lapta - a russian game that has been played since the 14th century. lapta is an old russian folk game with a ball and a bat. mentions of lapta have been found in old manuscripts, and balls and bats were found in the 14th - century layers during excavations in novgorod. the game was played outside on a field the size of 20 x 25 sazhens ( about 140 x 175 feet ). the edges of the field were marked with parallel lines, called salo. the goal of the game is to hit the ball, served by a player of the opposite team, with the bat and send the ball as far as possible, then run across the field to the kon line, and if possible to run back to the gorod line. the running player should try to avoid being hit with the ball, which is thrown by the opposing team members. for successful runs, the team earns points. a team wins by either getting more points during the scheduled time or by having all its players complete runs. brannboll - a game played in scandinavia. the main difference from baseball is that there is no pitcher, instead the batter himself hits the ball, usually a common tennis ball, with his bat. the bat is sometimes a wooden baseball bat, but less experienced players may use a flat paddle - like version ( often disparagingly called karringracket hag - bat, tjejtra girl - bat etc. mainly by boys ). there are also no constraints to the playing field. however a too crooked ball hit will result in a strike. the batter has three ( sometimes two ) strikes to get a valid hit or he is forced to go to the first base and the turn is given to the next batter in line. after batting, the batter drops the bat and makes his way counter - clockwise ( or clockwise ) around the four positioned bases, while the outfield players – who do not wear gloves – try to catch the ball and throw it to an appointed " burner ", belonging to their team. the " burner " ( brannaren ) needs to hold the ball in his hand, while simultaneously stepping on a small board on the ground – resembling the pitcher ' s plate, in baseball – and yell " brand " ( burned ), which ends the round. if the infield runner ( s ) are by then not positioned on a " base " they are " burned " and forced to go back to the first base or the previous passed base depending on rules ( a person on


, which ends the round. if the infield runner ( s ) are by then not positioned on a " base " they are " burned " and forced to go back to the first base or the previous passed base depending on rules ( a person on his way to the first base may not be burned ). a game is played in timed periods, often 2 or 4, and the teams switch sides in between them. however, if there is only one player left to bat and no player makes it to the fourth base during that round, or the last batter fails to produce a valid hit in his two attempts, the team is " burnt out " ( utebranda ), and the opposite team either gets a predetermined amount of bonus points ( and all on the team gets back in line for batting ) or the time period ends and the teams shift sides. pesapallo ( also known as finnish baseball ) - this was actually an olympic demonstration sport in 1952. it is played in finland, sweden, germany, switzerland, australia, and northern ontario. the basic structure of the game is identical to baseball, as the founder of the game based it on baseball in the early twentieth century ( why on earth our beloved game had to be changed is beyond me. they ' ve killed the beautiful symmetry of the game. change it back, and get those finns in the classic! ) the more significant differences from baseball are : * the first bounce of the ball is decisive : it must bounce within the play area, and may then roll over a line and still be in play. the back line on the fly counts as a [ strike / foul ball ]. the foul lines are also on the sides and the front of the field. so if a player hits a very hard hit that would be a certain home run in baseball, it ' s counted as a strike / foul in pesapallo. this increases the tactical approach but decreases the challenge of hitting hard. * a batting team ' s batting inning ends not when three batters have failed to score, but when either three batters have all been physically beaten by the ball ( a ball catch straight off the bat does not suffice, it is called ' koppi ' a middle ground between scoring and being out ) or when the entire regular team of nine has batted and are all either in koppi, out on a base or run - out ( but if a player scores, he liberates all his koppi players, making them eligible to


) or when the entire regular team of nine has batted and are all either in koppi, out on a base or run - out ( but if a player scores, he liberates all his koppi players, making them eligible to bat again in that inning ) * catching a ball in flight is not an out, but forces all runners not on a base to return to home base ( this is called a " haava ", lit. " a wound " or simply " koppi ", " a catch " ). this gives the batter a chance to " move the responsibility " of advancing runners to the next batter if he thinks he ' s not good enough for the task. also, " wounded " players are not allowed to bat unless two runs have scored after the " wounding ". hence the team can run out of players. * a batter ' s box is removed and the home plate serves as a pitching plate, which is round with a diameter of 0. 6 metres ( 24 in ). all other batting team players stand in a semi - circle near the batter, either awaiting their turn to bat, or one step further back in ' koppi ' * pitches are tossed straight upwards from above the batters plate ( 100 % vertical tosses ), and the batter hits the ball when it drops down. there is no catcher ( catcher is one of the closest fielders to the home base ) ; the ball hitting the pitching plate is a miss / strike. * players have no difficulty hitting the ball when it ' s pitched upwards, so the main target isn ' t just hitting the ball, it ' s positioning the hit correctly ( very short hits - bunts - help other runners advance bases [ like stolen bases but with the ball hit and hence counting as a strike when the batter stays back after hitting the ball ], a good homing hit is batted between the fielders in the midfield and if the ball slips far away from the field, it ' s easy to hit a home run etc. ). the home run is not so much good hitting as weak fielding. * a home run is scored when the batter reaches third base before the ball ( the ball is in play even if it has bounced to the river near the field ). after a home run the runner can stay at third base and try to score another run. * the strike zone is rather different ; the ball is good if it was lifted at least one meter ( 3. 2 ft ) above the heads and it hits the pitching


home run the runner can stay at third base and try to score another run. * the strike zone is rather different ; the ball is good if it was lifted at least one meter ( 3. 2 ft ) above the heads and it hits the pitching plate. * walking requires fewer invalid pitches ( when the field is empty of runners, one invalid pitch allows a walk, otherwise two ). a walk advances the runner closest to home base ; if there ' s a runner at third base, he / she shall score. * the batter is not required to run after hitting the ball on his first or second strike. but, after two strikes, when the pitcher releases the ball for the pitch, the batter can drop his bat and try to run to first base. the pitcher must wait until the ball bounces from the pitching plate before he can grab it [ the absence of this rule would lead to serious injuries ] and try to throw the runner out at first - so even at the top level, the runner stands a good chance of making it to first base without having hit the ball. * force outs are always outs : if the runner is off the base and the ball is in the control of a defensive player at the next base, the runner is out. * the bases are not laid in a square ; the players have to ' zig zag ' the court ( see chart ). * when entering a base or the home base, the runner only has to cross the line of the base ; there are no actual cushion bases like in baseball, only circular lines in the sand showing where each base is. * the pitcher or the fielders in the bases don ' t have any plates to touch to make an out ; having only a foot in the base ( a much larger area compared to the bases used in baseball ) is enough. * the attacking team uses a color coded fan to signal the runners when to move. the fan is multicoloured, held by the manager of the team. color sequence is decided prior to the game. when the manager puts on the specified colour order and holds the fan over his head, the runners know to run. sometimes even a certain player holding his bat up is the " code ". * the offensive team can " skip " batters. the team manager has an option to jump over his weaker batters and go straight to his " big guns " if he thinks it necessary. this is only possible in super pesis, where each team has a small allowance of ' jokers ' to play.


manager has an option to jump over his weaker batters and go straight to his " big guns " if he thinks it necessary. this is only possible in super pesis, where each team has a small allowance of ' jokers ' to play. * the final score of the game is not the runs scored but " wins " of two periods, which include four innings each. to win a period, a team must have scored more runs in that period. in the event that both teams have scored the same number of times in a period, the team with more home runs wins the period, if this is also equal, then neither team receives a period win point, and hence both lose ground in the overall league table. if after the 2x4 innings are played, the overall periods won score is either 0 - 0 or 1 - 1, then a sudden death overtime sequence is initiated. rounders - the original form of baseball, this game is still played wherever the british empire once stuck its flag. rounders is played at international level. canada, england, ireland, the isle of man, scotland and wales compete against each other, and the pakistan rounders association held its first national competition in 2006. there are plans to develop the game in other asian countries and zimbabwe also has a national body for rounders. sounds like the world baseball classic has competition. screw rounders - play baseball! the 2008 rounders world festival was held in rotherham, england, on june 28 organised by the uk national rounders association. this event replaced a proposed world cup which was cancelled after fewer teams entered than expected.. national teams represented at the festival were china, iran, england, and wales.. the inaugural meeting of the world rounders association took place at the 2008 world festival, attended by representatives from england, wales, india and pakistan. i wonder if the existence of these similar games has in anyway hindered the development of baseball on an international level. think about the most popular sport in the world - football. there is no real competition. sure, there are other sports called football, but they don ' t resemble the sport where you actually use your foot and are more like rugby. pesapallo is sometimes called the finnish national sport. what if baseball hadn ' t been altered to create this game? would the finns be playing in the classic now? if all the world were playing baseball instead of their various versions of it, would the earth consist of two seasons - football and baseball? could i live in europe and see the same


