with rising altitude ( figure 2 ). in the regression model, adjusted odds ratios steadily increased with elevation, peaking at 4. 3 in the 1, 800 - to 2, 100 - meter range ( 95 % confidence intervals = 1. 3, 16. 7 ) ( table 4 ). the increased prevalence of snv antibodies in deer mice trapped at higher elevations correlated with an increased incidence of hps cases at elevations above 1, 200 meters ( table 3 ). hps cases were spatially clustered in the state ' s sierra nevada region ( figure 1 ). results from antibody prevalence studies among rodents collected during the investigation of six hps cases in california are presented in table 3. antibody prevalence in deer mice trapped at these sites was significantly higher than at sites not associated with a human case ( odds ratio = 4. 5 ; 95 % confidence interval = 1. 7, 11. 6 ) ( table 4 ). reservoirs of hantavirus in california extensive serologic testing unequivocally identified p. maniculatus as the primary reservoir of snv in california, as did previous studies in the western united states ( 2, 20, 28 - 30 ). the overall prevalence of snv antibodies in deer mice ( 11. 9 % ) in california is also comparable with results published by nearby western states such as montana ( 8. 0 % ) and nevada ( 12. 5 % ) ( 28, 30 ). other peromyscine rodents ( e. g., canyon mice and pinyon mice ) may harbor the virus in california, but at much lower levels. because these related wild mice species frequently inhabit the same environment as p. maniculatus, their infections may represent transmission from the primary reservoir population rather than from each other, as would occur in a permanent virus - species relationship. the extremely low prevalence of snv antibodies ( table 1 ) in heteromyids ( kangaroo rats, pocket mice ), sciurids ( ground squirrels, chipmunks ), and old world murids ( domestic mice and rats ), despite a large sample size ( > 1, 600 ), suggests that these animals are not important in the epidemiology of snv in california. positive serologic test results from california meadow voles and harvest mice probably represent cross - reaction with snv antigen by isla and emcv, respectively ( 13 - 15 ). the high prevalence of antibodies identified in meadow voles ( 22. 7 % of 29 ) and harvest mice ( 14.


harvest mice probably represent cross - reaction with snv antigen by isla and emcv, respectively ( 13 - 15 ). the high prevalence of antibodies identified in meadow voles ( 22. 7 % of 29 ) and harvest mice ( 14. 8 % of 108 ) is a cause for concern, even though human infection by these viruses has not been documented. precautionary measures should be taken against exposure to hantaviruses through all potential wild rodent reservoirs until more is known about these newly discovered strains. temporal and spatial trends in deer mice populations our data from historical surveys indicate that snv was already circulating in deer mice 20 years ago in parts of california. the antibody - positive deer mouse originally trapped in kern county in 1975 is the oldest documented evidence of snv infection in wild rodents. notably, snv - antibody - positive deer mice identified retrospectively were captured almost 20 years before the first hps cases were recognized in california and in some of the same geographic regions ( 20, 22, 29, 31 ). the slight difference ( approximately 2 % ) between sequences from the kern county deer mouse trapped in 1976 and a mono county deer mouse trapped in 1994 indicates a long - standing stability of the virus, as previously demonstrated by nerukar et al. in mono county ( 32 ). although snv infection in deer mice is widespread in california, represented biotypes vary considerably in seroprevalence levels. for example, deer mice in foothill / mountainous ( 14. 5 % of 684 ) counties have a higher seroprevalence than those in inland / valley ( 0. 7 % of 151 ) and coastal ( 6. 4 % of 704, excluding the channel islands ) counties. the trend of increasing prevalence with rising elevation found in this analysis has been observed in other states ( jim mills, pers. comm. ). the channel islands offered a unique opportunity to study snv infection in a relatively isolated population of deer mice. deer mouse populations have been on the channel islands long enough that each island has its own subspecies and have considerable variation genetically within those subspecies ( 33, 34 ). likewise, hjelle et al. found significant divergence between genetic sequences of virus from infected deer mice collected on the islands and those from the nearby coastal mainland ( 25 ). although travel from the mainland to the islands and from island to island is common, evidence suggests that snv coevolved separately within the deer mouse populations on each island ( san clemente,


and those from the nearby coastal mainland ( 25 ). although travel from the mainland to the islands and from island to island is common, evidence suggests that snv coevolved separately within the deer mouse populations on each island ( san clemente, san miguel, santa catalina, santa cruz, santa rosa ). it appears that the virus is not endemic or is present at very low levels among deer mice on anacapa, san nicolas, and santa barbara islands. the antibody prevalence of snv in deer mice collected at potential exposure sites during the investigation of sporadic hps cases in california ( 26. 8 % ) was similar to the antibody prevalence ( 30. 0 % ) in deer mice observed during the 1993 hps outbreak in the four corners region ( 2 ). prevalence was significantly higher ( p = 0. 002 ) in deer mice trapped near human case exposure sites than in those from survey sites with no cases ( table 4 ). together these findings imply that the percentage of infected deer mice may be a risk factor for human exposure to snv. in addition, landscape features such as high elevation may be another important predictor of hantavirus in the state. the spatial clustering of hps cases in the sierra nevada range supports this conclusion. characteristics of the mouse population, the environment, or human lifestyles may explain these geographic differences. the climate and vegetation in the mountains could be conducive to large populations of deer mice, a factor which might influence snv prevalence. in addition, the occupational and recreational activities of the inhabitants of rural, mountainous environments bring them into frequent contact with rodents. in addition, local residences ( e. g., old log cabins ) are prone to rodent infestation, a possible risk factor for hps infection ( 35 ). otteson et al. documented a higher snv antibody prevalence among rodents trapped near buildings, regardless of the presence of a human case ; a case - control study of the four corners outbreak had similar findings ( 30, 36 ). information on proximity to human dwellings was not available for our analysis ; however, most mice were collected near buildings during investigation of human cases. since other survey sites were probably less likely to be located near human dwellings, this factor may represent a source of bias in our study. other biases may have been introduced because of nonrandom sampling and small sample size at some survey sites. systematic longitudinal studies of snv infection in deer mice at the key locations identified in this analysis are needed to further develop


in our study. other biases may have been introduced because of nonrandom sampling and small sample size at some survey sites. systematic longitudinal studies of snv infection in deer mice at the key locations identified in this analysis are needed to further develop a predictive model for hantavirus infection in california which could elucidate the natural history of snv and enhance prevention efforts. public health implications preliminary results indicate a need for health education of residents, visitors, and workers at high risk, especially in the sierra nevada range. human dwellings in the mountains may be more vulnerable to deer mice infestation, especially if the buildings are older and / or intermittently occupied. in addition, persons working in or cleaning these structures may be at an even higher risk ( 22, 29, 35, 36 ). local health care providers and tertiary care centers should be aware of the potential for hps cases in the state. the authors thank the many workers who conducted field surveys and participated in the compilation of a state - wide mammal database ; those providing laboratory support, including david cottam, dale dondero, cdhs ; mary lane martin, george gallucci, and brad hotard, cdc ; jeff riolo, university of nevada, reno ; and vicki kramer for her helpful comments and review of this manuscript. this work was supported in part by public health service grant ro1 ai36336. - centers for disease control and prevention. outbreak of acute illness - southwestern united states, 1993. mmwr morb mortal wkly rep. 1993 ; 42 : 421 – 4. - childs je, ksiazek tg, spiropoulou cf, krebs jw, morzunov s, maupin go, serologic and genetic identification of peromyscus maniculatus as the primary rodent reservoir for a new hantavirus in the southwestern united states. j infect dis. 1994 ; 169 : 1271 – 80. - hjelle b, jenison s, torrez - martinez n, yamada t, nolte k, zumwalt r, a novel hantavirus associated with an outbreak of fatal respiratory disease in the southwestern united states : evolutionary relationships to known hantaviruses. j virol. 1994 ; 68 : 592 – 6. - elliott lh, ksiazek tg, rollin pe, spiropoulou cf, morzunov s, monroe m, isolation of the causative agent of han


associated with two fatal human infections in california. am j trop med hyg. 1995 ; 52 : 180 – 2. - ornduff r. introduction to california plant life. berkeley and los angeles : university of california press, 1974 : 152. - hjelle b, torrez - martinez n, koster ft, jay m, ascher ms, brown t, epidemiologic linkage of rodent and human hantavirus genomic sequences in case investigations of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome. j infect dis. 1996 ; 173 : 781 – 6. - yamada t, hjelle b, lanzi r, morris c, anderson b, jenison s. antibody responses to four corners hantavirus infections in the deer mouse ( peromyscus maniculatus ) : identification of an immunodominant region of the viral nucleocapsid protein. j virol. 1995 ; 69 : 1939 – 43. - feldmann h, sanchez a, morzunov s, spiropoulou cf, rollin pe, ksiazek tg, utilization of autopsy rna for the synthesis of the nucleocapsid antigen of a newly recognized virus associated with hantavirus pulmonary syndrome. virus res. 1993 ; 30 : 351 – 67. - hjelle b, chavez - giles f, torrez - martinez n, yamada t, sarisky j, ascher m, dominant glycoprotein epitope of four corners hantavirus is conserved across a wide geographical area. j gen virol. 1994 ; 75 : 2881 – 8. - dean ja, coulombier d, smith dc, brendel ka, arner tg, dean ag. epi info, version 6 : a word processing, database, and statistics program for public health on ibm - compatible microcomputers. atlanta : centers for disease control and prevention, 1994 : 601. - egret. seattle : statistics and epidemiological research corporation, 1995. - douglass rj, van horn r, coffin kw, zanto sn. hantavirus in montana deer mouse populations : preliminary results. j wildl dis. 1996 ; 32 : 527 – 30. - jay m, hjelle b, davis r, ascher m, baylies hn, reilly k, occupational exposure leading to hantavirus pulmonary syndrome in a utility company employee. clin infect dis.


