prisons were filled with the bodies of political and religious prisoners — in both the north and south. since so many were killed, today few christians remain in the north and few socialists remain in the south. the people who fled to the south became partisans in the chiri - san and t ’ aebaek mountain range, and most died. about 4, 800, 000 people died in the peninsula wada haruki states in his book chosen senso zenshi ( “ the complete history of the korean war ” ) that the number of north koreans lost — including dead, missing, and refugees to the south — was 2, 720, 000. for south korea the number dead were about 1, 330, 000. korea lost over ten percent of its population. wada also reported the estimates given by bruce cumings ( an historian at the university of chicago ) and dr. john harris ( an asian specialist in england ). according to them, the dead included 500, 000 soldiers and two million civilians in north korea, and 250, 000 soldiers and one million civilians in south korea. some of the causes of deaths in the north were bombs from aircraft that took off from american bases in japan. they also reported that one million soldiers of the chinese people ’ s volunteer army, 54, 246 soldiers of the united states military, and 299 airmen of the soviet air force also perished during the war. according to senryo - gun chotatsu - shi ( “ the history of the occupation, ” published by chotatsu - cho ), 56 japanese engaged in transportation work around the korean area of the operation were reported as dead by january 1951. it is impossible to give exact numbers, but i estimate that at least 4, 800, 000 people lost their lives in the conflict. and ten million people from both south and north korea — that is, one out of every three families — had to evacuate their homes. if — if — we were allowed to redo our history ; if japan had been able to surrender before august, 1945 — that is, before the soviets entered word war ii in the east — not only would the korean war not have occurred, but korea would not have been split into south and north by the forces of the united states and the soviet union. in this sense, the korean war was the responsibility of the japanese empire. the largest civilian massacres occurred on the sites of the former japanese occupation. this seems to symbolize the history of the japanese empire in korea. this is a slightly abbreviated translation of an article that appeared


korean war was the responsibility of the japanese empire. the largest civilian massacres occurred on the sites of the former japanese occupation. this seems to symbolize the history of the japanese empire in korea. this is a slightly abbreviated translation of an article that appeared in shukan kin ’ yobi ( weekly friday ) on february 10, 2010. kobayashi akira is a photo - journalist. nobuko adachi is assistant professor of anthropology at illinois state university and a japan focus associate. she is the editor of japanese diasporas. unsung pasts, conflicting presents and uncertain futures and the editor and translator of i ' m married to your company! everyday voices of japanese women. she translated this article for the asia - pacific journal. recommended citation : kobayashi akira, " the unknown korean war : the truth and reconciliation commission of korea and excavation of the remains of mass - murdered victims, " the asia - pacific journal, 18 - 2 - 10, may 3, 2010. articles on related subjects : kim dong - choon, the truth and reconciliation commission of korea : uncovering the hidden korean war. kim dong - choon and mark selden, south korea ’ s embattled truth and reconciliation commission. gavan mccormack and kim dong - choon, grappling with cold war history : korea ’ s embattled truth and reconciliation commission. do khiem and kim sung - soo, crimes, concealment and south korea ’ s truth and reconciliation commission. 1 this novel was published over three years, from 1983 to 1986. in all, it consists of ten volumes. 2 he is generally known as syngman rhee in english. 3 the rebellion on cheju island in south korea began on april 3, 1948 and lasted until may 1949, though in some areas of the island the fighting continued until 1953. during this period, an estimated 14, 000 to 30, 000 individuals were killed. 4 this massacre occurred in the city of kwangju in the area of chollanam - do, south korea, from may 18 to may 27, 1980. democratization activists and their supporters ( including university students ) rose against chun doo - hwan ’ s military dictatorship only to be violently suppressed. this kwangju uprising and massacre is also called the 518 incident, referring to the date when the uprising began. 5 these were cases brought by the south korean government against communists ( or suspected communist sympathizers ) according to the anti - communism law of 1965 ( the first incident ) and the national security law of 1975


“ you can live longer without food than you can without sleep. it has also been reported that if you go without sleep for extended periods of time, your mental health will be significantly compromised, and you may experience episodes of manic behaviour or deep depression ” for most of us, it won ’ t be as dramatic as going a week without sleep. it will be a more subtle kind of sleep deprivation that can take place because of bad habits, medical conditions, small children or shift work, and it can have a dramatic impact on our health, not to mention our quality of life. adequate sleep, which is six to eight hours for the average person, is required for your body to regenerate and handle day to day demands. quality of sleep is important, as well. if you are getting eight hours of sleep, but having it interrupted a number of times throughout the night, you may experience the same physical and emotional fatigue as someone who is not getting the quantity of sleep that they need. sleep is a pillar of holistic health! quality sleep will help with the aging process, speed metabolism, increase immune function, increase mental and emotional health, increase willpower and mental clarity, just to name a few things. so what can you do to increase your level of quality sleep? - bed time routine : we are creatures of habit, and our body responds accordingly. if we have the same routine before going to bed every night, our bodies adapt and will start releasing the hormones that promote sleep as soon as we begin the routine. this can be something as simple as having a cup of hot tea, and then brushing your teeth and washing your face. or, it could be something a little more involved, like a warm bath followed by reading from your favourite book. - turn off electronic devices : it may feel like you are unwinding when you watch tv, but don ’ t mistake numbing or being distracted with relaxing. it often feels good to zone out in front of the tv or computer, but your mind is going a mile a minute as it follows visual stimulation. - de - stress throughout the day : having a ten minute relaxation routine before bed doesn ’ t always cut it when you have been going full steam ahead all day. it is like going a hundred miles per hour all day and then putting your foot on the brake. you will not stop instantly. it is important to do relaxation exercises, like the ones listed below, throughout the day and not just at bed time. - supplementation : to find out the best quality supplements


and then putting your foot on the brake. you will not stop instantly. it is important to do relaxation exercises, like the ones listed below, throughout the day and not just at bed time. - supplementation : to find out the best quality supplements please contact me and i will give you more info - meditation : for those who aren ’ t used to meditation. try a guide meditation on youtube or down load an app to your phone. my favorite is an app for iphones called sleepstream2. it works with binaural beats to help bring your brain waves into a zen like state. - limit caffeine : coffee is an obvious culprit, but be careful of other caffeinated bevies like green tea, black tea, iced tea, cola and hot chocolate. everyone metabolizes caffeine differently, but it can take up to seven hours to be out of your system, and if you want to be in bed early, that may mean kicking your skinny latte habit on your last coffee break. - exercise : this releases the adrenaline and energy that gets built up from daily stresses. you don ’ t have to train for an hour. even twenty minutes of exercise a day will help you to fall into a deeper sleep at night. note : exercising actually stimulates you and will interfere with sleep if you do it within two hours of going to sleep, so get your dance on during the day or in the morning. - journal : one of the number one reasons people report not being able to sleep is not being able to turn off their thoughts. journaling is a great way to get out what is going on in your mind and clear your thoughts. it doesn ’ t have to be poetic or look pretty. just get it out there, so that your thoughts are no longer taking up sacred consciousness when you want to be asleep. if you believe in prayer, this is also a great time to release your thoughts and worries to a higher power. once you surrender your worries and desires, it is often easier to surrender to sleep. if you have been putting your sleep habits on the back burner, here is your wake up call. quality sleep is one of the number one keys to optimal health and it is time to master this aspect of your health. if you have had ongoing sleep issues, please consider seeing a doctor or naturopath to look deeper into underlying issues. but, whatever you do, don ’ t put up with lousy sleep! shared by sam and jes


ancient egyptian weight systems this paper presents an analysis of three of the ancient egyptian weight systems. this paper presents an analysis of three of the ancient egyptian weight systems. key words : weights, egyptian, ancient, petrie, peyem, qedet, stater in " ancient weights and measures ", flinders petrie1 lists stone and metal weights recovered from excavations in egypt. this paper presents an analysis of some of these stone weights which start with catalogue number 2001. these are tabulated in plates 27 to 42 of petrie ’ s publication. the metal weights and the stone weights from earlier finds are not included in this analysis. there are over 2700 stone weight specimens listed in these tables. of these, about 2100 pieces are purchased items. just over 600 pieces have provenance2. petrie classified this collection of stone weights under eight systems. information in the tables includes details about the material of the specimens, form of each specimen, weight in grains, assigned ratio and the unit value for each specimen. some of the specimens are damaged. listed weight for such pieces is corrected by estimating the damage. the amount added to the weight is listed separately in the last column headed " details ". corrected weights are used in this analysis. in the tables, the specimens are sorted in an ascending order of the calculated unit value. in the first column is the catalogue number for each specimen. this starts at 2001 to avoid mix up with previously published lists of ancient egyptian weights. under each weight system, a few specimen do not have a catalogue number. these appear as an alternative fit with this weight system and full details of such specimen, including the catalogue number, are given under the weight system they are identified to belong. a note in the final column identifies that weight system. analysis of the ancient weight systems can be carried out by different methods and this paper examines some of them. these methods are illustrated with three of the ancient egyptian weight systems. these are : peyem, qedet and stater. the peyem is the first of the eight systems and has the lowest unit value, qedet has the most numerous specimens and the stater weights show the best accuracy of the eight systems. a log chart is a plot of the logarithm of the weight values. the weight list is sorted in ascending order. this way the lowest weight appears on the left of the chart, with heavier weights progressing towards the right. the logarithm ( log for short ) of a number is the power to which another


