including safety risks and lengthy installation time. in threading, a process that is typically used to join small - diameter pipe involves cutting conical spiraling male or female channels into the inside or outside of pipe or mating components. the joint is quick and simple to assemble. however, it is the least reliable compared to the other pipe - joining methods. threaded joints are notorious for leaks, which can result from improper initial installation and ongoing plant operations that weaken the threaded seal. system vibration can compromise the thread tape or sealant, resulting in a leak. poor thread cuts can also cause leaks. in a threaded system, the leak is usually fixed by tightening the joint. the problem with this solution is that tightening one end of the threaded joint ultimately loosens an adjacent joint, so fixing one leak may lead to a new one. threading joints can present alignment issues with branches and elbows. in addition, the joints are difficult to repair. over time, the joint may become fused, making system access more challenging. many refineries have experienced problems with threaded small - diameter galvanized piping. they are replacing these systems with stainless steel ( ss ) systems. the final method is the grooved mechanical piping. it is widely known and highly regarded in the upstream oil and gas industry. however, grooved mechanical piping is relatively unknown and, in some cases, misunderstood on the downstream side. anatomy of a grooved joint a grooved mechanical joint is formed with grooved - end pipes, fittings or valves, and a coupling, as shown in fig. 1. the coupling comprises three elements : gasket, housings, and nuts and bolts. fig. 1. a grooved mechanical joint is formed with grooved - end pipes, fittings or valves and a grooved mechanical piping does not require special pipe. standard, off - the - shelf pipe is fabricated by cold - forming or machining a groove into the pipe ends. there are two types of grooving : roll and cut grooving. roll grooving is far more common, and is the preferred method for most utility services. to form a roll groove, the pipe end is placed between the roll set of a grooving machine. as the roll set closes, the pipe is compressed and rotated, which radially displaces a small portion of the pipe wall to form a groove around the outer diameter of the pipe that is recessed on the outside and indented on the inner pipe wall, as shown in fig. 2. unlike


, which radially displaces a small portion of the pipe wall to form a groove around the outer diameter of the pipe that is recessed on the outside and indented on the inner pipe wall, as shown in fig. 2. unlike threading, roll grooving does not remove any material from the pipe. a fast and clean technique, roll grooving is used on a variety of pipe sizes and wall thicknesses, from schedule 5 through ansi standard wall thickness carbon steel ( cs ) and ss, copper and aluminum pipe. roll - grooved systems range in diameter from ¾ in. up to 60 in. fig. 2. a small portion of the pipe wall is displaced to form the groove around the outer diameter of the pipe. to seal the joint, a resilient, pressure - responsive elastomer gasket seals around two abutted grooved pipe ends. the nitrile gasket, which is common in most water with oil vapor applications, is injection - molded to precise tolerances and is resistant to aging, heat and oxidation. housings, bolts and nuts the coupling housings fully enclose the gasket, and the key sections of the housings engage the grooves. the housings are typically constructed from ductile iron ( painted or with engineered coatings ), ss or aluminum. while the housings are exposed to the external environment, they are insulated from the system media by the coupling gasket that contains the fluid within the interior of the pipe. the bolts and nuts, which hold the housings together, are tightened with a socket wrench or an impact wrench. in the installed state, the coupling housings encase the gasket and engage the groove around the circumference of the pipe to create a leak - tight seal in a self - restrained pipe joint. with the availability of rigid and flexible couplings, a grooved joint can be completely rigid, like a welded joint, or offer flexibility to accommodate thermal expansion and contraction, deflection, seismic movement and vibration. the housings of a rigid coupling positively clamp the pipe to create a rigid joint, resulting in system behavior characteristics similar to other rigid systems. the piping remains strictly aligned and is not subject to axial movement or angular deflection during operation. for this reason, systems installed with rigid couplings utilize support techniques identical to those of welded systems when designed and installed according to the hanger spacing requirements as noted in the asme b31. 1


movement or angular deflection during operation. for this reason, systems installed with rigid couplings utilize support techniques identical to those of welded systems when designed and installed according to the hanger spacing requirements as noted in the asme b31. 1 power piping code, asme b31. 3 process piping code, asme b31. 9 building services piping code and nfpa 13 sprinkler systems code. flexible couplings provide controlled linear and angular movement that may be used to accommodate linear movement due to thermal changes. it may be used at system changes in direction to provide stress - free offsets, or it may be used on traditional expansion loops, resulting in loops one - half to one - third the size of a loop of welded construction. couplings localize vibration within the pipeline, dampening the vibration of the system. grooved piping systems do not require rubber bellows or a braided flexible hose, which can wear out and require replacement. misconceptions of grooved piping unlike other industries that have readily accepted grooved piping, hpi facilities have been hampered by a perception that the joining method wont work and reluctance to use a gasketed joint. fears exist that the coupling will leak or even fail, and that the grooving process weakens the pipe. these ideas have arisen due to limited exposure to grooved piping systems. the concerns can be easily rectified by reviewing strength and pressure performance capabilities. with regard to pipe end preparation, roll grooving does not compromise the integrity of the pipe joint. the inward radial displacement that occurs at the groove during the roll - grooving process causes pipe material property changes comparable to similar cold - forming manufacturing operations. any potential increase in pipe hardness, reduction in tensile strength, or reduction in elongation due to the roll - grooving process has no effect on the pressure capability of the joint. the pressure rating of a grooved systemestablished after extensive performance barometers including ultimate pressure, bending moment and cyclic loading testsis based on the components of the joints. grooved pipe has no rating without the corresponding coupling, and coupling pressure ratings vary based on the pipe material and wall thickness. the published maximum rated pressures for couplings are based on test data and field experience. any effect that roll grooving has on the pipe material has been accounted for in coupling pressure ratings. component performance requirements for many piping applications are dictated by standard codes relevant to the service. to


of the pipe by the bolt - hole index, as would be required with flanging, is unnecessary. unlike other pipe - joining methods, visual inspection can confirm correct installation of most grooved systems. metal - to - metal bolt - pad contact confirms that the assembled joint is properly and securely installed, and no re - work is necessary. couplings decrease maintenance time because, unlike flanges, they do not require regular retightening. a coupling holds the gasket in precise compression from the outside of the pipe joint. while the bolts and nuts of the coupling hold the housings together, the coupling itself is what holds the pipe together. over the service life of the system, the nuts and bolts do not require regular maintenance and will not relax. should access to the piping system be required for maintenance, expansion, alteration or equipment / component replacement, the coupling can be removed quickly, and with no special tools. following completion of the work, the coupling can be reassembled just as quickly on the joint. maintenance of grooved systems is far simpler than maintenance of welded, threaded and flanged systems. the ease of access allows piping systems to quickly adapt to changes in plant operations. grooved is also beneficial for specialty applications such as lined pipe and galvanized pipe. typical specifications do not allow torch cutting or welding lined pipe because it can compromise the integrity of the internal linings. as grooved systems are cold - formed, they meet the requirements of most piping specifications. grooving the pipe does not have an effect on the internal coating. furthermore, gaskets with a central leg that acts as a pipe stop protect the pipe ends from installation damage that can cause a holiday in the coating. as a result, grooved piping maintains the integrity of internal pipe coatings. in fact, grooved is the only pipe - joining method that can ensure a holiday - free system. grooved piping eliminates the disadvantages associated with welding and flanging galvanized pipe. because welding is not required, no toxic fumes are created. furthermore, there is no increased risk of leaks, as there would be with flanged due to leak paths created by zinc buildup. the fabrication and assembly of a grooved galvanized system are much quicker than other joining methods. another key factor during plant expansions, retrofits and turnarounds is the schedule. it is quite obvious that the shorter the downtime, the sooner the plant is online and producing revenue - generating


system are much quicker than other joining methods. another key factor during plant expansions, retrofits and turnarounds is the schedule. it is quite obvious that the shorter the downtime, the sooner the plant is online and producing revenue - generating products. installation of grooved piping is up to 10 times faster than welding and up to 6 times faster than flanging. although installation time will vary by installer, conservative estimates require approximately 15 minutes to assemble a 4 - in. grooved joint and 45 minutes to assemble a 12 - in. joint, a vast difference compared to the 2. 25 hours and 4 hours required to weld joints of the same size. as shown in fig. 3, the ease and speed of installation can reduce onsite manhours by up to 45 % compared to welding. fig. 3. grooved - joint piping can provide benefits in construction and turnaround projects. in the volatile environment of a refinery, any procedure that can reduce risk is worth exploring. in terms of pipe joining and maintenance, grooved is among the safest methods due to the elimination of hot work. most injuries on job sites occur via material handling, but the most significant risks are caused by fire and fume hazards. because the assembly of a grooved pipe joint does not require welding, flame or heat of any kind, it can be installed by almost anyone. it does not require time - consuming x - rays of joints, purge gases, fire watches, hot - work permits, cutting / grinding of weld bevels, tacking, slag cleaning or dealing with weld fumes, weld splatter and sparks, and welding cable trip hazards. no - flame grooved systems pose no fire or respiratory risk, do not necessitate increased ventilation, and often reduce or eliminate system cleaning and flushing. the primary obstacles in the use of grooved piping are lack of knowledge and fear. as demonstrated, concerns regarding the strength of the system are unfounded, and awareness of the grooved systems array of benefits can undoubtedly outweigh the reliance on traditional, inefficient joining methods. grooved mechanical piping can offer improved constructability, speedy expansion, retrofit and turnaround completion, and also reduce safety risks. it is a quality pipe - joining method for utility services in any hpi facility. hp grady wilkerson is vice president of oil, gas and chemical sales with victaulic, a producer of mechanical pipe joining systems. he began his


