tires of the motorcycle. if an accident is caused by such a high - speed wobble, the manufacturer of the motorcycle might be held financially responsible for any resulting injuries, under a product liability theory. - riding skills ; familiarity : a motorcycle requires much more skill and physical coordination to operate than a car. many motorcycle accidents are caused in whole or in part by a rider ' s lack of basic riding skills, or failure to appreciate the inherent operating characteristics and limitations of the motorcycle. determining legal responsibility for a motorcycle accident like most motor vehicle accident cases, motorcycle accident claims are almost always governed by the legal concept of negligence. go here to learn more about the law of negligence and personal injury. defective motorcycle design or manufacture motorcycles lack crashworthiness and occupant protection. unlike a car, a motorcycle is lightweight ; it has no door, no roof, no airbags, and no safety belts. a motorcycle is less stable than a car because it only has two wheels. although several factors can contribute to a motorcycle accident, especially operator inexperience and failure to appreciate the limitations of a motorcycle, a defect in a motorcycle ' s design or manufacture should be considered as a potential cause of an accident, especially one where only the motorcycle rider is involved. an experienced personal injury attorney will be familiar with any relevant product liability issues or recalls involving certain motorcycle models, and can help determine whether you have a claim against the motorcycle manufacturer. getting legal help for a motorcycle accident if you or a loved one have been injured in a motorcycle accident, the most important step in protecting your legal rights is to meet with a skilled attorney to discuss your case. issues in your potential claim, including compliance with traffic laws, motor vehicle regulations, medical treatment issues, and liability determinations, all require the expertise of an attorney who is experienced in the area of motorcycle accident liability. in light of legal deadlines for filing injury claims, meeting with an attorney to evaluate your case as soon as possible is recommended. go here to learn more about the role of an attorney in a motor vehicle accident case. click here to locate an experienced motor vehicle accident attorney near you.


illinois learning standards stage c - fine arts — music students who meet the standard understand the sensory elements, organizational principles, and expressive qualities of the arts. - distinguish between loud / soft, high / low sounds. - distinguish between fast / slow music. - distinguish between same and different tone colors ( timbres ) of voices, classroom instruments, and environmental sounds. - distinguish between long and short sounds. - echo a rhythm pattern. - replicate the beat in a musical composition. - identify simple music forms ( e. g. rondo, ostinato ) when - identify different sensory elements that create a mood, emotion, or idea in a simple musical selection. students who meet the standard understand the similarities, distinctions, and connections in and among the arts. - compare sensory elements, organizational principles, and expressive qualities shared among several art forms that express a similar idea ( e. g. beginning, middle, and end in music, dance, and drama ). - compare the use of sound, movement, action, or visual images to express similar ideas ( e. g., subject matter such as night, ocean ; emotions / moods such as sad, scary ). students who meet the standard understand processes, traditional tools, and modern technologies used in the arts. - distinguish between the sounds of two different voices ( e. g., man and child ). - distinguish between the sounds of two different environmental sounds ( e. g., pencil sharpener and chalkboard ). - distinguish between the sounds of two different classroom instruments ( e. g., tambourine and drum ). - identify orchestral / band instruments visually. - use appropriate vocal timbre and volume when singing classroom - use correct technique ( e. g., holding mallets, striking drums ) when playing classroom instruments. - echo, read, and / or write accurately rhythm patterns with whole, half, quarter, and eighth notes and rests in 2 / 4, 3 / 4, 4 / 4 meter signatures. - sing or play accurately simple pitch notation in the treble clef using a symbol system ( e. g., icons, syllables, numbers, students who meet the standard can apply skills and knowledge necessary to create and perform in one or more of the arts. - sing on pitch or play on classroom instruments songs of various cultures in rhythm, with appropriate timbre and maintaining a steady tempo. - improvise rhythmic and melodic accompaniments for songs of various cultures. - create short songs or instrumental pieces within specified students who meet the standard can analyze


classroom instruments songs of various cultures in rhythm, with appropriate timbre and maintaining a steady tempo. - improvise rhythmic and melodic accompaniments for songs of various cultures. - create short songs or instrumental pieces within specified students who meet the standard can analyze how the arts function in history, society and everyday life. - distinguish between appropriate and inappropriate audience - react to performances / art works in a respectful, constructive, and supportive manner. - match the types of occupations with their art form ( e. g., actor, director, playwright, designer with drama ). - compare ways the arts are used in a celebration ( e. g., masks, costumes, banners, songs, dances ). - list the things that artists make or do when they communicate through the arts ( e. g., pictures, songs, advertisements, stories, movements, buildings ). - point out ways the arts are used for personal time and enrichment ( e. g., concerts, plays, exhibits, broadcasts, social dances, choirs, lessons ). - describe occupations that are related to the arts ( e. g., photographer, illustrator, composer, playwright, choreographer, students who meet the standard understand how the arts shape and reflect history, society and everyday life. - identify cultural characteristics of a work of art. - describe how the arts inform viewers about people and events from history. - name significant artists in dance, drama, music, or visual return to fine arts classroom assessments and performance descriptors


why wait ( ), notify ( ) and notifyall ( ) must be called from synchronized block or method in java most of java developer knows that wait ( ), notify ( ) and notifyall ( ) method of object class must have to be called inside synchronized method or synchronized block in java but how many times we thought why? recently this questions was asked to in java interview to one of my friend, he pondered for a moment and replied that if we don ' t call wait ( ) or notify ( ) method from synchronized context we will receive illegalmonitorstateexception in java. he was right in terms of behavior of language but as per him interviewer was not completely satisfied with the answer and wanted to explain more about it. after the interview he discussed the same questions with me and i thought he might have told about race condition between wait ( ) and notify ( ) in java that could exists if we don ' t call them inside synchronized method or block. let ’ s see how it could happen : we use wait ( ) and notify ( ) or notifyall ( ) method mostly for inter - thread communication. one thread is waiting after checking a condition e. g. in producer consumer example producer thread is waiting if buffer is full and consumer thread notify producer thread after he creates a space in buffer by consuming an element. calling notify ( ) or notifyall ( ) issues a notification to a single or multiple thread that a condition has changed and once notification thread leaves synchronized block, all the threads which are waiting fight for object lock on which they are waiting and lucky thread returns from wait ( ) method after reacquiring the lock and proceed further. let ’ s divide this whole operation in steps to see a possibility of race condition between wait ( ) and notify ( ) method in java, we will use produce consumer thread example to understand the scenario better : 1. the producer thread tests the condition ( buffer is full or not ) and confirms that it must wait ( after finding buffer is full ). 2. the consumer thread sets the condition after consuming an element from buffer. 3. the consumer thread calls the notify ( ) method ; this goes unheard since the producer thread is not yet waiting. 4. the producer thread calls the wait ( ) method and goes into waiting state. so due to race condition here we potential lost a notification and if we use buffer or just one element produce thread will be waiting forever and your program will hang. now let ' s think how does


the wait ( ) method and goes into waiting state. so due to race condition here we potential lost a notification and if we use buffer or just one element produce thread will be waiting forever and your program will hang. now let ' s think how does this potential race condition get resolved? this race condition is resolved by using synchronized keyword and locking provided by java. in order to call the wait ( ), notify ( ) or notifyall ( ) methods in java, we must have obtained the lock for the object on which we ' re calling the method. since the wait ( ) method in java also releases the lock prior to waiting and reacquires the lock prior to returning from the wait ( ) method, we must use this lock to ensure that checking the condition ( buffer is full or not ) and setting the condition ( taking element from buffer ) is atomic which can be achieved by using synchronized method or block in java. i am not sure if this is what interviewer was actually expecting but this what i thought would at least make sense, please correct me if i wrong and let us know if there is any other convincing reason of calling wait ( ), notify ( ) or notifyall method in java. just to summarize we call wait ( ), notify ( ) or notifyall method in java from synchronized method or synchronized block in java to avoid : 1 ) illegalmonitorstateexception in java which will occur if we don ' t call wait ( ), notify ( ) or notifyall ( ) method from synchronized context. 2 ) any potential race condition between wait and notify method in java. some of my other favorite interview discussions are why string is immutable or final in java, how hashmap works in java and what are differences between hashmap and hashtable in java is.


which places are growing? seven trends from 2010 census mandated by the u. s. constitution and administered every 10 years, the u. s. census is used to determine apportionment of federal funds to local communities, as well as the distribution of state seats in the house of representatives. the data provided in the government ’ s report, released again march 2011, provides ample opportunities for journalists to identify and explore local trends. a 2011 report from the harvard kennedy school of government ’ s rappaport institute for greater boston and taubman center for state and local government, “ which places are growing? seven notable trends from 2010 census data ” ( pdf ), examines trends within the income and population data. the report ’ s findings include : - counties with higher income as of 2000 experienced higher population growth. - counties with higher average january temperatures experienced higher population growth than those with lower temperatures. - population growth was greater in counties close to a coastal or inland port than in those located farther from ports. - the least dense quarter of counties experienced population loss while the most dense quarter of counties experienced population growth. - more highly educated counties ( as measured by the proportion of the adult population with a college degree ) experienced higher population growth. - counties with a large share of employment in manufacturing experienced less population growth. - limits to housing supply limit the amount of population growth experienced by a county.


