| 14 may 2012 ancient swedish stone structure spurs debate ancient scandinavians dragged 59 boulders to a seaside cliff near what is now the swedish fishing village of kaseberga. they carefully arranged the massive stones - each weighing up to 1, 800 kilograms - in the outline of a 67 - meter - long ship overlooking the baltic sea. archaeologists generally agree this megalithic structure, known as ales stenar ( ' ale ' s stones ' ), was assembled near the end of the iron age, as a burial monument. but a team of researchers now argues it ' s really 2, 500 years old, dating from the scandinavian bronze age, and was built as an astronomical calendar with the same underlying geometry as england ' s stonehenge. nils - axel moerner, a retired geologist from stockholm university, co - authored the paper published in march in the international journal of astronomy and astrophysics. moerner says his team observed that the sun rises and sets at specific points around ales stenar at the summer and winter solstices. they also observed that certain aspects of the stone ship ' s geometry matched those of stonehenge. swedish archaeologist martin rundkvist, managing editor of the archaeology journal fornvaennen, has another view. " the idea that the stone ship might have been an astronomical calendar has no supporters among academic archaeologists ". the swedish countryside is home to many similar megalithic structures, known as stone ships. most of them date to sweden ' s late iron age ( approximately 500 - 1000 ce ), and serve as burial monuments, rundkvist explains. archaeologists using radiocarbon dating have calculated that ales stenar was built about 1, 400 years ago - long after the date estimated by moerner ' s team. " this was the world of beowulf, " says rundkvist. edited from livescience ( 18 april 2012 ) share this webpage :


( these texts can be used for press releases without consultation ) stop malaria now! is an african - european initiative of ten non - governmental organizations and co - financed by the european union. the campaign aims to raise awareness for malaria as a global poverty - related health problem, and advocates for stronger political, financial and strategic commitments in order to decrease the malaria burden. stop malaria now! emphasizes the devastating consequences of malaria particularly on the african continent. even though malaria cannot be eradicated, it can and must be controlled. therefore, the campaign promotes an integrative approach including improved measures of prevention, diagnostic and treatment, strengthened local health care systems and intensified research. it moreover underlines the potential of the local cultivation of artemisia annua and the local production of antimalarials in countries hardest hit by the disease. stop malaria now! regards its work as part of the world - wide fight against poverty and as a contribution to the global efforts to reach the millennium development goals of the united nations. malaria – a disease that knows no borders people have been suffering from malaria since thousands of years. even today, the disease threatens half of the world ’ s population. almost 300 million people are infected with malaria every year of which one million people die due to the disease. pregnant women and young children are especially endangered : eight out of ten malaria deaths are children under the age of five. sub - saharan africa is hardest hit with 90 % of the global malaria deaths. but regions in asia, the americas, parts of the middle east and southern europe are also affected. scientists estimate that a three to five degree increase in temperature would double the transmission rate of malaria in tropical regions and increase the rate tenfold in temperate zones. malaria is even expected to reach central europe. this means that almost two thirds of mankind would live in malaria affected regions.


in many ways, cell phones are addictive. the gadgets are an integral part of many people ’ s days. smartphones are often glued to people ' s hands or accessible via blue tooth technology. negative effects of cell phone addiction include isolation and unbalanced priorities. there are effective solutions for treating the addiction, once you identify the symptoms. symptoms of cell phone addiction take a step back and ask yourself how important your cell phone is to your day. if your phone use reduces the quality of your life, you may have an addiction. perhaps you carry the gadget around with you even when you do not leave home ; you look at the screen as you walk and constantly check it for missed calls. another symptom is you feel the need to have the device with you at the dinner table and look at apps rather than talking to family members over meals. is your cell phone constantly in your hand or within your line of vision? you obsess over the item ; your obsession is a cell phone addiction. look at your phone bill. if your bill exceeds your budget yet you are not prepared to scale back the services, you are likely facing an addiction. another factor to consider is whether the gadget is getting in the way of your social life. perhaps you cancel lunches with friends in favor of staying home to keep up with social networks via your mobile. when the device gets in the way of your real life events in a negative way, you likely have a cell phone addiction. there are many causes of the addiction. the cell phone may be just one part of a larger addiction to technology in general. after all, many smartphones are equipped with apps to play games, browse the internet, and send emails. online social media networks are growing rapidly. there are several, with the big players including facebook, twitter, and pinterest. your friends and family members are joining networks too. you often “ talk ” to one another on the networks as your schedules keep... [ continues ] cite this essay ( 2012, 11 ). cellphone addiction. studymode. com. retrieved 11, 2012, from http : / / www. studymode. com / essays / cellphone - addiction - 1273060. html " cellphone addiction " studymode. com. 11 2012. 11 2012 < http : / / www. studymode. com / essays / cellphone - addiction - 1273060. html >. " cellphone addiction. " studymode. com. 11,


as i was driving a shuttle van back to frisco elementary school the other night, a 4th grade girl remarked to me, " i can ' t believe that was a real laser! " in reference to our exciting star gazing opportunity earlier that evening. i have been lucky enough to be a part of the keystone science school ' s 4th grade astronomy night two years in a row, and will always remember the shrieks of excitement as boys and girls see the moon ' s craters up close, or learn that the magnificent star they ' re looking at is actually jupiter. my favorite way to explore the night sky will always be to take it all in at once, gazing up towards trillions of celestial objects beaming down at me, feeling proud to be able to identify even a small number of them by name. and though the stories attached to the constellations we recognize are only reflective of the prominent cultures of our past and present, sharing them always feels more important than that. one of the most well recognized constellations is orion, visible only to us in the winter months. what many people don ' t realize is that what most people refer to as " orion " is simply the three brilliant stars of his belt. his body extends in both directions of the belt, occupying a significant amount of the southern night sky. most commonly known as the hunter, orion is fabled to be the greatest hunter in the world ( he ' s even pointing his arrow at taurus the bull, located slightly west of orion and easily identified by a prominent " v " shape ). there are a number of greek myths that explain orion ' s position in the sky. one claims that because of his immense strength, orion also had an immense ego, claiming to be able to kill any animal in the world. as a response to his vanity, a small scorpion stung and killed him, leaving him to forever occupy the winter sky ( just as the scorpion, scorpio, will only appear in the summer months in a similar location ). orion ' s shoulder is marked by the red supergiant betelgeuse, and his left leg is marked by the blue - white supergiant rigel. color tells us some interesting things about the life of a star. a red hue indicates stars that are ending their lifecycle, and blue stars are just beginning theirs. stars are born as giant clouds of gas and dust, and over time, the particles of gas gravitate towards one another, causing the baby star to spin. this spinning can cause a star to heat


, and blue stars are just beginning theirs. stars are born as giant clouds of gas and dust, and over time, the particles of gas gravitate towards one another, causing the baby star to spin. this spinning can cause a star to heat up to 15, 000, 000 degrees celsius, which results in the blue glow of young stars in the night sky. it will eventually stabilize and glow for up to one billion years like this ( fun fact : this is the stage of life our sun is in ). later in a star ' s life, it will turn into a red giant, where it expands and cools down, assuming a reddish tint. a star ' s final stage in life is determined by its size. a small star will eventually collapse inward and cease to shine once it uses all its energy. a large star, however, can explode into a supernova, which can reach up to 1, 000, 000, 000 degrees celsius! shortly after this, it may be swallowed by its own gravity, becoming a black hole ( this is where all those lost phones and left socks are, right? ) the next time you look up at the night sky, connect the dots and make up your own constellation story, and know that the stars fueling your imagination have an incredible life journey of their own. allie goldberg is a program instructor at keystone science school. to learn more about the night sky, or for any other information, visit our website, keystonescienceschool. org, or give us a call at ( 970 ) 468 - 2098.


jaundice in newborn babies is common because their livers are immature. severely jaundiced babies may be treated by phototherapy. the baby is undressed and put under a very bright light, usually with a soft mask over the eyes. it may be possible for your baby to have phototherapy by your bed so that you don ’ t have to be separated. this treatment may continue for several days, with breaks for feeds, before the jaundice clears up. in some cases, if the jaundice gets worse, an exchange transfusion of blood may be needed. some babies have jaundice because of liver disease and need different treatment. a blood test before phototherapy is started checks for liver disease. babies with jaundice after two weeks many babies are jaundiced for up to two weeks following birth. this is common in breastfed babies and usually it ’ s normal and does no harm. it is not a reason to stop breastfeeding. but it ’ s important to ensure that all is well if your baby is still jaundiced after two weeks. you should see your doctor within a day or two. this is particularly important if your baby ’ s stools are pale. a simple urine test will distinguish between ‘ breast milk ’ jaundice, which will resolve itself, or jaundice which may need urgent treatment. information provided by health promotion england.