. the weight list is sorted in ascending order. this way the lowest weight appears on the left of the chart, with heavier weights progressing towards the right. the logarithm ( log for short ) of a number is the power to which another number, called the base, is raised. the most common base is 10. any number can be used as a base. in the ancient weight systems, multiples and submultiples of 2 are fairly standard. hence the whole list of weights is expressed as log to base 2 and plotted on a chart. with base 2, logarithms of 2, 4 and 8, for example, are 1, 2 and 3, respectively. a number between the exact multiples of 2 will have its logarithm between the logarithms of those multiples. for any two numbers, the logarithm of smaller number is smaller than that of the larger number. the log chart displays the weight list in a compressed form. this permits such a large range to be displayed on a reasonable size chart. hemmy used a log chart to display a wide range of harappan weights on a single chart3. he displayed the number of specimens lying within a short range of nominal weight values for the weights from 0. 5 grams to 550 grams. this required some processing of weight data before the charts could be prepared. in the charts presented here nothing more than sorting the weight data in an ascending order is required. in the charts, the vertical scale is adjusted such that the grids are a unit apart. this means that an increase of 1 on the chart represents a doubling of the weight value. similarly, a decrease of one represents halving of the value. a log chart suitably prepared can identify the systematic nature of any weight system and point to different multipliers used in the system. the frequency at any particular value is also easily observable. such information can be gleaned without processing the weight data. in the end the raw data needs to be processed to gather further information about the make up of the system. table of ratios a table listing the ratios and frequencies of weights at those ratios is another way of examining the weight system. petrie assigned a ratio to every weight specimen in each system and then using the weight of the piece, calculated the unit value for each specimen. since a specific value is not assigned to the unit of the system, an average of all the unit values is used as the system ' s unit weight. the nominal weight for


using the weight of the piece, calculated the unit value for each specimen. since a specific value is not assigned to the unit of the system, an average of all the unit values is used as the system ' s unit weight. the nominal weight for each ratio is simply the product of this unit value and the assigned ratio. an additional column lists the logarithm to base 2 of each nominal weight. this should help to identify the plotted points on the log chart. the frequencies are determined by counting the number of specimens that are allocated to each nominal weight. this is accomplished as follows. any weight between two adjacent nominal weights a and b will be allocated to a if it is less than ( a + b ) / 2, otherwise it is allocated to b. continuing this way, all the weights between the lowest and the highest nominal weights are allocated to one or the other weight ratio. the weights lighter than the lowest nominal value are assigned to the lowest ratio. similarly, those heavier than the highest nominal value are assigned to the highest ratio. this method of allocation of weights ensures that each specimen belongs to only one ratio and that no specimens are left out. another way of displaying the characteristic of a weight system is by means of a histogram or a frequency distribution chart. this displays the number of specimens in a given interval of weight. to cover the entire range of the system, the whole collection of weights is first normalised. to do this, each specimen allocated to a ratio or nominal weight is divided by that nominal weight. this will give a value of 1 for specimens that are exactly equal to the nominal weight. those specimens below nominal weight will return a value less than 1 and those above greater than 1. the number of pieces within 1 % interval of the normalised value is counted. the interval at the centre spans the range from 0. 995 to 1. 005 of the normalised value and the rest of the range is similarly divided. the count of specimens in each interval is displayed on a chart. this is the histogram or frequency distribution of the weight system. there are 269 specimens in this weight system. the unit value of these weights ranges from 112. 0 grains to 125. 2 grains and their average value is 119. 6 grains. chart 1a is a log plot of these peyem weights. the binary scale of the weight system, in parts, is apparent, as is the fact that the whole system does not follow the binary scale. the vertical axis is set to start at 3. 90 =


log plot of these peyem weights. the binary scale of the weight system, in parts, is apparent, as is the fact that the whole system does not follow the binary scale. the vertical axis is set to start at 3. 90 = log2 ( 15 ). the first six steps in the chart, up to 8. 90 on the vertical scale, represent a sequence of binary multiples as they all lie on successive grid lines. the steps or flats are made of weights very close in value. the next flat is below the expected 9. 90, indicating a multiplier less than 2 is involved. an inspection of values in table 1 shows that this multiplier is 1. 25. starting from this step, there are four flats that form another sequence. there are a few odd groups that are not part of this sequence. of these, two are on the grid line and therefore belong to the sequence starting with the lowest weight. another single weight, also on the grid line, appears very near the top. by setting the vertical scale to different values, successive flats that form a sequence can be identified. in the chart above, three separate groups that follow a binary sequence can be seen. table 1 is constructed using 119. 6 grains as the unit of the peyem system. an examination of the table shows the basic scale of 1, 2, 4, 5 repeating over the next two decades. the expected ratio of 500 is absent and that at 1000 has only one specimen. there are also three fractional ratios of a half, a quarter and an eighth. there are a few odd ratios : 3, 8, 12, 16, 60 and 1500. their frequencies are low. they do not form part of any sequence as their decimal multiples are absent. altogether, 17 specimens out of a collection of 269 do not follow the basic 1, 2, 4, 5 scale. chart 1b is a histogram of the peyem system. the set of nominal weights, as listed in table 1, occurs at the normalised value of 1. 00 and there are four values where the frequency is higher than at the nominal weights. the peak frequency occurs at 0. 96 of the normalised value. the collection of the qedet system comprises 861 specimens. the unit value ranges from 135. 5 grains to 153. 5 grains with the average equal to 144. 5 grains. chart 2a displays the whole collection on a log scale to base 2. the unit value of 144. 5 grains can be seen


. the unit value ranges from 135. 5 grains to 153. 5 grains with the average equal to 144. 5 grains. chart 2a displays the whole collection on a log scale to base 2. the unit value of 144. 5 grains can be seen on the grid line at 7. 17. the collections on the following two succeeding grid lines form part of the binary sequence of 1, 2, 4. the presence of a large number of specimens just above the grid line at 9. 17 shows a non - binary multiple of 5. like peyem, qedet also follows a basic scale of 1, 2, 4, 5. all of these multiples can be seen in table 2b, which also shows the frequencies at different ratios as well as the value to log2 ( weight ) for different nominal weights. again there are fractional ratios, this time a third and a sixth as well as a half, with the fractional ratio of a sixth having a frequency of only one. the collection on the grid line at 6. 17 are weights at half the unit value. here also there are odd ratios. these are the fractional ratios of a third and a sixth and the ratios 2. 5, 3, 6, 8, 25, 30, 150, 250. the frequency at ratio of 25, like that at one third, is surprisingly high. in all, there are 70 of these odd ratios out of the total collection of 861 specimens. chart 2b is a histogram of the qedet system. the collection ranges from 0. 93 to 1. 06 of the normalised values of the weights. the peak frequency occurs at 0. 98 of the normalised value. the stater system compromises 396 specimens. the unit value of weights ranges from 132. 0 grains to 140. 3 grains and their average value is 135. 3 grains. chart 3a is a log plot of these weights. the vertical scale is adjusted so that the value of 7. 08 ( = log2 ( 135. 3 ) ) falls on a grid line. table 3 shows the ratios of the stater weight system. the scale of 1, 2, 5 better describes the system as there are specimens with multiples of tens of this scale up to a ratio of 1000. while there are 3 specimens at ratio 4, there are none at ratios 40 and 400. similarly, ratios 3 and 25, with respectable counts, do not have any at higher multiples. all these ratios, along with the sixth, the third


. while there are 3 specimens at ratio 4, there are none at ratios 40 and 400. similarly, ratios 3 and 25, with respectable counts, do not have any at higher multiples. all these ratios, along with the sixth, the third and 8 and 150 are odd to the basic ratio of 1, 2, 5. in all, there are 62 of these odd ratios out of the total collection of 396 specimens. the stater system of weights is an odd one out of the three systems being analysed in that its basic scale is different from the other two and it is also the most accurate of the three. this can be seen from the histogram, chart 3b. this shows the distribution ranging from 0. 98 to 1. 04 of the normalised values. this in spite of a large number of specimens with odd ratios. the analysis of each weight system is based on petrie ' s assignment of ratio to each specimen from which a value of the unit of the system is derived. the histogram or frequency distribution of the weight system is based on the average of the derived values of the unit. the frequencies at each ratio listed in the table of ratios are obtained from the weight tables. the log charts are based solely on the weight of specimens which petrie determined using a balance and set of grain weights4 specially manufactured for the purpose. a set of weights manufactured to a specific value will display a spread about that specific or intended value. the number of specimens at the intended value is the highest and the distribution of the rest is symmetrical about it. the distribution trails away from the peak. the distribution is shaped like a bell and is known as the normal distribution. the frequency distribution for the peyem and the qedet systems, charts 1b and 2b, presents a challenge. the peak frequency is not at the centre of the distribution. frequencies away from the nominal value do not trail off as expected for a normal distribution. the frequency distribution of the stater system, however, is much closer to that expected for a normal distribution. these histograms are fairly compact, the range of spread of the weights about the nominal values is mostly less than 5 %. the stater system displays the narrowest range, with most of the collection accommodated within 2 % of the nominal values. histograms can be examined for slightly different values of the unit weight. for the peyem and qedet systems, the distribution will roll along, with the frequencies rippling along the top.