what judaism means to me gertrude weil, 1879 - 1971 weil ' s commitment to social justice was strongly rooted in her concept of judaism. she often commented that her religion taught that " justice, mercy, goodness were not to be held in a vacuum, but practiced in our daily lives. " believing judaism to be " a religion of this world, " one that emphasizes the " expression of righteousness in the here and now, " she argued that " every... act should be an expression of the god, or goodness, in us. " her work for social reform emerged out of this long jewish tradition of tikkun olam and prophetic justice. for decades, weil was a mainstay of jewish life in goldsboro. she taught sunday school, conducted adult bible study groups and presided over the temple sisterhood. once, local officials had to reveal that she was the recipient of the town ' s distinguished citizen ' s award in order to convince her to attend the ceremonial dinner, held on a friday evening when she would normally have been at services. as she grew older, weil became increasingly serious in her own study of jewish history and religion. unlike most southern reform jews, weil, her mother, and her siblings were strong zionists. henrietta szold, hadassah ' s founder, was a personal friend of mina weil ; gertrude and mina were founding members of goldsboro ' s hadassah chapter and gertrude served as president of both the local and regional groups. she also presided over the north carolina association of jewish women, sat on the board of the north carolina home for the jewish aged, worked for the national federation of temple sisterhoods, and helped to raise money for numerous jewish charities. in the 1930s and 1940s, she and her mother devoted much time and effort to rescuing jewish refugees from persecution in europe. in her widespread jewish activities, weil demonstrated the same energy and active commitment as she did in her work in the broader community. - quotations from gertrude weil, " talk at beth or temple, sisterhood sabbath, " may 12, 1944, in gertrude weil papers at the north carolina office of archives and history. - additional information from mrs. n. a. edwards, " in love with life, " draft of article for american jewish times, october 1956, in the north carolina collection at the university of north carolina at chapel hill and elna c. g. grissom, " jewish relief and other philanthropies of the weil


do you sweat, chew your pencil, and feel butterflies in your stomach as your teacher hands out a test? a lot of people ( adults included ) get freaked out when it ' s time to take a test. it ' s natural to feel some stress about taking tests. in fact, sometimes a little adrenaline ( a hormone made by your body during times of excitement or stress ) is a good thing to jump - start you. here are some tips for taking tests : first, be sure you ' ve studied properly. it sounds like a no - brainer, but if you ' re sure of the information, you ' ll have less reason to be worried. get enough sleep the night before the test. your memory recall will be much better if you ' ve had enough rest. in a scientific study, people who got enough sleep before taking a math test did better than those who stayed up all night studying. listen closely to any instructions. as the teacher hands out the test, be sure you know what ' s expected of you. read the test through first. once you have the test paper in front of you, read over the entire test, checking out how long it is and all the parts that you are expected to complete. this will allow you to estimate how much time you have for each section and ask the teacher any questions. if something seems unclear before you start, don ' t panic : ask. focus on addressing each question individually. as you take the test, if you don ' t know an answer, don ' t obsess over it. instead, answer the best way you can or skip over the question and come back to it after you ' ve answered other questions. relax. if you ' re so nervous that you blank out, you might need a mini - break. of course you can ' t get up and move around in the middle of a test, but you can wiggle your fingers and toes, take four or five deep breaths, or picture yourself on a beach or some other calm place. as we all know, it can be easy to forget things we know well — like a locker combination. the difference is we know we ' ll remember our locker combination because we ' ve used it hundreds of times, so we don ' t panic and the combination number eventually comes back. during a test, if you blank out on something and start to get tense, it suddenly becomes much more difficult to remember. finished already? although most teachers will let you hand a test in early, it ' s usually a good


everybody ' s talking about money these days : house prices are going down ; more families are facing foreclosure on their mortgages ; gas prices, energy prices, and grocery bills are all going up — and uncertainty over when things will take a turn for the better is making everyone tighten their belts. but how do parents explain this to their fashion - conscious middle - school kids? how about teens with dreams of out - of - state college or a new car? what to say be honest with your children — but don ' t tell them more than they need to know. avoid overloading older kids with too many details or worries that might scare them. stick to brief explanations and be clear about changes made to the family budget. even young kids are brand - and consumer - aware these days, so don ' t expect them to volunteer to scale back on their treats or activities right away. but if you want to encourage budgeting behavior, offer incentives to get kids on board. knowing what you want to say, what changes will be made — and how those changes will affect each child — can help make this a little easier. talking to younger kids ali is 6. her best friend just got a new doll for her birthday — the expensive kind that you know you can ' t afford. ali starts to whine, " i never get anything i want. it ' s not fair... " it ' s hard to keep your cool when you ' re working hard to keep the family afloat or stressed out because the bank has threatened foreclosure. take a deep breath and stay calm. if necessary, tell your child that you ' ll talk about it later, then be sure to set aside time to do so. remind yourself that it ' s ok to reject pleas and set limits. you ' re not depriving your children — you ' re teaching them important lessons about delaying gratification, earning treats and rewards, and how family finances work. after all, food and rent come before toys. when you ' re ready, tell your child that you cannot buy new toys right now, but perhaps the toys can be put on a wish list for the next birthday, christmas, hanukkah, or other gift - giving occasion. if you can afford it, offer a small reward in exchange for good behavior or keeping the bedroom straight. short - term rewards, such as stickers or tokens, can keep younger kids motivated. financial incentives can help older kids earn money toward their goals while teaching them valuable lessons about


a small reward in exchange for good behavior or keeping the bedroom straight. short - term rewards, such as stickers or tokens, can keep younger kids motivated. financial incentives can help older kids earn money toward their goals while teaching them valuable lessons about saving. catelyn, 11, is going to another birthday party. it ' s a sleepover and she ' s given you a list — birthday gift for her friend, new pajamas, and a new sleeping bag. she insists her friends will all laugh at her if she brings the old sleeping bag again — it ' s so last year. and 12 - year - old brandon wants a new skateboard and those cool new skate shoes. how do you tell them that your family can ' t afford all of these new things without scaring them? kids this age may not be interested in the global economy or why money is tight, but they can be told that there is a limited amount of money in the family budget. do not cave into their every whim, and instead encourage kids to plan ahead for new purchases. preteens are old enough to save money from a weekly allowance or earn it by doing chores around the house, raking leaves, or shoveling snow around the neighborhood. when talking to your kids, let them know that they ' re not alone in their desires. say how you feel when you see something that you want, but can ' t purchase it right away. explain that everyone in the family has to cut down on spending — including you — and remind them that, if they ' re motivated, you can work together to help them try to earn money and work toward their goals. talking to teenagers jaime, 16, needs a car to drive to school. or does he? he may roll his eyes when you tell him that you walked or rode a bus to school, but challenging him to find a cost - effective, environmentally friendly way to get around town may appeal to his ambition of living a more " green " lifestyle. likewise, suggesting that he save up for that big - ticket item — and seeing his goal through — will help him feel more empowered as he moves toward adulthood. through part - time jobs or regular babysitting, teens can earn money outside the home and cover many of their own expenses. making rules stick family meetings are a great way to establish these new rules, even if they ' re temporary until family finances are in better shape. explain the new rules and also new opportunities for earning privileges and treats. make it fun : challenge kids to


making rules stick family meetings are a great way to establish these new rules, even if they ' re temporary until family finances are in better shape. explain the new rules and also new opportunities for earning privileges and treats. make it fun : challenge kids to come up with family - friendly, cost - effective activities that everyone will enjoy. once you ' ve had " the talk " with your kids, keep a list posted — perhaps on the refrigerator door — of the new house rules so that everyone knows what is expected of them. manage stress levels. get support — yours is not the only family going through hard times. try joining a support group or other social network in your area. support groups are offered through local hospitals, churches, synagogues, libraries, and schools. if you feel that stress or anxiety is really starting to take its toll, tell your doctor, who may be able to put you in touch with counselors or suggest therapeutic strategies — such as relaxation techniques, exercise, or yoga — that can help you feel better and learn to manage your stress. learn to say " no. " sometimes parents say " yes " to their kids before figuring out how they ' ll afford a new expense. even if you agreed to something, you can explain that you made a mistake and — in order to be a financially responsible family — everyone must forego certain treats for a while. explore fun, low - cost activities. challenge your family to create memories without visiting a mall or a store. some ideas : bike riding together, going to a park, visiting yard sales, free movie nights, concerts, library events, museums and other local art, cultural, or sporting events. get kids involved. do kids get an allowance they can save up? can they earn money or points toward back - to - school items? older kids might look into helping pay for college by saving money or applying for scholarships, loans, or grants. encouraging kids to find creative ways to save or make money not only helps them feel empowered — it helps them feel like they ' re doing their part to help out.


