundation with stucco exterior finish and a sloped concrete tile or flat built - up bituminous roof. these standard - practice houses are built using standard construction materials and techniques, including nominal 2 x 4 wood framing, fiberglass batt insulation, 1 - inch polystyrene sheathing, and double - pane, clear - glass, aluminum frame windows. the slab foundation has no insulation, and the attic is usually vented. a forcedair distribution system provides space heating and cooling, with the air handler located in the garage and the flex duct in the attic. this system is typically supplied by a 10 - seer air conditioner and an 80 % annual fuel utilization efficiency ( afue ) gas furnace. the prototype house differs from these houses in several respects. it has a well - insulated airtight envelope, with minimized air distribution losses. the house ' s energy - saving features, plus the large ratio of window to floor area in the design, render window contributions more important than they are in conventional housing, particularly in the tucson climate. the prototype incorporates several reengineered features into its structural and mechanical equipment systems ( see table 1 ). envelope changes include a sealed, insulated, and conditioned crawlspace foundation ( a shallow basement ) and sips ( see sips face the skeptics, he, mar / apr ' 98 ). the foundation stem walls are 6 - inchthick reinforced concrete, insulated on the interior with a 2 - inch - thick rigid foam board ( r - 10 ) that serves as the concrete form. each wall and roof panel consists of a polyurethane foam core sandwiched between 7 / 16 - inch thick oriented strand board ( osb ) sheathing. sips 41 / 2 - inches thick are used for the walls, and sips 61 / 2 - inches thick form the flat lowslope ceiling / roof assembly. the walls are finished with synthetic stucco on the exterior. the roof panels are finished with a white singleply rubberized fabric coating on the exterior ( the inside is cathedralized, with no attic space ). the windows have vinyl frames with a thermal break, double panes, and spectrally selective coatings on the inside of the outer pane ( surface two ) of the tinted glazing. mechanical system features include putting the air handler in an interior chase, locating all ductwork within the conditioned space, and installing a 12 - seer ( seasonal energy efficiency ratio ) air conditioner. a batch - type solar water heater


overhangs or by the adjacent houses. the simulation model was imported into a three - dimensional graphic representation program that has rotational view capabilities to check building geometry. figure 1 shows the location of exterior walls, windows, doors, and overhangs. crawlspace walls are evident in this view. shading from adjacent houses is significant at this site. the geometry of houses and fences to the east and west are modeled as measured at the site ; these shading surfaces are also shown in the figure. how the shading options added up for the determination of annual heating and cooling energy, occupied building operation is simulated. the simulation of occupied conditions in this building for a full year predicts that 3, 285 kwh of cooling energy and 71 therms of space - heating energy are required per year. heat gain through the windows is the largest component of envelope load, and it constitutes more than 30 % of the total cooling energy load ( see figures 2 and 3 ). figure 4 presents the daily load profiles of air conditioning electricity use on a typical cooling day for four combinations of glazing and shading. in this case, the shading includes both the architectural overhangs and the site shading from adjacent buildings. standard glazing without shading represents the worst case, and spectrally selective glazing with shading ( the existing building ) represents the best case. the combination of high - performance glazing and shading achieves a 0. 4 kw ( 14 % ) reduction in afternoon peak electricity demand and a 12. 4 kwh ( 30 % ) reduction in daily total electricity used for air conditioning. architectural and site shading reduces daily cooling use more than upgrading the windows does. the shading combination reduces daily cooling energy use by 9. 4 kwh ( 22 % ), as compared to 4. 4 kwh ( 11 % ) for just upgrading the windows. architectural shading is clearly very important in reducing cooling loads. it reduces the annual cooling requirement by approximately 23 %, whether one starts with standard double - pane glazing or with spectrally selective glazing. in both cases, the heating load increases as the solar gain is reduced, but thanks to the combination of the tucson climate and the wellinsulated tight building shell, this has little impact. even in the worst case scenario, less than 80 therms per year of space heating is required. in this housing development, site shading plays an important role in reducing morning and evening direct solar gain. the test house is shaded to


impact. even in the worst case scenario, less than 80 therms per year of space heating is required. in this housing development, site shading plays an important role in reducing morning and evening direct solar gain. the test house is shaded to the east and west by adjacent, two - story houses. this site shading not only reduces the solar gain through the windows, but effectively shades much of the exterior wall area, reducing overall conductive gains as well. annual energy costs the cooling and heating loads are combined into a single value by converting the energy requirements to costs. the study assumed that electricity costs 10. 5¢ / kwh, and natural gas costs 79¢ / therm for the first 20 therms a month and 75¢ / therm above that. figure 5 shows annual cooling and heating costs as a function of glazing type, two types of shading, and the orientation of the front of the house. using the data from this figure and referencing a base case building with standard windows with no overhangs but with adjacent building shading, table 2 presents the reduction in cooling and heating costs for a subset of combinations. the existing building has a south orientation, and the combined features lead to a 26 % reduction in cooling and heating costs. the total cost of cooling and heating is reduced by more than 10 % by adding the presence of the adjacent houses. as expected, the maximum effect from architectural shading occurs if the front of the house faces west, which orients most of the window area to the south. the maximum effect of site shading occurs if the front of the house faces north, which orients most of the window area to the west. with the front facing east, the majority of windows are on the north side, and neither architectural nor site shading has much effect on cooling and heating costs. - first page - previous page enter your comments in the box below : ( please note that all comments are subject to review prior to posting. )


take a look at this snapshot from health canada ' s website fact sheet entitled healthy lawn tips. - although it may look untidy, leave grass clippings on your lawn when you mow it to provide nutrient recycling. - aerate compacted soil in the fall to help oxygen, water and nutrients reach roots. - over - seed patchy areas. - in heavy traffic areas, replace grass with mulch or paving stones. - check your lawn for early signs of pests and other problems such as holes caused by small animals digging for insects. - set your mower so that your grass is seven to eight cm high to encourage deeper roots and help fend off weeds. - water infrequently, but when you do, make sure you allow the water to get deep into the soil ( about 1. 5 centimetres ) to promote deep roots. over - watering starves the soil of oxygen and invites disease. apply at least 2. 5 centimetres of water. put a container on your lawn to measure how much you ' ve watered. an empty tuna can is about the right height. - maintain good soil with ample depth and organic matter to prevent problems. - if physical control methods fail and you use a pesticide, be sure the one you pick lists the pest you are trying to control on the label, and follow all the instructions. more information is available online at www. healthcanada. gc. ca / pmra. fact sheets include starting a lawn, lawn maintenance, life of a lawn and common lawn problems.


healthy eating plate harvard ’ s new guide to healthy eating start here to learn more about the new healthy eating plate created by nutrition experts at harvard school of public health, in conjunction with harvard health publications. the healthy eating plate can be your blueprint for planning a healthy balanced meal, and it fixes key flaws in the u. s. department of agriculture ’ s myplate. how can you follow the healthy eating plate? here ’ s a rundown, section by section : - fill half of your plate with vegetables and fruits. the more color, and the more variety on this part of the plate, the better. potatoes and french fries don ’ t count as vegetables on the healthy eating plate, because they are high in fast - digested starch ( carbohydrate ), which has the same roller - coaster effect on blood sugar and insulin as white bread and sweets. these surges, in the short term, can lead to hunger and overeating, and in the long term, can lead to weight gain, type 2 diabetes, and other health problems. read more about vegetables and fruits, or read more about carbohydrates and health. - save a quarter of your plate for whole grains — not just any grains : whole grains — whole wheat, brown rice, and foods made with them, such as whole wheat pasta — have a gentler effect on blood sugar and insulin than white bread, white rice, and other so - called “ refined grains. ” that ’ s why the healthy eating plate says to choose whole grains — the less processed, the better — and limit refined grains. read more about whole grains. - put a healthy source of protein on one quarter of your plate : chose fish, chicken, beans or nuts, since these contain beneficial nutrients, such as the heart - healthy omega - 3 fatty acids in fish, and the fiber in beans. an egg a day is okay for most people, too ( people with diabetes should limit their egg intake to three yolks a week, but egg whites are fine ). limit red meat — beef, pork, and lamb — and avoid processed meats — bacon, cold cuts, hot dogs, and the like — since over time, regularly eating even small amounts of these foods raises the risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and colon cancer. read more about healthy proteins. - use healthy plant oils. the glass bottle near the healthy eating plate is a reminder to use healthy vegetable oils, like olive, canola, soy, corn,


heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and colon cancer. read more about healthy proteins. - use healthy plant oils. the glass bottle near the healthy eating plate is a reminder to use healthy vegetable oils, like olive, canola, soy, corn, sunflower, peanut, and others, in cooking, on salad, and at the table. limit butter, and avoid unhealthy trans fats from partially hydrogenated oils. read more about healthy fats. - drink water, coffee or tea. on the healthy eating plate, complete your meal with a glass of water, or if you like, a cup of tea or coffee ( with little or no sugar ). ( questions about caffeine and kids? read more. ) limit milk and dairy products to one to two servings per day, since high intakes are associated with increased risk of prostate cancer and possibly ovarian cancer. limit juice to a small glass per day, since it is as high in sugar as a sugary soda. skip the sugary drinks, since they provide lots of calories and virtually no other nutrients. and over time, routinely drinking sugary drinks can lead to weight gain, increase the risk of type 2 diabetes, and possibly increase the risk of heart disease. read more about healthy drinks, or read more about calcium, milk, and health. - stay active. the small red figure running across the healthy eating plate ’ s placemat is a reminder that staying active is half of the secret to weight control. the other half is eating a healthy diet with modest portions that meet your calorie needs. read 20 tips for staying active. comparing the harvard healthy eating plate to the usda ’ s myplate shows the shortcomings of myplate. read a head - to - head comparison of the healthy eating plate vs. the usda ’ s myplate. you can use the healthy eating plate side by side with the healthy eating pyramid, a simple and trustworthy guide to healthy eating created by faculty in the department of nutrition at harvard school of public health. read an in - depth article about the healthy eating plate and the healthy eating pyramid. or read answers to common questions about the healthy eating plate. download the healthy eating plate the healthy eating plate image on this web site is owned by the harvard university. it may be downloaded and used without permission for educational and other non - commercial uses with proper attribution, including the following copyright notification and credit line : copyright © 2011, harvard university. for more information about the healthy eating


salt reduction strategies tasting success with cutting salt twenty - five science based strategies & culinary insights department of nutrition, harvard school of public health & the culinary institute of america table of contents what portion size, produce, fresh foods, and healthy fats have to do with sodium reduction why a stealth health approach can help everyone cut back on salt which foods are highest in sodium, and how to make lower sodium choices from the farm to the table, there are many ways to boost flavor that are light on salt future research can guide the way to compelling reduced sodium flavors download a pdf of read more about the creation of the institute of medicine ’ s newly released report, strategies to reduce sodium intake in the united states, focuses on big - picture strategies for reining in america ’ s salt habit. ( 1 ) although the report ’ s recommendations represent an essential step forward, there are many things that individuals, chefs, and organizations can do right now to reduce sodium. consumers can use these tips when they cook at home, shop in the supermarket, or choose a meal at their favorite restaurant. chefs and product developers can tap these ideas in the professional kitchen. media representatives, healthcare professionals, and food marketers can mine this list for ways to promote positive and delicious nutrition messages about cutting salt. many of these guidelines offer a “ stealth health ” approach to sodium reduction — ways that sodium can be reduced with no change or minimal change to consumer food experiences or choices. others suggest ways to rebalance and re - imagine food choices as well as introduce new foods that can easily translate into satisfying meals. these culinary insights are in addition to valuable food science research already underway on the role of salt in foods and salt substitutes. the good news is that most of these guidelines support broader diet recommendations for good health. no sodium reduction effort will succeed if it undermines the flavor of our foods and the role that food plays in our lives. that ’ s why we urge a wide - ranging, innovative approach to sodium reduction on the part of all stakeholders, one that puts as much emphasis on culinary insight, taste, and flavor as on the scientific and public health imperatives. 1. downsize your portions : you ’ ll scale back the sodium ( and the calories ). a good rule of thumb is that the more calories a meal has, the more sodium it has. two out of three americans need to lose weight. so skip the supersize. share a dish when dining out. you can cut your salt — and trim your waist. our bodies need more potassium than sodium


has, the more sodium it has. two out of three americans need to lose weight. so skip the supersize. share a dish when dining out. you can cut your salt — and trim your waist. our bodies need more potassium than sodium. but most americans ’ diets are just the opposite, which can contribute to high blood pressure. fruits and vegetables are naturally low in sodium, and many fruits and vegetables are good sources of potassium. filling your plate with them will boost your potassium and shift the sodium - potassium balance in your favor. and chefs and product developers would do well to think about produce first when designing menus. the next time you are tempted to say, “ i won ’ t like lower sodium foods ” think of biting into a crunchy apple, juicy orange, or sweet strawberry. not missing the sodium? 3. get fresh : choose unprocessed and minimally processed foods. processed foods and prepared foods are the greatest sources of sodium in the american diet ( 75 percent by some estimates ). by choosing fresh foods, you can decide how much or how little salt to add. processed, cured meats typically have much more sodium than fresh meats, and canned vegetables usually have more sodium than fresh vegetables. going easy on processed foods makes sense for general good health, as processing often leads to a loss of nutrients and other benefits of whole or semi - intact foods. 4. embrace healthy fats and oils : a savory strategy to lower sodium levels. unfortunately, the big low - fat and no - fat product push in the 1990 ’ s wasn ’ t rooted in sound science. many well - meaning product developers cut both the good and bad fats out of formulations, and in order to maintain consumer acceptance of their products, they were forced to increase levels of sugar and sodium. so breathe easy, and skip most fat - free salad dressings and other similar products, and you ’ ll be doing your blood pressure a favor. one more good news tip : fat in the diet doesn ’ t make you fat! extensive research now confirms that low - fat diets are no more effective in weight loss than moderate - to high - fat diets. rather, it ’ s all about total calories and energy balance. so embrace healthy fat : it might be just the ticket to make produce - centric ( and sodium - reduced ) cooking more appealing. for recipes that focus on healthy fat, try : 5. stealth health : the most delicious approach to sodium reduction. for many foods and preparations,


might be just the ticket to make produce - centric ( and sodium - reduced ) cooking more appealing. for recipes that focus on healthy fat, try : 5. stealth health : the most delicious approach to sodium reduction. for many foods and preparations, the average person can ’ t detect moderate to substantial differences in sodium levels, including reductions of up to as much as 25 percent. that ’ s great news. in fact, many food manufacturers and restaurant companies have already made or are in the process of making substantial cuts in sodium — some all at once and some over time — that their customers will not be able to detect. 6. retrain your taste buds : you can learn to savor foods with less salt. studies have found that we can shift our sense of taste to enjoy foods with lower levels of sodium. one key to success : make the changes gradually and consistently over a period of time, rather than trying to cut back by a large amount all at once ( unless of course you find that an immediate 25 percent reduction in sodium doesn ’ t undermine your enjoyment of a particular food ). try this trick : combine a reduced sodium version of a favorite product ( e. g., vegetable soup ) with a regular version in proportions that gradually favor the reduced sodium version. as time goes on, you won ’ t miss the salt. 7. try a little romance : sea salt and other secrets of the healthy kitchen. most sea salt has about the same level of sodium as other salts, but who doesn ’ t perk up with the mention of sea salt? it sounds like your favorite chef has taken charge of your dinner. you don ’ t need to spend the money on sea salt, just remember that we eat with our eyes and ears, not just our mouths — and we make decisions about how much we are likely to enjoy a given food long before it gets to our mouths. so instead of calling something “ low sodium, ” try language like “ with a touch of sea salt, ” “ citrus - infused ” or “ garlic - scented, ” and you ’ ll likely entice more people to taste and enjoy reduced sodium dishes. finally, for those who think “ low sodium ” is the exact opposite of a compelling, positive message, remember that there is a big difference between well - prepared low - sodium foods and badly executed low - sodium foods. bad cooking is just bad cooking, independent of sodium levels. 8. target high - volume sodium sources : prioritize your efforts. know which ingredients and individual foods are high in


- prepared low - sodium foods and badly executed low - sodium foods. bad cooking is just bad cooking, independent of sodium levels. 8. target high - volume sodium sources : prioritize your efforts. know which ingredients and individual foods are high in sodium, and eat them sparingly. understand which categories of foods contribute the most sodium to our diets through repeated daily and weekly consumption. salt is ubiquitous in the american diet, but this top 10 list of food sources of sodium in the u. s. diet is a good place to focus. the list is based on the combination of each item ’ s sodium content and the frequency of consumption. ( 2 ) choose carefully when buying foods in these categories and / or eat less of these items : - meat pizza - white bread - processed cheese - hot dogs - spaghetti with sauce - cooked rice - white rolls - flour tortillas 9. scan the label : look for foods with less than 300 milligrams of sodium per serving. canned, boxed, frozen, and prepared foods can be high in sodium. check the label for sodium amounts and choose foods that have less than 300 milligrams per serving. but pay attention to serving sizes, as they are often unrealistically small. a good rule of thumb for label reading is to look for no more than one milligram of sodium per one calorie of food. you may be surprised to find foods that are high in sodium but that don ’ t list “ salt ” in the ingredients. that ’ s because there are other forms of sodium used in food processing, and these all contribute to the total amount of sodium listed in the nutrition facts. examples of these ingredients include monosodium glutamate, sodium citrate, sodium bicarbonate, and sodium alginate. 10. compare, compare, compare : sodium levels vary widely for the same or similar grocery items. compare brands of processed food, including breads, cured meats, cheeses, snack foods, and other foods, choosing those with the lowest levels of sodium that still taste good. you ’ ll find that there ’ s a surprising degree of variation from brand to brand, since some food manufacturers have already made great strides toward cutting the sodium levels in their products — and others never added as much sodium in the first place. 11. watch out for hidden sodium : looks — and taste — can be deceiving. “ fresh ” and “ natural ” meats and poultry may be injected with salt solutions as part of their


