tulum, tupak, xel - ha, and xcaret. the sian ka ' an national park is also in quintana roo. the state covers an area of 50, 350 km², and the 2000 census reported a population of some 874, 000. the statewide population is currently expanding at a rapid rate due to the construction of hotels and the demand for workers. many immigrants to the state come from yucatan, campeche, tabasco, and veracruz. the area that makes up modern quintana roo was long part of yucatan, sharing its history. with the war of the castes starting in the 1840s, all ladinos were driven from the region and the independent maya nation of chan santa cruz was centered on what is now the town of felipe carrillo puerto. the region was for a time dominated by the religion of the " talking cross " : in a church was a cross guarded by maya priests that was said to speak and give them orders. the mexican government continued to have very little control over this region until the early decades of the 20th century. quintana roo was made a territory of mexico by decree of president porfirio diaz on november 24, 1902. it was named after an early patriot of the mexican republic, andres quintana roo. the mexican army succeeded in defeating most of the maya population of the region during the 1910s, and in 1915 the area was again declared to legally be part of the state of yucatan. in 1931 the territory of quintana roo was again separated from yucatan. quintana roo was granted statehood within the united mexican states on october 8, 1974. it is the mexican republic ' s youngest state. quintana roo is divided into eight municipalities source of info here the state of quintana roo strecthes down is the eastern part of the peninsula from the tip of north most point to belize. it has a surface of 50, 212 square kilometers and is surrounded by the caribbean sea in both north and east. belize and guatemala are to the south while campeche and yucatan lay westward. the name of this state, comes from andres quintana roo, who played an important role in the creation of the republic. quintana roo, is the youngest state of the mexican republic. it was awarded the status of a free sovereign state in october 8, 1974 after having filled population and economic requirements. the local constitution was promulgated on january 12, 1975. the climate in quintana


the youngest state of the mexican republic. it was awarded the status of a free sovereign state in october 8, 1974 after having filled population and economic requirements. the local constitution was promulgated on january 12, 1975. the climate in quintana roo, for most of its surface is a warm one with occasional showers. the hurricane season begins middle august to november. source of info here experts believe that the first villages on the yucatan peninsula were founded between 500 and 300 b. c., although the exact date is unclear. during the classic period the mayan cities of coba, dzibanche and kohunlich flourished. tulum, the inland port of muyil and coba prospered during the post - classic period and coba ' s importance as a regional trade center waxed. muyil was linked to the coast via canals that wind through the wetlands. the post - classic yucatan was divided into chiefdoms or cacicazgos. after the fall of mayapan ca 1450, there were no less than 19 chiefdoms. ekab, cochuah and chetumal were fiefs located in what is now quintana roo. when the spaniards first set foot on mexican soil, the yucatecan maya were beset by hardships. nevertheless, the europeans found subjugation of the indians no easy task. it wasn ' t until 1546 that they controlled large parts of the peninsula and were able to divide the land into encomiendas or land - holdings. the estates soon foundered and the region was abandoned. the area ' s isolation attracted pirates who sought refuge along the coast between bahia de la ascencion and honduras. independence brought little change to the peninsula and in 1847, the caste war ignited the entire region. the greatest in a long line of mayan rebellions, it continued for more than 50 years. in 1902, quintana roo became a territory and was declared a state in 1974. the ancient maya archaeological zones, many of them unexplored, pepper the quintana roo landscape. sites along the coast are testimony to the importance of the north - south caribbean trade route still in use at the time of the conquest, while the ancient cities of the south date from the classic period and had links with city states in the peten. artificial reservoirs, irrigation and raised fields improved crop yields and evidence suggests that up to one million people inhabited pre - conquest southern quintana roo, more than the state '


from the classic period and had links with city states in the peten. artificial reservoirs, irrigation and raised fields improved crop yields and evidence suggests that up to one million people inhabited pre - conquest southern quintana roo, more than the state ' s present - day population. the coming of the spaniards when the spaniards first set foot on the yucatan peninsula they found a land at war with itself. however, when the maya perceived the threat to their world they put up a fierce resistance. despite their efforts, superior weaponry and horses gave the europeans victory in battle, and cruel repression and epidemics soon brought the indians to their knees. victory theirs, the spaniards divided the yucatan peninsula into encomiendas or land grants which they seized as spoils of war. mayan inhabitants of the land grants had to work for the owner and pay him tribute. estates ( haciendas ) and plantations sprang up in many parts of the peninsula, however, the poor soils and unswerving hostility of the maya meant that most encomiendas failed, especially in quintana roo. mayan rebellions were commonplace and conditions along the eastern seaboard were so unfavorable for the foundation of spanish communities, that the few colonists gradually abandoned the area. now and then in 1893, the frontier between mexico and belize was drawn up and the eastern region of the peninsula belonged to the state of yucatan. in 1896, military commander othon p. blanco founded the city of payo obispo ( now chetumal ) on the banks of the hondo river. created in 1902, the territory of quintana roo was named in honor of andres quintana roo, hero of the mexican struggle for independence. the sacred mayan city and rebel stronghold of chan santa cruz was taken by general ignacio bravo in 1901 ; he subsequently renamed it santa cruz de bravo. the military campaign against the rebels drew to a close, their ranks were diminished by epidemics, famine and they were demoralized by the death of their leaders. the caste war officially ended on july 1, 1904 but the cruzoob continued their struggle, albeit covertly. as agricultural and forestry development began in the region, the territory of quintana roo was also used as a penal colony, receiving the opponents of the regime of president porfirio diaz until 1911. in 1910, santa cruz de bravo ( now felipe carrillo puerto ) and vigia chico were the most important settlements in the territory, the former as the capital and the latter as


the opponents of the regime of president porfirio diaz until 1911. in 1910, santa cruz de bravo ( now felipe carrillo puerto ) and vigia chico were the most important settlements in the territory, the former as the capital and the latter as its port. santa cruz de bravo was returned to the maya in 1915 and payo obispo became the capital. by 1918, francisco may, the supreme leader of the maya held quintana roo in an iron grip, both politically and militarily and had a monopoly on chicle production as the middle man between mexican and foreign concessionaires and international companies. source of info here history of quintana roo welcome to the center of the world, this peninsula considered by the mayans as their own sub - continent. according to the mayan holy book the " chilam balam of chumayel, " this territory was first established by the itzaes, who arrived from the south in the year 435 and founded syancan bakhalal. the mayan villages in what is today called quintana roo were originally part of the indigenous confederation of mayapan. the names of the main chieftainships on the yucatan peninsula were : ekab, chanac ha, tazes and cupules in the north and center ; cochuah and chetumal in the south. gonzalo guerrero and jeronimo de aguilar, two survivors of shipwrecked spanish expeditions who were the first hispanics to make contact with the natives of the eastern region of the yucatan peninsula were taken into captivity by nachancan, the mayan cacique of chetumal, and thereafter became the first mexicans, the first euro - indio, hispanic - mayan mix. the earliest spanish expeditions failed in their attempt to settle the eastern mayan region, and in 1527 francisco de montejo arrived on cozumel and tried to settle villages, but he also had to retreat because of the hostility of the natives. later, alonso davila arrived in tulum and bakhalal. davila founded a settlement called villa real, today called chetumal, but had to abandon it due to surprise attacks from the mayans. in 1545 the spaniards managed to overcome the chieftain of bakhalal and founded the villa of salamanca de bacalar there, but up to 1639 the mayans of quintana roo had not been conquered, staying in constant rebellion, and falling back towards the forest interior. here they


