a quilt exhibit pieces together a story about american history download mp3 ( right - click or option - click the link. ) welcome to this is america in voa special english. i ' m steve ember. and i ' m shirley griffith. this week on our program, we visit a quilting exhibit at the renwick gallery of the smithsonian american art museum in washington, d. c. quilts are colorful bed coverings made by sewing together pieces of cloth into different designs. these finely crafted works of art celebrate the creativity and skill of generations of women. the renwick exhibit is called " going west! quilts and community. " it includes fifty quilts made from around the eighteen thirties to the nineteen thirties in the area of what is today the midwestern state of nebraska. robyn kennedy is the chief of the renwick gallery. she says the guest curator of the exhibit, sandi fox, wanted to look at the quilts that settlers in a certain area of the united states brought with them, then later made. sandi fox looked at more than two thousand quilts before she chose the ones to show. starting in the eighteen forties, three major paths leading to the western territories of the united states ran alongside each other. the oregon trail, mormon trail and california trail came together along the great platte river. this area by eighteen fifty - four was called the nebraska territory. settlers in their wagons pulled by horses followed these trails to find land and create a new life for themselves. some settlers continued on to areas further west. but others decided to settle in nebraska. the renwick exhibit explores quilts made by settlers and later generations of quilters in this part of america known for its severe winters. a few of the quilts in the " going west! " exhibit were treasures that families brought with them from europe as reminders of the life they left behind. for example, one family from sweden who settled in nebraska in the eighteen sixties brought with them a whole cloth quilt made from red silk. the quilt is remarkable for its richly detailed stitching. looking at this quilt, you can imagine how the family enjoyed its warmth and beauty while building a new life in america. robyn kennedy explains how some quilts in the exhibit tell a story about the groups of people who settled in nebraska. robyn kennedy : " well, it really gives you an idea of the sense of community that these people had. many of these were done as fund raisers for a variety of different projects. and sometimes they were auctioned several times. people


nebraska. robyn kennedy : " well, it really gives you an idea of the sense of community that these people had. many of these were done as fund raisers for a variety of different projects. and sometimes they were auctioned several times. people would pay twenty - five cents to have their name on it, but then once the completed quilt was done, then that would be auctioned off. " for example, one red and white piece called the " omaha commerce quilt " was made in eighteen ninety - five by a women ’ s aid group at a lutheran church. local businesses bought advertising space on the quilt. different women in the church group stitched each cloth advertisement. the quilt was probably set out to create publicity for the businesses that gave money to the women ’ s cause. it might also have been sold to raise more money. robyn kennedy points to a quilt that shows a community coming together for another reason. robyn kennedy : " this is an anniversary quilt for this couple, for their fiftieth anniversary, nineteen - oh - seven. but they first got married in eighteen fifty - seven. so this is their community celebrating. " this shiny blue quilt with yellow stitching also represents a change in the technology of quilt making. one area of the quilt was clearly sewn by hand by different friends and family members of the married couple being honored. but the words sewn into the center of the cloth proudly announce that they were stitched with a sewing machine made by the new home company. other quilts tell a story about an individual ’ s life. edith withers myers made a quilt called " you are the darling of the earth " in about eighteen ninety - eight. this crazy quilt is like a written journal of this young woman ’ s social life. crazy quilts are a popular form of quilt design. there is no set pattern. a quilter can use her imagination to piece together cloth in whatever form or shape she wishes. edith meyers stitched onto her quilt words describing parties and dances she attended. she stitched in the names of her friends as well as popular slang words at the time, including " toots " and " buzz. " for a quilt made in about nineteen ten, a woman named azuba read recreated the objects found in a hat maker ’ s store. she was a professional hat maker herself. she covered her spirited crazy quilt with flowers and feathers like the ones she might have placed on the hats she made for women. by definition, a quilt is made from two layers of fabric with a


s store. she was a professional hat maker herself. she covered her spirited crazy quilt with flowers and feathers like the ones she might have placed on the hats she made for women. by definition, a quilt is made from two layers of fabric with a soft material such as wool or cotton batting in between. the two sides of fabric are sewn together to keep the filling from moving around inside the quilt. the stitches can be made in such a way as to form detailed patterns or designs on the quilt. a quilt made from a solid piece of fabric on top is called a whole cloth quilt. patchwork quilts are made from many pieces of different colored fabrics that have been sewn together, or " pieced, " in a design. often the small pieces of fabric that make up the quilt come from old pieces of clothing. a quilter can also sew different pieces of fabric onto the top of the quilt to form designs. this method is called applique. quilting in general is not american. through history, cultures around the world have created quilted coverings and clothing. but quilting in the united states developed qualities that are now very much american, such as patchwork. quilts were more than warm protection against cold winters. quilt making provided women with an important form of creative expression and invention. quilting is also a social activity. quilters come together at quilting bees to work on coverings together and to enjoy socializing. there are many traditional american designs that appear on quilts. these include the double wedding ring, bear ’ s paw and honeycomb patterns. some patterns like the wagon wheel, log cabin and lone star represent the experiences of settlers on the american frontier. quilt exhibits are very popular in the united states. the smithsonian has had several quilt exhibits over the years. people enjoy the expressive colors and inventiveness of the art. and quilt exhibits are especially popular among the large and active quilting communities around the country. every tuesday and friday, for the exhibit, several members of the annapolis quilting guild set up their materials in the renwick gallery. the quilters are there to answer the questions of museum visitors and to show them how quilts are made. one quilt in the exhibit tells a story about a life other than that of the person who made it. in fact, historians do not know who made " the civil war quilt. " in eighteen sixty - one, a young soldier in the american civil war was ordered to visit nearby farms and ask for warm blankets for the troops.


person who made it. in fact, historians do not know who made " the civil war quilt. " in eighteen sixty - one, a young soldier in the american civil war was ordered to visit nearby farms and ask for warm blankets for the troops. one family gave joseph miller this extraordinarily detailed applique quilt covered in red flowers and leaves. he kept the quilt throughout the war. it became black with dirt, but somehow remained in one piece. after the war, he cleaned the quilt and kept it with him for the rest of his life. looking at the beautiful condition of the quilts at the renwick gallery, you might find it hard to believe many are well over a hundred years old. robyn kennedy explains that to help preserve the quilts, the renwick shows them in rooms that have low lighting. the quilts are hung from the walls in such a way as to permit air to move behind them. also, museum workers always wear white gloves when touching the quilts. the oils or dirt on a person ’ s hands could harm the cloth. ms. kennedy says the museum sometimes has a problem with visitors who want to touch the quilts to look at how they were made. so the smithsonian offers public " white glove " events where visitors can look up close at the methods used for each quilt. when the quilts travel, they are gently folded, wrapped in acid - free paper and placed in acid - free boxes. some quilts in the show are made from more unusual materials. for example, one is made out of the cloth from men ’ s suits. another quilt, from nineteen thirty - five, is made from men ' s neckties. " the holen boys ties quilt " is made from almost one hundred silk ties. they form a striking pattern and radiate outwards like the rays of the sun. robyn kennedy says that ninety - three relatives of the holen family plan to visit their ancestral quilt at the renwick. the holen quilt helps show that generations later, the personal stories and experiences captured by these skillful works of art are still powerful. the quilts remain as expressive and lovely today as they were when they first were stitched. our program was written and produced by dana demange. i ’ m shirley griffith. and i ’ m steve ember. our programs are online with transcripts and mp3 files at voaspecialenglish. com. we also have pictures of some of the quilts in the exhibit. join us again next week for this is


step 3. 4. describe the connections between the professional development you are planning and other professional development. individual professional development activities and programs can have greater impact if they are connected to and reinforce other professional development. for example, a series of workshops and follow up that is intended to support implementation of a new reading program can be followed by a second series that focuses on more complex or challenging implementation tasks. the advantage of these back - to - back series is that they can greatly extend teacher engagement in the implementation effort and provide ongoing support for their work. in addition, this longer period of support often reflects the realities of how long full implementation takes. a second way to think about connections between activities is to think about activities that may parallel each other, while at the same time addressing different professional learning needs. continuing with the example of introducing a new reading program, it is possible that new and inexperienced teachers will require different kinds of professional development and support than more experienced teachers. therefore, parallel programs can address these differences, while helping to maintain the overall schedule for implementation of the new program. in the end, professional development that complements other professional development is likely to have a greater impact than activities that are not connected. is the professional development that you are planning explicitly connected to other professional development? note to readers : if the answer is yes, the planner will be prompted to indicate which activity the one that is being planned is connected to or aligned with and to provide a brief description of the connection and / or the rationale for it. ( next page ) ( previous page )