energy demand dropping in australia in australia, energy peak demand may be disappearing. for the past several years, the country has experienced periods in which the cost of energy would be pushed beyond $ 5, 000 per megawatt - hour due to high demand. these “ super peaks ” generally lasted between 36 and 100 hours, but still cause a significant financial impact on the country when they occur. the super peaks are often caused due to the energy demands of citizens during the hottest seasons of the year or the energy needs of various projects occurring throughout the nation. as the country continues to focus on the adoption of alternative energy, it may no longer see these costly super peaks. exact financial information concerning the trend not yet released the australian energy regulator ( aer ), the country ’ s regulatory authority of wholesale electricity, has released a new report documenting the disappearance of super peaks. the report shows that the country has experienced a significantly lower number of super peaks in 2011 and that this trend has persisted into 2012. though the aer has not released precise information concerning the disappearance of the super peaks, it is expected that the trend will put some degree of financial pressure on energy companies in the coming months as they experience lower revenues. savings generated by this trend are not being experienced by consumers at this time. super peaks offset by the adoption of alternative energy and efficiency standards milder weather and increased focus on efficiency and alternative energy are contributors to the disappearance of super peaks. energy costs are beginning to be taken more seriously by consumers and businesses alike, leading to new consumption patterns that have all but obliterated the occurrence of super peaks. australia ’ s insistence on the use of alternative energy and the adoption of ambitious efficiency standards have driven down the demand for power significantly. time will tell whether super peaks are gone for good whether the trend will continue is uncertain. australia may still experience high temperatures in the coming months which could lead to higher energy consumption. aer does not expect super peaks to make an appearance for the remainder of the year. if they do, their financial impact is expected to be offset by their absence through much of 2011 and 2012. related article ( s ) and resources :


page 3 of 3 now we come to a sideline in the language paradigm story. there is a lot of talk about dynamic languages at the moment. this is partly because until quite recently the dominant languages java, c + + and c # were static languages - so it ' s quite a lot about a reaction to the old guard. the static / dynamic distinction is a very difficult one to pin down precisely. in the old days it could be summed up as the split into compiled and interpreted languages but today it is more about a split in the approach to how object oriented programming should be done. the current meaning of dynamic when applied to languages usually refers to typing. when you create an object oriented language you have to decide if it is going to be strongly or weakly typed. every object defines a type and in a strongly typed language you specify exactly what type can be used in any given place. if a function needs parameters that of type apple you can ' t call it used parameters that are oranges. the alternative approach is to allow objects of any type to be used anywhere and just let the language try to do the best job it can with what it is presented - this is weak typing. now in a strongly typed language you can choose to enforce the typing when the language is compiled or at run time. this is the main distinction between static and dynamic typing. in a static typed language you can look at a variable and see that it is being assigned to an apple just by reading the code. in a dynamically typed language you can ' t tell what is being assigned to a variable until the assignment is done at run time. clearly there is an interaction between strong and weak typing and static and dynamic. a weakly typed language really doesn ' t have much choice but to use what looks like dynamic typing. weak typing or dynamic typing has the ability to make programmer easier to write but the loss of the discipline of controlling type makes it more likely that a runtime error will occur and arguably makes it harder to find bugs. dynamic languages my have something to offer the future but there is a sense in which we are simply returning to the wild primitive expression of programming that existed in a time before we learned better. perhaps every so many generations programmers need to experience programming in the raw. the final paradigm is the graphic language - if they can be called languages. this is a strange mix of the object - oriented approach and the declarative with a little procedural thrown in. however to classify the approach in this way is to miss the bigger picture - no just


graphic language - if they can be called languages. this is a strange mix of the object - oriented approach and the declarative with a little procedural thrown in. however to classify the approach in this way is to miss the bigger picture - no just to miss the picture. the idea is that if code objects are to mimic real world objects let ' s give them a physical appearance. in the world of the user interface we are very well accustomed to this approach - a button that you drag and drop onto a page is a physical representation of the button code object. you get to work with the button as if it was a real button - you can click it, drag it, size it, change its color and so on. graphical objects in the ui lead to the component revolution which we are still developing - from activex to wpf, widgets and so on. now consider using the same approach to building programs in general. you could have a loop component, a conditional component, a module component and so on. this could be assembled just like a user interface by a drag - and - drop designer and " writing the code " would be a matter or connecting them together in a flow of control graph. some components would need you to write a few lines of procedural code to specify their actions more precisely but mostly components fit together naturally without extra code, just specify a few properties. this approach to building programs has to date mostly been used in languages such as scratch and the lego mindstorms robots to get children interested in programming. however, what is easy for children should be very easy for us and the method could well translate to more ambitious projects. only recently google announced a graphical programming environment for the android - but it ' s still in the early stages of testing. of all the techniques described so far it is graphical programming that i ' d bet was the way of the future - but how far in the future is another matter. there are a large number of other approaches to programming that we haven ' t considered but they are mostly side issues and special environments. for example, there is the whole issue of synchronous v asynchronous or event driven programming. then there is the big question of sequential v parallel programming and so on. there is also the convergence of ai and programming. for example, using genetic algorithms you can evolve a program rather than writing it. if you have a favourite approach that has been left out, or want to request an article about an approach or any aspect of programming theory, then email the editor


community dates from second half of the 19th century. 1930 jewish population was 754 persons. arthur zanker, 1890 - 1957, poet, lived here. jewish unlandmarked cemetery originated in 1898 with last known conservative jewish burial in 1950s. the urban flat land, separate but near other cemeteries, has czech sign mentioning jews and the jewish community. reached by turning directly off a public road, access is open via a continuous masonry wall and a continuous fence with a locking gate. size of cemetery before wwii was about 80x60 meters. present size of cemetery is about 80x30 meters. compared to 1939, cemetery boundaries are smaller because of new roads or highways and commercial or industrial development. 20 - 100 gravestones in original location with 25 % - 50 % toppled or broken date from 1898 - 20th century. the marble and granite flat shaped stones, finely smoothed and inscribed stones monuments, or obelisks, have hebrew, german, and czech inscriptions. some have iron decorations or lettering. the cemetery contains no known mass graves. ostrova jewish community owns property used for jewish cemetery only. properties adjacent are commercial or industrial. occasionally, private visitors stop. vandalism occurred between 1945 and ten years ago. jewish groups within country cleared vegetation and fixed wall in the 1970s. care now is occasional clearing or cleaning by individuals. within the limits of the cemetery is a pre - burial house with wall inscriptions. weather erosion, pollution, vegetation, vandalism, and incompatible nearby development are slight threats. vegetation overgrowth a constant problem that is disturbing graves. eng. architect jaroslav klenovsky, zebetinska 13, 623 00 brno ; tel. 0 completed survey on 3 january 1992 using jan herman : jewish cemeteries in bohemia and moravia ( 1980 ) as documentation. klenovsky, who conducted no interviews, visited site in 1990. vandals desecrated a jewish cemeteryin 2007 by knocking over and destroying 25 gravestones. the cemetery had been renovated and reopened to the public only two weeks prior to the desecration. the municipality of bohumin plans to increase security and has offered assistance to help repair the damage. [ february 2009 ] | last updated on monday, 23 february 2009 12 : 20 |


credit peter greste words christopher turner the community cooker was the winner of the inaugural world design impact prize for socially responsible projects, awarded at the launch of helsinki world design capital in february. developed by kenyan architect jim archer, who was looking for an answer to nairobi ’ s rubbish problem, the community cooker turns waste to energy. the unemployed, who can ’ t afford kerosene or other fossil fuels, bring rubbish to be incinerated in exchange for time on the cooker, where they can boil water and prepare food on hobs or in one of two ovens large enough to roast a goat. the cooker might later be used for water distillation and electricity generation. archer estimates that the burning of rubbish will save 2, 400 mature trees a year being destroyed to make charcoal. the prototype was built in kibera, the largest slum in africa, and it is hoped that the project will be rolled out soon to other areas and developing countries. the cooker needs to reach high temperatures in order to consume toxins rather than release them into the air. it can achieve this heat thanks to a local metalworker, who offered some chance advice. firebox francis, as he was known, suggested that the architects include a combustion system that drip - fed small amounts of used engine oil on to a hot plate. this boosted temperatures from 270 to 880°c, well above who guidelines. the $ 10, 000 device can be connected to an ablution block, enabling people to use hot water in bath stalls, and a restaurant annexe where food can be served. the 10 sq m cooker is large enough for ten people to work around it and there is a wall to separate the drying racks and shoot system, through which the device is fed ( five people are employed for this purpose ), ensuring that the conditions of food preparation are hygienic. it is the best kind of social project : “ one man ’ s trash, ” says archer, “ is another man ’ s treasure. ”


did the ' god particle ' create matter? by larry vardiman, ph. d. * the book of genesis is probably the most important book ever written. in reality, it ’ s the foundation of all true history and true science. above all else, it ’ s the foundation of god ’ s revelation, as given in the bible. if genesis were somehow removed, the rest of the bible would be incomprehensible. it would be like building a house without a ground floor or a bridge with no support. 1 chapter 1 is the foundational chapter of genesis, since it summarizes the creation of the earth and everything in it. and genesis 1 : 1 is the foundational verse of the foundational chapter, speaking of the primeval creation of the universe itself : “ in the beginning god created the heaven and the earth ” ( genesis 1 : 1 ). it ’ s been pointed out that if a person really believes this passage, he ’ ll not find it difficult to believe anything else recorded in the bible. if god really created all things, then he controls all things and can do all things. dr. henry morris, icr ’ s founder, carefully studied this verse and paraphrased it as follows : “ the transcendent, omnipotent godhead called into existence the space - mass - time universe. ” 2 another way to say this is : the all - powerful triune god created mass, space, and time out of nothing. god exists separate from his creation. the modern scientific method was developed in the 16th and 17th centuries. many christians contributed to the procedures for doing science. the use of careful observation, experimentation, the development of laws, hypotheses, and theory, and the use of mathematics were all important parts of its development. scientists like isaac newton, francis bacon, johann kepler, blaise pascal, and many others who were christians believed genesis and honored god in their science. 3 yet as science progressed and more was discovered about how our world functions, many scientists became arrogant and began to reject him. as the bible says, “ when they knew god, they glorified him not as god, neither were thankful ; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened ” ( romans 1 : 21 ). today many scientists reject scripture as a legitimate source of truth and attempt to find entirely “ natural ” explanations for the origin of the universe. they go so far as to say you can ’ t be a scientist if your explanations of