on _ a _ balanced _ budget _ amendment < = = pdf version the idea of adding an amendment to the u. s. constitution requiring a federal balanced budget has been circulating since the reagan era. although it was proposed a few times in congress over the years, it was never able to attain the required two - thirds affirmation in either house of congress, which is necessary before any proposed amendment can be sent to the states for consideration. but with the large budget deficits of the past 5 years or so, this concept is coming into fashion again. a recent poll shows that a large majority of americans now favor such an amendment. advocates for a federal balanced budget amendment argue two points. first, they point out that most states have this requirement ; the logic being, what is good for the states is good for the federal government. their second argument is that the congress would be forced to prioritize spending and balance those priorities with tax policies necessary to meet the revenue requirements. it is this lack of restraint, they say, that caused congress to run up large deficits in nearly every year since the carter administration. generally the advocates allow two exceptions to the balanced budget rule : a ) when the nation is in a state of war or some emergency ; and b ) by a supermajority of both houses of congress. it appears to me that a balanced budget amendment is a bad idea whose time has come. first, there is no reason to believe that what is good for the states is necessarily good for the federal government, since they have inherently different duties. states do not have a role in foreign policy ; they do not manage wars ; they do not manage the currency. all of these pertain to situations relegated to the federal department because they represent existential threats ; the cost of combating these, should it ever become necessary, must be paid. more than that, they must be paid regardless of any budget deals made by congress. as for the stated exceptions, they will either be too restrictive ( and thus potentially deadly ), or so loose and subject to interpretation as to result in more talk than action. the great fallacy in the whole concept of exceptions is that no mention is made of who shall determine the conditions under which an exception applies consistent with the separation of powers between the president and the congress. shall conflicting claims of emergencies be arbitrated by the supreme court? if so, we would surrender our fiscal situation to robed masters who may not even understand the question, or who might impose their ideology on the budget. if


and the congress. shall conflicting claims of emergencies be arbitrated by the supreme court? if so, we would surrender our fiscal situation to robed masters who may not even understand the question, or who might impose their ideology on the budget. if not, we are back to the usual rhetoric between the president and the congress — all pain, no gain. as to the advocates second line of reasoning, i doubt it will actually restrain congress. keep in mind that a considerable portion of the federal government ’ s spending is considered “ off - budget ”. in this context, “ off - budget ” refers to expenditures that are not called out on any budget document, including, at the present time, a ) social security, b ) the postal service, c ) some funding for the wars in iraq, afghanistan, and libya, and d ) all of the bailouts. fortunately, both on - budget and off - budget status is included when calculating the impact on the national debt. but under the proposed amendment, balancing the “ budget ” will be easy : congress can simply relocate all the excesses to new categories of “ off - budget ” spending. it will not force congress to set priorities in the normal sense of the word. if any “ balanced budget amendment ” is to be considered, it must first specify that all revenue and all expenditures by the federal government must be included in the definition of “ budget ”. otherwise, congress will simply continue to expand the fiscal deceptions and fail to make progress on achieving fiscal stability. in order to force congress to face the actual facts, we should require, if anything, a “ zero - deficit ” amendment rather than a “ balanced budget ” amendment. sachs / mason - dixon, 27 may 2011. the results indicated that a balanced budget amendment is favored by republicans and independents by 81 % and 68 % respectively ; even democrats favored it by 45 %.


" autistic " : a short word, often misheard as " artistic. " it ' s a complicated word, one that refers to a developmental disorder, but also one that irrevocably brands the people to whom it is applied. for many, it is a word that inspires fear and remorse. autism is an unknown. when andrea kramer was first told that her son, danny, had autism, " i asked them if he would ever be able to have children, and they said ' no. ' " yet danny shows every sign of living a perfectly fulfilling life ; he goes to public school, and talks, and reads, and plays, and has a whole lot in common with most seven - year - olds. clinically, autism is characterized by emotional distance, a fascination with manipulating objects, revelry in routine, and a tendency to " zone out " into an unseen world. autism is often accompanied by delays in language development ; many autistic children don ' t speak. yet this gamut of symptoms is not clearly defined. within a person with autism, each is present to varying degrees. due to its breadth of symptoms and degrees, the many varieties of autism are commonly referred to as " autism spectrum disorders. " up to. 6 percent of american children have an autism spectrum disorder, according to the center for disease control, yet autism is still an enigma to most. i hope to shed some light on autism by showing it by reference, through mark sherrett and danny kramer ; and by showing the ways in which they have learned to live in a skeptical and unaccommodating world.


until now, patients with advanced melanoma that has spread to the brain have received a dire diagnosis. they survive only for an average of four months. but cancer researchers at the university of sydney, melanoma institute australia, sydney ’ s westmead hospital and the acrf - funded westmead millennium institute, have for the first time found a drug which shrinks brain tumours in these patients with advanced melanoma. dr georgina long of the university of sydney said the drug, called dabrafenib, works by targeting a gene mutation found in many melanoma cancers. the drug works by causing the cell to stop multiplying and in many cases it shrinks and disappears. dr long, together with her colleague professor rick kefford tested the drug on 46 melanoma patients, including 10 whose cancer had metastasised and spread to their brain, and 22 non - melanoma patients. brain tumours in nine of the 10 patients shrank in the first six weeks and completely disappeared in four patients. “ brain metastases in melanoma are a major unsolved problem, ” said dr long. “ up to this point, melanoma has been notoriously resistant to drug therapy in general, and responses in highly lethal brain metastases are particularly uncommon. “ providing these early data are supported in larger cohorts of patients and durable responses are confirmed, this activity in the brain may assist in addressing a large unmet need in patients with metastatic melanoma worldwide. ” no related posts.


“ i was a child when all this occurred, but i do believe i had a bond with my family ’ s help. ” it was the system of segregation at fault and those who sought to reinforce it. experiences of genuine affection between domestics and employers are just as valid as real life tales of oppression and terror under segregation. but it should also be understood that african americans had no choice regarding their behavior. a smile and humble demeanor were the keys to employment, staying alive and a phrase frequently heard in both the north and south, “ being a credit to their race ”. children are generally more accepting of an individual who treats them with kindness, regardless of race, and emotional bonds can indeed be formed. “ the primarily gripe is about the black dialect, but that ’ s how african americans talked back then. ” while it ’ s true that many southern blacks spoke with a pronounced southern drawl, so did white southerners. it ’ s clear that there was a decision to strip the white characters of their regional dialect, resulting in accentuating the differences between the two groups vernacular and making the african american dialect more pronounced. the sentences uttered by the white characters read as though they inhabited the north instead of the south. the author failed to take into account that many african americans worked just as hard to limit their southern accent as some whites did, realizing early on that the way they spoke was crucial to how far they could go, especially in attempting to get more whites to join the fight for civil rights. in addition, education was stressed in not only white households but also black. this was a time period where more blacks were enrolled in traditionally black colleges and also attempting to integrate white grammar schools and universities. what many readers may not be aware of is that stockett is not the first author to portray black dialect as broad and hard to decipher, while white characters read without a distinct regional accent. female authors such as margaret mitchell ( gone with the wind ) fannie hurst ( imitation of life ) and edna ferber ( showboat ) used this same tactic, and faced similar controversy. like the help, these novels were deemed “ beloved ” so that the objections of some readers were all but ignored. “ the author was writing about a small section of her life. she couldn ’ t include everything. ” stockett has a degree in creative writing and seems to have applied this when crafting the white characters. notice how hilly, skeeter and even elizabeth have different paths. skeeter graduated from college and seeks a job as a


everything. ” stockett has a degree in creative writing and seems to have applied this when crafting the white characters. notice how hilly, skeeter and even elizabeth have different paths. skeeter graduated from college and seeks a job as a writer. hilly dropped out of college and got married, and was the socialite. elizabeth had two children and became the harried homemaker. even celia was “ different ”, the outsider from sugar ditch who married the man hilly was apparently in love with. compare these characters with aibileen, minny and also constantine. all were maids. except for attending church and going to work they don ’ t do anything more. even under the oppressive system of segregation, african americans still had lives. the author created three women who were almost the same person. in several early interviews the author admits that they were patterned after one woman, her grandparent ’ s maid demetrie ( time magazine, npr, uk interviews ). so one black woman originally served as the voice and character prototype for not only three maids, but other black maids mentioned in the book. in later interviews the writer has expanded this to include an actress as the inspiration for the character of minny. however, even when race is factored out, women are still individuals with separate needs, wants and ambitions. whether stockett even knew any african americans before or during crafting the novel is also a concern. authors aren ’ t required to befriend members of the racial group they plan on writing about, yet it seems stockett did just that, only after the fact to help promote the novel. in several interviews the author mentions befriending the actress she patterned the character of minny after. this is the same actress who ultimately won the role of minny and also publicly championed the novel. per an audio interview stockett referenced asking her own maid what she thought of the novel. in many of stockett ’ s interviews there seems to be a disconnect between what she was negatively taught about african americans and what she ultimately used for the novel. links to interviews with kathryn stockett can be found here : http : / / acriticalreviewofthehelp. wordpress. com / a - list - of - interviews - with - kathryn - stockett / “ the author was courageous for writing this book. ” to some it may seem that writing a book in both a white and black voice is courageous. yet african american writers of that time are still being ignored, when they actually