uses of author interviews for art educators & students show professional illustrators demonstrating art techniques and mediums, for example … watch professional illustrators teach the book - making process, for example … what is an author interview? - author interviews are interviews with authors and illustrators in video, audio, and written formats. - meet - the - author programs are filmed by teachingbooks. net in the homes and studios of award - winning authors and illustrators to enable readers to connect with the author the moment they are studying a book. authors talk about : - working with ideas - doing research - bringing history to life - being a professional author - diverse art techniques - approaches to book design - illustrating fiction and nonfiction - being a professional illustrator share how you use author interviews as an art educator. * here are some curricular uses submitted by educators … - " i share author interviews because they give physical descriptions on how the art was used. " - " i use the author interviews to have the author explaining, in their own words, how a technique is used — or how the process of creating an illustrated book is done. " - " i use author interviews to show art techniques to students, as well as expose them to professions in art education. this brings art and literacy together. " - " after watching an author interview, break students break into teams of 4 to come up with some specific questions they would like to ask the illustrator if he or she were a guest in the classroom. also, use author interviews to inspire students and help them to become more excited about making their own work — especially when creating ' minibooks ' in the art room. " - " i use author interviews to share with the students information that brings history to life, tips on doing research, and ways to approach writing / illustrating. " - " these author / illustrator programs are inspirational for me, exposing me to different techniques that i might use with the class. i also show the videos to my students to inspire them to ' think outside the box. ' in particular, i liked denise fleming ' s reinforcement that the use of ' sound words ' such as " crunch, munch " are particularly effective in story writing. "


trading in the world currency and related markets has reached staggering proportions, with the average daily turnover crossing $ 4 trillion by december 2010. world gdp stands at around $ 65 trillion. the bank for international settlements estimated that the daily trading reached $ 3. 98 trillion in april 2010, up from $ 1. 7 trillion in 1998. the turnover grew by 20 per cent between april 2007 and april 2010, and doubled since 2004. the prognosis is mind - boggling, if we are still left with one. it is in this background that the recent observations of the basel committee on banking supervision assume importance. these are as follows — banks are underestimating the risk that their trading partners in the foreign exchange market may fail to honour their commitments ; such risks may have a low impact during normal market conditions, but they can be serious when markets are stressed ; while banks and other financial institutions dealing in the currency markets have taken steps to make trading more robust, substantial settlement risks still remain. banks get away with such risk - taking because financial markets have managed to build a myth that if they are disturbed the world economy would collapse. this fear psychosis created with the connivance of the media, which are privately owned and controlled, is a malaise of present - day capitalism. to curb such speculation — betting on exchange rate fluctuations in the global currency markets — a transactions tax was proposed, a minimal tax, say,. 01 per cent on the value of each transaction, which would have significantly reduced short - term and ultra short - term transactions. this issue was raised more than once in the g20 meetings but had to be dropped because of bitter opposition from the united states of america and britain. they contend that the tax would eliminate any profit potential for currency markets. proponents say that the tax would help stabilize currency and interest rates because the central banks of many countries do not have the foreign exchange reserves needed to balance a currency sell - off. the culprit is the condition of full capital account convertibility, which allows foreign funds to flow in and out freely. the international monetary fund imposed this condition for disbursing its loans. this is the terrible price debtor countries, especially the developing ones, have to pay for the imf ’ s dollars. there are instances when sovereign nations have stood up against the international financial institutions and markets. the southeast asian crisis began when the foreign institutional investors started pulling out their funds and the economies in the region fell one by one. fiis could do this thanks to full cac. this proved beneficial for


up against the international financial institutions and markets. the southeast asian crisis began when the foreign institutional investors started pulling out their funds and the economies in the region fell one by one. fiis could do this thanks to full cac. this proved beneficial for these economies during the boom. but the opposite happened when the boom was followed by the inevitable bust, and the fiis withdrew their funds causing currencies to crash, inflation to soar and the nations to face riots. imf offered easy credit to these economies but insisted on free float of currencies. everyone agreed, except for mahathir mohamad of malaysia who refused the imf ’ s credit and its diktat, imposed high taxes on the exit of foreign funds and set the exchange rate at a low level. there was uproar in the world financial markets and in the imf. even threats were issued, but he stood firm with the nation behind him and steered it to stability within a year. nearer home, the reserve bank of india under bimal jalan stood firm against full cac and the combined onslaught of the imf, the world bank and the finance ministry. this saved india from the fate of its southeast asian neighbours. after jalan, y. v. reddy withstood such pressures and permitted only partial and calibrated cac, and india was saved from the financial tsunami of september 2008.


by staff writers durham nc ( spx ) nov 23, 2011 if you ' re a snack - sized squid or octopus living in the ocean zone where the last bit of daylight gives way, having some control over your reflection could be a matter of life and death. most predators cruising 600 to 1, 000 meters below the surface spot the silhouette of their prey against the light background above them. but others use searchlights mounted on their heads. being transparent and a little bit reflective is a good defense against the silhouette - spotters, but it would be deadly against the " headlight fish, " says duke postdoctoral researcher sarah zylinski. transparency is the default state of both japetella heathi, a bulbous, short - armed, 3 - inch octopus, and onychoteuthis banksii, a 5 - inch squid found at these depths. viewed from below against the light background, these animals are as invisible as they can be. their eyes and guts, which are impossible to make clear, are instead reflective. but when hit with a flash of bluish light like that produced by headlight fish, they turn on skin pigments, called chromatophores, to become red in the blink of an eye. during ship - board experiments over the peru - chile trench in 2010, zylinski shined blue - filtered led light on specimens of both creatures to watch them rapidly go from clear to opaque. when the light was removed, they immediately reverted to transparent. on a second research cruise in 2011 in the sea of cortez, zylinski measured the reflectivity of the octopuses and found they reflected twice as much light in their transparent state as in the opaque state. zylinski experimented with 15 to 20 different species of cephalopod pulled up from the deep by the research ships, but only these two responded to the blue light. " i went through several things i thought would stimulate behaviors, " she says. shallow - water cephalopods ( squid, ocotopi and cuttlefish ) will change their body patterns for a shadow or shape passing overhead, but these deeper water animals don ' t, zylinski says. the animals could be seen tracking the movements of probes around them, but it was only the light that made them switch on the their pigments. zylinski next would like to investigate the link between transparency and habitat depth for the japetella octopus. " smaller young animals are found higher in the water column and have fewer chromatophores


made them switch on the their pigments. zylinski next would like to investigate the link between transparency and habitat depth for the japetella octopus. " smaller young animals are found higher in the water column and have fewer chromatophores, so they are more reliant on transparency, which makes sense because there won ' t be predators using searchlights there, " zylinski says. but the mature adults have a higher density of chromatophores making them potentially more opaque and they can be found in deeper waters ( below 800 meters ) where bioluminescence becomes the dominant light source. " mesopelagic cephalopods switch between transparency and pigmentation to optimize camouflage in the deep, " sarah zylinski and sonke johnsen. current biology 21, nov. 22, 2011. doi : 10. 1016 / j. cub. 2011. 10. 014 water news - science, technology and politics comment on this article via your facebook, yahoo, aol, hotmail login. tuna fishing countries vow to protect shark istanbul ( afp ) nov 19, 2011 countries involved in bluefin tuna fishing have decided to do more to protect a species of shark against collateral killing, environmental groups said saturday. elizabeth griffin wilson of the oceana group said the 48 - state international commission for the conservation of atlantic tunas ( iccat ) had ruled that tuna fishermen who find a silky shark in their nets must put it back in the sea.... read more | the content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are copyright 1995 - 2011 - space media network. afp and upi wire stories are copyright agence france - presse and united press international. esa portal reports are copyright european space agency. all nasa sourced material is public domain. additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by space media network on any web page published or hosted by space media network. privacy statement |


one of our customers sent us an email to ask us if she should be concerned about this spider that she found outside her home in murfreesboro, tn. the spider in question is known as argiope aurantia. it is a colorful spider that goes by a primary common name of black and yellow agriope. this spider is also known as a yellow garden argiope, yellow garden orb - weaver, golden garden spider, golden orb - weaver, and the writing spider. although it looks rather threatening, the writing spider doesn ' t prey on humans. but if it is provoked, it will bite. the bite feels similar to a bee sting. young children, the elderly, and those with sensitive immune systems should take special care not to harass this pest. it ' s best to marvel at these spiders and their webs, but not touch them. the female does, however, prey on her mate. after intercourse, the male writing spider has an irreversible seizure and is dead within 20 minutes. then, preparing her afternoon treat, the female spider wraps him in a silk sack and leaves him on the edge of her web to devour him later. as far as how this spider got its name, the writing ' s on the web. as you can see in the picture above - - submitted by our customer - - it looks like there are several x or z shapes in the web. these zig - zag patterns make the writing spider easy to identify. writing spiders are orb - weavers, which means they make beautiful, elaborate webs in a circular formation. and not just one web, either. this scribbling spider builds and tears down its uv - light - reflective web every day! female writing spiders try to build these webs in places where they won ' t be disturbed. so, if the web is in one place one day, it will likely be in the same place the next day. these webs are made of silk that is stronger and more flexible than steel! writing spiders are most commonly found in gardens, bushes, and shrubs. because these spiders are found throughout the mainland of north america, it ' s highly likely that you ' ve seen this spider or its web before if you live in one of the 48 contiguous states in america. and if you haven ' t, you may have read about the writing spider or watched a movie about it. orb - weaving spiders were made famous in e. b. white ' s beloved novel " charlotte ' s web. "