of bakhalal and founded the villa of salamanca de bacalar there, but up to 1639 the mayans of quintana roo had not been conquered, staying in constant rebellion, and falling back towards the forest interior. here they founded the famous chan santa cruz, capital of the mayan people ` s struggle, that never has been conquered by the spaniards. on the 30th of july, the mayan rebellion, called the caste war due to its being a civil war between classes, exploded in tepich. in 1848 the mayans devastated bacalar. this war would last more than 50 years until 1901, and although kept under a form of control, the fundamental problems that originated it would continue being reason for restlessness until the present day. the government of yucatan has never obtained complete control of the natives of the eastern peninsula. these mayans have fought continuously for the restitution of their land and to establish their own government. venancio pec, jacinto pat, cecilio chi are the names of some of the indigenous heroes. in 1901, the federal army managed to occupy bacalar and chan santa cruz, but the natives fled into the forest. othon p. blanco, with his peacemaking attempts, managed to approach the mayans and make them recognize the government of the republic. due to the lack of control on the part of the government and the prior loss of mexican territory to guatemala and belize, the mayan revolt forced the creation of the federal territory of quintana roo. this division of the yucatan peninsula was created by decree on the 16 of january of 1902, with 50. 843 square kilometers on the east of the yucatan peninsula. quintana roo includes all the territory that had remained under mayan control. in the " porfiriato, " as is called the presidency of porfirio diaz, the territory was under control of several large estate owners who had enormous land holdings. upon the victory of the revolution, president madero dismissed the " porfirista " authorities in the territory and released the political prisoners. in 1913 the annexation of quintana roo was decreed to yucatan, which provoked the rebellion of abel ortiz argumedo in 1915. this action added to the indigenous opposition, and caused the territory of quintana roo to be recovered again in 1915 : general salvador alvarado, military commandander of the peninsula, went to santa cruz de bravo, where the natives continued fighting the soldiers and demanded the retirement of troops


and caused the territory of quintana roo to be recovered again in 1915 : general salvador alvarado, military commandander of the peninsula, went to santa cruz de bravo, where the natives continued fighting the soldiers and demanded the retirement of troops and the restitution of lands to the mayans. although general alvarado returned their land to them, the mistrusting mayans destroyed the communication routes to the rest of the peninsula. in 1931, due to the economic difficulties of the federal government, the state of quintana roo was again dissolved and its territory divided between the two states of yucatan and campeche. on the 11th of january, 1935, under the direction of jose marrufo hernandez, quintana roo obtained from the government of general cardenas a newly created territory of quintana roo, with the same boundaries it had in 1902. the revolutionary government developed communications beyond those which, for centuries, were limited to only maritime communication : the airports, radio stations, telephones and telegraph which today unite quintana roo with the rest of the republic. electrical, educational and health services multiplied, thus improving the lives of the inhabitants of quintana roo, until finally, in 1976, the people of quintana roo realize their demand and quintana roo is declared a free and sovereign state of the mexican republic. source of info here historia de quintana roo aunque no hay datos certeros sobre la fecha, se sabe que los primeros asentamientos en la peninsula de yucatan datan de 500 a 300 anos a. c. en el clasico florecieron coba, dzibanche y kohunlich, y para el pos - clasico tulum, coba y muyil, ciudades del interior que controlaban el comercio de la costa mediante canales que comunicaban al mar. durante este periodo, la peninsula se dividia en pequenos cacicazgos. con el fin de la liga de mayapan, la prosperidad se interrumpio y se formaron 19 cacicazgos ; ekab, cochuah y chetumal, tambien conocido como chactemal, quedaron dentro de lo que hoy es quintana roo. a la llegada de los espanoles la peninsula se hallaba en crisis ; no


una extension de 50 000 km2. pocos despues, fue nombrado el general de division jose maria de la vega primer jefe politico de quintana roo ejerciendo su funcion desde el campamento general vega, que funciono en los hechos como capital del naciente territorio. durante la administracion de jose maria de la vega, se opto por una division en tres distritos de acuerdo con su situacion geografica : norte, centro y sur. de 1903 a 1911 el general ignacio a. bravo se desempeno como jefe politico del territorio. por esos tiempos el territorio se caracterizo por el creciente arribo de presos politicos y opositores al regimen a la colonia penal llamada “ cuerpo de operarios ”. entre abril y mayo de 1903 se llevaron a cabo las primeras elecciones en el territorio de quintana roo para conformar los ayuntamientos en payo obispo, bacalar, xcalak, campamento general vega e isla mujeres ; en cozumel se instalo una junta municipal. el 27 de febrero de 1904 se publico en el diario oficial de la federacion la ley de organizacion politica y municipal del territorio federal de quintana roo en la que se especificaba que la capital del territorio seria santa cruz de bravo. a partir de 1911 el general manuel sanchez rivera fue enviado por el gobierno del presidente francisco i madero para sustituir a bravo en el poder. en junio de 1913, carranza decreto la anexion del territorio de quintana roo a yucatan. en junio de 1915 el gobernador yucateco salvador alvarado, decidio devolver a los mayas santa cruz, desplazando la capital a payo obispo. el 26 de junio carranza expidio en veracruz otro decreto que derogaba el de 1913 y reintegraba el territorio de quintana roo. en 1918 carranza, otorgo a


. el 26 de junio carranza expidio en veracruz otro decreto que derogaba el de 1913 y reintegraba el territorio de quintana roo. en 1918 carranza, otorgo a francisco may el grado de general constitucionalista, mismo que controlo y monopolizo la compra - venta de toda la produccion chiclera de la zona y concentro gran poder politico. entre 1916 y 1930, con el traslado de la capital del territorio a payo obispo, la zona sur de quintana roo tuvo un importante desarrollo. la organizacion politica del territorio, se modifico en 1917 con la creacion de los municipios libres promulgada en la constitucion politica de los estados unidos mexicanos. quintana roo quedo dividido en tres municipios : cozumel, isla mujeres y payo obispo. en 1924, plutarco elias calles nombro al general amado aguirre gobernador del territorio y al propio tiempo jefe de una comision para realizar un estudio politico, administrativo y economico de quintana roo, con la intencion de evaluar la conveniencia de conservar al territorio como entidad dependiente de la federacion. durante la gestion del doctor jose siurob, a fines de 1928 se decreto la desaparicion de los municipios libres en los territorios federales ; estos fueron sustituidos por delegaciones de gobierno lo cual nuevamente dio al gobernador un poder centralizado y provoco que varios quintanarroenses fueran relegados de los puestos publicos. quintana roo quedo dividido en cuatro delegaciones con cabeceras en : payo obispo, santa cruz, cozumel e isla mujeres. el 14 de diciembre de 1931 se decreto la anexion de quintana roo a los est


chico y practicamente la ciudad de chetumal. el huracan janet fue un parteaguas en la vida de muchas poblaciones, la historia de chetumal y de xcalak, por ejemplo, se escribe antes y despues del janet. el presidente adolfo lopez mateos nombro como gobernador del territorio al ingeniero aaron merino fernandez, quien con el apoyo economico de la federacion contribuyo a la reconstruccion de chetumal, al fomento de la pequena industria y al desarrollo de la agricultura y ganaderia. en 1964 merino fernandez fue sustituido por rufo figueroa. acorde con el proyecto de transformacion economica y social del territorio, durante su gestion tuvo lugar a la creacion del ingenio alvaro obregon en tierras del ejido pucte. se inicio la expansion de la red carretera hacia el norte del territorio para comunicar felipe carrillo puerto con tulum y playa del carmen. el ultimo gobernante de esta decada fue javier rojo gomez, quien inicio su periodo en mayo de 1967. se construyeron obras de beneficio social, entre las que destacan el centro regional de ensenanza normal en bacalar, la construccion de la carretera chetumal - escarcega, la pavimentacion de la carretera puerto juarez - playa del carmen y la terraceria del camino felipe carrillo puerto - tulum ( 1970 ). la orientacion economica de la entidad daria un giro de 180 grados, al iniciar en quintana roo la industria turistica, hasta entonces poco explotada en la republica mexicana : el turismo. iniciaba la gestacion de cancun. a fines de 1970 fallecio javier rojo gomez, le sustituyo, el 4 de enero de 1971, david gustavo gutierrez ruiz, quien fue el ultimo gobernador de quintana roo como territorio federal.