within 2 % of the nominal values. histograms can be examined for slightly different values of the unit weight. for the peyem and qedet systems, the distribution will roll along, with the frequencies rippling along the top. no unit value can give a distribution with a single peak frequency. but for the stater system the matters are different. a slightly higher value of the unit weight is found that produces an almost symmetrical distribution with the peak frequency occurring at the nominal value. chart 3b1 shows the distribution of the stater system for two different values of the unit weight : at the average value of 135. 3 grains in blue, and at 135. 8 grains in red. all the systems examined here include ternary and quinary ratios as well as the usual binary and decimal ratios found in many of the ancient weight systems. the quinary ratio can be explained as an intermediate stage of a decimal scale. the ternary ratio is not so easily explained. binary submultiples are a standard feature of each weight system. also, a few ternary submultiples are present in two of the weight systems examined but none of the systems has any quinary submultiple. removing the weights of the ternary scale alters the picture. both total frequency and distribution are affected. however, reassigning weights of the ternary scale to the nearest ratio applicable alters the frequency distribution only. examination of the weight systems presented here is based on weights recovered nearly 100 years ago. addition of newer finds could alter the picture. a larger collection will give a better value of the unit of the weight system. it should also provide a better view of the ratios that existed in different weight systems. special thanks are due to norman j. street for providing access to certain books without which this paper would not have been possible. 1. ancient weights and measures by flinders petrie, department of egyptology, university college, london. 1926 2. an analysis of the petrie collection of weights by a. s. hemmy in the journal of egyptian archaeology, vol. 23 no. 1 ( june 1937 ), p 42 3. the statistical treatment of ancient weights by a. s. hemmy, in ancient egypt, december 1935. page 86. 4. ancient weights and measures, op cit, p3 © 2012 chandrakant doshi


if you ' ve ever had the flu, you know how bad it can make you feel. to help avoid all that misery — as well as possible health complications — doctors now recommend that all teens through age 18 get a flu vaccine every year. hate getting shots? there ' s good news : the flu vaccine also comes in a nasal spray. why get vaccinated? the main reason for getting vaccinated is to spare yourself the misery of flu. but there are other reasons to get vaccinated too. it ' s especially important for people with certain medical conditions ( like kidney disease, diabetes, hiv, heart problems, or asthma ) to get a flu vaccine. they are more likely to get serious complications ( like pneumonia ) when they get the flu. kids and teens who take aspirin regularly also need to be vaccinated. they are at risk for developing a serious condition called reye syndrome if they get the flu. another reason for getting vaccinated is to protect the people around you who might get seriously ill from flu — like babies, people with serious illnesses, and the elderly. when you protect yourself with a flu vaccine, you also protect other people who are more vulnerable because there ' s less chance you ' ll get the flu and pass it on. scientists call this " herd immunity. " when should a person get vaccinated? the best time to get a flu shot in the united states is before flu season starts. this gives the body a chance to build up immunity before the winter flu season. so you ' ll want to get vaccinated as soon as this year ' s flu vaccine becomes available in your area. ( your mom or dad should be able to find out when that is from your doctor ' s office, or ask your school nurse. ) if you can ' t get vaccinated right away, you can still get a flu shot throughout flu season and have some protection against the flu. you also can protect yourself against the flu by washing your hands frequently. flu vaccines are available as a shot or nasal mist ( a type of spray that ' s squirted up the nose ). the shot contains killed flu viruses that won ' t cause people to get the flu, but will cause the body to make antibodies to fight off infection by the live flu virus. the flu shot is very effective at protecting against the flu, but it ' s not 100 %. a few people who get the shot will get the flu. in addition, the shot only contains certain strains of the virus


by the live flu virus. the flu shot is very effective at protecting against the flu, but it ' s not 100 %. a few people who get the shot will get the flu. in addition, the shot only contains certain strains of the virus. if a new flu strain emerges, a person who ' s had a shot may not be protected against it. if you hate getting shots, ask your doctor about the nasal mist vaccine. the nasal mist is different from the shot because it contains weakened live flu viruses instead of killed viruses. because it contains live viruses, the nasal mist isn ' t for everyone. for example, people with weakened immune systems ( from certain illnesses or medications ) shouldn ' t get the nasal mist. check with your doctor to see if you can get the nasal mist vaccine. what about side effects? it ' s possible to have some minor side effects for 1 or 2 days after getting a flu shot, like soreness in the area where you got the shot. some people may feel achy or have a mild fever after getting the shot. but the side effects aren ' t as bad as the flu, which can make some people sick for as long as 2 or 3 weeks. a few people who get the nasal mist vaccine can develop mild flu - like symptoms that go away after several days. and if you have an egg allergy, get your flu shot in a doctor ' s office, not at a supermarket, drugstore, or other venue.


a magnesium test is done to assess magnesium levels in the blood. magnesium, a mineral obtained mostly from food, helps the : muscles and nerves function heart maintain normal rhythm bones stay strong body process energy and make proteins why it ' s done doctors may order a magnesium test to help diagnose or monitor : kidney problems ( whether the kidneys are excreting or retaining too much magnesium ) gastrointestinal and nutritional conditions ( problems with intestinal absorption or malnutrition ) abnormal heart rhythm muscle problems, such as cramping, twitching, or weakness low calcium or potassium levels ( because magnesium works closely with other minerals, its levels can directly affect the body ' s overall chemical balance ) no special preparations are needed for this test. however, certain drugs — especially those that contain magnesium, such as some antacids and laxatives — might alter the test results, so tell your doctor about any medications your child is taking. on the day of the test, having your child wear a short - sleeve shirt can make things easier for the technician who will be drawing the blood. a health professional will usually draw the blood from a vein. for an infant, the blood may be obtained by puncturing the heel with a small needle ( lancet ). if the blood is being drawn from a vein, the skin surface is cleaned with antiseptic, and an elastic band ( tourniquet ) is placed around the upper arm to apply pressure and cause the veins to swell with blood. a needle is inserted into a vein ( usually in the arm inside of the elbow or on the back of the hand ) and blood is withdrawn and collected in a vial or syringe. after the procedure, the elastic band is removed. once the blood has been collected, the needle is removed and the area is covered with cotton or a bandage to stop the bleeding. collecting blood for this test will only take a few minutes. either method ( heel or vein withdrawal ) of collecting a sample of blood is only temporarily uncomfortable and can feel like a quick pinprick. afterward, there may be some mild bruising, which should go away in a few days. getting the results the blood sample will be processed by a machine. the results are commonly available after a few hours or the next day. if magnesium levels are found to be either elevated or deficient, further testing may be necessary to determine what ' s causing the problem and how to treat it. the magnesium test is considered a safe procedure. however, as with many medical tests, some problems


a boy in my 8 - year - old daughter ' s class has a cleft palate. i know that he has trouble finding friends because other kids — including my daughter — are wary of his difference. how can i encourage her to reach out to him so other kids will too? this is an excellent opportunity for you to teach your daughter about accepting others. kids are often sharp observers of physical appearances and, like your daughter, many are initially wary of others with noticeable differences. provide basic information about cleft palate so your daughter will understand it. emphasize that although some kids may look different, they are just like other children in many ways. keep it as simple and direct as possible, perhaps saying something like : " johnny was born with an opening on the roof of his mouth, called a cleft palate. his doctors are working to make it better and he sometimes has trouble saying certain sounds. " focus on how the boy is just like other kids, perhaps saying something like, " he ' s a good reader like you and likes to play soccer. " encourage your daughter to talk to him or ask him to play in the same ways she does with other kids. if she ' s reluctant to do this for fear of what her friends think, ask her to consider how she would feel if others excluded her based on a physical feature that she couldn ' t help, like glasses or a birthmark. forcing your daughter to develop friendships with specific kids isn ' t likely to work. but you can continue to gently encourage her to reach out to the boy, help her feel more comfortable and confident interacting with people who are different for any reason, and teach ways to be more accepting of them. and don ' t forget to pay attention to the way you treat others with differences, as the example you set will strongly influence your daughter ' s behavior.


pools, lakes, ponds, and beaches mean summer fun and cool relief from hot weather. but water also can be dangerous for kids if you don ' t take the proper precautions. nearly 1, 000 kids die each year by drowning. and most drownings occur in home swimming pools. it is the second leading cause of accidental death for people between the ages of 5 and 24. the good news is there are many ways to keep your kids safe in the water and make sure that they take the right precautions when they ' re on their own. keeping kids safe kids need constant supervision around water — whether the water is in a bathtub, a wading pool, an ornamental fish pond, a swimming pool, a spa, the beach, or a lake. young children are especially vulnerable — they can drown in less than 2 inches ( 6 centimeters ) of water. that means drowning can happen where you ' d least expect it — the sink, the toilet bowl, fountains, buckets, inflatable pools, or small bodies of standing water around your home, such as ditches filled with rainwater. always watch children closely when they ' re in or near any water. if you don ' t already, it ' s a good idea to learn how to swim, and kids older than 4 years should learn, too ( check the local recreation center for classes taught by qualified instructors ). kids who are younger ( but older than age 1 ) also might benefit from swimming lessons, but check with your doctor first. don ' t assume that a child who knows how to swim isn ' t at risk for drowning. all kids need to be supervised in the water, no matter what their swimming skill levels. and infants, toddlers, and weak swimmers should have an adult swimmer within arm ' s reach to provide " touch supervision. " invest in proper - fitting, coast guard - approved flotation devices ( life vests ) and use them whenever a child is near water. check the weight and size recommendations on the label, then have your child try it on to make sure it fits snugly. for kids younger than 5 years old, choose a vest with a strap between the legs and head support — the collar will keep the child ' s head up and face out of the water. inflatable vests and arm devices such as water wings are not effective protection against drowning. don ' t forget the sunscreen and reapply frequently, especially if the kids are getting wet. uv sunglasses, hats, and protective clothing can also help


