the effects of genetic differences among aids patients on cytomegalovirus retinitis this study will evaluate the role of certain gene variants on the onset and course of cytomegalovirus ( cmv ) retinitis - a severe infection affecting the eye - in patients with aids. symptoms include blurry vision, eye pain, photophobia, floaters, eye redness, and impaired vision. left untreated, it can cause blindness. the study is done in collaboration with investigators of the longitudinal studies of the ocular complications of aids ( lsoca ) at the johns hopkins university school of medicine. the purpose of the lsoca study is to learn about how hiv and other infections associated with aids and their treatments affect people ' s eyes and sight. blood samples previously collected from patients participating in the lsoca study will be analyzed for gene variants. these differences will then be correlated with the patients ' clinical data to try to discover the role of gene differences among patients on the following : susceptibility to cmv and related problems ; development and course of cmv ; and response to haart ( highly active antiretroviral treatment ), particularly in cmv onset and pathology. the study will use blood samples and clinical information previously collected from patients during their participation in lsoca. the materials will be identified with a numerical code linking the samples and clinical data. no additional procedures will be performed on patients for this study. | official title : | | discovery of genetic variants contributing to the incidence or course of cmv disease in aids patients | | study start date : | | october 2004 | lsoca is a prospective observational study of ocular complications in hiv - infected aids patients including those treated with highly active anti - retroviral treatment ( haart ). in the absence of haart, there is a 30 % risk of cytomegalovirus ( cmv0 infection associated with aids. of these cmv patients, 75 - 85 % will develop retinitis. test a number of human candidate gene polymorphisms in the lsoca cohort samples to discover genetic influences on the susceptibility to cmv and associated pathologies. inspect the role of known aids restriction genes ( args ) on the infection and pathogenesis of cmv. evaluate the role of the same host gene polymorphisms on the response to haart, particularly in cmv onset and pathology. lymphocytes for dna extraction and relevant clinical data from properly consented aids patients ( maximum estimated at


cmv. evaluate the role of the same host gene polymorphisms on the response to haart, particularly in cmv onset and pathology. lymphocytes for dna extraction and relevant clinical data from properly consented aids patients ( maximum estimated at n = 2, 000 ) will be provided to the lgd for genotyping and analysis. no available subjects will be excluded. lsoca has collected blood specimens and banked viably frozen lymphocytes from each study participant. samples and clinical data are coded and linked. genes under study include the traditional described args ( o ' brien & nelson, 2004 ) ; the cmv receptor gene, us28 ( pleskoff et al., 1997 ) ; hla class i and ii ; kir gene family and other genes involved in virus immune defenses. single nucleotide variants within coding regions, upstream and downstream regulatory regions, and ironic elements will be tested for genetic equilibrium distortion in patient populations at risk for cmv and displaying cmv pathology. following this study, the samples will be maintained in our repository and curated through our central laboratory database. loss or destruction of these samples will be recorded in our database and cannot impact the study participants in any way. we understand that studies subsequent to the completion of this protocol will require additional ohsr / irb approval prior to commencement. | united states, maryland | | national cancer institute ( nci ), 9000 rockville pike | | bethesda, maryland, united states, 20892 | | principal investigator : | | michael dean, ph. d. | | national cancer institute ( nci ) |


iucn releases report on indigenous and traditional peoples 04 march 2008 | news story iucn has just produced a report called indigenous and traditional peoples and climate change, to be released on 14 march 2008. using as a reference the map indigenous and traditional peoples of the world and the global 200 ecoregions, published by wwf in 2000, the report helps visualize how the impacts predicted in the reports of the intergovernmental panel on climate change could affect such groups. does climate change have specific implications for indigenous and traditional peoples of the world? this question has been raised lately, but no comprehensive analysis has been done yet to answer it. research has been conducted in some places, notably the arctic, and some policy discussions have also taken place. indigenous peoples ’ organizations have been requesting for some time to be involved in the climate change policy debates, with limited results. the next session of the un permanent forum on indigenous issues ( may 2008 ) will be again a venue to address this issue, and proposals have been submitted to host related discussions at iucn ’ s fourth world conservation congress. for the report literature was examined on specific regional and ecosystem issues, and illustrative cases were collected. as described in the report, there are at least three particular types of links between climate change and indigenous and traditional cultures : - traditional peoples have developed knowledge about climate variability and extreme natural events, due to their long and deep dependence on and relationship with natural phenomena. - traditional cultures have also developed strategies to adapt to climate variability, particularly in regions where the productivity of ecosystems is highly dependent on specific climatic conditions, such as the arctic or the sahel. nomadic and transhumant pastoralism is one of such adaptations. - due to high dependence on natural ecosystems, the occupation of marginal lands, and a fragile situation in socio - economic and political terms, indigenous and traditional cultures are especially vulnerable to climate change and extreme natural phenomena. this is particularly evident in regions like the arctic, the arid lands of africa, and the islands of oceania. the current rate of loss of traditional languages is already four times higher than biodiversity loss ; with climate change, the loss of languages and cultures is likely to reach dramatic proportions.