##ecio javier rojo gomez, le sustituyo, el 4 de enero de 1971, david gustavo gutierrez ruiz, quien fue el ultimo gobernador de quintana roo como territorio federal. en 1972, el presidente luis echeverria alvarez, emitio un acuerdo presidencial que otorgo para todo el territorio la condicion de zona libre durante los siguientes ocho anos. al fin quintana roo reunia las condiciones necesarias establecidas en el articulo 73 de la constitucion el cual dispone, que para dejar su condicion de territorio, debia contar con una poblacion minima de 80 mil habitantes, ingresos propios suficientes para cubrir los gastos de administracion publica, asi como la existencia de infraestructura agricola, industrial, comercial y educativa, entre otras. el 2 de septiembre de 1974 echeverria envio al congreso de la union una iniciativa de ley para que quintana roo y baja california sur fueran elevados a la categoria de estados. tras la aprobacion de las legislaturas estatales, el 8 de octubre de 1974 quintana roo nacio como estado libre y soberano con los mismos limites y extension que se le habia otorgado en 1902. david gustavo gutierrez ruiz fue nombrado gobernador provisional. source of info here


michigan bans texting while driving ; but when will technology take over to keep us safe? “ if you could basically be in a taxi where there is no taxi driver and the car is driving itself, there ’ s no reason why you couldn ’ t get work done or text, ” said sterian, an engineering professor at grand valley state university. “ it ’ s a little futuristic, but i think the concept is sound. ” stanford university ’ s engineering department is testing robot cars that could solve the growing texting crisis, but experts say they won ’ t be sold in the consumer market for at least another decade. “ there ’ s no technological roadblocks to it. there ’ s mostly political, economic and cultural roadblocks, ” sterian said. “ i think americans like to be in control, and they love their cars. i ’ m not sure they want to give up the driving wheel. ” until then, technology experts are pointing to several alternatives that could supplement a law by reducing the risk of the deadly practice. there ought to be a law 2004 : washington, d. c., enacts first texting law. • iowa and kentucky also passed texting laws this year, but drivers in those states won ’ t be ticketed until 2011. • most texting laws are enacted several months after they are passed. the numbers above are based on when the laws are enacted, not passed. • four states, including michigan, passed texting laws in april 2010. • unless an accident is caused, most states — including michigan — penalize texting drivers with fines between $ 100 and $ 500. in alaska, “ intexticated ” drivers can be arrested and spend one year in jail for texting while driving, even if they do not cause an accident. most programs in this growing industry are designed to help parents and employers block a phone ’ s texting, e - mailing, web browsing and calling features. at & t ’ s txtblocker identifies safe zones where a phone is off limits, and safe numbers — such as parents or emergency contacts — drivers are always allowed to contact. “ laws are very important, but we also know the laws aren ’ t going to completely solve the problem, ” spokesman brian baucom said. “ txtblocker removes the danger of texting while driving from the equation. if a teenager or an employee knows that it ’ s installed, their habits are going to change for the better. ” the big argument against text -


beautiful ” voice program. “ it ’ s getting better and better, ” he said. “ i live in hudsonville, so i could say, ’ pizza in hudsonville, mich. ’ it ’ s like ’ bam. ’ it pulls it up. ” but until cars are operated by computers, “ error - prone ” drivers would do well to avoid all distracting habits, sterian said. “ i agree with the legislation : as long as humans are in control of cars they really shouldn ’ t be doing anything else than driving, ” he said. “ there is a technological fix to it. cars should be able to drive themselves. ” some cars already do drive themselves in certain situations. toyota ’ s lexus ls460 automatically parallel parks itself. and other vehicles have blindspot sensors that take over if a driver accidentally veers into another lane, as well as breaks that kick in to avoid fender - benders. stanford is testing several advanced models, named “ shelly, ” “ stanley, ” and “ junior, ” according to spokesman david orenstein. shelly, the school ’ s latest innovation, compares to abs or cruise control, while the later two follow the path of robot cars. “ the ultimate extension of projects like these could be a car that does all of its own driving to the point where you can just sit there reading a newspaper or text messaging or browsing your ipad, ” orenstein added. “ all of these things would make for a safer car in the future. ” eventually, this technology could do much more to improve road safety than simply eliminating the risk of texting drivers. “ i think it will cut down ( on the number of accidents ), just because of the inattentiveness, ” gvsu engineering professor john farris said. “ the computer will not get distracted. ” these vehicles are still in the testing stages, however, and won ’ t enter the market for a while, orenstein said. at this point, “ it ’ s not really the kind of car you would send to get your kid at soccer practice, ” he added. but even after the technology is ready, manufacturers would still have to wait for society to adjust to the idea. “ how many people are going to feel safe riding in a 60 mile an hour bullet that could veer off and run into things? ” rapin asked. “ i think people are a long ways off from trusting their vehicles. ” e - mail the author of this story : firstname. lastname @ example.


these days, it ’ s not only easy and hip to be green, green renovations just plain make sense. rising energy costs, concerns around human health, and the knowledge that our planet ’ s resources are waning are all driving awareness and inspiring smart solutions, products, and services on the home for green remodeling projects. - energy conservation : the average home pits heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems against an overall structure with built - in inefficiencies, so such modifications as energy - efficient appliances, thermostats, and home envelope adjustments can trim household needs and conserve precious resources. - indoor air quality : everything from outdoor pollutants to the off - gassing of floor coverings impacts the purity of your indoor environment. a green approach to remodeling seeks to remove such impacts through better ventilation systems and the use of nontoxic building materials. - reduced material waste and resource conservation : construction waste is a big deal with even the smallest remodel, so anything that can be done to lessen its impact and amp up opportunities to recycle and reuse is welcome. building with engineered lumber, incorporating local materials, and working with a recycling company for waste removal are among the suggestions from the nari green program. - environmentally safe products : several remodeling products and practices have the potential to harm the environment, whether through air pollution or direct disturbance of the natural landscape surrounding a home. with a green approach, care is taken to minimize or eliminate elements that could cause such harm to either the environment or occupants during and after the project.


in the manufacturing industry, one way to report and evaluate the process capability and process performance is through the statistical measurements, like cpk. definition : cpk = cpk = process capability index. adjustment of cp for the effect of non - centered distribution. cpk measures how close you are to your target and how consistent you are to around your average performance. cpk measures two things : 1 ) how close the mean of the readings are to the center of the lower and upper spec limits ( ideally, the mean of the readings must equal the center of the spec limits ) ; and 2 ) how widely spread the readings are ( ideally, the standard deviation of the readings should be zero ). the higher the cpk, the better is the capability of the process to meet its requirements. in the industry, a cpk of less than 1. 66 needs a closer look. a cpk that ’ s less than 1. 33 needs some action to make it higher, and a cpk of less than 1. 0 means that the process is not capable of meeting its requirements. a low cpk means one of three things : the mean is far from the center of the specs, or the standard deviation of the readings is high ( i. e., the readings are widely spread ), or both conditions exist.


опубликовано 28. 12. 2011 15 : 18 some of the most common terms used by a legal practice are below. this glossary is a general guide only, and does not replace legal advice. answer : a formal statement, generally written, stating the defence of a legal case. appeal : a request to take a case to a higher court for review. no new evidence may be introduced during the appellate process ; the reviewing court considers only whether errors occurred during prior proceedings. appendix : supplementary materials added to appellate brief. arraignment : the accused is brought before the court to plead to the charge against him. attorney : a lawyer ; one who is licensed to act as a representative for another in a legal matter or proceeding ; one who is licensed to practice law. acquittal : a finding by a judge or jury that a person tried for committing a crime is not guilty. bail : to set free a person arrested or imprisoned ( pending trial or resolution of an appeal ), in exchange for security such as cash. bail is forfeited if the person fails to appear in court as directed. bond : in criminal law, a surety bond assures the appearance of the defendant or the payment of the defendant ' s bail if the defendant fails to appear. brief : a written document presented to the court by a lawyer which sets forth both the facts of the case and the law which supports the lawyer ' s case. burden of proof : in the law of evidence, the necessity or duty of affirmatively proving a fact or facts in a dispute. civil case : a matter or case pertaining to the private right of an individual. charges : a formal accusation of having committed a criminal offence. code : a collection of laws arranged into chapters, table of contents, and index, and published by legislative authority. for example, the iowa code is a collection of laws approved by the iowa legislature. common law : law based upon previous decisions of courts. contract : a mutual agreement between two or more parties, in which each party gives up something of value and gains another thing of value. conviction : finding that a person is guilty beyond a reasonable doubt of committing a crime. criminal case : a case concerning an act considered harmful to the general public that is forbidden by law and punishable by fine, imprisonment, or community service. damages : an amount of money which may be recovered in the courts by any person who has suffered loss, detriment, or injury through the unlawful act or negligence of another. decree