causesby mayo clinic staff click to enlarge | anatomy of the eye | retinal detachment can occur as a result of : - shrinkage or contraction of the vitreous ( vit - ree - us ) — the gel - like material that fills the inside of your eye. this can create tugging on the retina and a retinal tear, leading to a retinal detachment. - advanced diabetes - an inflammatory eye disorder how retinal detachment occurs retinal detachment can occur when the gel - like material ( vitreous ) leaks through a retinal hole or tear and collects underneath the retina. reasons for holes or tears include : aging or retinal disorders can cause the retina to thin. retinal detachment due to a tear in the retina typically develops when there is a sudden collapse of the vitreous, causing tugging on the retina with enough force to create a tear. fluid inside the vitreous then finds its way through the tear and collects under the retina, peeling it away from the underlying tissues. these tissues contain a layer of blood vessels called the choroid ( kor - oid ). the areas where the retina is detached lose this blood supply and stop working, so you lose vision. - in certain inflammatory conditions or other disorders, fluid also can accumulate beneath the retina without a tear or break. aging - related retinal tears that lead to retinal detachment as you age, your vitreous may change in consistency and shrink or become more liquid. eventually, the vitreous may separate from the surface of the retina — a common condition called posterior vitreous detachment ( pvd ). it ' s also called vitreous collapse. as the vitreous separates or peels off the retina, it may tug on the retina with enough force to create a retinal tear. left untreated, fluid from the vitreous cavity can pass through the tear into the space behind the retina, causing the retina to become detached. pvd can cause visual symptoms. you may see flashes of sparkling lights ( photopsia ) when your eyes are closed or when you ' re in a darkened room. new or different floaters may appear in your field of vision. - facts about retinal detachment. national eye institute. http : / / www. nei. nih. gov / health / retinaldetach / retinaldetach. asp. accessed


in your field of vision. - facts about retinal detachment. national eye institute. http : / / www. nei. nih. gov / health / retinaldetach / retinaldetach. asp. accessed jan. 31, 2013. - goldman l, et al. cecil medicine. 24th ed. philadelphia, pa. : saunders elsevier ; 2012. http : / / www. mdconsult. com / das / book / body / 191371208 - 2 / 0 / 1492 / 0. html # accessed jan. 31, 2013. - posterior vitreous detachment, retinal breaks, and lattice degeneration ppp. san francisco, ca. american academy of ophthalmology. http : / / one. aao. org / ce / practiceguidelines / ppp _ content. aspx? cid = 8d149a8a - 0c90 - 4bf8 - b3e1 - beaffde76079. accessed feb. 1, 2013. - tintinalli je, et al. tintinalli ' s emergency medicine : a comprehensive study guide. 7th ed. new york, n. y. : the mcgraw - hill companies ; 2011. http : / / www. accessmedicine. com / resourcetoc. aspx? resourceid = 40. accessed jan. 27, 2013. - arroyo jg. retinal detachment. http : / / www. uptodate. com / home. accessed feb. 1, 2013. - information for healthy vision. national eye institute. http : / / www. nei. nih. gov / lowvision / content / resources. asp. accessed feb. 1, 2013. - programs and services. american association for the blind. http : / / www. afb. org / default. aspx. accessed feb. 1, 2013.


good news for olympic athletes : there is not sufficient scientific evidence to support the long perpetuated theory that athletes should avoid sex before sport. while the ancient greeks believed that abstinence enhances physical performance and that sex before competition zaps energy and for years coaches and sports competitors have been practicing abstinence the night or even weeks before competition, scientists say that there has still been no scientific evidence to show that sex spoils sport. muhammad ali, for one, reportedly went without sex for six weeks before a fight and english coach glenn hoddle forbade the players on his soccer team from having sex during the month - long 1998 world cup. however, scientists say that the long - standing " no sex before sport " myth has not really been fully proven, and that most research looking at the physiological effects has so far not been able to show that sex reduces physical strength, power or endurance. " when we test people in the lab, we are examining ' tests of performance ' but in competition, psychology very likely plays a much more important role, " professor ian shrier of mcgill university in canada said, according to reuters. " those who claim it decreases performance usually say it is because it decreases focus or aggression or tension. there are no studies that have examined this. " researchers reviewed previous studies and the findings, published in the clinical journal of sport medicine, suggest that sex the night before competition has no effect on physiological test results. in one of the studies researchers tested the maximum - effort grip strength of 14 married male former athletes the morning after coitus and after at least six days of abstinence and found that neither strength nor endurance of the flexing muscles appeared to be negatively affected by sex the previous night. a follow - up study conducted by scientists at colorado state university on ten healthy, married men between the ages of 18 and 45 found that grip strength, balance, lateral movement, reaction time, aerobic power, and vo2 max, a way to measure oxygen efficiency, did not seem to be affected by sex the previous night. another study found that having sex 12 hours before a fitness test did not seem to affect maximal aerobic power, oxygen pulse or blood pressure. researchers said that the ancient myth that athletes should practice abstinence may stem from the theory, which has yet to be scientifically proven, that sexual frustration makes people more aggressive, and that the act of ejaculation draws testosterone, a physical performance - related hormone, from the body. " even if that theory is correct, most people currently believe there


to be scientifically proven, that sexual frustration makes people more aggressive, and that the act of ejaculation draws testosterone, a physical performance - related hormone, from the body. " even if that theory is correct, most people currently believe there is an optimal level of aggression or focus - too little and you don ' t do well, too much and you don ' t do well, " shrier said. in fact, researcher emmanuele jannini, and professor of endocrinology at the university of l ' aquila in italy, found that sex may even stimulate the production of testosterone. he told the national geographic that the current thinking that sex diminishes performance " is a really wrong idea. " " after three months without sex, which is not so uncommon for some athletes, testosterone dramatically drops to levels close to children ' s levels, " jannini said. " do you think this may be useful for a boxer? " experts say that the effect of sex on physical performance would depend heavily on the person having sex, how often, the duration and in what way. " if it ' s ' up all night swinging from the rafters ' type sex we ' re talking about, then obviously the athlete is not going to be getting enough sleep or rest and their mind isn ' t on the job, " martin milton, an expert in psychotherapeutic and counseling psychology at the university of surrey, said, according to reuters. " so that might well be more the issue than whether or not being involved in a short period of sex might be detrimental to someone ' s performance. " published by medicaldaily. com


from our 2012 archives autism diagnosis often occurs later for black children latest neurology news monday, feb. 20 ( healthday news ) - - black children with autism tend to be diagnosed later than white children with the disorder, and this delay can lead to longer and more intensive treatment, researchers say. lack of access to quality, affordable and culturally knowledgeable health care are among the reasons for the delay in a diagnosis of autism in black children, said researcher martell teasley, an associate professor in the college of social work at florida state university in tallahassee. teasley also suggested that social stigma attached to mental health issues within the black community may add to the problem. some black parents may find it hard to accept that their child has autism, so even when the disorder is diagnosed, there may be a reluctance to use autism treatment services. misdiagnosis is also a potential problem, the study authors noted. " there are no subjective criteria for diagnosing autism. only brain scans can truly provide appropriate diagnoses, because we are dealing with biological and chemical imbalances in the brain, " teasley said in a university news release. " not every child is going to have access to this kind of medical evaluation, particularly those who are indigent and don ' t have health care funding. " the findings from teasley and colleagues were published in a special online edition of the journal social work in public health, which dealt specifically with health care issues in the black community. " less discussion about autism among african americans or between african americans and health care providers leads to misdiagnoses, a lack of treatment and a lack of services, " teasley pointed out in the news release. " this will lead to greater challenges for families - - more stress and anxiety, and poorer developmental outcomes. " the rate of autism diagnosis is the same among children of all racial groups, one in 110, according to estimates. but later diagnosis among black children can be harmful. " intervention for any autistic child needs to start around age 3, so we can get the child to begin to learn how to eat right and develop normal, healthy routines, which will result in a better developmental outcome, " teasley said. " later intervention will result in a poorer developmental outcome that can have a lasting impact on the child ' s and family ' s quality of life. " - - robert preidt copyright © 2012 healthday. all rights reserved. source : florida state university, news release, feb. 15, 2012 get the latest


could internet addiction be genetic? latest mental health news tuesday, sept. 4 ( healthday news ) - - not only is internet addiction a legitimate compulsion, it may have the same genetic component as nicotine addiction, a new study suggests. out of nearly 850 people interviewed about their internet habits, german researchers evaluated 132 who showed signs of being hooked to the web, while another 132 without problematic internet behavior were selected as a control group. the addicted users said that all their thoughts revolved around the internet during the day, and they felt that their well - being was harmed if they couldn ' t go online. the participants ' average age was 25. the study authors conducted a genetic analysis and discovered that the people with internet addiction were more likely than others to have a genetic mutation on the chrna4 gene, which is known to play a major role in nicotine addiction. the gene mutation was more common in women with online addiction than in men with the problem, according to the study. but the researchers said further research is needed to confirm this because numerous surveys have found that men are more prone to internet addiction than women. the study was recently published in the journal of addiction medicine. the study found an association between the gene mutation and addiction, but it did not prove a definitive link. overall, the findings show " that internet addiction is not a figment of our imagination, " study author christian montag, of the department for differential and biological psychology at the university of bonn, said in a university news release. while more research is needed to further analyze the link between this gene mutation and online addiction, the study " shows that there are clear indications for genetic causes of internet addiction, " montag said. learning more about how genetics influences internet addiction could lead to better treatments, he noted. noting that these addicted internet users reported only occasionalproblems in everyday life because of overuse of the internet, the researchers said extreme users should be evaluated in future research. previous research has found about 1 percent of germans are addicted to the internet, according to background information in the study. - - robert preidt copyright © 2012 healthday. all rights reserved. source : university of bonn, news release, aug. 29, 2012 get the latest health and medical information delivered direct to your inbox free!