where the water hazards in your neighborhood are. who has a pool or water spa? where are the retaining ponds or creeks that may attract kids? tell neighbors who have pools that you have a young child and ask them to keep their gates locked. having a pool at home having a pool, pond, spa, or hot tub on your property is a tremendous responsibility when it comes to safety. hot tubs may feel great to adults, but kids can become dangerously overheated in them and can even drown — so it ' s best not to let them use them at all. having a fence ( one that goes directly around the pool or spa ) between the water and your house is the best safety investment you can make and will help prevent pool - related drownings. according to the consumer product safety commission ( cpsc ), fences should meet these standards : fences should stand at least 4 feet ( 130 centimeters ) high with no foot or handrails for kids to climb on. the slats should be less than 4 inches ( 110 millimeters ) apart so a child can ' t get through, or if chain link, should have no opening larger than 1¾ inches ( 50 millimeters ). gates should be self - closing and self - latching, and the latch should be out of kids ' reach. you can buy other devices, such as pool covers and alarms, but these haven ' t been proved effective against drowning for very young children, so fencing remains your best measure of protection. it ' s important to teach your kids proper pool and spa behavior, and to make sure that you take the right precautions, too. let kids know that they should contact the lifeguard or an adult if there ' s an emergency. kids shouldn ' t run or push around the pool and should never dive in areas that are not marked for diving. if the weather turns bad ( especially if there ' s lightning ), they should get out of the pool immediately. above all, supervise your kids at all times. don ' t assume that just because your child took swimming lessons or is using a flotation device such as an inner tube or inflatable raft that there ' s no drowning risk. if you ' re at a party, it ' s especially easy to become distracted, so designate an adult who will be responsible for watching the children. if you leave your child with a babysitter, make sure he or she knows your rules for the pool. seconds count when it comes to water emergencies, so take a cordless phone with you


adult who will be responsible for watching the children. if you leave your child with a babysitter, make sure he or she knows your rules for the pool. seconds count when it comes to water emergencies, so take a cordless phone with you when you ' re watching kids during water play. a quick - dial feature keyed to 911 or your local emergency center will also save additional seconds. if you receive a call while supervising kids, keep your conversation brief to prevent being distracted. once you ' ve installed all your safety equipment, review your home for water hazards and plan what to do in an emergency. learn cpr ( other caregivers should learn it, too ) and make sure you have safety equipment, such as emergency flotation devices, that are in good shape and are close at hand when boating or swimming. post emergency numbers on all phones and make sure all caregivers are aware of their locations. after your kids are finished playing in the pool for the day, be sure to remove all pool toys and put them away. children have drowned while trying to retrieve playthings left in the pool. you should still be concerned about water safety, even after the swim season has passed. pools with covers are not safe ; many kids attempt to walk on top of pools during the winter months and may get trapped underneath a pool cover. in addition, icy pools, ponds, and streams are tempting play areas for kids, so keep your pool gates locked and teach your kids to stay away from water without your supervision. if you have an above - ground pool, it ' s wise to always lock or remove the ladder when the pool is not in use. first, teach kids never to swim alone. using the buddy system means there ' s always someone looking out for you. make sure your kids understand that swimming in a pool is different from swimming in a lake or the ocean — there are different hazards for each. here are some tips : at the lake or pond don ' t let kids swim without adult supervision — lakes or ponds may be shallow near the bank and then increase in depth sharply further out from shore. ponds and lakes may hide jagged rocks, broken glass, or trash. make sure kids wear foot protection ; even in the water, they should wear aqua socks or water shoes. watch out for weeds and grass that could entangle a leg or arm. most boating accidents, particularly among teenagers, are related to alcohol. when you and your family are boating, assign a designated driver who won ' t drink. be sure


shoes. watch out for weeds and grass that could entangle a leg or arm. most boating accidents, particularly among teenagers, are related to alcohol. when you and your family are boating, assign a designated driver who won ' t drink. be sure teens know about the dangers of alcohol, on and off the water. at the beach teach kids to always swim when and where a lifeguard is on duty. they shouldn ' t swim close to piers or pilings because sudden water movements may cause swimmers to collide with them. unlike the calm waters of a swimming pool, the beach has special dangers like currents and tides. check with the lifeguard when you arrive to find out about the water conditions. don ' t allow kids to swim in large waves or undertows, and tell them never to stand with their back to the water because a sudden wave can easily knock them over. teach kids that if they ' re caught in a rip current or undertow, they should swim parallel to the shore or should tread water and call for a lifeguard ' s help. the stings of jellyfish or portuguese man - of - wars can be painful, so tell kids to avoid them in the water and to tell an adult right away if they ' re stung. whether at the lake or at the beach, teach your child to get out of the water during bad weather, especially lightning. water parks can be a lot of fun for kids, as long as you keep safety in mind. before you go, make sure the park is monitored by qualified lifeguards. once there, read all posted signs before letting your child on any rides ( many rides have age, height, weight, or health requirements, and each has a different depth of water ). teach your kids to follow all rules and directions, such as walking instead of running and always going down the water slide in the right position — feet first and face up. a coast - guard approved life jacket is a good idea, too. know which rides are appropriate for your child ' s age and development. for example, wave pools can quickly go from calm to rough, putting even a good swimmer in over his or her head. younger children can be intimidated by older kids ' splashing and roughhousing. what to do in an emergency whenever a child is missing, always check the pool first. survival depends on a quick rescue and restarting breathing as soon as possible. if you find a child in the water, immediately get the child out while calling loudly for help. if someone else


whenever a child is missing, always check the pool first. survival depends on a quick rescue and restarting breathing as soon as possible. if you find a child in the water, immediately get the child out while calling loudly for help. if someone else is available, have them call 911. check to ensure the child ' s air passages are clear. if the child is not breathing, cpr should be initiated as necessary. this is best done by someone who is trained in cpr. when the emergency number is called, follow the instructions the emergency operators provide. if you think the child may have suffered a neck injury, such as with diving, then keep the child on his or her back and brace the neck and shoulders with your hands and forearms to help keep the neck immobilized, until emergency help arrives. this type of immobilization minimizes further injury to the spine and is best performed by someone who is trained in the technique. don ' t let the child move. speak in calm tones to keep the child comforted. continue to watch for adequate breathing. recreational water illnesses happen due to contact with contaminated water from recreational water sources like a swimming pool, hot tub, water fountain, water park, lake, or ocean. it is usually spread by swallowing, inhaling or coming into contact with water that is contaminated with germs. most reported infections people get are diarrhea - related and often are due to the parasite cryptosporidium, which normally lives in the gastrointestinal tract and is found in feces. other infections can affect the skin, eyes, ears, and respiratory tract. kids, pregnant women, and people with a weakened immune system can be the most affected by these infections. although chlorine treatment in water kills germs that cause these illnesses, it can take time depending on the type of germ. a few tips to prevent getting a recreational water illness : kids with diarrhea should not swim. take kids on bathroom breaks often and change swim diapers often ( not at the poolside ). if you are taking a baby in the water who is not potty - trained, use a swim diaper. wash hands after using the bathroom or changing diapers. avoid swallowing or getting water in your mouth. keep the swimming water clean by showering with soap before entering the pool. after swimming, dry ears well with a towel / washcloth, tilting each ear down to help water drip out of the ear canal. this can help prevent swimmer ’ s ear (


the swimming water clean by showering with soap before entering the pool. after swimming, dry ears well with a towel / washcloth, tilting each ear down to help water drip out of the ear canal. this can help prevent swimmer ’ s ear ( an ear infection due to trapped water in the ear canal ). water safety tips for babies drowning, although the biggest worry, isn ' t the only concern when babies are exposed to water. infants are particularly susceptible to diseases that can be transmitted in water. after introducing an infant to a pool, dry the child ' s ears carefully with a towel or cotton ball to help prevent swimmer ' s ear. after a dip, wash your baby with a mild soap and shampoo the hair to remove pool chemicals. water temperatures below 85°f ( 29°c ) can cause babies to lose heat quickly, putting them at risk for hypothermia ( when body temperature falls below normal ). shivering infants or those whose lips are turning blue should be removed from the water immediately, dried, and kept in a towel. infants can also spread disease in a pool. cryptosporidium can be released into pools by babies with leaky diapers. when swallowed by other swimmers, the parasite can cause severe diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, weight loss, and dehydration. the safest thing to do is to keep your baby out of public pools until the child is potty - trained. if you do decide to take the baby in for a dip, use waterproof diapers only and change the diapers frequently ( but not poolside! ), washing your child well each time. keep any child with diarrhea or a gastrointestinal illness out of the pool during the illness and for 2 weeks afterward. provide frequent bathroom breaks for kids who are already potty - trained. water play can be a great source of fun and exercise. you ' ll enjoy the water experience more by knowing and practicing these safety precautions.