law and punishable by fine, imprisonment, or community service. damages : an amount of money which may be recovered in the courts by any person who has suffered loss, detriment, or injury through the unlawful act or negligence of another. decree : a decision or order of the court. a final decree is one which fully and finally disposes of litigation ; an interlocutory decree is a preliminary decree which disposes of a particular issue within the litigation. default : a " default " in an action at law occurs when a defendant fails to appear at the trial or to plead within the time allowed. typically, when a defendant defaults, the court enters an order in favor of the plaintiff. defendant : a person sued in a civil suit or accused of a crime. deposition : the testimony of a witness not taken in open court, but pursuant to authority given by statute or court rule to take testimony elsewhere. deposition testimony may be introduced as evidence in a court proceeding. docket : a list or index of cases and case events maintained by the clerk of court. a list of cases on a court calendar. evidence : a fact presented before a court such as a statement of a witness, an object, etc., that bears on or establishes a point in question. habeas corpus : " you have the body. " a petition to bring a person before a court or a judge. in most common usage, it is directed to the official person detaining another, commanding that the person to produce the body of the prisoner or person detained so the court may determine if such a person had been denied his or her liberty without the process of law. indictment : an accusation in writing found and issued by a grand jury, charging that a person named has done some act, or is guilty of some omission, which by law is a crime. information : a formal accusation of crime, based on an affidavit of a person allegedly having knowledge of the offense. instructions : directions given by the judge to the jury concerning the law of the case. interlocutory : preliminary. an interlocutory appeal involves an appeal of a matter within a case before the case is concluded or final. jurisdiction : the right and power to interpret and apply the law. the extent of authority or control. jury : a number of people, selected according to law, and sworn to inquire of certain matters of fact and declare the truth upon evidence laid before them. lien : an encumbrance upon property, usually


of authority or control. jury : a number of people, selected according to law, and sworn to inquire of certain matters of fact and declare the truth upon evidence laid before them. lien : an encumbrance upon property, usually as security for a debt or obligation. misdemeanor : offences considered less serious than felonies. there are three classes of misdemeanors ; simple, serious, and aggravated. examples of misdemeanors include minor traffic violations, thefts of property not exceeding $ 500 in value, trespass, and disorderly conduct. motion : an application to the court requesting action in a pending case. usually, a motion concerns an issue with the court ' s discretion. negligence : the omission or neglect of reasonable precaution, care, or action. notice of appeal : a filing made with an appellate court to appeal a ruling made by a lower court. opinion : a formal statement by a judge or justice of the law bearing on a case. original jurisdiction : the power of a court to hear a case for the first time instead of waiting for the case to be tried in a lower court. parties : the persons who are actively concerned in the prosecution or defence of a legal proceeding. petition : written application to a court requesting a remedy available under law. plaintiff : a person who brings an action ; the party who complains or sues in a personal action and is so named on the record. plead : a formal statement, generally written, propounding the case of action or the defence of a legal case. preliminary hearing : synonymous with preliminary examinations ; the hearing given before a magistrate or a judge to determine whether a person charged with a crime should be held for trial. prima facie : so far as can be judged from the disclosure ; presumably ; a fact presumed to be true unless disproved by some evidence to the contrary. probable cause : a constitutionally prescribed standard of proof ; a reasonable ground for belief in the existence of certain facts. the burden of proof necessary for an indictment or trial information. probation : a form of criminal sentence in which an offender agrees to comply with certain conditions imposed by the court rather than being put in jail or prison. prosecutor : one who initiates an accusation against a party suspected of committing a crime ; also one who takes charge of a case or performs the function of a trial lawyer in a criminal case on behalf of the state or the people. public defender : a lawyer employed by the government to represent a person accused


party suspected of committing a crime ; also one who takes charge of a case or performs the function of a trial lawyer in a criminal case on behalf of the state or the people. public defender : a lawyer employed by the government to represent a person accused of a serious crime and who cannot afford to hire a lawyer. punitive damages : damages in excess of actual damages that are assessed as a form of punishment. typically, punitive damages apply when a defendant ' s behavior is found to have been willful or malicious. restitution : an equitable remedy under which a person is restored to his or her original position prior to loss or injury. sentence : judgment formally pronounced by a judge upon defendant after the defendant ' s conviction in the criminal prosecution. service of process : the act of providing an opposing party with notice of a pleading or action to assure that the opposing party is aware of the action and is given an opportunity to appear. statute : a law adopted by the legislature. stipulation : an agreement by attorneys on opposite sides of a case as to any manner pertaining to the proceedings or trial ; stipulations must be in writing and agreed to by the parties. testimony : spoken evidence given by a confident witness, under oath, as distinguished by evidence derived by writings and other sources. trial information : a document filed by the prosecutor, which states the charges and evidence against a defendant in a criminal case. verdict : the formal decision or finding made by a jury and accepted by the court. warrant : a writ or order authorizing an officer to make an arrest, conduct a search, or to perform some other designated act. witness : one who testifies to what he or she has seen, heard, or otherwise observed or testifies to his or her opinion based on a hypothetical statement. writ : an order issued from a court requiring the performance of a specified act, or giving authority and commission to having it done.


cape breton homeland songs this type of song may be considered relatively modern in terms of its prominence in the gaelic tradition and often relates to population movements from the highlands in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. while earlier songs may contrast the love of one gaelic - speaking area compared to another, more recent compositions extol the virtues of a gaelic homeland compared with a less traditional, culturally different one. the gaelic language or gael for that matter may be symbolic of the homeland itself. while many homeland songs may also be considered emigrant songs, they may also express the bard ' s newfound appreciation for his / her community after having travelled and then returned. it would make sense then that many nova scotian bards praise their own communities, as most if not all had either spent time in different cultures or at least been aware of them. a related form of this song called tamailt may possess many of the characteristics of the homeland song but also be a criticism of a place ( ie. a choille ghruamaich ). songs of this type may sometimes be found to have preserved several of the classical forms of versification and syllabic structure ( as in the case of a choille ghruamaich ). owing to their simplicity of language and rhyme scheme of many homeland songs, they are not generally regarded to be great forms of literary art. nevertheless, many of these songs remain as anthems in nova scotian and indeed scottish communities, reflecting group identity and an awareness of social change. photo : inverness beach.


monday 18th june contributed by caroline today the cardiff university archaeology students arrived on site and this was the first full day. the majority of the day was spent clearing up the edges of the trench using spades, shovels and mattocks. a back breaking day was had by all ; this is always the most physically hardest day on site. progress was good and towards the end of the day all three trenches had cleaned straight edges and so the cleaning off of the last remaining topsoil was begun in trenches 1 and 2. removing the topsoil in trench 1 revealed the natural limestone bedrock and yellow clay in most areas. several features were found cutting into this natural geology, including rubble filled ditches and a possible ring gully ( these are often associated with prehistoric roundhouses ). however, the finds have mainly been of roman date, this includes several roman coins of the late 4th century. we are still, however, hoping to uncover prehistoric activity, particularly as this is what geophysics had suggested in some areas. geophysics involves analysing the ground using equipment which can detect anomalies in the earth ’ s geology. equipment includes magnetometers which record magnetic susceptibility of the soil ( this machine is good at detecting burning activity as the soil becomes more magnetic following heating ). the ground is also probed by a machine which measures resitivity. this involves passing an electric current into the ground and detecting the resistance faced. low resistance features are ditches ( they retain water ), whereas high resistance features such as stone walls obstruct the electric current. anyway, back to the point - geophysics was carried out on the site to help predict what we would find before we dig the site. this helps us decide where to locate the trenches. geophysics suggested we would find an enclosure ditch surrounding several areas of activity, including burnt areas and various ditches and other anomalous features. we are hoping to find later prehistoric activity that was possibly at some point contemporaneous with the feasting site found in the nearby field on the farm. previous digs here involved the digging of a midden ( a giant prehistoric rubbish dump ) many amazing artefacts were found including bracelets, cauldron fragments, a chisel, spearhead and tens of thousands of animal bones. only time will tell if this site is contemporary, but at present roman finds dominate the evidence. today there was torrential rain but luckily this coincided with our lunch hour and so did not affect work too much other than the ground was a lot harder


atopic dermatitis is also known as eczema, it is a chronic inflammatory disease of the skin.. although it can occur anytime, it is more common in children and infants. over two - thirds of individuals affected by this disorder have a family history of similar problems. about one - third of people with atopic dermatitis also have other allergic disorders that affect the respiratory system, such as asthma or hay fever. causes of dermatitis, atopic the cause of this condition is not entirely known. the strong family involvement, makes some sort of genetic predisposition a possibility. similarly, some type of overactivity of the immune - system has been postulated. signs and symptoms of dermatitis, atopic atopic dermatitis or eczema produces patches of dry, itchy and thickened skin. the areas that are commonly affected include regions where heat and moisture are retained, such as skin creases of elbows, knees, neck, face, hands, feet, groin, genitals and around the anus. at times, the itching can be very severe and interfere with sleep. find more information medical content last updated on 07 / 12 / 2008 the information contained on this site is for the sole purpose of being informative. this information is not and should not be used or relied upon as medical advice. always seek the advice of your physician, nurse or other qualified health care provider before you undergo any treatment or for answers to any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. if you believe you have a medical emergency, please discontinue use of myelectronicmd and call 911 now. nothing contained on or provided through the service is intended to be or is to be used for medical diagnosis or treatment. your use of this site is subject to certain terms and conditions.