kathryn - stockett / “ the author was courageous for writing this book. ” to some it may seem that writing a book in both a white and black voice is courageous. yet african american writers of that time are still being ignored, when they actually lived through the system of segregation. writers like zora neale hurston, langston hughes, ralph ellison, james baldwin and richard wright to name but a few give a more concise and diverse look at the black experience during that shameful period in american history. what stockett risked by writing the the help pales in comparison to those who actually went through it. much like harriet beecher stowe received accolades for uncle tom ’ s cabin, the help, on closer inspection, has much in common with that novel. only time will tell if those who ’ ve embraced the book and proclaimed it a classic will continue to do so once more scrutiny is placed on the novel and in particular, its characters. “ i don ’ t know much about segregation, since i ’ m not from the south. at least this book is a starting point. ” segregation wasn ’ t just african american history. it ’ s american history. domestics provided cheap labor, practically ran households, worked from dusk to dawn while depending on segregated buses for transportation, and to this day are still not being given their due. passage of the civil rights law was a triumph, because it benefited not only african americans but women and later on the physically challenged, marginalized groups that are considered minorities. the passage of the law was a combined effort on the part of both blacks and whites. segregation was a time period no less important than slavery, apartheid or the holocaust, and yet many americans seem to know little about it. blacks were forced to maintain a jovial demeanor in order to secure employment and sometimes to preserve their very lives. coded language ( speaking in a way that the whites couldn ’ t understand but blacks could ) has been in use until this very day. particularly in the south, if an african american spoke too proper they were considered “ uppity ” and a threat. a mask of humble servility and a grin were sometimes the only weapons blacks had in order to get along with whites during segregation, and sadly, some still lost their lives because of the color of their skin. the help is is a work of historical fiction through one writer ’ s eyes regarding the lives of white females in the south during the 1960s. it is not, in my opinion, and should not be considered a book about segregation


color of their skin. the help is is a work of historical fiction through one writer ’ s eyes regarding the lives of white females in the south during the 1960s. it is not, in my opinion, and should not be considered a book about segregation or african americans during that time period. “ i thought the book was beautifully written and the characters seemed real to me. minny was hilarious. i don ’ t understand the problems some are having with the novel. ” many readers don ’ t even realize they ’ ve been influenced by previous incarnations of characters like aibileen, minny and constantine. but to a number of african americans, the nurturing, humorous, most times overweight domestic is a caricature that ’ s been used to represent them repeatedly. from mammy in gone with the wind onward, variations of this character can be seen not only in movies but in older television sit - coms. black females aren ’ t the only ones saddled with this stereotype. jack benny ’ s popular grumbling manservant was played by eddie “ rochester ” anderson. in the late 90 ′ s a sit - com called the secret diary of desmond pfieffer was the subject of naacp protests, as this black manservant ’ s misadventures were supposed to make the civil war and also abraham lincoln ’ s bumbling administration hilarious. two fairly modern images come to mind, that of aunt jemima and uncle ben, domestic prototypes with friendly, open grins with the designation of “ aunt ” and “ uncle ” to denote familiarity. these images are comfortable, almost revered ones and holdovers from segregation, when african americans were expected to grin and bow. what kathryn stockett didn ’ t do in the help ( or perhaps couldn ’ t do ) was delve into why black domestics had to put on the mask of meekness and jocularity. stockett was also writing from the perspective of someone born not prior to 1962, but much later ( the author was born in 1969 and recalled events from the 1970s and 1980s ). so she may have unknowingly fallen back on comfortable stereotypes to fill in the gaps. had a maid with minny ’ s temperament and smart mouth existed in the 60s south, she would have been soundly dealt with. minny represents the film and television version of a black domestic, one who made white audiences laugh and love their bossy antics. to put it in perspective, enduring stereotypes individuals may more easily recognize are the jolly fat person, the dumb blonde


with. minny represents the film and television version of a black domestic, one who made white audiences laugh and love their bossy antics. to put it in perspective, enduring stereotypes individuals may more easily recognize are the jolly fat person, the dumb blonde, bratty teen, or hot blooded latino. stockett resurrected the loyal, asexual domestic ( aibileen ), the mammy caricature ( minny ), the tragic mulatto ( lulabelle ) the brute ( leroy ) and others for this novel. “ why are some african americans mad at kathryn stockett? the author should be praised and not vilified! ” the help is a polarizing novel. some non - minority readers, quick to give stockett praise for her depiction of black vernacular and cultural norms never looked at whether the author was accurate. stockett seems to have been given the benefit of the doubt, much fanfare and accolades when other authors ( especially african american debut authors ) writing about the past don ’ t. when some black readers ( and white ) reviewed the novel, they believed there were inaccuracies and even offensive depictions of an already maligned race. so while just as many readers are overly enthusiatic in praising the author and the novel, there are those who feel there are very real problems with the book, problems that are being overlooked in order to crown the next great southern writer. to some, the help is more closely aligned with harriet beecher stowe ’ s uncle tom ’ s cabin than the novel which comes up as a comparision, the classic to kill a mockingbird. in addition, stockett seems to have patterned the novel after earlier novels which feature a sympathetic, but ambitious white female protagonist paired with a stereotypically loyal black domestic. those novels are imitation of life written by fannie hurst, showboat written by edna ferber and gone with the wind by margaret mitchell. what these novels also have in common with the help, are the broad dialects for the black characters and the negative portrayals of african american males. numerous revisions were done on the character joe from showboat. the movie version imitiation of life left out delilah ’ s bigamist husband altogether. the character of leroy jackson from the help will have to either be re - written or left out, because the abusive character is so vile in contrast to stockett ’ s adoration of southern white males. many of those same males believed in segregation and that african americans were inferior to whites, something kathryn stockett


be re - written or left out, because the abusive character is so vile in contrast to stockett ’ s adoration of southern white males. many of those same males believed in segregation and that african americans were inferior to whites, something kathryn stockett overlooked in the novel, since hilly holbrook was chosen to be the sole voice of a staunch segregationist. “ you don ’ t understand that ’ s how it was back then. ” the help is a work of fiction, and to some extent, even the author doesn ’ t know what truly happened back then. while stockett was quoted as relying on archival reference books and a few interviews, she winged it when dealing with the african american characters. considering this was meant to be a “ homage ” to a sweet, faithful maid who ’ s now deceased, the characters as written are divisive and resurrect stereotypes to many readers. it ’ s important to remember that there are two issues here. one is the research done on the time period when segregation and the civil rights movement collided. that isn ’ t what ’ s causing the uproar. it ’ s the second issue, the depiction of the african american and white characters. stockett was born in 1969 and was quoted as saying “ well, i can only talk about my experience. i grew up in the 1970s, but i don ’ t think a whole lot had changed from the ’ 60s. oh, it had changed in the law books — but not in the kitchens of white homes. ” http : / / www. time. com / time / arts / article / 0, 8599, 1937562, 00. html that is not only naive, but inaccurate. the author also revealed how little research was done on the african american culture in general, especially during that time period. stockett was quoted as saying “ the voices of aibileen and minny came to me fairly easily once i got going. i ’ d listened to the cadences and dialect of black southerners most of my life, and i just played them back in my head. ” by relying almost solely on memory, stockett brought in the speech patterns of the time she grew up in, which was 1969 onward. that ’ s probably the reason why minny reads as if she ’ s nell carter from gimme a break or tyler perry ’ s medea. or worse yet, a resurrected bossy mammy character from an old hollywood film. because if someone like minny had mouthed off as much in the


as if she ’ s nell carter from gimme a break or tyler perry ’ s medea. or worse yet, a resurrected bossy mammy character from an old hollywood film. because if someone like minny had mouthed off as much in the early 1960s south, she would not have survived there for long. stockett was quoted as saying “ aibleen and minny i had a ball with, minny was pretty fun because you can let it all out, she ’ ll say anything or do anything. aibleen was a little bit more difficult than minny because she was more careful. ” there ’ s a big difference between writing a minority, specifically an african american and actually being one. stockett took liberties, which she now admits. in addition, stockett seems to have ignored the beauty present in the african american culture. many of her descriptions of the black characters treat the culture as a whole as something she finds quite foreign. though she may have meant well, the end result is a run away best seller dogged by controversy, which over time, may reveal it as merely a modern take on overused, highly stereotypical characters. “ i know some black people and that ’ s how they talk ” no, you know of some black people. those who have close associations and are friends with many, not just one or two african americans would know that very statement is in itself offensive.