the flu is caused by the influenza virus ( say : vy - rus ). a virus is a microorganism ( say : my - kroh - or - guh - niz - uhm ), which means it ' s so small that you can ' t see it without a strong microscope. kids older than 9 need one shot the flu vaccine is available as a shot ( injected through the skin ) or as a spray mist ( into the nostrils ). most kids older than 2 can get the spray mist. the centers for disease control and prevention ( cdc ) recommends the flu vaccine for all people age 6 months and older. if you ' re a kid, that means you! kids older than 9 need only one dose. if you are younger than 9, you will need one or two flu shots. it depends on whether you had the flu shot before and when you received those vaccinations. if you are younger than 9, you will need only one shot if you have had two doses of flu vaccine since july 2010. ( your parents and doctor can look this up and figure out if you did or not. ) if you are younger than 9, you will get two flu shots if : you are getting the flu vaccine for the first time you have had the flu shot before, but you have not had two doses of the flu vaccine since july 2010 if you need two shots, you ' ll get one shot and then come back at least a month later to get the second one. certain people are at higher risk of complications from the flu, including : kids younger than age 5 people age 65 and older people of any age who have long - term health conditions so if you ' re a kid who has asthma, diabetes, or another health problem, it ' s especially important that you get the flu vaccine. flu vaccines are usually given in the fall, before flu season starts. flu season — the months of the year when a lot of people have the flu and it ' s easy to catch it — usually starts in october and ends in may. if you get the flu vaccine, by nose spray or shot, it will protect you from getting a bad case of the flu. you either won ' t get the flu at all or, if you do get it, you will have only mild symptoms and you should get better pretty quickly. you might wonder why you have to get a flu shot every year. here ' s why : there are lots of different flu viruses. each year, researchers choose the three viruses


, you will have only mild symptoms and you should get better pretty quickly. you might wonder why you have to get a flu shot every year. here ' s why : there are lots of different flu viruses. each year, researchers choose the three viruses most likely to cause trouble. the flu vaccine includes protection against those three, which vary from year to year. how does the flu spread? this virus gets around in little drops that spray out of an infected person ' s mouth and nose when he or she sneezes, coughs, or even laughs. you can catch the flu from someone who has it if you breathe in some of those tiny flu - infected drops. you can also catch the flu if those drops get on your hands and you touch your mouth or nose. no wonder people are always saying to cough or sneeze into your elbow. and while you ' re at it, wash your hands! what if you get the flu? if your doctor thinks you might have the flu, sometimes he or she will use a long cotton swab to get a sample of the gunk in your nose. testing this sample in a lab can determine if you have the flu. but usually this isn ' t necessary. based on your symptoms and how you look during the visit, your doctor can usually tell if you have the flu, especially during times when a lot of flu is going around your town. once your doctor says you have the flu, start taking these steps to feel better : rest in bed or on the couch. drink lots of liquids, like water, chicken broth, and other fluids. take the medicine your mom or dad gives you to ease your fever, aches, and pains. tell your mom or dad if you have trouble breathing, if you are feeling worse instead of better, or if you aren ' t peeing as much as usual. these are signs you may need to see the doctor again. most of the time, you ' ll feel better in about a week. until then, you ' ll have to stay home from school and take it easy. we hope you ' re flu - free this year, but if you do get the flu, now you know what to do!


have you ever gone to school when you didn ' t feel so well? everyone has probably done it, but if you think you have the flu, it ' s very important to stay home from school. here ' s why : influenza flu is an illness that could make some people very sick. so we want to do our best to keep it from spreading around. symptoms of the flu are a fever plus one or more of these : some people with the flu also might have diarrhea or vomiting. if you have flu - like symptoms, home is where you should be. by staying home from school ( and away from crowds in general ), you make it less likely that you will make other people sick. and if it turns out you do have the flu, rest at home is what you need to get better. what to do take these steps if you feel sick : tell your mom or dad, so they can check you out. they might want to call your doctor to talk about whether you have the flu or some other sickness. stay home from school and other crowded places. also, try not to make other people in your family sick. do that by washing your hands often, coughing and sneezing into a tissue or your elbow — not into your hands! — and keeping your distance. get rest, drink plenty of fluids, and feel better fast. be sure to tell your mom or dad how you ' re feeling so they can take good care of you. return to school only when you ' re feeling better, no longer coughing / sneezing, and you haven ' t had a fever for at least 24 hours.


celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder caused by an intolerance to gluten. it ' s also known as celiac sprue, gluten - sensitive enteropathy, and non - tropical sprue. gluten is the general name of the proteins found in wheat, rye, and barley and other grains derived from them. in kids with celiac disease, gluten damages villi, the finger - like projections in the small intestine responsible for absorbing nutrients from food. when the villi are damaged, the body can ' t absorb nutrients the body needs to grow. if that happens, a child can become malnourished. celiac disease can lead to a wide variety of symptoms in different people. infants may fail to gain weight and height as expected ( a condition called failure to thrive ). in older kids, the condition can cause diarrhea, abdominal pain and bloating, weight loss, fatigue, or painful skin rashes. some people who have celiac disease experience no symptoms at all. doctors don ' t know for sure what triggers the immune system to react to gluten in people who have celiac disease. there is no cure, although researchers are working on developing enzyme pills to help with the digestion of the toxic part of gluten that causes intestinal damage. but if your child is diagnosed with celiac disease, there are ways to minimize symptoms and any damage to the intestines. symptoms of celiac disease can occur at any time in a child ' s life. some kids experience symptoms the first time they are exposed to gluten, while others develop symptoms later in life after consuming gluten products without a problem for years. a first sign that an infant might have celiac disease can occur shortly after the introduction to solid foods such as cereals. an infant who ' s started consuming foods that contain gluten might have diarrhea and stomach pains, and stop gaining weight at a healthy pace. skin rashes also might appear, especially around the elbows, buttocks, and knees. over time, the child might develop anemia and mouth sores, and become withdrawn or irritable. the causes of celiac disease are unknown. it has been linked to other health conditions, including down syndrome, williams syndrome, thyroid disorder, and selective immunoglobulin iga deficiency. celiac disease tends to run in families, so if there is a family history of celiac disease, your child


to other health conditions, including down syndrome, williams syndrome, thyroid disorder, and selective immunoglobulin iga deficiency. celiac disease tends to run in families, so if there is a family history of celiac disease, your child may have a higher risk of developing it. if one child is diagnosed with celiac disease, his or her siblings, parents, and grandparents should be tested too, as they may have the disease but be symptom free. and celiac disease that goes undiagnosed in adults for a long time can lead to serious health problems. diagnosing celiac disease usually begins with a simple blood test that measures the level of antibodies to gluten and other proteins in the lining of the intestine. if high levels of these antibodies are found, the doctor will likely order a of the small intestine and send it to a laboratory for testing. doctors take this tissue sample by inserting a long, thin tube called an endoscope through the mouth and stomach into the small intestine. a child is usually moderately sedated or put to sleep under general anesthesia for the procedure. if celiac disease is diagnosed, the doctor will give you guidance on which foods your child can eat and which to avoid. because these changes will greatly affect your family ' s everyday life and your child ' s diet, the doctor may suggest that you meet with a nutritionist for additional advice. wheat, barley, rye, and related grains should be eliminated from your child ' s diet. but because there ' s no law requiring food manufacturers to list gluten on food labels, this can be difficult. in general, if your child has celiac disease, it ' s wise to stay away from foods that contain these gluten - related ingredients : bouillons and broths breading ( such as the coating on breaded chicken cutlets, etc. ) brown rice syrup ( often made from barley ) cake flour ( made from wheat ) caramel color ( occasionally made from barley ) creamed or breaded vegetables dextrin ( a rare ingredient that may be made from wheat ; maltodextrin is ok ) dry roasted nuts ( processing agents may contain wheat flour or flavorings ) french fries ( if they ' ve been coated in flour ) gravies and sauces ( including some tomato and meat sauces ) imitation bacon, crab, or other seafood luncheon and processed meats malt or malt flavoring ( usually made from barley ) modified


' ve been coated in flour ) gravies and sauces ( including some tomato and meat sauces ) imitation bacon, crab, or other seafood luncheon and processed meats malt or malt flavoring ( usually made from barley ) modified food starch ( most food manufacturers now specify the source of this ingredient ; e. g., modified cornstarch, which is ok, or modified wheat starch, which is not ) seasonings ( pure spices are ok, but check seasoning mixes for gluten - containing additives ) some herbal teas and flavored coffees soup mixes and canned soups soy sauce and soy sauce solids ( they may be fermented with wheat ; don ' t use them unless you verify they ' re ok with a dietitian ) spreads, soft cheeses, and dips wheat - free products ( many wheat - free cookies and breads contain barley or rye flour, which contain gluten, and other gluten - containing ingredients ) yogurts with wheat starch it is generally safe for a child with celiac disease to consume oats, as long as the oats come from an uncontaminated source. that means that the oats have been processed in a mill that doesn ' t process grains that contain gluten on the same equipment. the label on the package of oats should clearly state if that ' s the case. to avoid gluten — and prevent triggering your child ' s celiac symptoms — it ' s important to carefully read the labels of all foods before you buy them or let your child consume them. and help your child learn to do it too. when in doubt, the safest thing to do is to assume the product contains gluten and leave it out. in the united states, all foods must be clearly labeled if they contain any of the top eight food allergens, including wheat. however, wheat free doesn ' t mean gluten free as some wheat - free products may have gluten - containing grains like barley and rye in them. lawmakers are working to make labels easier for people with celiac disease by requiring companies to identify other components, such as hidden ingredients and barley and rye. people with celiac disease aren ' t limited to eating at home. with experience and knowledge, you ' ll be able to figure out which dishes at restaurants or friends ' homes contain gluten. your local support group may be able to provide a list of restaurants where the chef is familiar with the