food art - garnishing and presentation september 13, 2010 would you like to learn about food garnishing and presentation? can the way food is arranged actually affect the flavor of the food? bill phillips, culinary institute of america chef / instructor says, “ indeed it can. ” he also emphasizes that from a psychological point of view, presentation clearly affects one ’ s perception of flavor. he teaches a system of guidelines called buff. b is for balance. u is for unity. f is for focal point. f is for flow. this kind of information can be found in our mcpl online resources research databases. under the subject of diy and hobbies - culinary arts collection, this site includes 250 major cooking and nutrition magazines. not only that, our claycomo branch will also be having a program called garnishing and presentation, where you can learn how to create vegetable - flower and herb garnishes, and beautifully display cold food such as lunch meats, cheeses, fruits, and vegetables. to sign up for this and any of our other scheduled programs, just go to events tab listed near the top of the page. click on claycomo, and then select the program you would like to attend. we will even contact you as a reminder of the program that you have signed up for.


cscope is a comprehensive, online curriculum management system developed and owned by the texas education service center curriculum collaborative ( tesccc ), a consortium composed of 19 of the 20 escs in the state. cscope provides beeville isd and other districts a common language, structure and process for curriculum delivery. curriculum components highlight the content and cognitive rigor of each student expectation that will be assessed on staar and ensure teachers are informed of the depth and complexity to which they should be teaching. cscope helps teachers and students prepare for the state of texas assessment for academic readiness ( staar ). required english language proficiency standards ( elps ) and college and career readiness standards are embedded into the curriculum as well. the cscope parent portal is designed to allow parents the opportunity to view all concepts and key understandings associated with each unit in cscope language arts, math, science and social studies ( k - 12 ). the listing of cscope units, concepts and key understandings on this site represent the versions provided by cscope to each school district / system with an active cscope license for the 2012 - 13 school year. cscope is built on the premise that the district and the individual classroom teacher know what ’ s best for their students. the cscope system is designed with the capabilities for districts to customize curricular and instructional components ; therefore, the information and cscope content provided through this parent portal may differ slightly from what is actually taught in the local classrooms. to access the cscope parent portal, go to http : / / www. cscope. us / parentportal /. no user name or password required.


the following html text is provided to enhance online readability. many aspects of typography translate only awkwardly to html. please use the page image as the authoritative form to ensure accuracy. emerging infections : microbial threats to health in the united states bubonic plague, the most common form of the disease, is acquired directly from the bite of an infected flea. other, less common forms of plague include pneumonic, which can develop from the bubonic form and is spread directly from person to person by the respiratory route ; septicemic ; and meningeal, or plague meningitis. bubonic plague derives its name from the characteristic swollen lymph nodes ( called buboes ) in the groin, axilla, and neck areas. untreated bubonic plague is fatal in half of all cases ; untreated pneumonic plague is invariably fatal. plague is probably best known because of its role in the black death ( so called because of the gangrenous extremities often seen in those with advanced disease ), a devastating pandemic that swept through much of asia and europe during the middle ages. some 20 million people, representing 20 to 25 percent of western europe ' s total populace, are thought to have died during a four - year period ( mcevedy, 1988 ). in large european cities during the peak of the epidemic, people died in such great numbers that few were left to bury the dead. an accurate count of plague victims — especially the poor, who lived in the most crowded conditions — was impossible. the black death arrived in europe from central asia in 1346, probably by the ' ' silk road, " a trading route from asia to europe. it reached italy by ship from caffa ( mcevedy, 1988 ). like many pandemics, its spread was made possible by the devices of transportation. medical historians believe that the plague bacillus was endemic in the marmot population of central asia. it is likely that mongol invaders who killed marmots for their fur inadvertently extended the range of the y. pestis - infected rodents and their fleas. the mongols often rode long distances in a single day and may thereby have transported an occasional infected rat or some fleas as they moved along the trade routes toward europe ( mcneill, 1976 ). in the late 1890s, bubonic plague appears to have been introduced into san francisco by infected rats traveling aboard an asian merchant ship. in 1900, a small outbreak of the disease developed


in the past decade, there has been a significant decline in public knowledge of how hiv is transmitted. in the same period, the number of damaging myths and misconceptions has increased. there has been no positive change in public attitudes towards hiv, and a significant minority of the public still hold stigmatising and discriminatory views about people with the virus. public education plays a vital role in helping people understand the facts about hiv and the unacceptability of hiv stigma and discrimination. ultimately, greater public understanding will also lead to lower levels of hiv transmission and a more supportive society for people living with hiv. tellingly, there has been no real investment in educating the public about hiv and recent sexual health campaigns – especially those aimed at young people – have made no mention of it at all. young people rarely learn about hiv in schools, where sex education is still not compulsory and remains, in some areas, extremely limited. the media, meanwhile, very rarely write about hiv and when they do they often serve to perpetuate myths and misunderstanding through sensationalist language or misreporting of the facts. there have been significant changes and developments in recent years around hiv testing, treatment and life expectancy of people with hiv, although these are not widely understood. hiv remains largely invisible in our society. this is partly because treatment has improved so much that people with hiv are living longer and staying healthy. however, it is also because many people with hiv do not find it easy to be open about their hiv status. stigmatising and discriminatory attitudes among the general public play a significant role in this. nat believes that, alongside targeted prevention campaigns aimed at the communities most at risk of hiv, there is a need for everybody in the uk to have a basic knowledge about hiv and the realities of living with hiv. for more detail on nat ’ s thinking around public awareness and hiv click here. the power of the media to communicate news and information, to influence opinions and raise awareness, means that it can be a very valuable tool in the fight against hiv. however inaccurate stories can perpetuate myths, and create confusion and misunderstanding. accurate media coverage is therefore vital in terms of tackling the discrimination experienced by people living with hiv and helping to prevent the spread of the virus. nat has produced a number of resources to help journalists make sure that the articles they write contain accurate information about hiv, are not misleading and do not encourage negative perceptions about hiv. it ' s very important that the next generation can safeguard their own sexual health and


waterton - glacier international peace park the lewis overthrust of waterton - glacier international peace park provides scientists with dynamics of geologic processes that are going on today in other parts of the world, such as the andes and the himalaya mountains. because of the high degree of preservation of the original rock characteristics, the recent glacial sculpturing of the rocks, and the access by roads and trails, this major geologic structure in waterton - glacier is available for study by scientists from around the world. the lewis overthrust began 170 million years ago, when a collision of the earth ’ s crustal plates elevated numerous mountain chains and formed the ancestral rocky mountains. ever - increasing stresses near the end of this great event shoved a huge rock wedge, several miles thick and several hundred miles wide, eastward more than 50 miles. large masses of relatively stronger rocks were shoved over softer and more easily deformed rocks. erosion stripped away the upper part of the original rock wedge and exposed the rocks and structures visible in the park today. rarely have rocks of such ancient age been thrust over rocks that are so much younger. the overlying precambrian ( proterozoic ) rocks are over 1, 400 million years older than the underlying cretaceous age rocks. thus, the lewis overthrust is significant as a structural feature, for the extent of lateral displacement ( up to 80 kilometers ), and because it has functioned to expose ancient sediments possessing an unparalleled degree of preservation. of particular scenic and geologic note is chief mountain, a spectacular monolith towering above the prairie along the eastern margin of waterton - glacier. chief mountain is an erosionally isolated remnant of the eastern edge of the upper plate of the lewis overthrust — a feature known as a klippa ranking with the matterhorn as an example of this structural and erosional phenomenon. most of the rocks exposed in the park are sedimentary rocks of the belt series, of mesoproterozoic age, which were deposited from around 1, 600 to 800 million years ago. rocks of that age in other parts of the world have been greatly altered by mountain building processes and no longer exhibit their original characteristics. these virtually unaltered proterozoic rocks of waterton - glacier are unique in that they have preserved the subtle features of sedimentation such as milimetric lamination, ripple marks, mud cracks, salt - crystal casts, raindrop impressions, oolites, six species of fossil algae, mudchip breccia