it ' s a subject no one wants to think about, but for each of us, our lives must come to an end. as medical progress prolongs our lives, the end can linger, draining patients and loved ones alike. so, more and more people are turning to hospice care. hospice is not just for the elderly or cancer patients. children receive hospice care, as do patients with neurologically progressive degenerative diseases like lou gehrig ' s disease, parkinson ' s disease, and hiv. this holistic approach to the end of life treats pain and disease symptoms to make the patient as comfortable and functional as possible. counseling helps patients and families come to terms with the process. three decades after hospices spread to the u. s. from britain, more than 1. 3 million americans receive hospice care each year, according to the national hospice and palliative care organization ( nhpco ). medicare, medicaid, and most health plans cover hospice programs. a patient can enter hospice care when a doctor assesses that the patient has a terminal illness, and says that he or she has six months or less to live. the patient, family, and doctor decide when hospice service should begin. although a person enters hospice with less than six months to live, hospice services don ' t automatically end at six months. some people in hospice care live much longer. medicare, for instance, continues to provide hospice coverage after six months, as long as the patient ' s doctor recertifies that the patient is terminally ill. typically, a hospice patient is treated by a team of people. the team includes not only the patient ' s family members, but also a doctor, a nurse, counselors, a social worker, pastoral care services, home health aides, and trained volunteers. the goal is to control pain and symptoms so that the patient is comfortable yet alert enough to make decisions. the team also helps the family through the grieving process. some hospices have a facility where people receive care in their final days. but most hospice programs bring doctors, nurses, and other staff to patients ' homes. surveys show most americans prefer it that way. a hospice can give family caregivers a break through respite care. a trained caregiver will step in to allow family members some time off. under medicare, a patient under respite care can be cared for at home, at a hospice center, or at a hospital. despite these benefits, many people still have the misperception that you


in to allow family members some time off. under medicare, a patient under respite care can be cared for at home, at a hospice center, or at a hospital. despite these benefits, many people still have the misperception that you come to hospice at the end of a person ' s life. instead of a person waiting until the very last moment to enter hospice, hospice staff urge families to discuss end - of - life issues well in advance, while an ill person can still state his or her wishes. hospice also offers a multitude of support services for the patient and family. the relationship that develops with the hospice staff allows the care receivers to work through anticipatory grieving as well as the logistics of end - of - life issues. patients express gratitude knowing that their family will not be left behind with no one to help them. final preparations are made in collaboration with the patient. the final days can then be spent on closure, knowing that everything has been done to help the patient through the transition of dying. to learn about hospice care in your area, check into these resources : doctors, nurses, and other health care professionals social workers, clergy, and other counselors friends or neighbors who have experienced hospice care internet search engines your local yellow pages local or state offices on aging or senior centers


vietnam, a one - party communist state, has one of south - east asia ' s fastest - growing economies and has set its sights on becoming a developed nation by 2020. it became a unified country once more in 1975 when the armed forces of the communist north seized the south. this followed three decades of bitter wars, in which the communists fought first against the colonial power france, then against south vietnam and its us backers. in its latter stages, the conflict held the attention of the world. the us joined the hostilities in order to stem the " domino effect " of successive countries falling to communism. the war produced heavy casualties on both sides, atrocities against civilians, and the indiscriminate destruction and contamination of much of the landscape. at a glance - politics : vietnam is a one - party communist state ; it became unified in 1975 after three decades of war - economy : it is becoming a major manufacturing centre ; it is the second biggest supplier of clothes to the us - international : long running territorial dispute with china over parts of south china sea, rich in oil and fish country profiles compiled by bbc monitoring a visit to vietnam by us president bill clinton in november 2000 was presented as the culmination of american efforts to normalise relations with the former enemy. vietnam struggled to find its feet after unification and tried at first to organise the agricultural economy along strict collectivist lines. but elements of market forces and private enterprise were introduced from the late 1980s and a stock exchange opened in 2000. foreign investment has grown and the us is vietnam ' s main trading partner. in the cities, the consumer market is fuelled by the appetite of a young, middle class for electronic and luxury goods. after 12 years of negotiations the country joined the world trade organization in january 2007. but the disparity in wealth between urban and rural vietnam is wide and some communist party leaders worry that too much economic liberalisation will weaken their power base. vietnam has also struggled to restrain its trade and budget deficits. its inflation rate reached double digits at the start of 2010 and approached 20 % by the end of 2011, as food prices doubled, before falling back in 2012. despite pursuing economic reform, the ruling communist party shows little willingness to give up its monopoly on political power. vietnam actively suppresses political dissent and religious freedom. rights groups have singled out hanoi ' s treatment of ethnic minority hill tribe people, collectively known as montagnards. the human rights advocacy group amnesty international says in a 2011 report that ' ' more than a dozen activists were convicted in faulty


some prehistoric sites in bc the glenrose cannery site > > > - - - - > the glenrose site, fraser river, british columbia source : the prehistory of the northwest coast, r. g. matson and gary coupland, academic press, san diego, 1995. the glenrose site is situated along the fraser river, british columbia, less than 10 miles from the pacific coast. the site is representative of the old cordilleran culture which dates to between 9, 000 and 5, 000 years ago in the pacific northwest of north america. the majority of the finds at the site were stone tools. nearly half of the assemblage constisted of large cobble tools ( choppers ). it is possible that these large cobble tools were used to harvest mussels. most of the remaining artifacts were flake tools, such as scrapers, but a few leaf - shaped lanceolate biface projectile points were recovered as well. a few ground stone tools are represented, as well some antler and bone tools, including a barbed antler point. animal remains from the site show thatelk was themost important hunted game, but deer, canis, beaver, and harbor seal bones were present as well. fish remains were also uncovered and included salmon, sturgeon, flatfish, eulachon, stickleback and peamouth. the animal and fish bones both indicate a late spring and early summer occupation time for the site. it appears that this site was regularly visited on a seasonal basis. glenrose site beach and strata layers in the fraser river bank. other culturally related sites from the same time period have established that the old cordilleran peoples hunted sea mammals and fished deep ocean waters. they also harvested salmon during the spawning seasons in interior sites along the major rivers. the keatley creek site > > > - - - - > the keatley creek site is an unusually large prehistoric housepit village site located on the terraces of the fraser river, about 20 km upstream from the town of lillooet, british columbia. archaeological investigations were undertaken at the site by dr. brian hayden of simon fraser university between 1986 and 1996. the results of this research have provideda insight into the lives and times of early residents at keatley creek. the goal of the fraser river investigations into corporate group archaeology project was to understand the economic and social organization that made large villages and households possible prehistorically. in order to answer such questions, special attention had to be paid to formation processes and


the utmost care and respect. many nlakapamux creation legends tell of supernatural beings known as " transformers " who traveled the land when the world was new and accomplished heroic and creative feats. sesukii ' n and seku ' lia were part of the group of transformers known as the " shkwitkwatl " that came from shuswap country and reached styne creek ( the stein river ) one day at dusk and found a number of people living in an underground lodge just north of the creek where dogs began to howl when they approached. there, they transformed a man who made fun of them, his house, and the people living there, into stone. upon leaving, sesukli ' n left the mark of his right foot on a stone. a little farther down the river, seku ' lia left the mark of his left foot. these impressions of human feet can still be seen in the woods near the stein river. as reminders of their passing, the shkwitkwtl also changed the " spetakl people " ( prehuman people with animal characteristics and gifted in magic ) into real animals and into rocks and boulders with remarkable shapes. many " legend rocks ", as they are referred to by native elders, are visible today in the stein valley nlakapamux heritage park. another reminder of the mythological age are certain rock paintings in the valley said to have been made by the " shkwitkwatl " and still visible today. the majority of the rock paintings for which the valley is famous, however, were made by the ancestors of the nlakapamux people at special places on the land which are recognized to possess a high level of " spirit power ". most of these are found on cliffs or boulders at the base of rock talus slopes beside the aboriginal trail that follows the river through the mountains. the exceptions are a number of painted caves located high above the river on steep mountain slopes. this incalculable cultural wealth is reflected in the theme " stein valley nlakapamux heritage park : a living museum of cultural and natural history ". planing and management of the park will be guided by this theme and will be designed to complement and highlight the historical and cultural presence of the lytton nlakapamux in the stein watershed, as well as to preserve, maintain and encourage traditional aboriginal sustenance, cultural and ceremonial activities in the area. preservation, protection, presentation and proper management of the


man - made pollution is helping to push the tropics northwards, research suggests. the effect could impact weather and climate, making sub - tropical regions drier and creating wetter and stormier conditions further north. scientists already knew that the tropics have been widening by around 0. 7 degrees of latitude per decade. ozone depletion in the stratosphere is thought to be the main driver of this expansion in the southern hemisphere. but the new findings indicate that tropic widening in the northern hemisphere is mainly due to black carbon and ozone lower in the atmosphere. while stratospheric ozone provides vital protection against harmful solar radiation, the same gas in the lower troposphere is a man - made pollutant and harmful to health. professor robert allen, from the university of california at riverside, who led the climate modelling study, said : " both black carbon and tropospheric ozone warm the tropics by absorbing solar radiation. " because they are short - lived pollutants, with lifetimes of one - two weeks, their concentrations remain highest near the sources : the northern hemisphere low - to - mid - latitudes. it ' s the heating of the mid - latitudes that pushes the boundaries of the tropics poleward. " tropical expansion northwards could affect large - scale atmospheric circulation, especially in the subtropics and mid - latitudes, said the researchers, whose findings are reported in the journal nature. " if the tropics are moving poleward, then the sub - tropics will become even drier, " said dr allen. " if a poleward displacement of the mid - latitude storm tracks also occurs, this will shift mid - latitude precipitation poleward, impacting regional agriculture, economy, and society. "