eating at home. with experience and knowledge, you ' ll be able to figure out which dishes at restaurants or friends ' homes contain gluten. your local support group may be able to provide a list of restaurants where the chef is familiar with the gluten - free diet. some restaurants now offer gluten - free dishes on their menus — be sure to ask. sometimes, no matter how well prepared you are, you might not be able to find out if a particular food is gluten free. when in doubt, order something else for your child to eat! here are some tips to remember when choosing foods : start with the foods your child can eat. foods and ingredients that someone with celiac disease can eat and use in cooking include : foods made with the flours of corn, rice, buckwheat, sorghum, arrowroot, garbanzo beans ( chickpeas ), quinoa, tapioca, teff, and potato ( provided other ingredients in your recipe do not contain gluten ). also ok are all plain meats, fish, chicken, legumes, nuts, seeds, oils, milk, cheese, eggs, fruits, and vegetables. be on the lookout for possible cross - contamination. even when eating or preparing foods that are gluten free, if these foods come into contact with foods that contain gluten, there is a risk of cross - contamination. for example, crumbs from regular wheat bread can find their way into jams, spreads, or condiments if people aren ' t careful to use a fresh knife or utensil each time. keeping condiments in squeezable bottles and using separate jams and spreads for people with celiac disease is a great idea. it ' s also wise to keep a separate toaster for gluten - free bread. if you bake with products that contain gluten, thoroughly clean appliances, utensils, and work surfaces before preparing gluten - free products. remember to wash your hands thoroughly and often when you ' re cooking and preparing food. in restaurants, tell the server or the kitchen staff about your child ' s condition and make sure that they know that it ' s important that your child ' s food not contain any gluten or related ingredients. most grocery stores carry some gluten - free bread, cereal, baking mixes, cookies, crackers and other products. health food stores and natural food markets may have wider selections


child ' s food not contain any gluten or related ingredients. most grocery stores carry some gluten - free bread, cereal, baking mixes, cookies, crackers and other products. health food stores and natural food markets may have wider selections of these foods. it ' s not a good idea to use gluten - free products from bulk food bins because of the risk of cross - contamination. even if you take precautions, chances are your child may accidentally ingest gluten at some point. that ' s ok — a single small amount of gluten ingestion may cause mild inflammation in the gut but probably won ' t cause any immediate symptoms. normally, the lining of small intestine completely renews itself every 3 - 4 days, so after a single incident the damaged cells are quickly replaced with new ones. however, repeated exposure to gluten will lead to ongoing damage of the intestinal lining. what experts know about celiac disease is developing so rapidly that many books and websites are out of date. to make sure you always have the most current and accurate information, consider joining one of the national celiac organizations. there are even gluten - free summer camps and special support groups just for kids and teens. if your child has celiac disease, it ' s important to educate the other adults in your child ' s life — teachers, school nurses, camp counselors, babysitters, and friends ' parents — about the condition, and to explain the importance of keeping foods with gluten away from your child. teach older kids not to accept foods they ' re offered unless they ' re from someone who is known to be diligent about ensuring the food is gluten free. it may be difficult for your child to adapt to a gluten - free diet and, at first, it may be challenging for you to make all the right accommodations. but over time, you and your child will get to know which foods are safe and which are off - limits, making it easier to find meals, snacks, and ingredients that won ' t cause celiac symptoms. many kids with symptoms who are diagnosed with celiac disease feel better quickly after gluten is eliminated from their diet and make a smooth transition to gluten - free eating. but when symptoms are mild or absent, kids may have a more difficult time with dietary changes. in such cases, strong family support is especially important. it also helps to find support groups, many of which have special events for kids


the biggest full moon of the year will rise saturday ( may 5 ) as earth ’ s only satellite swings into its perigee, or closest approach to earth. this so - called “ supermoon ” will appear extra big and extra bright. in honor of the moon ’ s big show, we ’ re dispelling a few myths about the earth ’ s rocky satellite : myth 1 : the moon makes us crazy the word lunacy traces its roots to the word “ lunar, ” and plenty of people, from nurses to police officers, will tell you that things get wild around the full moon. but this non - supernatural equivalent of the werewolf myth doesn ’ t hold water. a 1985 review of the literature on the timing of mental illness and the moon found that the folklore that links the full moon with mental breakdowns, criminal behavior and other disturbances has no basis in scientific data. myth 2 : the supermoon can cause disasters the reason we have supermoons is because the moon ’ s orbit is not perfectly circular. when it swings closer to earth on its elliptical path, the moon does exert a bit more of a gravitational pull on our planet. but it ’ s nothing earth can ’ t handle. myth 3 : the moon landing was a hoax as thinly sourced as it is, the hoax theories can be frustrating to those who risked their lives to get to the moon. in 2002, buzz aldrin, one of the members of the original 1969 apollo 11 mission, was dogged by conspiracy theorist bart sibrel at an event. when sibrel blocked aldrin ’ s path and called him a “ coward ” and a “ liar, ” the then - 72 - year - old astronaut punched sibrel in the face. what other myths about the moon have you encountered? feel free to share them with us! source : yahoo news image : science & myth


wed february 22, 2012 is einstein right? error could account for faster - than - light neutrinos originally published on wed february 22, 2012 4 : 25 pm remember last year, when we reported that italian scientists claimed to have broken the speed of light? remember the mystical implications of that? the possibility that einstein was wrong? that our very basic idea of physics was challenged? the idea that you could be shot before a bullet left a gun? then you also remember that our friend and astrophysicist adam frank warned that these results should be looked at with great suspicion. it turns out the results from the experiment called opera ( oscillation project with emulsion - tracking apparatus ) could have been affected by a problem with the gps system used to time the neutrinos. a spokesman for the european organization for nuclear research confirmed the error to the associated press today. the ap reports that james gillies says only other experiments planned for later this year will confirm whether the problem affected the results. science magazine reported the issue earlier today. the reported : " according to sources familiar with the experiment, the 60 nanoseconds discrepancy appears to come from a bad connection between a fiber optic cable that connects to the gps receiver used to correct the timing of the neutrinos ' flight and an electronic card in a computer. after tightening the connection and then measuring the time it takes data to travel the length of the fiber, researchers found that the data arrive 60 nanoseconds earlier than assumed. since this time is subtracted from the overall time of flight, it appears to explain the early arrival of the neutrinos. new data, however, will be needed to confirm this hypothesis. " so the bottom line is more experiments are needed to discard the findings for sure.


about half a year ago, stephen little ( curator and head, chinese and korean art ) and i both arrived to the museum. our first mission was to bring lacma ’ s collection of chinese art back on display. as of this past weekend, approximately forty objects are now on view. the reinstalled gallery is designed to tell the history of art in china, with each dynasty distinguished by examples that reflect the aesthetics, technology, and ideology of their time period. to achieve this goal, nothing is more illuminating than our best - known pieces. one of the most celebrated early chinese artworks from lacma ’ s collection is a cauldron called ding from the zhou dynasty ( 1046 – 256 bc ). this ding is from a set that would include more vessels of different shapes and sizes. called mingqi in chinese, meaning “ spirit objects, ” such sets were used during burial rituals and ceremonies conducted for ancestors, and demonstrate the importance of ancestral worship in the early times of chinese civilization. equally famous is a seated buddha carved of marble. the buddha has been part of lacma ’ s chinese art display since the 1940s as a long - term loan, until officially entering the museum ’ s permanent collection in 2007. with a serene face and gracefully proportioned body, the buddha exemplifies the highest achievement of buddhist art in china. while showcasing these masterpieces of different time periods and medium, i also wanted to convey the continuity of art making in china. chinese culture has always valued and revered history and tradition. imitating the past is considered the necessary first step of learning and is a source for creativity. archaism is a reoccurring theme over centuries. on display is a longquan - ware vase in the shape of a cong, not far different from a jade cong of the neolithic period. cong refers to the geometric shape that combines a circle and a square. the circle symbolizes heaven and the square symbolizes earth in early civilization. together they present the dual - system of yin and yang that is still important in chinese philosophy and ideology today. a jade disk from the middle ming dynasty ( 1368 – 1644 ) is decorated with dragons on one side and raised bosses with spirals on the other. its design — the donut - like shape and the raised spirals — is also inspired by a neolithic piece. we are very glad to have lacma ’ s outstanding chinese collection back in the galleries. more treasures will be put on display in the rotations in the coming months. christina yu yu, assistant curator


remembering two bright stars of music ; ' to the arctic ' read, listen and learn english with this story. double - click on any word to find the definition in the merriam - webster learner ' s dictionary. june simms : welcome to american mosaic in voa special english. i ’ m june simms. this week on our program, we remember two music greats, chuck brown and donna summe … but, first, we visit the northern most part of the earth and the creatures who live there in the movie, “ to the arctic. ” " to the arctic " june simms : few people can visit the arctic. but soon people all over the world will be able to feel like they have made the trip. a new movie, “ to the arctic, ” explores the life and environment in the wilderness area, especially the condition of its polar bears. barbara klein has our story. barbara klein : “ to the arctic ” is forty - five minutes long. but the film was shot in eight months over a four year period. the director is greg macgillivray. he and his brother shaun produced the film. it was made for release on the huge imax theater screens. “ to the arctic ” also is 3 - d, or three dimensional, giving theater goers the sensation of being part of the action. the film tells the story of a mother polar bear and her two cubs. through their struggle to survive, theatergoers see the results of rising temperatures on the arctic and its animals. the bears are central to the film because they cannot survive anywhere else. and, the movie says their environment is warming two thirds faster than anywhere else on earth. academy award winner meryl street narrates the film. “ to the arctic ” is part of an international campaign to save the polar bears and their home. scientists say there are only twenty thousand polar bears alive today. and, they say, their long term existence is at risk. nature photographer florian schulz has produced a book to go along with the movie. he says the purpose of both works is to educate people about what is happening in earth ’ s extreme north. florian schulz : “ the polar bears won ’ t be able to survive without the ice, and, right now, scientists are predicting that by two thousand and forty or two thousand and fifty, somewhere in between, the sea ice in the summer will completely go away. ” mr. shultz spent eighteen months in the arctic. he lived in a tent and would get