never added as much sodium in the first place. 11. watch out for hidden sodium : looks — and taste — can be deceiving. “ fresh ” and “ natural ” meats and poultry may be injected with salt solutions as part of their processing, and manufacturers are not required to list the sodium content on the label. the best way to find out whether your favorite brand has been treated with a salt solution is to ask the grocer or butcher, or to call the toll - free consumer hotline on the product ’ s label. some foods that are high in sodium may not taste especially salty, such as breakfast cereals, bakery muffins, energy drinks, and sports drinks. 12. scan the menu, speak to your server : seek low - salt menu options when dining out. at the upper end of the spectrum, some chain restaurant and fast - food meals can top 5, 000 – 6, 000 milligrams of sodium per serving. it is common to find sandwiches and fast - food entrees with 2, 000 – 2, 500 milligrams of sodium per serving — as much as or more than a day ’ s recommended sodium intake. with foodservice ( or food away from home ) now accounting for nearly 50 percent of the consumer food dollar, both foodservice and food manufacturing — together with consumers and home cooks — need to be part of the solution to the sodium reduction challenge. some tips for consumers : sodium levels can vary widely from one dish to another and from one restaurant to another. check restaurant websites for sodium information before you head out, or ask your server to steer you to low - salt choices. save high - salt choices for very limited special occasions. increasingly, chain restaurants are responding to calls for sodium reduction, so watch for news about such initiatives by your favorite restaurant group. 13. farming for flavor : a new health imperative. we should recognize that the national conversation about salt and sodium should not be just about salty taste and sodium reduction, but about flavor in our foods in general. for much of the 20th century, our national food and agricultural focus has been on quantity and value — and quality often as a function of consistency, appearance, safety, convenience, and shelf life. if natural flavor sometimes suffered, there was always fat ( often saturated fats and trans fats ), sugar, and salt to take up the slack — all high - impact, low - cost flavor enhancers that most people love. but at a time when we have “ over


there was always fat ( often saturated fats and trans fats ), sugar, and salt to take up the slack — all high - impact, low - cost flavor enhancers that most people love. but at a time when we have “ over - delivered ” on the promise of affordable calories, and both salt and sugar ( and all refined carbohydrates ) are turning out to have serious negative health consequences, we need to refocus our attention on enhancing natural flavors. as a practical matter, this means growing more flavorful tomatoes at the same time we try to reduce the sodium in tomato soup. 14. know your seasons, and, even better, your local farmer. shop for raw ingredients with maximum natural flavor, thereby avoiding the need to add as much ( if any ) sodium. seek out peak - of - season produce from farmers ’ markets and your local supermarket. one of the easiest ways to reduce the need for added salt is through the use of ingredients such as spices, dried and fresh herbs, roots ( such as garlic and ginger ), citrus, vinegars, and wine. from black pepper, cinnamon and turmeric to fresh basil, chile peppers and lemon juice, these flavor enhancers create excitement on the palate — and can do it with less sodium. 16. go nuts for healthy fats in the kitchen. as chefs and home cooks know, fat is a great carrier and enhancer of flavor. using the right healthy fats — from roasted nuts and avocados to olive, canola, soybean, and other oils — can help make up for any flavor loss from using less salt. some healthy fats contribute their own flavors ( think peanut butter and extra virgin olive oil ), while other fats help to juice up flavor in pan searing and frying. for creative cooks, roasted nuts ground with spices extend and leverage small amounts of salt, such as in the middle eastern spice mixture. umami ( pronounced oo - mah - me ), or savoriness, is the so - called “ fifth taste ” that in recent years sensory scientists have brought into the mainstream of academic research. foods that are naturally high in a compound called “ l - glutamate ” trigger our “ umami ” taste receptors. cooked chicken, fish, beef, and soybeans are naturally high in umami, as are mushrooms, tomatoes, seaweed, carrots, and chinese cabbage. incorporating these foods into meals can add a delicious depth of flavor without adding salt.


cooked chicken, fish, beef, and soybeans are naturally high in umami, as are mushrooms, tomatoes, seaweed, carrots, and chinese cabbage. incorporating these foods into meals can add a delicious depth of flavor without adding salt. some foods that are high in umami are also high in sodium, including soy sauce, fish sauce, aged cheeses, miso, and anchovy paste. the cook ’ s best strategy : use these ingredients in small amounts instead of adding salt, reducing the overall sodium in the dish. check out these two recipes from the culinary institute of america that boost “ umami ” : take the time to learn some simple cooking techniques that can make your cooking less reliant on sodium. searing and sauteing foods in a pan builds flavor ( try searing umami - rich mushrooms in a hot pan with oil, and now you have a double flavor - building impact! ). roasting brings out the natural sweetness of many vegetables and the savoriness of fish and chicken. steaming and microwaving tend to dilute flavors ; perk up steamed dishes with a finishing drizzle of flavorful oil and a squeeze of citrus. 19. wait! be careful how you spend that sodium budget. save your “ sodium budget ” to enhance the flavors of produce, whole grains, nuts and legumes, and other healthy ingredients versus “ overspending ” it on salty snacks, heavily processed food, high - sodium fast foods, and other foods that we should be consuming in smaller amounts. we all love treats, and most of us have to eat on the run occasionally ( that ’ s why they call it “ fast food ” ). but if we do this too often in a way that “ blows ” our sodium budget, we come up short without enough tools to enhance the flavors of healthy, everyday cooking. the best intentions to reduce sodium are definitely going to run aground when too many high - sodium ingredients are aggregated in the same dish. rethink that double bacon cheeseburger or the breakfast special with ham and sausage. pickles, capers, cured meats, grated aged cheeses, mustard, catsup, soy sauce, hot sauce, smoked fish, and other condiments and specialty foods all bring added satisfaction to the table. there is no need to give up condiments, which in many cases represent culinary traditions that are centuries old. in some cases, reduced sodium versions of these are now available ; in other cases, we can just use


added satisfaction to the table. there is no need to give up condiments, which in many cases represent culinary traditions that are centuries old. in some cases, reduced sodium versions of these are now available ; in other cases, we can just use them more sparingly. 21. go global : discover a world of ideas for flavor development. look to global culinary traditions — from europe and the mediterranean, latin america, asia and africa — for healthy ideas to transform fruits, vegetables, and other healthy ingredients into exciting flavors and meals. because many of these world culinary traditions build up flavor in such novel, complex, and intriguing ways, cooks are under less pressure to use as much sodium. sometimes these flavors will appear in the u. s. or their native countries in higher sodium versions, but the culinary ideas for lower sodium strategies are still there, embedded in traditional cultural approaches to flavor development that go way beyond fat, salt, and sugar ( our all - too - frequent default flavor enhancers in the u. s. ). two international recipe suggestions are : avoid “ double salting ” your foods when cooking, and look for ways to pair salted flavors with unsalted or under - salted foods, especially fresh produce. if you are adding a little cheese to your salad, you don ’ t need much or any salt in your dressing. if you are adding a ham bone to a soup pot, lighten up on the sodium for the rest of the soup. in a sandwich, try adding sliced cucumber instead of pickles. a pot of brown rice or whole grain pasta doesn ’ t need to be salted if you are serving it with other adequately seasoned items or sauces. and an adequately seasoned crust or condiment may lessen the need for salting the rest of the dish. 23. rinse, wash, and dilute : you can easily cut some of the excess sodium in processed foods with no loss of flavor. draining and rinsing canned foods can dramatically cut their sodium levels — in the case of canned beans, cooks can cut 40 percent of the sodium with this trick. when making soup, dilute reduced sodium chicken broth with water or wine instead of using it full strength, and float in some additional vegetables and herbs. 24. whole grains : beyond bread and sandwiches. collectively, because we eat so much of it, bread is one of the largest contributors of sodium to our diets. even whole grain bread, while a healthier choice than white, can contain considerable sodium. but