a couple of weeks ago, i was invited to the local pbs affiliate to hear the results of a study recently commissioned by pbs kids. we are a pbs kids family for sure, so the whole family was excited to attend the event with me. while i was hearing about the study, my little guy was hanging out with curious george. [ cue the pre - school squee! ] according to pbs kids, “ the national survey of parents with children ages 2 - 12 also indicated that parents are less likely to support their kids ’ math skills from the earliest ages, and that many parents have anxiety about supporting math learning at home. ” responding to this need, pbs kids and the corporation for public broadcasting ( cpb ) announced a new program called “ it all adds up. ” it all adds up is “ an effort that aims to boost math learning at home – and everywhere – by providing resources for parents. ” pbs kids and the cpb have already been doing great work over the last two years in literacy and math via more than 100 games and apps through the ready to learn program. it all ads up will build on that success and make them accessible online at pbs kids ’ lab, “ a site that aggregates games, apps and offline activities to help support math and reading learning for kids 2 - 8. ” here are a couple of photos of my little guy and a little girl playing a particularly awesome curious george game available at pbs kids ’ lab. it uses the microphone and the camera on the computer to allow the game to be interactive with little ones who maybe haven ’ t mastered the mouse or the keyboard. my guy loved it. here are a few of the awesome new resources : new fetch! 3 - d online game : ruff ruffman ’ s monumental mini - golf kiddos aged 6 to 8 will help ruff build his mini golf course. kids will partner up ( safely ) with other kids who are also online to solve puzzles and create structures. all along they will be practicing spatial reasoning, measurement, and shape manipulation. at the end of the game, kids get to play through the mini golf course that they just helped create! this game is in public beta, so there will likely be more changes to the game, but it ’ s a great time to get in and try it! pbs parents play & learn app this is pbs kids ’ first app designed exclusively for parents. available for free download, the app offers games and ideas for parents to practice math skills with their kids. the games are organized around familiar


pub. date : 2009 | online pub. date : may 18, 2009 | doi : 10. 4135 / 9781412971935 | print isbn : 9781412966702 | online isbn : 9781412971935 | publisher : sage publications, inc. about this encyclopedia homo ludens ( huizinga ) in 1938 johan huizinga ( 1872 – 1945 ) wrote homo ludens : a study of the play element in culture. this was the last book written by this dutch comparative linguist and cultural historian. it remains one of the most influential books about play. a later critic of it, roger caillois, stated that though most of its premises are debatable, it opens up many ideas for research about play. the title of this book comes from homo, meaning man, and ludens, meaning play. huizinga writes that play is interwoven with culture, and the essence of play is that it is fun. he further writes that play cannot be reduced to anything else. play cannot be viewed as a function of something else ; you play because you want to play. he argued that while play is a part of culture, since animals play, play exists before culture. the fact that animals play...


shots - health news wed november 14, 2012 signs of drug - resistant malaria emerge in vietnam and myanmar last spring, the global health community got some alarming news about its last, best treatment for malaria. the artemisinin - based drugs were losing their potency at two different places in southeast asia : in western cambodia and along the border between thailand and myanmar. health workers feared that it was only a matter of time before the resistant malaria would show up elsewhere. now there are signs that artemisinin - resistant malaria is cropping up in vietnam and central myanmar, researchers reported tuesday at the annual meeting of the american society of tropical medicine and hygiene in atlanta. " showing that resistance is emerging outside of western cambodia is a game changer, " says dr. rick fairhurst, an infectious disease specialist from the national institute of allergy and infectious diseases, who co - chaired the study. " there are other places, up and coming, that we ' ll have to be deal with now. " for the past year and a half, fairhurst and a team of doctors from oxford university have closely monitored 883 malaria patients at 12 locations in cambodia, thailand, myanmar, bangladesh, vietnam and laos. the researchers have been measuring how quickly the plasmodium parasite leaves patients ' blood after they ' re given artemisinin. patients in the drug - resistant hot spots of western cambodia took the longest time to recover from malaria infections, as researchers expected. but at clinics more than 300 miles away in vietnam, the results were mixed. some patients wiped out the infections fast, but others were quite slow to recover. the team saw the same split at clinics in central myanmar. some researchers at the meeting were hesitant to label this slow clearance of the parasite drug resistance because several factors can influence how fast the drug works, including a patient ' s age and the malaria species. plus, artemisinin still kills the parasite, eventually. it just takes longer. this is good news, fairhurst says, because it means doctors can still use the drug to treat malaria in these locations. they probably just have to be extra careful, and perhaps add another medication to make sure they wipe out all forms of the parasite. " we may need to get more serious about using a second drug to kill the gametocytes [ one stage of the parasite ], " he tells shots. " the guidelines say to do this, but it is not in widespread use. " although the study is still ongoing, the team hasn ' t found any signs of sluggish


total co2 or bicarbonate is different than the partial pressure of co2 ( pco2 ). learn about pco2 at a glance why get tested? when to get tested? during a routine physical or as recommended by your doctor if you are experiencing symptoms such as weakness, confusion, prolonged vomiting, or respiratory distress that could indicate an electrolyte imbalance or acidosis or alkalosis a blood sample drawn from a vein in the arm test preparation needed? the test sample what is being tested? the total co2 test measures the total amount of carbon dioxide in the blood, which occurs mostly in the form of bicarbonate ( hco3 - ). bicarbonate is a negatively charged ion that is excreted and reabsorbed by the kidneys. it is used by the body to help maintain the body ' s acid - base balance ( ph ) and secondarily to work with sodium, potassium, and chloride to maintain electrical neutrality at the cellular level. how is the sample collected for testing? a blood sample is drawn by needle from a vein in the arm. note : if undergoing medical tests makes you or someone you care for anxious, embarrassed, or even difficult to manage, you might consider reading one or more of the following articles : coping with test pain, discomfort, and anxiety, tips on blood testing, tips to help children through their medical tests, and tips to help the elderly through their medical tests. another article, follow that sample, provides a glimpse at the collection and processing of a blood sample and throat culture. is any test preparation needed to ensure the quality of the sample? no test preparation is needed. ask a laboratory scientist this form enables you to ask specific questions about your tests. your questions will be answered by a laboratory scientist as part of a voluntary service provided by one of our partners, american society for clinical laboratory science. if your questions are not related to your lab tests, please submit them via our contact us form. thank you. * indicates a required field note : this article is based on research that utilizes the sources cited here as well as the collective experience of the lab tests online editorial review board. this article is periodically reviewed by the editorial board and may be updated as a result of the review. any new sources cited will be added to the list and distinguished from the original sources used. sources used in current review pagana and pagana. mosby ’ s manual of diagnostic and laboratory tests. fourth edition. pp 152 - 154. medlineplus medical encyclopedia


will be added to the list and distinguished from the original sources used. sources used in current review pagana and pagana. mosby ’ s manual of diagnostic and laboratory tests. fourth edition. pp 152 - 154. medlineplus medical encyclopedia. co2 blood test. available online at http : / / www. nlm. nih. gov / medlineplus / ency / article / 003469. htm. accessed september 2011. sources used in previous reviews thomas, clayton l., editor ( 1997 ). taber ’ s cyclopedic medical dictionary. f. a. davis company, philadelphia, pa [ 18th edition ]. pagana, kathleen d. & pagana, timothy j. ( 2001 ). mosby ’ s diagnostic and laboratory test reference 5th edition : mosby, inc., saint louis, mo. ( 1995 - 2004 ). minerals and electrolytes. the merck manual of medical information – second home edition [ on - line information ]. available online at http : / / www. merck. com / mmhe / sec12 / ch155 / ch155a. html? qt = electrolytes & alt = sh through http : / / www. merck. com. ben - joseph, e., reviewed ( 2004 july ). dehydration. familydoctor. org information for parents [ on - line information ]. available online at http : / / www. kidshealth. org / pagemanager. jsp? dn = familydoctor & lic = 44 & article _ set = 21646 through http : / / www. kidshealth. org. webner, d., updated ( 2003 august 18 ). co2. medlineplus medical encyclopedia [ on - line information ]. available online at http : / / www. nlm. nih. gov / medlineplus / ency / article / 003469. htm. a. d. a. m. editorial, updated ( 2003 october 15 ). electrolytes. medlineplus medical encyclopedia [ on - line information ]. available online at http : / / www. nlm. nih. gov / medlineplus / ency / article / 002350. htm. voorhees, b ( updated may 17, 2007 ). medlineplus medical encyclopedia : co2 test, serum. available online at http : / /


that is why, like so many who follow astronomy and the space program, i felt a genuine sadness upon hearing yesterday that phoenix has frozen with the onset of the martian autumn and winter. it was like hearing that a friend had died. in fact, phoenix has been a facebook friend to me and to many, as are the mars rovers, new horizons, messenger, the hubble telescope, various lunar missions, etc. even though everyone knew this day would come, there is no denying a very real sense of grief. we still have many science lessons to learn from phoenix ' s findings. but there is another lesson here too, specifically that sentiment and human emotions cannot ever be entirely separated from science. people ranging from scientists officially part of space missions to avid followers cannot help personifying the spacecrafts and robots we send to explore the solar system. the mars exploration rovers are affectionately referred to as " the girls " or the " twin girls " by the mission ' s leading scientists, who take enormous pride in the fact these " girls " that were intended to last 90 days have gone on more than four years. phoenix inspired the same attachment, the same anthropomorphism ; it was the lander built from the remains of a previous unsuccessful mission that became our eyes and ears in searching for water on mars. likewise, we cannot help but view the pioneers and voyagers, the only spacecrafts to leave our solar system, as our ambassadors to the stars, as extensions of ourselves pioneering our first ventures into the unknown. this is why those who argue that science must remain completely free of sentiment are fighting a losing battle. we have no vulcans ; no one, not even the most objective scientist, can ever completely separate him / her self from human emotions. what those who demean supporters of pluto ' s planet status as being motivated by sentiment are unable to see is that they, too, are motivated at least somewhat by sentiment. everyone is ; if not, we would never have had the excitement that motivated the apollo missions or the universal inclination to personify machines sent to mars. sentiment in science is not necessarily a negative thing. how many of today ' s scientists were first motivated by the thrill of viewing the apollo missions or even by the wonder of viewing planets or stars through a telescope for the first time? nothing can substitute for the awe and wonder inspired in so many by the night sky. if we took that away, and insisted only on hard, cold facts and mathematical equations, so much of the beauty of astronomy would be lost. of