* use fresh fruits in a variety of shapes and colors that are in season, such as watermelon, cantaloupe, honeydew, pineapple, strawberries, kiwi fruit, etc. pumpkin - carving tools work really well for carving watermelon. if you don ’ t have any, use a small sharp paring knife. carving a melon bowl is similar to carving a pumpkin. it takes a bit of time to carve it, but the bowl can be carved before the party, wrapped in plastic and refrigerated. the melon pulp you remove from the shell can be cut up and served with the other fruits in this festive bowl. step 1 select a uniformly - shaped melon and wash it. cut off the top 1 / 4 of the melon. cut a thin slice from the bottom so the melon will sit flat, being careful not to cut into the red pulp. scoop out the melon, leaving a 1 / 2 to 1 - inch shell. next, determine a design to carve. for a graduation, you might carve the year ( as shown ) or carve the graduate ’ s name. use stencils for the numbers or letters and trace them onto adhesive - backed vinyl - coated paper. step 2 attach the adhesive pattern to the watermelon. with a small sharp, pointed knife or pumpkin carving tool, cut 3 / 4 of the way around each number or letter.


the cukurova university botanical garden, turkey volume 3 number 5 - december 2000 prof. dr. erdogan gultekin the first attempt to set up a botanic garden in turkey was in about 1949 with the establishment of an arboretum in bahcekoy near istanbul with the support of the university of istanbul faculty of forestry. in spite of the rich biodiversity and high number of species both in flora and fauna in turkey, the number of botanical gardens are quite few. early initiatives for a botanical garden at cukurova university took place in 1972.. some activities such as corresponding with some foreign countries were carried out by the department of landscape architecture between 1973 - 1978. after collecting a variety of plant seeds from different countries and also from the mainland, some successful results were obtained with some outdoor plants such as bauhinia variegata, parkinsonia aculeata, duranta repens and cassia tomentosa which gave impetus for the development of a botanic garden. in 1994 an evaluation and advisory committee with 12 members was formed to develop new strategies and policies which met twice a year. at the same time a planning and project team with 6 members mainly from the department of landscape architecture was organized and a master plan was drawn in accordance with natural, edaphic and climatic conditions and the needs and interest of the public. the botanic garden is located in south - eastern turkey. the cukurova area is 20 meters above sea level and only 40 kilometers to the north of the mediterranean sea ; it is surrounded by the chain of taurus mountains which reach up to 300 meters. the garden has a total area of 200 acres. the most spectacular part of the botanic garden is the maquis ( macchia ) and the native plant garden. maquis ( macchia ) and native plant garden with an area of 100 acres, this garden consist of native plants that unique to region. the garden is situated in a wide valley from the south to the north west part of the botanic garden. some woody maquis elements are listed below : the nursery of the botanic garden covers nearly 5 acres of which 150 m² is reserved for offices, laboratory and library. an area of 2 acres is added to the main site for maintenance work, with watering facilities. a small green house and screen house are being established in the nursery. projects have been started in parts of the garden, woody plants ( trees and bushes ) have been sown for research and collections have been planned for the coming period. a work programme on the implications and practical work relating to plantation


major new research programme to halt relentless rise in uk heart failure regenerative medicine could make recovery as simple as getting over a broken leg. the burden of debilitating heart failure has risen relentlessly since the sixties, inspiring our major new research programme to find a cure. the condition, which is often caused by damage to the heart during a heart attack, means the heart can no longer pump properly. it is one of the uk ’ s leading causes of disability, with some patients housebound and fighting for breath, making getting out of bed or eating a meal incredibly difficult. when we were founded in 1961, an estimated 100, 000 people in the uk had heart failure. but an ageing population and the fact that more people now survive heart attacks mean more than 750, 000 people now live with the condition and even higher numbers are expected in we need to spend £50million to make this a reality and currently the resources and investment we need are simply not available. combat this, we have today unveiled a major new programme of research in regenerative medicine to find a cure. the mending broken hearts project involve stem cell research to work out how to repair or replace damaged heart muscle to begin to literally ‘ mend in as little as ten years time. part of the inspiration for the research programme is that regeneration already occurs in nature. some animals, such as zebrafish, can regrow portions of their own hearts. research may be able to make this possible in our medical director professor peter weissberg said : “ since the bhf ’ s inception 50 years ago, we ’ ve made great strides in medical research to better diagnose and treat people with all kinds of heart problems. but the biggest issue that still eludes us is how to help people once their heart has been damaged by a heart attack. “ scientifically, mending human hearts is an achievable goal and we really could make recovering from a heart attack as simple as getting over a broken leg. but we need to spend £50 million to make this a reality, and currently the resources and investment we need are simply not available. ” joanne ward, 36, from sheffield, has heart failure after suffering a heart attack shortly after giving birth to her second son, tyler, five years ago. she said : “ living with heart failure means everything from doing the washing to playing silly games with my sons requires a huge amount of effort, and sometimes they ’ re just too hard to do. “ until i got ill, i never realised heart muscle couldn


the dividing line now i beseech you, brethren, by the name of our lord jesus christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you ; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. 1 corinthians 1. 10 ( spoke 2, cycle 3 ) the name of the second letter, bet ( בית ), denotes a house. this arose from its ancient form which looked like a house or tent. it is familiar to christians via the name bethlehem, the house of bread, where jesus, the bread of life, entered the world, becoming housed in human flesh. thus the rabbis teach that " the house symbolizes the ultimate purpose of all reality : to become a dwelling place below for the manifestation of g - d ' s presence. " christians recognise this divine house as jesus christ in whom " all the fulness of the godhead dwells. " bet is one of ten letters that play a special role in the grammar of the hebrew language. when prefixed to a word, it signifies the preposition in, by, with or within. the first word of the bible, berashith, is a prime example of this, being formed from rashith, ( beginning ), prefixed with the second letter bet. many such examples are found in the alphabetic verses. for example, the last three verses corresponding to bet in psalm 119 each exemplifies this meaning. note that the word order is lost in translation. in the hebrew text, each verse begins with the letter bet. | | i have rejoiced in the way ( בדרך ) of thy testimonies, as much as in all riches. | | | i will meditate in thy precepts ( בפקדיך, bephiqudekah ), and have respect unto thy ways. | | | i will delight myself in thy statutes ( בחקתיך, behuqothekah ) : i will not forget thy word. symbolically, bet encompasses the whole range of concepts found in the numerical category defined by the number two, such as duality, division, image, and reflection. god ' s use of these elements is particularly easy to trace through scripture. i begin with the second day of creation which is characterized by division : and god said, let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters. and


is particularly easy to trace through scripture. i begin with the second day of creation which is characterized by division : and god said, let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters. and god made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament : and it was so. and god called the firmament heaven. and the evening and the morning were the second day. the second day ( genesis 1 : 6 ) the next time god divided the waters is in exodus, the second book of the bible : and moses stretched out his hand over the sea ; and the lord caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided. the second book ( exodus 14. 21 ) the theme of division is amplified in the second seal of revelation, and when he had opened the second seal, i heard the second beast say, come and see. and there went out another horse that was red : and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another : and there was given unto him a great sword. the second seal ( revelation 6. 3 ) the power to remove peace from the earth, to cause the civil division called war, is here represented by a sword, which is the great archetypal instrument of division generated from the line, the second geometric construct. this theme of the second seal also coheres with the ancient rabbinical explanation of why the phrase " it was good " is missing from the second day of creation. in the gates of light ( 16th century ), rabbi gikatilla explained that... "... it was good is not mentioned on the second day because it is the essence of difference and separation... wherever there is distinction and separation, good is not to be found, for good comes to bring peace and connect all things. " he then linked this with genesis 2 where god said " it is not good that the man should be alone ; i will make him an help meet for him. " | the numerical category defined by the number two | | second divine person | | the son of god, word of god, image of god | | | thou art my son, this day i have begotten thee. - only passage to be referenced by number in scripture. | | | division of the waters | | |


joseph wang, director of the center for bioelectronics and biosensors at the biodesign institute at asu, led a team effort that successfully merged work in the fields of biosensors, electronics, and nanotechnology to fashion nanocrystals that can act as “ dna biosensors? by electronically recognizing subtle mutations in the dna. this creates enormous potential for applications such as the diagnosis and treatment of genetic diseases, detection of infectious agents and reliable forensic analysis. wang, who recently was recruited to the biodesign institute and serves a joint appointment as professor in the chemical and materials department at the ira a. fulton school of engineering and the department of chemistry, is a renowned expert in nanomaterial - based biosensors that operate at the scale of a thousand times smaller than the width of a human hair. he wrote 660 papers and has 12 patents to his credit, including involvement in the development of the first noninvasive biosensor for diabetes, the fda approved gluco watch, which monitors glucose levels through human sweat. “ the ultimate goal is to make something similar to a hand - held glucose monitor for future genetic testing,? wang says. “ the electronic detection of dna is a thing of beauty. you can make it small, low - power, inexpensive and robust.? / p > among the keys to unearthing the mysteries behind individual genetic variation and diseases like cancer are fine differences? single nucleotide polymorphisms, or “ snps?? buried within the 3 billion chemical bases of dna comprising the human genome. not every snp found will necessarily cause a mutation or determine our eye or hair color? but, on average, snps occur about once in every 1, 000 dna bases, adding up to 3 million potential individual differences across the human geno source : arizona state university