are predicting that by two thousand and forty or two thousand and fifty, somewhere in between, the sea ice in the summer will completely go away. ” mr. shultz spent eighteen months in the arctic. he lived in a tent and would get around on a special vehicle powered by the sun ’ s energy. the extreme cold presented some interesting problems for the work. florian schulz : “ you have to let your equipment completely freeze and then it will stay frozen. you can ’ t take it inside your sleeping bag or inside your tent because then the condensation will go on top of it, and then the ice will build and then you don ’ t get rid of the ice anymore. ” florian schultz says there were also some dangerous incidents with wildlife. like a bear that showed interest in a camera. the animal got within seven meters of the photographer. florian schulz : “ we then shot with a flare gun at the ground level so the bang was closer to the ground and the bear understood that he should move on. that was definitely a scary moment. ” the movie and book are part of a larger campaign to save polar bears and the arctic. suzanne apple is with the world wildlife fund. suzanne apple : “ this area that we are focused on called the last ice area in northern canada, greenland and denmark. our research shows that this is the ice that will persist the longest. so we are hoping to protect and preserve that. ” “ to the arctic ” is getting mixed reviews from critics. although most praise the extraordinary images, several critics say the writing is weak. remembering chuck brown and donna summer june simms : america lost two major entertainers this week. chuck brown was considered the " godfather of go - go " music. donna summer was the " queen of disco. " chuck brown died wednesday at johns hopkins in baltimore, maryland. the musician had developed the blood infection sepsis during treatment for pneumonia. he was seventy - five. the singer was born in north carolina but moved to the american capital when he was eight. the city remained his home, and it was where he invented the music known as go - go. chuck brown grew up poor. he was raised by his mother, lyla louise brown. he never knew his father. chuck stopped going to school soon after the family moved to washington. he worked instead. he held jobs including shining shoes and selling newspapers. chuck brown got into trouble as a teenager. he spent eight years in a prison near washington. he started playing guitar while there. when chuck


soon after the family moved to washington. he worked instead. he held jobs including shining shoes and selling newspapers. chuck brown got into trouble as a teenager. he spent eight years in a prison near washington. he started playing guitar while there. when chuck brown gained his freedom he did not look back. he moved back to washington. he began playing his guitar and singing at events in the area. in his late twenties, brown joined some local bands. within two years he had formed his own. chuck brown and the soul searchers found a new sound that combined funk, jazz and rhythm and blues music. the bouncy beat of go - go music was especially popular in the washington area. but it influenced music in many other areas. the nineteen seventy - eight song “ bustin ’ loose ” is probably the most widely recognized go - go recording. it was chuck brown and the soul searchers ’ biggest hit. chuck brown was considered a hero to many in washington, dc. the city loves him so much it named a street block for him. hundreds gathered outside the howard theater on chuck brown way wednesday to remember the musician. june simms : disco singer donna summer died thursday. the sixty - three - year - old had battled lung cancer. christopher cruise remembers her life and her work. christopher cruise : donna summer was born ladonna gaines to a large family in boston, massachusetts, in nineteen forty - eight. she sang in church as a child. as a teenager she began forming musical groups. summer ’ s voice was clear, high and powerful. her first big hit came in nineteen seventy - five with “ love to love you, baby. ” she was in her twenties at the time. in nineteen seventy - nine donna summer had three number - one hits. one of them, “ hot stuff, ” won a grammy. donna summer was married twice. she had two children. her last album “ crayons ” was released in two thousand eight. donna summer won numerous awards during her career including five grammys. we leave you with donna summer performing her hit song “ last dance. ” june simms : i ’ m june simms. this program was written and produced by caty weaver. zulima palacio provided additional reporting. join us again next week for music and more on american mosaic in voa special english.


this week we celebrated earth day by learning about our earth, recycling and ways we can take care of our planet. we also learned about night and day and the earth ' s rotation. we made these lovely tie dyed coffee filter earths to decorate our classroom door by using markers to color coffee filters then used eyedroppers to drop water on them to make the colors bleed together. we often use coffee filters to color, then use a spray bottle, so this was a little different for us. it turns out that mastering the eyedropper is a little tricky, but great for our fine motor muscles. we needed some extra fine motor practice and thankfully, i was able to find lots of ways to incorporate these skills into our theme. one morning, we tore blue and green construction paper into little pieces and glued them to paper plates to make the earth. another activity we did to work on fine motor skills was making mobiles of the sun, moon, earth and stars. the friends traced different sized lids to make the sun and earth and used large lacing buttons to trace and cut stars and a moon. we decided to move wee world to a shady spot so the friends can play where it ' s cool and reclaimed the little patch outside our classroom door for our garden. we spent the week cleaning out the bed ( the friends had transported lots of sand and rocks into wee world ) and getting it ready for planting. i ' ve said before that i am extremely challenged when it comes to flowers and plants. honestly, the garden doesn ' t stand a chance, but i try every year. maybe this year will be the miracle year where something sprouts! ( fingers crossed! ) finally, on thursday, we planted a ton of seeds in the patch. the kids had a lot of fun sprinkling seeds and covering them up. we went on a " garbage hunt " to clean up any litter we could find. our large group activities were a lot of fun this week. one day i had a giant poster sized sun in the middle of the rug. we faced the sun for day time, then turned with our backs to the sun for night. this quickly became a game of " night and day ", similar to red light green light. i ' ve mentioned before that we really don ' t do worksheets in our class. there are, however, some really great ones out there, so i ' ve found creative ways to use the ones i really like. sometimes i ' ll make file folder games or learning centers from them.


t do worksheets in our class. there are, however, some really great ones out there, so i ' ve found creative ways to use the ones i really like. sometimes i ' ll make file folder games or learning centers from them. this worksheet i found in my files, collected from somewhere in internetland was designed for the kids to cut the little boxes and place them in the appropriate column. i enlarged it, put it on bulletin board paper and gave the friends the cards. one by one they each got to come up and determine whether the item could be recycled. we the class had to agree or disagree. this turned out to be pretty fun and the kids were really using their thinking caps! on another day, i placed a large paper pond in the middle of the rug. we filled it with fish and turtle manipulatives to simulate pond life. i then walked around the pond like i was having a big picnic and began throwing " clean " garbage onto the pond. soon, the pond was fully covered in garbage and we couldn ' t see any of the animals. we talked about how this was harmful and how quickly the pond got very dirty even though it was only a few pieces of garbage. each friend got to pick up a piece of trash to help clean our pond. soon the pond was clean and the friends decided the fish and turtles were happy again! our show and tell this week was quite impressive. i understand the importance of show and tell, but i struggle with the " toy " issue. i encourage the friends to bring in something theme related other than a toy, but often that ' s all that shows up. i have participated in several good discussions this year and really plan to work on this next year, but with only a few weeks left, i ' m just resigned to letting it go. i do, however, really try to promote ( not really brainwashing : ) bringing in something to share that relates to our theme. this week, a few friends really got creative. a few brought in recyclables like paper towel rolls and newspapers and that sort of thing. one friend brought this really cool shopping bag made from recycled plastics. we read the tag and talked about how the trash was made into something that is earth friendly, all because someone took the time to recycle. we also talked about the images on the bag and why they are earth friendly symbols. one of the friends made this really cool music shaker from a milk jug and rice! and one of


a depressing opinion article in the new york times last week highlighted a study showing low access to books among poor children in philadelphia, as well as a nonprofit organization called first book that tries to put new books in poor children ’ s hands. the study shows that there aren ’ t many books for sale near poor children in philadelphia, and that if there were a lot of families couldn ’ t afford them. it also demonstrates that even when there are school and public libraries around, they have many fewer books than such libraries in philadelphia ’ s wealthier parts of town. in other words, a lot of time and expense went into proving that poor kids don ’ t have as much of anything as rich kids. this kind of thing might be truly surprising to tenured professors at big research universities, but not to anyone else. a paragraph from the report shows just how blinkered much literacy research is : research in early literacy, however, has tended to focus on the immediate setting – the relation of family characteristics, book reading habits. instructional features in the school, and their impact on children ’ s early literacy development – not on the larger contexts, both formal and informal, that may affect events within the immediate settings. for example, it is assumed that middle - class parents ’ book reading habits with young children are a key factor in children ’ s early literacy preparation, and not merely a proxy for all the other events and activities that involve children in literacy in the larger community. similarly, it is assumed by school districts, as well as society at large, that individual schools in high - socioeconomic status areas produce children who excel in school achievement. but rarely is it recognized that these children generally have higher skills to begin with due to advantages outside school, and not on what the school necessarily provides. if it ’ s “ rarely recognized ” that children from richer families have higher skills because they have more advantages outside school, then the researchers haven ’ t spent much time watching rich kids or poor kids. rich kids have camps and vacations and museums and tutors and parents who push them to succeed in the ways rich people find valuable. poor kids have television and street gangs. though i applaud any groups, including librarians, who try to get books into the hands of children, studies of poverty and education are mostly pointless, because they diagnose problems that won ’ t be solved, even if they possibly could be solved. philadelphia is a good example, but many other cities could stand in, such as baltimore or detroit. large pockets of such cities are