grains : beyond bread and sandwiches. collectively, because we eat so much of it, bread is one of the largest contributors of sodium to our diets. even whole grain bread, while a healthier choice than white, can contain considerable sodium. but only part of the sodium in bread is for taste : much of it is used to help the bread - making process and preserve the final results. you can skip that extra salt when you use these marvelous whole grains by themselves. try a mediterranean - inspired whole grain salad with chopped vegetables, nuts, and legumes, perhaps a small amount of cheese, herbs and spices, and healthy oils and vinegar or citrus. you can enjoy many of the same flavors you love in a sandwich, but in a delicious new form that has much less sodium. for breakfast, cook up steel cut oats, farro, or other intact whole grains with a generous amount of fresh or dried fruit, and you can skip the toast ( and the extra sodium ). 25. kick the “ auto - salt ” habit : taste before you salt. too many of us have the habit of reaching for the salt shaker as soon as our plates are put in front of us. try taking the salt shaker off the table and making it available “ upon request only. ” always, always taste your food before you salt : maybe you don ’ t need the extra sodium. and in the kitchen, add salt late in the cooking process. foods release their flavors ( and salt, in the case of salted ingredients ) during the cooking process, and “ palate fatigue ” on the part of the cook can cause over - salting if this is undertaken too early. given how vital sodium reduction is, and how embedded sodium is in our food supply, culinary techniques, flavor strategies, manufacturing methods, and marketing assumptions, it is essential that we conduct additional research to shed more light on which sodium reduction strategies are most effective. the challenges here are far more complex than they were for trans fats, which are more easily isolated and replaced in the food supply. in addition to food science and engineering fixes to the high - sodium problem, we need to engage chefs, menu developers, consumer opinion researchers, and a wide range of flavor experts in developing and pursuing key research questions. with the benefit of this research, we will be better positioned to create reduced sodium flavors and food choices that consumers find not just acceptable, but compelling. 1. institute of medicine.. april 20, 2010. 2. grocery manufacturers association.. washington


american poetryif we define poetry as the heart of man expressed in beautiful language, we shall not say that we have no national poetry. true, america has produced no shakespeare and no milton, but we have an inheritance in all english literature ; and many poets in america have followed in the footsteps of their literary british forefathers. puritan life was severe. it was warfare, and manual labor of a most exhausting type, and loneliness, and devotion to a strict sense of duty. it was a life in which pleasure was given the least place and duty the greatest. our puritan ancestors thought music and poetry dangerous, if not actually sinful, because they made men think of this world rather than of heaven. when anne bradstreet wrote our first known american poems, she was expressing english thought ; " the tenth muse " was not animated by the life around her, but was living in a dream of the land she had left behind ; her poems are faint echoes of the poetry of england. after time had identified her with life in the new world, she wrote " contemplations, " in which her english nightingales are changed to crickets and her english gilli - flowers to american blackberry vines. the truly representative poetry of colonial times is michael wigglesworth ' s " day of doom. this is the real heart of the puritan, his conscience, in imperfect rhyme. it fulfills the first part of our definition, but shows by its lack of beautiful style that both elements are necessary to produce real poetry. philip freneau was the first american who sought to express his life in poetry. the test of beauty of language again excludes from real poetry some of his expressions and leaves us a few beautiful lyrics, such as " the wild honeysuckle, " in which the poet sings his love of american nature. with them american poetry may be said to begin. the first historical event of national importance was the american revolution. amid the bitter years of want, of suffering, and of war ; few men tried to write anything beautiful. life was harsh and stirring and this note was echoed in all the literature. as a result we have narrative and political poetry, such as " the battle of the kegs " and " a fable, " dealing almost entirely with events and aiming to arouse military ardor. in " the ballad of nathan hale, " the musical expression of bravery, pride, and sympathy raises the poem so far above the rhymes of their period that it will long endure as the most memorable poetic expression


and aiming to arouse military ardor. in " the ballad of nathan hale, " the musical expression of bravery, pride, and sympathy raises the poem so far above the rhymes of their period that it will long endure as the most memorable poetic expression of the revolutionary period. poetry was still a thing of the moment, an avocation, not dignified by receiving the best of a man. with william cullen bryant came a change. he told our nation that in the new world as well as in the old some men should live for the beautiful. everything in nature spoke to him in terms of human life. other poets saw the re1ation between their own lives and the life of the flowers and the birds, but bryant constantly expressed this relationship. the concluding stanza of " to a waterfowl " is the most perfect example of this characteristic, but it underlies also the whole thought of his youthful poem " thanatopsis " ( a view of death ). if we could all read the lives of our gentians and bobolinks as he did, there would be more true poetry in america. modern thinkers urge us to step outside of ourselves into the lives of others and by our imagination to share their emotions ; this is no new ambition in america ; since bryant in " the crowded street " analyzes the life in the faces he sees. until the early part of the nineteenth century american poetry dealt mainly with the facts of history and the description of nature. a new element of fancy is prominent in joseph rodman drake ' s " the culprit fay. " it dances through a long narrative with the delicacy of the fay himself. edgar allan poe brought into our poetry somber sentiment and musical expression. puritan poetry was somber, but it was almost devoid of sentiment. poe loved sad beauty and meditated on the sad things in life. many of his poems lament the loss of some fair one. " to helen, " " annabel lee " " lenore, " and " to one in paradise " have the theme, while in " the raven " the poet is seeking solace for the loss of lenore. " eulalie - - a song " rises, on the other hand to intense happiness. with poe the sound by which his idea was expressed was as important as the thought itself. he knew how to make the sound suit the thought, as in " the raven " and " the bells. " one who understands no english can grasp the meaning of the different sections from the mere sound, so clearly


as important as the thought itself. he knew how to make the sound suit the thought, as in " the raven " and " the bells. " one who understands no english can grasp the meaning of the different sections from the mere sound, so clearly distinguishable are the clashing of the brass and the tolling of the iron bells. if we return to our definition of poetry as an expression of the heart of a man, we shall find the explanation of these peculiarities : poe was a man of moods and possessed the ability to express these moods in appropriate the contrast between the emotion of poe and the calm spirit of the man who followed him is very great. in henry wadsworth longfellow american poetry reached high - water mark. lacadio hearn in his " interpretations of literature " says : " really i believe that it is a very good test of any englishman ' s ability to feel poetry, simply to ask him, ` did you like longfellow when you were a boy? ' if he says ` no, ' then it is no use to talk to him on the subject of poetry at all, however much he might be able to tell you about quantities and metres. " no american has in equal degree won the name of " household poet. " if this term is correctly understood, it sums up his merits more succinctly than can any other longfellow dealt largely with men and women and the emotions common to us all. hiawatha conquering the deer and bison, and hunting in despair for food where only snow and ice abound ; evangeline faithful to her father and her lover, and relieving suffering in the rude hospitals of a new world ; john alden fighting the battle between love and duty ; robert of sicily learning the lesson of humility ; sir federigo offering his last possession to the woman he loved ; paul revere serving his country in time of need ; the monk proving that only a sense of duty done can bring happiness : all these and more express the emotions which we know are true in our own lives. in his longer narrative poems he makes the legends of puritan life real to us ; he takes english folk - lore and makes us see othere talking to arthur, and the viking stealing his bride. his short poems are even better known than his longer narratives. in them he expressed his gentle, sincere love of the young, the suffering, and the sorrowful. in the sonnets he showed ; that deep appreciation of european literature which made noteworthy his teaching


short poems are even better known than his longer narratives. in them he expressed his gentle, sincere love of the young, the suffering, and the sorrowful. in the sonnets he showed ; that deep appreciation of european literature which made noteworthy his teaching at harvard and his he believed that he was assigned a definite task in the world which he described as follows in his last poem : " as comes the smile to the lips, the foam to the surge ; so come to the poet his songs, all hitherward blown from the misty realm, that belongs to the vast unknown. his, and not his, are the lays he sings ; and their fame is his, and not his ; and the praise and the pride of a name. for voices pursue him by day and haunt him by night, and he listens and needs must obey, when the angel says : ' write! ' john greenleaf whittier seems to suffer by coming in such close proximity to longfellow. genuine he was, but his spirit was less buoyant than longfellow ' s and he touches our hearts less. most of his early poems were devoted to a current political issue. they aimed to win converts to the cause of anti - slavery. such poems always suffer in time in comparison with the song of a man who sings because " the heart is so full that a drop overfills it. " whittier ' s later poems belong more to this class and some of them speak to - day to our emotions as well as to our intellects. " the hero " moves us with a desire to serve mankind, and the stirring tone of " barbara frietchie " arouses our patriotism by its picture of the same type of bravery. in similar vein is " barclay of ury, " which must have touched deeply the heart of the quaker poet. " the pipes of lucknow " is dramatic in its intense grasp of a climactic hour and loses none of its force in the expression. we can actually hear the skirl of the bagpipes. whittier knew the artists of the world and talked to us about raphael and burns with clear - sighted, affectionate interest. his poems show varied characteristics ; the love of the sterner aspects of nature, modified by the appreciation of the humble flower ; the conscience of the puritan, tinged with sympathy for the sorrowful ; the steadfastness of the quaker, stirred by the fire of the patriot. the poetry of ralph waldo emerson is marked by serious contem