only the security of the country south of the river sutlej, in order to give protection to the southern sikhs who were the rulers of small principalities. ranjit singh was thus required to withdraw his troops to the right bank of the sutlej. on february 8, 1809 colonel david ochterlony declared all states on the left of the river sutlej under british protection. ranjit singh did not want his freedom of action to be curtailed. he required from the british envoy the acknowledgement of his sovereignty over all sikh states and people lying between the sutlej and the yamuna so that he could consolidate them into a great empire. the british were determined not to allow the subjection of the cis - sutlej states — these principalities were already under british protection. confronted with such pressure from the british envoy metcalfe to sign a treaty, what was ranjit singh to do. ranjit singh kept metcalfe on tenterhooks for about six months. he used all possible means to circumvent british designs. he procrastinated. he dilly - dallied : he flattered metcalfe in order to win him over by his smiles and humour. but metcalfe stood firm. in january, 1809 the british government ordered ochterlony to advance a military force to the banks of the sutlej. ranjit singh realized the danger of war. he distrusted the british but knew that he did not possess sufficient power to withstand them. therefore he signed the treaty of amritsar on april 25, 1809 with the british government which confined his territory to the south bank of the river sutlej with exclusion of a strip of territory on the south bank in which he was bound not to place troops. the broad line of demarcation was the river sutlej. this arrangement preserved the peace of northern frontier for 40 years. for signing the treaty ranjit singh has been strongly criticised by historians like patwant singh and sangat singh on the ground that he had tamely succumbed to the british pressure and forfeited his independence. i think this criticism is totally unjustified. ranjit singh was a realist in politics who could never mistake a shadow for substance. he knew the limits of his powers. he realized that he could not fight the british. nor could he find any indian ally to support him in his resistance to the british. by this treaty ranjit singh managed to retain the independence of his kingdom. he also had a


of his powers. he realized that he could not fight the british. nor could he find any indian ally to support him in his resistance to the british. by this treaty ranjit singh managed to retain the independence of his kingdom. he also had a free hand to expand his territory in the north and the north - west undeterred by the british. when ranjit singh died in 1837 at the age of fifty nine, he was the undisputed ruler of a compact kingdom. he left in punjab, an army which was capable of fighting the british on equal terms. he could dodge and confound the british envoy metcalfe who had come to parley with him, and dismiss the maratha chief jaswant rao holkar as pucca haramzada, ( great rascal ). he drove back the afghans across the indus, into the mountains, and stemmed for all time to come tide of the afghan marauders pouring into northern india and committing arson, pillage and slaughter. but for him, kashmir would have continued to be a part of afghanistan. he brought under his sway, three muslim provinces : peshawar in the west ; multan in the south west ; and kashmir in the north. he incorporated also the numerous petty states into his kingdom. it was only the growth of british power and its strength in india that prevented the sikhs from succeeding the mughals as the controlling authority in india but it is a speculation whether they would have succeeded in this venture. ranjit singh had a questioning mind. he was deeply interested in the how and why of things. his was not a philosophical or speculative mind. he thought in plain terms and simplified even the most complex problems. this extraordinary understanding of human affairs he acquired by mediating over his own experiences through the steps and slips of life. in other words, his experiences were the foundation of his own life. he never ceased learning from others, due to his restless curiosity. victor jacquemont, the french traveller, who met ranjit singh in lahore wrote that the " maharaja ' s conversations were like a nightmare. jacquemont wrote, " he asked a hundred thousand questions of me, about india and the british, europe, napoleon bonaparte, the world in general and the next, hell, paradise, the soul, god, the devil and myriad of others of the same kind. in 1812 he rode with the british commander david ochterlony to inspect the drill of the english company, in the style in which they would behave in the field


, the soul, god, the devil and myriad of others of the same kind. in 1812 he rode with the british commander david ochterlony to inspect the drill of the english company, in the style in which they would behave in the field of battle and he admired their performance. he employed french and italian generals to train his army on western model. that is why both his infantry and artillery were unrivalled for steadiness. ranjit singh had, doubtless, all the wildness and irregularity of an ardent and indisciplined sensualist. wine and women he could not resist, and he believed that the only way to resist their temptation was to yield. he would indulge in riotous career of self - indulgence, drinking and revelling in the company of women with reckless abandon and he let himself go. he was used to taking laudanum almost daily. ranjit singh ' s passion for collecting guns and horses for the army amounted almost to insanity. he would never miss an opportunity of obtaining a gun, and would even storm a fort to seize it. for acquiring the celebrated horse leili, he embroiled himself in a tedious war with a neighbouring province, which cost him upwards of thirty thousand pounds. what kind of a kingdom did ranjit singh establish? was it a military monarchy? monarchy was the only form of government in india for centuries, and the sikhs, in spite of their attachment to democratic ideals, could not think of representative government. ranjit singh refused to sit on the throne. his name was never inscribed on the coin. he kept the army under control, and never used it as an instrument of tyranny. he set up a sikh state in the sense that the ruler was sikh who held power in the name of the khalsa, and the army was predominantly sikh. his was indeed a heterogenous state based on harmony of religious faiths, and cooperation of communities with a rapport with the common man. there was no dictatorship of one community over other. he told faqir aziz ud din, ` god intended me to look all religions with one eye, that is why he took away the light from the other '. by any standards, ranjit singh was statesman who out of anarchy and chaos had created order and stability and made punjab a power to reckon with. there were also a glimmering of punjab nationalism. his task was enormous, his time was short, and his unworthy successes were a lot of trembling pal


thimphu — impressive economic and human development gains that contribute to bhutan ' s gross national happiness are threatened by changing climate conditions with the country ' s poorest people likely to suffer the worst impact, according to the third national human development report released today in thimphu. building resilience is key to the livelihoods of the one quarter of bhutan ' s population who live in poverty and depend on subsistence farming and local natural resources which are vulnerable to changing weather patterns and melting glaciers, says the report titled " sustaining progress : rising to the climate challenge. " " alternative development pathways, such as gross national happiness ( gnh ) that we are promulgating will influence the capacity of communities... to adapt to climate change, " said pema gyamtsho, minister of agriculture and forests, at the report ' s launch. as part of its efforts to realize its wide - ranging gnh philosophy of life, bhutan has prioritized conservation of the environment, including commitments to remain carbon neutral by keeping absorption of the greenhouse gases higher than emissions. with imposition of an export ban on unprocessed forest timber and the country ' s forest cover at more than 70 percent, bhutan has been able to keep its carbon absorption from agriculture, energy and industry sectors at levels allowing it to maintain its status as a net sink for greenhouse gases. however, the hydropower sector, the biggest driver of bhutan ' s economy, could come under threat from serious water shortages caused by the retreat of the country ' s glaciers, many melting at a rate higher than in other mountain ranges, according to the report. " resources are needed quickly given the long - term nature of adaptation initiatives and the short - term prospect of climate - related consequences, " said ajay chhibber, un assistant secretary general and united nations development programme ( undp ) assistant administrator. " the financing requirements for climate change adaptation and mitigation are considerable for a landlocked, least developed country such as bhutan, " headded. the report recommends that bhutan increase its resilience by integrating climate policies, strategies and action plans into national poverty reduction strategies and development plans. to balance economic growth, human development and environmental protection the report calls for ' green development ' and for exercising further control of potentially harmful activities, such as logging, mining, mass tourism and the use of pesticides. it also recommends improvements in other areas, including collection and analysis of research ; establishing baseline climate information and data ; expanding ongoing climate financing mechanisms ; and improving management systems in


the founding fathers, as a group, were a band of very wise men. perhaps the wisest was benjamin franklin, a rare combination of genius and solid common sense. he also had that attribute of truly wise people : the sense to hide his intellect to some extent behind a fog of good humor. how fortunate for america that throughout his life he placed his intellect at the service of his country, a country he understood at an early date embraced all of the colonies in british america. at the end of his life his final great service to america was at the constitutional convention where his calming words helped bring disputing factions together to achieve the task of hammering a document together that has endured through the centuries. many of the delegates noted the importance of doctor franklin in the process of bringing the constitution to life. one of the delegates, dr. james mchenry of maryland, a surgeon who had served as an aide to general washington during the revolutionary war, recorded that as franklin was leaving constitution hall “ a lady asked dr. ( benjamin ) franklin, “ well doctor, what have we got, a republic or a monarchy? ” “ a republic, ” replied the doctor, “ if you can keep it. ” i have always been struck by that answer, because franklin indicated in it that it is the responsibility of each individual american to keep the nation a republic, not the responsibility of someone else. sound advice in 1787, sound advice in 2011.


the terms rich and poor are used variously and often confusingly. they can differentiate material resources, from decided surplus to brutal destitution. they can also be used to address the inner life, and here you have to be a little savvy. for example, one who is “ poor in spirit ” is a humble person who could thereby also have inner wealth. being poor in spirit is very different from having an impoverished soul. today ’ s gospel story, in three short acts, reveals something of the relationship christians ought to have with wealth and poverty. in act one, a wealthy man asks jesus what he needs to do to inherit eternal life. when jesus reminds him of the commandments, he replies, “ teacher, all of these i have observed from my youth. ” jesus looks at him lovingly and then says to him : “ you are lacking in one thing. go, sell what you have, and give it to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven ; then come, follow me. ” the man leaves crestfallen, “ for he had many possessions. ” in act two, jesus tells his disciples that it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of god. the disciples are astonished. in the old testament, wealth was typically portrayed as a blessing from god and proof that one was righteous. now it appears to be one of the greatest liabilities. in act three, peter announces that they had given up everything to follow jesus. jesus assures them that anyone one who has given up houses and family for the sake of the gospel will be repaid “ a hundred times more now in this present age... and eternal life in the age to come. ” so, what exactly should our relationship to wealth and poverty be? this is not the sort of question that admits a pat answer. if poverty is a curse, then why would jesus demand it of the rich man? if it is necessary, then why give it to the poor, making them presumably less poor? at least one thing should be obvious : pursuing material wealth at the expense of spiritual wealth is always bad. today ’ s first reading, from the book of wisdom, addresses this specifically : “ i preferred her [ wisdom ] to scepter and throne, and deemed riches nothing in comparison to her. ” it is also the case that jesus ’ historical mission was marked by itinerancy. he and his disciples were constantly on the move ; to follow him on his