1 : 21 ). today many scientists reject scripture as a legitimate source of truth and attempt to find entirely “ natural ” explanations for the origin of the universe. they go so far as to say you can ’ t be a scientist if your explanations of our origins depend upon actions of a supernatural being. biologists who are under the sway of evolutionary theory and physicists who believe in billions of years since the origin of the universe generally avoid references to a creator. when they or the media mention god, it ’ s often only as ridicule. for example, the use of the term “ god particle ” when referring to the search for the higgs boson in elementary particle physics is a thinly - veiled attempt to mock the belief in a supernatural creator. interestingly, most scientists dislike the term “ god particle ” because they don ’ t want their research tainted by such an association. the higgs boson, or the “ god particle ” one of the most active large research projects today is the search for an extremely small but energetic particle that is thought to be the key to understanding how mass appeared shortly after the big bang. the higgs boson is a hypothetical elementary particle that has not been observed but, if found, would dramatically advance the 70 - year development of a model of elementary particle interaction. its existence was predicted along with other particles by the so - called standard model. the standard model describes how leptons, quarks, gauge bosons, and the higgs particle fit together and explains how the higgs mechanism takes place, which in turn explains why elementary particles exhibit mass. the discovery of the higgs boson would finally validate the standard model, since it ’ s the only elementary particle predicted by it that hasn ’ t yet been observed. 4 experiments to find the higgs boson are currently being performed using the large hadron collider ( lhc ) at the european organization for nuclear research ( cern ) in switzerland, shown in figure 1. the lhc is expected to be able to answer the question of whether or not the higgs boson actually exists. one possible signature from a simulated proton - proton collision that would demonstrate the higgs boson ’ s existence is shown in figure 2. the higgs boson is believed to decay almost immediately after such a collision into two jets of hadrons ( composite particles made of subatomic elementary particles held together by strong nuclear forces ) and two electrons, visible in figure 2 as lines. in december 2011, two experiments at the


to decay almost immediately after such a collision into two jets of hadrons ( composite particles made of subatomic elementary particles held together by strong nuclear forces ) and two electrons, visible in figure 2 as lines. in december 2011, two experiments at the lhc independently reported that their data hint that the higgs particle probably exists with a mass of about 133 proton masses. the range of mass for the higgs particle is now thought to have been narrowed considerably to between approximately 122 and 138 protons. it is expected that the lhc will have a definite answer by the end of 2012. 5 why scientists dislike the term “ god particle ” the higgs boson doesn ’ t have any specific religious connotations, but it may help unlock processes that occurred at the time of creation. “ calling it the ‘ god particle ’ is completely inappropriate, ” said oliver buchmueller, from the german research team of “ higgs hunters ” at cern. “ it ’ s not doing justice to the higgs [ boson ] and what we think its role in the universe is. it has nothing to do with god. ” 6 scientists hope to discover the invisible higgs field because the theory of its existence is foundational to the proponents of the big bang, the most typically accepted explanation for the origin of mass and space. those who embrace the idea that the universe came into existence through rapid expansion during conditions of extreme density and heat, that planets and life resulted from the big bang, and that matter obtained mass because of a cosmological collision anticipate the discovery of this “ god particle. ” in the 1960s, british scientist peter higgs first proposed the existence of the new physics field, now known as the higgs field, as an explanation for differences between strong and weak fields in physics. the proposal developed into the idea that in the higgs field, interaction between the electromagnetic field and the weak field resulted in matter taking on mass. the nickname “ god particle ” describes the agent that supposedly gave mass to the most basic building block of the universe. “ without it, or something like it, particles would just have remained whizzing around the universe at the speed of light. … hearing it called the ‘ god particle ’ makes me angry. it confuses people about what we are trying to do here at cern ” said pippa wells, a researcher with cern ’ s atlas team. 7 a spokesman for cern, james gillies, agrees with wells : “ of course it has nothing to do with god


we are trying to do here at cern ” said pippa wells, a researcher with cern ’ s atlas team. 7 a spokesman for cern, james gillies, agrees with wells : “ of course it has nothing to do with god whatsoever …. but i can understand why people go that way because the higgs [ boson ] is so important to our understanding of nature. ” 8 according to people who have investigated the subject, the term “ god particle ” originated with a 1993 book by u. s. nobel prize winner leon lederman about the history of particle physics, the god particle : if the universe is the answer, what is the question? 9 yet others who recognize how significant the current research on the higgs boson is continue to use religious themes for it. lisa randall, a theoretical particle physicist and cosmologist at harvard university, recently entitled her latest book knocking on heaven ’ s door. 10 she wasn ’ t thinking about the god of the bible, however, but about natural laws that cause particles to be organized and exhibit mass. she believes, for example, that the higgs field associated with higgs particles causes space to function like a fluid causing particles which move through it to exhibit mass. and, yet, neither randall nor any other scientist can explain where such natural laws originated. her physics is based upon a pantheistic view of the universe, at best. it ’ s legitimate to try and understand how mass, space, and time originated, but not if the processes we use to explain their origin don ’ t involve the creator. the search for the “ god particle ” is an attempt to understand the big bang theory more fully. the big bang says that the universe began as an infinitesimal point and expanded outward, creating space and mass billions of years ago. although this idea may seem consistent with the description of creation in genesis 1 : 1, it is thought to have happened billions of years ago, while the bible says it happened in one 24 - hour day only a few thousand years ago. the theory is also presented as a natural event that didn ’ t require god ’ s involvement. several years ago, carl sagan declared to me through correspondence his full confidence in the big bang theory and its billions of years, but he admitted to one major problem. he couldn ’ t understand where the laws of nature came from. he realized that his view of origins depended upon the laws of nature being present first. yet he had no explanation for their origin because he didn ’ t believe in god


one major problem. he couldn ’ t understand where the laws of nature came from. he realized that his view of origins depended upon the laws of nature being present first. yet he had no explanation for their origin because he didn ’ t believe in god. scripture provides the reason why he had this problem : “ but without faith it is impossible to please him : for he that cometh to god must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him ” ( hebrews 11 : 6 ). sadly, scientists who have the best seat in the house to observe god ’ s handiwork through a microscope or a telescope often seem to be the first to deny that he is the creator. because they deny he is creator, they fail to grasp the ultimate explanation for the world around us. scripture says it best : “ for the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and godhead ; so that they are without excuse ” ( romans 1 : 20 ). - morris, h. m. 1976. the genesis record. grand rapids, mi : baker book house, 17 - 36. - ibid, 41. - morris, h. m. 1982. men of science, men of god. san diego, ca : master books. - griffiths, d. 2008. introduction to elementary particles, 2nd ed. new york : wiley - vch. - reich, e. s. detectors home in on higgs boson. nature news. posted on nature. com december 13, 2011. - evans, r. the higgs boson : why scientists hate that you call it the ‘ god particle. ’ reuters, december 14, 2011. - lederman, l. and d. teresi. 2006. the god particle : if the universe is the answer, what is the question? new york : dell publishing. - randall, l. 2011. knocking on heaven ’ s door. new york : harper collins publishers. * dr. vardiman is senior research scientist, astro / geophysics at the institute for creation research. cite this article : vardiman, l. 2012. did the “ god particle ” create matter? acts & facts. 41 ( 3 ) : 12 - 14.