why aren ' t there b batteries? reader donna wrote in wondering why there are aa, aaa, c and d batteries, but no b. well, there used to be, but they ’ re not really needed anymore. around the time of world war i, american battery manufacturers, the war industries board, and a few government agencies got together to develop some nationally uniform specifications for the size of battery cells, their arrangement in batteries, their minimum performance criteria, and other standards. in 1924, industry and government representatives met again to figure out a naming system for all those cells and batteries they had just standardized. they decided to base it around the alphabet, dubbing the smallest cells and single - cell batteries “ a ” and went from there to b, c and d. there was also a " no. 6 " battery that was larger than the others and pretty commonly used, so it was grandfathered in without a name change. as battery technology changed and improved and new sizes of batteries were made, they were added to the naming system. when smaller batteries came along, they were designated aa and aaa. these newer batteries were the right size for the growing consumer electronics industry, so they caught on. c and d batteries also found a niche in medium - and high - drain applications. the mid - size a and b batteries simply didn ’ t have a market and more or less disappeared in the u. s.. while you typically won ’ t see either a or b batteries on american store shelves, they ’ re still out there in the wild. a batteries were used in early - model laptop battery packs and some hobby battery packs. b batteries are still sometimes used in europe for lanterns and bicycle lamps. according to energizer, though, their popularity is dwindling there, too, and they might be completely discontinued.


the typical american child receives 24 immunizations by age 2, with some getting as many as five shots during a single doctor ' s visit. is this the best way to protect young children from deadly diseases, or does it overload the immune system of these tiny bodies making some vulnerable to a vaccine - induced reaction? on wednesday, after reviewing existing research, the influential institute of medicine declared the recommended vaccine schedule safe. " we conducted an extensive ( scientific ) literature review, " said alfred berg, a family medicine professor at the university of washington in seattle. " our committee found no evidence that the childhood immunization schedule is not safe. " advances have reduced the inactivated or dead viruses and bacteria that children are exposed to in vaccines, the committee said. and it noted that new vaccines undergo rigorous testing by the food and drug administration. but the findings are unlikely to ease the concerns of some parents of autistic children and other critics who believe vaccines had serious side effects and may have led to their children ' s disorders. " it doesn ' t sound like this report is going to get to the such concerns prompted the u. s. department of health and human services to ask the institute to investigate, especially since some parents are delaying or avoiding having their children vaccinated. san jose resident rebecca makarova is among the 90 percent of american families that follow the recommended schedule. she has a 5 - year - old boy, a 3 - year - old girl, and a 17 - month - old boy. " i ' m trusting my health care provider, " makarova said. " for me, that ' s one way of helping protect them. " but alameda resident tammy tsao decided to space out shots for her 2 - year - old son to avoid his getting four at once. " even for an adult, that ' s shocking for the body, " tsao said. the committee found no studies of whether it is better or worse to space out vaccinations within the recommended time frame. but it noted that outbreaks of diseases such as measles and whooping cough have occurred when parents delayed vaccinations past the recommended period or declined immunizations. after january 2014, california will require parents who want their children exempted from immunizations to estepp, a san diego resident and a spokeswoman for the elizabeth birt center, is among those seeking more research. she said her then 9 - month - old son, who had been developing normally, reacted severely to a hepatitis b


to estepp, a san diego resident and a spokeswoman for the elizabeth birt center, is among those seeking more research. she said her then 9 - month - old son, who had been developing normally, reacted severely to a hepatitis b shot. " it started with fever and high - pitched screaming and incredible diarrhea, " she said. " it lasted for 10 days and then he recovered, but he was sick constantly and he had mystery fevers. " estepp said her son ' s development stalled and he was diagnosed with autism. he is now 15. autism ' s cause is unknown and most in the medical community argue that no evidence links it to vaccines. some critics have urged studies comparing immunized children to those in communities who are not vaccinated. but with less than 1 percent of americans declining all immunizations, the committee concluded it would be difficult to recruit enough willing participants and unethical to ask them to forego immunization. scott laster, a board member of the advocacy group safeminds, said researchers could compare vaccinated and unvaccinated children by looking at home - schooled children. " they ' re not doing the study because they don ' t want to find the answer, " he said. alameda resident elizabeth tran wong believes vaccination pros outweigh the cons, especially since her 3 - year - old daughter is in preschool where she is exposed to other children. " when it comes to modern medicine, i trust them as much as i can, " tran wong said. " stuff like chickenpox and smallpox, that was a huge threat back in the day. it ' s crazy to think people would die from that. no one even knows what it is anymore. " federal guidelines recommend vaccinating children against these diseases. some require several doses, with the first occurring within the first two months. diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis haemophilus influenzae type b measles, mumps, rubella


a wind barrier of living trees and shrubs maintained to protect the farm home, other buildings, garden, orchard, or feedlots. syn. shelterbelt. a planting of trees, shrubs, or other vegetation, usually perpendicular or nearly so, to the principal wind direction, to protect soil, crops, homesteads, roads, etc., against the effects of winds, such as wind erosion and the drifting of soil and snow. ( a ) a narrow shelterbelt or other obstacle maintained against the wind. syn wind belt ( b ) wind breakage, i. e. the breaking of trees or branches by wind. ( bcft modif. ). a small - scale shelterbelt or other barrier, natural or artificial, maintained to deflect the wind. any structure that lessens the force of wind, for instance hedges, walls etc. rows of trees or shrubs planted to block wind flow, reduce soil erosion, and protect sensitive crops from high winds. a row of trees which serve as protection from the wind a line of trees that provide protection from strong winds in a certain direction hedge or fence of trees designed to lessen the force of the wind and reduce erosion a barrier placed in the path of the wind to " bend " its flow upwards a living barrier of trees or a combination of trees and shrubs that is located adjacent to a farmstead, field, feedlot, or other area an effective barrier, several rows wide, and should be composed of several types of trees and tall shrubs a hedge, fence or row of trees planted so it will break the force of the wind. row of trees or shrubs placed in a farm field to slow the wind and keep it from blowing. a group of trees or shrubs in any arrangement that will afford protection from high winds to animals or crops or both. when the arrangement is in a long line the group is called a shelterbelt. if an associated reason is also to harvest timber at some future date it is sometimes called a ' timberbelt '. related term : windstrip a living barrier that usually includes several rows of trees, and perhaps shrubs, located upwind of a farm, field, feedlot or other area and intended to reduce wind velocities. windbreaks, also called shelterbelts, can reduce wind erosion, conserve energy or moisture, control snow accumulations, and provide shelter for livestock or wildlife. a strip of trees or shrubs maintained mainly to alter windflow and microclimates in the sheltered zone, usually farm buildings. something offering protection against the wind


illuminated manuscripts written in greek were considered one of the greatest art forms by the highly literate and sophisticated clerical and secular elite of byzantium. over the centuries many works were commissioned for use in important churches. the calendar in this lectionary and the quality of the entire work suggest that the manuscript was made for the great church of hagia sophia in constantinople. the gospels were central to the liturgy of the orthodox church. at the little entrance, which introduced the liturgy of the word, the deacon presented the gospel to the faithful. in the middle byzantine era, the lectionary replaced the gospel book as the most widely used text by the church. in it gospel texts were rearranged by the sequence in which they were read during the liturgical year, which begins at easter in the orthodox church. often, as in this manuscript, the liturgical calendar and the lives of saints who were celebrated daily were included in the text. highly trained scribes wrote the texts to which were added the elaborately colored initials for special readings and the illuminations that added great value to the work. the evangelist matthew ( fol. 43r ) the customary decoration for lectionaries included portraits of the four evangelists, beginning with john whose text is read at easter. in this illumination, the white - haired, bearded evangelist matthew sits before a city wall ; his name is inscribed in greek above. his pose echoes that of ancient philosophers as adopted for christian use. god ' s hand descends from the arc of the blue heaven, directly inspiring the writer at his desk. the writing table includes all the implements needed by a scribe, including a scroll ready for the words of the text. the evangelist ' s face is subtly modulated ; his garments and the cityscape behind are defined in pastel hues. the elegantly articulated border echoes the patterns widely seen in cloisonne enamel works of the period. the incipit, or first letter, of the handsome script written in gold presents a small child raising his hands to a seated image of christ. the scene reflects the first lines of the reading : " the lord said : see that you never despise one of these little ones " ( matthew 18 : 10 ).