however, censorship can be practised in covert ways. one of the earliest attempts to restrict publication was the use of deliberate taxation to inhibit circulation. a stamp tax introduced in england in 1712 ( and not removed until 1855 ) required newspapers to affix stamps so that by raising the price of stamps newspaper prices could be raised beyond the purchasing power of all but wealthy readers. censorship can also be practised through harassment and intimidation. during the " mccarthy era " in the us, the american supreme court, in us v rumely, warned, " through the harassment of hearings, investigations, reports, and subpoenas, government will hold a club over speech and over the press. " censorship can also be exercised through the pressure of advertisers and decisions by newspapers themselves, particularly in circumstances where no competitive or alternative source of news is available. in canada, the concentration of media ownership caused the royal commission on newspapers ( 1980 ) to caution that the key problem facing the freedom of the press in canada is the " undue concentration of ownership and control of the canadian newpaper industry... too much power is put in too few hands ; and it is power without accountability. " the canadian criminal code makes it an offence to mail " obscene, indecent, immoral or scurrilous " matter ( see obscenity ), and the post office act provides for interruption of such service. similarly, the customs tariff act prohibits the importation of " treasonable, seditious, immoral or indecent " literature. in little sisters book and art emporium ( 1996 ), the british columbia supreme court found that the administration and application of the customs tariff act by customs officials was " inadequate and flawed, " resulting in the arbitrary and improper seizure of gay and lesbian materials at canadian borders. material which promotes hatred against identifiable groups can also be halted at the border, while the canadian human rights act permits the filing of a court order to cease and desist using the telephone to communicate hate messages ( see canada ( hrc ) v. taylor ( 1990 ) ). the best - known attempts by provinces to impose censorship are the various provincial film censorship acts. in nova scotia board of censors v mcneil, the supreme court of canada held that provincial legislation establishing a board of censors with powers to prohibit the exhibition of films was within the jurisdiction of the provinces, despite the federal jurisdiction in the criminal code over determination of what is " obscene. " on the other hand, in ontario film and video appreciation society ( 1984


censors with powers to prohibit the exhibition of films was within the jurisdiction of the provinces, despite the federal jurisdiction in the criminal code over determination of what is " obscene. " on the other hand, in ontario film and video appreciation society ( 1984 ), the ontario court of appeal has held that s1 of the canadian charter, which requires that limitations on charter rights and freedoms must be " prescribed by law, " requires censorship powers to be specifically prescribed. other censorship attempts by the provinces have been less successful. under the 1937 alberta press act to ensure the publication of accurate news and information, newspapers would be compelled to disclose the source of their news information and to print government statements to correct previous articles. three of the 6 supreme court justices hearing the case held that the bill was an invasion of liberty of the press and the right of public discussion, which could only be limited by parliament under its criminal law power. in switzman v elbling ( the padlock act case ), which dealt with the 1937 quebec act respecting communistic propaganda, under which it was illegal to use a house for the propagation of communism, the supreme court declared this was legislation with respect to criminal law and therefore within federal jurisdiction. censorship can take many forms to persons or groups who cannot afford to print newspapers, or to advertise, or who might not be given the opportunity to do so, supervision of the distribution of handbills or posters is a form of censorship. this supervision has been effected through municipal bylaws regulating the use of streets, sidewalks and parks, and requiring the prior approval of the police or some civic official before printed materials can be distributed ( see saumur v city of quebec ). in attorney general of canada v dupond, the supreme court of canada held that a city ordinance that prohibited " the holding of any assembly, parade or gathering on the public domain of the city of montreal for a time - period of 30 days " was valid, being of a " merely local character. " but municipalities also must comply with the requirements of the canadian charter. in ramsden v. the city of peterborough ( 1995 ), the supreme court of canada held that a municipal by - law which banned the placing of posters on hydroelectric polls was an unreasonable limit on the freedom of expression. the court recognized that postering was a traditional means of communication by individuals and groups who do not have the financial resources to access the more standard forms of media communication such as print and radio. the court has expanded the requirement that governments must not arbit


the court recognized that postering was a traditional means of communication by individuals and groups who do not have the financial resources to access the more standard forms of media communication such as print and radio. the court has expanded the requirement that governments must not arbitrarily restrict access to government property for the purposes of expression to include federally government - owned airports ( see committee for the commonwealth of canada v canada ( 1991 ) ). the censorship practised under the official secrets act ( 1970 ) essentially covers 2 distinct, if somewhat similar, activities : spying and wrongful communication of government information, or leakage ( s4. 3 ). the latter provides : " every person who receives any... information, knowing, or having reasonable ground to believe, at the time when he receives it, that the... information is communicated to him in contravention of this act, is guilty of an offence under this act unless he proves that the communication to him of the... information was contrary to his desire. " in canada since wwii, this section has been the basis of prosecution only twice. however, a recent example in the uk illustrates the extent of possible censorship under the official secrets act. in 1987 the house of lords upheld a banning of the book spycatcher by peter wright on the ground that he had breached his oath under the act when he tried to publish the book, which was based on his experience in the british security service known as mi5 ( attorney - general v guardian newspapers ltd ). author walter s. tarnopolsky and david schneiderman links to other sites pen canada is an association of writers and supporters formed in 1926 to defend freedom of expression and raise awareness of that right. shawnadithit grew anxious waiting for her uncle, longnon, to return to camp at the junction of badger brook and the exploits river, deep in the wilds of newfoundland...


mind fitness : improving operational effectiveness and building warrior resilience. today ' s complex, fluid, and unpredictable operational environment both demands more from the military in terms of mission requirements and exposes troops to more stressors and potential trauma than ever before. on the one hand, situational awareness situation awareness or situational awareness ( sa ) is the mental representation and understanding of objects, events, people, system states, interactions, environmental conditions, and other situation - specific factors affecting human performance in, mental agility, and adaptability are characteristics that the military wants to cultivate to succeed in such complex environments. in part, this complexity comes from the number and nature of the different missions the military must concurrently fill. the military needs to be able to mix offensive, defensive, and stability operations conducted along multiple lines of operations lines that define the directional orientation of the force in time and space in relation to the enemy. they connect the force with its base of operations and its objectives., without the benefit of a clearly demarcated " frontline. " many soldiers liken lik · en tr. v. lik · ened, lik · en · ing, lik · ens to see, mention, or show as similar ; compare. [ middle english liknen, from like, similar ; see like2 this complexity and unpredictability to " the faucet, " that is, needing to adjust to situations that could change from cold to hot instantaneously. moreover, servicemembers must navigate morally ambiguous situations with balance and nonreactivity, while drawing on stores of cultural awareness to " win hearts and minds. " finally, these missions require that decisionmaking be pushed down to the most junior levels, as the doctrine of " distributed operations distributed operations ( do ) is a new warfighting concept being adopted by the united states marine corps and is being developed by their warfighting laboratory as a response to the changing environment of the global war on terror. " makes clear. such challenges require a tremendous amount of attentional capacity, self - awareness, and situational awareness. on the other hand, because of the stressors and challenges of this operating environment in computing, an operating environment is the environment in which users run programs, whether in a command line interface, such as in ms - dos or the unix shell, or in a graphical user interface, such as in the macintosh operating system., the u. s. military is showing signs of strain. in 2007, the army experienced its highest desert


interface, such as in ms - dos or the unix shell, or in a graphical user interface, such as in the macintosh operating system., the u. s. military is showing signs of strain. in 2007, the army experienced its highest desertion rate since 1980, an 80 percent increase since the united states united states, officially united states of america, republic ( 2005 est. pop. 295, 734, 000 ), 3, 539, 227 sq mi ( 9, 166, 598 sq km ), north america. the united states is the world ' s third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. invaded iraq in 2003. the warning signs of future retention problems are increasingly apparent : suicide, post - traumatic stress disorder ( ptsd ptsd posttraumatic stress disorder. posttraumatic stress disorder post - traumatic stress disorder ( ptsd ) ), substance abuse, divorce, domestic violence, and murder within the force are on the rise. recent attention has focused on the growing number of suicides, with the marine corps experiencing more suicides in 2008 than since the war began and the army logging its highest monthly total in january 2009 since it began counting in 1980. not surprisingly, ptsd rates are highest among iraq and afghanistan veterans who saw extensive combat ( 28 percent ). however, military health care officials are seeing a spectrum of psychological issues, even among those without much combat experience. various surveys provide a range of estimates, with up to half of returning national guard and reservists, 38 percent of soldiers, and 31 percent of marines reporting mental health problems. ( 1 ) it is no wonder. troops manning checkpoints or on patrol have to make split - second decisions on when to use lethal force, and veterans say fear often clouded their judgment. as army sergeant dustin flatt put it, " the second you left the gate of your base, you were always worried. you were constantly watchful for ieds [ improvised explosive devices ].... if you ' ve been in firefights earlier that day or week, you ' re even more stressed and insecure to a point where you are almost trigger - happy. " ( 2 ) the perpetual uncertainty is mentally exhausting and physically debilitating de · bil · i · tat · ing causing a loss of strength or energy. weakening, or reducing the strength of. mentioned in : stress reduction, and often its effects linger even after returning home. what can be done to enhance the military ' s capacities to operate in


