central statue of the leonidas monument at thermopylaea monument to leonidas was erected at thermopylae by king paul of greece in 1955. it features a bronze statue of leonidas. a sign, under the statue, reads simply : " μολων λαβε " ( " come and get them! " ) which the spartans said when the persians asked them to put down their weapons at the start of the battle of thermopylae. another statue, also with the inscription μολων λαβε, was erected at sparta was the name of an epic poem written by richard glover, which originally appeared in 1737. it went on to appear in four other editions, being expanded from 9 books to 12. frank miller ' s 1998 comic book 300, presents a fictionalized version of leonidas and the battle of thermopylae, as does the 2007 feature film adapted from it helena p. schrader has produced a three - part biographical novel on leonidas. leonidas of sparta : a boy of the agoge, wheatmark, tucson, 2010 isbn 978 - 1 - 60494 - 474 - 7 leonidas of sparta : a peerless peer, wheatmark, tucson, 2011, isbn 978 - 1 - 60494 - 602 - 4 and " leonidas of sparta : a heroic king " ( scheduled for publication 2012 ).


abortion - surgicaldefinition : a surgical abortion is a procedure that ends a pregnancy by removing the fetus and placenta from the mother ' s womb ( uterus ). there are different types of surgical abortion. sometimes the woman needs the procedure for a health reason. this is called a therapeutic abortion. other times, she chooses ( elects ) to end the pregnancy. this is called an elective abortion. suction curettage ; surgical abortion ; elective abortion - surgical ; therapeutic abortion - surgical a surgical abortion uses a vacuum to remove the fetus and related material from a woman ' s uterus ( womb ). the procedure is usually done after 6 weeks of the woman ' s last menstrual period you may receive medicine ( sedative ) to help you relax and feel sleepy. the doctor may numb the cervix so you feel little pain during the procedure. if the surgical abortion is done after 12 weeks of pregnancy, the doctor must first open ( dilate ) the cervical canal. small sticks called laminaria are placed into the cervix to help it open. sometimes, this is done a day or two before the actual abortion procedure. next, the doctor inserts a hollow tube into the womb before using the vacuum to remove the pregnancy - related tissues from the womb. medicines may be given to help the uterine muscles contract. this reduces bleeding. why the procedure is performed : there are several reasons a surgical abortion might be considered : - the developing baby has a birth defect or genetic problem - the pregnancy is harmful to the woman ' s health ( therapeutic abortion ) - the pregnancy resulted after a traumatic event such as rape or incest - the woman may not wish to be pregnant ( elective abortion ) the decision to end a pregnancy is very personal. most health care providers recommend careful counseling before making such a decision. abortion is a controversial issue. a woman who chooses to end a pregnancy may feel she cannot share her decision with others. therefore, it is important for her to identify those who may help her through what may be a difficult time. women who are trying to make this difficult decision should find a safe place in which they can obtain counseling regarding all options for pregnancy resolution. if a woman chooses to have an abortion, she should find a safe place to have the procedure performed and obtain the proper support and follow - up care afterwards. risks of surgical abortion include : - damage to the womb or cervix - emotional or psychological distress - excessive bleeding - infection of the uterus


a safe place to have the procedure performed and obtain the proper support and follow - up care afterwards. risks of surgical abortion include : - damage to the womb or cervix - emotional or psychological distress - excessive bleeding - infection of the uterus or fallopian tubes the risks of surgical abortion increase as a woman gets further along in her pregnancy. that ' s why it ' s important to make a decision about abortion as early as possible, when the procedure is safest. the risks for any anesthesia are : - reactions to medications - problems breathing the risks for any surgery are : call your health care provider if you have had a surgical abortion and you have : - excessive vaginal bleeding ( may lead to shock ) - continued pain or pregnancy symptoms ( possible sign of ectopic pregnancy ) - signs of infection, including persistent fever, vaginal drainage with a foul odor, vaginal drainage that looks like pus, or abdominal pain or tenderness after the procedure : complications rarely occur. most women who have a surgical abortion in an appropriate medical center recover without any physical complications. some women may need psychological and emotional support at the time of their procedure. it ' s important to seek counseling before making this very difficult decision. physical recovery usually occurs within a few days, depending on the stage of the pregnancy. a small amount of vaginal bleeding and mild uterine cramping should be expected for a few days. a hot bath or use of a heating pad or hot water bottle on the abdomen may help relieve discomfort. strenuous activity should be avoided for a few days following an abortion. tampons may be used after 3 days. sexual intercourse should be avoided for 2 to 3 weeks. a normal menstrual period should occur 4 to 6 weeks after the operation. it ' s important to begin using birth control immediately after the abortion procedure. it is possible to get pregnant again even before having a normal menstrual period. improved methods of contraception can help prevent many unplanned pregnancies. however, unplanned pregnancies occur even when couples use birth control. see also : emergency contraception mischell dr. family planning : contraception, sterilization, and pregnancy termination. in : katz vl, lentz gm, lobo ra, gershenson dm, eds. comprehensive gynecology. 5th ed. philadelphia, pa : mosby elsevier ; 2007 : chap 14. simpson jl, jauniaux erm. pregnancy loss. in


lobo ra, gershenson dm, eds. comprehensive gynecology. 5th ed. philadelphia, pa : mosby elsevier ; 2007 : chap 14. simpson jl, jauniaux erm. pregnancy loss. in : gabbe sg, niebyl jr, simpson jl, eds. obstetrics : normal and problem pregnancies. 5th ed. philadelphia, pa : elsevier churchill livingstone ; 2007 : chap 24. annas gj, elias s. legal and ethical issues in obstetric practice. in : gabbe sg, niebyl jr, simpson jl, eds. obstetrics : normal and problem pregnancies. 5th ed. philadelphia, pa : elsevier churchill livingstone ; 2007 : chap 51. | review date : 2 / 19 / 2009 | reviewed by : linda vorvick, md, family physician, seattle site coordinator, lecturer, pathophysiology, medex northwest division of physician assistant studies, university of washington school of medicine ; and susan storck, md, facog, chief, eastside department of obstetrics and gynecology, group health cooperative of puget sound, redmond, washington ; clinical teaching faculty, department of obstetrics and gynecology, university of washington school of medicine. also reviewed by david zieve, md, mha, medical director, a. d. a. m., inc. the information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. a licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. call 911 for all medical emergencies. links to other sites are provided for information only - - they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. © 1997 - a. d. a. m., inc. any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.


at the bottom of the thames river last week, navy divers dug up the sensors and cables that measure magnetic signatures of military ships and submarines. even though the navy is replacing the 20 - year - old underwater range with a new one, most people don ' t know the range exists. and even those who have heard about it sometimes don ' t understand what it really does. a steel - hulled ship is surrounded by a magnetic field. as the ship moves through the water and traverses the earth ' s natural magnetic fields between the north and south poles, the ship ' s magnetic field changes. the navy checks its vessels to make sure the magnetism present in the hulls will not trigger magnetic mines or make the ships easier to detect. the only magnetic silencing facility in the northeast is operated by the naval submarine base in groton. when military ships pass over the sensors and cables at the center of the channel, the information is converted into a computer file and preston e. tone - pah - hote jr., who oversees the range operations, interprets the results. the information is relayed to navy officials, who determine whether the magnetization needs to be reduced. the range is also used by coast guard vessels and nato ships. removing or neutralizing a magnetic field is a process known as degaussing, and the local range is often called a " degaussing range. " it is even described as such on a chart in tone - pah - hote ' s office. but, tone - pah - hote said, it technically is not. he does not have the ability to help a ship calibrate the degaussing equipment it has on board. coils are wound in specific locations within the hull and the electric current that flows through them can be adjusted to reduce the ship ' s effect on the earth ' s magnetic field. the range is a " check range " since it checks ships ' magnetic characteristics. because those measurements fall under the umbrella of degaussing, the name " degaussing range " seems to have stuck. surface ships in the atlantic normally go through a similar range in norfolk, va., or one in mayport, fla. the uss bainbridge ( ddg 96 ) and other ships used the local range when the one in norfolk was repaired from 2010 to earlier this year. a magnetic treatment facility in kings bay, ga., can minimize the level of permanent magnetism. tone - pah - hote, who served 24 years in the submarine force


june 26, 2003 rovanco piping systems inc. designs and fabricates piping systems for applications such as water ( hot and cold ), steam, and jet fuel. it sells fabricated pipe — typically with straight or miter end cuts — up to 36 inches in diameter. it provides preinsulated, high - temperature, low - temperature, and containment systems. since its inception in 1969, the company had used traditional, manual processes. pipes were moved into and out of the work area by forklift, and pipe cutting was done with either a hand - powered mechanized torch or a hand - held torch. for straight end cuts, an operator attached a hand - powered cutting machine to the pipe. the operator then turned a hand crank that rotated an oxyacetylene torch around the pipe. for miter cuts, an equipment operator used a hand - held torch. the company was interested in upgrading its cutting process to increase productivity. two areas for potential improvement were how the material was handled and how it was cut. for both handling and cutting, the company needed equipment that could accommodate the pipe it cuts most frequently : carbon steel, 4 to 24 inches od, 10 - gauge through 0. 750 - in. wall thickness, in lengths up to 40 feet. " we used to bring pipes into the shop and set them on stands, " explained richard stonitsch, vice president of manufacturing for rovanco. a forklift moved each pipe, one by one, into the work area. making straight cuts and machining the ends were relatively straightforward operations, but the manual cutting torch was cumbersome. attaching and removing the torch and moving it from workpiece to workpiece were time - consuming processes. miter cuts on larger pipes required even more time because the operator had to make a template for each cut and trace the cutting path before cutting the pipe. after the operators prepped and beveled the pipe ends, the forklift moved each pipe out of the work area. the company mechanized its pipe cutting by purchasing a w - 132 - lpsm pipe cutting machine from watts specialties inc. that makes straight and miter cuts on pipe up to 32 in. in diameter. it complemented the cutting machine with a combination of roller conveyors and driven rollers that rovanco designed and built to move the pipe from the cutting machine to the prep and beveling area. in the present process a forklift picks up a pipe from storage and sets it onto a conveyor that takes the pipe to