photograph by carmem l. vilanova universal lifeline : even stephen hawking has warned against connecting with extraterrestrial life forms. e. t. stay home? we haven ' t heard from space aliens, and that might be good news by ronald bailey if extraterrestrial civilizations exist in our galaxy — and there are good reasons to think they do — it ' s probably a good idea to mind our own business and hope they do the same. there seems to be plenty of available real estate for extraterrestrials to live on. in the past few years, astronomers have identified over 500 planets circling nearby stars. extrapolating these findings, it is likely that tens of trillions of planets revolve around the hundreds of billions of stars that make up our home galaxy. trillions of these planets could have earth - like characteristics ; i. e., rocky with liquid water. in a 2008 article in the journal astrobiology, university of east anglia researcher andrew watson calculated the probability that intelligent life will emerge on earth - like planets is quite low ( less than 0. 01 percent over 4 billion years ). however, if there are a trillion earth - like planets in the galaxy, that would imply that intelligent life could arise on roughly 10 million of them. or, if that ' s too high, cut the figure down by a factor of 10, to just 1 million planets inhabited by intelligent aliens. americans are open to the existence of extraterrestrial civilizations. a 2008 scripps howard news service poll found that 56 percent of americans believe that intelligent life exists on other planets, and more than one - third think that aliens have already visited earth. in 1960, project ozma used a radio telescope to search for artificial transmissions from nearby stars. in november 2010, astronomers from 12 countries celebrated the 50th anniversary of seti ( the search for extra - terrestrial intelligence ) using new instruments, including the allen telescope array, that dramatically increase the rate at which stars can be surveyed for signals produced by technologically advanced civilizations. since 1999, the seti @ home project has involved hundreds of thousands of volunteers who process radio telescope data on their home computers searching for signals. so far, the sky searches have turned up nothing. so why the " great silence "? or as manhattan project physicist enrico fermi quipped over lunch in 1950, " where are they? " in 1980, physicist frank tipler proposed a scenario in which alien civilizations would launch fleets of self - replicating machines possessing human - level intelligence to explore


as manhattan project physicist enrico fermi quipped over lunch in 1950, " where are they? " in 1980, physicist frank tipler proposed a scenario in which alien civilizations would launch fleets of self - replicating machines possessing human - level intelligence to explore the galaxy. the machines would arrive in a new star system and immediately start to populate it with duplicates of themselves and launch the next wave of explorers. tipler calculated that once launched, such machines would inhabit every solar system in the galaxy within 300 million years. since there is no evidence for such an ever - expanding fleet of self - replicating machines, tipler concluded, " extraterrestrial intelligent beings do not exist. " in 1983, astronomer carl sagan and geophysicist william newman countered tipler ' s " solipsistic " conclusion arguing, among other things, that intelligent aliens might refrain from constructing fleets of self - replicators because such machines might turn on their creators. in addition, sagan and newman suggested that advanced aliens might have " much more exciting and fulfilling objectives... than strip - mining or colonizing every planet in sight. " then sagan and newman turned pollyannaish proposing that aggressive mean - spirited aliens would conveniently kill themselves off leaving only benevolent civilizations " pre - adapted to live with other groups in mutual respect. " moreover, they suggested, " we think it is possible that the milky way is teeming with civilizations that are far beyond our level of advance as we are beyond the ants ; and paying us about as much attention as we pay to the ants. " never mind how thoughtlessly we walk over anthills as we go about our daily tasks. george mason university economist robin hanson took tipler ' s arguments seriously but laid out a scenario in which a wave of exploration by aliens would hop through our region of the galaxy only temporarily occupying the more favorable oases before pushing on, followed by a more sedentary wave later. we just happen to be living in a solar system that the first wave skipped over and which the second wave has not yet reached. let ' s assume seti is successful and we detect the existence of an extraterrestrial civilization. what effect would such a discovery have on humanity? when we contemplate extraterrestrials we see ourselves ; they are mirrors reflecting humanity ' s hopes and fears. on the side of hope, many see e. t. s as benevolent saviors from our worst natures ; on the fear side, they reflect our worst natures.


we see ourselves ; they are mirrors reflecting humanity ' s hopes and fears. on the side of hope, many see e. t. s as benevolent saviors from our worst natures ; on the fear side, they reflect our worst natures. sagan and newman believed of extraterrestrials that " it is highly likely that their intentions are benign and their sensitivities about societies at our level of technological adolescence delicate. " apparently, aliens obey the prime directive as formulated by the tv series star trek in which advanced civilizations don ' t interfere with primitive cultures. in sagan ' s 1985 sci - fi novel contact, aliens were portrayed as wise teachers who want to help humanity explore the hidden meanings inscribed in the very structure of the universe. tipler pondered the idea that the " biological exclusion " principle might apply to encounters with aliens, the upshot being that two intelligent species cannot co - exist because they would both be competing for the same resources. if one species had even a slight advantage over the other, it would out - compete the second one. in fact, it has been suggested that this is what happened when neanderthals and modern humans came in contact, with the consequence that neanderthals are now extinct. more recently, cambridge university physicist stephen hawking warned that if we detect intelligent aliens, we should be " wary of answering back, until we have developed a bit further. " why? " meeting a more advanced civilization, at our present stage, might be a bit like the original inhabitants of america meeting columbus, " explained hawking. " i don ' t think they were better off for it. " even if sagan and newman are correct that the galaxy is populated with saintly super - advanced intelligences, it is puzzling that no one has so far found any physically detectable astronomical evidence of their existences. hanson also noted that our instruments should be able to detect some evidence for his postulated colonizing wave front as it progressed by converting matter and energy around various stars. there is, however, another possible explanation for this absence of evidence for extraterrestrial civilizations — intelligence could be toxic. in 1996, hanson formulated the idea that there is a " great filter " that somehow reduces the chances that a civilization can reach the stars before going extinct. the question then becomes whether the great filter is behind us or ahead of us. it might turn out that evolving life is highly improbable, which would suggest that the filter is behind us and that we are alone in the universe


going extinct. the question then becomes whether the great filter is behind us or ahead of us. it might turn out that evolving life is highly improbable, which would suggest that the filter is behind us and that we are alone in the universe. of course, finally detecting an alien civilization would be a positive event with regard to the great filter : if aliens have survived technological development, then so might we. but what if we just find evidence of alien life? oxford university transhumanist philosopher nick bostrom argues that finding fossils for independently evolved complex life on mars would signal a dismal future for humanity. " such a discovery would be a crushing blow, " argues bostrom. " it would be by far the worst news ever printed on a newspaper cover. " why? because it would mean that it is highly probable that life arises frequently in the universe. in that case, since we have no evidence for extraterrestrial civilizations that would strongly imply that the great filter lies ahead of us, it is likely we will be winnowed out by it. intelligent life might inevitably destroy itself by deploying apocalyptic technology : thermonuclear weapons, biotech plagues, runaway nanotechnology or other horrors we have yet to imagine. thus bostrom concludes, " in the search for extraterrestrial life, no news is good news. it promises a potentially great future for humanity. " in other words, extraterrestrial silence is golden. send a letter to the editor about this story.


europe ' s strongest economic and industrial power, germany is also the most populous european country outside russia. fertile northern plains stretch south from the north and baltic seas changing to central highlands and then rising to the rugged schwarzwald ( black forest ) in the southwest and to the alps in the far south. germans are highly urbanized ; about 86 percent live in cities and towns. with one of the world ' s lowest birthrates, germany is a magnet for foreign workers — some 7. 3 million immigrants live here. some german industry is well known ( daimler chrysler, siemens, and volkswagen ) ; some, like transrapid ( the maglev railway ) and nordex wind turbines, represent new environment - friendly technology. " wir sind ein volk — we are one people, " sang crowds on november 9, 1989, as east germans breached the berlin wall. a year later, just after midnight on october 3, 1990, germany was reborn. one people, divided since the end of world war ii, had one country again. yet german unity is relatively new. disparate germanic principalities did not come together until 1871, when the king of prussia became kaiser ( emperor ) of germany. the berlin wall went up in 1961 to stop east germans from fleeing west. rejoining two populations after 45 years of separation has been difficult. the economy in eastern germany remains weak — the population is declining as young people go west for jobs. a bright spot in the east is berlin as the construction boom continues in germany ' s capital and largest city ; tourists come to see the innovative architecture, including the reichstag building with its glass dome. a founding member of the european union, germany stands to gain from increased trade with the 2004 addition of the czech republic, poland, and others to eu membership. before its unification in 1871, germany was a loose confederation of states, the largest of which was prussia. and although all of the states adopted one national identity after unification, to this day they are aware of their individual traditions and histories. germany is now divided into 16 states, the boundaries of which were largely determined after the second world war. each of the states has its own capital and regional government. in some areas, people speak regional dialects of german that non - locals find difficult to understand : plattdeutsch in the north, sachsisch in parts of the east and bayerisch in the south, to name a few. travelling between bavaria in the south, lower saxony in the north and rhineland in the west, you will see many differences


a good procurement is one where you get the goods or services you need at a price you can afford. you will be able to show that your procurement process was contestable and transparent. what is procurement? procurement covers all business processes associated with purchasing goods or services. it can be as simple as getting three quotes for a small plumbing job, or it can be a lengthy and complex process. because of the potential complexity, public entities like the ministry and schools must be clear about their procurement process ’ overall objective and select a procurement method that gives value for money. back to top ministry procurement methods use the ministry ’ s procurement process options flowchart to choose the appropriate procurement method. procurement process - options there are four possible procurement options. the order of the procurement process is : - document your needs - identify potential suppliers - choose the correct procurement method - call for tenders - evaluate tenders - award contracts. boards must follow ministry procurement processes when : - engaging a project manager - engaging other consultants separately engaged for the project - engaging contractors for construction and maintenance work - purchasing goods and other services. use an expert for your procurement the procurement process can be complicated and should be managed by your project manager. these guidelines won ’ t teach you how to become a procurement expert. if you need to procure a project manager, we recommend you use a procurement specialist or a preferred supplier project manager. back to top public spending principles a public entity ’ s fundamental public obligation is always to act fairly and reasonably and within the law. this means a higher standard of conduct than what may apply in the private sector. the essential procurement principles for crown agencies – including schools – are contestability and transparency. contestability - means ensuring there is open and effective competition throughout the procurement process. transparency - means an open and properly documented process is followed. audit new zealand summarises basic procurement principles as : - accountability. public entities must be able to give complete and accurate accounts when using public funds. they should also have suitable governance and management arrangements to oversee funding arrangements. - openness. public entities should be transparent in administering funds – to support accountability and promote clarity. - value for money. public entities should use resources effectively, economically and without waste, with due regard for the total costs and benefits of an arrangement. this does not necessarily mean selecting the lowest price but rather the best possible outcome for the total cost of ownership ( or whole - of - life cost ). - lawfulness. public entities must remain within the law and meet their legal obligations. - fairness. public entities