their officer, des bergeres, survived. the captain was not to remain long in command of the fort. its destruction was, in fact, one of the conditions for peace imposed upon denonville by dongan, who was arming the iroquois against the french. faced in the summer of 1688 with the bloody guerilla warfare waged by the mohawks along the richelieu river, the french governor ordered the evacuation of niagara, as he was to order that of fort frontenac the following year under the same circumstances. des bergeres thus left the fort in mid - september 1688 and immediately returned to montreal with his garrison. some months after his return from niagara des bergeres succeeded captain francois lefebvre duplessis faber as commandant of fort saint - louis at chambly. duplessis faber ’ s reluctance to give up command of this important post was perhaps the cause of hostility between the two men. in any case on 15 july 1689, after an altercation, the two captains fought a duel in which des bergeres was slightly wounded. the duelists were immediately arrested and imprisoned, and their case was examined the next day at montreal. after a long inquiry the matter finally came before the conseil souverain on the following 16 november. both were “ acquitted of the accusation brought against them because of the duel. ” duplessis faber was, however, sentenced to pay 600 livres to des bergeres as well as court costs. despite this incident des bergeres kept his post at chambly. he was to remain there until 1696. because of its geographical situation chambly was of the utmost strategic importance, especially in those difficult years when the colony had to bear up against the combined attacks of the indians and english and to launch its own offensives. on 12 oct. 1691 the intendant, bochart de champigny, complained to the minister about des bergeres who, according to him, was using up “ a considerable quantity of provisions, munitions, and warehouse equipment. ” when the minister told him of this accusation, buade * de frontenac replied on 15 sept. 1692 that these expenditures “ were real ” and were well employed. at the same time he expressed his satisfaction with des bergeres in the following terms : “ but what i can tell you without being untruthful is that there is no one here in command of a fort who keeps things in as good state as he does, who is more vigilant, and in whom one must


terms : “ but what i can tell you without being untruthful is that there is no one here in command of a fort who keeps things in as good state as he does, who is more vigilant, and in whom one must put greater trust... his post is the most sought after and the most exposed of all. it is one of the keys to the country, and our enemies are before its stockades almost every day, so that it is necessary to be as alert as i know he is to alleviate the anxiety that i would have for it, if someone less attentive were in his place. ” des bergeres may even have contributed out of his own pocket to the rebuilding of the fort in 1693. in recognition of his excellent services the governor granted him that year a gratuity of 500 livres. on 8 nov. 1694, at montreal, des bergeres married jeanne - cecile closse, widow of jacques bizard *, town major of montreal and seigneur of ile bizard, and daughter of lambert closse *. eminent personages, such as m. de calliere, were present at the marriage. two years after his marriage des bergeres gave up command of fort chambly. this took place at the moment when frontenac was preparing to lead a strong expedition against the onondagas. naturally the governor retained the services of the man whose qualities he had praised so highly some years before. the expedition left montreal at the beginning of july 1696 and some days later reached fort frontenac ; it had been restored the preceding summer by the chevalier thomas crisafy * who had died in montreal in february 1696. the governor pursued his campaign in august, having entrusted the defence of the fort to the marquis antoine de crisafy, brother of the chevalier, and to raymond blaise des bergeres. the expedition was completely successful and was back at montreal in september. des bergeres too probably returned to montreal, where he must have lived with his family until 1700. during these few years his wife bore him three children, of whom only one, marie - joseph, born 3 may 1698, lived. madame des bergeres died on 4 feb. 1700 at montreal. left alone with a two - year - old baby and nicolas, who was 21 by then, des bergeres took up his career again. the command of fort frontenac was vacant as a result of the removal and arrest of la porte de louvigny,


a two - year - old baby and nicolas, who was 21 by then, des bergeres took up his career again. the command of fort frontenac was vacant as a result of the removal and arrest of la porte de louvigny, who had been engaged in the fur trade illegally. des bergeres was in command at this post until 1704 ; his son nicolas was a member of the garrison. in this position des bergeres again showed himself deserving of the confidence of the authorities of the colony, as is attested by the reaction on the part of rigaud de vaudreuil and francois de beauharnois * de la chaussaye to the possibility of des bergeres ’ nomination to the newly created post of king ’ s lieutenant at trois - rivieres. “ the latter is required for the king ’ s service at fort frontenac, where he is in command, ” they wrote to the minister on 15 nov. 1703. in 1707 des bergeres was called to command fort chambly for the second time. the gravity of the military situation made necessary the presence of an experienced officer in this post, for the rumour persisted of an invasion by the english via the richelieu river. from that time forth it appears that des bergeres aspired to the quiet life which a permanent and well - paid appointment would procure for him. the post of town major of trois - rivieres had been vacant since the death of michel godefroy de linctot on 18 may 1709. des bergeres asked for the office and was granted it in may 1710. previously he may have left his son nicolas in command of fort chambly ; on 13 nov. 1709, at ile dupas, he had married marguerite vauvril de blason, the widow of lambert boucher *, sieur de grandpre. he died on 21 july 1711 at the hotel - dieu of montreal. raymond blaise des bergeres lived in canada at the period of the first open struggles between new france and new england. in his capacity as commandant of forts which were situated at strategic places, des bergeres was one of the artisans of french supremacy in america, a supremacy which was seriously compromised by the treaty of utrecht. ajm, greffe d ’ antoine adhemar, 8 nov. 1694 ; registres d ’ etat civil de notre - dame de montreal, novembre 1694, janvier 1697, octobre 1699, fevrier 1700, juille


virtually day and night the british library was on hand to provide articles to the palm beach post during an outbreak of anthrax in florida ’ s palm beach, some dating back to the 1940s. when deadly anthrax germs were sent to the offices of the national enquirer in florida ’ s palm beach in october 2001, there was an urgent demand for information on the disease. the palm beach library and the local paper, the palm beach post, were inundated with requests from journalists and medical writers wanting access to background research on anthrax. the fbi closed the offices of the national enquirer ’ s publisher, american media inc, after a photo editor, bob stevens, died from the extremely rare inhaled form of anthrax and a colleague was found to have been exposed to the bacillae. three of american media ’ s six tabloids - the enquirer, globe and star - were scheduled to go to press as more than 100 employees lined up outside a clinic in delray beach to be screened for anthrax. against this backdrop of alarm the british library was called upon to support investigations by journalists needing to understand and report on what was happening. the palm beach post ’ s library director, sammy r alzofon, said : ' we value the inside document delivery service at the british library highly. it was there when we needed it virtually any time of the day or night. we purchased anthrax research articles dating back to the 1940s and our medical writer, sanjay bhatt, put together dozens of stories during the outbreak. our paper is distributed widely and our coverage circulated internationally through many online services. ' this extract is taken from our annual report 2001 - 2002


advocating for children ' s rights is one of austria ' s fundamental priorities in terms of human rights vice - chancellor spindelegger on the international children ' s day vienna, 20 november 2012 – " on 20th of november we celebrate the adoption of the 1989 convention of the rights of the child which has been ratified by nearly all states of the world since then. this convention was a milestone ; it illustrated that children are not simply small adults but personalities with their own rights and needs that we must take seriously ", austrian vice - chancellor spindelegger said on the occasion of the international day of the rights of the child. austria ratified the convention on the rights of the child precisely twenty years ago. a great deal has been achieved since then in terms of implementing the rights ensured by the convention – both in austria and internationally. " austria strongly advocates the further development of children ' s rights in international forums, and in our dialogue with other states we directly address areas where the implementation of the rights of the child are problematic. we have achieved a lot over the past few years, for example better protection of children in armed conflict ; progress has been made in the prevention of violence against children in prison and in the international cooperation in the combat of child trafficking ", spindelegger continued. regrettably, the 20th of november is not only a day of joy : " in the past year, we have received many shattering reports, such as reports about torture and severe abuse of children in syria or the attack on 15 - year old malala yousafzai in pakistan who had been fighting for the rights of girls in her country. so we have to bring to mind that many joint efforts are still needed to make the rights of the child a reality for all children in the world. commitment to this objective is one of austria ' s most important priorities in the field of human rights ", the minister concluded. federal ministry for european and international affairs tel. : + + 43 ( 0 ) 50 1150 - 3262, 4549, 4550 fax : + + 43 ( 0 ) 50 1159 - 213


what is the keep? the keep, the site of bermuda maritime museum, was the citadel or great fortress of the dockyard defences. it is a six - acre fort, with seven irregular bastions, named ‘ a ’ to ‘ g ’, designed to protect the dockyard from enemy attack. the lower grounds of the keep contain large sea service stores, which in 1857 comprised two bombproof magazines for 6, 540 barrels of powder, a shell store, a filling room and a shifting house. lighters, or small boats, were dispatched from the keep pond to serve the fleet at anchor in grassy bay. lighters would provide ships with munitions from the keep stores, or safely remove munitions from ships under repair in the dockyard. how is the museum funded? the museum is a non - governmental, not - for - profit charity ( bermuda charity no. 136 ), meaning the institution depends on private and corporate donations, membership dues, admissions, and events rentals. how many visitors does the museum receive? there are approximately 50, 000 visitors to the museum annually, making it bermuda ’ s most visited museum attraction. how many objects are in the museum ’ s collections? there are more than 30, 000 objects in the museum ’ s diverse collections, including photographs, documents, plans, books, oral testimonies, archaeological specimens, boats, ship models, and a wide range of maritime artifacts. where do the museum ’ s collections come from? the museum ’ s impressive collections are mainly donations from the public and institutions, while some come from archaeological how long have the dolphins been at the museum? dolphin quest has operated out of the keep with its dolphins resident in the protected waters of the keep pond since september 1999, when hurricane gert destroyed the dolphin quest habitat at the fairmont southampton princess hotel. why are there sheep on the upper grounds of the museum? the sheep you ’ ll encounter are our trusty lawnmowers. they trim all the grass and vegetation on the upper grounds year - round. the flock is katahdin sheep, a special breed that requires no shearing. local farmer bascome of westover farm in somerset manages the flock. please do not try to follow, touch, or feed the sheep as they are extremely timid creatures and scare very easily! does the museum manage the entire historic royal naval dockyard site? the museum manages the keep, while the west end development corporation manages the majority of the remainder of the dockyard site.