arm lengths. during the cutting process, the machine rotates the pipe and moves the guiding system simultaneously. as the pipe rotates, the torch moves right or left, producing the desired cut. " the new mechanized system saves time two ways. first, for miter cuts, the operator doesn ' t have to make a template and trace the cutting path. the equipment operator can make changes to the guiding system in a minute or so, " stonitsch said. " the second way is much more significant. the new system allows us to move pipe through the work area more efficiently. " " we had been looking for an automated pipe cutting system for 10 or 15 years, " said larry stonitsch, president of the company. " we saw this machine at fabtech® international in 2000, and we felt that the machine would increase productivity and enhance quality. " according to stonitsch, the machine has reduced the company ' s cutting and beveling costs by 45 percent. rovanco piping systems inc., 20535 s. e. frontage road, joliet, il 60431, 815 - 741 - 6700, fax 815 - 741 - 4229, firstname. lastname @ example. org, www. rovanco. com.


iran - the nuclear challenge - tehran to avert showdown ; washington to stabilise iraq. atomic reactors in iran have been proposed to produce depleted uranium depleted uranium ( du ) is uranium remaining after removal of the isotope uranium - 235. it is primarily composed of the isotope uranium - 238. in the past it was called by the names q - metal, depletalloy, and d - 38, but these have fallen into disuse. which, in turn, can be used to create weapons - grade plutonium. recent revelations have increased doubts at the un ' s international atomic energy agency international atomic energy agency : see atomic energy agency, international. international atomic energy agency ( iaea ) international organization officially founded in 1957 to promote the peaceful use of nuclear energy. ( iaea iaea international atomic energy agency. ) about tehran ' s pledge in october 2003 to make a full disclosure of its nuclear programme. there are doubts over iran ' s transparency. an announcement on april 6 by the head of iran ' s atomic energy atomic energy : see nuclear energy. agency, gholamreza aghazadeh, that the country would cease all centrifuge centrifuge ( sen ` trəfyj ), device using centrifugal force to separate two or more substances of different density, e. g., two liquids or a liquid and a solid. construction activities seemed to contradict an earlier assertion that the programme had been suspended already. accusations have been made that iran had moved equipment and material to new sites in order to hide continued violations of its commitments. but iran has denied the allegations and iaea ' s head, dr. mohammed elbaradei, said after a visit to tehran in april : " we haven ' t seen any indication, nor have we got any information, that they ( iran ) have been moving enrichment activities ". his talks in tehran had focused on two subjects : traces of undeclared enriched uranium enriched uranium is a sample of uranium in which the percent composition of uranium - 235 has been increased through the process of isotope separation. natural uranium is 99. 284 % 238u isotope, with 235u only constituting about 0. 711 % of its weight. discovered in iran earlier this year, and the status of research on p - 2 centrifuges ( that can enrich uranium to a degree far higher than the one needed to power nuclear electricity ), which had also been left out of the october declaration. iran said the uranium had been acquired on the


research on p - 2 centrifuges ( that can enrich uranium to a degree far higher than the one needed to power nuclear electricity ), which had also been left out of the october declaration. iran said the uranium had been acquired on the black market from pakistan, an assertion that the iaea has been investigating. iaea ' s 35 - nation board of governors is due to meet in vienna from june 14 and, among other things, is to hear a report on the level of iran ' s co - operation. already the indications are that the iaea report will not be as favourable to iran as tehran wishes. the us wants to see iran reported to the un security council for what it says is a failure to uphold tehran ' s commitments to transparency under the nuclear non - proliferation treaty nuclear non - proliferation treaty ( npt ) officially treaty on the non - proliferation of nuclear weapons international agreement intended to prevent the spread of nuclear technology. it was signed by the u. s. ( npt npt national pipe taper ( pipe thread specification ) npt non - proliferation treaty npt nonprofit times npt newport ( rhode island ) npt nuclear nonproliferation treaty npt neath port talbot ) - to which iran is a signatory and has signed a protocol allowing un - scheduled and un - fettered inspections of its sites by the iaea. for its part, tehran is hoping that, while the bush administration will be pre - occupied with an increasingly violent situation in iraq ( see recorder ) and with the nov. 2 us presidential elections, its government will try to avert a showdown by concentrating on a new diplomacy to shore up support from france, germany and the uk for an iaea governing board noun 1. governing board - a board that manages the affairs of an institution board - a committee having supervisory powers ; " the board has seven members " resolution that should give iran more time to co - operate " fully " with the un agency. while this will only buy iran more time, the iraq angle offers tehran a potentially strong bargaining chip bar · gain · ing chip something, especially an inducement or concession, used as leverage in negotiations : " a bargaining chip is ultimately worthless if you ' re not willing to bargain it away " relating to relating to relate prep → concernant relating to relate prep → bezuglich + gen, mit bezug auf + acc american efforts to develop a shiite commonwealth in the middle east favourable to the us. the shiite world, now totalling about 140 million and thus


##ant relating to relate prep → bezuglich + gen, mit bezug auf + acc american efforts to develop a shiite commonwealth in the middle east favourable to the us. the shiite world, now totalling about 140 million and thus accounting for a little more than 10 % of the whole muslim world, never had a better opportunity to develop its socio - economic potentials through an alliance with the us. iran is already playing a positive role in efforts by iraq ' s mainstream shiites to stabilise the situation in the neighbouring country, while in saudi arabia americans are being targeted for attack by sunni militants belonging to the most radical faction of the wahhabi religious establishment. leaders of the mainstream shiites in both iran and iraq are trying to convince the young rebel theologian of kuwa, muqtada al - sadr, to turn his armed forces into a political party and thus join a new democratic regime in baghdad which the us is helping to establish in the coming months ( see the forthcoming rim survey of iran ). in this particular respect, tehran gains from a washington realisation that most people in iran favour the us, while most saudis are against the americans and support the view of osama bin laden osama bin laden : see bin laden, osama.. formally, however, the keeps accusing tehran - one of the three members in the bush administration ' s " axis of evil " - of bullying european diplomats in order to relieve international pressure on iran to co - operate more with un nuclear weapons inspectors. while iran has long maintained that its nuclear facilities are purely to create energy and insists in denying that it is developing atomic weapons, the us says tehran is trying to change the direction of iaea ' s governing board through public and private intimidation which, according to washington, suggests that iran has something to hide.


bridging the gap the iloilo culmination of the declaration of philippine independence as already known, emilio aguinaldo declared philippine independence from spain on june 12, 1898. this came about as a result of the renewal of the revolution against spain after aguinaldo ended his voluntary exile in hongkong. as may be recalled, the pact of biyak - na - bato was agreed upon between the filipinos under aguinaldo and the spaniards in december 1897 that led to the cessation of hostilities and the exile of the leading filipino leaders. however, the americans, vent on pursuing their imperialistic goal, persuaded aguinaldo to go back to the philippines to initiate the second phase of the philippine revolution. this, aguinaldo did in the middle part of may 1898. now, what part did iloilo play in the events related to the declaration of philippine independence? as early as march 1898, some members of the ilonggo elite organized the comite conspirador in molo under whose orders and plans the revolutionary movement in western visayas was initiated, especially in iloilo. in may of the same year, the comite was replaced by the comite de visayas that immediately sent out agents to secure funds for the purchase of arms and ammunitions. it also sent secret emissaries to the other provinces of panay and the rest of the visayas, and tried to establish contact with the malolos government under aguinaldo. it must be pointed out though that long before these local revolutionary committees were formed, the babaylanes in iloilo and the whole island of panay were already harassing spanish forces in the towns beginning 1896. their cries of " viva rizal! viva filipinas libre y mueran los espanoles! " show that from being a band that had settled in the mountains to escape spanish control, they had become a political group actively fighting spanish rule. on august 13, 1898, a mock battle ensued between the spanish and american forces in the walled city of manila. as previously agreed upon by both parties, the spanish troops eventually surrendered to the americans. it must, however, be pointed out that there was no corresponding official surrender of the spanish colonial government to the newcomer. after the surrender of manila, gen. fermin jaudenes, acting commander of the spanish army in the philippines, was summoned to spain by the madrid government. gen. diego de los rios, commanding general for visayas and mindanao, being the most senior officer in