necessarily mean selecting the lowest price but rather the best possible outcome for the total cost of ownership ( or whole - of - life cost ). - lawfulness. public entities must remain within the law and meet their legal obligations. - fairness. public entities have a general public law obligation to act fairly and reasonably. they must be, and be seen to be, impartial in their decision - making. - integrity. anyone who is managing public resources must do so with the utmost integrity. why these principles exist these principles are intended to : - protect you and the ministry when you spend public money - demonstrate that no undue influence or unfair advantage was gained by successful tenderers - meet the financial management and performance requirements and standards of integrity and conduct set out in the public finance act 1989 - include procuring the services of project managers, consultants and contractors as well as purchasing goods. a public entity must always consider the risk of complaint or judicial review of its procurement actions or decisions. what to avoid if you cannot demonstrate that your procurement process is or was transparent and contestable, you may have to do it again. the ministry will withhold your project funding if you cannot demonstrate that your procurement process was contestable and transparent. the following table gives examples of non - contestable or non - transparent processes and remedies. | | the remedy is to... | | three quotations are required but only one quotation is sought. | | re - advertise the tender or seek further quotes. | | the product specification or service schedule defines a good or service that can only be supplied by one company. | | rewrite the specification to provide effective competition eg, not ' such - and - such a boiler from company x ' but ' a boiler with x heat output for a school of size y '. | | you opt to use the preferred supplier process to choose a project manager but also include a project manager who is not on the preferred supplier list. | | to retender using a full tender process or re - do the preferred supplier process using suppliers on the list. | back to top good practice principles for boards all procurement decisions must be reviewed and if agreed signed off by the board. therefore, boards engaged in any procurement process must have proof the : - correct process and procedures are followed and documented before board sign - off - recommended tenderer is the tenderer who best meets the tender evaluation criteria, as demonstrated in the documentation. when working through a procurement process, boards must ensure : - the lines and levels


process and procedures are followed and documented before board sign - off - recommended tenderer is the tenderer who best meets the tender evaluation criteria, as demonstrated in the documentation. when working through a procurement process, boards must ensure : - the lines and levels of authority and control are clear – who is authorised to do what - work is limited to what is necessary - the procurement process demands high standards of contestability and transparency - they learn from the experience and make changes for future tendering. confidentiality is a common characteristic of any competitive procurement process. - take particular care when handling commercially sensitive information - note that confidentiality obligations apply throughout the entire procurement process and after the contract has terminated or expired. back to top contact with people involved in the procurement process - nominate a contact person for tenderers to contact during a procurement process - require that tenderers only contact the nominated person - ensure all communication between tenderers and evaluation panel are formal – informal communications may prejudice the procurement ’ s integrity. this reduces the risk of potential suppliers playing off one procurement team member against another. police vetting of consultants, contractors and their staff changes have been made to police vetting requirements. for more information about the changes, go to circular 2010 / 09 – changes to police vetting requirements. all consultants, contractors and their staff who will be at the school for a reasonable period of time need to be vetted by the nz police before the contract starts. vetting isn ’ t necessary for tradespeople who work at the school occasionally or irregularly during the year. construction workers on school grounds must be vetted to ensure school students ’ safety during school hours. the legislation requires the school board to send completed vetting forms to the new zealand police licensing and vetting centre. the contracting company cannot request it directly. police vetting can take up to six weeks, so submit the application well before on - site construction starts to allow processing time. the new zealand police website has more information about the police vetting process.


secession : a specifically american principle [ part 1 of " the secession tradition in america, " a paper presented at the 1995 mises institute conference, " secession, state, and economy. " ] the united nations charter asserts the self - determination of peoples as a fundamental human right. from this, there has developed a lively debate among international jurists about whether the right of self - determination includes a right of legitimate secession. but while the concept of legitimate secession is being explored in the world at large, it forms no part of contemporary american political discourse. there was a time, however, when talk about secession was a part of american politics. indeed, the very concept of secession and self - determination of peoples, in the form being discussed today, is largely an american invention. it is no exaggeration to say that the unique contribution of the eighteenth - century american enlightenment to political thought is not federalism but the principle that a people, under certain conditions, have a moral right to secede from an established political authority and to govern themselves. in what follows i would like to sketch out this all - but - forgotten american political tradition. the english verb “ to secede ” comes from the latin “ secedere, ” meaning any act of withdrawal. the exclusively political connotations that govern the term today are peculiarly american, and do not appear in english until the early nineteenth century. prior to then, one could speak of the soul seceding from the body ; or of seceding from one room of a building to another ; or of seceding from any sort of human fellowship. the latter is how “ secession ” was defined in samuel johnson ’ s dictionary in the mid - eighteenth century. but johnson did not capture the scottish use of the term. the church of scotland split in 1733. those who left called themselves “ seceders ” and the resulting church the “ secession church. ” the church went by this name for more than a century, during which time it split again, but was reunited in 1829 under the disarming name of the “ united secession church. ” the seceding self - governing religious community paved the way for the seceding self - governing political community and the term as we understand it today. one of the first to use the term in this new and exclusively political way was thomas jefferson, who, in 1825, retrospectively described the colonies as having seceded from the british union. the word “ secession, ” for us, not only has exclusively political connotations, it is a term that marks out


political way was thomas jefferson, who, in 1825, retrospectively described the colonies as having seceded from the british union. the word “ secession, ” for us, not only has exclusively political connotations, it is a term that marks out a peculiarly modern political act. but this is not obvious, for it might be thought that as long as there have been large - scale political regimes, peoples have sought to withdraw from them. it could be said that the israelites seceded from egypt, or that melos unsuccessfully sought to secede from the athenian league. we can, of course, speak in this way, but the concept of secession, as understood in contemporary political discourse, is more specific in its meaning. secession, for us, presupposes the background of the modern state, and this sort of state is only about two centuries old. so secession is not just any kind of political action ; it is the withdrawal of a people from a modern state under the moral principle of the right of self - government, and such that the separation requires the territorial dismemberment of that state. the israelites and melots were not separating from a modern state, and their withdrawal would not have resulted in the territorial dismemberment of such a state. the modern state has been theorized in such a way as to entail a strong presumption against secession. it has been said that the sovereignty of a modern state cannot be divided, and that sovereignty is co - extensive with territory. there has been no difficulty in allowing that a modern state can expand its territory and sovereignty, but it cannot allow itself to be dismembered by a supposed right of a people to self - government. anyone who takes secession seriously as a possibility is necessarily throwing into question the legitimacy of the modern state. at the time of william the conqueror, europe was composed of thousands of independent political units ; today there are only a few dozen. this massive centralization and consolidation was accomplished mainly by conquest. the result was that dukedoms, margraviates, small republics, principalities, free cities, and baronies, ( not to mention peoples speaking different languages, having different cultures and religions, and pursuing different visions of the human good ) were crushed together into the modern state. this state was inherently unstable. a solution was theorized by hobbes, who postulated a sovereign office whose task was to establish a rule of law which allowed individuals to pursue their own power and glory in that domain in which the


modern state. this state was inherently unstable. a solution was theorized by hobbes, who postulated a sovereign office whose task was to establish a rule of law which allowed individuals to pursue their own power and glory in that domain in which the law is silent. in time, a modern state came to be seen as an association to protect the rights of individuals, and this added a stronger presumption against secession, because any right of a people to secede could only be the aggregate right of a set of individuals. but if one set could secede, any other set or subset — down to one individual — could secede. an acknowledged right of secession would mean the unravelling of the modern state. but to affirm a right of secession is not to say that secession is morally justified under any conditions, but only that there can be conditions under which it is justified, and even then there might be reasons for not exercising the right. but those philosophers who first theorized the modern state ( hobbes, locke, rousseau, and hegel ) do not so much as raise the question of whether such conditions are possible. their main task is to understand and legitimate the modern state ; the problem of secession simply never occurs to them. and political philosophers since have followed in their steps. john rawls, for instance, dismisses the possibility of secession without argument. secessionist discontent, though a pressing fact of contemporary political life, is the most under - theorized concept in political philosophy. political scientists and international jurisprudence have taken up the question, but philosophers have not. there is only one book length study by a philosopher on the question of whether secession is ever morally legitimate. one indication of this under - theorized character of secession is its being confused with revolution. three conceptions of revolution have dominated in modern political speech. the first derives from the glorious revolution of 1688. this is revolution as restoration, and its image is the revolution of a wheel. according to eighteenth - century english whiggism, the glorious revolution was a bloodless restoration of a liberty - loving protestant regime from the attempted usurpations of the catholic james ii. the second form is lockean revolution. here a sovereign people recall the powers they have delegated to a government that has violated its trust in protecting life, liberty, and property. the government is overthrown and a new government instituted. the third form is jacobin revolution. this is not lockean revolution for the sake of preserving property but an attempt to subvert and to totally transform an