] to scepter and throne, and deemed riches nothing in comparison to her. ” it is also the case that jesus ’ historical mission was marked by itinerancy. he and his disciples were constantly on the move ; to follow him on his mission meant literally to leave everything behind. while this is not our situation today, we would do well to consider the aspiration of focusing on jesus and his mission, as his disciples did who dropped everything to follow him unreservedly. we could consider that when our time, energy and even identity are tied up in pursuing material wealth, we have lost sight of the kingdom. finally and most uncomfortably, we need to recognize that material wealth can insulate us from hearing the cry of the poor. st. john chrysostom pointed out : “ it is madness to fill our wardrobes full of clothes and to regard with indifference a human being — made in the image and likeness of god — who is naked. ” consider this challenge, inspired by peter singer : you just bought a new pair of suede boots for $ 200 and you are walking by a pond where a toddler is drowning. you would not hesitate to dash into the water to save the child, even though this would ruin your boots. a child is more important than boots! now consider the moment just before buying the boots, knowing that those $ 200 could feed a starving child. do you buy the boots, or do you give the money to a charity that feeds starving children? where does a poverty calculus like this stop? would you continue to give your money to the point of starving yourself? should you liquidate your children ’ s college tuition fund to feed more starving children? without collapsing into neurotic absorption about possessions or unhealthy guilt in having them, we could still ask ourselves : how much is enough? am i hearing the cry of the poor? • before the lord, review your lifestyle. • ask him to show you what can be given away.


peach - faced or rosy - cheeked lovebirds ( agapornis roseicollis ) have a range centered on the south - western portion of africa. they inhabit the north - west corner of south africa, through the western half of namibia, and into the southwest corner of angola. the area around lake ngami is quickly becoming populated by a. roseicollis due to natural range expansion. this species is kept as a cage bird in many parts of the world, including the united states and japan. ( de grahl, 1984 ; rowan, 1983 ) agapornis roseicollis lives in dry regions near permanent standing water. habitats used by this species include the outskirts of deserts and woodlands, and poorly wooded areas, as long as the few trees are located near water. preferred regions vary from sea level to elevations over 1500 m. ( rowan, 1983 ) agapornis roseicollis is widely regarded as one of the most beautiful lovebird species. these birds weigh about 55 g, and are 15 cm long. females tend to be slightly heavier than males. wingspans range from 98 mm to 102 mm in males, and 99 mm to 106 mm in females. the average wingspans for males and females are 99. 6 and 102. 6 mm, respectively. this species shows age - related and, to a lesser extent, sexual variation in coloration. males have rosy pink foreheads, chins, throats, upper breasts and cheeks. the remainder of the body is typically bright green, although the underside is slightly lighter. the feet are a mix of greenish - grey and the bill is horn - colored. the rump and the feathers covering the tail are bright blue ; the tail feathers themselves are green with blue tips, and all but the central feathers have a black band with red patches toward the end. the females of this species are very similar but slightly duller in color. the young initially have much paler faces than adults. birghter feathers erupt after their first molt at around 4 months of age. also, the upper mandible of young birds is black at first, only later becoming the horn - color common in adults. there are two subspecies of a. roseicollis ; these are a. roseicollis roseicollis, and a. roseicollis catumbella. agapornis roseicollis catumbella can be recognized by its brighter colors. the throat is much redder with a touch of lavender. the green color is much deeper, and the rump is more


roseicollis catumbella. agapornis roseicollis catumbella can be recognized by its brighter colors. the throat is much redder with a touch of lavender. the green color is much deeper, and the rump is more purple than blue. the beak is also much different than that described above ; it is white with green dots. agapornis roseicollis catumbella is less common than a. roseicollis roseicollis, and it typically inhabits the small region of benguela, an area of angola. a blue mutation occurs in both the wild and in captivity, although it is not particularly common. in captivity, several color mutations of this species have been selectively bred. ( rowan, 1983 ; smith, 1979 ; vriends, 1978 ) in this species pair formation is very rapid and can occur at as early an age as two months. pairs formed between siblings are not uncommon. females are dominant and males wait for female approval before approaching. females show this approval by assuming a fluffed position. males feed their mates during courtship. because feeding is an important component of the interaction between mates, males use head bobbing, similar to the movement used in feeding, to attract females. scratching is also used during courtship. a male will position himself near a female and scratch her head, especially the area around the beak and the beak itself. when a male is trying to approach a female, he creeps towards her in a sideways fashion known as sidling. if she appears aggressive, he tries to approach from the other side in a process known as switch sidling ; however, if she seems receptive he continues sidling toward her. ( rowan, 1983 ) agapornis roseicollis has been observed to be a seasonal breeder in the wild, but in captivity can breed year - round. its eggs are typically 23. 5 x 17. 3 mm. on average, 4 to 6 eggs are laid in one season. in captivity as many as 8 have been laid. eggs hatch after about 23 days of incubation, and young fledge at about 43 days of age. the young begin to form pairs at around 2 months of age, and also begin to seek their own nests at this time. ( rowan, 1983 ) eggs are laid every other day during the breeding season. beginning when the first egg is laid, a female spends the majority of her time in the nest incubating the eggs. males often bring their mates food during the period of incubation


) eggs are laid every other day during the breeding season. beginning when the first egg is laid, a female spends the majority of her time in the nest incubating the eggs. males often bring their mates food during the period of incubation. the average incubation period is 23. 3 days. after the young hatch, a female regurgitates food brought to her by the male to feed the young. food that the young eat has therefore been regurgitated twice. starting midway through the nestling period, which lasts between 5 and 6 weeks, both parents feed the young directly. little is known about the behavior of wild a. roseicollis in regards to parental investment after fledging. in captivity, the young remain dependent upon the parents for two more weeks and frequently fly back to the nest to receive food ; this happens for as long as the parents permit. when the young leave the nest, after around 42. 8 days, they are fully feathered and able to fly. agapornis roseicollis shows variability in both nest choice and nest usage. in the wild, these birds commonly breed in the large, communal nests of sociable weavers. they also use the nests of white - browed sparrow - weavers. it is not known if a. roseicollis forces these other birds out of their nests or if they use vacated nests. in captivity a. roseicollis pairs build their own nests. a female prepares strips of bark by cutting them with her beak into relatively uniform shapes and sizes. to carry the bark to the nest site, a female tucks them into the feathers of her rump. together the male and female build the nest in the shape of a deep cup using bark, leaves, and grass. ( de grahl, 1984 ; rowan, 1983 ; vriends, 1978 ) the typical lifespan in captivity of a. roseicollis is 15 to 25 years. it is not known what limits the lifespan of this species. it is also not known what the typical lifespan in the wild is, although it is likely to be shorter than that seen in captivity. ( de grahl, 1984 ) agapornis roseicollis is a very social bird. it tends to move around in flocks of at least 5, with typical groups sizes ranging between 5 and 20 birds. at times, usually when grass seeds ripen in their natural environment, groups of about 100 are not uncommon. movement is primarily by flight, but over short distances these birds prefer to walk or


, with typical groups sizes ranging between 5 and 20 birds. at times, usually when grass seeds ripen in their natural environment, groups of about 100 are not uncommon. movement is primarily by flight, but over short distances these birds prefer to walk or sidle sideways. this species has been recorded flying at 58 km / hr. long flights are regularly interrupted by periods of gliding. gliding periods are most often accompanied by a characteristic squawking sound. these birds can climb up vertical walls using feet and beak, often beating their wings rapidly to facilitate movement. allopreening and bathing are behaviors observed in these birds, but water bathing in this species is far less common than in other agapornis species. when cold, the birds fluff their feathers out and even huddle together in pairs or in groups of 4 or 5 in order to conserve heat. agapornis roseicollis sleeps at night and is active in the day. at night these love birds roost in the nests of the white - browed sparrow - weavers or of sociable weavers. ( rowan, 1983 ; rowan, 1983 ; vriends, 1978 ) this lovebird makes a sharp screeching noise. this can be given as a single sound or as a series of squawks. this species also can make a soft, rasping mechanical noise by rubbing its mandibles together. mates communicate for breeding purposes as discussed in the previous section on mating systems, using visual signals like bobbing. these birds also allopreen as a form of communication and to help maintain the pair bond. ( rowan, 1983 ) agapornis roseicollis typically feeds on seeds, especially seeds native to its habitat, such as those from albizia and acacia. it eats the seeds by either picking them off growing plants or by picking them up off the ground, then husking them rapidly using the tongue, mandible and the cutting edge of the maxilla. it feeds on flowers by plucking them from trees and clipping off the petals and stamens with the beak. this species is known to drink water several times per day in order to cope with the demands placed upon it by the hot, arid habitat in which it lives. ( rowan, 1983 ) agapornis roseicollis deals with predators by mobbing. as part of their mobbing behavior, individuals initially stand upright and squawk loudly. if the predator moves closer, they flap their wings wildly, holding their bodies erect, and increase