manila, gen. fermin jaudenes, acting commander of the spanish army in the philippines, was summoned to spain by the madrid government. gen. diego de los rios, commanding general for visayas and mindanao, being the most senior officer in the philippines, was empowered to take over the provisional government in the archipelago and serve as governor - general. he then made iloilo as the new capital of the spanish colonial government. desiring to save the visayas and mindanao from the fate that had befallen luzon, general de los rios asked spain to grant some reforms demanded by representative citizens of iloilo. he issued in iloilo a proclamation to the people of the visayas calling on them to establish a " council of reforms " to be made up of 24 leading citizens, 12 of whom would be selected by popular vote, another 12 to be appointed by the general himself. general de los rios was obviously sincere in bringing about the reforms people asked for. the granted reforms, however, satisfied only a few ilustrado leaders. the reforms were doomed to fail from the very beginning. the flame of rebellion was too far spread for them to have any effect. as agreed upon by the ilonggo leaders, the general uprising against the spanish authorities in panay, particularly in iloilo, took place on october 28, 1898. on this day onward, the interior towns of the province were liberated from spanish control. by the first week of november, only jaro, molo and iloilo city remained in the hands of the spaniards. on november 21, jaro was delivered by the spanish government to the ilonggos. with the spanish army being besieged by the revolutionary troops in the positions which they held in iloilo city and molo, and being threatened by a decisive attack, the spanish government under governor general de los rios eventually opened up negotiations with the ilonggos. the outcome of the negotiations was the evacuation of molo and iloilo city by the spanish troops and their subsequent surrender to the native forces under the command of gen. martin delgado at plaza alfonso xii ( now plaza libertad ) on december 25, 1898. in effect, therefore, it was the ilonggos who were instrumental in putting to an official end the spanish rule in the philippines. the fruition of the declaration of the country ' s independence by aguinaldo on june 12, 1898 from spain became a concrete reality on december 25 in iloilo city. this, the ilonggos can be mighty proud


dickinson state university ( dsu ), located on the edge of the north dakota badlands, strives to be a premier university in the upper great plains. dsu is also the physical home of the theodore roosevelt center. to celebrate the centennial year of theodore roosevelt ' s birth in 1958, a theodore roosevelt centennial commission was created by the united states house of representatives. the commission worked with the theodore roosevelt association to coordinate activities to commemorate the anniversary of roosevelt ’ s life. in observation of the centennial, dickinson state university, then dickinson state teacher ' s college, organized a symposium to honor roosevelt ' s memory and to give recognition to the role north dakota played in his life. the symposium theme was responsible citizenship, and the keynote speakers included senator john f. kennedy, howard k. beale, hermann h. hagedorn, secretary of the interior fred a. seaton, and theodore roosevelt mckeldin. the 1958 theodore roosevelt centennial symposium collection housed at dsu was digitized and cataloged by tr center staff and an intern working on - site. the collection includes manuscripts, letters, pictures, newspaper articles, magazine clippings, comics, mementos, speeches and books about the image, life and legacy of theodore roosevelt. highlights in the collection are a copy of a handwritten autobiography and other manuscripts authored by theodore roosevelt. some of the latter are titled “ the home ranch, ” “ frontier types, ” “ sheriff ’ s work on a ranch, ” and “ the ranchman ’ s rifle on the crag and prairie. ” the collection includes extensive documentation on the theodore roosevelt centennial symposium hosted by dickinson state teacher ’ s college along with photographs and articles about roosevelt and his life. for full details on the 1958 theodore roosevelt centennial symposium collection, please see the finding aid.


using the 5 senses to discover signs of spring with children ( bpt ) - from the moment a groundhog looks for his shadow in february, until the new baby bunnies, chicks and birds appear, the arrival of spring is marked with celebrations and excitement across the country. spring fever usually sets in well before the warmer temperatures and green grasses return, making this the perfect time to start looking for signs of the coming spring season with kids. these signs return every year, so teach children to experience mother nature using the five senses : touch, taste, sight, smell and sounds. for colder regions, winter must leave before spring can arrive. melting snow is one of the very first signs warmer weather is around the corner. rising temperatures is a big change everyone can feel. the earth slowly warms, bringing plants to life anew. for a " hands - on " experience, gather spring garden elements. soil, water, seeds and light all work together to help plants grow - the basics of photosynthesis. even if it is still too cold for an outdoor garden, get kids gardening indoors by planting a small tabletop garden. miracle - gro kids has developed a series of small gardening kits for kids that make this process rewarding. simply plant the garden, place it in a sunny area, water and watch for sprouts. spring greens are some of the first tastes from the garden. pot a " grown - up " table - top container garden or visit the first local farmers market selling home - grown ingredients for salads this spring. maple syrup is another great taste of spring. the first maple tree sap flows right before the leaves appear, sometime between late february and early april. this is when maple sugar and maple syrup production is at its best. celebrate by learning how to tap a tree or visit a sugar house. kids will love seeing how much work goes into making the syrup they put on their pancakes, and might even get to sample maple candy or maple sugar for a delicious treat. in spring, flowers bloom, leaves bud, birds build nests and the backyard fills with life. one of the most obvious signs of spring ' s arrival is the appearance of flowers. even before the snow has melted, tiny crocuses can often be seen peeking out, making the statement that spring is, indeed, approaching. make a scrapbook or photographic diary of which flowers are spotted first in your area. flowers and blossoms are only part of the colorful sights. many animals are returning from migration. most people are not aware that earthworms migrate


, indeed, approaching. make a scrapbook or photographic diary of which flowers are spotted first in your area. flowers and blossoms are only part of the colorful sights. many animals are returning from migration. most people are not aware that earthworms migrate, so be on the lookout. earthworms make one of the shortest annual migrations, coming above ground only when the earth begins to thaw and the soil is ready for new root growth. their appearance above ground is a gardener ' s reminder that the ground is almost warm enough for planting. animals and birds will then return to gobble up these tasty morsels as quick forms of protein. to further explore the underground world of gardening, try the miracle - gro kids root viewer to let kids experience what goes on underground in spring before plants appear above ground. children can watch as seeds germinate and roots grow right before their eyes. spring brings soothing scents like lilacs, apple blossoms, hyacinth and daffodils. sweet aromas turn a stroll through the garden into a delicacy for the nose. the smell of fresh, cool air wafting into an open window or the scent of laundry that ' s been hung out to dry in the sun are some of the greatest moments of spring. and, of course, the pleasant smell of freshly cut grass after that first mowing of the year is a reminder of all the summer fun just around the corner. in the spring, birds returning from long migrations are busy building nests, looking for food and laying eggs. their singing and twittering are a welcomed signal that spring has truly arrived. set up a bird feeder in the backyard or patio and take turns documenting which feathered friends visit most frequently. in addition to the birds, frogs are also making their spring appearance in many parts of the country, filling the night air with song. listen for their high - pitched calls in the evenings, especially around wet areas like lakes and ponds. the signs of spring are popping up all around. using your five senses to discover them will lead to hours of fun for the whole family. with a little luck, it may actually help make the time go a little faster and spring come a little sooner.


what religion can learn from the social sciences secular groups have much to teach believers about human rights and social justice. nearly three decades ago, i participated as an undergraduate in a formal hart house debate at the university of toronto. the resolution that night was “ be it resolved : that human rights constitute the prime concern of the church. ” i was assigned to speak for the opposition and felt encouraged by the fact that the invited speaker was his eminence g. emmett cardinal carter ( 1912 - 2003 ), then serving as archbishop of toronto. carter was not known as a social justice firebrand, and i surmised his remarks would give ecclesial heft to my side ’ s arguments. i was wrong. surprisingly, carter spoke in favour of the resolution, claiming that human rights, rather than human salvation, formed the centrepiece of christian ministry. ( despite the cardinal ’ s stance, our team still won. we had happily stacked the house with friends. ) last month at st. james anglican cathedral in toronto, one of the most dynamic and powerful contemporary christian voices for human rights, sister helen prejean, blended wit, humour and compassion as she spoke cogently of those who have been consigned to death row. her celebrated 1994 book, dead man walking, rendered into a 1996 film starring susan sarandon, tells of prejean ’ s transformation from a well - bred nun hailing from an upper middle class background to a forceful crusader for human dignity, especially the poor. for both carter and prejean, their teachers in the underpinnings of human rights were not simply their theological forebears, but social scientists looking at unjust social structures, as well as secular groups such as amnesty international, which have been at the forefront of global advocacy for persons tortured and imprisoned for speaking their minds. as prejean remarked to her toronto audience, “ i didn ’ t learn about human rights from the church ; i learned about human rights from amnesty international. ” she had been invited by amnesty for the cities for life campaign on nov. 27, which united toronto with nearly 1, 300 urban centres in more than 80 countries to push for an end to the death penalty. the evening formed part of a spate of recent amnesty events leading up to today ’ s celebration of international human rights day, a day on which an empty chair will sit starkly in oslo in honour of this year ’ s nobel peace prize winner, liu xiaobo, a government critic who has called for human rights protections, political accountability and democratization in china


rights day, a day on which an empty chair will sit starkly in oslo in honour of this year ’ s nobel peace prize winner, liu xiaobo, a government critic who has called for human rights protections, political accountability and democratization in china. liu xiabo will not sit in the nobel chair, but instead will sit in his jail cell, serving an 11 - year sentence on charges of “ inciting subversion of state power ” in china. prejean, as a sheltered nun living in a convent in new orleans, was oblivious not only to the fearsome death penalty rate in china ( which executes more people annually than the rest of the world combined ) but also to the race - based horrors of poverty a few blocks away in a low - income housing project, and the disproportionate ratio of young black men languishing on death row in the united states. shielded by “ class and culture, ” she explains, she was “ asleep ” and had to be “ awakened ” to the realities of racism and deep poverty within her own city. one of the voices who roused prejean was fellow roman catholic sister, sociologist marie augusta neal ( 1921 - 2004 ). neal taught prejean that the christian vocation was not simply to show charity toward the poor, but to strive for justice for the poor. it was a personal game changer, one that pulled prejean out of her well - ordered convent down the street to the st. thomas housing project, where she lived among the impoverished black residents. it was there that she was asked to write a letter to a death - row inmate, leading to her remarkable emergence as a premier paladin for those condemned to state - sponsored executions. religious voices who have turned to the social sciences, such as neal, gregory baum of mcgill, and the “ liberation theologians ” of latin america, such as gustavo gutierrez of peru, are engaged in a crucial and long - standing theological tradition — whereby religious thinkers wander outside their own intellectual gates to learn from and be enriched by other, sometimes secular, intellectual communities. thus, beginning in the 1960s when latin american theologians turned to the social sciences, including marxist analysis, to understand the roots of historic, institutionalized poverty and oppression, their critics were powerful and plentiful, including cardinal ratzinger, then head of the congregation for the doctrine of the faith, now pope benedict xvi, and u. s. president ronald reagan. these liberation theologians were accused of “ reducing ” the gospel to a political message.