in that they have preserved the subtle features of sedimentation such as milimetric lamination, ripple marks, mud cracks, salt - crystal casts, raindrop impressions, oolites, six species of fossil algae, mudchip breccias, and many other bedding characteristics. ripple marks, mount shields formation on hucklebury mountain. glacier national park. cross - sectional exposure of mudcracks in the snowslip formation along going - to - the - sun highway. coin for scale. glacier national park. these proterozoic sedimentary rocks, while outcropping over an area extending from southern montana to southern british columbia, are most impressively exposed in waterton - glacier. due to the extreme relief and unexcelled exposures, over 2, 100 meters of stratigraphic thickness is exposed to scientific examination. these features plus their chemical characteristics make the proterozoic sediments of waterton - glacier international peace park unique for studying the physical and chemical conditions that existed on the earth over a billion years ago. several of the sedimentary rock layers described above, contain fossils called stromatolites. they were colonial organisms of blue - green algae that lived in warm shallow seas marginal to ancient lands. six species representing three genera of stromatolites are preserved in the ancient sediments of the park. close - up of precambrian stromatolites in siyeh formation, going to the sun highway. glacier national park. the appekunny formation contains bedding structures, which have being classified as the remains of the possibly oldest metazoan on earth. pushing the limits of the origin of the metazoans one billion years back. the glaciers in glacier national park today are all geologically new having formed in the last few thousand years. presently, all the glaciers in the park are shrinking. more snow melts each summer than accumulates each winter. as the climate changed over the last two million years, glaciers formed and melted away several times. during the great ice age, or pleistocene, the park ’ s major valleys were filled with glacial ice over a mile in thickness, carving the outstanding glacial topography seen today. textbook examples of glacially carved landforms are on display : the park is filled with horns, cirques, aretes, hanging valleys, and moraines. u - shaped glacial trough of mcdonald valley, with snow - capped mountain glacier national park. a wide variety of landslide types exist in waterton - glacier, ranging from slow - moving slump


lovell center for environmental geography and hazards research the general park map handed out at the visitor center is available on the park ' s map webpage. for information about topographic maps, geologic maps, and geologic data sets, please see the geologic maps page. a photo album for this park can be found on the park ' s webpage. for information on other photo collections featuring national park geology, please see the image sources page. currently, we do not have a listing for a park - specific geoscience book. the park ' s geology may be described in regional or state geology texts. parks and plates : the geology of our national parks, monuments & seashores. lillie, robert j., 2005. w. w. norton and company. 9 " x 10. 75 ", paperback, 550 pages, full color throughout the spectacular geology in our national parks provides the answers to many questions about the earth. the answers can be appreciated through plate tectonics, an exciting way to understand the ongoing natural processes that sculpt our landscape. parks and plates is a visual and scientific voyage of discovery! ordering from your national park cooperative associations ' bookstores helps to support programs in the parks. please visit the bookstore locator for park books and much more. information about the park ' s research program is available on the park ' s research webpage. for information about permits that are required for conducting geologic research activities in national parks, see the permits information page. the nps maintains a searchable data base of research needs that have been identified by parks. a bibliography of geologic references is being prepared for each park through the geologic resources evaluation program ( gre ). please see the gre website for more information and contacts. nps geology and soils partnersassociation of american state geologists geological society of america natural resource conservation service - soils u. s. geological survey currently, we do not have a listing for any park - specific geology education programs or activities. general information about the park ' s education and intrepretive programs is available on the park ' s education webpage. for resources and information on teaching geology using national park examples, see the students & teachers pages.


with cases of west nile virus in escambia county, the santa rosa county health department is encouraging residents to take precautions to avoid mosquito - borne illnesses. west nile virus ( wnv ) is a potentially serious disease, primarily transmitted by infected mosquitoes. since january of this year, 16 confirmed cases of wnv have been reported throughout the state of florida. although no cases have been reported in santa rosa county, neighboring counties are seeing cases, and sentinel monitoring indicates a rise in the number of mosquitoes carrying the virus. to reduce the chance of becoming infected with the virus, the health department encourages residents to take precautions to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes that may be carrying wnv, as well as other illnesses. remove standing water. removing standing water sources is one of the easiest ways to prevent mosquitoes from breeding. outdoor yard items such as pets ' water dishes, bird baths and flower pots can collect water and provide ideal places for mosquitoes to lay their eggs. empty items that hold water at least once a week, clean rain gutters so that water drains freely, and remove discarded trash items, such as car tires, to discourage mosquitoes from laying eggs. avoid going outside between dusk and dawn when mosquitoes are most active. if you must be outside, dress in clothing that covers most of your skin. use mosquito repellents. products containing deet are both safe and effective, when used as directed. use screens on all open windows. repair any torn or broken screens. for more information on insect repellents, visit the centers for disease control website : http : / / www. cdc. gov / ncidod / dvbid / westnile / qa / insect _ repellent. htm. for more information on mosquito - borne illnesses and how to help prevent them, visit these websites : http : / / www. cdc. gov / ncidod / diseases / list _ mosquitoborne. htm


four hundred years ago, galileo galilei changed the world by peering through a 3 - foot - long telescope and spying the moons of jupiter. today, the world — or, more accurately, our collection of worlds — is on the brink of a change that could be just as dramatic. over the next five years, giant telescopes and far - seeing space probes will revolutionize the way we think of stars, planets and the other denizens of planetary systems, including our own. one of the planetary pioneers is nasa ' s wide - field infrared survey explorer, launching next week from vandenberg air force base in california. wise is designed to look for objects too dim and distant to be noticed by past probes. by mid - 2011, the polar - orbiting satellite should detect around 100, 000 previously unseen asteroids. even more intriguingly, the satellite has a chance of spotting a brown - dwarf star or a new planet on the outskirts of the solar system. " there is still the possibility of a large planet in the outer solar system, according to some experts, " the mission ' s project scientist, peter eisenhardt of nasa ' s jet propulsion laboratory, told msnbc. com. " my point of view is, as long as there ' s a reasonable chance of finding something, you ought to go and look. " looking beyond our solar system, astronomers are gearing up to reveal the initial findings from nasa ' s kepler mission next month. kepler is aimed at determining how many stars in a patch of sky have planets circling around them. within three years, scientists hope to be able to detect earth - size planets in the " habitable zones " around alien stars. after only a few months of observations, leaders of the kepler team say they ' ve already come across some potentially mind - bending findings. " we have some discoveries that someday, after they ' re verified, will knock your socks off, " the mission ' s principal investigator, william borucki of nasa ' s ames research center, told msnbc. com. another planet - hunting probe, the european space agency ' s corot satellite, has already detected a rocky world only five times as massive as earth, orbiting so close to its parent star that temperatures on the sun - facing side rise beyond 2, 000 degrees fahrenheit. still more planets are sure to be revealed in the months and perhaps years to come. ground - based telescopes are joining the search for new worlds as well. some of the world ' s biggest eyes on the sky are