william r. hewlett died : january 12, 2001 the last name of william r. hewlett is best known as the first half of hewlett - packard, the innovative company that set a model for the entire silicon valley. the order of names in the original partnership was determined by a coin toss, and the outcome might be seen as ironic : hewlett, a quiet, self - effacing man, rarely put himself forward. david packard, the other half of the partnership, was much more outgoing. in their complementary relationship, packard concentrated on the nuts and bolts of production, while hewlett was more proficient in technical innovation, starting with the company ’ s first product, an audio oscillator. hewlett ’ s contribution, ultimately as president and ceo in the 1970s, was key. william r. hewlett was born in ann arbor, michigan. at that time his father, dr. a. w. hewlett, was a professor of medicine at the university of michigan. three years later he accepted a similar post at stanford university, and moved the family to california, where his family had deep roots. william benefited from his father ’ s academic position, which exposed him to the lively cultural, literary and scientific life of san francisco. he would eventually attend his father ’ s alma mater, lowell high school. tragically, this was after his father ’ s sudden and premature death when william was twelve. william was not, however, a uniformally strong student. suffering from what later would be more readily recognized as dyslexia, he had problems reading or taking notes. he made a strength out of this weakness, learning to memorize lectures by logically ordering them in his mind. he also concentrated on his stronger subjects, math and science, where he was exceptional. in addition to conducting chemistry experiments ( occasionally involving explosives ), he built a tesla coil, made an electric arc from carbon rods, and built crystal radio sets for himself and his sister. he only earned a recommendation to stanford from lowell ’ s principal, however, when the principal realized that he was the son of one of his best former pupils, albion walter. stanford was a providential choice. there he attended the radio - engineering classes taught by fred terman, who also inspired david packard to enter the field of electrical engineering. after graduation in 1934, while packard left california to work for ge in schenectady, hewlett pursued a master ’ s degree at the massuchusetts institute


, who also inspired david packard to enter the field of electrical engineering. after graduation in 1934, while packard left california to work for ge in schenectady, hewlett pursued a master ’ s degree at the massuchusetts institute of technology, rewarded in 1936, and further graduate work at stanford, from which he received the degree of engineer in 1939. during his grad school days, hewlett developed the imaginative design for a resistance - capacity audio oscillator that would become hewlett - packard ’ s first product. when william hewlett and david packard " formalized " their partnership with the famous coinflip in 1939, fred terman encouraged them to commercially produce hewlett ' s resistance - capacity audio oscillator. they did, designating it “ model 200a ” to give the impression that it was the latest ( rather than the very first ) offering of an established company. disney company purchased eight modified versions ( now " 200b " ) for its production of fantasia, a sale that helped to propel the firm forward. at the time, the bachelor hewlett was living in a room in back of the married packard ’ s house on addison avenue, in palo alto ; the garage, now an officially designated national historic landmark, served as their workshop. their initial capital was $ 538, though by the end of 1939 they had made sales of over $ 5, 000, with profits of over $ 1, 500. as would become their standard practice, they plowed the profits back into the business. that same year marked the beginning of another longstanding partnership for hewlett. he married flora lamson, a university of california graduate, with whom he would have three sons and two daughters. in 1966, they would also together found the william and flora hewlett foundation, now one of the nation ’ s largest, to embody one of his favorite phrases, “ never stifle a generous impulse. flora died in 1977. world war ii was a period of growth for hewlett - packard as it fulfilled government contracts for electronic equipment. hewlett, a reservist called for active duty in the army, spent the time away from california. he was on the staff of the army ' s chief signal officer and then headed up the electronics section of the new development division of the war department special staff. during this latter tour of duty he was on a special u. s. team which inspected japanese industry immediately after the war. in 1947


s chief signal officer and then headed up the electronics section of the new development division of the war department special staff. during this latter tour of duty he was on a special u. s. team which inspected japanese industry immediately after the war. in 1947, shortly after he returned to palo alto, hewlett - packard was incorporated and mr. hewlett was named vice president. he was elected executive vice president in 1957, president in 1964 and became chief executive officer in 1969. hewlett was involved actively in management of the company until 1987. in managing the company, he helped create with david packard what would become known as the “ hp way, ” a unique business culture that emphasized rewarding employee initiative. they instituted profit sharing, employee stock ownership, flexible work hours, and other benefits widely copied throughout corporate america. hewlett - packard also kept on the cutting edge of innovation, growing from its focus on electronic measurement devices to a leading manufacturer of consumer electronics, printers and scanners in particluar. over the years mr. hewlett contributed greatly to the advancement of various organizations within the electronics industry. from 1950 to 1957 he was on the board of directors of the institute of radio engineers ( now the ieee ), and served as president of the institute in 1954. he was the second individual from west of the mississippi to head the institute, the first being his stanford engineering professor, dr. frederick e. terman. he also played an important role in the development of the western electronics manufacturers association. mr. hewlett held several patents in the fields of electronics and scientific measurement, and has been active in a number of professional societies. he is a fellow of the institute of electrical and electronics engineers, a member of the national academy of engineering, a fellow in the american academy of arts and sciences, an honorary lifetime member of the instrument society of america, a member of the institute of medicine of the national academy of sciences, and a past member of the president ' s science advisory committee. indicative of his keen interest in education and medicine — he was the son of a doctor — he was a trustee of stanford university, a director of the kaiser foundation hospital and health plan board, and a director of the drug abuse council in washington, d. c. he also served as a trustee of mills college and as board president of the palo alto - stanford hospital center. in addition, he held an honorary doctor of laws degree from the university of california in berkeley. hewlett ’ s philanthropic interests extended around the world :


as a trustee of mills college and as board president of the palo alto - stanford hospital center. in addition, he held an honorary doctor of laws degree from the university of california in berkeley. hewlett ’ s philanthropic interests extended around the world : to population issues and the status of women, their education, and economic opportunities in africa, southeast asia, and latin america ; to conflict resolution, particularly in eastern and southern europe, the former republics of the soviet union, and the middle east ; to u. s. - latin american relationships ; to the needs of the nation ' s liberal arts colleges and research universities ; to the environment in the western united states ; and to the improvement of k - 12 education, the performing arts, and the many communities and neighborhoods of the san francisco bay area. he also had a vital interest in his adopted california, and in 1994 founded the public policy institute of california, to be guided by the longtime president of his foundation, roger heyns, chancellor emeritus of the berkeley campus of the university of california. hewlett had a wide range of outside interests and hobbies, most of them based on his love for the out - of - doors. like many californians, he and his family were avid skiers. he was a part - time botanist and an accomplished mountain climber and fisherman. he also engaged in various ranching and cattle - raising operations with his long - time friend and associate, david packard. hewlett was co - recipient, along with packard of the 1973 ieee founders medal “ for leadership in the development of electronic instruments, for creative management of an industrial activity, and for their unselfish public service. ” sources and further reading david packard, the hp way : how bill hewlett and i built our company ( new york : harpercollins, 1995 ). also : the official biographies on the web sites for hp ( http : / / www. hp. com / hpinfo / execteam / bios / hewlett. html ) and the hewlett foundation ( http : / / www. hewlett. org / aboutus / wmhewlettbio. htm )


the ihs division of oral health is an ada cerp recognized provider this course is not subject to the lottery. it is offered as an in - service only. this two - hour presentation is intended to provide the very latest information on the prevention and management of dental caries and periodontal diseases. both clinical and community - based interventions will be presented and the learning group will discuss the implementation of these interventions in their local communities. furthermore, the presentation will review dental program gpra objectives, ecc, the effects of pop on children ’ s health, and effective health education strategies. it is the policy of the indian health service [ ihs ], division of oral health [ doh ], that faculty / presenters disclose any significant financial or other relationships with commercial companies whose products may be discussed in the activity. the ihs, doh also requires faculty disclose any unlabeled or investigational use [ not yet approved for any purpose ] of pharmaceutical products and medical devices. this course has been planned and implemented in accordance with the ada cerp recognition standards and procedures. none of the faculty / presenters for this activity has a conflict of interest, and there is no use of unlabeled or investigational pharmaceutical products or medical devices. the educational objectives, content and selection of educational methods and instructors are conducted independent of any commercial entity. concerns or complaints about this course may be directed to firstname. lastname @ example. org or to ada cerp at http : / / www. ada. org / goto / cerp. upon completion of this course, participants will be able to : 1. list at least three modes of delivering fluoride. 2. describe at least one strategy to recruit school - age children to the dental clinic for sealants. 3. describe at least one strategy to recruit more infants and toddlers to the dental program for screening and fluoride. 4. list at least two strategies to improve the effectiveness of health education. it is the policy of the indian health service, division of oral health, that faculty / planners disclose any financial or other relationships with commercial companies whose products may be discussed in the educational activity. the indian health service, division of oral health, also requires that faculty disclose any unlabeled or investigative use of pharmaceutical products and medical devices. images that have been falsified or manipulated to misrepresent treatment outcomes are prohibited. none of the faculty / planners for this activity has a conflict of interest, and there is no use of unlabeled or investigative


the lunar new year ( or asian new year ) is the most celebrated holiday of the year across many asian countries. on the first day of the first new moon after the winter solstice in the lunar calendar ( january 23, 2012 ), countries like korea, taiwan, china, vietnam and asian communities in many western countries will celebrate the new year. the new year flushes out the old and welcomes in the new, making space for happiness, wealth, luck and longevity. it ’ s a time to spend with friends and relatives and stresses the importance of family ties. in the days before the new year, people begin “ spring ” cleaning. the old is swept away to clear room for the coming year ’ s good fortune. in vietnam, people decorate their homes with flowers like chrysanthemum and marigolds, as well as a new year tree, called cay neu, which is a bamboo stick five to six meters long. the top end is usually decorated with many objects, such as good luck charms, origami fish, cactus branches and others. preparations for the new year can begin up to weeks before as people begin to anticipate the holiday. new year ’ s eve is a time for feasting with family and friends and many traditional foods are eaten such as yuanxiao ( sweet, stuffed rice balls ) in china, banh chung ( steamed sticky rice with pork ) in vietnam and tteokguk ( soup with sliced rice cakes ) in korea. after dinner, people await the fireworks at midnight to scare away evil spirits and bad luck. lights are supposed to be kept on all night. the next morning, or sometimes the evening before, children receive money in red envelopes as a present. on new year ’ s day, everyone wears new clothes, usually red in china or red and yellow in vietnam, symbolizing a fresh start. in korea, people dress in traditional clothing, called hanbok. it is believed that whatever happens on the first day of the new year will foretell what the year will be like, so children are not allowed to cry, parents are not allowed to scold their children or else they will do so all year. in china, the celebration last for two weeks, during which time people visit one another and exchange gifts. it is a great time for reconciliation. old grudges are forgiven. the atmosphere is warm and friendly. the entire celebration culminates on the 15th day in the lantern festival, where people parade different lanterns in animal shapes