what is seo? search engine optimisation ( seo ) is the process of getting your website to appear in good positions in the search engine results pages ( serps ). it may sound easy, but there are many different techniques involved and the search engines are always searching for ways to improve their results, which means you need to be proactive if you want to get – and keep – top rankings in the serps. why do we need seo? when the first search engines appeared in 1993, there were only a handful of websites and search engines were more like directories of the sites online. in 2011, there are millions of websites and search engines act as curators of content, helping their customers to find the best content online. there is more competition for the precious top spots in the serps – and it ’ s growing dramatically every day. being in the top spot can bring targeted traffic to your website, leading to more sales or enquiries and increasing your revenue. if you want to get your website in front of these potential customers, you need to work on seo marketing. how does search engine optimisation work? to understand how seo works, first you need to get an idea of how the search engines work. the search engines use pieces of coding – often known as robots or spiders – to crawl through the internet following links as they go. the search engine spiders follows links to find your website. they will “ read ” your site, follow your links and make copies of your website that are stored in the search engine ’ s index. when a person types their query into a search engine another piece of coding called an algorithm compares the indexed copy of your site to the search query. if the algorithm decides that your site is relevant to the query and of sufficiently high quality, it will be shown in the serps. the algorithm decides not only which sites appear in the serps, but also the order that they appear in. search engine optimisation serves three key purposes to help your site to rank well : - seo helps the search engines to find your website. - seo helps the search engines to understand your website. - seo helps the search engines to rate your website. 1. seo helps the search engines to find your website. you need the search engines to find your content – unless they know about it, they cannot display your website in the serps. there are a number of things that you can do to create a search engine friendly website that is easy to discover and crawl : - ensure your site is designed using coding


– unless they know about it, they cannot display your website in the serps. there are a number of things that you can do to create a search engine friendly website that is easy to discover and crawl : - ensure your site is designed using coding the search engines understand – flash may look great, but search engines have real difficulty processing it. - creating xml sitemaps – a universal format for sitemaps that search engines understand. - building links to your website from other sites. 2. seo helps the search engines to understand your website. the spiders have found your website – but if you want to rank well for the right search phrases, you need to make sure that the spiders understand what your website is all about. it ’ s no good appearing in position one on google for “ business supplies ” when you sell caribbean cruises for crafters. the first stage in this process is carry out keyword research to understand what phrases – known as keywords – your potential customers are searching for. using this information you can then carry out on page optimisation - creating pages that focus on your keywords, looking at technical tags, on page text and even images and other content. and finally you need to build links – if other websites with a similar theme to yours link to you, it helps the search engines to contextualise your website. 3. seo helps the search engines to rate your website. search engines always aim to deliver the best quality websites in their results, but how can a computer programme understand which websites are good and which are bad? every search engine uses an algorithm to calculate where sites belong in their rankings. they each use their own formula and keep the exact calculations a closely guarded secret, but through testing and examining patterns we can make an educated guess as to what they consider. google is perhaps the most studied, and indications suggest that their algorithm considers : - volume of inbound links – the number of links going to your website. - quality of inbound links. - usage data – how real people are interacting with your website. - social signals – such as facebook likes and google +. - usability and design of your website – overuse of ads for example may harm your rankings. - the content of a specific page. - the content of your site as a whole. - bad practices that they specify in their webmaster guidelines. so, how do i increase my rank with seo? you might have noticed that links are pretty important to google, if you think that you can build links to increase your rankings you ’


. - bad practices that they specify in their webmaster guidelines. so, how do i increase my rank with seo? you might have noticed that links are pretty important to google, if you think that you can build links to increase your rankings you ’ d be right – up to a point. links are just one of the factors that affect your ranking, you need to ensure that your website is search engine friendly, well optimised and of sufficiently high quality ( both in terms of content and design ) to deserve good rankings. but, all else being equal, building links is the single most important thing you can do to increase your rank. however, you need to be sure that you are building the right kind of links to really see good results. google originally treated links as a vote or a recommendation – if a person has linked to your website, they probably think it ’ s worth visiting – so google gave better rankings to site with more links. as time went on, it became clear that not all links were equal and that some people had worked out ways to artificially boost their rankings by building more links. so they used more metrics to judge whether a link was really a trustworthy recommendation. this process has continued over time and there are now many factors that affect how valuable a link to your website really is, as you can see from this word cloud of link quality factors : and while we have talked about google, other search engines like bing also place a great deal of importance on links – so if you want to improve your rankings, you need to build more quality links to your site. so can i do seo myself? yes, you can, but it ’ s an ongoing process of building inbound links and improving your website that never stops. google, bing, yahoo and all the other search engines never stop evolving. they are constantly looking for ways to improve their offerings, with the result that what works today may not work tomorrow. keeping up to date with the latest developments can be almost as much work as actually doing seo marketing. that ’ s why many companies outsource their seo – it simply isn ’ t cost effective for them to dedicate the time needed to stay up to date on top of doing the actual work. if you are still interested in diy seo, here are some resources that might help : seomoz blog - daily updates from a team of seo software engineers, their friends and the wider seo community. seomoz is dedicated to figuring out what works and what doesn ’ t in seo today.


berthold goldschmidt was a successful and award - winning composer in the 1920s, who was described as “ one of the great hopes of german music. ” but, being a jewish composer, the nazi regime subsequently banned his music, and he was forced to flee nazi germany in 1935. he emigrated to london, where he worked for the bbc and also as a conductor, whilst continuing to compose such works as his opera beatrice cenci. however, he suffered so much neglect by the establishment amidst the prevailing avant - garde climate, that after his mediterranean songs of 1958 he utterly abandoned composition. after a break of almost 25 years, he began to compose again in 1982 and produced an astounding body of late work, writing his final work, deux nocturnes, at the age of 93. during this time, the music world rediscovered the ' entartete musik ' composers, and he was finally able to enjoy a period of concert performances, opera productions and recordings. his music is tonal, and combines lyricism, rigorous contrapuntal or formal techniques, a sharp wit and a dancing vitality. works by goldschmidt include : partita ( 1927 ) for orchestra der gewaltige hahnrei ( 1929 - 30 ) musical tragicomedy in three acts string quartet no. 2 ( 1936 ) click on the links above for further information. bestselling titles by berthold goldschmidt


| mary, queen of scots ( 1542 - 1587 ) mary, queen of scots is an enigma, to say the least. her guilt or innocence in the murder of her husband has been debated for centuries. as many historians point out, every argument in favor of her innocence can be countered by one against. most of the calumnies heaped against her in her own lifetime were the work of scots scholar george buchanan. mary was born at linlithgow in 1542, the daughter of james v and mary de guise ( who had been courted by henry viii of england ). the princess became queen at the age of six days upon the death of her father. at age six, mary was betrothed to henry viii ' s son, the ill - fated edward, but with what results history will never disclose, the proposed union was nullified by a pro - french and roman catholic faction. the ire of the english king, exemplified by the period of invasions of his scottish neighbours known as " the rough wooing, " resulted in the defeat of the scots at pinkie ( 1547 ) and mary ' s being sent to france. in 1558, now a beautiful, blossoming 16 years of age, mary married the heir to the french throne, the dauphin francis ( who was only 14 ). she secretly agreed, if she were to die without a child, her scottish kingdom would go to the french monarch. at the premature death of francis, one year after he had become king, the firm hand of catharine de medici took control of france. despite a revolution in scotland that had rejected the french alliance and the supremacy of the pope, mary returned to scotland. the plot then thickened. when elizabeth i became queen, mary became heir presumptive to the english throne as the granddaughter of margaret tudor. not only that, but roman catholics throughout europe considered her to be a better claimant to the crown of england than the queen herself, for they believed that elizabeth ' s mother ann boleyn had been married illegally to king henry. mary ' s reign started out well. though she absolutely refused to recognize the protestant church. she took the advice of james stuart, earl of moray and william maitland in conceding recognition to the reformed church and modest endowment while continuing her own catholic worship in private. mary might have forfeited her scottish throne had her husband not died in 1560, but her return, despite her early caution, had raised protestant fears. these fears were partly allayed when,