first time? nothing can substitute for the awe and wonder inspired in so many by the night sky. if we took that away, and insisted only on hard, cold facts and mathematical equations, so much of the beauty of astronomy would be lost. of course, sentiment alone, if it contradicts science, is inadequate in telling us anything meaningful about any subject. that is why medieval dogmas like geocentrism cannot be sustained. the pluto case is not like that. there is sufficient science, as discussed in this blog many times, to support the classification of dwarf planets as a subclass of planets, based on their being in hydrostatic equilibrium and experiencing the same geological processes as the major planets. but, in addition to the science, there is sentiment too. not just in the us, but all over the world, people are drawn to pluto, enraptured by it. maybe it ' s because of the enigma of an object so small and so far away. or maybe, with its planet status in question from day one, pluto has come to represent the underdog in all of us. whatever the reason, the sentiment is a positive thing, not only because it has science behind it, but also because it means people feel excitement about astronomy, that same excitement experienced during the heyday of the us space program, the same thrill at seeing a celestial object through a telescope for the first time. more than two years after the iau vote, that excitement over pluto is still very much alive. a new ps3 game by the european firm little big planet features sackboy, a rag doll type character and prototype of an avatar players can customize and use, in " proposition pluto, " an online petition to get pluto ' s planet status reinstated. that petition can be found here : http : / / www. propositionpluto. com / index. ht i ' ve never had any version of playstation, but i just might go out and buy ps3 and little big planet ' s games as a measure of solidarity with sackboy ' s support for pluto. mike wrathell, an artist and writer in michigan who shares with me a passion for pluto and for political campaigns, has a site with pluto - themed art, among many other works, at http : / / ultra - renaissance. com / according to wikipedia, " a documentary about wrathell and his art called the king of pluto won an award of excellence for its director, sheila franklin, at the berkeley film & video festival in 2004, and was also screened


ultra - renaissance. com / according to wikipedia, " a documentary about wrathell and his art called the king of pluto won an award of excellence for its director, sheila franklin, at the berkeley film & video festival in 2004, and was also screened in new york city and indianapolis. " a blog post he wrote about his recent campaign for public office can be found here : i am also happy to report that after i complained about an entry in the la times kids reading room that presented only one side of this issue, namely the view that our solar system has only eight planets, the readers ' representative has contacted me with a pledge to post the other, pro - pluto as a planet side of this issue, on its online page of reader responses, which can be found here http : / / latimesblogs. latimes. com / readers / and for anyone in or near new jersey, i invite you to a joint presentation at amateur astronomers, inc. in cranford, nj this friday, november 14, at 8 : 30 pm, by aai members mike luciuk and me on the subject, " is pluto a planet? " this will not be so much a debate but a presentation. mike has a masters in astronomy, is very well versed on this subject, and did a superb job putting our power point together. the presentation will be at william miller sperry observatory located at union county college, 1033 springfield ave., cranford, nj. we will discuss the criteria that define a planet and the controversy surrounding pluto ' s status. this event is open to the public and has no admission fee. free parking is provided. for directions and more information on aai, visit http : / / www. asterism. org /. hope to see you there! for those who could not attend the great planet debate, both audio and video proceedings of the conference can be found online at http : / / gpd. jhuapl. edu /. the panel discussions are available in audio form, and the debate between dr. mark sykes and dr. neil degrasse tyson can be viewed on video. in short, there is a lot of continuing good news for pluto!


the fire and the agony of kim chi ha ' s verses are rooted in korea ' s long and tragic history. kim, one of park chung hee ' s most dangerous critics, was born on february 4, 1941, in mokpo, cholla province, for centuries the scene of resistance to overbearing govts. while a student he spent two years - wandering " in the countryside to avoid the clampdown of 1961. later he was tortured and imprisoned for joining the student movement against normalization of japan - south korea relations in 1964 - 65. after acute tuberculosis had put him in a sanatorium for two years from 1967, his first long poem, " five bandits, " was published in 1970. kim, the editor and publishers of the paper that printed it, and other people were arrested under the anti - communist law and the paper confiscated by the kcia. after a long imprisonment, the charges were suspended and the defendants freed on bail. three months later the anthology, " yellow earth, " was published, and kim took to the countryside to avoid arrest after the 1972 publication of his next anti - establishment poem, " groundless rumor, " the govt re - committed him to masan sanatorium for penning material " likely to benefit north korea, " and threatened recriminations against his family if he kept it up. still he continued to write clandestinely. after a japanese writers ' delegation, part of a global campaign for his release, visited him at the sanatorium, kim was released in july 1972. by april 1974 he was once again in jail, this time for writing " cry of the people, " a biting attack on park ' s ultra - oppressive emergency measures. in july he was convicted of helping plot a nation - wide student rebellion ( the " ndysf - see pp. 8 - 15, this issue ). in a hasty, closed trial he was sentenced to death, and only a new international outcry forced the govt to commute his sentence to life. he did not reappear until february 1975, when he and almost all of the ndysf students were released. this breath of freedom lasted him but three weeks. after kim revealed the truth of kcia tortures in the dong - a ilbo, the gates clanged shut behind him once again. kim ' s poems attack govt and official corruption, erosion of human rights in south korea, and the suffering and poverty of his fellow koreans. they make you cry and laugh at once, such is their satirical


gates clanged shut behind him once again. kim ' s poems attack govt and official corruption, erosion of human rights in south korea, and the suffering and poverty of his fellow koreans. they make you cry and laugh at once, such is their satirical power. as government oppression of kim got ever more violent, so the tone of his poetry has hardened and sharpened, until it seems the pages must explode with the power of the images. as long as kim chi he remains alive and writing, the govt and park chung hee will squirm in its iron - shod shoes. the " statement of conscience " below was smuggled gut of prison in mid - 1975, soon after 8 of the prp " spies " were hung. in it, kim exposes the govt ' s plan to frame him on similar charges. since its appearance, he has been refused all visits, and is still awaiting trial. to all who cherish justice and truth : the park regime is tying me up in a conspiratorial net of incredible lies. they say i am a communist who infiltrated the catholic church and pretended to be an advocate of democracy and human rights. i have been arrested and imprisoned on these charges. the authorities will soon begin a courtroom charade to " legally " brand me forever as a treacherous marxist - leninist agent. i will be impressed into the ranks of that legion of govermnent - designated " communists. " i am not the only target of this conspiracy. it is directed at the whole movement to restore democracy and at the christian church which has been fighting for social justice. the authorities are particularly determined to label as procommunist the association of catholic priests for the realization of justice, the national council for the restoration of democracy, and all youth and student movements. this is the forerunner of a broad crackdown on dissent. the government has been making these vile charges against me for more than a decade ; they are nothing new. i should prefer not to waste words with a personal defense here. the korean central intelligence agency ( kcia ) agents say, " if you have a statement to make about these charges, do it in court. " for once i agreed with them. i intended to do just that : to bring out some of the truth about this travesty during the trial by challenging the prosecutor. however, the current political situation compels me to speak out now. it is not just my convictions and my credibility that are endangered. the net has been thrown widely to encompass all democratic forces,


chi ha " regardless of the facts. the kcia agents were cogs in the machine ; they could not refuse that order. they were ashamed of what they were doing but they harnmered away at me day and night. i saw no point in continuing the nerve - wracking war of attrition against such pitiful men! finally, on the sixth day, i wrote out a statement which they dictated. i scribbled it down like graffiti on a toilet wall and threw it at them. that is how my " confession " was written. as one might expect, the statement is full of lies and inconsistencies. there is the banal wording so dear to the kcia hacks : " i became a communist out of a sense of inferiority and frustration due to poverty and illness. " 3 this is the vilest part of the document. they used the same phrasing over and over again when i was indicted in 1970 for writing " five bandits, " for " groundless rumors " in 1972, and in the national democratic youth and student federation ( ndysf ) case of 1974. there is a materialistic determinism in the phraseology, as if all the poor and afflicted are " potential communist criminals. " would any self - respecting person write such craven drivel of her / his own free will? according to the " confession, " all my activities, including writing " five bandits " and " groundless rumors, " were due to my communist ideas. i wonder if foreign readers of these poems were deceived by my communist propaganda? there must be many red faces among those foreign literary critics who praised my work and did not even realize that it was " communist propaganda. " if " five bandits " is communist literature, why have the charges against me been pending for more than four years! and why was i not even indicted for " groundless rumors? " the " confession " says that i am a communist and a catholic. that is an antimony like being a " democratic fascist. " every school child knows that communism regards religion, especially christianity, as the " opiate of the masses. " i understand that the kcia pamphlet cites a few books i had in my possession as " proof " that i am a communist. they are so stupid! their petty, frightened police state minds! no matter how severely intellectual freedom is restricted in south korea, does reading a few marxist classics make a person a communist? the most avid readers of leftist books are the