##iful, including cardinal ratzinger, then head of the congregation for the doctrine of the faith, now pope benedict xvi, and u. s. president ronald reagan. these liberation theologians were accused of “ reducing ” the gospel to a political message. such censure was nothing new, however. when st. thomas aquinas ( 1225? - 1274 ), the towering intellectual mind of the middle ages, turned to aristotle, a pagan philosopher, to help unpack the christian mystery for a medieval world, the effort was condemned by the archbishop of paris. no religion is an island. all are in need of dialogue with other cultural, spiritual and intellectual traditions to help them “ awaken ” to the “ signs of the times, ” including human rights abuses. and when religious voices are added to the growing chorus of human rights advocates, the results, in the words of prejean, are “ downright refreshing. ” stephen bede scharper is associate professor with the centre for the study of religion, university of toronto. stephen. firstname. lastname @ example. org. - saudi women jailed for trying to help a canadian woman - updated kathleen wynn concerned by strained relationship with rob ford - tories stumble and bumble without nigel wright - canada helped spy on g20, documents suggest - jays : arencibia catches fire as team continues to roll : griffin - updated trees come down on bloor, and condos will go up : fiorito - rob ford ’ s alleged attacker will have her day in court : lawyer - autistic son waits until father ’ s day to say ‘ dad ’ for first time in his life


over 8, 000 websites created by students around the world who have participated in a thinkquest competition. compete | faq | contact us the world in our hands : conflict resolution up close the objectives of " the world in our hands : conflict resolution up close " is to teach students ( and adults ) that conflict ( s ) is often healthy and there are ways of resolving conflict ( s ) peacefully. the p. s. 261 campus is one place where such conflict resolution takes place on a daily basis. another objective is to teach the steps involved in conflict resolution. resolving conflict entails very specific skills which are taught at p. s. 261. we are hopeful that we may teach others these very same skills which have proven so valuable to us on our campus. finally, we want other schools to know that not only are children involved in conflict resolution but teachers, parents, and administrators as well are trained to be " peacemakers " and in turn train others. we would like others to " meet " these " peacemakers " and learn a little about their backgrounds. the 261 campus also has approximately 40 trained mediators who deal with problems at lunchtime. we would like others to get a glimpse at a typical mediation. it is our sincere hope that other school will learn from ours and perhaps initiate conflict resolution programs of their own. 19 & under social sciences & culture > conflict resolution


thl toolbox > thl technologies & open standards > desktop software to produce digital scholarship on the tibetan and himalayan region, it is necessary to have tools designed specifically for the entry and manipulation of the unique types of data found in this field. fundamentally, not only are the necessary asian - language fonts required, but a scholar also needs means for easily entering data in the indigenous languages of tibet, china, nepal, and india. the thl staff has put a great deal of effort in creating tools for entering tibetan script as well as for converting extended wylie transliteration into tibetan script. thl has also developed or collaborated in the development of unique tools for creating language instruction materials, such as quilldriver which assists in the creation of video transcripts. the presently available software and relevant links are listed below. we have developed two tools that facilitate input of tibetan using the tibetan machine web family of fonts : jskad ( pronounced j - k ), a java text editor enabling input and display of tibetan script over the web using four of the major tibetan keyboards in use around the world ; and wylie word, a visual basic macro for typing tibetan within microsoft word. downloads and descriptions of these items are available from the tibetan input systems page. we have also created software to facilitate the entry of diacritics necessary for representing asian languages in roman script. two tools are available : one is a microsoft word macro, and another is a system level keyboard for windows 2000. see our page on diacritic input. the translator tool takes tibetan language passages - which can be cut and pasted in, typed in wylie transliteration, or typed in tibetan script - and divides the passages up into their component phrases and words, and displays corresponding dictionary definitions. the translator tool is written in java. you may use the tool on - line here, while its source code is available from our source code page. quilldriver is software for creating and using interactive, rich transcripts of audio - video recordings. it enables for the creation of transcriptions written in various scripts, including tibetan, the insertion of time codes marking the beginning and end of " sentences " or their equivalents, and the insertion of translations. this tool thus produces a rich transcript which can then be played back with the audio - video recording. as one watches the video or listens to the audio, a colored highlight automatically shifts to show the user the corresponding line in the transcript ; one can also click on a line in the transcript and play back just that segment of that video


turning dirty water into gold a small french start - up company is selling a technology with a hint of alchemy : turning water into gold. it does so by extracting from industrial waste water the last traces of any rare - and increasingly valuable - metal. " we leave only a microgramme per litre, " said steve van zutphen, a dutchman who founded magpie polymers last year with frenchman etienne almoric. " it ' s the equivalent of a sugar lump in an olympic swimming pool, " almoric said. magpie polymers operates from slightly shabby premises at a factory at saint - pierre - les - nemours, 80km southeast of paris. but it is at the leading edge of technology with a procedure developed at the prestigious ecole polytechnique in 2007. the process is based on the use of tiny pellets of plastic resin through which waste water is pumped. gold, platinum, palladium and rhodium little by little stick to the pellets and are thus separated from the waste water. a single litre of this patented resin can treat 5m3 to 10m3 of waste water and recover 50g to 100g of precious metal, " equivalent to $ 3900 to $ 6500, " almoric said. cellphones, catalytic converters and countless other everyday products contain these precious metals. but once they are scrapped the problem lies in retrieving the precious metals. " what is complicated is that the amounts are infinitesimal, and so hard to recover, " said van zutphen. once they have been separated and crushed, some industrial waste products have to be dissolved with acid in water. then the metals have to be recovered irrespective of whether they are valuable. magpie will not name its chief clients but is active in " france, england, belgium and switzerland ".


few weapons have been so closely associated with the martial arts than the nunchaku, westernized as nun - chucks, or simply chucks. they were first popularized in the west by bruce lee in his widely popular 1973 movie, enter the dragon. nunchaku originated in okinawa. some believe it was used by to harvest rice. a farmer would be in his boat and swing the nunchaku in a long arcing motion to gather as much rice as possible. grabbing the nunchaku on its return, the farmer would pull into the boat all the crop that was encircled by the nunchaku. a second theory says that the nunchaku was derived from the chinese three sectional staff. this weapon proved too large for easy concealment by the okinawans so they modified it, downsized it, and eliminated one section of the staff. another theory has it being used as a horse bit ( the original cord was made from woven horsehair ). some versions have two rods of equal length, some had one rod longer than the other where the long rod was held with both hands so the small rod could be strike powerfully against a shield. the long rod prevented the short rod from bouncing back against the user. the chinese had similar weapons, the shuang - chin - kun, which had two rods connected with metal fitting, and the san - chin - kun, the three - sectioned staff. another variation of this nunchaku has one normal stick, and the other side composed of two shorter sticks to makes it harder for the opponent to block an attack and easier to loop another weapon or attack. another variation is made of four sticks ( long piece - short piece - rope / chain - short piece - long piece ).


chemical soup spreads through north west communities and encourages parents to take 7 steps out arsenic, toilet cleaner and nail varnish remover aren ’ t the usual ingredients you would give your children this autumn – but parents who smoke in the north west are being reminded that this could be the case unless they take ‘ 7 steps ’ out of the house when smoking. the advice follows a series of sessions which took place in the north west over the last year as part of the ‘ chemical soup ’ initiative which educated parents, volunteers and health workers about the dangers of second hand cigarette smoke. developed by tobacco free futures and children ’ s charity barnardo ’ s working in partnership with manchester stop smoking service, the ‘ chemical soup kit ’ complete with cooking pot and fake hazardous liquids, was presented to attendees in a fun and visual way and highlighted some of the harmful chemicals in cigarette smoke. of more than 4, 000 chemicals in cigarette smoke, 60 are known to cause cancer as well as avoidable childhood illnesses. a new survey of more than 1000 participants who completed the training revealed that almost three quarters ( 71 % ) who indicated their homes were not smoke free before the session pledged to make their homes smoke free following it. elaine samson a carer from blackburn with darwen said : “ i used to be a smoker for thirty years and i never realised that there are more than 4, 000 chemicals in a cigarette. “ my husband and daughter are smokers and i ’ m going to share what i ’ ve learnt with them both so that they know how to protect others from the harms of secondhand smoke. ” this community activity was the next stage of the successful take 7 steps out campaign – which encourages smokers to smoke outside of their home, especially when children are in the house – and delivered jointly by tobacco free futures and barnardo ’ s.


the health cost of smoking has manifold angles. it takes in the cost to society as a whole and to the individual smoker and their family on the basic level. of course, some smokers would argue that nonsmokers also add to health care costs since they live longer. the individual costs there are many additional costs that smoking adds to an individual ’ s expenses. the first of course is the cost to purchase the cigarettes. each pack of cigarette is money that could have been saved or used for something else. smokers generally have to pay more for health insurance. they are considered high risk by insurers since smoking is known to cause some forms of cancers. often their premiums far exceed what non - smokers pay for coverage. the cost to society because smokers tend to have poorer health than nonsmokers, they place greater burden on the health system. many of them develop cancers, heart disease and respiratory diseases. these lead to extended hospitalization and surgeries, and more often than not, they have to be on medication for life. the cost is mind - boggling considering the number of smokers as well as nonsmokers affected by passive smoke. in 2009, figures reportedly from the centers for disease control and prevention revealed that the cost of smoking for direct health care was $ 96 billion annually. added to this was the projected loss in productivity of $ 97 billion per year. it is easy to see that this can have a negative impact on any economy. in addition to the financial costs, there are also the emotional costs resulting from smoking. many families have been destroyed after losing loved ones to smoking related illnesses. children have had to see parents suffer from various illnesses that are directly related to cigarette smoking such as emphysema.