modest endowment while continuing her own catholic worship in private. mary might have forfeited her scottish throne had her husband not died in 1560, but her return, despite her early caution, had raised protestant fears. these fears were partly allayed when, though negotiations were afoot for her marriage to catholic philip ii of spain, she settled on her first cousin, lord darnley. the marriage turned out to be a grievous error. scottish protestants greatly feared that even the marriage to darnley would mean a resurgence of catholicism. they were not prepared to stomach that reversal of fortune. the reformation in scotland had taken place partly because it seemed as if the country was rapidly becoming nothing more than an appendage of france. protestantism represented, in a very real manner, scottish independence. the darnley marriage ceremony was a roman catholic one. moray raised a rebellion, easily crushed, but protestants were further incensed when the queen foolishly began to rely heavily upon non - protestant, foreign courtiers, including her italian secretary david riccio, suspected of being a papal agent. in 1566, riccio was murdered by a group of protestant lords, darnley being implicated. in the same year, prince james was born ( later to reign as james vi of scotland and james i of england ). mary, tiring of darnley, began to show affection to james hepburn, earl of bothwell, whose guilt in the murder of darnley, along with that of mary, is set out in the notorious casket letters, now considered a forgery. mary went ahead in a second disastrous marriage, this time to bothwell, who had abducted her and divorced his wife. for the proud scottish nobles, this was too much, and they forced mary to abdicate her throne in favor of her young son. a feeble attempt by mary to regain the throne was defeated at langside, following which the unfortunate ( and some say, foolhardy ) queen fled to england and the protection of elizabeth. after the bothwell marriage, the queen ' s supporters had been placed at a decided disadvantage compared to those influenced by the ballad writer robert sempill, who attacked mary as an adulterous whore, and thereby justified her forced abdication. queen elizabeth, in the meantime, made sure that mary ' s shortcomings were made the only criteria of her fitness to rule, and mary ' s reputation was consequently so besmirched that even catholics found it difficult to support her. the most savage attacks


in the meantime, made sure that mary ' s shortcomings were made the only criteria of her fitness to rule, and mary ' s reputation was consequently so besmirched that even catholics found it difficult to support her. the most savage attacks on mary ' s character came from george buchanan, who sought very successfully to completely undermine her right to rule by showing that her reckless and malicious behavior proved her to be unworthy of her title. in the long run, however, such attacks on mary ' s immorality could only play second fiddle to the much more important question of her religion, of her threat to protestantism through her claim to the english throne. in her supporters ' eyes, too, mary ' s so - called immorality was a minor issue compared to her steadfast catholicism. her character and career as queen of scots was defended by no less than john leslie, bishop of ross, who also supported her particular claim to succeed elizabeth as queen of england. after mary ' s execution, which was finally ordered by elizabeth following a series of ill - conceived plots against the english queen, the accession of a protestant sovereign finally brought to an end the hopes of a return to catholicism that mary had personified. it also ended the vitriolic attacks on the person of mary herself. even leading protestant writers now began to depict her as an unfortunate queen whose downfall had been brought about more through the caprice of fortune than by defects in her morals. more than one historian has pointed out that mary ' s modern resurgence as a handsome, brave and proud woman, defeated through ill - circumstance and powerful enemies, seems to bear out her personal motto : " in my end is my beginning. " search amazon for books, videos, music cds, toys, electronics. just select the category, type in your keyword ( s ) and click search. or if you feel like bidding on something, click amazon auctions |


chinese tang tomb figures northern china, about ad 728 download this video to watch in your favourite media player, or to view this video online please install the flash player about one metre high, these are among the tallest known burial figures from the tang dynasty ( ad 618 - 906 ). they come from the tomb of liu tingxun, an important official. the group comprises two fabulous beasts ( one with a human face ), two fierce lokapala, guardian figures usually seen at the entrance to temples, and in the centre, two officials, one military, one civil. the military official has armour over his green robe and a bird of prey on his hat. figures of horses, camels and grooms from the same tomb group are also on display in the british museum. they are reputed to be from the tomb of liu tingxun, an important military commander who died in ad 728. the memorial tablet found with these figures records his skill in military matters and the arts of statesmanship, and that he died at the age of 72. it is interesting that all the human heads are unglazed, including that of the fabulous beast, as are the flaming manes of both animals. otherwise, the figures are completely covered with lead sancai ( three - colour ) glaze. burial practices in china from early in china ' s history, society attempted to cross the boundary between this world and the next, calling on the ancestors of both rulers and ordinary people. ancestors were worshipped because of their ability to communicate with the many gods and spirits on behalf of the living.


most seats in sub - saharan africa are low stools with round or rectangular tops, carved from a single block of wood. as early as the sixteenth century, portuguese traders and explorers introduced chairs with backs, leather seats, and decorative brass tacks, giving them as presents to chiefs, who used them as thrones. chokwe artists soon began to produce similar chairs, adapting the style to preexisting sculptural conventions. here, a cikungu mask, a symbol of chieftaincy, is represented on the back of the chair. figures on the rungs and splats depict scenes of daily and ceremonial life. - culture : chokwe - medium : copper alloy, animal hide, wood - geographical locations : - dates : 19th century - dimensions : 26 3 / 4 x 12 x 15 1 / 2 in. ( 67. 9 x 30. 5 x 39. 4 cm ) ( show scale ) - collections : arts of africa - museum location : this item is on view in south gallery, 1st floor - accession number : 22. 187 - credit line : museum expedition 1922, robert b. woodward memorial fund - rights statement : creative commons - by - caption : chokwe. chief ' s chair, 19th century. copper alloy, animal hide, wood, 26 3 / 4 x 12 x 15 1 / 2 in. ( 67. 9 x 30. 5 x 39. 4 cm ). brooklyn museum, museum expedition 1922, robert b. woodward memorial fund, 22. 187. creative commons - by - catalogue description : european - style chair with two splats, rungs, and a leather - covered seat, decorated with figural and animal carvings and brass tacks. carved geometric, designs on front and back of splats create background for a chihongo mask, rows of figures, a snake, the backs of birds, and two figures with cikunza masks. figures representing daily and ceremonial life ( e. g. man on the back of a cow, musician, etc. ) decorate the rungs and front legs of the chair. the front figure between the legs on the proper right panel is lost. the lower left figure on the front of the seat back has losses on both feet. on the hide seat, there is a loss on the front of the proper left edge. on the rear and at the center and proper left top edges of the seat back, the surface is abraded. there are some tacks missing. - record completeness : best


berkeley arts & letters : pulitzer prize winning historian garry wills on bomb power pulitzer prize - winning historian garry wills examines how the atomic bomb transformed our nation down to its deepest constitutional roots by dramatically increasing the power of the modern presidency and redefining the government as a national security state in ways still felt today. a masterful reckoning from one of america ' s preeminent historians, bomb power draws a direct line from the manhattan project to the usurpations of george w. bush. the invention of the atomic bomb was a triumph of official secrecy and military discipline - - the project was covertly funded at the behest of the president and, despite its massive scale, never discovered by congress or the press. this concealment was perhaps to be expected in wartime, but wills persuasively argues that the manhattan project then became a model for the covert operations and overt authority that have defined american government in the nuclear era. the wartime emergency put in place during world war ii extended into the cold war and finally the war on terror, leaving us in a state of continuous war alert for sixty - eight years and counting. the bomb forever changed the institution of the presidency since only the president controls " the button " and, by extension, the fate of the world. wills underscores how radical a break this was from the division of powers established by our founding fathers and how it in turn has enfeebled congress and the courts. the bomb also placed new emphasis on the president ' s military role, creating a cult around the commander in chief. the tendency of modern presidents to flaunt military airs, wills points out, is entirely a postbomb phenomenon. finally, the manhattan project inspired the vast secretive apparatus of the national security state, including intelligence agencies such as the cia and nsa, which remain largely unaccountable to congress and the american people. wills recounts how, following world war ii, presidential power increased decade by decade until reaching its stunning apogee with the bush administration. both provocative and illuminating, bomb power casts the history of the postwar period in a new light and sounds an alarm about the continued threat to our constitution. garry wills received his phd in classics from yale in 1961. in 1995, he received a l. h. d. from bates college. he received an honorary doctorate from the college of the holy cross. a historian and author of more than twenty books including what the gospels meant and a necessary evil, he is also a frequent contributor to the new york review of books. in


book description : this volume is a unique contribution to latin american studies because it underscores the essential role that women have played in the arenas of modern and contemporary art. [ this book ] provides valuable and much - needed assistance to the researcher. ( from the foreword by elizabeth ferrer ) with more than 1, 500 references on nearly 800 women latin american women artists, kahlo and look who else pays tribute to the rich and multifaceted artistic accomplishments of women in and from 20th - century latin america. frida kahlo has until recently dominated the interest of scholars, curators, and the public to the point of almost eclipsing the achievements of other artists from the region. this selectively annotated bibliography begins systematically to identify other women — painters, sculptors, printmakers, photographers, performance artists, and others — who have made significant contributions to the history of art in the region. the first section, the main part of the work, consists of individual artists grouped in an alphabetical country arrangement. artists in each country are listed a - z, as are the citations about them. annotations are descriptive and highlight, among other details, the presence of biographical and professional development information in the analyzed materials. a section of general works arranged by country follows, consisting principally of periodical and monographic literature that deals with numerous women, and a listing of the women mentioned in the cited materials. the volume has two appendices. the first is an analyzed list of 77 collective exhibitions in which works by these women have been presented. the second appendix groups the artists by country, allowing for an in - brief look at all of the artists identified in the bibliography. the name index references artists to the main section by country code and also includes entries for authors, curators, and exhibition catalogue essayists.