000 degrees fahrenheit. still more planets are sure to be revealed in the months and perhaps years to come. ground - based telescopes are joining the search for new worlds as well. some of the world ' s biggest eyes on the sky are already supporting the kepler and corot missions, and still more are in the design or construction phase : - pan - starrs : the $ 100 million panoramic survey telescope and rapid response system, or pan - starrs for short, is an array of four telescopes being set up in hawaii primarily to track fast - moving asteroids, some of which might threaten earth. however, pan - starrs is expected to spot about 20, 000 objects in the kuiper belt, a distant ring of icy material where pluto was found nearly 80 years ago. pan - starrs should be able to find objects as small as pluto well beyond the kuiper belt. - giant magellan telescope : the $ 700 million gmt, due to be built in chile by 2018, will combine the power of seven 27. 6 - foot - wide mirrors to produce images sharper than those of the hubble space telescope. the instrument should be able to see the disks of worlds far beyond pluto, piecing together the evidence for or against the existence of a giant planet x. - large synoptic survey telescope : the $ 400 million lsst is expected to become fully operational in chile in 2016 and revolutionize astronomy. “ in the first week, we will see more data from this telescope than all the telescopes in humanity up to that point, ” billionaire backer charles simonyi has said. the lsst is expected to spot up to 100, 000 orbiting objects beyond neptune, including ice dwarfs as big as pluto that are more than six times farther out. - discovery channel telescope : arizona ' s lowell observatory has partnered with the discovery channel to build a $ 40 million telescope in arizona that will extend the search for kuiper belt objects, as well as extrasolar planets and near - earth asteroids. lowell observatory was the place where pluto was discovered back in 1930, and observatory director eileen friel said it ' s fitting that the one of the first campaigns taken on by the new telescope will be to look for other objects like pluto in the kuiper belt. " it has direct relevance to the observatory ' s legacy, " she told msnbc. com. that legacy has undergone substantial revision in the past three years : pluto is no longer considered the ninth planet, but rather the first of many


solar system. " he said wise isn ' t the best instrument for detecting dwarf planets such as pluto or eris, but it should be able to pick up larger planets or brown dwarfs that couldn ' t be seen before. a world the size of neptune could be spotted in an orbit 50 times farther away than pluto ' s distance from the sun. something as big as jupiter could be seen even if it were a light - year away — more than 1, 000 times farther than pluto. in some quarters, such a discovery could lead to hand - wringing over a planet x that ' s out to get us, but the researchers who have hypothesized the existence of such a planet emphasize that orbital mechanics would rule out any threat. and if wise fails to detect a large planet, that should deal a mortal blow to the planet x hypothesis, said john matese, an astrophysicist at the university of louisiana at lafayette who has studied the issue for years. " if it doesn ' t discover it, the whole discussion should be concluded, " he said. looking for ‘ failed stars ’ wise ' s science team is more confident about detecting brown dwarfs, which are sometimes known as " failed stars. " brown dwarfs are celestial bodies big enough to get a deuterium fusion process started — with masses higher than 13 times jupiter ' s mass — but too small to sustain the hydrogen fusion reaction seen in stars. brown dwarfs glow so dimly that they ' re difficult to detect, but when astronomers study distant star clusters closely, they usually spot at least one brown dwarf for every regular star. astronomers suspect that our own celestial neighborhood contains brown dwarfs that have not yet been spotted. some could be wandering closer to the solar system than our nearest known stellar neighbor, proxima centauri, which is 4. 2 light - years away. " we should find several hundred brown dwarfs that are currently unknown, " ned wright, an astrophysicist at the university of california at los angeles who serves as wise ' s principal investigator, said in a news release. some of those dark stars could even have planets, wright said, and the yet - to - be - launched james webb space telescope could focus on targets identified by wise to look for them. over the course of its planned nine - month science mission, wise is expected to boost the solar system ' s inventory of asteroids by 100, 000, eisenhardt said. a system is being put in place to report hundreds of new asteroids per day, and to follow up on wise


linking home - based child care and state - funded preschool the community connections preschool program ( illinois action for children ) publication date : may 2011 introduction to the community connections program model the community connections preschool program ( herein referred to as community connections ) was developed to help prepare children in home - based child care for success in school and in life. it has three goals : ( 1 ) to make state prekindergarten classroom experiences available to children in home - based care, ( 2 ) to extend classroom learning experiences in the home - based care setting, and ( 3 ) to support infant and toddler development in participating providers ’ homes. in this model, state prekindergarten ( illinois “ preschool for all ” ) classrooms provide half - day sessions four days per week for 3 - and 4 - year - old children coming from home - based child care. on the fifth day, the teachers visit children ’ s care providers ; delivering books and educational materials, modeling ways to extend curriculum activities, and discussing children ’ s learning in the classroom. while preschoolers are in classrooms away from the home - based care setting, providers have precious time to focus on the needs of infants and toddlers in their care. illinois action for children ( herein referred to as iafc ) created the community connections program model in 2005 as illinois was rapidly expanding its state prekindergarten program, which would ultimately change from serving exclusively at - risk children to become “ preschool for all. ” as the preschool for all program grew, it became clear that large numbers of preschoolers in home - based care were being left out. home - based care is the only option for many parents in low - wage jobs because those jobs tend to require non - traditional work hours – evenings, weekends, and changing shifts – when child care centers are closed. in illinois, 67 % of low - income single mothers with children under six work non - traditional hours ( illinois action for children, 2006 ). these mothers overwhelmingly choose home - based child care, usually provided by family, friends and neighbors. according to illinois child care assistance program data, among families using the child care assistance program in cook county, 58 % have enrolled their children in home - based child care ( 22 % in licensed homes and 36 % in license - exempt family, friend and neighbor care ). while home - based child care is a significant community asset, preschool - age children tend to learn cognitive school readiness skills best in classroom settings ( national institute of child health and human development early child care research network,


family, friend and neighbor care ). while home - based child care is a significant community asset, preschool - age children tend to learn cognitive school readiness skills best in classroom settings ( national institute of child health and human development early child care research network, 2002 ). in 2005, iafc developed community connections to support home - based child care while adding a classroom - based experience to the children ’ s day. this new program represents a third model through which state prekindergarten services are delivered in illinois. the two most common models are part - day school - based programs and full - day programs delivered in conjunction with child care centers. as a third model, community connections has the potential to reach a large population of unserved children. community connections program evaluation : phase i implementation study the illinois state board of education has requested evidence that the community connections mixed model works before making funding available for it statewide. education agencies in other states are expected to ask the same question. community connections is a mixed model, incorporating classroom - based and homeprovider - based elements. as such, it represents a significant departure from the common state prekindergarten models, which are entirely classroom - based. while research conducted on early head start and parents as teachers models has suggested that specific mixed models are effective ( u. s. department of health and human services, 2006 ; parents as teachers national center, 2007 ), iafc and its state education agency are seeking evidence specific to the community connections model. in phase 1 of a two phase evaluation, iafc asked child trends and the national center for children in poverty ( nccp ) to conduct a study to examine model clarity, fidelity, and the implementation of community connections. phase 2, to take place after implementation issues are identified and addressed, will be an outcomes study. this report describes the methodology and presents the findings of phase 1 of the evaluation of the community connections model, the implementation study. central to the methodology, described in detail below, were comprehensive interviews with members of the five groups participating in, or “ connected ” through, community connections : the complete cadre of preschool for all coordinators at iafc, as well as samples of participating center directors, classroom teachers and assistant teachers, home - based care providers, and parents of participating children. in addition to interviews, quality observations were conducted with the home - based providers in their care settings, with each observation focused on a child participating in community connections. review of participation data maintained by iafc informed selection of the centers for the study,


. in addition to interviews, quality observations were conducted with the home - based providers in their care settings, with each observation focused on a child participating in community connections. review of participation data maintained by iafc informed selection of the centers for the study, as well as the range of home - based providers affiliated with those centers from which to recruit the sample. as described more fully later, recruitment efforts were successful with licensed providers, all of whom were english - speaking, but not with license - exempt providers, who may have felt uncomfortable being observed. the results section of the report opens by summarizing the reactions, which were predominately enthusiastic, to participating in community connections from the coordinators, center directors, center teachers, home providers, and parents ; as well as their impressions, also heavily favorable, of the model and its benefits to them and their children. this section goes on to review interview responses and program documents for insights into how well the model is achieving its first goal : making preschool classroom experiences available to children who would not otherwise have them. findings follow from the quality observations of the home - based care settings conducted with the child care assessment tool for relatives ( ccat - r ). highlights from the observations include good caregiver engagement with the focal child and good - toadequate caregiver and child language factors. conducted once in the spring, the observations provided a view of community connections ’ home - based care well into the program year, but not an opportunity for comparison with care at the outset of the year. the results section then discusses respondents ’ perceptions of benefits / targeted effects of the program and concludes with an analysis of respondents ’ descriptions of the key activities of the community connections model specifically, as well as preschool for all in general, their sense of challenges facing the model, and ideas for meeting those challenges. targeted effects of the program discussed by respondents included new or stronger connections among parents, centers, and home - based providers ; perceptions of improvements in the center classroom and home - based care setting ; perceived improvements in children ’ s learning ; and business / personal benefits to participating in the program. there was a high degree of shared understanding of core model components. nevertheless, responses suggested a need for more specificity about some components. in identifying challenges, teachers and providers expressed the need for more training and support in some areas. for example, teachers wished for additional guidance in scheduling and making the best use of their visits with providers in their homes. also, parents, providers, and teachers all expressed concerns about the effectiveness