avalon is the founder of conserve it forward which can be followed on twitter @ conserveitforwa or facebook at www. facebook. com / conserveitforwardwithavalon this summer, our family traveled to washington state so we could learn how to make and use biosand water filters. this training was given by friendly water for the world. this nonprofit organization helps people all around the world to have safe drinking water. the way they help is by teaching people about sanitation, and how to make and use biosand water filters. biosand water filters are a low cost, sustainable way to get safe drinking water. for about $ 50 per filter, a family can have safe drinking for at least 20 years! did you know that many people die from water borne diseases every single day, just because they do not have clean drinking water? some of these illnesses are typhoid, hepatitis, and diarrhea. imagine being so thirsty and the only source of water you have is very contaminated with microbes ( microscopic living things that cause diseases ). you have to drink water to live, but this water may make you very sick, or even die. in some parts of the world, the only water source may also be used for washing clothes, taking baths, and also for animals. people and animals may also use the restroom close to this water and that can contaminate it even more. how do we improve this? one of the ways to have better sanitation would be to put a fence around your garden to keep animals out of your food source. another way is to use a latrine for the restroom, so waste goes in a contained area. washing your hands is a great way to stop microbes from spreading! these are just a few of the ways to have better sanitation. of course, the most important thing we learned about was how to make and use biosand water filters. so here is how it ’ s done. the first thing you need is a mold, and it is best to have it made locally because they are heavy and expensive to ship. most of the other materials you need to make the filters are pretty easy to find throughout the world. some of those things are sand, gravel, tubing, tools and sieves. it takes approximately 2 days to complete a filter and a lot of that is drying time for the cement mold. yes, we even learned to make cement! once it is dried and the tube is in, the next step is to charge the filter, which means you put


| title | | demonstrators with signs outside seattle chamber of commerce during wpa strike, seattle, 1937 | | caption | | in 1936, the federal works progress administration hired some 9, 000 unemployed king county residents on 271 different projects ranging from improving roads and parks to serving school lunches. congress reduced funding for the wpa in 1937, causing nationwide layoffs. in seattle, some workers stormed the wpa offices to protest the layoffs. others staged sitdown strikes or picketed on downtown sidewalks. | this photo, taken during the summer of 1937, shows a group of wpa picketers outside the seattle chamber of commerce on third avenue and columbia street. the man at right is displaying a copy of the daily worker, the newspaper of the american communist party. one of the protest signs supports the wagner act, a pro - union bill that eventually passed congress. | notes | | protest signs read : stop wpa lay - offs. poverty forces women to the streets. support wagner act. fools starve, workers fight. we demand cash relief. | signs on building read : seattle chamber of commerce, third floor. handwritten on image : picketts [ sic ]. handwritten on sleeve : strikes - wpa - seattle. caption by mohai staff. date photograph was filed at the seattle post - intelligencer ( date of photograph and file date may differ by a month or more ) : july 15, 1937. | subjects | | strikes - - washington ( state ) - - seattle ; activists - - washington ( state ) - - seattle ; demonstrations - - washington ( state ) - - seattle ; depressions - - washington ( state ) - - seattle ; united states. works progress administration | | places | | united states - - washington ( state ) - - seattle | | digital collection | | museum of history & industry photograph collection | | image number | | pi22387 | | ordering information | | to order a reproduction or to inquire about permissions contact firstname. lastname @ example. org or phone us at 206 - 324 - 1126. please refer to the image number and provide a brief description of the photograph. | | credit line | | seattle post - intelligencer collection, museum of history & industry, seattle ; all rights reserved | | repository | | museum of history & industry, seattle ( mohai ) | | repository collection | | seattle post - intelligencer collection | | physical description | | 1 nitrate negative : b & w ; 4 x 5 in. ; stained | |