tat · ing causing a loss of strength or energy. weakening, or reducing the strength of. mentioned in : stress reduction, and often its effects linger even after returning home. what can be done to enhance the military ' s capacities to operate in such complex environments while simultaneously protecting against the stressors inherent in them? this article proposes a new training program for both improving operational effectiveness and building resilience to the stressors of deployment : mindfulness - based mind fitness training ( mmft mmft monthly mecha fighting tournament mmft method of moments plus fourier transform, pronounced m - fit ). this program includes techniques and exercises that previous research in civilians has demonstrated to be effective at enhancing the capacities central to mind fitness, such as mental agility, emotion regulation, attention, and situational awareness. importantly, these exercises appear to achieve improvements in mind fitness by changing brain structure and function so that brain processes are more efficient. our pilot research, conducted in pre - deployment marine reservists, suggests that mmft is similarly successful at bolstering mind fitness and building resilience against stressors in a military cohort. drawing on the well - documented theory of neuroplasticity, which asserts that experience changes the brain, this article argues that mind fitness training could complement the military ' s existing stress inoculation inoculation, in medicine, introduction of a preparation into the tissues or fluids of the body for the purpose of preventing or curing certain diseases. the preparation is usually a weakened culture of the agent causing the disease, as in vaccination against training by developing skills to promote resilience against stress and trauma so that warriors can execute their missions more effectively. stress can degrade performance a variety of research indicates that harmful conditions such as chronic stress, neglect, and abuse can produce harmful changes in the brain. ( 3 ) stress is produced by real or imagined events that are perceived to threaten an individual ' s physical and mental well - being. today, stress is commonly understood to mean external events or circumstances, and as a result, we tend to think of stress as something external to us. however, stress is actually a perceived, internal response. the right amount of stress will allow a decisionmaker to function at peak performance. however, excessive stress has biological and psychological consequences that reduce the capacity to process new information and learn. stress may also bias decisionmaking more toward reactive, unconscious emotional choices. recent empirical research about decisionmaking in stressful military environments demonstrates that trauma and stress lead to deficits in cognitive functioning


psychological consequences that reduce the capacity to process new information and learn. stress may also bias decisionmaking more toward reactive, unconscious emotional choices. recent empirical research about decisionmaking in stressful military environments demonstrates that trauma and stress lead to deficits in cognitive functioning. one large study of army troops found that soldiers who served in iraq were highly likely to show lapses in memory and an ability to focus, a deficit that often persisted more than 2 months after they arrived home. ( 4 ) in the study, 654 soldiers who deployed to iraq between april 2003 and may 2005 did significantly worse in tasks that measured spatial memory, verbal ability, and the ability to focus than 307 soldiers who had not deployed. in contrast, the soldiers who had deployed outperformed those who had not in terms of quick reaction time ( for example, how long it takes to spot a computer icon and react ). in effect, the deployed soldiers ' brains built the capacity for quick reaction, a function more necessary for survival in iraq, while experiencing degradation in other mental capacities. in another study, soldiers who screened positive for mental health problems after returning home were up to three times more likely to report having engaged in unethical behavior while deployed. ( 5 ) such behavior, including unnecessarily damaging private property or insulting or physically harming noncombatants, is obviously counterproductive to winning the confidence of the local population. this finding suggests a strong link between the negative effects of stress, which degrades soldiers ' capacity to manage their own emotions and thereby control impulsive, reactive behavior, and a decrease in their ability to perform their mission effectively. other studies of military environments have found substantial degradation in cognitive performance when subjects experience sleep deprivation sleep deprivation sleep disorders a prolonged period without the usual amount of sleep. see driver fatigue, poor sleeping hygiene, sleep disorders, sleep - onset insomnia. and other environmental stressors. one recent study of sleep deprivation among navy seals and army rangers during a field training exercise demonstrated that the lack of sleep affected troops so badly that after a week they performed worse on cognitive tests than if they were sedated or legally drunk. in this study, the seals and rangers showed severe degradation in reaction time, vigilance, visual pattern recognition, short - term memory, learning, and grammatical reasoning skills. ( 6 ) another group of studies examined more than 530 soldiers, sailors, and pilots during military survival training, including time in mock prisoner of war camps, to prepare them to withstand the mental and physical stresses of capture. in


and grammatical reasoning skills. ( 6 ) another group of studies examined more than 530 soldiers, sailors, and pilots during military survival training, including time in mock prisoner of war camps, to prepare them to withstand the mental and physical stresses of capture. in these studies, exposure to acute stressors resulted in symptoms of dissociation ( alterations of one ' s perception of body, environment, and the passage of time ), problem - solving deficits ( as measured by objectively assessed military performance ), and significant inaccuracies in working memory and spatial memory ( as measured by eyewitness identification tests ). 7 these findings corroborated with other studies that found multistressor environments lead to substantial degradation of executive control capacity and cognitive skills, and such degradation has been linked to battlefield errors, such as friendly fire incidents and collateral damage collateral damage surgery a popular term for any undesired but unavoidable co - morbidity associated with a therapy – eg, chemotherapy - induced cd to the bm and gi tract as a side effect of destroying tumor cells. ( 8 ) mind fitness training and performance optimal combat readiness requires three things : * mission essential knowledge and skills * physical fitness * mind fitness. all three components are crucial for equipping warriors to handle the challenges and stressors of deployment. the military devotes substantial resources to the first two categories, both in terms of funding and time on the training schedule. however, there is virtually no focus on mind fitness training today. the army ' s battlemind program is a first effort to raise soldiers ' awareness of the psychological health issues associated with deployment, but battlemind mostly occurs after soldiers return home and provides no skills training. instead, it introduces them to the cognitive and psychological effects of being deployed, provides psychological debriefing sessions, and helps them identify warning signs for when to seek help. in short, the military generally lacks proactive mind fitness training programs designed to give warriors skills that optimize performance and protect against the stressors of deployment. most military training is " stress inoculation training " because it exposes and habituates warriors to the kinds of stressors they will face while deployed. paradoxically, however, as the previous section demonstrates, stress inoculation training depletes warriors ' executive control capacity - - that is, the mental capacity that allows us to focus on demanding cognitive tasks and / or emotionally challenging situations. as we explain below, mind fitness training may counteract this cognitive degradation that results from stress inoculation


warriors ' executive control capacity - - that is, the mental capacity that allows us to focus on demanding cognitive tasks and / or emotionally challenging situations. as we explain below, mind fitness training may counteract this cognitive degradation that results from stress inoculation training. therefore, it could complement existing military predeployment training, as it helps warriors to perceive and relate to deployment stressors differently. in other words adv. 1. in other words - otherwise stated ; " in other words, we are broke " put differently, mind fitness training may provide " mental armor " to protect troops as they prepare for deployment and experience the stressors of deployment itself. just as stress and trauma can functionally and structurally change the brain, so too can training, practice, and expertise. the brain of an expert - - such as surgeon, taxi driver, or musician - - is functionally and structurally different from that of a nonexpert. in one study of london cab drivers, for example, researchers found that cab drivers have larger hippocampi than matched controls and that the longer an individual worked as a cab driver cab · driv · er also cab driver one who drives a taxicab for hire. cab driver n → taxista m / f cab driver n →, the larger the hippocampus hippocampus fabulous marine creature ; half fish, half horse. [ rom. myth. and art : hall, 154 ] see : monsters. the hippocampus is the brain region that controls conscious memory, obviously needed to navigate london ' s circuitous cir · cu · i · tous being or taking a roundabout, lengthy course : took a circuitous route to avoid the accident site. streets. these differences in hippocampus size were the result of experience and training as a cab driver, not of preexisting differences in the hippocampal hip · po · cam · pus n. pl. hip · po · cam · pi a ridge in the floor of each lateral ventricle of the brain that consists mainly of gray matter and has a central role in memory processes. structure. ( 9 ) the london cab driver study highlights the well - documented theory of neuroplasticity, which states that experience changes the brain. ( 10 ) areas of the brain may shrink or expand - become more or less functional - - based on experience. in other words, the brain, like the rest of the body, builds the " muscles " it uses most, sometimes at the expense