another and exchange gifts. it is a great time for reconciliation. old grudges are forgiven. the atmosphere is warm and friendly. the entire celebration culminates on the 15th day in the lantern festival, where people parade different lanterns in animal shapes or with poems written on them into the streets. this year, 2012, is the year of the dragon, which is a very special one. in chinese astrology, years correspond to different animal signs, which repeat in 12 - year cycles. in former times, the animal signs helped people keep track of their age and figure out who was older or younger. the year of the dragon is anticipated to be exciting, unpredictable, exhilarating and intense. people born in the year of the dragon are said to be passionate, charismatic and self - assured, and tend to be natural leaders. for a more detailed account of the holiday, from which some of this description was taken with permission, please visit frances kai - hwa wang ’ s article at imdiversity. com : http : / / www. imdiversity. com / villages / asian / family _ lifestyle _ traditions / lunar _ new _ year / wang _ new _ year _ kids. asp © 2012, the editors. all rights reserved.


ovary freezing to beat the biological clock beating the clock? frozen ovaries make headlines more women are waiting to start their families, delaying pregnancy until their mid - to late - 30s, 40s and beyond. while pregnancy in a woman ' s later years can carry some complications, " the biggest risk of delaying pregnancy is not being able to get pregnant at all, " said dr. jill powell, assistant professor of medicine in the department of obstetrics, gynecology and women ' s health at saint louis university school of medicine. " we see all these celebrities having babies - even twins - in their 40s, and we take it for granted that we will be able to do it too. " powell cautions that women will experience a big drop in fertility beginning around age 38. it then falls more precipitously 40... st. louis ' dr. silber makes women ' s health history one bright spot has surfaced in the field of fertility and it started here in st. louis. the ability to freeze and transplant ovaries is a new option for women facing cancer therapy or for those women who want to delay pregnancy until later years. dr. sherman silber, director of the infertility center at st. luke ' s hospital, made international headlines with research presented this month at the annual meeting of the american society of reproductive medicine ( asrm ) held in san francisco. " we can transplant ovaries without any loss of ovarian tissue or eggs, and it functions perfectly normally whether it ' s fresh or frozen, " silber said. he and his team performed a ground - breaking trial in which they transplanted an identical twin ' s ovary to her twin sister. a year later, the transplant recipient successfully conceived a child. the twin receiving the transplant had previously been unable to conceive due to premature ovarian failure... while the details of this case are intriguing - - one twin helping another to achieve motherhood - - the real breakthrough, according to silber, is the science. " we can freeze the ovaries of young women who are going to lose their fertility over time and transplant them back later, and they ( the ovaries ) won ' t have aged, " he said. providing hope for young women with cancer the breakthrough offers hope for women undergoing reproductively - destructive therapies, such as women with cancer facing chemotherapy or radiation. " if we take the ovary out, freeze it, save it and


he said. providing hope for young women with cancer the breakthrough offers hope for women undergoing reproductively - destructive therapies, such as women with cancer facing chemotherapy or radiation. " if we take the ovary out, freeze it, save it and transplant it back later, they will be fertile again, " silber noted. this new application builds on current science that allows women to have their eggs frozen. " but freezing the ovary and putting it back is much more sure for the patient than egg freezing, " asserted silber. " if you put all those eggs in one basket, and she goes through in - vitro fertilization, she can ' t have any better chance of pregnancy than 50 percent. if she is not pregnant from that, then she ' s finished. " other research presented at this month ' s asrm conference included a case study of one woman who had her ovary removed, frozen and then restored by silber ' s team, a procedure they have performed nine times... if you have any questions, you may call us at ( 314 ) 576 - 1400. - oocyte vitrification — women ’ s emancipation set in stone - fertility and sterility - egg, ovarian tissue, embryo, and sperm freezing - in vitro fertilization ( ivf ) - egg donation - freezing the biological clock [ video ] - ovarian tissue freezing [ technical video ] - news coverage of ovary transplantation - vitrification [ video ] - complex surgery involved in first successful whole ovary transplant - giving an ovary to my twin was a ' magical ' opportunity


camellia sinensis is the species of plant whose leaves and leaf buds are used to produce tea. it is of the genus camellia, a genus of flowering plants in the family theaceae. white tea, green tea, oolong, pu - erh tea and black tea are all harvested from this species, but are processed differently to attain different levels of oxidation. kukicha ( twig tea ) is also harvested from camellia sinensis, but uses twigs and stems rather than leaves. common names include tea plant, tea tree, and tea shrub. there are two major varieties that characterize this species ( 1 ) camellia sinensis var. sinensis ( l. ) kuntz and ( 2 ) camellia sinensis var. assamica ( masters ) kitam. | title : | | camellia sinensis | | publisher : | | alphascript publishing | | author : | | frederic p miller, agnes f vandome, john mc brewster | | no. of pages : | | 236 | * the book summary and image may be of a different edition or binding of the same title. * book reviews are added by registered customers. they need not necessarily buy book. * these books are not available for reading online or for free download in pdf or ebook format. * price can change due to reprinting, price change by publisher or sourcing cost change for imported books. www. infibeam. com / books is the biggest online bookstore in india for sale of books at best price - fiction, literature, audiobooks, study guides, novels, story books, rare books, textbooks and books by popular authors. these are available in various editions and bindings e. g. paperback and at best discount. safe & secure shopping


anne of austria anne of austria, 1601 – 66, queen of france, daughter of king philip iii of spain. married to the french king louis xiii ( 1615 ), she was neglected by her husband and sought the society of the court intriguer, mme de chevreuse. anne ' s indiscretion, especially her flirtation with the duke of buckingham, injured her reputation. her loyalty to spain and her strong roman catholic background made her suspect after france ' s alliance ( 1635 ) with the protestant nations in the thirty years war ; she was accused by the french minister of state, cardinal richelieu, of treasonable correspondence with spain but was pardoned ( 1637 ). contrary to the express wish of her husband before his death she was granted ( 1643 ) by parlement full powers as regent for her son louis xiv. she entrusted the government to cardinal mazarin, whom she supported during the wars of the fronde in france. after mazarin ' s death ( 1661 ), her son excluded her from participation in affairs of state. anne of austria is a central figure of alexandre dumas ' s three musketeers. the columbia electronic encyclopedia, 6th ed. copyright © 2012, columbia university press. all rights reserved. more on anne of austria from infoplease : see more encyclopedia articles on : french history : biographies


when larry rosenstock and ted sizer were contemplating the blueprint for the first high tech high school ten years ago, they debated the measure by which they would want to be judged. they asked themselves : why does it seem impossible for all children in a mixed community to go to university? they decided university admission would be the test by which they would judge their new school. high tech high went on to pass with flying colours : since the first school opened, 99. 5 % of students have gone to university. examined in detail, the figures are even more remarkable : 55 % of students are the first generation in their family to attend university. 88 % of their poorer students on free or reduced school dinners complete a university degree. these numbers are hard to ignore. larry rosenstock is now chief executive of high tech high, a group of nine charter schools in san diego ( one elementary, three middle and five high schools ), each containing no more than 400 students. rosenstock spoke at the guardian / innovation unit ‘ innovation in education ’ conference on 9 november, and the learning futures national event the following day. i saw him both times - i ’ ve also been to san diego to see high tech high in action, and it is quite possibly the most impressive and the most innovative school i have ever seen. so what makes it so different? an innovative curriculum the high tech high curriculum supports personalised, project - based learning with pervasive connections to the community. visit the schools, and you see every available surface covered with the students ’ projects – which are regularly showcased to the wider community in popular open - house events, as well as other public spaces. everything starts with student engagement. students are given the satisfaction of thinking, making and doing. the learning is personalised and integrates the rigour of academic content with the application of vocational pedagogy – hence their name high tech high. learners as producers “ kids do production not consumption ” at high tech high. as rosenstock says, “ high quality work means high quality teaching – we let practice speak through demonstrations of student work. ” several student projects have been published, and are available in bookshops ( and on amazon ) – for example, perspectives of san diego bay ( a biology field guide to the bay ) and calculicious ( a collection of artwork by students that explores calculus ). they do not focus on standardized tests, which “ suck oxygen out of the system ”. learning is about enquiry, collaboration, kids doing and making and shaping things.