appreciation of the humble flower ; the conscience of the puritan, tinged with sympathy for the sorrowful ; the steadfastness of the quaker, stirred by the fire of the patriot. the poetry of ralph waldo emerson is marked by serious contemplation rather than by warmth of emotional expression. in longfellow the appeal is constantly to a heart which is not disassociated from a brain ; in emerson the appeal is often to the intellect alone. we recognize the force of the lesson in " the titmouse, " even if it leaves us less devoted citizens than does " the hero " and less capable women than does " evangeline. " he reaches his highest excellence when he makes us feel as well as understand a lesson, as in " the concord hymn " and " forbearance. " if we could all write on the tablets of our hearts that single stanza, forbearance would be a real factor in life. and it is to this poet whom we call unemotional that we owe this inspiring quatrain : " so nigh is grandeur to our dust, so near is god to man, when duty whispers low, thou must, the youth replies, i can! " james russell lowell was animated by a well - defined purpose which he described in the following lines : " it may be glorious to write thoughts that make glad the two or three high souls like those far stars that come in sight once in a century. but better far it is to speak one simple word which, now and then shall waken their free nature in the weak and friendless sons of men. to write some earnest verse or line which, seeking not the praise of art, shall make a clearer faith and manhood shine in the untutored heart. " his very accomplishments made it difficult for him to reach this aim, since his poetry does not move " the untutored heart " so readily as does that of longfellow or whittier. it is, on the whole, too deeply burdened with learning and too individual in expression to fulfil his highest desire. of his early poems the most generally known is probably " the vision of sir launfal, " in which a strong moral purpose is combined with lines of beautiful nature description : " and what is so rare as a day in june? then, if ever, come perfect days. two works by which he will be permanently remembered show a deeper and more effective lowell. " the biglow papers " are the


beautiful nature description : " and what is so rare as a day in june? then, if ever, come perfect days. two works by which he will be permanently remembered show a deeper and more effective lowell. " the biglow papers " are the most successful of all the american poems which attempt to improve conditions by means of humor. although they refer in the main to the situation at the time of the mexican war, they deal with such universal political traits that they may be applied to almost any age. they are written in a yankee dialect which, it is asserted, was never spoken, but which enhances the humor, as in " what mr. robinson thinks. " lowell ' s tribute to lincoln occurs in the ode which he wrote to commemorate the harvard students who enlisted in the civil war. after dwelling on the search for truth which should be the aim of every college student, he turns to the delineation of lincoln ' s character in a eulogy of great beauty. clear in analysis, far - sighted in judgment, and loving in sentiment, he expresses that opinion of lincoln which has become a part of the web of american thought. his is no hurried judgment, but the calm statement of opinion which is to - day accepted by the world : " they all are gone, and, standing like a tower, our children shall behold his fame, the kindly - earnest, brave, foreseeing man, sagacious, patient, dreading, praise, not blame, now birth of our new soil, the first american. " with oliver wendell holmes comes the last of this brief american list of honor. no other american has so combined delicacy with the new england humor. we should be poorer by many a smile without " my aunt " and " the deacon ' s masterpiece. " but this is not his entire gift. " the chambered nautilus " strikes the chord of noble sentiment sounded in the last stanza of " thanatopsis " and it will continue to sing in our hearts " as the swift seasons roll. " there is in his poems the smile and the sigh of the well - " and if i should live to be the last leaf upon the tree in the spring. let them smile ; as i do now ; as the old forsaken bough where i cling. " and is this all? around these few names does all the fragrance of american poetry hover? in the hurry, prosperity, and luxury of modern life is the care if the flower of poetry lost? surely not. the last half


the matter at issue : the throne of france the hundred years war was fought largely over who would be the king of france. the english kings, who had originally been french nobles that invaded and conquered england in 1066, still held lands in france. the english lands in france had long been viewed uncomfortably by the french king. through the 13th century, strong french kings had reclaimed french lands held by the english kings. by the early 14th century, three events came together. first, the english kings noted that one more push by the french would deive the english completely out of france. second, the french were entering a period of weak kings. third, the english throne was now occupied by the young, vigorous, able and ( ultimately ) long lived edward iii. in any other circumstances it would appear absurd for the english king to come up with the idea of claiming the french throne in order to protect english lands in france. but edward iii was bold and, in one of those uniquely medieval ironies, he had law and custom on his side. the english claim to the french throne was strong, as were the english armies and edward iiis resolve. the resulting war outlived edward, and his great grandson, henry v, came within a hair of actually taking the french throne. the items below explain the situation in rather more detail. historical kings of france historical kings of england the english position of the throne of france the french ultimatum a summary of overlapping claims to various thrones


and as good as today ' s beginning stages of deflation may feel, especially when filling up at a service station or shopping for a house, economists warn that there is a high price to pay down the road and that current monetary policy is only raising that price. of course, not all price reductions are created equal. a price drop that stems primarily from an increase in technological efficiency is not deflation ; it ' s progress. deflation is a fall in prices that stems from a shrinking money supply, just as inflation is a price hike that stems from an increase in the supply of money. deflation ramps up when people borrow to make a big purchase on the assumption that what they are buying will be worth more later. but if prices fall, the loan will have to be repaid in dollars that are worth more than the dollars they borrowed, making the debt more onerous. as a result, when people expect falling prices, they become less willing to spend, and in particular less willing to borrow. and when that happens, the economy may stay depressed because people expect deflation, and deflation may continue because the economy remains depressed. it ' s a nasty cycle and it can often be traced back to the central bank ' s balance sheet expansion. deflation is the one thing that a leveraged economy can ' t handle, said steve blitz, chief economist at itg investment research. the implication on the whole economy is potentially ruinous. the idea that every time the stock markets have some kind of a hiccup and they [ the fed policymakers ] need to rush in with some sort of quantitative ease is a dangerous road for them to go on. deflation is always a risk if you engage in a policy of inflation, said albert lu, managing director and chief portfolio manager of wb advisors. the problem with the addiction to money - printing is that it can ' t stop without dire - - albeit in the long - term healthy - - short - term economic consequences, he said. to jump - start the economy, the central bank would increase the money supply and bank credit to support certain sectors or projects. that ' s what the fed did after the dot - com bubble of 1995 - 2000 burst. the problem is that once the fed stops the infusion of additional credit and money, deflation rapidly takes hold. it then takes an ever - increasing amount of new money creation to achieve a temporary suppression of deflation ' s symptoms. inflation - sustained projects are unsustainable because the expansion rests on government fiat, not economic


, deflation rapidly takes hold. it then takes an ever - increasing amount of new money creation to achieve a temporary suppression of deflation ' s symptoms. inflation - sustained projects are unsustainable because the expansion rests on government fiat, not economic fundamentals like supply and demand. take the government ' s determination to promote home ownership. that public policy was advanced with easy money, especially during alan greenspan ' s leadership of the fed, compulsory lending to unqualified borrowers and fannie mae and freddie mac buying tranches of subprime mortgages. home ownership boomed. and then it collapsed. home prices still haven ' t recovered : u. s. home prices fell in march ( the latest data available ), ending the first quarter at the lowest levels since the housing crisis began in mid - 2006, according to standard & poor ' s case - shiller home - price indexes. prices are down roughly 35 percent from their peak in the second quarter of 2006. essentially, as soon as the government stops the expansion, you are going to hit one of these deflationary corrections with all of the nasty business cycles that accompany it, lu said. and often how the government reacts to that is with additional stimulus. for a third year in a row, the u. s. is seeing an economic slowdown and in response, policymakers could be unveiling policy sequels such as : fiscal stimulus 4, operation twist 2 or quantitative easing 3. they are basically keeping the thing going by continuously adding money and credit, lu said. this is just delaying the correction we need. we ' ve been prolonging the agony, and the final correction will be much worse than it had to be, lu said. let them fail the depression of 1920 - 21 shows why the fed should sit on its collective hands at their june federal open market committee meeting. from the spring of 1920 to the summer of 1921, nominal gross domestic product fell by 23. 9 percent, wholesale prices by 40. 8 percent and the consumer price index dropped by 8. 3 percent. meanwhile, unemployment topped out at about 14 percent from a pre - bust level of as low as 2 percent. in response, the administration of warren g. harding balanced the budget and the fed tightened money supply, pushing up short - term rates in mid - depression to as high as 8. 13 percent. harding also decided to let the ailing businesses fail. then something wonderful happened : the economy purged itself and by 1923, the nation ' s unemployment rate fell back to


in fact, the united states apparently just emerged from the hottest spring on record. the period between june 2011 and may of this year was the warmest on record since noaa record keeping began in 1985. aside from washington, every state experienced higher - than - average temperatures during that period, which also featured the second - warmest summer and fourth - warmest winter in almost 28 years. the nation ' s average temperature during those 12 months hovered at 56 degrees fahrenheit, reportedly 3. 2 degrees above the long - term average, surpassing the previous record, which was just set in april, in an analysis of temperatures between may 2011 and april 2012. the warmer - than - average conditions persisted through the winter and spring, resulting in a limited snowfall that the rutgers global snow lab reports was the third - smallest on record for the contiguous u. s. the rising temperatures may have altered precipitation patterns as well, according to noaa. while the country as a whole actually experienced a drier spring than usual, the west coast, northern plains and upper midwest regions were simultaneously wetter than average. on a more concerning note, the prevalence of natural disasters, such as the disastrous tornado in joplin, mo., and the massive, hurricane - caused flooding in vermont, that plagued the country over the past year were also far form usual. the u. s. climate extreme index, which tracks extremes in temperatures, precipitation, drought and tropical cyclones, reached 44 percent this past spring. that ' s twice the average value. the noaa report is not the only recent analysis to note the prevalence, and consequences, of rising temperatures. on thursday, nasa reported that scientists have discovered unprecedented blooms of plant life beneath the waters of the arctic ocean. while that certainly does not seem like cause for concern, nasa noted it was likely caused by a thinning of the arctic ocean ' s three - foot thick layer of ice, allowing the sun to penetrate that ice to foster plant life under the sea. a continuous rise in summer temperatures is expected to triple the number of heat - related deaths in the u. s. by the end of the century, the natural resources defense council reported last month. in an analysis of peer - reviewed data, the organization said summer temperatures could rise by 4 to 11 degrees fahrenheit by that time due to human - induced climate change, which could increase the number of summer heat - related deaths from 1, 300 to 4, 600 a year.