‘ don ’ t be rash, be aware of meningitis signs ’ up to 34 million people in the uk are risking death with the mistaken belief that the main symptom of meningitis is a rash. as the country finds itself in the peak season for this devastating disease, national charity the meningitis trust, is campaigning to stop this deadly misconception. over 70 per cent of people immediately think of a rash when identifying meningitis. believing the rash is the only symptom will cost lives the charity says ; as the rash that does not fade under pressure ( a sign of blood poisoning ) will not always appear. if it does it can be one of the last symptoms to be displayed, often too late. trust chief executive sue davie said : “ by thinking meningitis is just a rash people are risking their own and their loved ones lives. you don ’ t get a second chance with meningitis so identifying it correctly is vital. “ it is important to know and recognise the other signs and symptoms and get medical help immediately. symptoms can appear quickly and rapid deterioration is a sign of a medical emergency. ” meningitis can start with ‘ flu like ’ symptoms. those to look out for are a fever, headache, vomiting and muscle pain. other symptoms can include drowsiness, confusion, pale blotchy skin, stiff neck, dislike of bright lights and seizures. in babies, symptoms can include being floppy and unresponsive, dislike of being handled, rapid breathing, a moaning cry and a bulging fontanelle ( soft spot on the top of the head ). the trust is urging everyone to make themselves aware of all the symptoms. you can download one of its free smart phone apps at www. meningitisapp. co. uk, visit www. meningitis - trust. org for information or call its freephone 24 - hour nurse - led helpline on 0808 80 10 388 to request a free signs and symptoms card. search for a job search for a car search for a house weather for tring wednesday 19 june 2013 temperature : 13 c to 24 c wind speed : 12 mph wind direction : north temperature : 12 c to 18 c wind speed : 12 mph wind direction : north east


recent defeats of dutch, greek and french governing parties show rising opposition to their austerity policies. across europe and north america, similar oppositions mount. bailing out large financial and other corporations with borrowed money has been the almost universal government plan for coping with global capitalist crisis. the result - rising government deficits and debts - was followed by " austerity policies " to reduce those deficits and debts. after suffering a crisis and then bailouts that bypassed them to favor major corporations, people now face austerity cutbacks of government jobs and services to offset the bailouts ' costs. as opposition mounts, will it seek keynesian " growth " or go beyond capitalism to economic democracy? keynesianism ( expansionary state economic intervention ) never was capitalists ' preferred policy for capitalism ' s recurring recessions and depressions. their plan a was government borrowing to bail out major financial and other corporations followed by " austerity policies. " austerity repays the costs of bailouts by siphoning money away from ( cutting ) government jobs and services. only when anti - capitalist movements threaten from below, as in the 1930s, do anxious capitalists abandon plan a and shift to plan b - eventually formalized as keynesianism. via government spending, keynesian policies claim credit for jobs and income " growth " and aim to keep political control away from anti - capitalist forces. keynesianism ' s dependence on radicals ' pressure from below explains its strength in the 1930s versus its weakness today. capitalists prefer austerity for many reasons. because universal suffrage allows politics to undo capitalism ' s consequences such as unequal wealth, income and power distributions, capitalists worry about how far universal suffrage will go. majorities may, during crises, reject bailouts and austerity. the greek and french just did. they may then demand keynesian " growth " via government jobs and income and wealth redistribution. or they may demand transition beyond capitalism to democratize their economies by socializing means of production, planning the economy and transforming enterprises into self - directed worker collectives. no wonder that conservative mainstream economics ( so - called " neoclassical economics " ) celebrates capitalism as a self - healing system requiring no government intervention. keynesianism also frustrates crisis mechanisms that discipline workers to capitalists ' advantage. rising unemployment makes worried jobholders accept reduced wages, benefits and job security : good news for employers. as falling wages reduce costs for surviving capitalists, they anticipate rising profit opportunities. they will then invest, renewing growth


##play anti - capitalism. many abandoned " socialism " as a goal ; some redefined it to be what fdr proposed. fdr ' s deal built an alliance that won four consecutive presidential elections. keynesianism - the formalized theory and policies drawn from john maynard keynes ' work in 1930s britain - developed after fdr ' s deal. it prompted a revised understanding of the great depression. attention shifted away from how anti - capitalist and working - class pressure from below reoriented fdr ' s policies. instead, smart economists and astute politicians were depicted using keynes ' " brilliant new economics " to moderate, manage and exit capitalist crises. after 1945, corporations and the rich still supported keynesian government spending ( they feared depression ' s return ), but they got reduced taxes for themselves. they also got some shift in government expenditures from social services to more capitalist - friendly defense and infrastructural improvements. keynesians also mostly joined neoclassical economists in dismissing marx ' s anti - capitalist economics. capitalism ' s crises, they insisted, were well understood and managed ( by keynesianism ). they were mere temporary blips punctuating capitalism ' s prosperous growth. anti - capitalism was theoretically outmoded and politically suspect in cold war times. keynesian economics was, for enthusiasts, superior to the mainstream orthodoxy that had always endorsed austerity policies for crises. keynesianism became the new orthodoxy from the 1930s to the 1970s. then, a capitalist boom returned dominance to neoclassical economics ( renamed neoliberalism ). even after the 2007 crisis hit, keynesians ( e. g., paul krugman ) have so far failed to regain policy - making dominance the " great " debate between neoclassical and keynesian economists is neither great nor much of a debate. both sides endorse, celebrate and defend capitalism. their " debate " - between plans b and a, more or less government intervention to sustain capitalism - periodically revives as a substitute for seriously engaging with critical economic theories, anti - capitalist social movements and their demands for economic democracy. the debate between austerity and growth policies is a sideshow for the main event : capitalism ' s weakening battles with its own contradictions and with looming demands for transition beyond capitalism to economic democracy.


rwanda, africa ’ s most densely populated country ( over 11 million people living in an area slightly smaller than the state of maryland ), is continuing a long journey to healing the scars left by one of the worst genocides in modern history. rwanda faces many challenges. it is a poor rural country with about 90 % of the population engaged in mainly subsistence agriculture as well as some mineral and agro - processing. the population is very youngwith over 42 % of its citizens under the age of 14. the life expectancy is low, currently at 58 years old. but one thing rwanda does not lack is hope. the country has no shortage of friends around the world working to improve the country ’ s status. two organizations, half a world away in seattle, washington, illustrate how the world community is supporting rwanda in its quest to lay the foundation for a better future. addressing gender equality rwanda girls initiative was created by two seattle women, suzanne sinegal mcgill and shalisan foster. it is focused on providing secondary education to girls and was designed by mcgill and foster to eventually become self - sustaining within the community it serves. their first project is the gashora girls academy, located in a rural farming community ( gashora ) about 40 minutes south of kigali. in january 2012, another 90 girls joined the first group of 90 at the academy. the new school in gashora will eventually house 270 girls. the gashora girls academy is situated on 25 acres, half of which serve as school grounds and the other half crop land. the academy terraced the land to protect against soil erosion and collect water which has allowed it to plant papaya and mango trees, along with peppers, sunflowers, cabbages and tomatoes. it also harvested 17 tons of seeds that were sold in local markets and is now growing zucchini. rwanda partners is a non - profit organization committed to fighting poverty and restoring hope to the poor through economic and educational opportunities. founded in 2004 by tracy stone, rwanda partners seeks to address widespread poverty and food insecurity in the country by creating sustainable income - generating programs for rwanda ’ s most vulnerable poor – widows, orphans, street youth, former prostitutes, rape survivors and rural farmers. to date, enterprises established by rawanda partners include : - the rwanda basket co. - the urunana pineapple plantation - the ambassadors cassava plantation - gashora orphans cassava plantation - the gashora orphans sewing program - the wirira widows chicken / egg / corn farm - vocational sewing program but the scars of conflict


the ppd skin test is a method used to diagnose tuberculosis ( tb ). ppd stands for purified protein derivative. purified protein derivative standard ; tb skin test ; tuberculin skin test ; mantoux test the test site ( usually the forearm ) is cleansed with rubbing alcohol. the ppd extract is then injected under the top layer of skin, causing a welt to form on the skin. this welt usually goes away in a few hours. the reaction will take 48 - 72 hours to develop. you must return to your health care provider within that time to have the area checked. this test will determine whether you have had a significant reaction to the ppd test. the reaction is measured in millimeters of firm swelling ( induration ), not redness, at the site. there is no special preparation for this test. tell your health care provider if you have ever had a positive ppd skin test. if so, you should not have a repeat ppd test, except under unusual circumstances. tell your doctor if you have a medical condition or if you take certain drugs, such as steroids, that can affect your immune system. these situations may lead to inaccurate test results. you will feel a brief sting as a needle is inserted just below the skin surface. the ppd test is done to find out if you have been infected with mycobacterium tuberculosis, the bacteria that causes tb. a negative reaction ( no induration ) or a size of hard swelling that falls below the cutoff for each risk group may mean that you have not been infected with the bacteria that cause tb. there are different cutoffs for children, people with hiv, and other risk groups. unfortunately, this is not a perfect test. up to 20 % of people infected with the bacteria that cause tb may not have a reaction on the ppd skin test. in addition, certain conditions that affect the immune system ( cancer, recent chemotherapy, late - stage aids ) may cause a false - negative test result. the results of the test depend on the size of the skin reaction and on the person being tested. a small reaction ( 5 mm of firm swelling at the site ) is considered to be positive in people : larger reactions ( greater than or equal to 10 mm ) are considered positive in : in people with no known risks for tb, a positive reaction means there is 15 mm or more of firm swelling at the site. there is a very small risk of severe redness and swelling of the arm in people who