( 10 ) areas of the brain may shrink or expand - become more or less functional - - based on experience. in other words, the brain, like the rest of the body, builds the " muscles " it uses most, sometimes at the expense of other abilities. this concept is something athletes, musicians, and martial artists have known for a long time : with physical exercise and repetition of certain body movements, the body becomes stronger, more efficient, and better able to perform those movements with ease. a similar process can occur with the brain : with the engagement and repetition of certain mental processes, the brain becomes more efficient at those processes. this improved efficiency arises because any time we perform a physical or mental task, the brain regions that serve task - related functions show increased neuronal activity. over time, as we choose to build a new mental skill, the repeated engagement of the brain regions supporting that skill creates a more efficient pattern of neural activity, for example, by rearranging structural connections between brain cells involved in that skill. in other words, experience and training can lead to functional and structural reorganization of the brain. thus, there is a profound parallel between physical fitness and mind fitness. athletes know that with repetition, physical fitness exercises can produce training - specific muscular, respiratory, and cardiovascular changes in the body. they know that specific training will correspond to specific benefits and promote better recovery from specific injuries. for example, sprints can build fast - twitch muscles, while longer runs can teach the body to burn fat instead of glucose. similarly, specific mental exercises may allow the mind to become more " fit " and better protected against certain types of challenges by neuroplastic changes in the brain. mind fitness in today ' s operational environment entails having a mind with highly efficient capacities for mental agility, emotional regulation, attention, and situational awareness ( of self, others, and the wider environment ). just as physical fitness corresponds to specific enhancements in the body, mind fitness may correspond to enhancements in specific brain structures and functions that support these capacities. and, like physical fitness, mind fitness may be protective : it may build resiliency and lead to faster recovery from cognitive depletion and psychological stress. we propose that mind fitness can be maintained even in high - demand and high - stress contexts by regularly engaging in certain mental exercises. these exercises engage and improve core mental processes, such as working memory capacity, which lead to a more mentally agile, emotionally regulated, attentive, and situationally aware mode of functioning.


high - stress contexts by regularly engaging in certain mental exercises. these exercises engage and improve core mental processes, such as working memory capacity, which lead to a more mentally agile, emotionally regulated, attentive, and situationally aware mode of functioning. this scientific understanding is starting to be recognized and applied with many recent research studies and popular books describing training programs to bolster mind fitness. ( 11 ) these training techniques have existed for thousands of years, originating in eastern spiritual traditions. in recent decades, they have been adapted for secular use, including in medical and mental health settings, corporations, prisons, and elementary schools. the most common and well - validated training program is mindfulness - based stress reduction mindfulness - based stress reduction ( mbsr ), n meditation technique that promotes relaxation through the nonjudgmental awareness of moment - to - moment sensations, experiences, and reactions. ( mbsr mbsr mindfulness based stress reduction ( dr. myra weiss ) ) ; more than 250 u. s. hospitals offer mbsr programs, and more than 50 research articles document its utility in many domains. ( 12 ) mind fitness can be enhanced through a variety of training techniques, but the foundational skill cultivated in both mbsr and our mmft program is called " mindfulness. " mindfulness has been described as a process of " bringing one ' s attention to the present experience on a moment - by - moment basis " ( 13 ) and as " paying attention in a particular way, on purpose, in the present moment and non - judgmentally. " ( 14 ) mindfulness differs from a more conceptual mode of processing information, which is often the mind ' s default way of perceiving and cognizing. in other words, paying attention is not the same thing as thinking, although we often equate the two. a growing body of empirical scientific evidence supports the efficacy of mindfulness - based interventions. clinical studies demonstrate that civilian patients who participated in such programs saw improvement in many physical and psychological conditions and reported a decrease in mood disturbance from, and stress related to, these conditions. similarly, numerous studies have documented how mindfulness training positively alters emotional experience by reducing negative mood as well as improving positive mood and well - being. ( 15 ) mindfulness training has also been shown to increase tolerance of unpleasant physical states, such as pain, ( 16 ) produce brain changes consistent with more effective handling of emotions under stress, and increase immune functioning. ( 17 ) finally, many studies have shown that mindfulness training improves different


been shown to increase tolerance of unpleasant physical states, such as pain, ( 16 ) produce brain changes consistent with more effective handling of emotions under stress, and increase immune functioning. ( 17 ) finally, many studies have shown that mindfulness training improves different aspects of attention, which is the ability to remain focused on task - relevant information while filtering out distracting or irrelevant information. ( 18 ) while this research draws from civilian populations, its findings clearly have implications in the military context. these techniques have already been extended to war veterans with ptsd, and preliminary results from this work suggest a reduction in symptoms. ( 19 ) in addition, mindfulness training could help optimize warrior performance by cultivating competencies critical for the modern battlefield, such as improved self - regulation, better attentional skills, and enhanced situational awareness. working memory capacity and mental armor mind fitness, as we have operationalized it here, comprises mental faculties critical for military effectiveness, such as mental agility, emotion regulation, attention, and situational awareness. interestingly, the cognitive neuroscience construct of " working memory capacity " ( wmc wmc winter music conference wmc weill medical college ( cornell university ) wmc wisconsin manufacturers and commerce ( madison, wi ) wmc westchester medical center wmc western mining corporation ) has also been linked to these faculties. wmc is the ability to maintain relevant information online while resisting interference from irrelevant information. growing evidence suggests that working memory capacity is tied to the ability to engage in abstract problem - solving and counterfactual thinking. recently, neuroscientists report that in addition to these " cold " cognitive processes cognitive processes thought processes ( i. e., reasoning, perception, judgment, memory ). mentioned in : psychosocial disorders requiring a high degree of mental flexibility and agility, " hot " emotional regulation processes also rely on wmc. while individuals differ in their baseline wmc, everyone ' s wmc can be fatigued and degraded after engaging in highly demanding cognitive or emotional tasks. 20 conversely, wmc can be improved and strengthened through training. studies have shown that individuals with higher wmc have better attentional skills, abstract problem - solving skills, and general fluid intelligence ( that is, the ability to use rather than simply know facts ). they also suffer less from emotionally intrusive thoughts and are more capable of suppressing or reappraising emotions when required. in contrast, individuals with lower wmc have poorer academic achievement, lower standardized test scores, and more episodes of mind - wandering.


suffer less from emotionally intrusive thoughts and are more capable of suppressing or reappraising emotions when required. in contrast, individuals with lower wmc have poorer academic achievement, lower standardized test scores, and more episodes of mind - wandering. they are more likely to suffer from ptsd, anxiety disorders, and substance abuse, and are more likely to exhibit prejudicial behavior toward personally disliked groups. 21 thus, wmc corresponds to an individual ' s success at willfully willfully adv. referring to doing something intentionally, purposefully and stubbornly. examples : " he drove the car willfully into the crowd on the sidewalk. " " she willfully left the dangerous substances on the property. " ( see : willful ) guiding behavior while overcoming cognitive or emotional distractions or impulsive tendencies. warriors with higher wmc are more likely to have better mind fitness and thus be better equipped for responding to the cognitive and emotional challenges that come from preparing for and experiencing deployment. these warriors are also more likely to maintain an effective level of performance when confronted by obstacles, setbacks, and distractions, and return to their baseline functioning after being exposed to stressors or traumatic experiences. nonetheless, all warriors ( even those with higher wmc ) are likely to suffer from some degree of wmc degradation through the deployment cycle because the stressors of this time period are so depleting of cognitive and emotional resources. moreover, an individual ' s position within the military command structure may exacerbate the problem because recent evidence suggests that being lower in a power hierarchy reduces wmc. ( 22 ) thus, an important component of optimal combat readiness should be to maintain or increase baseline levels of wmc, despite the increase in stressors over the deployment cycle. because wmc can be strengthened through training, performance on both cold cognitive processes and hot emotional regulation can be enhanced. maintaining or enhancing warriors ' baseline levels of wmc could have cascading effects for effective decisionmaking, complex problem - solving, and emotional regulation processes, all of which are heavily taxed over the deployment cycle and are crucial for mission effectiveness. in other words, training to improve wmc may provide " mental armor " to protect against impending deployment - related degradation in mind fitness. mindfulness - based mind fitness training is a 24 - hour course that is taught over 8 weeks in groups of 20 to 25 servicemembers. mmft is based on the well - established mbsr course known to improve attentional functioning and reduce the negative effects of stress. however


is a 24 - hour course that is taught over 8 weeks in groups of 20 to 25 servicemembers. mmft is based on the well - established mbsr course known to improve attentional functioning and reduce the negative effects of stress. however, mmft is tailored for the military predeployment training cycle, with real - world examples from the counterinsurgency coun · ter · in · sur · gen · cy political and military strategy or action intended to oppose and forcefully suppress insurgency. coun environment that show how mind fitness skills can enhance performance and mission accomplishment. during the course, troops learn about the stress reaction cycle and its effects on the mind and body. they also learn how mind fitness training can boost resilience to stress. most importantly, and unlike the army ' s battlemind training, mmft provides skills training through mind fitness exercises. these exercises are practiced 30 minutes a day. some exercises build concentration by focusing on one object of attention, such as a particular body sensation. others build situational awareness and non - reactivity through wider attention on internal and external stimuli. and some exercises use focused attention to reregulate physiological and psychological symptoms that develop from traumatic or stressful experiences. the exercises are incorporated into physical training and other mission essential tasks and completed during the duty day, in groups and / or individually. thus, an important component of the course is engaging in mmft training exercises each day. we recently conducted a pilot study of mmft with a detachment of 31 marine reservists, who received the training before they deployed to iraq. ( in march 2009, they returned home from this deployment. ) while some marines resisted the effort required by the training, the initial exposure was relatively positive. the entire detachment received training, and mmft ' s didactic information and group practices helped to socialize so · cial · ize v. so · cial · ized, so · cial · iz · ing, so · cial · iz · es 1. to place under government or group ownership or control. 2. to make fit for companionship with others ; make sociable. the concept. once deployed, the marines personalized their approach to the mmft exercises, differing in how they incorporated them into their daily routines. from their anecdotal reports during and after the deployment, it appears some marines continued the exercises during their down time, some incorporated them into their physical fitness regimes, some employed them as part of their premission rehearsals,