the concept of paying it forward, performing random acts of kindness for the simple sake of doing so, has been with us for some time. but the idea of seeking out 25 opportunities to make the lives of others just a little bit better is one worth pursuing in 2013. provincetown resident ellen rousseau decided to take the 25 days leading up to the christmas that have been co - opted by the american advertising machines and devoted herself to performing 25 acts of kindness for those around her. she said her buddhist beliefs helped inform her decision to do so. buddhism is just one of many faiths that espouse the concept of making connections to the world through actions. most of the world ' s religions and beliefs advocate making a difference in the lives of others. even secularists have adopted the so - called golden rule of doing unto others as you would have them do unto you. it is a strikingly simple concept — so simple that perhaps it becomes easy to forget. fortunately, it is also easy to remember, although sometimes more difficult to manifest in our daily lives. we seem to encounter so much negativity on a daily basis. television, the internet and newspapers are filled with stories about the less savory aspects of mankind. we learn about death and destruction as part of the 24 - hour news cycle, sometimes hearing the same bad news repeatedly through different formats until we reach a point of emotional saturation. this is perhaps the most dangerous aspect of the steady litany of sad news ; we become inured to it and we no longer experience the same degree of pathos or empathy that is so crucial to being a part of the world in which we live. rousseau ' s suggested approach may not stop the bad news from dominating the news, but it could provide a desperately needed bulwark against the seemingly endless onslaught. consider for a moment what happens when we are driving in our cars and someone cuts us off in traffic. perhaps we feel an immediate urge to shout or make an animated gesture in the other car ' s general direction. but even after the initial adrenaline rush of anger passes, the residual resentment of the moment continues to taint our day. and if that one incident is compounded by one or two more slights, whether real or perceived, it can have a sizable impact on how our day progresses. our behaviors send out direct and indirect ripples through our world, and if we can acknowledge that one thoughtless act can have a negative impact on our day, why is it so difficult to conceive of the idea that a positive


questions and answers about ebola hemorrhagic fever view pdf [ pdf - 1 mb ] what is ebola hemorrhagic fever? electron micrograph of ebola virus ebola hemorrhagic fever ( ebola hf ) is a severe, often - fatal disease in humans and nonhuman primates ( monkeys, gorillas, and chimpanzees ) that has appeared sporadically since its initial recognition in 1976. the disease is caused by infection with ebola virus, named after a river in the democratic republic of the congo ( formerly zaire ) in africa, where it was first recognized. the virus is one of two members of a family of rna viruses called the filoviridae. there are five identified subtypes of ebola virus. four of the five have caused disease in humans : ebola - zaire, ebola - sudan, ebola - ivory coast and ebola - bundibugyo. the fifth, ebola - reston, has caused disease in nonhuman primates, but not in humans. where is ebola virus found in nature? the exact origin, locations, and natural habitat ( known as the " natural reservoir " ) of ebola virus remain unknown. however, on the basis of available evidence and the nature of similar viruses, researchers believe that the virus is zoonotic ( animal - borne ), with 4 of the 5 subtypes occurring in an animal host native to africa. a similar host, most likely in the philippines, is probably associated with the ebola - reston subtype, which was isolated from infected cynomolgous monkeys that were imported to the united states and italy from the philippines. the virus is not known to be native to other continents, such as north america. where do cases of ebola hemorrhagic fever occur? confirmed cases of ebola hf have been reported in the democratic republic of the congo, gabon, sudan, the ivory coast, uganda, and the republic of the congo. no case of the disease in humans has ever been reported in the united states. ebola - reston virus caused severe illness and death in monkeys imported to research facilities in the united states and italy from the philippines ; during these outbreaks, several research workers became infected with the virus, but did not become ill. ebola hf typically appears in sporadic outbreaks, usually spread within a health - care setting ( a situation known as amplification ). it is likely that


? the incubation period for ebola hf ranges from 2 to 21 days. the onset of illness is abrupt and is characterized by fever, headache, joint and muscle aches, sore throat, and weakness, followed by diarrhea, vomiting, and stomach pain. a rash, red eyes, hiccups and internal and external bleeding may be seen in some patients. researchers do not understand why some people are able to recover from ebola hf and others are not. however, it is known that patients who die usually have not developed a significant immune response to the virus at the time of death. how is ebola hemorrhagic fever clinically diagnosed? diagnosing ebola hf in an individual who has been infected only a few days is difficult because early symptoms, such as red eyes and a skin rash, are nonspecific to the virus and are seen in other patients with diseases that occur much more frequently. however, if a person has the constellation of symptoms described above, and infection with ebola virus is suspected, isolate the patient and notify local and state health departments and the cdc. what laboratory tests are used to diagnose ebola hemorrhagic fever? antigen - capture enzyme - linked immunosorbent assay ( elisa ) testing, igm elisa, polymerase chain reaction ( pcr ), and virus isolation can be used to diagnose a case of ebola hf within a few days of the onset of symptoms. persons tested later in the course of the disease or after recovery can be tested for igm and igg antibodies ; the disease can also be diagnosed retrospectively in deceased patients by using immunohistochemistry testing, virus isolation, or pcr. how is ebola hemorrhagic fever treated? there is no standard treatment for ebola hf. patients receive supportive therapy. this consists of balancing the patient ' s fluids and electrolytes, maintaining their oxygen status and blood pressure, and treating them for any complicating infections. how is ebola hemorrhagic fever prevented? ebola hf prevention poster used in kikwit outbreak. the prevention of ebola hf in africa presents many challenges. because the identity and location of the natural reservoir of ebola virus are unknown, there are few established primary prevention measures. if cases of the disease do appear, current social and economic conditions often favor the spread of an epidemic within health - care facilities. therefore, health - care


of the natural reservoir of ebola virus are unknown, there are few established primary prevention measures. if cases of the disease do appear, current social and economic conditions often favor the spread of an epidemic within health - care facilities. therefore, health - care providers must be able to recognize a case of ebola hf should one appear. they must also have the capability to perform diagnostic tests and be ready to employ practical viral hemorrhagic fever isolation precautions, or barrier nursing techniques. these techniques include the wearing of protective clothing, such as masks, gloves, gowns, and goggles ; the use of infection - control measures, including complete equipment sterilization ; and the isolation of ebola hf patients from contact with unprotected persons. the aim of all of these techniques is to avoid any person ' s contact with the blood or secretions of any patient. if a patient with ebola hf dies, it is equally important that direct contact with the body of the deceased patient be prevented. cdc has developed a set of tools to meet health - care facilities ' needs. in conjunction with the world health organization, cdc has developed practical, hospital - based guidelines, entitled infection control for viral haemorrhagic fevers in the african health care setting. the manual describes how to recognize cases of viral hemorrhagic fever, such as ebola hf, and prevent further nosocomial transmission by using locally available materials and few financial resources. similarly, a practical diagnostic test that uses tiny samples from patients ' skin has been developed to retrospectively diagnose ebola hf in suspected case - patients who have died. what challenges remain for the control and prevention of ebola hemorrhagic fever? scientists and researchers are faced with the challenges of developing additional diagnostic tools to assist in early diagnosis of ebola hf and conducting ecological investigations of ebola virus and its possible reservoir. in addition, one of the research goals is to monitor suspected areas to determine the incidence of the disease. more extensive knowledge of the natural reservoir of ebola virus and how the virus is spread must be acquired to prevent future outbreaks effectively. | this page last reviewed july 31, 2012 | content source : centers for disease control and prevention


what is appendicitis? published : august 27, 2010 appendicitis is the inflammation or swelling of the appendix, a small pouch located in the abdominal region and attached to the beginning of the large intestine ( also known as the colon ). the purpose of the appendix is unclear. it has previously been suggested that it was once used to help digest plants and has been made redundant by human beings modern lifestyle. but more recent studies have shown that the organ may be the home of ‘ friendly bacteria ’, used by the body to improve digestion and help fight infections, according to the nhs. it is a widespread condition and usually occurs in young people between the ages of 10 and 20. in america, it is one of the most common causes of emergency abdominal surgery, according to the u. s. national library of medicine ( nlm ). what causes it? the exact causes of appendicitis are not known, but it is thought that the condition is usually brought on by an obstruction of some sort. this could be faecal matter, a foreign object or in rare cases a tumour. once bacteria from the foreign body have entered the appendix, they multiply rapidly, causing the organ to swell up. if no action is taken, an inflamed appendix can burst and infect surrounding areas. what are the symptoms? the symptoms of appendicitis vary and the condition can be difficult to diagnose. the nlm points out certain signs to look out for : - pain around the belly button, mild at first and becoming increasingly severe and gradually moving to the right lower abdomen - reduced appetite - nausea and vomiting - diarrhoea or constipation if the appendix bursts, the patient may feel temporary relief. however, this is just until the lining of the abdominal cavity becomes inflamed and symptoms worsen significantly. the patient should seek immediate medical advice if they have persistent, worsening abdominal pain, fever or blood in the vomit or stool. although there are many illnesses which can cause these symptoms, it is important to exclude appendicitis. a doctor is usually able to identify the condition by gently exerting pressure on the right lower abdomen area and suddenly releasing it. the sufferer would feel increased pain. in mild cases, the condition can be treated with antibiotics, but more often the appendix is removed surgically – a procedure known as an appendectomy. it does not usually take long to recover from this type of surgery, unless the appendix has rupt