) are considered positive in : in people with no known risks for tb, a positive reaction means there is 15 mm or more of firm swelling at the site. there is a very small risk of severe redness and swelling of the arm in people who have had a previous positive ppd test and who have the test again. there also have been a few cases of this reaction in people who have not been tested before. a positive skin test does not necessarily mean that a person has active tuberculosis. more tests must be done to check whether there is active disease. many people who were born outside the united states may have had a vaccine called " bcg, " which can lead to a false - positive test result. however, many experts believe that a past bcg vaccination should not change the interpretation of the ppd result when the test is done 15 years or more after the bcg vaccination. iseman md. tuberculosis. in : goldman l, ausiello d, eds. cecil medicine. 23rd ed. philadelphia, pa : saunders elsevier ; 2007 : chap 345. review date : 12 / 1 / 2009 the information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. a licensed physician should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. call 911 for all medical emergencies. links to other sites are provided for information only - - they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. copyright ©2010 a. d. a. m., inc., as modified by university of california san francisco. any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited. information developed by a. d. a. m., inc. regarding tests and test results may not directly correspond with information provided by ucsf medical center. please discuss with your doctor any questions or concerns you may have.


remarks on the exhibit on the grandmothers of the plaza de mayo un headquarters, new york, 23 september 2008 there are few events in the collective history of latin america that are as dark as those that inspired this exhibit. during the 70 ’ s and 80 ’ s our region was held captive under a vast network of military dictatorships. regional cooperation was limited to those operations coordinated by intelligence operatives. death squads methodically terrorized, kidnapped and murdered thousands of our brothers and sisters : union organizers, farmers, workers, politicians, artists, teachers and professors. a generation was exiled. and it is taking another generation to restore the losses to the continent. their creativity, solidarity and vision may well have placed latin america on the road to economic and social justice. we are still struggling to overcome the shameful legacy of betrayal and loss. but even in the darkest moments, when most were immobilized by fear, the mothers and grandmothers who gathered in the plaza de mayo in buenos aires held up a light, sometimes nothing more than a flickering candle, in protest of the killings, the disappearances and the terror. these brave women challenged the savage machinery that consumed their children and grandchildren. through their persistence, the entire world slowly became aware of the crimes that were being committed in the clandestine prisons of towns and cities across argentina and latin america. their example inspired others throughout the region to give witness. today, we embrace these women as the heroines they are. by using the names and by remembering their identities through photos, letters and memoirs, they move us to remember and document the crimes that were committed against their loved ones. today, the research begun decades ago continues with a the creation of genetic identity banks, working with groups in peru and guatemala, which aim to prove human rights violations and make it possible to further identify the victims. they remind us so clearly that their daughters and sons are also our brothers and sisters. by acknowledging this fundamental truth, we can muster the confidence and courage to do like las abuelas, the grandmothers, to defend what is right and to protect those who are vulnerable.


december 21, 2009 what might our landscape look like in the near future? more specifically, where has urban growth occurred in the last thirty years, and where is it likely to occur over the next twenty years? researchers at unc asheville and unc charlotte, as part of an ongoing renaissance computing institute ( renci ) project, are conducting analyses that answer these types of questions, and also developing tools to help policy makers and planners understand and manage rapid urban growth.. using historical satellite imagery, development trends, population data and population projections, they ’ ve been able to design an urban growth model that can generate visual representations of what our landscape may look like in the future. building upon a similar study of the greater charlotte region, released in 2007, researchers are in the process of analyzing land conversion patterns for all of western north carolina. the initial results of their collaborative research highlight the effect of development on four western north carolina counties : madison, buncombe, henderson and transylvania. those results indicate that between 1976 and 2006, development in the four - county region increased nearly 500 percent, or at an average rate of six acres of green space per day – outpacing population growth by nearly 10 - to - one. researchers have identified several important predictors of development patterns, including an area ’ s proximity to nearest road or interstate interchange and proximity to nearest urban center, or major employment center. topographical slope and “ development pressure, ” or proximity to previously developed areas, are also key indicators of where urbanization and future development are likely to occur. development forecasts extend to 2030, utilizing all available county - level population projections for the region. the urban growth model indicates an additional 47, 489 acres of forests and farm lands will be developed in the four - county region by 2030, which is the equivalent of losing almost 75 square miles – or more than six properties the size of the biltmore estate – worth of green space. that ’ s significant for an area that draws visitors from around the globe for its natural and scenic attractions. the urban growth model results include statistics on the amount and rate of development as well as maps of future development patterns. these are important tools for policy makers, planners and conservationist as they provide valuable information on not only when and how much development is expected, but also where it is likely to occur. james fox, the director of renci at unc asheville and the school ’ s national environment modeling and analysis center ( nemac ), has already witnessed local lawmakers ' interest in the growth


, but also where it is likely to occur. james fox, the director of renci at unc asheville and the school ’ s national environment modeling and analysis center ( nemac ), has already witnessed local lawmakers ' interest in the growth model results. “ it ’ s going to be used by several different groups of decision makers, ” he said, adding the study is an important tool that will make it easier for local governments to collaborate with each other when making policy and planning decisions. “ this is another important tool we can incorporate into our work, " said richard broadwell, a land protection specialist for the conservation trust of north carolina, which is working to preserve the scenic viewsheds along the blue ridge parkway. his organization plans to use the data to help them determine which lands to protect and " how to spend our limited funds. " most of the anticipated growth is expected to occur in buncombe and henderson counties. these two counties are forecast to contribute 22, 101 and 18, 381 acres of developed land, respectively, between 2010 and 2030. henderson county is predicted to experience the greatest change in total developed land relative to county area, with total number of developed acres comprising 13. 5 % of county area in 2010 and 21. 3 % of county area by 2030. “ for every acre of land that is converted from a natural state through development, there is a really big impact on the mountains ' plants and animals, ” said carl silverstein, executive director for the southern appalachian highlands conservancy. silverstein is also concerned about development pressure on local farmers, decreased interest from tourists, and the impact urban sprawl could have on the headwaters of rivers, which provide drinking water for millions of north carolina citizens. further, the findings demonstrate that humans require more land per person than they once did. in 1976, developed land equated to 0. 06 acres per person in the four - county area. by 2030, researchers forecast per - capita land requirements will increase to over a quarter - acre in the region. madison county ’ s " human footprint " is projected to increase more than the other three counties, by 0. 18 acres per person ( a 67 percent increase ) between 2006 and 2030. in comparison, per - capita land consumption in buncombe, henderson and transylvania counties is forecast to increase by 28 percent, 13 percent and 18 percent, respectively, in the same period. created in 2004, renci includes a statewide network of academic institutions working to solve complex problems affecting quality of life and


angkor wat, built during the early years of the 12th century by suryavaram ii, honors the hindu god vishnu and is a symbolic representation of hindu cosmology. consisting of an enormous temple symbolizing the mythic mt. meru, its five inter - nested rectangular walls and moats represent chains of mountains and the cosmic ocean. the short dimensions of the vast compound are precisely aligned along a north - south axis, while the east - west axis has been deliberately diverted 0. 75 degrees south of east and north of west, seemingly in order to give observers a three day anticipation of the spring equinox. unlike other temples at angkor, ta prohm has been left as it was found, preserved as an example of what a tropical forest will do to an architectural monument when the protective hands of humans are withdrawn. ta prohm ' s walls, roofs, chambers and courtyards have been sufficiently repaired to stop further deterioration, and the inner sanctuary has been cleared of bushes and thick undergrowth, but the temple has been left in the stranglehold of trees. having planted themselves centuries ago, the tree ' s serpentine roots pry apart the ancient stones and their immense trunks straddle the once bustling buddhist temple. built in the later part of the 12th century by jayavarman vii, ta prohm is the terrestrial counterpart of the star eta draconis the draco constellation. during half - millennia of khmer occupation, the city of angkor became a pilgrimage destination of importance throughout southeastern asia. sacked by the thais in 1431 and abandoned in 1432, angkor was forgotten for a few centuries. wandering buddhist monks, passing through the dense jungles, occasionally came upon the awesome ruins. recognizing the sacred nature of the temples but ignorant of their origins, they invented fables about the mysterious sanctuaries, saying they had been built by the gods in a far ancient time. centuries passed, these fables became legends, and pilgrims from the distant reaches of asia sought out the mystic city of the gods. a few adventurous european travelers knew of the ruins and stories circulated in antiquarian circles of a strange city lost in the jungles. most people believed the stories to be nothing more than legend however, until the french explorer henri mouhot brought angkor to the world ' s attention in 1860. the french people were enchanted with the ancient city and beginning in 1908 funded and superbly managed an extensive restoration project. the restoration has continued to the present day, excepting periods in the 70 '


facemasks or respirators if you must have close contact with the sick person ( for example, hold a sick infant ), spend the least amount of time possible in close contact and try to wear a facemask ( for example, surgical mask ) or n95 disposable respirator. an n95 respirator that fits snugly on your face can filter out small particles that can be inhaled around the edges of a facemask. compared with a facemask however, it is harder to breathe through an n95 mask for long periods of time. wear an n95 respirator or surgical mask if you help a sick person with respiratory treatments using a nebulizer or inhaler, as directed by their doctor. respiratory treatments should be performed in a separate room away from common areas of the house when at all possible. used facemasks and n95 respirators should be taken off and placed immediately in the regular trash so they don ’ t touch anything else. avoid re - using disposable facemasks and n95 respirators if possible. if a reusable fabric facemask is used, it should be laundered with normal laundry detergent and tumble - dried in a hot dryer. after you take off a facemask or n95 respirator, clean your hands with soap and water or an alcohol - based hand sanitizer. facemasks and respirators may be purchased at a pharmacy, building supply or hardware store. crisis preparedness and response centre got the flu?