( editor, instructor ), michigan state university, jessica vonck ( author ), michigan state university. living in sub - saharan africa ( south of 30 degrees north ) and madagascar. uses sound to communicate young are born in a relatively underdeveloped state ; they are unable to feed or care for themselves or locomote independently for a period of time after birth / hatching. in birds, naked and helpless after hatching. referring to an animal that lives in trees ; tree - climbing. having body symmetry such that the animal can be divided in one plane into two mirror - image halves. animals with bilateral symmetry have dorsal and ventral sides, as well as anterior and posterior ends. synapomorphy of the bilateria. uses smells or other chemicals to communicate used loosely to describe any group of organisms living together or in close proximity to each other - for example nesting shorebirds that live in large colonies. more specifically refers to a group of organisms in which members act as specialized subunits ( a continuous, modular society ) - as in clonal organisms. in deserts low ( less than 30 cm per year ) and unpredictable rainfall results in landscapes dominated by plants and animals adapted to aridity. vegetation is typically sparse, though spectacular blooms may occur following rain. deserts can be cold or warm and daily temperates typically fluctuate. in dune areas vegetation is also sparse and conditions are dry. this is because sand does not hold water well so little is available to plants. in dunes near seas and oceans this is compounded by the influence of salt in the air and soil. salt limits the ability of plants to take up water through their roots. humans benefit economically by promoting tourism that focuses on the appreciation of natural areas or animals. ecotourism implies that there are existing programs that profit from the appreciation of natural areas or animals. animals that use metabolically generated heat to regulate body temperature independently of ambient temperature. endothermy is a synapomorphy of the mammalia, although it may have arisen in a ( now extinct ) synapsid ancestor ; the fossil record does not distinguish these possibilities. convergent in birds. forest biomes are dominated by trees, otherwise forest biomes can vary widely in amount of precipitation and seasonality. an animal that mainly eats seeds an animal that eats mainly plants or parts of plants. offspring are produced in more than one group ( litters, clutches, etc. ) and across multiple seasons ( or other periods hospitable to reproduction ). iteroparous


eats seeds an animal that eats mainly plants or parts of plants. offspring are produced in more than one group ( litters, clutches, etc. ) and across multiple seasons ( or other periods hospitable to reproduction ). iteroparous animals must, by definition, survive over multiple seasons ( or periodic condition changes ). having one mate at a time. having the capacity to move from one place to another. the area in which the animal is naturally found, the region in which it is endemic. reproduction in which eggs are released by the female ; development of offspring occurs outside the mother ' s body. the business of buying and selling animals for people to keep in their homes as pets. " many forms. " a species is polymorphic if its individuals can be divided into two or more easily recognized groups, based on structure, color, or other similar characteristics. the term only applies when the distinct groups can be found in the same area ; graded or clinal variation throughout the range of a species ( e. g. a north - to - south decrease in size ) is not polymorphism. polymorphic characteristics may be inherited because the differences have a genetic basis, or they may be the result of environmental influences. we do not consider sexual differences ( i. e. sexual dimorphism ), seasonal changes ( e. g. change in fur color ), or age - related changes to be polymorphic. polymorphism in a local population can be an adaptation to prevent density - dependent predation, where predators preferentially prey on the most common morph. referring to something living or located adjacent to a waterbody ( usually, but not always, a river or stream ). breeding is confined to a particular season remains in the same area reproduction that includes combining the genetic contribution of two individuals, a male and a female associates with others of its species ; forms social groups. uses touch to communicate living on the ground. the region of the earth that surrounds the equator, from 23. 5 degrees north to 23. 5 degrees south. uses sight to communicate de grahl, w. 1984. the parrot family. new york : arco publishing, inc. rowan, m. 1983. the doves, parrots, louries and cuckoos of southern africa. claremont, south africa : david phillip. smith, g. 1979. lovebirds and related parrots. london : paul elek ltd. vriends, m. 1978. encyclopedia of lovebirds. neptune, n. j. : t. f


written by administrator though the effect of science and technology is experienced in every day life of each and every person, there appears to be a very big gap between scientifically literate and the common person on the road on acquiring scientific attitude and awareness. even in the elite and highly educated group, it is doubtful how many of them have scientific attitude in correct sense. though the constitution stipulates the spread of scientific attitude and temperament as one of the foremost duties of every citizen in india, the pace at which this duty is being fulfilled is at snail ’ s speed and sometimes in reverse direction due to vested interests at certain levels. while planning to inculcate scientific attitude in the society, which will certainly eradicate superstitions, it became necessary to concentrate our efforts among school going children who generally acquire the traditions and rituals followed blindly by their parents. if it is possible to inculcate scientific awareness at that tender age by some means, the young will be aware of the importance of scientific attitude throughout their life. formal education as planned by our educationists for primary and secondary education is just not sufficient to inculcate scientific attitude. as such maharashtra andhasraddha nirmoolan samiti ( ans ) planned to educate students informally by appealing to the interested students to study superstitions and scientific reasoning behind the so - called miracles. we have realized that just delivering lectures and performing demonstrations would not be adequate enough specially when audience is full of students. it was also learnt that the assimilation of knowledge is generally through listening to the lectures, self study, discussions with teachers and friends and appearing for examination to evaluate comprehension. to implement the scheme effectively, it became necessary that teachers should be the nodal point. as such a curriculum was formulated to include various related topics and for various age groups and accordingly programs were planned to train teachers so that they in turn can teach the subjects related to scientific attitude during extra hours and on holidays. teachers were also entrusted the task of conducting the examination to assess assimilating abilities of students and successful candidates were awarded certificates. the course has been divided into three levels : vaidnanik janiva parichay ( introduction to awareness of science ) for students studying in fourth to seventh class. this is an introductory course, which enables students to get acquainted with fundamentals of superstitions and of scientific temper. vaidnanik janiva shodh ( search of awareness in science ) is for students studying in eighth to tenth class. during this course, in - depth study of various subjects will be completed. sat


of superstitions and of scientific temper. vaidnanik janiva shodh ( search of awareness in science ) is for students studying in eighth to tenth class. during this course, in - depth study of various subjects will be completed. satya shodh prabodh ( awareness and search of truth ) is for college going students. it includes the study of theoratical topics like rationalism, secularism, mental disorders etc. the syllabus has been arranged in such a way that it can be covered in about 10 periods of 30 minute each. if a special camp is arranged the syllabus can be completed within a day. generally 20 minutes are spent on explanation of the topic assigned and 10 minute for question - answer and discussions. the subjects covered during these courses are as under : • scientific attitude • faith and blind faith • mental disorder and possible remedies • astronomy and astrology • study of snakes and remedies on snakebites • scientific explanations about miracles, poltergeist and hypnotism • exposure of god men, babas matajis etc. • poltergeist ( bhanamati ) • works of social reformers for example the subject ‘ scientific attitude ’ includes following topics : • necessity of the removal of blind belief • the distinguishing factors between scientific literacy and scientific attitude • methodology to check evidence • scientific thinking that includes freedom, fearlessness and humbleness • dangers of glorification of great persons. • the origins and meaning of prevailing customs, traditions and rituals. • moral values and scientific attitude. we arranges teachers training camps with the due permission of concerned educational officer in all district place and major towns. teachers can avail the opportunity and attendance of training camp is considered as working day for teachers. mans activists and experts in the field will outline the methodology of conducting the course and examinations, use of course material etc. teachers participate in post lecture discussions and clarifications are sought. in fact ans has compiled the questions that are generally being asked by the audience, which is also applicable to students also. these training camps benefit teachers and in fact some of them serve as activists and / or contact persons for mans. we have trained more than 50, 000 teachers and more than 500, 000 students have undergone various courses. we have observed marked change in the students attending the course. a question like “ mention three superstitions followed in house ” may trigger their inquisitiveness. children are never passive in this regard. after realization they go out of


courses. we have observed marked change in the students attending the course. a question like “ mention three superstitions followed in house ” may trigger their inquisitiveness. children are never passive in this regard. after realization they go out of their way to protest and are not afraid of expressing their displeasure frankly and openly. this in turn influences parents to take corrective measures. as the saying goes “ there are no problematic children but there are problematic parents ’. ans can cite hundred of examples where children protested against illogical and unscientific behavior of their parents ; thanks to the courses undergone by students. during the euphoria of milk drinking by ganesh on 21 sept. 95, it was the students in maharashtra who protested vehemently about the whole episode. similar protest was observed even during the eclipse. the girls who had attended the course start protesting against rituals, which encourage gender discrimination. it is not only students who are benefited by this course but also the teachers who conduct them. age - old practice of observing fast, believing in astrological predictions, expensive, outdated and irrelevant ceremonies were abandoned by most of the teachers. to sum up we have oticed the following changes : • influence of babas, matas etc is reduced • children started showing keen interest in measures of reform • participation of students in exposing witchcraft, haunting and casting of spells • girls are becoming bold enough to question rituals of gender inequality • course material is used as a reference guide during discussions with staunch believers of superstitions • students advice their juniors and friends to undergo the course • students show keen interest in the activities and events happening in the surroundings • students want more material to enhance their knowledge • training one child in a family is equivalent to training the full family and its neighbourhood. mans has followed the principle of “ science and technology at your doorsteps ” rather than making students come to a centralized urban place as has been done in many of the ` not so successful ’ projects. this is one example, which has a potential to replicate all over india instead of confining to marathi speaking area. in fact mans is ready to extend its assistance to any dedicated team from other states that is prepared to come forward and work hard to conduct such program. this will hasten the process of inculcating scientific attitude among millions of our students.