their daily routines. from their anecdotal reports during and after the deployment, it appears some marines continued the exercises during their down time, some incorporated them into their physical fitness regimes, some employed them as part of their premission rehearsals, and some employed them to keep themselves alert and focused while on missions. many marines reported using the exercises at bedtime, which they said helped them to quiet their minds, fall asleep faster, and sleep more soundly. before and after mmft training ( before they deployed ), the marines participated in a battery of behavioral tasks to measure their cognitive capabilities. we had predicted that the increase in stressors during predeployment training would degrade the marines ' cognitive performance. however, statistical analysis shows that the marines who spent more time engaging in mind fitness exercises ( on average, 10 hours outside of class ) saw an improvement in their cognitive performance compared to marines who spent less time engaging in the exercises ( on average, 2 hours outside of class ). ( 23 ) specifically, despite the real increase in stressors during the predeployment period, the marines who engaged in more mind fitness training maintained the same perceived stress level and preserved or even improved their working memory capacity over their initial baseline. in contrast, the marines who engaged in less mind fitness training experienced an increase in their perceived stress levels and the predicted decrease in their working memory capacity. this degradation in their wmc produced test scores of working memory capacity on par with populations that have suffered psychological injuries such as ptsd and major depression. ( 24 ) it is important to note that this degradation in working memory capacity occurred before deployment, and thus does not reflect the additional stressors of the deployment itself. the apparent costs of the predeployment context are striking, given that the intention of the predeployment training is to prepare servicemembers physically, emotionally, and cognitively for the stressors of deployment. our findings highlight the potential importance of providing mind fitness training within the predeployment time period to buffer against wmc depletion. while we have not yet fully analyzed the data from their postdeployment cognitive behavioral testing, it is clear from a postdeployment survey that the marines continued to engage in mind fitness training and / or use the skills they learned while deployed. sixteen percent of the marines said that they " practiced regularly while deployed, " while 35 percent gave neutral responses, and 48 percent said they did not practice regularly. in contrast, 26 percent of the


and / or use the skills they learned while deployed. sixteen percent of the marines said that they " practiced regularly while deployed, " while 35 percent gave neutral responses, and 48 percent said they did not practice regularly. in contrast, 26 percent of the marines said that they practiced mind fitness exercises " after particularly stressful or traumatic experiences, " while 35 percent gave neutral responses and 38 percent said they did not. perhaps more importantly, 54 percent of the marines said that they " used the skills learned in this course downrange down · range adv. & adj. in a direction away from the launch site and along the flight line of a missile test range : landed a thousand miles downrange ; the downrange target area., " while 27 percent gave neutral responses, and the rest said they did not use mmft skills while deployed. thus, while only 16 percent practiced mind fitness exercises regularly during the deployment, more than a quarter used the practices to reregulate themselves after stressful experiences and more than half used mmft skills during the deployment. these findings suggest the need for adding more structured mind fitness exercise sessions into a unit ' s daily schedule during deployment. they also highlight again the parallel to physical fitness : just as building muscle requires repetitive physical exercise, improving cognitive and emotional performance requires engaging in mind fitness exercises in a sustained, disciplined manner. while mind fitness skills are quickly and easily taught, they require ongoing commitment to develop and strengthen over time. we acknowledge several limitations to this pilot study. our cohort was a convenience sample, consisting of a detachment that agreed to receive training. there was no waitlist wait · list a waiting list. tr. v. also wait - list wait · list · ed, wait · list · ing, wait · lists to put on a waiting list. or active control group, although we are currently gathering control group data for further analysis. we think this weakness was partially mitigated by our use of well - validated cognitive behavioral instruments shown to be stable over time. this minimizes the possibility that the observed changes simply reflected measurement artifact. nonetheless, the fact that all marines started with similar wmc scores and that changes in their scores over time correlate, in a statistically significant way, with the amount of time spent engaging in mind fitness exercises highlights the need for further study. to this end, we have recently received funding from the department of defense to examine how mind fitness training can build resilience and combat readiness among army soldiers. the first study will compare mm


engaging in mind fitness exercises highlights the need for further study. to this end, we have recently received funding from the department of defense to examine how mind fitness training can build resilience and combat readiness among army soldiers. the first study will compare mmft to the army ' s battlemind program in a predeployment context. the second study will compare different versions of mmft in a nondeployment context, to see which version is most effective at producing optimal cognitive and psychological performance among warriors. as this article has shown, mind fitness training can immunize im · mu · nize 1. to render immune. 2. to produce immunity in, as by inoculation. im against stress by buffering the cognitive degradation of stress inoculation training and by permitting more adaptive responses to and interpretation of stressors. mind fitness training can also enhance warrior performance by cultivating competencies critical for today ' s security environment. finally, beyond its immediate effects for managing stress and enhancing mission performance, mind fitness training is protective : it builds resiliency and leads to faster recovery from cognitive degradation and psychological injury. while warriors may choose to engage in mind fitness exercises to optimize their performance downrange, the protective effects will still be accruing - - likely leading to a decrease in psychological injury upon returning home. as a result, mind fitness training could reduce the number of warriors in need of professional help and thereby reduce caregiver burnout burnout depletion of a tax shelter ' s benefits. in the context of mortgage backed securities it refers to the percentage of the pool that has prepaid their mortgage. among armed forces ' chaplains and medical and mental health professionals. in other words, mind fitness training ' s beneficial effects could continue long after the deployment is over, increasing the likelihood that warriors will be ready, willing, and able to deploy again when needed. ( 1 ) l. baldor, " army desertions surge in past year, " san jose mercury news the san jose mercury news is the major daily newspaper in san jose, california and silicon valley. the paper is owned by medianews group. its headquarters and printing plant are located in north san jose next to the nimitz freeway ( interstate 880 )., november 17, 2007, 4a ; c. w. hoge et al., " mental health problems, use of mental health services health services managed care the benefits covered under a health contract, and attrition from military service after returning from deployment to iraq or


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the surgeon multi - national force - iraq, office of the command surgeon, and office of the surgeon general the u. s. surgeon general is charged with the protection and advancement of health in the united states. since the 1960s the surgeon general has become a highly visible federal public health official, speaking out against known health risks such as tobacco use, and promoting disease united states army medical command the u. s. army medical command, known as medcom, is a major command of the u. s. army that provides command and control of the army ' s fixed - facility medical, dental, and veterinary treatment facilities, providing preventive care, medical research, development and training, mental health advisory team ( mhat mhat mental health advisory team ( us army ) ) v operation iraqi freedom 06 - 08 : iraq operation enduring freedom 8 : afghanistan, february 14, 2008. ( 2 ) c. hedges and l. al - arian, " the other war, " the nation ( july 30 - august 6, 2007 ), 23. ( 3 ) douglas bremner, does stress damage the brain? understanding trauma - related disorders from mind - body perspective ( new york : norton, 2002 ) ; robert scaer, the trauma spectrum : hidden wounds and human resiliency ( new york : norton, 2005 ). ( 4 ) jennifer j. vasterling et al., " neuropsychological neu · ro · psy · chol · o · gy the branch of psychology that deals with the relationship between the nervous system, especially the brain, and cerebral or mental functions such as language, memory, and perception. outcomes of army personnel following deployment to the iraq war, " journal of the american medical association 296, no. 5 ( 2006 ), 519 - 529. ( 5 ) office of the surgeon multi - national force - iraq, office of the command surgeon, and office of the surgeon general united states army medical command, 32. ( 6 ) harris r. lieberman et al., " severe decrements in cognition function and mood induced by sleep loss, heat, dehydration and under - nutrition during simulated combat, " biological psychiatry 57 ( 2005 ), 422 - 429. ( 7 ) charles a. morgan iii et al., " accuracy of eyewitness memory for persons encountered during exposure to highly intense stress, " international journal of law and psychiatry 27 ( 2004 ), 265 - 279 ; charles a. morgan iii et al., " stress - induced deficit


al., " accuracy of eyewitness memory for persons encountered during exposure to highly intense stress, " international journal of law and psychiatry 27 ( 2004 ), 265 - 279 ; charles a. morgan iii et al., " stress - induced deficits in working memory and visuo - constructive abilities in special operations soldiers, " biological psychiatry 60 ( 2006 ), 722 - 729. ( 8 ) d. r. haslam, " the military performance of soldiers in sustained operations, " aviation, space and environmental medicine 55 ( 1984 ), 216 - 221 ; harris r. lieberman et al., " effects of caffeine, sleep loss and stress on cognitive performance and mood during u. s. navy seal training, " psychopharmacology psychopharmacology ( si ' kofar ' məkol ` əje ), in its broadest sense, the study of all pharmacological agents that affect mental and emotional functions. 164 ( 2002 ), 250 - 261 ; k. opstad, " circadian rhythm circadian rhythm : see rhythm, biological. inherent cycle of approximately 24 hours in length that appears to control or initiate various biological processes, including sleep, wakefulness, and digestive and hormonal activity. of hormones is extinguished during prolonged physical stress, sleep and energy deficiency in young men, " european journal of endocrinology journal of endocrinology this is a journal published by the society for endocrinology, which publishes original research articles in the field. it is abbreviated " j endocrinol ". 131 ( 1994 ), 56 - 66 ; g. belenky et al., " sustaining performance during continuous operations : the u. s. army ' s sleep management system, " in pennington center nutritional series 10, countermeasures for battlefield stressors, ed. k. friedl et al. ( baton rouge : louisiana state university press this article needs sources or references that appear in reliable, third - party publications. alone, primary sources and sources affiliated with the subject of this article are not sufficient for an accurate encyclopedia article., 2000 ). ( 9 ) e. a. mcguire et al., " navigation expertise and the human hippocampus : a structural brain imaging analysis, " hippocampus 13, no. 2 ( 2003 ), 250 - 259. ( 10 ) jeffrey m. schwartz jeffrey m. schwartz, m. d. is a well known american scientist in the field of neuroplasticity