because endemic species - native species not found outside the state - make up nearly half of all california ' s native plants, a changing climate will have a major impact on the state ' s unparalleled plant diversity, the researchers warn. photo © 2001 tony morosco ( scott loarie and david ackerly / uc berkeley ) the researchers caution that their study can ' t reliably predict the fate of specific species. however, the trend is clear : the researchers project that, in response to rising temperatures and altered rainfall, many plants could move northward and toward the coast, following the shifts in their preferred climate, while others, primarily in the southern part of the state and in baja california, may move up mountains into cool but highly vulnerable refugia coast redwoods may range farther north, for example, while california oaks could disappear from central california in favor of cooler weather in the klamath mountains along the california - oregon border. many plants may no longer be able to survive in the northern sierra nevada or in the los angeles basin, while plants of northern baja california will migrate north into the san diego mountains. the central valley will become preferred habitat for plants of the sonoran desert. " across the flora, there will be winners and losers, " said first author scott loarie, a ph. d. candidate at duke university ' s nicholas school for the environment who has worked with ackerly on the analysis for the past four years. " in nearly every scenario we explored, biodiversity suffers - especially if the flora can ' t disperse fast enough to keep pace with climate change. " the authors identified several " climate - change refugia " scattered around the state. these are places where large numbers of the plants hit the hardest by climate change are projected to relocate and hang on. many of these refugia are in the foothills of coastal mountains such as the santa lucia mountains along california ' s central coast, the transverse ranges separating the central valley from los angeles and the san gabriel mountains east of los angeles. many of these areas are already under increasing pressure from encroaching suburban development. " there ' s a real potential for sheltering a large portion of the flora in these refugia if they are kept wild and if plants can reach them in time, " loarie said. the authors argue that it ' s not too early to prepare for this eventuality by protecting corridors through which plants can move to such refugia, and maybe even assisting plants in reestablishing themselves in new


, " loarie said. the authors argue that it ' s not too early to prepare for this eventuality by protecting corridors through which plants can move to such refugia, and maybe even assisting plants in reestablishing themselves in new regions. " part of me can ' t believe that california ' s flora will collapse over a period of 100 years, " ackerly said. " it ' s hard to comprehend the potential impacts of climate change. we haven ' t seen such drastic changes in the last 200 years of human history, since we have been cataloguing species. " ackerly, loarie and colleagues at uc berkeley, duke university in durham, n. c., california polytechnic state university ( cal poly ) in san luis obispo and texas tech university in lubbock report their findings in the open - access journal plos one, which appears online june 25. photo © michael charters ( scott loarie and david ackerly / uc berkeley ) in collaboration with climate modeler katharine hayhoe of texas tech, loarie and ackerly then employed two different climate models - one based at the u. s. national center for atmospheric research and the other at the united kingdom meteorological office - that predict changes in temperature and precipitation through the year 2100 for lower and higher greenhouse gas emissions scenarios. they then projected for each model and scenario where california ' s endemic species would have to move in order to find the microclimate they need to survive. one set of projections assumed that plants can easily relocate, while another assumed that they cannot migrate at all by 2100, so their ranges will only shrink as climate changes. loarie emphasized that there are many uncertainties in the analysis - for example, in the known range of individual plants ; in knowledge of the microclimate each plant prefers ; in how much warming can be expected based on best - and worst - case greenhouse gas scenarios ; in the direction and magnitude of changes in california rainfall ; and in whether or not plants can migrate sufficiently in 100 years to discover congenial habitat. despite these unknowns, the researchers said they are confident in their approach, which has been used previously to predict global warming ' s effects on isolated species or plant families in places such as south africa, europe, the eastern u. s. and southern california. " we can have confidence in the trends, if not in what happens to specific species, " loarie said. " there is a clear trend despite the uncertainty. " in the


, europe, the eastern u. s. and southern california. " we can have confidence in the trends, if not in what happens to specific species, " loarie said. " there is a clear trend despite the uncertainty. " in the most optimistic scenario, in which global emissions of carbon dioxide return to near - 1990 levels by the end of the century and plants are able to move into new habitats within a century, diversity of species in parts of california might actually increase, especially along the northwest and central coast. nevertheless, diversity in the northern sierra and in southern california would decrease. however, such an optimistic outcome is far less likely than more dire ones, ackerly said. in the higher scenario - the greatest warming, and plants unable to move in the 90 - to - 100 - year time frame of global warming - plant diversity will decrease everywhere by as much as 25 percent, even if no species actually become extinct. similarly, 66 percent of all endemic species will experience more than an 80 percent reduction in range. if plants are able to disperse in time to find more suitable habitat, the researchers found that ranges will shift by an average of 150 kilometers ( 95 miles ) under higher climate change, often with no overlap between the old and new ranges. paradoxically, this may separate species that now live together : substantial numbers of floral communities may be split up as some species move south and uphill while others move north and towards the coast. though the study did not look at the response of invasive or non - native plants to climate change, ackerly said that they likely will expand their ranges at the expense of natives and endemics. and shifting and shrinking ranges of endemic species likely will affect animal diversity as well. ackerly noted that range change may separate an animal from its major food source, or a pollinator from its preferred plant. with the shifting ranges of endemic species, species conservation becomes a moving target, the researchers noted. brent mishler, director of the university and jepson herberia and a professor of integrative biology, anticipates a big need for information on possible plant movement among those people protecting, managing or restoring natural areas around the state. " they could really benefit by knowing what plants are in danger of being eliminated from their area, and maybe even more importantly, what plants to keep in mind that will be ' refugees ' from other sites that will need to move into their area to avoid extinction, " he said. " planning for refugees will become a new but important concept for natural


walter cruttenden of the binary research institute has amassed provocative evidence that the sun may actually be part of a double star system. here, he explains the significance of this idea which, if correct, affects life on earth and, in fact, everything that happens in our solar system, very profoundly. does it also explain legends such as nibru, and the periodic cycles of chaos that geologic history suggest influence life on earth? for example, did the upheaval that ended egypt ' s old kingdom have anything to do with this? listen as cruttenden explains his fascinating theories, and shows how they may explain the erratic pattern of earth ' s development. and, if our sun is part of a double - star system, then where is the other star and, above all, when and how will it affect us again? read walter cruttenden ' s lost star of myth and time. graham hancock says of the book that it is " is a wonderful, stimulating, thought - provoking new – or very old – approach to the greatest enigmas of human history. if walter cruttenden is right, as i very much suspect he is, then he has found the key to the mystery of the ages. ” attend walter cruttenden ' s cpak 2011 in sedona september 30 to october 2nd. graham hancock, walter schoch, walter cruttenden and many others will be speaking at this exciting event. to learn more, click here are you a subscriber? login now to download the mp3 files and any other subscriber - only material for this show.