’ t want to isolate school from the community kids are going out into. you want the walls to be as permeable as possible, with adults coming in and learning going out. ” - public and private – because san diego business leaders are stakeholders in the schools ’ success. - secondary and post - secondary education, assuming that all students have the potential to progress to college if they choose. ( rosenstock cites his grandmother : “ there are two kinds of people, those who think that there are two kinds of people and those who don ’ t. ” ) - head and hand ( following john dewey ’ s belief that understanding derives from activity ; from making and doing ) - learning with assessment. this set out to be a provocation piece, but the provocation lies not so much in the argument as in the evidence of an alternative approach to secondary schooling that produces extraordinary results. high tech high has turned away from much of what is outdated and self - defeating about traditional schooling – classroom design, divisions between subjects, isolation from the community, limiting belief systems about student potential, assessments that only one teacher ever sees, a model of school that fails to inspire and develop staff. having found such a model, are we in the uk able to learn from and seek to emulate the ambition and the passion and the practices of high tech high? it is not the only successful alternative model for secondary schools, but it is one that is within our grasp. if you are a school leader in the uk, and you want to apply this learning, where would you start? larry ’ s advice is clear : he would divide the school internally into small schools of 400 students. he would identify outstanding teacher leaders to lead those small schools, together with a small design team. he would agree with them some defining values and some key principles, and then he would liberate them to design and define their curriculum and pedagogy. he would support this with resources – time to collaborate and to recognise their leadership roles. he would set a workshop date when they would all present their school designs ( in a collaborative learning setting ) and he would know that they would be very different – and after the group had modified each other ’ s designs he would accept them all and liberate their creativity to implement them, so creating an internally diverse set of designs, bound by common principles, from which they could learn. read more about larry rosenstock and high tech high here.


this week 150 years ago in the civil war saw union and confederate gunboats vying for control of the lower mississippi river and its tributaries. the winter of 1863 brings a formidable, new player to the fray : a powerful ironclad riverboat called the uss indianola. the fortified city of vicksburg, miss., atop bluffs lining the mississippi river, remained in confederate hands at this stage of the war. but union forces have eventual hopes of wresting vicksburg and other points downriver from the confederacy to control the entire river. if the entire waterway could be seized by the union, it would effectively split the confederacy in two. to that end, the union in mid - february 1863 sent the cincinnati - built indianola down the mississippi. on feb. 13, the indianola rushed passed confederate guns firing from vicksburg. none of the rebel shots struck the indianola. but confederate gunboats and rebel rams still plied the river nearby and posed a danger that would doom the indianola within days. elsewhere, winter has prevented major fighting. both sides await better weather and passable roads. soldiers trade letters with loved ones back home, where many worry about those missing or lost to combat or disease. one commanding officer wrote in a note from tennessee — published feb. 23, 1863, in the daily illinois state journal in springfield, ill. — that loved ones this week in the civil war, for week of sunday, feb. 24 : ramming, surrender of union ironclad indianola. the uss indianola, an ironclad that joined the union ' s mississippi river squadron in early 1863, had run the gauntlet of confederate artillery at vicksburg, miss., on feb. 13, 1863. but the recently built gunboat with armored plating and 11 - inch dahlgren guns would soon meet an early demise. while patrolling the mississippi near the mouth of the red river, the indianola came under attack feb. 24, 1863, by two enemy rams. pursued and rammed several times, the union ironclad lost power and ran aground. its crew had no choice but to surrender. the loss of the indianola struck a major blow to the union navy in its struggle to gain supremacy over the lower mississippi. days afterward, the mobile advertiser & register in alabama reported on the indianola ' s surrender in a dispatch from port gibson, miss. the report quoted confederate lt. col. fred b. brand as saying vessels under his control pursued the u. s. ironcl


advertiser & register in alabama reported on the indianola ' s surrender in a dispatch from port gibson, miss. the report quoted confederate lt. col. fred b. brand as saying vessels under his control pursued the u. s. ironclad and " engaged her for an hour. " some of the fighting was at close quarters before it was quickly over. " we went alongside, when commander lieut. brown, u. s. n., surrendered to me. as all credit is due to ( confederate ) major brent, i have turned over to him, in a sinking condition, the prize which we hope to save. only five were hurt. " confederate forces, hoping to claim the partially sunk river gunboat as their own, did try to salvage the indianola but detonated the ship ' s magazine when another union vessel approached. badly damaged by the blast, the indianola would never be restored to service even after the union took vicksburg in july 1863. elsewhere this week 150 years ago in the war, confederate fighters seized and destroyed union supplies being carried by mule train through tennessee. this week in the civil war, for week of sunday, march 3 : lincoln signs enrollment act to draft new troops. when the civil war erupted in april 1861, many on both sides of the conflict had expected it to be a short - lived war. but nearly two years later, after several big battles and horrific numbers of casualties, president abraham lincoln was compelled to sign the first enrollment act — instituting the first wartime draft in american history on march 3, 1863. the move 150 years ago during the civil war was a controversial step. but the conflict was dragging on far longer than any had expected and the union wasn ' t raising enough troops for combat by other means. thus, lincoln needed more manpower for the fight, much as the confederacy did in resorting to a draft months earlier. the act required enrollment of every male citizen ages 20 - 45, with certain exemptions, and male immigrants of that age who had signed intent of becoming u. s. citizens. nonetheless, exemptions from the draft could be bought for $ 300 each draft period, or by finding a substitute draftee. those exemptions would lead to violent riots for days in july 1863 in new york city, when the first inductees were called. fueling the draft riots was widespread outrage that such exemptions could only be afforded by the wealthy, making the conflict a " poor man ' s fight. " months later, the $ 300 " commutation


the first inductees were called. fueling the draft riots was widespread outrage that such exemptions could only be afforded by the wealthy, making the conflict a " poor man ' s fight. " months later, the $ 300 " commutation fee " would be repealed by congress. the associated press reports more fighting, near franklin, tenn., as 2, 000 rebels are repelled by union forces and compelled to retreat. ap reporters 70 prisoners have been seized by union forces in tennessee and some were being kept under heavy guard in shackles on suspicion of " murder " in the death of union soldiers elsewhere. this week in the civil war, for week of sunday, march 10 : sinking of uss mississippi. this week 150 years ago in the civil war, the union lost the uss mississippi when the warship ran aground on the mississippi river. built in 1839, the side - wheel steamer had taken part in expeditions during the war against mexico and also in the mediterranean and pacific waters before the civil war. the ship had been part of a union squadron led by the famed future admiral, david farragut, who captured new orleans in 1862. however, the mississippi remained most of its time at new orleans after the conquest because it was designed as deep draft ocean - going vessel. on march 14, 1863, the ship ran aground attempting to pass confederate batteries near fort hudson as part of a battle group seeking to run upriver on the key inland waterway. feverish attempts were made under enemy fire to free the mississippi, but the efforts proved fruitless and union officers had to blow up the ship. set ablaze, the ship drifted downriver before its magazine loaded with gunpowder exploded and it sank. in a march 19, 1863, dispatch about the sinking, the richmond whig newspaper reported the mississippi had been burned and farragut ' s attack fleet driven back. it said confederate forces opened fire when the mississippi and other vessels tried to pass southern batteries at night and only one or two ships could get beyond that gauntlet. " the firing was terrific. one gunboat passed in a damaged condition and the u. s. sloop - of - war mississippi was burnt to the water ' s edge in front of one of our batteries. " added the richmond whig : " our victory was complete. no casualties on our part. thirty - six men and one midshipman of the mississippi were brought in by our cavalry, several of them severely wounded. "


what is it? esophageal cancer is the abnormal growth of cells in the esophagus. the esophagus is the tube that carries food and liquid to your stomach. there are two types of esophageal cancer : - squamous cell carcinoma starts in the cells that line the esophagus. these cells are called squamous cells. this type of cancer can occur anywhere in the esophagus. - adenocarcinoma starts in the lower portion of the esophagus, near the opening to the stomach. it begins when squamous cells are replaced by glandular cells that then begin growing abnormally. no one knows for sure what causes esophageal cancer. however, the most significant risk factors include the following : - tobacco use. the longer you smoke and the more you smoke each day, the greater your risk. patients who develop esophageal cancer may also be at riskfor developing other cancers of the head and neck. - alcohol consumption. chronic or excessive consumption of alcohol, especially when combined with tobacco use, increases the risk. consumption of hard liquor, rather than beer and wine, may increase risk even more. however, the amount consumed is the biggest factor, not the type of alcohol. - gastroesophageal reflux disease ( gerd ). the lining of the stomach contains glandular cells that release acids and enzymes to digest food. sometimes, these chemicals escape from the stomach and move into the esophagus. this is called reflux or gerd. one symptom of gerd is chronic heartburn. - barrett ' s esophagus. gerd is believed to irritate squamous cells near the stomach causing them to become glandular cells. this condition is called barrett ' s esophagus. glandular cells are more likely to become cancerous than squamous cells. barrett ' s esophagus is the strongest risk factor for esophageal adenocarcinoma. ( squamous cell carcinoma was once the most common type of esophageal cancer. it has been surpassed by adenocarcinomas because of the growing number of cases of barrett ' s esophagus. ) other risk factors include the following : - age. most people who develop esophageal cancer are over 50. - sex. esophageal cancer occurs three times more often in men than women