, " hippocampus 13, no. 2 ( 2003 ), 250 - 259. ( 10 ) jeffrey m. schwartz jeffrey m. schwartz, m. d. is a well known american scientist in the field of neuroplasticity, and its application to obsessive - compulsive disorder ( ocd ). after receiving a bachelors with honors in philosophy, he changed career directions to the medical sciences. and sharon begley, the mind and the brain : neuroplasticity and the power of mental force ( new york : harper perennial, 2003 ). ( 11 ) sharon begley, train your mind, change your brain ( new york : random house, 2007 ) ; ryuta kawashima, train your brain : 60 days to a better brain ( new york : kumon publishing, 2005 ) ; joel levy, train your brain : the complete mental workout for a fit and agile mind ( new york : barnes and noble publishing, 2007 ). ( 12 ) a. lutz et al., " attention regulation and monitoring in meditation, " trends in cognitive sciences 12, no. 4 ( 2008 ), 163 - 169. see also a. p. jha et al., " mindfulness training modifies subsystems of attention, " cognitive, affective and behavioral neuroscience 7, no. 2 ( 2007 ), 109 - 119. ( 13 ) g. a. marlatt and j. l. kristeller, " mindfulness and meditation, " in integrating spirituality into treatment : resources for practitioners, ed. william r. miller ( washington, dc : american psychological association, 1999 ), 68. ( 14 ) jon kabat - zinn, wherever you go, there you are : mindfulness meditation in daily life ( new york : hyperion, 1994 ), 4. ( 15 ) p. c. broderick, " mindfulness and coping with dysphoric mood : contrasts with rumination rumination / ru · mi · na · tion / ( roo? mi - na´shun ) 1. the casting up of the food to be chewed thoroughly a second time, as in cattle. 2. and distraction, " cognitive therapy cognitive therapy any of a variety of techniques in psychotherapy that utilize guided self - discovery, imaging, self - instruction, and related forms of elicited cognitions as the principal mode of treatment. and research 29, no. 5 ( 2005 ), 501 - 510. see also, ruth a. bae


utilize guided self - discovery, imaging, self - instruction, and related forms of elicited cognitions as the principal mode of treatment. and research 29, no. 5 ( 2005 ), 501 - 510. see also, ruth a. baer, " mindfulness training as a clinical intervention : a conceptual and empirical review, " clinical psychology : science and practice 10, no. 2 ( 2003 ), 125 - 143. ( 16 ) joshua grant, " pain perception, pain tolerance, pain control and zen meditation, " presentation at the mind and life summer research institute, june 5, 2007. ( 17 ) richard j. davidson et al., " alterations in brain and immune function immune function the state in which the body recognizes foreign materials and is able to neutralize them before they can do any harm. mentioned in : herbalism, traditional chinese, stress reduction produced by mindfulness meditation, " psychosomatic medicine psychosomatic medicine ( si ' kosomat ` ik ), study and treatment of those emotional disturbances that are manifested as physical disorders. 65, no. 4 ( 2003 ), 564 - 570. ( 18 ) a. p. jha et al., " mindfulness training modifies subsystems of attention " ; e. r. valentine and p. l. g. sweet, " meditation and attention : a comparison of the effects of concentrative and mindfulness meditation on sustained attention, " mental health, religion and culture 2 ( 1999 ), 59 - 70 ; heleen slater et al., " mental training affects distribution of limited brain resources, " plos biology 5, no. 6 ( 2007 ), 138. ( 19 ) a. p. king et al., " pilot study of a mindfulness - based group therapy for combat posttraumatic stress disorder posttraumatic stress disorder an anxiety disorder in some individuals who have experienced an event that poses a direct threat to the individual ' s or another person ' s life. ( ptsd ), " poster presented to american psychosomatic psychosomatic / psy · cho · so · mat · ic / ( - sah - mat´ik ) pertaining to the mind - body relationship ; having bodily symptoms of psychic, emotional, or mental origin. 1. society, baltimore, md, 2008. ( 20 ) b. j. schmeichel, " attention control, memory updating, and emotion regulation temporarily reduce the capacity for executive control, " journal of experimental psychology : general 136, no. 2 (


baltimore, md, 2008. ( 20 ) b. j. schmeichel, " attention control, memory updating, and emotion regulation temporarily reduce the capacity for executive control, " journal of experimental psychology : general 136, no. 2 ( 2007 ), 241 - 255. ( 21 ) a. r. conway et al., " working memory span tasks : a methodological review and user ' s guide, " psychonomic bulletin & review 12, no. 5 ( 2005 ), 769 - 786. ( 22 ) p. k. smith et al., " lacking power impairs executive functions, " psychological science 19, no. 5 ( 2008 ), 441 - 447. ( 23 ) a. p. jha et al., " examining the protective effects of mindfulness training on working memory capacity and affective experience, " emotion ( in review ). ( 24 ) c. r. brewin, and l. smart, " working memory capacity and suppression of intrusive thoughts, " journal of behavioral therapy and experimental psychiatry 36, no. 1 ( 2005 ), 61 - 68 ; t. dalgleish et al., " reduced autobiographical memory specificity and posttraumatic posttraumatic / posttrau · mat · ic / ( post? traw - mat´ik ) occurring as a result of or after injury. following or resulting from injury or trauma. stress : exploring the contributions of impaired executive control and affect regulation, " journal of abnormal psychology journal of abnormal psychology is a scientific journal published by the american psychological association. it has previously been entitled journal of abnormal & social psychology • 117 ( 2008 ), 236 - 241 ; t. dalgleish et al., " reduced specificity of autobiographical memory and depression : the role of executive processes, " journal of experimental psychology : general 136 ( 2007 ), 23 - 42. dr. elizabeth a. stanley is an assistant professor in the edmund a. walsh school of foreign service this article or section needs sources or references that appear in reliable, third - party publications. alone, primary sources and sources affiliated with the subject of this article are not sufficient for an accurate encyclopedia article. and department of government at georgetown university. dr. amishi p. jha is an assistant professor in the department of psychology at the university of pennsylvania ( body, education ) university of pennsylvania - the home of eniac and machiavelli. address : philadelphia, pa, usa..


the norwegian child welfare services may not understand how children are brought up elsewhere but the indian system of child protection is highly interventionist and ends up unfairly targeting poor parents. the case in norway relating to the two indian children who were removed from their parental home raises critical concerns about what is meant by the concept of “ best interest ” in matters relating to children. the purported findings of the norway child welfare services — as claimed by the parents, at any rate — that a four - year - old did not have a separate room, that the children did not have appropriate toys for their age, were wearing clothes that were big for them and were being given food by hand, indicate a lack of understanding of how children are brought up in different parts of the world. while fortunately the case may be resolving itself, the issue of “ emotional disconnect ” — which the authorities apparently claim the parents have had with their children — would be a non - issue in india. but cases can and do come up when children are separated from their parents on grounds that are not always clear. while each personal law in india — hindu, muslim, etc. — has different criteria for guardianship, child custody cases are determined on the basis of “ welfare of the minor ” and “ best interests ” of the child, though these two terms are often used interchangeably by courts. despite certain guiding principles of the higher courts, it would still be dependent on the individual opinion of the judge who would determine the issue. the juvenile justice ( care and protection ) act permits state intervention in cases where children are in need of care and protection and seeks to provide for a system which will protect the best interest of children. the act enumerates various categories where there can be state intervention. under one category, if a parent is unfit or incapacitated in exercising control over her or his child, then such child is in need of care and protection. any police officer, public servant, social worker, “ public spirited citizen ” or voluntary organisation can produce a child before the child welfare committee, constituted under the act, stating that it is in need of care and protection. the child welfare committee may then pass an order to send the child to a children ' s home for speedy enquiry by a social worker or child welfare officer. overzealous “ public spirited citizens ” and ngos contact the system and complain about such violations based on their subjective opinion, often with an inherent class bias. a visit to the child welfare committee premises in chennai is an eye - opener, crowded with