education : gala celebrations 4 telecommunications grade 9 / world history / technology time required for completed lesson 30 minutes for introduction and 40 minutes for presentations, time will vary based on size of class ; work can be completed in class or out of class 6. 2. 12. c. 1. e, 6. 2. 12. d. 2. e, 6. 2. 12. c. 3. d, 6. 2. 12. c. 4. d, 6. 2. 12. d. 5. c, 6. 2. 12. d. 6. a common core state standards sl. 9 - 10. 4. present information, findings, and supporting evidence clearly, concisely, and logically such that listeners can follow the line of reasoning and the organization, development, substance, and style are appropriate to purpose, audience, and task. sl. 9 - 10. 5. make strategic use of digital media ( e. g., textual, graphical, audio, visual, and interactive elements ) in presentations to enhance understanding of findings, reasoning, and evidence and to add interest. sl. 9 - 10. 6. adapt speech to a variety of contexts and tasks, demonstrating command of formal english when indicated or appropriate. computer lab or laptop cart if working on assignment in class ; lap top with projector required for presentations open class with a discussion about telecommunications and celebrations. how do people communication? how has communication changed? how do we celebrate milestones in our lives – births, marriages, birthdays? share with students article - happy anniversary : first email sent with an attachment turns 20! ( see resources below for link ) brainstorm with class a celebration honoring this telecommunications milestone. divide classes into small groups – 2 or 3 students in each group. groups can be assigned telecommunications milestones or pick their own milestone. each group should have a different milestone. milestones can included gutenberg ’ s improved printing press, the optical telegraph, the american postal service, the pony express, the stagecoach, the telegraph, morse code, the telephone, the radio, the electronic television, the internet, pagers, cellular devices, social media websites, and e - mail. the student groups will work as party planners. their task is to plan and present a gala celebration honoring their telecommunications milestone. the plan can be presented in a powerpoint or prezi format. the plan must include the following : a meaningful date and location for the celebration, an invitation, decorations, guest list ( of living and deceased dignitaries ), basic


written into history pulitzer prize reporting of the twentieth century from the new york times by anthony lewis ( editor ) ( times books, hardcover, 9780805068498, 352pp. ) publication date : october 2001 other editions of this title : hardcover with each news day, history unfolds as steadfast journalists uncover facts and public opinion. drawn from the new york times ' s archive of an unparalleled seventy - nine pulitzer prizes, written into history offers a fascinating record of the twentieth century. the times ' s award - winning reports range from antarctic dispatches on the byrd expedition to the eyewitness account of the atomic bomb, from the first amendment battle to publish the pentagon papers to the personal narrative of an interracial friendship. pulitzer prize winner anthony lewis culled through the newspaper ' s most acclaimed writing to chronicle life and history as it was happening, with such highlights as otto tolischus on hitler, david halberstam on vietnam, j. anthony lukas on hippies, and anna quindlen on aids. lewis tells the stories behind the stories, describing journalism ' s changing role in the world. for armchair historians and aspiring reporters, this is a rich and memorable portrait of a century by the men and women who most artfully observed it. two - time pulitzer - prize - winning journalist anthony lewis is the author of make no law and the bestseller gideon ' s trumpet. among the highlights of his nearly five decades of writing and reporting for the new york times, he served as the times ' s london bureau chief for eight years and contributes the twice - weekly " abroad at home " column to the paper ' s op - ed page. " the kind of even - shaping journalism pioneered by pulitzer is on display in written into history, a collection of pulitzer prize reporting from the new york times. editor anthony lewis chronicles changes in the attitude of the press toward the presidency and government, as reflected in the kind of reporting that won the prize over the years and the trend toward recognizing more analytical writing. he also provides background on the history of the pulitzer prize and the arduous decision - making process. the selected award - winning articles ( the times has won more pulitzers than any other american newspaper ) are sorted into the following categories : investigative reporting ; dangerous stories that put reporters at risk ; international news ; public advocacy ; criticism of the arts ; science reporting ; and biographical and human - interest stories. among the topics are russian slave - labor camps during the 1950s, the pentagon papers, the vietnam war,


stories that put reporters at risk ; international news ; public advocacy ; criticism of the arts ; science reporting ; and biographical and human - interest stories. among the topics are russian slave - labor camps during the 1950s, the pentagon papers, the vietnam war, and exploitation of illegal aliens in the u. s. " — vanessa bush, booklist " lewis ( gideon ' s trumpet ) a writer with the new york times for nearly five decades and himself a two - time pulitzer winner succeeds in presenting some of the world ' s best recent journalism... there are plenty of both prominent and almost - forgotten stories : ' red ' smith on the near - bankruptcy of new york city in the 1970s, max frankel on nixon ' s 1972 visit to china, linda greenhouse on failed supreme court nominee robert bork. lewis ' s fine introductory essay describes the post - vietnam transformation of american journalism. the war and watergate, he contends, made the press more skeptical of those in power and more confrontational in tone. pulitzer prizes increasingly went to fearless reporters like david halberstam, whose tragically prescient analysis, in 1963, of the worsening situation in vietnam constitutes one of the highlights of this book... another highlight is lewis ' s own analysis of the warren court, which moved aggressively to ' federalize ' legal protections in the areas of civil rights and criminal due process. it ' s a paragon of accessible legal writing. perhaps the best, and certainly the most important, piece in the collection is mirta ojito ' s unforgettable recent story of two cuban immigrants, one black and one white and how race comes to define and divide the two friends once they move to miami. the piece is everything great journalism should be : empathetic, unmistakably relevant and a challenge to our basic ideals. for anyone interested in recent history or journalism at its best, this book will prove worthwhile. " — publishers weekly


what is it? varicose veins occur when veins just below the skin ' s surface are damaged, become swollen and fill with too much blood. veins are the blood vessels that return blood to the heart. arteries carry blood away from the heart to the rest of the body. varicose veins most commonly occur in the legs. in about 50 % of cases, the condition runs in families, and probably is related to an inherited weakness in the veins ' walls or the valves inside veins that keep blood from backing up. pregnancy is another common cause of varicose veins. during pregnancy, the volume of blood increases causing veins to expand. also, occupations that require uninterrupted standing ( waitresses and waiters, nurses, mothers with young children ) may force leg veins and valves to work against gravity for hours, increasing the risk of pressure - related vein and valve damage. garters also can increase the risk of varicose veins if their tight elastics slow blood flow in the legs. varicose veins are 2 to 3 times more common in women than men. obese people are more likely to develop varicose veins. varicose veins can be associated with prior blood clots and damage to the deeper veins in one or both legs, a situation that sometimes can lead to chronic venous insufficiency. when this happens, the veins lose their ability to effectively move blood back to the heart. this can cause significant leg swelling and skin sores or ulcers. in the legs, varicose veins commonly are found along the inside of the leg, at the ankles and at the back of the calf. the affected veins look blue, swollen or stretched out, kinked or twisted. in some people, varicose veins do not cause any symptoms. however, other people may experience one or more of the following : - a dull ache in the legs - a feeling of pressure or heaviness in the legs - swollen feet and ankles - itching skin near the damaged veins in more severe cases of chronic venous insufficiency, a slowing of blood flow through the vein can lead to localized skin changes, including dryness, a rash or brownish discoloration and open sores ( ulcers ). slow blood flow also can cause a clot to form inside the affected vein. this condition is called thrombosis. in general, symptoms of varicose veins are worse at the end of the day, especially after periods of prolonged standing. some women also find