a major step towards rational use of medicines was taken in 1977, when who established the 1st model list of essential medicines to assist countries in formulating their own national lists. the present definition of rational use was agreed at an international conference in kenya in 1985. in 1989, the international network for the rational use of drugs ( inrud ) was formed to conduct multi - disciplinary intervention research projects to promote more rational use of medicines ( email : firstname. lastname @ example. org website : http : / / www. msh. org / inrud ). following this, the who / inrud indicators to investigate drug use in primary health care facilities were developed and many intervention studies conducted, a review of all the published intervention studies with adequate study design was presented at the 1st international conference for improving the use of medicines ( icium ) in thailand in 1997. box 3 shows a summary of the magnitude of prescribing improvement by type of intervention, the effect varied with intervention type, printed materials alone having little impact compared to the greater effects associated with supervision, audit, group process and community case management. furthermore, the effects of training were variable and often unsustained, possibly due to differences in training quality and the presence or absence of follow - up and supervision. box 3 review of 30 studies in developing countries size of drug use improvements with different interventions


fighting poverty : increasing household income through agroforestry in the kadiogo province of burkina faso providing seedlings and training in tree - planting techniques for 150 youths / year in order to fight deforestation while simultaneously generating income and improving quality of life the agroforestry organization association mimang - da fights deforestation by engaging youths in planting a wide variety of trees and starting tree nurseries. the founder of mimang - da was named an ashoka fellow in 2011 for his work in reforestation and fighting rural unemployment. mimang - da addresses the needs of the under - educated youth who are unemployed and without appropriate access to training to be able to secure a decent livelihood for themselves and their families. currently, mimang - da recruits youths to plant a variety of species of trees on the organization ’ s land ( mango, orange, papaya, lemon, jathropa, melina, and acacia ). the products from these trees ( wood, fruit, oil ) are sold to generate operating income for the organization. in exchange for their labor, the youth receive training on appropriate planting techniques, maintenance, spacing and pairing of the different species, as well as 100 tree seedlings to plant on their own land. during the following dry season, mimang - da follows up with the young farmers who ' ve planted their 100 trees in order to monitor the survival rate of the trees planted and to offer advice and training on continued maintenance to ensure the highest possible survival rate. mimang - da aims for a minimum of 80 % survival rate of the seedlings. upon follow up visits, if the farmer has achieved this rate, mimang - da donates a goat to the farmer and his family. this donation rests on the understanding the family will breed the goat ( average annual yield is 3 to 4 baby goats per year ) and after two years, give one goat back to mimang - da, who will in turn donate the goat to another family who has achieved the 80 % survival rate. types of trees and their purposes : - fruit trees ( mango, orange, lemon and papaya ) : provide food security for the family, shade, and are an income generating asset as their fruits can be sold on the market - jathropha trees : used to make oil - melina trees : wood is used for heating stoves ; leaves provide animal fodder - acacia : wood is used for heating stoves ; can also be sold at market to generate income - eucalyptus :


their reforestation and income generating activities ( sale of tree by - products and animal husbandry ). mimang - da ’ s goal is to extend support to another 150 farmers per year for the next three years, at which point the income generated from the sale of by - products from mimang - da ’ s trees will allow them to purchase seeds for the upcoming years and add a qualified nursery supervisor to accommodate the growth of the association. mimang - da aims to acquire 15 additional hectares of land ( to reforest and grow a nursery of trees for the farming youth ) and to construct a water tower to water the acquired land efficiently. this will permit mimang - da to reach out to a larger number of rural and undereducated youth. - purchase of 15 hectares of land - construct water tower - purchase seeds for the past two decades, the government of burkina faso has emphasized the need for reforestation to battle desertification at all levels of society. however, while projects are undertaken to plant trees, there is little attention paid to maintenance and survival of the trees. thus, without this necessary follow - up, the actions undertaken to fight desertification amount to much less than the desired outcome. got a suggestion on how to make this idea even better? remix it! - embed video from services like youtube, vimeo & flickr


for innovative pest control, a new gene - transfer technique insect physiologist paul shirk ( left ) and technician richard furlong examine a genetically transformed indian meal moth caterpillar using fluorescence microscopy. ( d596 - 1 ) many crop insecticides have lost effectiveness because the target pests have developed resistance. others have been discontinued because of the potential or real risks they pose to environmental or human health. the upshot is that growers have fewer chemical options available to them for controlling pest insects. one highly successful nonchemical alternative to insecticides is the sterile insect technique ( sit ), in which masses of male insects are sterilized by irradiation and then released to mate with wild females. no offspring result, and the population diminishes. sit could potentially be improved — and new types of biological control developed — by use of genetically modified insects. a genetic tool developed and patented in part by ars researchers, called the “ piggybac transposon, ” is being used to genetically modify many species of pest insects, such as flies, moths, and mosquitoes. transposons are also called “ jumping genes ” because they can jump from one place on a chromosome to another. a concern about this genetic modification method, though, is the rare possibility that inserted genes could move again, or “ remobilize, ” resulting in loss of the desired traits or entry into other organisms. before such modified insects are ever tested or used in the field, scientists must be sure any introduced genes stay put. in an exciting discovery, ars physiologist paul d. shirk and his colleagues at the ars center for medical, agricultural, and veterinary entomology in gainesville, florida, have developed a gene - transfer system — a “ vector ” — that can be used to test foreign gene activity in pest insects without worry that the genetic transformation will pass to the next generation. this new method uses part of a virus called “ jcdnv ” to ferry new genes into insects. the process is done by injecting insect embryos with the jcdnv vector, which has been altered so it can ’ t cause disease. instead, the vector — carrying the foreign gene — inserts itself into the insect ’ s chromosomes. the newly installed gene can then be tested during all stages of the insect ’ s life. unlike piggybac or other transposons, the jcdnv vector enters only the somatic, or body, cells — not the germline,


installed gene can then be tested during all stages of the insect ’ s life. unlike piggybac or other transposons, the jcdnv vector enters only the somatic, or body, cells — not the germline, or reproductive, cells — so the next generation will not inherit the genes. the vector works well for a variety of insects, including flies and moths. it allows testing of lab - constructed foreign genes that could potentially cause sterility in the insect, and there ’ s no worry that the genes will remobilize. the jcdnv vector came from a parvovirus, junonia coenia densovirus, which infects the common buckeye butterfly, junonia coenia. max bergoin, a virologist who originally cloned the jcdnv parvovirus in his laboratory at the university of montpellier in france, collaborated with shirk in the vector research. other team members included postdoctoral researchers herve bossin and jennifer gillett and ars technician richard furlong. — by jim core, formerly with ars. this research is part of crop protection and quarantine, an ars national program ( # 304 ) described on the world wide web at www. nps. ars. usda. gov. paul d. shirk is in the insect behavior and biocontrol research unit, usda - ars center for medical, agricultural, and veterinary entomology, 1600 s. w. 23rd dr., gainesville, fl 32608 ; phone ( 352 ) 374 - 5720, fax ( 352 ) 374 - 5804. " for innovative pest control, a new gene - transfer technique " was published in the september 2006 issue of agricultural research magazine.


by 9 : 35 on a typical morning at a downtown baltimore aids clinic, nearly a dozen hiv - positive children already wait impatiently to see the doctor. some read or color with crayons ; others stare straight ahead - - they are too sick to play. the children are brought to this university of maryland clinic by their hiv - positive mothers or by whatever adult remains in their lives in the wake of the aids epidemic : grandmothers, aunts, the occasional father, a foster parent. families like these are the focus today of the seventh annual world aids day, an observance begun by the united nations to call attention to the estimated 14 million people worldwide who are living with the virus that causes aids or who already have the disease. although recent advances have brought improved treatments and a new way of slowing the spread of the fatal virus among infants, the toll of the epidemic on families is a growing global tragedy, medical professionals say. " there are so many losses for these children, my heart cries out, " said sue hines, who has spent seven years as a nurse practitioner at the clinic. " every day you can see the ripple effect. " about 25 percent of all babies born to untreated hiv - positive women are infected with the virus. and by 2000, as many as 126, 000 children and adolescents nationwide may be motherless because of the disease, according to the orphan project, a new york research group. in the same time span, more than 5 million children worldwide will have lost their mothers or both parents to aids, according to the world health organization. last year, about 700, 000 children were born to hiv - positive women in africa alone. to mark world aids day in maryland, where 5, 637 people have died of acquired immune deficiency syndrome, gov. william donald schaefer is urging those who know someone affected by the disease to drive with their headlights on during daylight hours. " aids is a problem for all of us. we all have families and as the epidemic continues, those people who don ' t know anyone with aids or hiv will be rarer and rarer, " said dr. joseph horman, acting director of the state aids administration. l " we need to work together to defeat this epidemic, " he said. in addition, speeches will be given, proclamations made and candles lighted from paris to baltimore. governments and institutions in about 180 countries are backing events that acknowledge the terrible toll and personal tragedies inflicted by the modern - day plague. they include : * distribution of more than