mostly pointless, because they diagnose problems that won ’ t be solved, even if they possibly could be solved. philadelphia is a good example, but many other cities could stand in, such as baltimore or detroit. large pockets of such cities are wastelands of poverty, the kind of poverty most of us don ’ t see unless we go there, and we don ’ t go there. it ’ s easy to talk about all the opportunities for education in philadelphia. there are plenty of museums, one ivy league university, a large midlevel state university, a lot of historical buildings, monuments, and organizations. i enjoy conferencing in philadelphia because there ’ s a lot to do, and in a relatively compact area. go to north philly, and you find block after block of destitution, drugs, and crime. one neighborhood in north philly was this list ’ s 16th most dangerous neighborhood in america. high school graduation rates hover at 50 - 60 % in much of the city, and much less in certain schools. what does this have to to with libraries? not much, i suppose. libraries usually don ’ t go out of their way to put books in the hands of children. the children have to come to them. even then, the books are only borrowed, when a good predictor of children ’ s literacy is access to a home library. the founder of first book “ saw that children ’ s eyes lit up when they were given a book of their own, particularly a new book with an attractive cover. ” i wonder how many new books with attractive covers there are in libraries in poor sections of philadelphia. libraries can ’ t be the problem, but they ’ re not part of the solution, at least not in philadelphia. the philadelphia free library map of locations shows three libraries open near that dangerous neighborhood. they ’ re not open in the evenings, and only two are open saturday during the day, and none of them have book drops, according to the website. i assume that means that not only do you have to check out books during business hours, but return them as well. the study mentioned chestnut hill, a wealthier part of town, and its branch of the free library is open until 9pm two nights a week as well as all day saturday, plus it has a book drop. one city, 50 + libraries, unequal access. the gap increases when wealthy suburbs are compared with inner city or rural libraries and schools. the difference in opportunities between that dangerous north philly neighborhood


all day saturday, plus it has a book drop. one city, 50 + libraries, unequal access. the gap increases when wealthy suburbs are compared with inner city or rural libraries and schools. the difference in opportunities between that dangerous north philly neighborhood and, say, one of the wealthy main line suburbs is staggering. or it would be, if enough people cared, but they don ’ t. what ’ s the point of more studies that point out the obvious? oh, sure, you care, of course, and i care, but not enough to start an organization like first book, or enough to organize politically, or anything else that had any potential to be effective. it wouldn ’ t be effective anyway. we elect politicians who don ’ t keep their promises because they can ’ t. there ’ s no political will to really help the poor anyway, even if we knew effective ways of doing so. a permanent underclass exists, contained and forgotten by most of us. what can librarians do about all this? nothing at all. some of comments in the times suggested libraries as a solution to literacy problems, but the libraries are already there, for now. libraries are mostly for middle class people to indulge their leisure reading habits, though, so when it comes to the very poor, you can build a library, but they might not come. people who don ’ t read don ’ t use libraries, and neither do their children. maybe the ala can make a new read poster or something to make us all feel better.


every ten years when the census is complete, federal law requires that state and local governing bodies begin the process of redistricting if there have been significant shifts in population since the last census due to deaths, births, and migrations. the census bureau has an april 1 deadline for sending data to the states and then on to local levels. once the data is received, each governing body will begin its work of recreating districting plans, which must be complete in time for the next election. the lwvus promotes four essential principles to assure representative government : 1. an accurate and complete count in census 2010, and all future censuses, is an building block for all redistricting effort ; 2. the process used for redistricting must be transparent to the public ; 3. the redistricting process, at all levels of government, must provide data, tools and opportunities for the public to have direct public input into specific plans under consideration by the redistricting body ; 4. in order to achieve representative democracy, redistricting plans must be drawn in a manner that allows elected bodies to reflect the diversity of the populace, especially racial and ethnic diversity. in michigan, the state legislature will draw lines for us congressional districts and the state legislature. in wayne county, an apportionment commission will be appointed ; they have sixty days to come with a districting plan and to decide how many districts there will be. once the plan is complete, it must then be presented for public comment. facts that will influence michigan ’ s districts what are the guidelines for drawing districts? 1. all districts are to be single - member districts and should have as close to equal population as possible. 2. all district lines must be contiguous. 3. all districts must be compact and nearly square in shape as is practical, depending on the geography of the county area involved. 4. no township or part of a township can be combined with any city or part of a city to create a single district, unless necessary to meet the population standard. 5. townships, villages, and cities can be divided only, if necessary to meet the population standard. 6. precincts can only be divided if necessary to meet the population standard. 7. residents of state institutions who are ineligible to vote, such as prison inmates, must be excluded from representation. 8. districts cannot be drawn to result in partisan representation. one principle of a democratic government is one man, one vote. the voter ’ s rights act prohibits states from imposing any “ voting qualifications or prere


inmates, must be excluded from representation. 8. districts cannot be drawn to result in partisan representation. one principle of a democratic government is one man, one vote. the voter ’ s rights act prohibits states from imposing any “ voting qualifications or prerequisites to voting, or standard practice or procedure to deny or abridge the right of any citizen of the us to vote on account of race or color. this act was passed in 1965 - it was sent to congress by president johnson. why does it matter? from a pamphlet written by the michigan redistricting collaborative they state “ today in michigan, the districts are drawn by elected officials, whose interests are different than the interests of voters as a whole. the districts are often drawn to provide an advantage to the political party in control of the process. this issue isn ’ t a republican or democratic matter - both parties do it equally when they have the opportunity. this means voters ’ voices are often limited. after reviewing election results from 2000 to 2010, the center for michigan reported that ‘ only about one in seven michigan residents live in what could be deemed a consistently competitive swing district. in the michigan house, only 25 of 110 districts changed party control over the past decade ; in the senate only 6 of 38. ’ in 2006, only 45 percent of michigan voters supported republican candidates for the state senate. yet due to skillful map drawing, republicans won 55 percent of the seats in the senate, and were able to control the body. similar actions in wayne county, for instance, result in democrats winning 14 of 15 seats - 94 percent - despite taking 72 percent of the vote. many districts are drawn with a goal of helping elect one partisan politician, or at least to benefit one party or the other. the process of redistricting is typically heavily influenced by lobbyists and pacs and other partiese with vested interests. this is not good for democracy, in which voters - not partisan leaders or lobbyists - are supposed to be in charge! ”


what is hair growth? while many of us may wish for long, luscious, healthy hair, we are not always that lucky. growing your hair requires time, effort and patience! often people who have dry, damaged or very thin, limp hair struggle to grow their hair. this may partly be due to a poor diet, underlying diseases, hormonal changes, certain medications, hair treatments such as bleaching, dyeing, tight braiding, blow drying, straightening or hot curlers. most people are not even aware that the hair on their heads has a lifespan of their own and that shedding of hair is normal, natural and healthy. to understand how your hair works, you firstly have to understand the anatomy of hair and how hair grows. anatomy of hair hair is composed of two basic structures – the follicle which is found in the skin and the hair shaft lies above the skin. the follicle consists of several layers and each layer has its own specific functions. at the base of the follicle is a stocking - like structure called papilla which contain capillaries and supply blood to the cells. surrounding the bottom part of papilla is a structure known as the bulb. the follicle is surrounded by two sheaths – inner and outer sheaths. there primary function is to protect the hair shaft and to help shape it so that it grows in the correct direction. the inner sheath runs next to the hair shaft, ending at the sebaceous gland. the outer sheath runs next to the gland, ending at the erector pili muscle – hair stand on end when this muscle contracts. the hair shaft is made up of three layers of dead, hard protein called keratin. the innermost layer is called the medulla and may not always be present in the hair shaft. the cortex is situated in the second layer and makes up most of the hair shaft – this is part of the hair that provides bounce and curl. pigment cells that are spread throughout the cortex determine the color of your hair. the outermost layer is known as the cuticle and is responsible for the hair ’ s luster and sheen. hair growth cycle there are three phases of the hair growth cycle – anagen, catagen and telagen phases. anagen ( growing ) phase is defined as the growing or the ‘ on ’ phase where the hair cells grow faster - hair cells divide and new hair growth occurs. the anagen phase normally lasts for approximately 1000 days, as long as