am a communist. they are so stupid! their petty, frightened police state minds! no matter how severely intellectual freedom is restricted in south korea, does reading a few marxist classics make a person a communist? the most avid readers of leftist books are the censors who check every piece of literature that comes into this country. if they can read these materials, why is it a crime for me? i have read hundreds of books ; the authorities seized fewer than ten. every one of those, without exception, is a classic that any foreign intellectual has read. the kcia pamphlet reproduces some of the notes i jotted down in prison from april 1974 until this february. again those memoranda and notes are supposed to be " proof " that i am a communist. these notes contain all kinds of thoughts and emotions. ideas that winged into my mind like birds flitting past my cell window. there are ruminations on this or that, outlines of projects i hope to write about in the future. bits and pieces, unconnected fragments. they do not show that i am a person ideologically committed to communism. if the government will make public all my notes, the charges against me will fall of their own weight. anyone who examines the material will see my values : my hatred of oppression and exploitation, my groping in the political wilderness for a way out of these iniquities. how i have driven myself in the quest for the answers! this search has nothing to do with communism. how should i define my ideological position? before i attempt that, two points require clarification. first, i regard myself as a free thinker not bound by any ideological system. i hope my ideas are neither shaped by personal ambition nor yield to intimidation and that they are also unfettered by any dogma or creed. thus i have never defined myself as an adherent of any " ism. " i belong in the creative tension formed by the chaos of freedom. a natural pool swirls with crosscurrents of ideas, values, systems, experiences. by diving into that pool again, and again i hope to come up with a few grains of truth. i stand beside that pool poised for the next dive. secondly, i am ideologically unfinished. that ' s a crude way of saying that i have never accepted one ideology as my operative value system. so far i have never found one system of thought that was logically convincing. i am still looking. in a sense, this is a shameful admission, but there


way of saying that i have never accepted one ideology as my operative value system. so far i have never found one system of thought that was logically convincing. i am still looking. in a sense, this is a shameful admission, but there are extenuating circumstances, i think. an individual ' s beliefs and conscience must be free, and the process that shapes them must also be open, competitive, eclectic. a person has a natural right to find her / his own values. even the yushin constitution, promulgated by park chung hee in. december 1972, guarantees this right to south korean society. nevertheless, intellectual life and value - formulation are totally controlled in our country. a single ideology with its priorities, preferences, taboos and sanctions is dominant. consider the spiritual ethos of south korea. the flow of information is controlled. once can only read a limited number of authorized books. anti - intellectualism and pervasive secrecy are the rule. i have tried, though often with doubts and remorse, to find the truth in this darkness. i am not the only one. every south korean who sought to understand what is going on in this country and in the world has trod the same uncertain, dangerous path. my ideological education is incomplete. under such conditions there ' s surely no chance of autogenous communism sprouting here. our conditioned reflex to " communists " was to imagine redfaced devils with horns growing out of their heads and long claws dripping with blood. every south korean below the age of thirty has been educated and indoctrinated this way. furthermore, we have never been taught anything about communism except emotional diatribes against it. even if a few curious people secretly read some leftist books, how could they turn into full - fledged communists with a firm grasp of dialectics, party history and doctrine? no " autogenous communist " could emerge from the younger generation. that includes me. far from being a committed communist, as the kcia charges, i have no reliable information about the nature of communism or what life is like in a socialist country. the charge that i am a communist is utterly groundless. 2. democracy, revolution, violence i want to identify with the oppressed, the exploited, the troubled and the despised. i want that love to be dedicated, passionate, and manifested in practical ways. this is the totality of my self - imposed task for humanity, the alpha and omega of my intellectual search. i hope that my odyssey will be understood as a love


i want that love to be dedicated, passionate, and manifested in practical ways. this is the totality of my self - imposed task for humanity, the alpha and omega of my intellectual search. i hope that my odyssey will be understood as a love for humanity. my desire to love the human family makes me hate the oppression and exploitation that dehumanizes. one who exploits others corrupts oneself. thus i fight against oppression and exploitation - the struggle is my existence. i became a catholic because catholicism conveyed a universal message. not only that spiritual and material burdens could be lifted from humanity but also that oppression itself could be ended by the salvation of both the oppressor and the oppressed. catholicism is capable of assimilating and synthesizing these contradictory and conflicting ideologies, theories and value standards into a universal truth. my beliefs spring from a confident love for the common people. i have opposed the park regime and ridiculed the " five bandits " because they are the criminal gangleaders looting the country. i have grown up as one of the oppressed masses. that perspective enabled me to see that a pernicious elitist bias permeates our society. the oppressors say the masses are base, ugly, morally depraved, inately lazy, untrustworthy, ignorant and a spiritless, inferior race. but the common people i have known were not like that. they were honest and industrious. they may have looked stupid to a seoul bureaucrat but they were endowed with a rich native intelligence. although they seemed listless, they possessed enormous inner strength and determination. they may have been rough, not very sophisticated, but they had genuine affection for their friends and neighbors. the common people i knew were proud and full of an unassuming vitality. i have total confidence in the people. given the opportunity they will find correct solutions to their problems. and their time is coming. the people cannot be denied their rights and justice much longer. my confidence in the people has led me to trust their ability to determine their own fate. those who fear the people, who find the masses despicable, are ipso facto not democrats. when the going gets rough they will stand with the oppressors. what is democracy? it is an ideology opposed to silence, a system that respects a free logos and freedom of speech. it encourages the cacophony of dissent. a political system where everything is not revealed to the public is not a democracy. i believe that


? it is an ideology opposed to silence, a system that respects a free logos and freedom of speech. it encourages the cacophony of dissent. a political system where everything is not revealed to the public is not a democracy. i believe that the truth, only the truth, will liberate humanity. a public consciousness dulled by soporific incantations and smothered in darkness can be liberated by the truth. only when the people struggle out of the darkness, driven along by the very chaos of their opposition to authority, will they reach the sun - drenched fields. then they can head toward canaan, the land of justice and freedom promised by the creator. this is my dream, my faith. i cannot describe canaan in detail. no one person can do that. i think it win be created by the collective effort of all the people. my task is to fight on until the people hold the power in their own hands to shape their destiny. i want a victory for real democracy, complete freedom of speech. nothing more, nothing less. in this sense, i am a radical democrat and libertarian. i am also a catholic, one of the oppressed citizens of the republic of korea, and a young man who loathes privilege and corruption and dictatorial power. this defines my political beliefs. i have nothing more to add. democracy does not require a " benevolent ruler who loves the people. " a ruler who fears the people ' s wrath and weapons is preferable. democracy entails an uncompromising rejection of oppression. there is no democracy as long as the people cannot depose an undesirable ruler. thus democracy does not deny the people the right of revolution ; on the contrary, that fundamental right is the last guarantee of popular sovereignty. this obvious truth must never be forgotten. the right of revolution, the constant and eternal possibility of overthrowing illegitimate authority, is the ultimate sanction against misrule that enables the people to defend themselves from oppression and exploitation. rulers, of course, make revolution illegal, even discussion of it is banned as subversive. thus they can continue their political and economic domination. but that is why i must support resistance and revolution. i feel enormous pride in our korean traditions. the people have often protested against injustice and misgovernment., unfortunately, the rulers, irredeemably callous and arrogant, often crushed the protests with force. under these circumstances have the people any choice but revolution? catholic political thought since thomas aquinas has explicitly


injustice and misgovernment., unfortunately, the rulers, irredeemably callous and arrogant, often crushed the protests with force. under these circumstances have the people any choice but revolution? catholic political thought since thomas aquinas has explicitly recognized the people ' s right and duty, based on natural law, to overthrow a tyrant who threatens their existence and the common good. resistance abruptly changes the course of human affairs. the people themselves recover their humanity., the masses undergo a sudden and profound awakening ; history makes up for lost time by encouraging the people to miraculous feats. sooner or later resistance and revolution lead to the phenomenon of violence. when the violence of authority sustains oppression, the people ' s will is crushed, their best leaders are killed, and the rest are cowed into submission. the " silence of law and order " settles grimly across the land. then an antithetical situation exists where. violence must shatter this macabre order. to a degree, i approve of this kind of violence - no, that is not strong enough. i must approve of it! i reject the violence of oppression and accept the violence of resistance. i reject dehumanizing violence and accept the violence that restores human dignity. it could justly be called a " violence of love. " jesus used his whip on the merchants defiling the temple. that was the " violence of love. " it was force suffused with love. jesus wanted the afflicted and their oppressive rulers to be reborn again as true children of god. violence and destructiveness obviously bring suffering and hardship. but we ' must sometimes cause and endure suffering. never is this more true than when the people are dozing in silent submission, when they cannot be awakened from their torpor. to preach " non - violence " at such a time leaves them defenseless before their enemies. when the people must be awakened and sent resolutely off to battle, violence is unavoidable. gandhi and franz fanon agonized over this dilemma. father camillo torres took a rifle and joined the people. he died with them, the weapon never fired. the fallen priest with his rifle epitomized godliness. i do not know if his beliefs and methods were correct or not, but the purity of his love always moves me to tears. he staggered along his road to golgotha with uncertain tread. he was prepared to commit a sin out of his love for others. he was not afraid to bum in the depths