be given, proclamations made and candles lighted from paris to baltimore. governments and institutions in about 180 countries are backing events that acknowledge the terrible toll and personal tragedies inflicted by the modern - day plague. they include : * distribution of more than $ 50, 000 to local aids service providers by baltimore ' s health education resource organization ( hero ). * competitions about preventing aids and other sexually transmitted diseases held by government - run newspapers in china. * an international aids conference being held in saudi arabia, where cases of aids are rarely reported. * and, at a " summit " in paris, public health leaders from 42 nations, including u. s. secretary of health donna e. shalala, are meeting to forge greater cooperation in the battle against aids. leaders of participating nations hope to balance how aids funding is spent globally : about 92 percent of aids money now goes to wealthy nations where a fraction of aids cases occur. the paris group will consider a pledge that expresses the idea that " violations of human rights are co - factors in the spread of hiv, " said the head of the u. s. national office of aids policy, patricia fleming, who is attending the summit. " homophobia, racism and sexism are vehicles for hiv if each person is not empowered to defend him or herself from the virus. " maryland records show that in the 12 months ending in september, the state ' s aids caseload increased by 2, 720. nationwide, the total number of people with aids grew by 85, 260 in the year ending in june, the latest 12 - month period tracked by the centers for disease control and prevention in atlanta. despite such increases, many doctors, researchers and activists express cautious hope as they contemplate medical advances since the last world aids day. " this is a year with promise. if you had asked me last year, i would have been negative. this year there has been remarkable change in treatments and in hope, " said dr. peter vink, director of the pediatric aids program for the university of maryland medical center. a key advance came when a study showed that the drug azt, when administered to hiv - positive pregnant women, can dramatically reduce the transmission of hiv to newborns. " this is the first ' clean needle ' or ' condom ' for infants - - the first chance to intervene in the transmission of hiv to babies, " dr. vink said. that pathway of hiv infection poses an enormous public health problem in developing countries in africa, asia and south america, where millions of people


history of astrology note : this article should be merged with a historical overview of astrology astrology is not limited to western astrology alone, which by itself has several branches and various offshoot traditions. in modern india the ancient vedic astrology ( or jyotish ) is commonly used to this day, and in china chinese astrology has existed for thousands of years and continues to flourish. the system of hellenistic astrology was developed by greek speaking peoples in alexandrian egypt while the mayans of central america also developed their own form of astrology. the ancient egyptians also had another system of decanic astrology, and the various mesopotamian civilizations developed what can broadly be referred to as babylonian astrology. a unique system of astrology eventually emerged in tibet as well. other cultures and civilizations around the world also developed their own astrological systems independently. the origins much of the astrology that would later develop in asia, europe and the middle east are found among the ancient babylonians and their system of celestial omens that began to be compiled around the middle of the 2rd millennium bce. this system of celestial omens later spread either directly or indirectly through the babylonians to other areas such as india, china and greece where it merged with preexisting indigenous forms of astrology. it came to greece initially as early as the middle of the 4th century bce, and then around the late 2nd or early 1st century bce after the alexandrian conquests, this babylonian astrology was mixed with the egyptian tradition of decanic astrology to create horoscopic astrology. this new form of astrology which appears to have originated in alexandrian egypt quickly spread across the ancient world into europe, the middle east and india. this tradition of hellenistic astrology was passed to india sometime around the 1st century ce where it merged with the preexisting tradition of babylonian astrology and the lunar astrology of the nakshatras and this founded the tradition of vedic astrology in india. hellenistic astrology was practiced from the 2nd century bce until sometime around the 7th century ce when europe entered the middle ages. astrology was then passed to and further developed by the arabs from the 7th to the 13th century. it was subsequently transmitted back to europe beginning in the 12th century and reached its peak in renaissance europe during the 14th, 15th and 16th centuries when astrologers became a dominating influence in european society. in europe, public interest in astrology began to recede around the late 17th century and it was not fully revived again in the west until


renaissance europe during the 14th, 15th and 16th centuries when astrologers became a dominating influence in european society. in europe, public interest in astrology began to recede around the late 17th century and it was not fully revived again in the west until the late 19th and early 20th century. list of prominent astrologers. first period - babylonian astrology the babylonian system of celestial omens began to be compiled around the 3rd millennium bce. second period - hellenistic astrology hellenistic astrology can be generally defined as the type of horoscopic astrology that was developed in egypt and the mediterranean sometime around the 2nd century bce, and was practiced until the 6th or 7th century ce. several hellenistic astrologers describe the history of the art by acribing its creation to a mythical sage named hermes trismegistus. hermes is said to have written several major texts which formed the basis of the art or its evolution from the system of astrology that was inherited from the babylonians and the egyptians. this system can be labeled as " horoscopic astrology " because it employed the use of the ascendant, otherwise known as the horoskopos in greek, and the twelve celestial houses which are derived from it. several authors cite hermes as being the first to outline the houses and their meaning, so the houses date back to the very beginning of horoscopic astrology and indeed they are one of the major defining factors which separate hellenistic astrology and other forms of horoscopic astrology from babylonian astrology and other traditions. this system of horoscopic astrology was then passed to another mythical figure named asclepius to whome some of the hermetic writtings are addressed. according to firmicus maternus, the system was subsequently handed down to an egyptian pharaoh named nechepso and his priest petosiris. 1 they apparently wrote a major textbook which explicated the system and it is from this text that many of the later hellenistic astrologers draw from and cite directly. this system formed the basis of all later forms of horoscopic astrology. vedic astrology history vedic astrology refers to the type of sidereal horoscopic astrology that has been practiced in india at least as far back as the first two centuries of the common era, and also includes the indigenous 27 / 8 sign lunar zodiac that most scholars agree was being used at a much earlier date. third period - medieval astrology medieval astrology largely consist of works done by arab astrologers from the late 7th


common era, and also includes the indigenous 27 / 8 sign lunar zodiac that most scholars agree was being used at a much earlier date. third period - medieval astrology medieval astrology largely consist of works done by arab astrologers from the late 7th century until about the 12th century when astrology began to trickle back into europe. around the 12th century certain prominent european astrologers begin to surface, and they created a segway for the explosion of astrological practice that occurred during the renaissance. fourth period - renaissance & early modern this period generally beginning sometime in the 1400 ' s, and ending in the late 17th century, after the golden age of english astrology. the low period of astrology between the 17th century and the end of the 18th also goes under this section, although it is quite distinct from the period that came before it. the divergence of astrology & astronomy astrology and astronomy were deeply intertwined in the past, and very much one and the same throughout the overwhelming bulk of human history. in medieval europe the word astronomia was often used to encompass both disciplines as this included the study of astronomy and astrology jointly and without a real distinction ; this was one of the original seven liberal arts. the two completely separate disciplines as we define them today cannot, in fact, be distinguished, until only the past few hundred years ( they split up completely around 1750 - 1800 ). astrology and astronomy stayed together for a very long time - the funding from astrology supported major astronomical research, which was in turn used to make more and more accurate ephemerides for use in astrology. indeed for the vast majority of history many of the advancements in astronomy were largely only accomplished in order to improve the accuracy of the astrology. most of the very early, ancient astronomers / astrologers up until about 1750 - 1800 were simultaneously employed as astrologers for the powerful and the wealthy ; many kings and queens employed court astrologers to aid them in the running of their kingdom, and this is where most of the money that was used to fund much need astronomical research came from. more often than not it was only because of the prospect of getting better and more accurate astrological predictions that the rich ( royalty ) were willing to invest in the very expensive projects of creating observatories and funding constant astronomical observations, which were very time consuming and just didn ' t seem quite as interesting or practical as the art of astrology. astrology and astronomy began to take divergent paths towards the end of the renaissance


creating observatories and funding constant astronomical observations, which were very time consuming and just didn ' t seem quite as interesting or practical as the art of astrology. astrology and astronomy began to take divergent paths towards the end of the renaissance largely due to the changing intellectual and religious climate in europe during this time, as a result of the changing worldview and cosmology, and also partially as a result of the rise of the scientific method in the western world. the purely mathematical, mechanical, empirical science of astronomy as is known today is of relatively recent origin. this discipline became separated from and generally antagonistic towards astrology only beginning around the time of the " great astronomers " - - galileo galilei, johannes kepler, nicolas copernicus, tycho brahe, etc., although it must be noted that all four of these " great astronomers " were also astrologers. this period is defined as the beginning of the scientific revolution, leading on into the age of enlightenment, sometimes referred to as the age of reason - - as stated, the two fields diverged completely in the west between approximately 1750 - 1800. the primary goal of astronomy is to understand the physics of the universe. astrologers use astronomical calculations for the positions of celestial bodies to observe correlations between celestial events with earthly events and human affairs. the role of astrology as an important motivation for astronomical research diminished as the works of galileo and others solved the problems in celestial mechanics that were of interest to astrologers, and as belief in directly causal astrological influences or correlations became largely extinct among astronomers. the needs of modern navigation and physics became the prime motivating factors for subsequent astronomical research. fifth period - modern astrology the modern period of astrology spans from the late 19th century until the end of the 20th century. post 20th century this section is for documenting historical events in the history of astrology that have occurred since the beginning of the year 2000, or those that will occur as time progresses. - wikipedia ' s article on astrology _ and _ astronomy - retrieved 12 / 6 / 2005 under the gnu free documentation license - wikipedia ' s article on the history of astrology - retrieved 12 / 20 / 2005 under the gnu free documentation license note 1 : * see firmicus maternus, ancient astrology theory and practice a€ “ matheseos libri viii, translated by jean rhys bram, noyes press, 1975. pg. 118.