- education, training & outreach - patients & caregivers - for investigators - dementia in the news - media room usa today ( december 30, 2009 ) : ginkgo biloba has no effect on alzheimer ' s, dementia the popular botanical ginkgo biloba does not improve memory nor does it prevent cognitive decline in older people, according to the largest and longest scientific study ever undertaken to look at the supplement. an extract derived from the gingko tree, gingkgo biloba has been touted since the 1970s by the supplement industry and others as an aid to improving memory, cognitive decline, dementia and alzheimer ' s disease. ginkgo extract has been used in traditional chinese medicine for more than 500 years, according to the american botanical council. the study finding is " disappointing news, " says steven dekosky, dean of the university of virginia school of medicine and the study ' s senior author. the only positive thing the researchers found is that ginkgo appears to be safe, he says. the results are from the ginkgo evaluation of memory study, funded by the national center for complementary and alternative medicine, a center of the national institutes of health. the randomized, double - blind and placebo - controlled study was conducted at six medical centers and involved more than 3, 000 people between ages 72 and 96 for seven years. the report is in today ' s journal of the american medical association.


newt gingrich is the current front runner in the gop primary. he has been noted to have a “ commanding ” lead in the polls. yet there are so many problems that newt would face in the general election, that it seems unlikely that he could sustain this lead.. however in a recent interview, gingrich has promoted perhaps the most offensive, deranged, bigoted suggestion for solving the tragedy of child poverty in this country. calling child labor laws “ tragic ” and “ stupid ”, gingrich explained that america ’ s child labor laws have “ done more to create income inequality in the u. s. than any other single policy. ” in an unprecedented moment of inspiration, gingrich suggested we eliminate janitors in public schools, and allow children to take pride in their schools by cleaning their toilets. newt ’ s plan would result in encouraging kids to take pride in the sparkling of a toilet bowl, instead of the amorphous sense of accomplishment of winning a football game, becoming a national merit scholar, being inducted in the national honor society, or winning a spelling bee. instead of striving to win a national debate tournament, our kids could set their sights on the high that comes from inhalation of bathroom cleaning products. childhood poverty is a huge problem in the united states. fifteen million children, 21 % of all children in the u. s., live below the federal poverty level. poverty has been shown to impede a child ’ s ability to learn. both mental and physical health problems are associated with childhood poverty. poverty is the single greatest threat to a child ’ s well - being. more than 23 % of the nation ’ s children have at least one foreign - born parent. immigrant families are disproportionately likely to experience poverty. while immigrant families have high employment rates, they are more likely to receive low wages, and are less likely to benefit from government work supports. thus newt gingrich believes that the solution is to teach the children of these immigrants to perform menial labor, such as janitorial work. in this way the country promotes a culture of ignorance and ensures that we will continue to have a work force of children constantly available. here in the united states, especially near the mexican border, children of all ages work with their migrant parents in vegetable fields. perhaps as many as 800, 000 kids pick vegetables by hand in america. sixty - five percent drop out of school before their high school graduation. thus immigrant children might be available to clean bathrooms in


in my earlier post on the meaning of understanding, i describe understanding of mathematics as making connections : to understand is to make connections. these connections are not done in random. concepts are linked with other concepts in order to create a richer image for the new concept that is being learned. to understand therefore is to form concept image. and a concept image is not formed by defining the concept. the definition of a concept is different from the concept image. let me share with you a an excerpt from my paper which discusses this idea. you can view the references here. understanding the definition does not imply understanding the concept. in order to understand a concept one must have a concept image for it. one ’ s concept image includes all the non - verbal entities, visual representations, impressions and experiences that are created in our mind by a mention of a concept name ( vinner, 1992 ). vinner stressed that the concept definition is not the first thing that is learned in understanding a concept but the experiences associated with it, which becomes part of one ’ s concept image. vinner believes that in carrying out cognitive tasks, the mind consults the concept image rather than the concept definition. vergnaud ( 1997 ) also noted, “ it is misleading, even in mathematics [ despite its precision in defining ], to consider that the properties of a concept are self - contained in its definition ” ( p. 5 ). to study and understand how mathematical concepts are develop in students ’ minds through their experience both in and outside school, vergnaud proposed that one needs to consider a concept c as a three - uple of three sets : c = ( s, i, r ) s : the set of situations that make the concept useful and meaningful. i : the set of operational invariants that can be used by individuals to deal with these situations. r : the set of symbolic representations, linguistic, graphic or gestural that can be used to represent invariants, situations and procedures ( p. 6 ) what are these telling us mathematics teachers? well, firstly, that it is not a good practice to start with concept definitions and secondly that it is important to design learning experiences that will create and enrich the concept image because it is then and only then when students can relate to the definition. definitions are already an abstraction of the concept. for example, if you give the child the definition of a dog, do you think he ’ d recognize one if he sees one? kidding. in order to be suitable to learners, a definition must consist of concepts known


health care providers can learn to communicate better with patientsdecember 19th, 2012 in health medical students, doctors and nurses can be taught to use a more holistic, patient - centered approach during medical consultations, focusing on the person and not just their medical complaint, finds a new review in the cochrane library. furthermore, short term training ( less than 10 hours ) was as effective as longer - term training. patient - centered care, which figures prominently in the new u. s. healthcare reform bill, is being promoted for its potential to encourage good health behavior and health outcomes, and to possibly reduce healthcare costs. " our study showed that healthcare providers can be trained effectively to involve patients in those patients ' own health decisions. providers, including those still in training, can acquire skills to enhance their communication with patients about their concerns and treatment options, " wrote review authors francesca dwamena, m. d. and robert smith, m. d., of the college of medicine at michigan state university and gelareh sadigh, m. d., of the university of michigan medical center. the 43 studies reviewed involved teaching clinicians how to share control of the medical consultation process and health care decision - making by focusing on patients ' personal preferences. health care providers and patients who participated in the patient - centered interventions reported small improvements in patient satisfaction, the health care consultation process and health status. john f. p. bridges, ph. d., associate professor in the department of health policy & management at the johns hopkins school of public health commented that though the review was accurate, implementation of the findings about the promotion of promote patient - centered care is limited by the lack of a detailed understanding of what actually constitutes patient - centeredness. " there ' s a general lack of understanding of what patients truly desire from health care, " bridges notes. " successfully designing and implementing interventions to promote patient - centeredness in the absence of such a comprehensive understanding of the needs and wants of patients is like trying to design modern drugs in the absence of an understanding of biology. how much of these things should we be doing, and what nature of things? where? and what is it worth? " more information : dwamena f, holmes - rovner m, gaulden cm, jorgenson s, sadigh g, sikorskii a, lewin s, smith rc, coffey j, olomu a. interventions for providers to promote a patient - centred approach in clinical consultations. cochrane database of systematic reviews.


imagine having hands so sensitive to cold that each winter they would swell and split open, so that just grabbing a carton of milk out of the refrigerator makes them whiten and throb with pain. then imagine learning to raise the temperature in your hands so that you could hold the carton of milk and do it without any pain. this is an example of what biofeedback training is attempting to accomplish for certain medical problems, such as raynaud ' s disease, a circulatory disorder that can cause its victims extreme discomfort and debilitation. for raynaud ' s disease, this therapy has not been found to be clearly effective, but there may be benefits for some other conditions. currently, incomplete but encouraging evidence suggests that biofeedback may indeed offer at least modest benefits for a variety of conditions, including anxiety, low back pain, insomnia, and female stress incontinence. there is mixed evidence as to whether biofeedback helps with migraine and tension headaches. the major advantages of biofeedback are that it is noninvasive, has virtually no side effects, and is possibly effective over the long - term. the major disadvantage for some is that it requires effort, commitment, and involvement on the part of patients. how biofeedback works every time you scratch an itch, grab a snack when you ' re hungry, or use the bathroom when you feel the urge, you are responding to biofeedback cues from your body about your physiological state. with biofeedback training, however, you are cued by sensors attached to your body. these sensors measure heart rate, the temperature of your extremities, the muscle tension in specific muscle groups, or, in neurofeedback, the kinds of brain waves you are emitting. this information is conveyed by visual displays or sounds. using imagery and mental exercises, you learn to control these functions, using the feedback provided by the sensors as a gauge of success. with practice, you can learn to " tune in " without instrumentation and control these functions at will during ordinary life. for example, in a biofeedback training session for headache, temperature sensors would be attached first to your hands, then to your feet, and finally to your forehead, if needed. your goal would be to increase blood flow away from the brain by raising the temperature in your hands and feet and eventually lowering it in your temples. other sensors might monitor your electrodermal or galvanic skin response


to your forehead, if needed. your goal would be to increase blood flow away from the brain by raising the temperature in your hands and feet and eventually lowering it in your temples. other sensors might monitor your electrodermal or galvanic skin response, how easily you sweat or get goose bumps, because this affects your ability to alter your skin temperature. to warm up your hands and feet, you might imagine basking in the sun on a beach while listening to a script like " i feel warm … my hands are growing warm and heavy … " both the image and the script would be tailored to you personally to evoke a vivid and relaxing mental image. after your training session, you would be sent home with an audio version of the script and small thermometers to use for your daily practice. who needs to be involved with biofeedback? any biofeedback treatment program should involve your primary healthcare provider and relevant specialists, such as urologists, cardiologists, or neurologists. the training is often most effective when integrated with other types of therapy, such as medicine or cognitive - behavioral therapy. neurofeedback, also called eeg feedback, is the most controversial form of biofeedback therapy, largely because so few controlled clinical trials have been able to assess its efficacy. neurofeedback is the " retraining " of brainwave patterns. although controversial, it is experiencing a resurgence of interest in the treatment of a variety of disorders, including depression, fibromyalgia, attention - deficit hyperactivity disorder ( adhd ), and alcoholism. in a neurofeedback training session, several sensors that measure your brain ' s electrical activity are attached to your scalp. you relax and play a video game, which is controlled just by your brain waves and responds favorably to brain waves of the desired pattern. as you play the game, your trainer observes your electroencephalogram ( eeg ), transmitted to a separate video terminal. most practitioners recommend at least 20 sessions to obtain significant, long - lasting results, although improvement is usually noted early on if the treatment protocol is right for you. a note of caution : be sure that the practitioner that you choose to work with has training and experience in using neurofeedback. ask lots of questions and talk with your primary care doctor before starting a treatment program. - reviewer : brian randall, md - review date : 12 / 2011 - - update date : 12 / 28 / 2011 -