can cause a clot to form inside the affected vein. this condition is called thrombosis. in general, symptoms of varicose veins are worse at the end of the day, especially after periods of prolonged standing. some women also find that their symptoms are more intense during the days before their menstrual periods, and during pregnancy. your doctor will ask you about your symptoms and about your family history of varicose veins. he or she also will ask about your lifestyle, especially the number of hours that you spend on your feet. in women, your doctor will ask about your pregnancy history and about the tightness of elastics on the socks or stockings you wear. your doctor can diagnose varicose veins with a simple physical examination. in most cases, no special tests are necessary. varicose veins are a long - term problem, but symptoms can come and go. if you are pregnant and experiencing severe problems with varicose veins, your symptoms will improve after delivery. however, your varicose veins probably will not disappear totally, and you can expect symptoms to return during future pregnancies. you can help to prevent varicose veins by maintaining a normal weight and by avoiding situations where you must stand for prolonged periods. even with these preventive measures, however, you still may develop varicose veins if this condition tends to run in your family. if you already have varicose veins, you can prevent symptom flare - ups by periodically lying down or sitting down with your legs elevated above the level of your chest. some physicians also recommend that you wear support stockings or more specialized compression stockings when you walk or stand for long periods of time. the stockings prevent blood from pooling in the veins, and prevent strain on the valves and leg swelling. treatment for most people with mild symptoms of varicose veins includes : - elevating and supporting the legs periodically throughout the day - wearing compression stockings for varicose veins that are close to the skin, dermatologists or vascular surgeons may offer sclerotherapy or laser therapy. sclerotherapy involves injection of an irritating into the affected vein, causing the vein to scar and shut down. laser therapy can be effective for the smallest varicose veins. people with severe venous insufficiency can develop recurrent blood clots and skin ulcers. the traditional surgery is called vein stripping and ligation. in this surgical procedure, the abnormal veins are tied off and pulled out of the body through


with severe venous insufficiency can develop recurrent blood clots and skin ulcers. the traditional surgery is called vein stripping and ligation. in this surgical procedure, the abnormal veins are tied off and pulled out of the body through series of small cuts in the skin. another surgical procedure, called ambulatory phlebectomy, also removes veins through small skin incisions, but it is less invasive than classic stripping and ligation. newer therapies include endovenous thermal ablation and transilluminated power phlebotomy ( a modified form of ambulatory phlebotomy ). endovenous thermal ablation uses laser or high - frequency radio waves to heat the abnormal veins. these newer procedures appear to cause less scarring, with less " down time. " external laser therapy is reserved primarily for cosmetic removal of small, superficial, spider - like veins. when to call a professional call your doctor whenever you have pain, swelling, skin ulcers or an unexplained area of bruising on your legs. new leg swelling, especially in just one leg, can be caused by a blood clot, which requires immediate treatment. if you have varicose veins, call your doctor immediately if you develop an ulcer or a painful, black and blue area near a varicose vein or if you cut the skin over a varicose vein and you have trouble controlling the bleeding. varicose veins are a long - term problem, but their symptoms often can be controlled with leg elevation and therapeutic stockings. surgical procedures remove varicose veins permanently, but they leave scars, and they cannot prevent new varicose veins from forming. national heart, lung, and blood institute ( nhlbi ) p. o. box 30105 bethesda, md 20824 - 0105 american college of surgeons ( acs ) 633 north saint clair st. chicago, il 60611 - 3211


only 1 % of all cancer cases in the u. s. are cancers of the testicle. but it is the most common form of cancer in young men. in 2012, it is estimated that there will be 8, 600 new cases of testicular cancer, and that 360 men will die from this disease. there are several risk factors for testicular cancer : - most cases happen in young men, typically 15 - 40 years of age. but older men may also develop the disease. - failure of one or both testicles to descend from within the body before birth ( known as cryptorchidism ). this raises the risk of cancer approximately ten - fold. - if there is cancer in one testicle, the risk for cancer in the other testicle goes up. - when a first - degree family member ( father, brother or son ) has been affected. - having klinefelters syndrome ( a congenital abnormality of chromosomes ). but in the majority of cases, there arent any risk factors present. and there is no evidence that injuring the testicle or getting a sexually transmitted disease ( other than hiv ) increases the risk of cancer. if its detected early, testicular cancer responds exceptionally well to treatment. the survival rate for early - stage tumors is over 95 %. treatment is less effective if the diagnosis is delayed. you should see your doctor right away if : - you have pain in your testicle - you notice new lumps - any of your testicles gets bigger some doctors recommend that young men do regular testicle self - exams. but there is no proof that self - exam leads to earlier diagnosis and better outcomes.


gay and lesbian issues the adolescent years are full of challenges, many related to sex and sexual identity. these issues can be especially difficult for teens who are ( or think they may be ) homosexual. homosexual teens deserve the same understanding and respect as heterosexual teens, and it is important for everyone to know the facts about homosexuality. here are the basics. each of us has a biological sex ( we have a male or female body ), a gender identity ( we feel like a male or female ), and a sexual orientation ( we are attracted to males or females ). homosexuality refers to a person ' s sexual orientation ; homosexual teen - agers have strong romantic or sexual feelings for a person of the same sex. heterosexual teen - agers are attracted to people of the opposite sex, and bisexual teens are attracted to people of both sexes. the word " gay " is used to describe both men and women who are homosexual, with the word " lesbian " specifically referring to a homosexual woman. it is estimated that 10 percent of the population in the united states and throughout the world is lesbian or gay. although scientists don ' t know why some people are homosexual and others are not, most believe that homosexuality is a normal variation of sexual orientation. it may be genetic, result from natural substances ( hormones ) in the body, be influenced by the environment before or after birth, or, most likely, several of these things working in combination. homosexual teens are found in all types of families. homosexuality is not caused by " bad parenting. " if your teen is gay, it is not because of anything you or anyone else did. homosexuality also is not something a person chooses, nor is it an illness that can be cured. according to the american psychiatric association, so - called therapies such as " reparative therapy " and " transformational ministry " don ' t work and actually can be harmful, causing guilt and anxiety in homosexual teens. not all teen - agers who are attracted to members of the same sex are homosexual. many teens experiment with their sexuality during adolescence, in much the same way that they experiment with clothing, body art or music. this brief sexual experimentation is thought to be a normal part of sexual development. for homosexual teens, the attraction to people of the same sex is stronger and longer lasting. back to top every family is different. while one parent may find out by chance that a teen is homosexual, others may hear directly from their teen in person, in a letter or by a phone call. when a teen tells other people that


lasting. back to top every family is different. while one parent may find out by chance that a teen is homosexual, others may hear directly from their teen in person, in a letter or by a phone call. when a teen tells other people that he is homosexual, it ' s called " coming out. " although this process sometimes can be difficult or painful for families, it also can be a time of tremendous growth. it is important to remember that all teens need their family ' s support and acceptance, especially when they are dealing with sensitive issues. back to top " coming out " can be scary and painful, and parents need to reassure their children that they will not be loved any less for sharing the truth about themselves. if your teen tells you he is gay, let him know that you love him unconditionally, and accept him no matter what. show your teen that you care by learning more about homosexuality. read books on the subject or check out reputable web sites ( such as www. pflag. org ). talk to some adults you know who are gay. look for organizations or support groups in your community that can give you information on homosexuality. it will be easier for you to support your teen when you know more and are comfortable with the subject. parents may worry about how friends, neighbors and family will react to their teen ' s homosexuality. it is usually best not to share any information without your teen - ager ' s permission. unfortunately, prejudice against homosexuals is widespread, mostly due to ignorance and fear. when your teen is ready for you to let others know, you should talk with them about your teen ' s sexual orientation and help them to understand, by using what you have learned. back to top growing up as a homosexual in a mostly heterosexual society often is not easy. gay and lesbian adolescents sometimes must cope with unfair, prejudiced, and even violent behavior at school, at home and in the community. they may feel fear or be alone and unsupported. this can push some teens to use drugs and alcohol, engage in risky sexual behavior, or even attempt suicide. it is important that homosexual teens feel supported by their parents and always able to talk openly with them about these issues. overall, most gay and lesbian youth grow up to be well - adjusted and happy adults, with successful careers and family lives. books for parents of the newly out : " is it a choice? answers to 300 most asked questions about gay and lesbian people " by eric marcus " loving someone gay " by


| | | what your doctor is saying | | | what are the odds? understanding risk last reviewed on september 12, 2012 by robert h. shmerling, m. d. beth israel deaconess medical center " if you take this medication, you will reduce your risk of disease by 20 %, and 98 % of people taking it have no serious side effects. " sounds good, right? perhaps not. what if your chance of getting the disease is only one in 1, 000 but two people out of every 100 experience a deadly side effect? talk about risk doctors, nurses, reporters and drug advertisers often talk about risk, though they may not call it that. in fact, they often use other terms that sound logical and understandable such as " chance " or " likelihood " ( as in " if you smoke, you will increase your chances of having lung disease " ). alternatively, they may couch the terms in personal experience ( as in " i think this medicine will help you ; it works for most of my patients " ). or, the message may be even more vague : when a doctor says " i think this therapy will help and i doubt it will cause you any problems, " the doctor is really saying he or she hopes it helps because it usually does, but that there is a risk that the medication will cause side effects and / or that it will not work. whether or not the word is used, these are all examples of risk, the notion that something might or might not happen and that the likelihood is not zero or 100 %. i was taught in medical school to " never say never and never say always, " because absolute certainty is so rare. back to top risk is not simple risk is a trickier concept than many people think. it may seem like something to avoid at all costs, but the fact is that while you may be able to choose one risk over another, you cannot always avoid risk altogether. avoiding one risk may pose other risks. for example, if you have high blood pressure and a doctor prescribes a medication to lower it, there is a risk of side effects from the medication ; but by avoiding the risk of having a side effect, you increase the risk that you will have a stroke due to untreated high blood pressure. many people view any risk at all as a terrible thing, but it is important to realize that it represents a chance that something will happen, not a certainty. even when talking about bad outcomes ( such as the risk of surgery or the