' s esophagus. ) other risk factors include the following : - age. most people who develop esophageal cancer are over 50. - sex. esophageal cancer occurs three times more often in men than women. - race. squamous cell esophageal cancer is more common among african americans than whites. however, whites have a higher incidence of esophageal adenocarcinoma. - diet. a diet low in fruits and vegetables, as well as certain minerals and vitamins, may raise the risk of esophageal cancer. - chemical irritation. damage to the esophagus ( from swallowing toxic chemicals or prior radiation therapy, for example ) increases esophageal cancer risk. at first, esophageal cancer may not cause any symptoms. but as it progresses, it may cause : - trouble swallowing - feeling like food is " stuck " in the chest - pain in the chest or between the shoulder blades - frequent heartburn or gerd - severe weight loss - hoarseness or chronic cough other conditions can cause these symptoms. but if you have any of them, see your doctor. your doctor will examine you and review your medical history. he or she probably will order chest x - rays and other diagnostic tests, too. these may include the following : - routine laboratory studies. basic blood tests can help determine if you have been losing blood and whether your organs are functioning normally. these tests can help your doctor determine what other tests are needed. - barium swallow. this test is an x - ray of the esophagus. you drink a liquid containing barium, which coats the interior of your esophagus. it makes it easier for your doctor to see blockages or changes in the esophagus on x - rays. - endoscopy. the doctor inserts a thin, lighted tube called an endoscope into your esophagus. a small video camera sits at the end of the tube. with this tool, the doctor can look for problems in your esophagus. he or she can also collect tissue samples from suspicious areas for examination. you will be given a sedative or pain medicine to minimize discomfort. - computed tomography ( ct ) scan. x - ray pictures taken from different angles provide a three - dimensional view of your internal organs. doctors can then see if you have any masses or blockages. ct scans are especially helpful in determining the extent of cancer


tomography ( ct ) scan. x - ray pictures taken from different angles provide a three - dimensional view of your internal organs. doctors can then see if you have any masses or blockages. ct scans are especially helpful in determining the extent of cancer. this information can guide treatment decisions. - endoscopic ultrasound. a tiny ultrasound machine sits at the end of a tube inserted into the esophagus. it creates pictures with sound waves. this test may be better than ct at determining how far cancer has grown into the esophagus, surrounding tissue, and lymph nodes. this information is especially important in choosing a treatment and planning surgery. as with endoscopy, doctors can remove bits of suspicious - looking tissue. the tissue will then be examined in a lab. - pet scanning. a positron emission tomography, or pet, scan is an imaging technique that uses positively charged particles ( radioactive positrons ) to detect subtle changes in the body ' s metabolism and chemical activities. a pet scan provides a color - coded image of the body ' s function, rather than its structure. because the metabolic activity of cancer cells differs from normal cells, pet can detect cancer that has spread to other areas of the body. this information can affect your choice of treatment. people with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma have a higher risk of mouth, throat, lung, and stomach cancer. that ' s why you may also have tests with endoscopes inside the throat and lungs, as well as chest x - rays and ct scans. esophageal cancer will continue to grow until it is treated. it can spread to almost any part of the body. the chance of survival increases greatly if the disease is detected early. while some risk factors for esophageal cancer can ' t be avoided, you can lower your risk of the disease : - don ' t use tobacco in any form. if you smoke or use smokeless tobacco, get the help you need to stop. - never eat or drink anything that may damage your digestive tract. - if you drink alcohol, drink in moderation. most experts recommend that women have no more than one drink a day, men no more than two. - if you get frequent heartburn, ask your doctor how to avoid or treat it. if you suffer from chronic heartburn, your doctor may suggest an endoscopy to look for barrett ' s esophagus. if you have this condition, some doctors


frequent heartburn, ask your doctor how to avoid or treat it. if you suffer from chronic heartburn, your doctor may suggest an endoscopy to look for barrett ' s esophagus. if you have this condition, some doctors recommend periodic exams to check for abnormalities before they develop into cancer. after the cancer has been diagnosed, your doctor will determine how far it has advanced and assign it a " stage. " the stages run from 0 to iv. the higher the stage, the further the cancer has spread. for example, in stage 0, the cancer is confined to the lining of the esophagus. in stage i, the cancer has not invaded the outer muscle layer of the esophagus. treatment for esophageal cancer depends on the size and location of the tumor, its stage, your symptoms, and your general health. many different treatments and combinations of treatments may be used. the most common ones are surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy. surgically removing the tumor and surrounding tissue offers the best chance of a cure. usually, the surgeon opens the chest or abdomen. he or she then removes, through one or two incisions, all or part of the esophagus and the nearby lymph nodes. this helps keep the cancer from spreading. sometimes, the upper part of the stomach is removed, too. the surgeon then uses the rest of the stomach or part of the intestine to reconnect the digestive tract, so that you can swallow. this is very intensive surgery ; some patients can ' t tolerate it. the surgeon may be able to modify the procedure and use minimally invasive techniques in certain patients, such as those with other serious medical conditions. instead of one or two larger incisions, the surgeon may make several smaller ones. this may decrease the risk of some complications. but a surgeon doing this procedure must be highly skilled. a second possible treatment is chemotherapy. this involves the use of anticancer drugs to kill cancer cells. the drugs are usually injected into a vein. chemotherapy may be combined with radiation therapy. radiation therapy uses high - energy x - rays to kill cancer cells. the radiation may come from a machine outside the body ( external radiation ) or from radioactive material placed in or near the tumor ( internal radiation ). your doctor may suggest radiation therapy : - as the only treatment if the cancer is too large or the risk of surgery is too high - after surgery if the cancer cannot be completely removed - before surgery to shrink the


near the tumor ( internal radiation ). your doctor may suggest radiation therapy : - as the only treatment if the cancer is too large or the risk of surgery is too high - after surgery if the cancer cannot be completely removed - before surgery to shrink the tumor and make it easier for the surgeon to remove it before recommending a treatment, your doctors will weigh the benefits of surgery against its risks. ( it can cause numerous complications. ) for many people, radiation therapy alone or combined with chemotherapy may offer the same chance of survival as surgery. your doctor may recommend other treatments to ease symptoms. for example, he or she may put a stent ( a small, wire - mesh tube ) in your esophagus so the cancer doesn ' t block it. this will allow you to eat normally. a laser can prevent blockages and improve swallowing by reducing the size of a tumor. if swallowing is so difficult that adequate nutrition cannot be taken by mouth, your doctor may suggest a feeding tube inserted into the stomach or intestine. when to call a professional see your doctor if you have any of these symptoms : - persistent trouble swallowing - significant weight loss - a feeling that food is stuck in your chest - recurrent or persistent vomiting most often these symptoms will not be caused by esophageal cancer, but they always require medical attention. if you have been diagnosed with gerd, consult a gastroenterologist. he or she can determine whether you have any precancerous conditions in the lower esophagus - - and treat them. more and more specialists ablate barrett ' s esophagus with an endoscope before it becomes cancerous. the earlier the cancer is detected, the higher the survival rate. about three - quarters of patients diagnosed with stage 0 esophageal cancer live at least five years. for those with stage i disease, almost half survive five years. but most cases of esophageal cancer are diagnosed at more advanced stages. with or without surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy can help improve quality of life. they can also prolong survival, even when the disease is advanced. national cancer institute ( nci ) nci office of communications and education public inquiries office 6116 executive blvd. bethesda, md 20892 - 8322 american cancer society ( acs ) cancer research institute one exchange plaza new york, ny 10006


cartilage is a tissue that lines the ends of our bones. it helps joints move smoothly. if cartilage is damaged or worn away, the joint may wear away, and cause pain and limited motion. this condition is called osteoarthritis or degenerative joint disease. cartilage is one of the few tissues in the body that does not quickly heal after injury. thats why researchers have been trying for decades to perfect techniques to repair or replace damaged cartilage. unfortunately, the going has been slow. but there is a procedure that can help certain patients. during chondrocyte grafting the cells that make cartilage are harvested from a patient and grown outside the body for a period of time. then they are applied directly on the area of missing cartilage. this procedure is usually successful in younger people with a small area of injured cartilage. nearly all of these procedures are done on an injured knee. thats because it is a large joint that can be easily accessed with an arthroscope ( an instrument used to look inside knees and to perform minor surgery ). this treatment is not usually offered when there is larger area of damage ( as in most cases of degenerative joint disease or when a joint other than the knee is involved, such as the ankle ). its less likely to be successful. during your debridement surgery, the irregular surface of the cartilage is smoothed over and debris is removed. since your injuries or arthritis required debridement, its likely that you have more than just a small area of cartilage damage. that and the fact that its your ankle, means cartilage replacement with chondrocyte grafting is probably not a good option. still, cartilage replacement procedures will probably improve in the near future. doctors are experimenting with joint stem cell injections and other innovative treatments to stabilize or even reverse degenerative joint disease. there is good news. you may get relief from the arthritis in your ankle from other treatments, including surgery or injectable medicines ( such as cortisone ). go over all of your options with your doctors, including consultation with an orthopedist or podiatrist with expertise in ankle disease or a rheumatologist ( arthritis specialist ).