aero thermal & mechanical systems niskayuna, ny usa more than 50 years ago, richard feynman urged the pursuit of micro and nano scale devices. this pursuit has brought significant advances in micro and nano electronics made possible by the transistor. more recently, mems devices, built from similar materials and leveraging the same tools set at silicon based electronics, have made their way into existence. there is even an industry group dedicated to advancing mems. just a few weeks back, the managing director of the mems industry group stopped by our research center to learn more about our ongoing research. about 15 years ago, the new york times published an article about the future of an exciting technology called mems. we are living the realization of mems technology and today, ge is on the verge of enabling a whole new revolution in mems applications. but i digress. first of all, you are probably wondering what mems devices are. mems stands for micro electromechanical systems and are tiny ( smaller than the width of your hair ) microscopic sensors and actuators that most of us use every day without ever realizing it. if you are reading this blog post from a smart phone, you are using mems inertial sensing devices right now to control your screen orientation. if you drove a car to work today, a mems accelerometer was protecting you in your car ’ s airbag sensor. some of the very first mems devices were ink - jet print heads and pressure sensors. later today when you de - stress from a long work day playing your favorite wii game, you will encounter mems again. the mems accelerometers and gyroscopes in the game controller are what senses your motion and is what makes these games possible. yes, mems devices are all around us! be sure to check out the short clip below where i explain how mems devices are used in different parts of a car including the engine, tires and the airbags. our mems team is developing an entirely new class of devices that will span across numerous applications from consumer to commercial and industrial products. this device platform is enabled by novel materials that deliver orders of magnitude improvement to device performance. we ’ re excited to soon share with all of you what ge researchers are doing with mems technology. next week, we will take you inside our cleanroom where much of our mems work is done. and two weeks from now, we will reveal some of revolutionary applications we are working to enable.


minn., wis. wolf hunts show different approaches to managementby stephanie hemphill, minnesota public radio st. paul, minn. — minnesota ' s first - ever regulated hunting season for wolves opens this weekend. wisconsin ' s wolf hunt has been under way for almost two weeks. when it comes to wolves, minnesota and wisconsin have a lot in common - - in fact, wisconsin ' s wolves probably migrated from minnesota. but differences in the hunts point up divergent approaches to wolf management. and some observers worry about whether both hunts will disrupt wolf packs enough to cause more problems than before. the big question is : how many wolves can people kill before they start to put the overall population at risk? minnesota has about 3, 000 wolves ; wisconsin has about 850. the minnesota dnr ' s target kill for this year is 400 wolves, or about 13 percent of the population. wisconsin plans to allow 201 wolves to be killed, or about 24 percent. in wisconsin, 85 licenses are reserved for native americans and are unlikely to be used. researchers say a wolf population can handle human - caused deaths of about 30 percent of the population. wisconsin ' s 24 percent target comes close to that. but wolves also die from causes other than hunting : cars and poaching and depradation control. they can take out betweeen 8 and 33 percent of the population in any given year. in theory, people could kill 57 percent of wisconsin wolves this year and 46 percent of minnesota ' s wolves. but wildlife managers in both states do not believe the kill will come close to those levels. the wisconsin dnr ' s land division administrator, kurt thiede, said some of the wolves that hunters and trappers kill might have died from something else. " it ' s the old argument of whether it ' s compensatory or additive mortality, " thiede said, " and that ' s one of the things we ' ll be learning this year in this first season. " minnesota has not set a goal for a maximum wolf population, while wisconsin has. it wants to reduce the number of wolves to 350 and keep it there. timothy van deelen, a wolf expert at the university of wisconsin, said the state will have a hard time managing such a small population. he said that even minor mistakes can be destabilizing and lead to uncontrolled population growth or collapse. " that ' s the issue that i think the managers and the decision makers don ' t fully appreciate, is just how difficult


. he said that even minor mistakes can be destabilizing and lead to uncontrolled population growth or collapse. " that ' s the issue that i think the managers and the decision makers don ' t fully appreciate, is just how difficult it is to have sustainability - - to have stability - - at that low population size, " he said. there is a lot that researchers do not know about the impact of hunting on wolf populations. for example, no one knows what might happen to wolf packs if the pack ' s leaders are killed. some research suggests removing breeding males or females can reduce pup survival. young wolves need these pack leaders to teach them how to hunt. randy jurewicz, a retired wildlife ecologist for the wisconsin dnr, worried about losing the strong, savvy wolves in packs. " there is a possibility that if you take out the biggest and best deer - killing wolves out of a pack, " jurewicz said, " you may turn the rest of that pack into depredators. " it ' s easier to go kill a sheep than it is to run down a deer. " but the minnesota dnr ' s large carnivore specialist, dan stark, disagreed. he said wolf packs have a high turnover rate, and there are always wolves around to take over key roles. stark said that minnesota ' s goal in this first season is not to reduce the population or to kill problem wolves, though that might be tried in future seasons. " this year it ' s just to gather information about hunting and trapping wolves in the state, " he said, " and allow a harvest of wolves that ' s going to be sustainable. both states ' natural resource agencies are working from a script written by their respective legislatures. wisconsin ' s law permits the use of dogs to hunt wolves, but a coalition of animal welfare groups persuaded the court to stop that, at least for this season. in minnesota, the dnr wanted to delay the wolf season until after deer season closed, but the legislature decreed the hunt would begin on the opening day of rifle deer season on saturday. both states hope to learn a lot from the first season and will probably tweak wolf hunting in future years. • follow stephanie hemphill on twitter : http : / / www. twitter. com / mpr _ hemphill - morning edition, 10 / 29 / 2012, 8 : 45 a. m.


scientists have designed a brain implant that sharpened decision making and restored lost mental capacity in monkeys, providing the first demonstration in primates of the sort of brain prosthesis that could eventually help people with damage from dementia, strokes or other brain injuries. the device, though years away from commercial development, gives researchers a model for how to support and enhance fairly advanced mental skills in the frontal cortex of the brain, the seat of thinking and planning. the new report appeared thursday in the journal of neural engineering. in just the past decade, scientists have developed brain implants that improve vision or allow disabled people to use their thoughts to control prosthetic limbs or move computer cursors. the new paper, led by researchers at wake forest baptist medical center and the university of southern california, describes a device that improves brain function internally, by fine - tuning communication among neurons. previous studies have shown that a neural implant can do this for memory in rodents, but the new report extends that work significantly, experts said — into brains that are much closer to those of humans. in the study, researchers at wake forest trained five rhesus monkeys to play a picture - matching game. the monkeys saw an image on a large screen — of a toy, a person, a mountain range — and tried to select the same image from a larger group of images that appeared on the same screen a little while later. the monkeys got a treat for every correct answer. after two years of practice, the animals developed some mastery, getting about 75 percent of the easier matches correct and 40 percent of the harder ones, markedly better than chance guessing. the monkeys were implanted with a tiny probe with two sensors ; it was threaded through the forehead and into two neighboring layers of the cerebral cortex, the thin outer covering of the brain. the two layers, called l - 2 / 3 and l - 5, are known to communicate with each other during decision making of the sort that the monkeys were doing when playing the matching game. the device recorded the crackle of firing neurons during the animals ’ choices and transmitted it to a computer. researchers at u. s. c., led by theodore berger, analyzed this neural signal, and determined its pattern when the monkeys made correct choices. to test the device, the team relayed this “ correct ” signal into the monkeys ’ brains when they were in the middle of choosing a possible picture match, and it improved their performance by about 10 percent. the researchers then impaired the monkeys ’ performance deliberately, by dosing them with cocaine. their scores


correct ” signal into the monkeys ’ brains when they were in the middle of choosing a possible picture match, and it improved their performance by about 10 percent. the researchers then impaired the monkeys ’ performance deliberately, by dosing them with cocaine. their scores promptly fell by 20 percent. “ but when you turn on the stimulator, they don ’ t make those errors ; in fact, they do a little better than normal, ” said robert e. hampson of wake forest, a study author. his co - authors were sam a. deadwyler, ioan opris and lucas santos, all of wake forest ; dr. berger, vasilis marmarelis and dong song of u. s. c. ; and greg a. gerhardt of the university of kentucky. the technology used in the study could easily be contained on an implantable chip, dr. deadwyler said, and it is possible to envision a system that could help people with brain damage. “ the whole idea is that the device would generate an output pattern that bypasses the damaged area, providing an alternative connection ” in the brain, he said. many hurdles remain. decision making, like memory, is a multifaceted process that involves many neural circuits, depending on the decision being made. a device focused on just one circuit is likely to be very limited. but not long ago, even a simple neural prosthesis would have seemed like science fiction.