blood pressure. many people view any risk at all as a terrible thing, but it is important to realize that it represents a chance that something will happen, not a certainty. even when talking about bad outcomes ( such as the risk of surgery or the risk of medication side effects ), there is often an excellent chance that nothing bad will happen. consider this example. for a person suffering chronic arthritis and terrible joint pain for the last two years, symptoms probably will continue unless something changes ( such as starting an effective treatment ). the risk of side effects from any medication is clearly important, but it must be weighed against the high risk that joint pain will continue. if three out of 100 people taking a high - dose anti - inflammatory medication ( such as ibuprofen ) develop a stomach ulcer each year ( that is, if the yearly risk is 3 % ), it is important to weigh that against the risk of ongoing pain ( which is much higher ). and it also means that 97 out of 100 people will not suffer an ulcer as they enjoy the benefits of the medication. back to top the confusing ways to describe risk the other reason risk is confusing is that there are many ways it can be described. people may choose one way to describe risk to emphasize how high it is, while others use another way to express the same risk to downplay it. remarkably, the same risk can seem quite different depending on how it is expressed. one of the most common areas of confusion comes with the difference between absolute risk and relative risk. imagine that you are offered a choice of two medications to reduce your risk of a heart attack : - medication a will decrease your risk of heart attack by 20 %. - medication b reduces your risk from 5 % to 4 %. if you think that medication a sounds better, you are not alone. relative risk is described, by comparing the new risk with the risk before treatment. although vitally important, the actual risk with and without the medicine is not mentioned for medication a. if you thought medication b sounds less impressive, perhaps it ' s because knowing that the starting and ending risks are similar that is, knowing the actual, or absolute, risks makes the change seem less dramatic. this is particularly true when overall risk is very low or very high in the first place. although they provide a more accurate assessment of risk, expressions of absolute risk are often missing from news or ads. most of us would think that medication a is better. but as described, medication a and b could be the same drug.


first place. although they provide a more accurate assessment of risk, expressions of absolute risk are often missing from news or ads. most of us would think that medication a is better. but as described, medication a and b could be the same drug. reducing a risk of 5 in 100 to 4 in 100 is identical to a 20 % relative risk reduction. so it is not surprising that what you usually read in news reports and see in advertisements are changes in relative risk rather than the more critical number, the absolute risk. the relative risk tends to be the larger and more persuasive number. for the person or advertiser trying to make a dramatic point, most people find it easier to relate to one number ( 20 % risk reduction for medication a ) rather than keeping track of the initial risk and how it changes with treatment ( 5 % to 4 % for medication b ). however, the simplicity of relative risk comes at the cost of incomplete and potentially misleading information. without knowing where you started, a relative risk reduction of 20 % can be nearly meaningless. consider one of the most commonly prescribed medications in the world : the birth control pill. for nonsmoking women aged 25 to 29, the risk of death attributed to side effects of the pill is estimated at about 1 in 100, 000 and doubles for women who are 30 to 34. if a 33 - year - old woman were told she has twice the risk of dying from a birth control pill than a woman under 30, she might incorrectly interpret this as high risk. in fact, even though her risk is slightly higher than for younger women ( by 0. 001 % ), she is actually at a very low risk of dying, even lower than the estimated risk of death related to childbirth ( 10 to 25 per 100, 000, also rising with age ). there are, of course, other ways to express risk that shape how it is perceived. reports of new cases of prostate cancer diagnosed " every three minutes " or the lifetime risk of breast cancer being one in nine, are not very helpful in understanding your own particular risk. estimating your individual risk by considering factors known to affect it ( for example, smoking, which dramatically increases the risk of lung cancer ) is a better way to express risk. the generally quoted figure for the risk of getting struck by lightning is 1 in 600, 000, but it ' s much greater if you are holding a metal rod ( for instance, a golf club ) on a hill during a thunderstorm. risk tends to be better understood when broken


risk of getting struck by lightning is 1 in 600, 000, but it ' s much greater if you are holding a metal rod ( for instance, a golf club ) on a hill during a thunderstorm. risk tends to be better understood when broken down by a finite length of time, such as five or 10 years, rather than over one ' s entire life. reports of lifetime risk may also include disease that has no bearing on one ' s overall health, such as a slow - growing prostate tumor that never affects health or longevity ( a common scenario among elderly men ). back to top the bottom line it is important to acknowledge that risk is easy to misunderstand even with accurate and unbiased information. cynics say statistics can be used to argue any position, and there is some truth to that. but there are some simple measures you can take to get a better handle on risk : - acknowledge that risk is a fact of life and often cannot be avoided entirely. in fact, most decisions one makes about how to prevent or treat disease depend on balancing the risks and benefits of the treatment options. - look for reports that put the risk in context. one way is to compare one risk to another, more familiar risk. for example, the risk of contracting a rare disease could be compared with being struck by lightning, while a more common condition could be compared with the risk of injury or death in a car accident. - ask yourself if the source is objective and seeks only to inform you, or whether there is another goal in mind. sometimes it ' s easy : if the source is an advertiser trying to sell you something, the information is more likely to be biased. - beware of reports that use lifetime risk or ones that convert the number of cases per year to cases per day or hour. even if they are technically accurate, they are probably overemphasizing the point. what matters most is the absolute rather than the relative risk. in my initial example of the drug with a 20 % relative risk reduction with no serious side effects in 98 % of users, two fewer people out of every 10, 000 would get the disease, but 200 would experience a deadly side effect clearly an example of a treatment that is worse than the disease. but it ' s also an example of how misleading descriptions of risk can be. back to top robert h. shmerling, m. d. is associate physician at beth israel deaconess medical center and associate professor at harvard medical school. he has been a practicing rhe


the satellite images displayed are infrared ( ir ) images. warmest ( lowest ) clouds are shown in white ; coldest ( highest ) clouds are displayed in shades of yellow, red, and purple. imagery is obtained from the goes and meteosat geostationary satellites, and the two us polar orbiter ( poes ) satellites. poes satellites orbit the earth 14 times each day at an altitude of approximately 520 miles ( 870 km ). as each orbit is made the satellite can view a 1, 600 mile ( 2, 700 km ) wide area of the earth. due to the rotation of the earth the satellite is able to view every spot on earth twice each day. data from multiple orbits are mosaicked together to provide wide scale global and full earth views in a single image. occasional dark triangular areas that occur on poes images are a result of gaps in data transmitted from the orbiters. a weather satellite is a type of satellite that is primarily used to monitor the weather of the earth. these meteorological satellites, however, see more than clouds and cloud systems. city lights, fires, effects of pollution, auroras, sand and dust storms, snow cover, ice mapping, boundaries of ocean currents, energy flows, etc., are other types of environmental information collected using weather satellites. weather satellite images helped in monitoring the volcanic ash cloud from mount st. helens and activity from other volcanoes such as mount etna. smoke from fires in the western united states such as colorado and utah have also been monitored. other environmental satellites can detect changes in the earth ' s vegetation, sea color, and ice fields. for example, the 2002 oil spill off the northwest coast of spain was watched carefully by the european envisat, which, though not a weather satellite, flies an instrument ( asar ) which can see changes in the sea surface el nino and its effects on weather are monitored daily from satellite images. the antarctic ozone hole is mapped from weather satellite data. collectively, weather satellites flown by the u. s., europe, india, china, russia, and japan provide nearly continuous observations for a global weather


... 1542, catherine howard was beheaded for adultery at the tower of london. of this queen ( below right ), the 5th of 6 wives of the english king henry viii, this website writes : catherine howard did not have an impact upon english history. she is perhaps the most inconsequential of henry viii ' s six wives, her reign as queen a very brief eighteen months. she bore no children and made no lasting impression upon those who knew her. but it should be remembered that she was thirty years younger than her husband, a silly young girl who never understood the dangers of royal regard. her life was over before it had truly begun ; we can only wonder how it might have ended differently. not a word of fault found with the fatally fickle king.... 1961, officials in the province of katanga announced that the man who ' d served from june to september 1960 as congo ' s 1st prime minister, patrice lumumba, was dead. it was claimed that lumumba ( below left ) had been " killed by villagers trying to take him into custody " ; however, years later that was deemed not to be the whole truth. according to the bbc : a belgian government inquiry into the murders reported in november 2001 that they would not have taken place without the complicity of belgian and american intelligence services. in february 2002 the belgian government made its first official apology for its part in the assassinations and has set up a $ 3m fund to encourage democracy and development in the democratic republic of congo.