thumbs and pacifiers sucking is a necessary reflex that gets a baby food, but it ' s also an inborn need. for example, fetuses often suck their thumbs in the womb, where getting food is not an issue. in general, thumb - and finger - sucking in an infant is not something to worry about. you have little control over it, anyway, since those fingers and thumbs are attached. it ' s not a sign of emotional problems, and it does help some babies sleep. thumb - sucking won ' t delay your child ' s language development, and it won ' t cause any harm to her mouth or teeth if it is stopped by age 4 or 5. most children give it up on their own well before reaching school age. if your infant sucks her thumb, first make sure she is getting enough to eat. if she wants to nurse a little longer or wants a little more formula, let her eat. once you ' ve established that the sucking isn ' t about food, allow her the comfort of her fingers or thumb. thumb - sucking that lasts beyond age 4 or 5 may become problematic for you or your child. you may be embarrassed by it, or your child might be when she discovers that other children her age don ' t suck their thumbs. she could develop dental problems if the habit persists, and there also is the danger of thumb infection from the constant moisture of the mouth. at this age, your child will probably be very motivated to give up the habit. whether to use a pacifier is something many parents struggle with. unlike thumb - or finger - sucking, which is generally your baby ' s choice, introducing a pacifier is your choice. pacifiers do have some advantages : they satisfy the sucking need, offer comfort and may help some babies sleep. on the other hand, pacifiers can become a crutch for parents, who might find it easier to pop one into the baby ' s mouth rather than take the time to find out what the baby wants or try other forms of comfort. in addition, introducing a pacifier means at some point you ' ll have to take it away. and if you put your baby to bed with one, she might wake up repeatedly when she loses it during the night. if you decide to use a pacifier, make sure it is all one piece so it cannot break apart and become a choking hazard. some experts prefer orthodontic pacifiers, which may limit any mouth distortion ( changes in shape ) that could occur. have several pacifiers


pacifier, make sure it is all one piece so it cannot break apart and become a choking hazard. some experts prefer orthodontic pacifiers, which may limit any mouth distortion ( changes in shape ) that could occur. have several pacifiers on hand so there is always a clean one available, and wash them frequently. never attach a pacifier to your baby ' s clothing, crib, playpen or stroller. this might seem like a good way to keep the pacifier clean, but babies can be strangled by the cord. before you put the pacifier into your baby ' s mouth, ask yourself if it is really sucking your baby wants. the pacifier should not be a substitute for feedings, but it might be useful if your baby is full and just isn ' t finished sucking. you might want to try comforting your baby in other ways before turning to the pacifier. a breastfed baby should not be given a pacifier until nursing is well established to avoid nipple confusion. a pacifier may be most useful in infants 2 to 4 months old, when the need to suck seems to be strongest. your baby might lose interest after this time frame unless the pacifier has become a sleeping aid. like thumb - sucking, a pacifier should not harm your baby ' s mouth or teeth if it is discontinued before age 4 or 5. once your child is old enough to understand, the pacifier can be given up willingly in exchange for money, as baby teeth are, or perhaps relinquished in a " graduation ceremony, " where the pacifier is exchanged for something more grown - up. last updated may 29, 2011


what is it? end - stage renal disease is a condition in which the kidneys no longer function normally. " renal " describes anything having to do with the kidneys. in end - stage renal disease, the kidneys function at a fraction of their normal capacity. when this occurs, dialysis or a kidney transplant is usually needed. dialysis is a mechanical process that does the kidneys ' work. diabetes is the leading cause of end - stage renal disease. kidney disease can result from type 1 or type 2 diabetes. with either type, poor control of blood sugar increases the risk of end - stage renal disease. other common causes of end - stage renal disease are : high blood pressure rheumatic or autoimmune diseases genetic disorders, such as polycystic kidney disease exposure to toxic drugs, including : symptoms of end - stage renal disease include : nausea or vomiting easy bruising or bleeding symptoms may remain mild or absent until kidney function drops to less than 20 % of normal. dialysis is urgent when one or more of the following occurs : inflammation of the covering of the heart fluid overload or congestive heart failure ( chf ) that cannot be managed with medications. in chf, fluid backs up into the lungs. dangerous elevations of potassium, sodium or acids in the blood. these substances can affect how other organs function. confusion, decreased alertness or seizures bleeding related to kidney failure that cannot be improved through other means severe, unrelenting nausea and vomiting dialysis may also be necessary if symptoms affect quality of life or nutritional status. this is especially true if they are accompanied by severely abnormal blood tests. kidney disease is diagnosed through urine and blood tests. these tests measure levels of creatinine and urea nitrogen in the urine and blood. additional tests may be necessary to determine why the kidneys have stopped working. end - stage renal disease is a lifelong condition unless a kidney transplant is done. even with a successful transplant, a person must take medicine for the rest of his or her life. you can take steps to reduce your risk of developing end - stage renal disease. if you have diabetes, control your blood sugar. closely monitor and aggressively treat high blood pressure. high blood pressure further damages the kidneys in people with kidney disease. if you have kidney disease, avoid over the counter arthritis medicines. non - steroidal anti - inflammatory drugs ( nsaids ) can cause kidney damage. a low - protein diet may slow the progression of existing kidney disease. quitting smoking and lowering cholesterol levels


disease, avoid over the counter arthritis medicines. non - steroidal anti - inflammatory drugs ( nsaids ) can cause kidney damage. a low - protein diet may slow the progression of existing kidney disease. quitting smoking and lowering cholesterol levels may also help. the two treatments for end - stage renal disease are dialysis and kidney transplant. there are two types of dialysis : hemodialysis. during hemodialysis, blood is removed from a vein. it is run through filters to remove waste products. the blood is then returned to the body. hemodialysis usually is done at a dialysis center. the treatments are done three times a week, in three - to four - hour sessions. peritoneal dialysis. during peritoneal dialysis, sterile fluid is infused into the abdomen. waste products gradually accumulate in the fluid, which is drained several hours later. peritoneal dialysis is done at home. it takes longer than hemodialysis and must be done four to five times a day. it can be automated to occur during sleep. kidney transplants allow people with severe kidney disease to avoid or discontinue dialysis. however, even a successful kidney transplant is not a cure. anyone who receives a kidney transplant must take immunosuppressive drugs for life. these are drugs that prevent the body from rejecting the donated organ. in addition, a good genetic match is needed for a successful transplant. most transplant candidates wait one to three years before they are matched to a kidney from an unrelated donor. when to call a professional you should have regular checkups if you have : high blood pressure other diseases that put you at risk of end - stage renal disease these checkups should include urine and blood tests to measure your kidney function. when blood tests indicate kidney disease, your doctor should refer you to a kidney specialist. this specialist is called a nephrologist. call your doctor if you notice any decrease in urination or other symptoms of end - stage renal disease. be particularly vigilant if you have kidney disease or its risk factors. when kidney failure occurs, treatments offer hope for good recovery. many people on dialysis or who have received transplants lead near normal lives. national institute of diabetes & digestive & kidney disorders office of communications and public liaison building 31, room 9a04 31 center drive, msc 2560 bethesda, md 20892 - 2560 national kidney foundation 30 east 33rd st. new york, ny 10016


this article was published originally on 8 / 25 / 2010 alert readers across iowa and in neighboring states are asking, " why are there are so many dragonflies this summer? " i ' m not sure what explains this larger - than - normal number of dragonflies but callers are reporting anywhere from " dozens " to " hundreds " of dragonflies flying in swarms during late afternoon to early evening. excessive rainfall in this year does not explain the abundance. dragonflies develop as nymphs in rivers, streams and lakes. most take at least one year to develop from the egg to the adult stage, and some take 2 or 3 years. so the swarmers you see now are at least one year old and probably two. these are the offspring of last year ’ s adults ( if not the adults that were flying back in 2008 or 2009 ). to me, that means this year ’ s abundance is related to what happened 1 to 3 years ago, and not what happened 1 to 3 months ago. in fact, i predict that dragonfly numbers will be down in the next 1 to 3 years as flooding of 2010 may have been detrimental to nymphs in flooded streams. more water in the stream, and especially flooding, would seem to work against the dragonflies, not for them. what we do know is that dragonflies are more numerous in high - quality water, so abundance is an indicator of healthy aquatic ecosystems, and that ' s a good thing. dragonflies are often observed long distances from the nearest water. it appears they travel long distances and then congregate ( “ swarm ” ) in areas where there is a plentiful flying food source such as emerging winged ants, mosquitoes, etc. yes, dragonflies eat mosquitoes, but it ’ s apparent they are not keeping up with this year ’ s bumper crop. more information about dragonflies dragonfly photographed near hungry jack lake mn. by richard minnick.


| scientific name : | | pronolagus rupestris | | species authority : | | ( a. smith, 1834 ) | | taxonomic notes : | | according to hoffmann and smith ( 2005 ), there are four recognized subspecies : pronolagus rupestris curryi, p. r. nyikae, p. r. saundersiae, and p. r. vallicola. p. saundersiae has recently been distinguished as a good species. there has been some contention as to the number of possible subspecies of p. rupestris ; however, until the biological and exact taxonomic status of these clades is more clear, the treatment of meester et al. ( 1986 ) is provisionally upheld. although the species occurs in both southern africa and east africa, it is unlikely that there is any gene flow between the two populations. | | red list category & criteria : | | least concern ver 3. 1 | | assessor / s : | | smith, a. t. & boyer, a. f. | | reviewer / s : | | johnston, c. h. and smith, a. t. ( lagomorph red list authority ) | pronolagus rupestris is a widespread species. population size in south africa is greater than 10, 000 mature individuals and this species is common within portions of its distribution in south africa ( matthee et al. 2004 ). pronolagus rupestris occurs in south africa ( free state, north - west, and northern cape provinces ), and lesotho, and in a separate population in south - western kenya, central tanzania, eastern zambia, and malawi ( duthie and robinson 1990 ; boitani et al. 1999 ; matthee et al. 2004 ). it is no longer thought to occur in namibia as indicated by other treatments ( bronner et al. 2003 ). the extent of occurrence is greater than 20, 000 km², and the area of occupancy is greater than 2, 000 km² ( matthee et al. 2004 ). native : kenya ; malawi ; south africa ( free state, northern cape province, north - west province ) ; tanzania, united republic of ; zambia | range map : | | click here to open the map viewer and explore range. | | population : | | this species is characterized as abundant in the springbok and kuruman areas of its distribution ( matthee et al. 2004 ). it has a