?? at first i thought huh?? lamp?? why does tes need a lamp? it ' s a spectrometer! but after much searching i found this page which says " the interferometer includes a visible interferometer that is used to generate fringes which are used to control the linear drive servo and to determine position in the interferogram. this system uses two redundant neon lamps that produce an emission line at 703. 2 nm for fringe generation and a continuum that is used for a quasi - white - light source for determination of zero path difference. the off - axis position of the six detectors results in self - apodization and a spectral shift that is a function of both distance from the axis and optical frequency. " ohhhh now i see. after more searching i found this : photo of the lamp they used. it ' s just a little neon indicator lamp! they ' ve been using the backup lamp since the original lamp failed way back in 1998! these things fail all the time in those little red switches in power strips and, well practically everywhere i see them used they inevitalbly start blinking and flickering after being used for any length of time. i bet they didn ' t use a dc to ac inverter to power it because of space and power issues and just used the dc power of mgs to light it instead. using dc power on those things reduces thier life greatly for some reason.... oh well, it had a good run!


hyperbaric oxygen therapy hyperbaric oxygen therapy uses a special chamber, sometimes called a pressure chamber, to increase the amount of oxygen in the blood. some, but not very many, hospitals have a hyperbaric chamber. smaller units may be available in outpatient center. the air pressure inside a hyperbaric oxygen chamber is about two and a half times greater than the normal pressure in the atmosphere. this helps your blood carry more oxygen to organs and tissues in your body. hyperbaric therapy can help wounds, especially infected wounds, heal more quickly. the therapy may be used to treat : - air or gas embolism - bone infections ( osteomyelitis ) that have not improved with other treatments - carbon monoxide poisoning - certain types of brain or sinus infections - decompression sickness ( for example, a diving injury ) - gas gangrene - necrotizing soft tissue infections - provide enough oxygen to the lung during a procedure called whole lung lavage, which is used to clean an entire lung in patients with certain medical conditions - radiation injury ( for example, damage from radiation therapy - skin grafts - wounds that have not healed with other treatments ( for example, it may be used to treat a foot ulcer in someone with diabetes or very bad circulation ) treatments for chronic conditions may be repeated over days or weeks. a treatment session for more acute conditions such as decompression sickness may be longer but not necessarily repeated. you might feel pressure in your ears while you are in the hyperbaric chamber. your ears may pop when you get out of the chamber. christiani dc. physical and chemical injuries of the lung. in : goldman l, schafer ai, eds. cecil medicine. 24th ed. philadelphia, pa : saunders elsevier ; 2011 : chap 94. rabinowitz rp, caplan es. hyperbaric oxygen. in : mandell gl, bennett je, dolin r, eds. principles and practice of infectious diseases. 7th ed. philadelphia, pa : elsevier churchill livingstone ; 2009 : chap 43. david c. dugdale, iii, md, professor of medicine, division of general medicine, department of medicine, university of washington school of medicine. denis hadjiliadis, md, assistant professor of medicine, division of pulmonary, allergy and critical care, university of pennsylvania, philadelphia, pa. also reviewed by david zieve, md, mha, medical director, a. d. a. m. health solutions


the united states commission on civil rights the united states commission on civil rights, first created by the civil rights act of 1957, and reestablished by the united states commission on civil rights act of 1983, is an independent, bipartisan agency of the federal government. by the terms of the 1983 act, as amended by the civil rights commission amendments act of 1994, the commission is charged with the following duties pertaining to discrimination or denials of the equal protection of the laws based on race, color, religion, sex, age, disability, or national origin, or in the administration of justice : investigation of individual discriminatory denials of the right to vote ; study and collection of information relating to discrimination or denials of the equal protection of the law ; appraisal of the laws and policies of the united states with respect to discrimination or denials of equal protection of the law ; maintenance of a national clearinghouse for information respecting discrimination or denials of equal protection of the law ; investigation of patterns or practices of fraud or discrimination in the conduct of federal elections ; and preparation and issuance of public service announcements and advertising campaigns to discourage discrimination or denials of equal protection of the law. the commission is also required to submit reports to the president and the congress at such times as the commission, the congress, or the president shall deem desirable. the state advisory committees an advisory committee to the united states commission on civil rights has been established in each of the 50 states and the district of columbia pursuant to section 105 ( c ) of the civil rights act of 1957 and section 3 ( d ) of the civil rights commission amendments act of 1994. the advisory committees are made up of responsible persons who serve without compensation. their functions under their mandate from the commission are to : advise the commission of all relevant information concerning their respective states on matters within the jurisdiction of the commission ; advise the commission on matters of mutual concern in the preparation of reports of the commission to the president and the congress ; receive reports, suggestions, and recommendations from individuals, public and private organizations, and public officials upon matters pertinent to inquiries conducted by the state advisory committee ; initiate and forward advice and recommendations to the commission upon matters in which the commission shall request the assistance of the state advisory committee ; and attend, as observers, any open hearing or conference that the commission may hold within the state.


baghdad ’ s underground shelters help iraqi women escape violence and abuse baghdad ’ s underground railroad image by mimi chakarova / www. mclight. com on a bullet - scarred side street in baghdad ’ s downtown, where u. s. marines famously helped tear down the statue of saddam hussein in april of 2003, an inconspicuous entryway tucked between a steel - shuttered shop and a rickety candy stall leads to a flight of steep concrete stairs. rusted water pipes run precariously over and across the poorly lit top step, tripping first - time visitors. the second - floor landing bottlenecks into a dark, empty hallway. women in black abayas hurry across the buckled floor tiles in silence and quickly disappear through an unmarked plywood door on the right. the decrepit two - bedroom apartment behind this unassuming portal is an essential junction of what activists in iraq and their u. s. supporters call the underground railroad. this railroad is a small, clandestine network of several shelters, located mostly in baghdad, for the countless but commonly overlooked victims of the war in iraq : women who have been raped, battered, or forced into prostitution, and women who, accused of bringing dishonor to their families by having been abused, have been rejected or even threatened with death by their relatives. these shelters serve women who have nowhere else to turn for help. operated despite recurring death threats and lack of government support by a team of 35 iraqi activists who call themselves the organization of women ’ s freedom in iraq ( owfi ), the shelters offer a glint of hope for civil society. the underground railroad was founded in 2004 by baghdad - born architect - turned - feminist - organizer yanar mohammed, head of owfi, along with madre, an international women ’ s rights group based in new york. it provides the only sanctuaries for victims of sexual abuse and domestic violence outside the quasi - autonomous kurdistan region in northern iraq, where the local government and nongovernment organizations operate several shelters. in addition to providing temporary asylum, it helps women resettle in places where their abusers cannot find them easily. since its inception, says madre policy and communications director yifat susskind, the railroad has helped thousands of women. several have been transferred to turkey and at least two now live in the united states, but most of the rescued women have remained in iraq. saddam hussein ’ s regime persecuted political dissidents but allowed women personal rights and freedoms ; assaults on women were rare. but when violence engulfed


new orleans — new orleans ( ap ) - the explosion of the deepwater horizon oil rig illustrates the energy industry ' s push to drill ever deeper in search of huge oil deposits, despite the mammoth risks and unique challenges associated with exploration in such a hostile environment. the lure of the deep is driven by technological advances that make previously inaccessible oil now reachable, and dwindling supplies at shallower depths due to years of exploration. high energy prices and lucrative government incentives have also made it more financially feasible. " that ' s where the oil is, " said eric smith, associate director of tulane university ' s energy institute. " you can ' t find any oil any cheaper anywhere else. " but the work is highly technical. in mile - deep seas, where bp plc ' s deepwater horizon rig was plumbing for oil in an ocean canyon, the work is done in total darkness and near - freezing temperatures. water pressure is enough to crush a submarine, and the explosive methane gas that likely ignited on the deepwater horizon can be much more damaging if not properly controlled. " the deep water is way too risky, " said kieran suckling, executive director of the center for biological diversity, a legal advocacy group that opposes such drilling. gulf of mexico oil is a crucial part of the u. s. energy supply. while land - based production has steadily declined, output from the gulf has doubled over the past two decades, surpassing that of any state including texas and alaska. more companies are developing projects in mile - deep seas, and most of the oil produced in the gulf now comes from sites more than 1, 000 feet below the water ' s surface. drilling applications approved by the federal government last year went to wells at an average depth of 2, 114 feet - triple what was seen just a decade ago, according to an associated press analysis of data from the federal minerals management service. this expansion of drilling ever deeper was fueled by the 1995 deep water royalty relief act, which exempts companies from paying a percentage of royalties to the government on oil and gas found. " prior to that, the gulf was becoming a dead sea in terms of exploration activities, " said david dismukes, director of policy analysis at louisiana state university ' s center for energy studies. " the relief act stimulated a lot of activity... and concerns about environmental safety in the gulf. " politically, u. s. - produced oil from the gulf of mexico is an easier sell than continued reliance on foreign sources or tapping pristine alaskan wilderness. " in


a lot of activity... and concerns about environmental safety in the gulf. " politically, u. s. - produced oil from the gulf of mexico is an easier sell than continued reliance on foreign sources or tapping pristine alaskan wilderness. " in terms of oil that ' s available to us, it ' s either imported from places where it ' s bountiful, " smith said, " or we find deep water deposits off the coast of africa, brazil and the gulf of mexico. " that is widely expected to continue despite the deepwater horizon disaster, which killed 11 workers and has already fouled the gulf with 4 million gallons of crude. " this country ' s pretty well committed to oil and gas, and nobody ' s really happy when the price goes through the roof, " said philip johnson, a petroleum engineering professor at the university of alabama. " my suspicion is that we ' re going to proceed with production out of the gulf of mexico - and that means we ' re going to keep trying to get farther and farther offshore. " but the conditions down there have challenged oil companies to come up with technological solutions. beyond about 1, 500 feet, sunlight is unable to penetrate. the temperature at 5, 000 feet in the gulf is about 40 degrees. the water pressure is about 2, 300 pounds per square inch, conditions that can damage hydraulic systems or cause leaks. a remotely operated underwater vehicle designed for 5, 000 feet of water is " a whole world of different engineering " than one used at 500 feet, said louisiana state university oceanographer robert s. carney. yet companies must rely on those vehicles to detect or repair leaks and other problems. blowouts like the one that hit the deepwater horizon are also more powerful at extreme depths. they can thrust gas, oil, water and debris toward the surface with incredible force. in the intense pressure and cold of the deep, methane hydrates exist in a slushy, crystalline form. but as methane rockets upward in a blowout, passing into lower - pressure zones, it converts to a gaseous state and gains tremendous force. the use of heat in cementing, or sealing a well, which was under way prior to the blast, can destabilize methane hydrates at extreme depths. halliburton co., which was doing the cementing of the deepwater horizon well, acknowledged as much in an industry presentation last year, calling the risks " a challenge to the safety and economics. " ultra deepwater rigs like horizon are also required to have