overzealous “ public spirited citizens ” and ngos contact the system and complain about such violations based on their subjective opinion, often with an inherent class bias. a visit to the child welfare committee premises in chennai is an eye - opener, crowded with impoverished migrants from bihar, jharkhand, chhattisgarh and other states whose children are taken away on complaints that they are acrobats, beggars or working with their parents. some children are caught by the railway police and handed over. once the child is caught in the system, it becomes a long and arduous task for the parents to get them out. often, they are unable to prove their identity as parents. proceedings before the committee are not considered litigious in nature. hence parents do not get any legal assistance during such proceedings. thus migrants who come in search of livelihood due to internal displacement in their states become doubly discriminated. the committees constituted under the act are required to complete an enquiry within four months. but the pendency of enquires beyond the stipulated period is common. this is because the committees have no means to determine who the parents are and try to establish contact with the committees of other states from which the children originate and then try to send them “ home. ” the problem becomes compounded as some states and districts do not have such committees. the lack of inter - state coordination results in inordinate delay. in the period between the enquiry proceedings and the submission of the final report, the child is entrusted to an overcrowded reception home. this is more like a transit home and children are in “ protective custody ”. since this is a temporary measure, children have nothing to occupy them. migrant children dislike the food, do not understand the local language, some of them speak in different dialects and communication becomes difficult for even for those who know hindi. under the act, after the enquiry is completed, if the committee is of the opinion that the child has no family or ostensible support or the child is in continuous need of care and protection, it may allow the child to remain in the children ' s home or shelter home till suitable rehabilitation is found or till the child reaches 18. how does one determine that a parent is unfit to keep the child and cannot give ostensible support? the determination of “ best interests ” under the act is complex as it has to be considered with the need of the child to be with a parent and the lack of adequate facilities and resources.


an internal audit opinion that means something if the audit report says that there are significant weaknesses in the system of internal control, or that the level of risk is high, what does that mean? remember : an audit report is a communication. it conveys a message to our audience, our view of the condition of risks and the controls relied on by management to ensure they are at desired levels. but, is the audit report written in ‘ audit ’ language? we, as auditors, know what it means but does the intended audience? do they understand how it might impact their decisions in running the business? that ’ s what is critical. there ’ s no point in a report that identifies a serious business problem if the message isn ’ t clear and management doesn ’ t ‘ get it ’. where is the value of an audit if management doesn ’ t understand what you find and the necessary actions aren ’ t taken? as is often the case, it doesn ’ t matter what we intend to communicate if the receiver of the audit report, the executive and board member, don ’ t receive the message you are trying to send. so, what does it mean in terms of running the business if the controls are ‘ not adequate ’ or the risk is ‘ high ’? should we leave that open to interpretation, or make it clear? i suggest that context may be required. when you say ‘ high risk ’, explain what the risk is to. when you say controls are not adequate, explain what the potential adverse outcome could be — in business terms. a story might help. about ten years ago, i started a new job as vice president of internal audit for a global manufacturing company. the previous cae was in the process of moving into corporate finance, so we had a couple of weeks of transition. my first task was to help close an audit report on a factory in china. i reviewed the draft and liked the summary page. it had a table that took each of the major areas of the factory ’ s business and gave them a risk rating, linking to the number and severity of the related findings. but i didn ’ t like the results : everything was colored red, meaning that every area was rated as high risk with multiple significant control deficiencies. i called the audit director in singapore and we had a short conversation, somewhat along these lines : norman : “ audrey, what does this audit report mean? what should the leadership in asia and at corporate understand from this report? ” audrey : “ norman, the controls are poor, management is not


had a short conversation, somewhat along these lines : norman : “ audrey, what does this audit report mean? what should the leadership in asia and at corporate understand from this report? ” audrey : “ norman, the controls are poor, management is not well - trained, and the risks are high. a lot of work is needed to correct the issues we found. ” norman : “ yes, but what does that mean in terms of how the business should be run? what do you want management to do? ” audrey : “ what do you mean? ” norman : “ imagine you get on an elevator on the 3rd floor of our hq building in singapore and see the asia president. he asks about the audit of the china factory and you have until you reach the ground floor to tell him. what does he need to understand? ” audrey : “ can i call you back tomorrow? ” the next day, she told me what she would tell the executive : “ the processes at the factory are not sufficient to support the planned expansion of the business. if you went ahead, there would be high risk relative to manufacturing quality and other critical aspects of the business. ” brilliant! this is a meaningful and actionable communication. how does this translate to a typical audit report? i suggest the following : - when you assess the condition of the internal controls, do so in terms of the risk to achieving strategies, goals, and objectives. - consider whether the risk is to local objectives, which can be handled locally, or to corporate objectives where action and attention from corporate management is required. make sure your report is clear on who needs to be paying attention. - think about what actions you want taken — not in terms of correcting deficiencies, but whether strategies, etc. should be changed. who needs to take action and who needs to be watching to make sure it happens? who owns the risk, the strategy? - put yourself in management ’ s shoes, and consider both risk and reward. what is the cost of correcting the deficiencies and is it justified, given the cost and the potential for reward? - when you write your report and present your opinion, use the language of your audience. express the result in terms that have meaning for them and talk about risks to strategies and objectives. explain potential losses or other negative outcomes that might result. don ’ t limit yourself to talking about security vulnerabilities ( audit speak ) when you can talk about the loss of confidential information and how that could either lead to compliance issues or a competitor gaining advantage


pc virus celebrates 20th birthday many unhappy returns analysis today, 19 january is the 20th anniversary for the appearance of the first pc virus. brain, a boot sector virus, was let loose in january 1986. brain spread via infected floppy disks and was a relatively innocuous nuisance in contrast with modern trojan, rootkits and other malware. the appearance of the first windows malware nonetheless set in train a chain of events that led up to today ' s computer virus landscape. boot sector viruses ceased to appear when floppy discs went out of fashion but they continued to be a nuisance between 1986 to 1995, when internet technology started to penetrate the consumer market. these types of viruses relied on people to exchange infected discs and virus outbreaks often took months to spread. the creation of macro viruses, which exploited security weaknesses in microsoft word and other applications, meant that malware outbreaks peaked after days instead of weeks and months. macro viruses ruled the roost for around four years between 1995 and 1999 before email became the main vector for viral distribution. harnessing the internet meant that the time it took the first email worms, such as the love bug, to spread dropped from days to hours. email worms such as the love bug and melissa caused widespread disruption and confusion in 1999 before they were brought to heel. by 2001, network worms such as blaster were created that automatically and indiscriminately infected windows pcs without adequate protection. email and network worms remain a problem today but the greatest problem these days is posed by key - logging trojans designed to snoop on user ' s private information, such as online account details, and the many strains of malware that turn infected pcs into zombie drones under the control of hackers. the biggest change over the last 20 years has been in the motives of virus writers rather than in the types of malware they ' ve cooked up, according to anti - virus firm f - secure. " the most significant change has been the evolution of virus writing hobbyists into criminally operated gangs bent on financial gain, " said f - secure ' s chief research officer mikko hypponen. “ this trend is showing no signs of stopping. " " there are already indications that malware authors will target laptop wlans as the next vector for automatically spreading worms, " he added. ®


when we see this plant, we are highly alarmed. it has a horror quality to it. the way it grows, what it looks like, and what it does. maybe in its native asian habitat it is an elegant and necessary addition to a well - rounded ecosystem, but here it is a dangerous emerging invasive. we will describe it for you and tell you a story about how it has pulled us into the forest for the winter, creating a demand for our focus and attention on one very blighted area exemplifying urban park deforestation. this annual asian vine is considered an emerging invasive in morris park ; however it is being spread rapidly and is occurring in the most disturbed areas of the park. along the southern portion of the eastern branch of indian creek, where it appears soil has been transported from elsewhere out of necessity to fill in severely eroded streambanks, there is an especially dense invasion of this species, which we have made attempts at pulling out. being that it is an annual, just pulling the plant before it goes to seed is enough to make a difference, as long as all of the plants in a given area are pulled! note the triangular leaves of this very slender vine. at each leaf node, where the leaf stem intersects with the vine, there is a small rounded collar that is pierced through by the vine giving it the perfoliata part of its latin name. also of note is the prickly reflexed barbs that make this vine very unpleasant to come into contact with. the light and delicate habit of this vine, allows it to grow rapidly, and cover over shrubs and trees, especially in already degraded areas of forests, forest edges, and cleared areas along railroad tracks, roads, right of ways, etc. it is also being found in the forested areas of morris park, where it is most likely being transported by the increasingly abundant deer population. the vine enshrouds other plants, using their structures as a means to climb and reach sunlight, creating an unsightly mass of triangular leaves and barbed stems until there is nothing left to see but this plant. then come the berries, these juicy, attractive blue berries are the sole means of propagation. birds could also be consuming and transporting the seeds contained within, to any location, including your own yard! we find this vine in our yard every year. if you see the seeds, remove and trash them. the best control is close monitoring of at - risk sites and of course your own yard and uprooting of the plant before going to seed. this