imagine standing on a street corner in manhattan, in need of a taxi to take you from union square up to columbia university. you punch your destination into an app on your phone, which tells you the cab should be there in 30 seconds. a car pulls up as promised, and you get in and relax on your way uptown, just as with any cab ride. the only difference? no one is driving this cab. this is one scenario that impressive advances in self - driving vehicle technology have turned into a legitimate possibility in the not - so - distant future. since the early days of cars, we have been looking for ways to automate them, including the cruise control and parking assist systems available today. but as high - profile projects by google and others have begun to show, we are getting closer to much more thorough automation, where cars may actually start to drive themselves with only minimal assistance from the person at the wheel. from drastic safety improvements to huge reductions in fuel use and accompanying emissions, the potential of self - driving cars is impressive. and they may be coming sooner than you think. the environmental benefits promise to be significant. self - driving technology could greatly reduce the risk of accidents, leading to far - lighter cars and slashing fuel consumption and emissions by more than a factor of 10 in some cases. fewer traffic jams would also cut fuel use. one expert says some of the self - driving technology is less than ten years away from being mass produced. “ i see driverless [ cars ] as being the most transformational technology that will impact roadway transportation, ” said lawrence burns, head of research and development for general motors from 1998 to 2009. burns now consults for google ’ s pioneering self - driving car program, and he is confident that some of the technology is only five to ten years away from being mass produced. if the idea of a car that drives itself seems ridiculous, the first thing to remember is that a car you buy off the lot right now already has a lot of automated driver - assist systems in place. drift out of your lane on the highway and some models can sense it and nudge the steering wheel back toward the center of the lane. adaptive cruise control can slow your car down when approaching a vehicle in front and speed your car up again when it ’ s gone. some new models even can take parallel parking out of your hands. “ we have moved to cars that have millions of lines of code and advanced systems that will think about where you want to go and will change the brakes and steering to allow you


gone. some new models even can take parallel parking out of your hands. “ we have moved to cars that have millions of lines of code and advanced systems that will think about where you want to go and will change the brakes and steering to allow you to actually get there, ” said bryant walker smith, a legal fellow at stanford university working on the law and policy of autonomous vehicles. “ so we ’ re far along on the spectrum of automation. ” all of these new systems make use of sensors that let the car learn what surrounds it, from vehicles to bicycles. the sensors include gps, cameras, lasers, and radar, and they ’ re only going to get better and cheaper. combining this technology with other prospective technology that would control the flow of cars on highways and, eventually, cities, is what will be truly revolutionary, say burns and others. “ the real secret sauce of all of this is what we call sensor fusion, ” burns said. “ how do you fuse together what the laser is seeing, what the radar is seeing, and what the camera is seeing, with the databases that you have already, and be very, very confident that what you ’ re instructing the car to do is the right thing? ” in other words, cars need to learn better what to do with all the information they gather. in current systems like google ’ s self - driving car ( a modified toyota prius ), even minor anomalies — a construction site, for example — can confuse the car ’ s computer and require a human to take over. experts like burns say we won ’ t suddenly jump to a fully autonomous car. instead, we will start to see systems that can take over in certain specialized situations, like traffic jams. for example, if you get caught on a los angeles freeway at rush hour, with miles to go and bumper - to - bumper traffic, just press a button and let the car do the mindless task of moving ahead a few inches at a time. if the car needs help, it will let you know. inter - vehicle communication is, of course, crucial. instead of just sensing the nextcar ’ s position, your car will be able to talk to it. if cars can send data to each other on position, speed, braking, and steering direction, they can predict where the other car will be soon afterward, and hopefully avoid hitting it. all of these systems will have to call on massive databases of experience, though, to know what to do in a given situation. that experience


and steering direction, they can predict where the other car will be soon afterward, and hopefully avoid hitting it. all of these systems will have to call on massive databases of experience, though, to know what to do in a given situation. that experience is being gathered today, and google is in front of the pack. the company ’ s self - driving cars have logged more than 250, 000 miles on public roads. burns goes out to california to consult for the project once a month and rides hands - free down the stretch of highway 101 between san francisco and san jose. he said it is surprisingly easy to get used to and is relaxing. virtually every car manufacturer has discussed plans for automated systems. ford chairman bill ford jr. has said that an autopilot option should be available within a decade and that a traffic jam assist system might be ready well before that. " > traffic jam assist would control the gas, brakes, and steering and would most likely do a better job of smooth acceleration and deceleration than humans do, helping save fuel. “ people think that autonomous driving is science fiction, but the fact is that the technology is already here, ” linda wahlstroem, project manager for volvo ’ s self - driving car initiative, told the bbc. the overriding reason for self - driving cars is to save lives and reduce injuries. the technology will also slash the costs of car accidents, estimated by the american automobile association at $ 300 billion annually in the u. s. that cost is a direct result of the fact that we humans are, frankly, terrible drivers. smith said about 90 percent of all crashes are caused at least in part by human error. one study by the national highway traffic safety administration concluded that various forms of vehicle - to - vehicle communications could cut all crashes by 79 percent. some versions of this are feasible today. a ford system, using modified wi - fi signals and gps, enables cars to broadcast a signal 10 times a second containing information on position, speed, and other basic items. this data, combined with information coming in from surrounding vehicles, could provide an imminent collision warning. if, for example, a truck in front of you blocks your view of a car that is forced to slam on the brakes, you would still know of that rapid stop because the braking car would send out a signal on its change in speed, and your car would tell you about it with a noise or light. other technology, known as dedicated short range communications ( dsrc ), enables a car to tell an intersection that


the braking car would send out a signal on its change in speed, and your car would tell you about it with a noise or light. other technology, known as dedicated short range communications ( dsrc ), enables a car to tell an intersection that it is approaching. a computer system at the intersection would then be able to coordinate all the approaching cars — assuming they were self - driving cars — and funnel them through the crossroads without stopping. the reduction in crashes could be dramatic. obviously, far fewer crashes means fewer fatalities and fewer traffic jams, but it also could mean a big change in car design and fuel consumption. as originally pointed out by climate and energy scientist amory lovins, only about one percent of the energy in a gallon of gasoline goes to moving the driver forward. about 75 percent of the energy leaves the tailpipe as heat and almost all the rest is needed to move a 4, 000 - pound car. but the bulk of that 4, 000 pounds is only there to keep the driver and passengers safe in the relatively unlikely event of a major crash. if that risk was reduced dramatically, 4, 000 pounds might come down closer to 750 to 1, 000 pounds. that ’ s how we might arrive at the manhattan autonomous taxi scenario. these wouldn ’ t look like cabs do today, but might be very small, two - seat vehicles designed specifically to stay on city streets and never approach real highway speeds. some companies have created concept cars in this spirit, like the gm - segway collaboration called the en - v. a fifth of the bulk means a fifth of the fuel, and of course a fifth of the emissions — a big deal for global warming, considering that transportation accounts for 13 percent of total carbon dioxide emissions. in addition, if cars came down in weight to that extent, then the economics of the electric car start to get even more attractive. take a five - fold reduction in energy use because of mass, and another three - fold reduction thanks to the improved efficiency of electric vehicles, and suddenly that little cab flying around manhattan with no driver is using 15 times less energy than a standard car. even without changes in vehicle weight, improved traffic flow and reduced congestion could significantly cut fuel consumption. though the technology itself may seem inherently futuristic, the car ’ s ability to drive itself likely won ’ t be the factor standing in the way of adoption. indeed, burns thinks the sensor fusion issues will be worked out within five years or so, with semi - autonomous vehicles on the roads within another five after that


first, i believe the current thinking among cosmologists is that the universe has existed in its present form for between 13 and 14 billion years. second, “ forever ” is another way of talking about an infinite time period, and that ’ s silly. third, just because there differences in energy levels, that ’ s not a motivation for atoms reacting. different atoms have tend to be more or less likely to react. similarly, different molecules have different levels of stability. in addition, some tend to form simple compounds while some can form complex ones. those which have a valence of one, that is, they have one point of combination such as sodium and chlorine will be stable after they react to form sodium chloride. on the other end of the valence spectrum is, say, carbon, which has four points of combination and can combine with itself to form a wide variety of structures. the difficulty with the “ organism living ‘ for an exceedingly long time ’ ” is that there are so many actions taking place constantly, heat, cosmic rays, contact with other compounds, natural molecular instability, organisms absorbing each other, etc. that it ’ s very doubtful any particular organism will survive for very long unless it ’ s regenerating itself. for example, when an amoeba absorbs available compounds then splits into two amoeba, we can ’ t really say that the original one survived.