a 2011 study published in the clinical research in cardiology revealed that shoveling snow actually does increase the risk of a having a heart attack. the study looked at 500 people and found that 7 % started experiencing symptoms of heart problems while shoveling snow. the cardiologists conducting the canadian study felt that while 7 % is significant, there could be as many as double that number given the fact that the patients may not have connected their heart problems with snow shoveling. today, at the start of the 2012 - 2013 snow season, the snow & ice management association ( sima ), the national nonprofit organization representing the snow removal industry, is suggesting seven tips for safe snow shoveling. " while heart attacks may be the most serious consequence of shoveling snow, there are other even more common health risks including dehydration, back injuries, pulled muscles, broken bones and frostbite. but the good news is there are ways to safely shovel snow, " said martin b. tirado, cae, executive director, sima. here are sima ' s safe snow shoveling tips : tip # 1 : stay on top of the snow. no we aren ' t suggesting that you make snow angels but when there ' s a heavy snow, the best advice is to stay ahead of the storm. sima recommends that to prevent snow and ice from adhering to the sidewalk or street, clear the snow every few inches instead of waiting for the snow to stop falling before you head outdoors. tip # 2 : wear breathable layers. layering is typical cold winter weather advice. we suggest wearing layers of loose clothing so you can peal a layer off if you get hot. avoid wearing heavy wools, manmade materials or other materials that don ’ t allow perspiration to evaporate. better choices are cotton and silk. tip # 3 : watch your feet. no you aren ' t on dancing with the stars, but nonetheless, you need to pay attention to what ' s on your feet when heading outdoors to shovel snow. sima suggests wearing quality outdoor winter wear such as waterproof boots with good traction. good traction is critical to ensuring that you don ' t slip and fall. tip # 4 : take a few minutes to stretch. shoveling snow is a workout so you need to stretch to warm up your muscles particularly because you are shoveling snow in the cold weather. stretching before you start shoveling will help prevent injury and fatigue. tip # 5 : push don ' t lift. sounds like something a high school wrestling coach


to stretch to warm up your muscles particularly because you are shoveling snow in the cold weather. stretching before you start shoveling will help prevent injury and fatigue. tip # 5 : push don ' t lift. sounds like something a high school wrestling coach may say but if you push the snow to the side rather than trying to lift the snow to remove it, you exert less energy thereby placing less stress on your body. tip # 6 : drink up! water that is. sima recommends taking frequent breaks and staying hydrated. you should drink water as if you were enduring a tough workout at the gym or running five miles. tip # 7 : don ' t play in traffic. sometimes people get so focused on the task at hand they don ' t pay attention to their surroundings. when shoveling snow near streets, pay attention to the traffic since vehicles may not have good traction in the snow and ice. tip # 8 : call and text. we ' re not suggesting that you make calls and text while shoveling snow, but it is important to have your cell phone on you so you can make a call in event of an emergency. following these seven tips will help ensure that you survive and thrive through winter 2012 - 2013. for more snow and ice removal tips, visit sima. about the snow & ice management association ( sima ) founded in 1996, the snow & ice management association is the nation ' s trade association for professionals involved with the snow & ice industry including snow plowing as well as commercial & residential snow removal.


born first and headed for health trouble? firstborn children end up a little taller, smarter and richer than their younger siblings, on average. but are the eldest kids more likely to develop diabetes and heart disease when they grow up, too? that ' s the suggestion from a study conducted by researchers in new zealand, who found that firstborn children under age 12 had slightly higher blood pressure and were slightly less sensitive to insulin than their younger siblings. the results were published online in the journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism. doctors are looking more closely at children for early signs of diabetes and heart disease, as type 2 diabetes and obesity have become commonplace in children and adults. so, are firstborns doomed? not likely. first of all, this researchers measured the health of 85 children at one point in time. it ' s what ' s called an association study ; it can ' t prove that being born first caused the differences the scientists found. " as far as i know there ' s not a strong association between insulin sensitivity in an... 8 - year - old and an adult at 40 or 50 or 60, " said tamara wexler, an endocrinologist in private practice. " they ' re not relating this to pediatric obesity and pediatric diabetes. " the researchers found that the 32 firstborns had 21 percent less insulin sensitivity when compared to other children. being less sensitive to insulin, also called insulin resistance, can be a precursor to diabetes. the firstborns also had a small increase — about 4 millimeters of mercury — in blood pressure. those differences were similar to what ' s seen in obese children, the new zealanders noted. but these children weren ' t overweight. they were taller and slimmer than their peers, even when the researchers adjusted the results to account for the height and weight of the parents. there ' s no clear mechanism that explains the odd mixture of height, weight, blood pressure and glucose tolerance, the researchers wrote. " we do think this is a risk factor, " says wayne cutfield, a pediatric endocrinologist at the university of auckland who led the team. " but this does not mean these people will get diabetes. " cutfield told shots that this firstborn effect, if it proves out, could be one of many risk factors for developing diabetes in adulthood, including " unfortunate genes from your parents, crappy diet, not exercising, and stress from work. " studies with large numbers of adults need to be done to see if firstborns


could be one of many risk factors for developing diabetes in adulthood, including " unfortunate genes from your parents, crappy diet, not exercising, and stress from work. " studies with large numbers of adults need to be done to see if firstborns really do have more diabetes or other health issues later in life, cutfield added. as for the cause, cutfield speculates that it could be because the placenta is not quite as efficient in delivering nutrients during a first pregnancy. but many other factors could be involved. " it ' s really not clear, " he says. earlier studies on birth order and health issues aren ' t much help. the previous research tends to be more socioeconomic, looking into which children get the best food and medical care. firstborns usually do well there. if firstborns were slightly more likely to get diabetes, cutfield says, that might not make a big difference for individuals. but it could make a big difference for countries like china, which has enforced a one - child policy for decades. as a result, 60 percent of people worldwide are firstborns, according to cutfield. " i don ' t think that this can be taken as a cautionary tale for firstborns at all, " wexler says. all those firstborns needn ' t panic, she says. " the positive influence of exercise and diet holds the same, regardless of birth order. " - best of 2012 : the youth obesity ' epidemic ' in nebraska - national group takes aim at nebraska child welfare - young and overweight : an omaha school battles youth obesity - unmc study looks at parents ' attitudes toward children ' s weight - young and overweight : one - on - one with nebraska ' s chief medical officer


mary cole ' s new year ' s resolution was to lose about 20 pounds. she started with watching what she ate. after keeping a calorie journal for a week, cole said she couldn ' t believe the numbers. " i honestly thought i only ate about 1, 500 calories a day, " she said. " in reality, i was eating more than 3, 000. " dr. linda berry, a certified nutritionist, said that kind of surprise is common. she said studies show most people go above their caloric needs, but are lacking nutrients. " we are sort of an overfed but undernourished society, " she said. according to the usda, women 31 to 50 years old who are not physically active need about 1, 800 calories a day. those who are active need 2, 000 to 2, 200 a day. men in that age range need about 2, 200 if they are not active and 2, 400 to 3, 000 if they exercise. many factors affect that number for each individual, including height, weight and genetics. heavy exercisers and those who are pregnant may need more, while some with slower metabolisms may need less. once she got an idea of that, she said, she stopped counting. " i got the basic grasp of what my body needed and what was in the food i ate often, " she said. " i learned what to avoid and basically changed my whole way of thinking. i don ' t have to look at labels anymore. " berry suggests people stop focusing on an actual number. she said calorie counting is more of an emotional thing that can start with social conditioning, parental influence and more. " i don ' t think it is beneficial psychologically to be strict with calories, " she said. " it puts people under too much pressure. " if you want to know if you are eating the right amount of calories, berry said, look in the mirror. if you don ' t have a waist, it is time to adjust what you eat and your activity level. rather than count the number, she encourages people to look at what and how much they are eating. no drastic cuts one pound of body fat is equal to 3, 500 calories, so most people need to cut back about 500 calories a day to lose 1 pound a week. berry doesn ' t recommend cutting more than that. drastically dropping will actually hurt your weight loss, berry said. it suppresses your thyroid and when you go back to normal cal