, but the purity of his love always moves me to tears. he staggered along his road to golgotha with uncertain tread. he was prepared to commit a sin out of his love for others. he was not afraid to bum in the depths of eternal hell. true non - violence requires total non - compliance and non - cooperation. it concedes nothing to the oppressors. the superficial kind of non - violence which makes limited gestures of opposition is just another form of craven cooperation with the authorities. cowardly non - violence is the moral equivalent to cruel violence because with both the people get crushed. on the other hand, the " violence of love " is essentially the same as a " courageous non - violence " in that it arms the people against their foes. i approve of the " violence of love " but i am also a proponent of true non - violence. the revolution i support will be a synthesis of true non - violence and an agonized violence of love. ( i am now working on a long ballad, " chang il tam, " set against this background. ) to reach th it golden mean - a non - violence that does not drift to cowardly compromise and a violence that does not break the bonds of love and lapse into carnage - humankind must undergo an unceasing spiritual revival and the masses must experience a universal self - awakening. while i grant that the violence of blanquism can light the psychological fuse to revolution, i do not anticipate nor support a " lucky revolution " achieved by a small number of armed groups committing terrorist acts of violence. that is why i have eschewed the formation of or membership in secret organizations and have participated in activities consistent with the democratic process : writing and petitions, rallies and prayer meetings. my vision of a revolution is one to create a unified korea based on freedom, democracy, self - reliance and peace. more fundamentally, however, it must enable the korean people to decide on their own fate. i can confidently support such a revolution. that revolution will not follow foreign models or patterns, but will flow from our unique revolutionary tradition. the tong hak rebellion, the march first independence movement, 4 and the 1960 april student revolution adumbrate the next revolution. 3. revolutionary religion : the world of " chang il tam " the more i search for answers, the more contradictory ideas i find and the more confused i am. j. b metz confessed to the same experience. yet the antagonistic diversity of these systems of thought makes me strive


world of " chang il tam " the more i search for answers, the more contradictory ideas i find and the more confused i am. j. b metz confessed to the same experience. yet the antagonistic diversity of these systems of thought makes me strive even more for faith in the one absolute being. i believe such faith is attainable. must revolution reject religion and religion be the foe of revolution? i think that the answer is " no. " perhaps by this reply i could not be a marxist - leninist. but the marxist dictum that religion is the opiate of the masses is only a partial truth applicable to one aspect of religion. when a people have been brutally misruled and exploited for a long time, they lose their passion for justice and their affection for their fellows. committed only to self - survival, they lapse into an individualistic materialism. their near - crazed resentment and rage at social and economic conditions, diverted into frustration and self - hatred, is repeatedly dissipated in fragmented, anomic actions. our prisons are full of lower - class criminals, thrown there by the ruling elite that spits on the poor and flourishes on social injustice. the prisoners ' roster of crimes is diverse : armed robbery, theft, murder, desertion from military service, kidnapping, etc. yet their wretched tragedy has a common origin in frustration and isolation. the chief priests and pharisees defuse the people ' s bitter resentment and moral indignation with sentimental charity. the people are emasculated by mercy. the god of philanthropy serves the oppressor by turning the people into a mob of beggars. that is why i cannot admire albert schweitzer. in similar situations of bondage and deprivation, prophetic religions of love arise in the wilderness and shake the emotions of the oppressed and mistreated people. the slumbering masses awaken like a thunderclap! their human and divine qualities suddenly shine forth. the mystery of resurrection - revolution! that resurrection fashions people in god ' s image, opens their eyes to their own nobility and turns their frustration and self - hatred into eschatalogical hope. this kind of resurrection changes a selfish, individualistic, escapist anomie into a fraternal, united, realistic commitment to the common good. it becomes a struggle for a humane life and dignity for all the people. this resurrection prevents the people ' s bitter resentment and moral indignation from evaporating in self - hatred and converts it into a fierce


realistic commitment to the common good. it becomes a struggle for a humane life and dignity for all the people. this resurrection prevents the people ' s bitter resentment and moral indignation from evaporating in self - hatred and converts it into a fierce demand for god ' s universal justice. if necessary, the people ' s enormous energy may also be directed to a decisive, organized explosion. this is a revolutionary religion. this miraculous conversion which conceived the mystery of revival may also bring a decisive spiritual revival. this conversion is the philosophy of tan - the determination to choose the circumstances of one ' s death - that my hero, chang il tam, sings about. since my college years when i suffered from tuberculosis, i have passionately wanted to understand both my personal situation and my country ' s. how could i overcome my terror of death and how could south korea find its way out of ubiquitous spiritual dehumanization and material poverty? i heard something then about the tonghak teaching5 that " the human is heaven. " at first it was a pianissimo idea that made only a slight impression. later, i learned more about the tonghak rebellion, and an image took shape in my mind. i could see that awesome band of starving peasants, their proud banners proclaiming " an end to violence, save the people, " as they marched off to fight. suddenly that tonghak teaching became fortissimo, as thunderous as the battle cries of those marching peasants. i feel like writing a rude straightforward poem such as no one has ever written before. it has been a long time since i was beaten to hell for writing unsavory articles. my body is itching for a beating, my mouth is eager to speak and my hands are dying to write. since this impulse to write is beyond my control, i have made up my mind to set down a story concerning some strange thieves.... i do this knowing full well that i am asking for severe punishment including physical pain. but it ' s the best story that you ever saw with your belly - button or heard with your asshole since this country was formed under the paektu mountain on the third of october a long time ago. i have been grappling with that image for ten years. at some point i gave it a name - " the unity of god and revolution. " i also changed the phrase of " the human is heaven " into " rice is heaven " and used it in my poetry. that vague idea of " the unity of god and revolution


gave it a name - " the unity of god and revolution. " i also changed the phrase of " the human is heaven " into " rice is heaven " and used it in my poetry. that vague idea of " the unity of god and revolution " stayed with me as i continued my long, arduous search for personal and political answers, and as i became very interested in contemporary christian thought and activism. european social reformism, including ernst troeltsch, frederic ozanam, karl marx and others, had been absorbed into the grand edifice of christian thought. their ideas were now being questioned anew, developed in new directions. i was intrigued by efforts to combine marxist social reform and christian beliefs as evinced in the 1972 santiago declaration of christian socialism. the synthesis draws from diverse sources. one example is the adaptation of the teachings of marx and jesus. marx ' s contribution is his structural epistemology which maintains that social oppression blocks human salvation. from jesus ' s teachings we take his humanism, which advocates love for all people, the sanctity of the person, his emphasis on rebirth as the means to salvation, the idea of the god of hope who brings salvation, equality and liberation on earth, and the activities of jesus of nazareth during his lifetime. the synthesis tries to unify and integrate these concepts. in my view, this is not a mechanical process, a rote grafting of bits of marxism onto christianity. the union produces something entirely new. ( the new synthesis is not finished. its gestalt cannot be defined ; it is still amorphous. therefore i must decline to use the existing terminology. the korean people are suffering from the tragic reality of a divided peninsula. this division has become the excuse for brutal repression ; everything is done in the name of " national security, " the threat from the north. under this praetorian system, south korean society has become rigid, intolerant, frightened ; our intellectual life is as airless and barren as the valleys of the moon. the authorities, hyper - sensitive and always suspicious of new and possibly " dangerous thoughts, " may attempt to label my ideas as a certain ideology. i reject this false labelling of an unfinished " product. " i stand on my human right to be creative. humankind ' s original ideas are not turned out on an assembly line. ) my image of the unity of god and revolution was clarified by pope john xxiii ' s encyclical, mater et magistra. " the


be creative. humankind ' s original ideas are not turned out on an assembly line. ) my image of the unity of god and revolution was clarified by pope john xxiii ' s encyclical, mater et magistra. " the mystery of jesus and the loaves of bread is a temporal miracle which shows the future heaven. " i also benifitted from writings of the liberation theologians : frederick herzog, james cone, richard shaull, paul lehmann, jurgen hartmann, j. b. metz, todt hugo, reinhold niebuhr, dietrick bonhoffer, and others. the statements of the pope after vatican ii and encyclicals such as rerum novarum provided insights. the greatest single influence on my thinking, however, has been my participation since 1971 in the korean christian movement for human rights. this experience convinced me that the korean tradition of resistance and revolution, with its unique vitality under the incredibly negative circumstances prevailing here, are precious materials for a new form of human liberation. this rich lode will be of special value to the third world. shaped and polished by the tools of liberation theology, our experience may inspire miraculous new forms of missio dei in the gritty struggle of the south korean people. my ballad, chang il tam, attempts to express these ideas through the teachings and intellectual pilgrimage of one holy man who speaks in the form of gospels. however, the park regime has seized my notes as proof of a " conspiracy to publish subversive materials. " chang il tam is a. thief, the son of a prostitute and a paekchong. 6 a failure in life and despondent, chang suddenly attains enlightenment and becomes a preacher of liberation. chang emulates im kok chong7 in believing that the poor should " re - liberate " what the rich have stolen from them and divide it equally among the needy. he begins by stealing from the rich and giving to the poor, is arrested and thrown into jail, whereupon he teaches the other prisoners about revolution. one day chang is unfairly disciplined. angrily throwing caution to the winds, he shouts, " we must be liberated! down with the hated bourgeosie! " ( my working notes cover only a portion of his proselytizing in prison ; these are his early radical ideas. the government claims they are identical with my ideas and therefore constitute irrefutable proof that i am a communist! ) chang escapes from prison, is hunted by the police,