| | increase college access, quality, and completion by strengthening higher education and lifelong learning opportunities. | | restore and sustain america ’ s lead in the modern knowledge economy, by improving the participation and performance of america ’ s students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics ( stem ) subjects and fields. | how progress is measured : | | bachelor ' s degrees awarded in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics : 1998 - 99 and 2008 - 09 | why is this measure important? | | few issues matter more to america ’ s vitality than continuing this nation ’ s tradition of leading advances in science, technology, engineering, and math ( stem ) fields, and the host of applications that can dramatically improve the quality of life in america and around the world. yet, the 2009 program for international student assessment ( pisa ) ranked american students behind their peers in 12 out of 33 other developed nations in science literacy ( ahead of peers in 9 nations and on par with peers in 12 nations ) and behind their peers in 17 developed nations in mathematics literacy ( ahead of 5 nations and on par with 11 nations ). http : / / nces. ed. gov / surveys / pisa / pisa2009highlights. asp and, today, only 23 % of college freshmen declare a stem major. worse still, just 40 % of those who elect stem majors freshman year receive a stem degree within 6 years. our students need to do better, in order to thrive as informed citizens and consumers, and to contribute as workers, employers, and innovators. over the long term, the nation ’ s ability to address key challenges, like spurring advancements in health and medicine, the environment, space exploration, food production, and a host of other areas that can revitalize the american economy, depends on more students entering – and greater numbers persisting in – stem fields. it is important for our economic future, as the innovations of tomorrow will be created by scientists and engineers of today. | what do the data tell us at the national level? | | the percentage of bachelor ' s degrees conferred in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields in the united states was lower in 2008 – 09 ( 24. 2 percent ) than it was in 1998 – 99 ( 25. 6 percent ). | what are the limitations of the indicator? | | this indicator provides information on the percentage of graduates in stem fields, but does not provide an indication of the percentage of graduates in other fields who also take significant amounts of stem coursework.


). | what are the limitations of the indicator? | | this indicator provides information on the percentage of graduates in stem fields, but does not provide an indication of the percentage of graduates in other fields who also take significant amounts of stem coursework. data are assembled based on major field aggregations. in the major field aggregations that were not classified as stem, some individual fields could be classified as stem ( such as econometrics within social sciences and history ). the data reflect aggregations of degrees conferred by institutions located within the given state, rather than aggregations of residents of that state ( who may be attending out - of - state institutions and are counted in data in the institution state ). | documentation for the indicator : | | data on degree awards are from the integrated postsecondary education data system ( ipeds ), completions survey. as mandated by title iv of the higher education act, ipeds gathers information from every college, university, and technical and vocational institution that participates in the federal student financial aid programs ( more than 6, 700 institutions each year ). science, technology, engineering, and mathematics ( or stem ) fields, as defined here, include agriculture and natural resources, biology and biomedical sciences, computer and information sciences, engineering and engineering technologies, health professions and clinical sciences, mathematics and statistics, and physical sciences and science technologies. for additional information on ipeds, see http : / / nces. ed. gov / ipeds /. for additional information on nces surveys on degrees conferred, see : http : / / nces. ed. gov / pubsearch / pubsinfo. asp? pubid = 2010161.


editor ' s note : on jan. 19, 2012, the pharmaceutical companies astrazeneca and bristol - myers squibb announced that the fda rejected their approval request for dapagliflozin, calling for more research data on the drug ’ s benefits and risks. both companies say they remain committed to developing the drug and will work with the fda to determine the next steps. july 19, 2011 - - in a 9 - 6 vote, an advisory panel said the fda should not yet approve dapagliflozin, a new type of diabetes drug that makes the body dump sugar and lose weight. signals of possible liver damage and of breast and bladder cancer worried the experts. the split vote, as well as panelist comments, makes it uncertain whether the fda will approve the drug, jointly made by bristol - myers squibb and astrazeneca. the fda will certainly ask the companies to gather more data on side effects ; the key question is whether the agency will ask for this data before or after approval. dapagliflozin is the first in a new class of diabetes drugs. normally, the kidney recycles sugar back into the body. but dapagliflozin inhibits a transporter molecule called sglt - 2. the result : sugar passes out of the body in the urine, lowering blood sugar without affecting insulin levels. another result : patients lose weight. in clinical trials, type 2 diabetes patients who took dapagliflozin for six months lost 1 to 5 pounds. in a special study to look at weight loss in people with diabetes, 30 % of those who took dapagliflozin plus metformin lost 5 % of their body weight. a downside to the drug is that diabetes often damages the kidneys. even moderate loss of kidney function makes dapagliflozin much less effective. the drug would be given only to patients with sufficient kidney function, but some panelists questioned the value of a proposed test to determine which patients could take dapagliflozin. and the drug has side effects. all that sugar in the urine increases patients ' risk of urinary tract and genital infections. there are other worries, too - - including dehydration and heat intolerance - - but members of the advisory committee were far less worried about these side effects than about the possible risk of cancer and liver toxicity. in clinical trials, nearly 4, 300 people with type 2 diabetes received dapagliflozin for over a