protecting life, liberty, and property. the government is overthrown and a new government instituted. the third form is jacobin revolution. this is not lockean revolution for the sake of preserving property but an attempt to subvert and to totally transform an entire social and political order in accord with an egalitarian philosophical theory. a lockean revolution leaves the social order intact, whereas jacobin revolution aims at a root - and - branch transformation. marxian revolution is jacobin, as are many other forms of contemporary political criticism. gloria steinem once said that to talk about reforms for women is one thing, to talk about the total transformation of society is feminism. so conceived, feminism is a species of jacobin revolution. secession is quite distinct from these dominant conceptions of revolution. all presuppose the theory of sovereignty internal to the modern state and the prohibition against dismembering its territory. secession is not revolution in the sense of eighteenth - century whiggism because it is not the restoration of anything. it is the dismemberment of a modern state in the name of self - government. nor is it lockean revolution. a seceding people does not necessarily claim that a government has violated its trust. and even if the claim is made, there is no attempt to overthrow the government and replace it with a better one. indeed, a seceding people may even think that the government is not especially unjust. what they seek, however, is to be left alone to govern themselves as they see fit. finally, secession is not jacobin revolution because it does not seek to totally transform the social and political order. indeed, it seeks to preserve its social order through secession and self - government. we may, of course, continue to call secession “ revolution ” if we like, but the danger is that there will be a tendency to confuse it with the dominant meanings of revolution. a seceding people may indeed be said to be in a state of revolt in so far as they resist being coerced back into an established modern state, but this sort of revolt is quite different from revolution. and the moral considerations that would legitimate such resistance are categorically different from that which would legitimate revolution in the above senses, all of which seek, for different reasons, to overthrow an established regime. a seceding people is happy leaving the existing regime exactly as it is. it seeks only to limit its territorial jurisdiction. this, of course, is a serious matter, but it is not revolution in any of the traditional


to overthrow an established regime. a seceding people is happy leaving the existing regime exactly as it is. it seeks only to limit its territorial jurisdiction. this, of course, is a serious matter, but it is not revolution in any of the traditional senses. its name is secession. nowhere is the under - theorized character of secession and the confusion that results from failure to distinguish it from revolution more evident than in the habit of describing the conflict with britain and the north american colonies as the “ american revolution. ” it is true that there were whiggish themes from the ideology of 1688 about restoring the rights of englishmen, and there were lockean themes about self - government. but the act of the british colonists in america was an act of secession. it was neither whiggish, nor lockean, nor jacobin revolution. the colonists did not seek to overthrow the british government. commons, lords, and crown were to remain exactly as before. indeed, many of the colonial leaders, such as adams and hamilton, admired the british constitution and government, and sought to imitate its best features. they wished simply to limit its jurisdiction over the territory they occupied. they wished to be let alone. much has been made of the influence the lockean idiom of self - government had on the founders. but it is important to realize that, though locke allows the overthrow of a corrupt regime, he does not allow secession in the form of dismembering the territory of a modern state. and for citizens of a regime who have given their express consent, he does not even allow the right to exit, much less the right to carry territory with them. there is every reason to believe that locke, like the “ friends of america ” ( burke, pitt, shelburne, barre ), would have supported reforms on behalf of the americans, but would have stopped short of secession. the case is quite otherwise with david hume, who supported complete independence for the colonies as early as 1768, before the idea had occurred to most americans. in this he stood virtually alone among major british thinkers. the edinburgh literati were overwhelming in their support for strong measures against the americans. hume, however, staunchly defended secession of the colonies from 1768 until his death on 25 august 1776, five days after the declaration of independence was published in edinburgh ’ s caledonian mercury. to the disappointment of his “ oldest and dearest friend, ” baron mure, who had asked him to write a letter on behalf of the county of renfrewshire advocating military


the declaration of independence was published in edinburgh ’ s caledonian mercury. to the disappointment of his “ oldest and dearest friend, ” baron mure, who had asked him to write a letter on behalf of the county of renfrewshire advocating military measures against the americans, hume wrote : “ i am an american in my principles, and wish we would let them alone to govern or misgovern themselves as they think proper. ” in this statement, hume put into words, for the first time, an ideology of “ americanism, ” the thought that there are political principles specifically american. what were those principles? they were free trade and the corporate liberty of a people to govern themselves. hume argued that if the ports of america were open to free trade, it would result in only a trifling temporary loss of revenue, and would, in the long run, benefit british commerce. let us, therefore, lay aside all anger ; shake hands, and part friends. or if we retain any anger, let it only be against ourselves for our past folly ; and against that wicked madman pitt ; who has reduced us to our present condition. [ listen to " david hume on colonial secession, " a lecture presented by donald w. livingston at the 1995 mises institute conference, " secession, state, and economy. " ] lee buchheit, secession : the legitimacy of self - determination ( new haven, conn. : yale university press, 1978 ). this book is an excellent discussion of the debate over whether a right of secession can be recognized in international law. the compact edition of the oxford english dictionary ( new york : oxford university press, 1971 ), the articles on “ secede ” and “ secession. ” allen buchanan discusses rawls on secession in secession : the morality of political divorce : from fort sumter to lithuania and quebec ( boulder, colo. : westview press, 1991 ), pp. 5 – 6. john locke, two treatises of government, peter laslett, ed. ( london : cambridge university press, 1988 ), p. 349. david hume, the letters of david hume, john y. t. greig, ed. ( oxford : clarendon press, 1969 ), vol. 2, pp. 302 – 3. ibid., pp. 300 – 1. pitt had sought to establish a mercantile empire of managed trade which hume thought required constant war for its maintenance and an increase in the public debt. for an in - depth study of hume on secession and


half a century ago, a monumental book was published that created a holistic and balanced view of the environment. the book, silent spring by rachel carson, was directly influenced by the work of a michigan state professor and his students, so the msu museum chose to honor their work with an exhibit. published in 1962, silent spring exposed the dangers of over - using chemicals in the environment. “ in all truth, there were two periods of environmental awareness : the period before silent spring and the period after silent spring, ” says msu museum director gary morgan. “ they are two completely different worlds. ” a pesticide called ddt was once used excessively around the world to control mosquito populations, morgan says. ddt also remedies dutch elm disease, he says, which was a big problem on msu ’ s campus and across america. “ the elms were dying en masse, ” he says. “ one of the most beautiful trees in america was disappearing. ” morgan says ddt was applied in huge quantities from the ground in sprays and from the air by plane to save the some 5, 000 elms on campus. “ there are people today who still remember stepping out on campus to be shrouded in clouds of ddt, ” he says. within a year of ddt applications, robins and other birds started dying. george john wallace, msu professor of ornithology, and his students found that there was no successful breeding of birds on campus, says morgan. wallace ’ s findings linked ddt application to the sudden deaths of campus birds, he says, and the truth was rejected by many. “ carson was a real scientist. wallace was a real scientist, ” morgan says. “ both of them were reluctant warriors, as it were, in this environmental war, but both of them stepped up to the plate. ” three years before america banned ddt, morgan says, the michigan agricultural experiment station took ddt off its recommended list of pesticides. “ the whole approach that we take to environmental management and agriculture is far more holistic than it was then, ” he says. “ it was literally man versus nature. ” today, pesticides are used in combination with more holistic management techniques, says morgan. though organic farming is not a direct result of carson ’ s work, he says, the attitudes that fuel the growth of organic farming stem from her publication. the environmental protection agency did not exist until 1972, morgan says, and it is often called the extended shadow of silent spring


latina bloggers policy briefing : department of agriculture this is the second article in a series relaying information obtained during a white house briefing on issues relating to latinos in the u. s. lisa pino is the deputy administrator of the supplemental nutrition assistance program under the department of agriculture. during monday ’ s briefing, she shared some of the programs currently available to families and individuals. ms. pino began by listing some of the nutrition assistance programs that the federal government offers such as the supplemental nutrition assistance program ( snap ), school meal programs, and the women, infants and children ( wic ) program. though they are funded by the federal government, these services are administered at state levels and ms. pino said these programs are the most effective mechanisms available to fight hunger and obesity, two seemingly opposing problems that our society faces. but the reality is that they are both intimately linked as poor families often do not make wise food consumption choices, preferring to purchase inexpensive products that are high in fats and sugars. malnutrition leads to obesity. ms. pino stated that 1 in 4 latino children are nutritionally insecure. in fact, latino children make up the largest share of american children living in food insecurity. and 1 in 2 latinos suffer from diabetes. that means half of the latino babies born today will develop diabetes. we are experiencing an epidemic among latino children. ( for more information about this, please watch this super informative video i posted back in march. ) the act is designed to improve diets in schools and parents / children will begin to see changes starting this fall in terms of portion control, more fruits and vegetables, etc, in school lunches. special note : listed above is the summer food service program ( sfsp ), of special importance because it is during the summer months that children are the most vulnerable to food insecurity. this program provides free, nutritious meals and snacks to help children in low - income areas get the nutrition they need to learn, play, and grow, throughout the summer months when they are out of school. learn more here. ms. pino also talked for a while about snap and said it was the country ’ s largest anti - hunger program. but unfortunately, it only serves about 56 % of latinos who are eligible to receive assistance. so as a result, the usda has launched an initiative called la mesa completa. it is designed to engage latino families to improve their access and increase their participation in the programs that are available


of latinos who are eligible to receive assistance. so as a result, the usda has launched an initiative called la mesa completa. it is designed to engage latino families to improve their access and increase their participation in the programs that are available. the program tackles the main issues that prevent latino families from using the services. for example, because low literacy rates may prevent latinos from learning about the services, la mesa completa relies heavily on word - of - mouth information. read more about the initiative here. the usda also chucked the food pyramid model and replaced it with the new my plate / mi plato symbol and educational tool designed to help families make healthy meal choices. the guidance system is much more attractive and easier for families to incorporate into their daily routine. the english website is very well developed. it is a great source of information, printable materials, and even a supertracker that helps families plan, analyze, and track your diet and physical activity. a lot of the information is also available in spanish. anyone can order mi plato information for home or school use and receive it free of charge. personally, i think a great way to disseminate the information would be for teachers to use the coloring sheets in their classrooms, or assign them as homework so that the information travels home where parents might see it. i hope you all take a moment to check out some of these resources and share them with those you know. up next... the let ' s move program! disclosure : this information was obtained during a special white house policy briefing for latina bloggers organized by latism. i was awarded a full scholarship to attend the retreat of which the briefing was one aspect, and appreciate the sponsors that made it possible.


pau d ' arco ( taheebo ) comes from the inner bark of the red lapacho tree in the andes of south america. it has been used for centuries. theodoro meyer of the national university of tucuman, argentina was the first modern scientist to study taheebo ’ s chemical composition. he found it contained xyloidin – an antibiotic with viricidal properties. also contains laspachol – an element noted for its antitumor activity. has been used in the following : the incas and native tribes of south america use pau d ’ arco bark externally as a poultice or decoction for treating skin diseases including eczema, psoriasis, fungal infections, hemorrhoids and skin cancers. a tea made from the bark is used as a blood purifier, to treat ulcers and rheumatism and is said to cure leukemia. it is also diuretic and antipyretic. the recent popularity of pau d ’ arco in western herbology is attributed to its antifungal activity in treating systemic yeast infections like candida albicans. yeast infections often accompany or follow antibiotic therapy and can be especially resistant to conventional treatment. the antifungal action of pau d ’ arco is used to combat these infections by drinking the tea thrice daily. contains astringent compounds that shrink inflamed tissues and are anti - fungal. it also contains bitter compounds that have anti - tumor activity especially in certain blood and skin cancers. pau d ’ arco is an excellent herbal source of calcium. it has been used to treat fungal infections, inflammatory skin conditions, leukemia, dysentery, jaundice, ulcers, and rheumatism. pau d ' arco is high or very high on the following nutrients : uses : it ' s mostly used for internal applications : teas, tinctures, capsules, food recipes, etc. our two favorite uses are in teas and meals. like many other bulk herbs, we add it to many dishes ( salads, meat dishes, soups, stews, etc. ) in small amounts for added nutrition and fiber without affecting the flavor. pau d ' arco can be used to benefit men, women ( including before, during or after pregnancy, and nursing ) and children. it can be used as often as you would like. voice of experience : we use pau d ' arco often in teas as the taste


used to benefit men, women ( including before, during or after pregnancy, and nursing ) and children. it can be used as often as you would like. voice of experience : we use pau d ' arco often in teas as the taste is absolutely fabulous. we also use it in tincture combinations pertaining to any fungal infections, cancers, skin conditions and digestive problems. storage : it should be kept in an airtight container and stored in a dark, dry, and cool place. refrigeration or freezing is not necessary. questions? : check out frequently asked questions. may 19, 2008 at 11 : 35 am i am having digestive problems and a friend suggested drinking this tea. she has had wonderful results. my problem : i am on coumadin for heart valve replacement surgery 4 years ago. i also have pulmonary hypertension and have been told by doctors not to take herbs. i have tried all the drugs given to me by my doctors with little results. will these tea interupt my blood thinner? i would like to try it, but a little concerned. thank you for your help! july 21, 2008 at 5 : 15 am i have recently been diagnosed with hypercalcemia due to probable parathyroid tumor. would the taheebo increase the calcium, thus making me more symptomatic? i have friends who have had remarkable cancer recoveries they attribute to this bark and i am wondering if this is a potential therapy to shrink my non - cancer tumors without adverse side - effects and eliminate the need for surgery. thank - you! june 30, 2009 at 10 : 00 am pau d ' arco can thin blood, so taking it while taking other blood thinning medications is not a good idea july 22, 2011 at 4 : 25 am i take warfarin comudin blood thinner since my heart valve replacement in 2001 - its metal. paul d arco could be a replacement for this blood thinner if regulated properly do you think? would be great to get off this rat poison!!! august 8, 2009 at 1 : 18 pm my mother had a kidney removed 5 months ago it was cancer on the kidney now she has cancer on her neck in her lymphnotes and started chemo can she still take this tea or will it interfere with the chemo. she is drinking it twice a day. she is 79 yrs old november 6, 2009 at 11 : 36 am i have a friend that drank the tea while having chemo and she said it helped with the nausea


staying jewish on the arizona frontier the drachman family played a very important role in the foundation of jewish life on the arizona frontier. chapters in american jewish history are provided by the american jewish historical society, collecting, preserving, fostering scholarship and providing access to the continuity of jewish life in america for more than 350 years ( and counting ). in 1852, a boat landed in new york carrying among its many passengers the members of two polish - jewish families who were destined to change the history of arizona. one family ’ s name is well known : the goldwaters. the other family, the drachmans, is less well known, but in the early years of arizona jewish history, no less important. when he was only ten years old and living in a pietrokov near lodz, poland, philip drachman ’ s parents decided that he and his younger brother samuel would someday flee to america rather than, at age 13, be drafted into the czar ’ s army. according to a family memoir, the boys ’ parents removed floorboards from a room in their home and started digging a cellar in which philip and then samuel were hidden. " at night, " the account goes, " they would carry the soil out of the house and spread it over the ground so it would not be noticed. this went on for months and months. " when russian army officials came to find philip, they were told that he had run away. actually, he was in the cellar, where he lived for several months while his parents made arrangements to secret the two brothers to america. the memoir concludes, " philip had health problems most of his adult life, and he felt they stemmed from the months he had spent in the damp hole underneath his home. it was said that he first came to arizona for the warm, dry climate. thus he may have been tucson ’ s first health seeker! " at age 16, philip drachman and his brother samuel, age 13, arrived in new york after living for a time in england. samuel moved to charleston, south carolina. philip chose to pioneer the virtually undeveloped arizona territory. philip became a naturalized american citizen in 1860 and by 1864 a successful landowner, cattle rancher, and retail merchant. in 1867, he persuaded his brother samuel to abandon the civility of charleston for the desert starkness and economic opportunity of tucson. ( image below : saltiel ’ s store, an early jewish store on the frontier. courtesy of american jewish historical society ) arizona had few marriageable jewish women, so philip


civility of charleston for the desert starkness and economic opportunity of tucson. ( image below : saltiel ’ s store, an early jewish store on the frontier. courtesy of american jewish historical society ) arizona had few marriageable jewish women, so philip made the arduous journey to new york to find a jewish bride. he won the heart of rosa katzenstein, who agreed to marry him and move to tucson. after a new york wedding, the couple traveled to california by taking a boat to panama, wagons across the isthmus and another boat to san francisco. from there, they traveled to los angeles and san bernardino, california, for a visit with philip ’ s sister before setting out for tucson. years later, rosa katzenstein drachman wrote a memoir of her journey : we started for tucson on october 21, 1868. we traveled in a four - horse ambulance, which was a relic of the civil war. we had provisions and camped out... the first night we camped out i could not sleep on account of the howling of the coyotes.... our bedding was spread on the ground and that is the way we slept.... we traveled at the rate of twenty - five miles per day and camped near stagecoach stations where i saw the roughest and worst class of men. as we traveled we passed many graves of poor people who had been murdered by the indians or the desperate characters.. we were detained by many mishaps to our team... there was nothing but cactus, sand and brush and occasionally an immense freight team... we reached tucson on november 15, 1868 after a long and tiresome journey. philip and rosa had ten children. unfortunately, in 1889, when the youngest was only a year old, philip died of pneumonia at the age of 56, leaving rosa to raise the children alone. philip drachman had been a respected and popular man, having been elected to the territorial legislature and having founded the b ’ nai b ’ rith lodge of tucson. another successful arizona jewish pioneer, william zeckendorf, conducted his graveside funeral, the largest in tucson to that time. philip ’ s brother samuel drachman carried on the family tradition of mercantile success and jewish observance. to find a jewish wife, sam traveled to san bernardino, where his sister had identified a prospective bride. according to historians abe and mildred chanin, sam drachman " did more in arizona ’ s territorial days than anyone to keep judaism alive in the desert southwest.


as america expanded westward fort laramie played a crucial role in the transformation of the west, first as fur - trading center, then as military garrison. for 50 years it was a landmark and stopping place for trappers, traders, missionaries, emigrants, pony express riders and miners travelling their way west. it was also an important staging point for the us army in its dealings with plains indians displaced by migration and settlement. fort laramie started life in 1834 as a fur trading post on the laramie river near its confluence with the platte river and by the 1840 ’ s was a major fur trade center. also by the 1840 ’ s it had become a well - known stopping point for emigrants following the oregon trail. when indians started to harass wagon trains the army bought fort laramie in 1849 and made it a military outpost along the oregon trail. as the troubles escalated in the 1850s and 60s, fort laramie became an important arm of the government, protecting emigrants on the oregon trail and hosting major treaty councils with the indians. fort laramie also acted as a major station for the pony express ( which only lasted 18 months ). the post continued until 1890 when it was abandoned with its buildings being sold at public auction and the area became a “ homestead area ” until 1936 when the federal government bought back and started a stabilization and restoration program. this was completed in 1964. we explored the fort buildings as well as the museum which gave the history of the fort and its important role in history. we also learnt that despite the old western films only 2 % of the emigrants who travelled to the west died as a result of indian attacks. many died from disease or injuries experienced on the rough trails west. travelling along the road from the fort we found the oregon trail ruts. these are cuts in solid rock which had been worn by wagon wheels travelling the oregon trail. it was amazing to see the depth of the ruts and also to realise how rough the terrain the early settlers travelled.


the latest news from academia, regulators research labs and other things of interest posted : march 5, 2009 titania nanotubes and sunlight turn carbon dioxide into methane ( nanowerk news ) dual catalysts may be the key to efficiently turning carbon dioxide and water vapor into methane and other hydrocarbons using titania nanotubes and solar power, according to penn state researchers. burning fossil fuels like oil, gas and coal release large amounts of carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, into the atmosphere. rather than contribute to global climate change, producers could convert carbon dioxide to a wide variety of hydrocarbons, but this makes sense to do only when using solar energy. " recycling of carbon dioxide via conversion into a high energy - content fuel, suitable for use in the existing hydrocarbon - based energy infrastructure, is an attractive option, however the process is energy intense and useful only if a renewable energy source can be used for the purpose, " the researchers note in a recent issue of nano letters. craig a. grimes, professor of electrical engineering and his team used titanium dioxide nanotubes doped with nitrogen and coated with a thin layer of both copper and platinum to convert a mixture of carbon dioxide and water vapor to methane. using outdoor, visible light, they reported a 20 - times higher yield of methane than previously published attempts conducted in laboratory conditions using intense ultraviolet exposures. the chemical conversion of water and carbon dioxide to methane is simple on paper - - one carbon dioxide molecule and two water molecules become one methane molecule and two oxygen molecules. however, for the reaction to occur, at least eight photons are required for each molecule. " converting carbon dioxide and water to methane using photocatalysis is an appealing idea, but historically, attempts have had very low conversion rates, " said grimes who is also a member of penn state ' s materials research institute. " to get significant hydrocarbon reaction yields requires an efficient photocatalyst that uses the maximum energy available in sunlight. " the team, which also included oomman k. varghese and maggie paulose, materials research institute research scientists and thomas j. latempa, graduate student in electrical engineering, used natural sunlight to test their nanotubes in a chamber containing a mix of water vapor and carbon dioxide. they exposed the co - catalyst sensitized nanotubes to sunlight for 2. 5 to 3. 5 hours when the sun produced between 102 and 75 milliwatts for each square centimeter exposed. the researchers found that nanotubes annealed at 600


- catalyst sensitized nanotubes to sunlight for 2. 5 to 3. 5 hours when the sun produced between 102 and 75 milliwatts for each square centimeter exposed. the researchers found that nanotubes annealed at 600 degrees celsius and coated with copper yielded the highest amounts of hydrocarbons and that the same nanotubes coated with platinum actually yielded more hydrogen, while the copper coated nanotubes produced more carbon monoxide. both hydrogen and carbon monoxide are normal intermediate steps in the process and as the building blocks of syngas, can be used to make liquid hydrocarbon fuels. when the team used a nanotube array with about half the surface coated in copper and the other half in platinum, they enhanced the hydrocarbon production and eliminated carbon monoxide. the yield for these dual catalyst nanotubes was 163 parts per million hydrocarbons an hour for each square centimeter. the yield from titania nanotubes without either copper or platinum catalysts is only about 10 parts per million. " if we uniformly coated the surface of the nanotube arrays with copper oxide, i think we could greatly improve the yield, " said grimes. grimes also found that lengthening the titanium dioxide tubes, which for other applications increases yield, does not improve results. " we think that distribution of the sputtered catalyst nanoparticles is at the top surface of the nanotubes and not inside and that is why increased length does not improve the reaction, " says grimes. although all these experiments were done with nitrogen - doped titanium dioxide nanotubes, the researchers conclude that the nitrogen did not enhance the conversion of carbon dioxide to hydrocarbons. the catalysts, however, did shift the reaction from one that used only the energy in ultraviolet light to one that used other wavelengths of visible light and therefore more of the sun ' s energy. the researchers are now working on converting their batch reactor into a continuous flow - through design that they believe will significantly increase yields. the researchers have filed a provisional patent on this work.


the transmission speed of an asynchronous communications channel. technically, it refers to the maximum number of changes that can occur per second in the electrical state of a communications circuit. often baud is used interchangeably with bits per second. all computer data is composed of tiny electrical pulses called bits ( short for binary digits ). each pulse represents a single digit of data. a group of eight bits is called a byte. bytes are measured in units of a thousand, thus kilobyte. a system with a computer, modem, and phone line that acts as a central point for information exchange. it can be used for electronic mail and for storing files that can be downloaded. stands for compact disc / read - only memory. a high density storage medium on which electronic data is etched and read by a laser beam. a form of computer - based communications that emulates a face - to - face conference where people meet to discuss issues of common concern. computer conferences below are the first 10 and last 10 pages of uncorrected machine - read text ( when available ) of this chapter, followed by the top 30 algorithmically extracted key phrases from the chapter as a whole. intended to provide our own search engines and external engines with highly rich, chapter - representative searchable text on the opening pages of each chapter. because it is uncorrected material, please consider the following text as a useful but insufficient proxy for the authoritative book pages. do not use for reproduction, copying, pasting, or reading ; exclusively for search engines. ocr for page 285 - - > appendix c glossary b baud rate the transmission speed of an asynchronous communications channel. technically, it refers to the maximum number of changes that can occur per second in the electrical state of a communications circuit. often baud is used interchangeably with bits per second. bit / byte all computer data is composed of tiny electrical pulses called bits ( short for binary digits ). each pulse represents a single digit of data. a group of eight bits is called a byte. bytes are measured in units of a thousand, thus kilobyte. bulletin board a system with a computer, modem, and phone line that acts as a central point for information exchange. it can be used for electronic mail and for storing files that can be downloaded. c cd - rom stands for compact disc / read - only memory. a high density storage medium on which electronic data is etched and read by a laser beam. computer conference a form of computer - based


mail and for storing files that can be downloaded. c cd - rom stands for compact disc / read - only memory. a high density storage medium on which electronic data is etched and read by a laser beam. computer conference a form of computer - based communications that emulates a face - to - face conference where people meet to discuss issues of common concern. computer conferences ocr for page 285 - - > include a ' ' messaging " module to simulate the private discussions that often take place at meetings but they also permit communication among multiple users and allow flexible treatment of conference comments. d database management systems ( dbms ) databases are organized collections of information. they are used to file, search, and retrieve data. desktop publishing ( dtp ) publishing by means of a personal computer. dtp is the product of technological advances in personal computing, print graphics, and computer - generated typography. it synthesizes the capabilities of typesetting, graphic design, book production, and platemaking in one integrated, cost - effective hardware and software configuration. e electronic mail computer - based messaging. the transmission of letters and messages from computer to computer over a network. f fidonet a robust network of individual computerized bulletin board services that uses regular dial - up phone lines and high - speed modems to move electronic messages. file server a high - performance personal computer that serves all the users of a local area network. it provides access to files and software. floppy disk a magnetic storage medium. the floppy disk is compact, light, and portable. you can input or output data or software applications between a floppy disk and the computer. ftp file transfer protocol. allows users to exchange files between their workstations and remote computers connected to the internet. it is most useful for retrieving files from public archives that are scattered around the internet. g gateway a device that connects two dissimilar lans or that connects a lan to a wan, a server, or a mainframe. it reformats the data so that it is acceptable for the new network before passing it on. ocr for page 285 - - > h hard disk a hardware component used for storing software, applications, and data. it has a higher capacity and faster speed than a floppy. hard disks are sealed units not usually meant to be removed from the computer. hardware the central processing unit, monitor, keyboard, mouse, printer, and other equipment associated with a computer system. i interactive used to refer to applications that engage the computer user by prompting for certain responses and