- - but members of the advisory committee were far less worried about these side effects than about the possible risk of cancer and liver toxicity. in clinical trials, nearly 4, 300 people with type 2 diabetes received dapagliflozin for over a year ; 441 patients were treated for at least two years. in these trials, five patients showed signs of liver toxicity. only in one case was this liver toxicity classified as " probable diagnosis of mild to moderately severe dapagliflozin - induced liver injury. " but such a strong signal, even in a single patient, is worrisome. nine patients taking dapagliflozin developed bladder cancer ; only one case was seen in those not taking dapagliflozin. nine other patients taking dapagliflozin developed breast cancer. there were no breast cancers in those not taking dapagliflozin. that ' s by no means proof that the drug causes cancer. but definitive studies might require thousands of patients. the question now before the fda is whether the modest blood - sugar - lowering and weight - reducing benefits of dapagliflozin are worth the risk. get the latest diabetes newsletter delivered to your inbox! your level is currently if the level is below 70 and you are experiencing symptoms such as shaking, sweating or difficulty thinking, you will need to raise the number immediately. a quick solution is to eat a few pieces of hard candy or 1 tablespoon of sugar or honey. recheck your numbers again in 15 minutes to see if the number has gone up. if not, repeat the steps above or call your doctor. people who experience hypoglycemia several times in a week should call their health care provider. it ' s important to monitor your levels each day so you can make sure your numbers are within the range. if you are pregnant always consult with your health care provider. congratulations on taking steps to manage your health. however, it ' s important to continue to track your numbers so that you can make lifestyle changes if needed. if you are pregnant always consult with your physician. your level is high if this reading was taken before eating. aim for 70 - 130 before meals and less than 180 two hours after meals. even if your number is high, it ' s not too late for you to take control of your health and lower your blood sugar. one of the first steps is to monitor your levels each day. if you are pregnant always consult with your physician. thank you for signing up for the web


gertrude fitzgerald was born april 1, 1876 in fulton, illinois to ebenezer baird and sue mussina. in 1896 she married benjamin fitzgerald, an engineer. his job led the family to various locations in latin america, especially in mexico. the fitzgerald family lived most of the time in the small mountain community of madera, chihuahua, an important part of the pearson company ’ s industrial empire. gertrude fitzgerald became interested in photography while living in madera, and some of her photographs were used by the pearson company to make postcards to show prospective employees that they would be living in comfortable modern conditions. after the beginning of the revolution in 1910, gertrude and the children, nellie and gerald, became refugees from the turmoil. they finally left mexico in 1915 and moved to el paso, texas, where the status of the family soon changed. benjamin fitzgerald could not find work in the area and left to work for his father in louisiana. because of health problems gertrude stayed in el paso. the couple separated permanently in 1916. gertrude found no market for her photography, but continued taking pictures. in el paso she worked in retail businesses including the popular dry goods company and the white house. gertrude fitzgerald died on september 26, 1956 in el paso, texas. the gertrude fitzgerald photographs images consist primarily of photographs taken by gertrude fitzgerald of her family life and people and places related to the travel and work of her husband. these photographs consist of images of madera, chihuahua, including photographs of workers in the pearson lumber company near madera ; photographs of federal troops preparing for or returning from military actions in the mexican revolution ( about 1910 ) ; images of mexico city, mostly chapultepec or the shrine of our lady of guadalupe ; and landscapes and ruins near casas grandes in the state of chihuahua, mexico. other images show scenes from the el paso, texas area, including local landmarks and military life at fort bliss, as well as some photographs of mesilla, new mexico. photographs in the collection that were not taken by gertrude fitzgerald include scenes of the hurley and santa rita mines in new mexico and panoramic shots of mexican revolutionaries. the collection also contains ephemeral material and a large collection of postcards of el paso, texas. the physical makeup of the collection consists mainly of large format negatives and four glass plates along with original photographs.


symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis rheumatoid arthritis ( ra ) is a chronic ( long - term ) disease. rheumatoid arthritis symptoms can come and go, and each person with ra is affected differently. some people have long periods of remission. their rheumatoid arthritis is inactive, and they have few or no symptoms during this time. other people might have near - constant rheumatoid arthritis symptoms for months at a stretch. although rheumatoid arthritis can involve different parts the body, joints are always affected. when the disease acts up, joints become inflamed. inflammation is the body ' s natural response to infection or other threats, but in rheumatoid arthritis inflammation occurs inappropriately and for unknown reasons. rheumatoid arthritis and joint inflammation joint inflammation is a hallmark of rheumatoid arthritis. that includes : - stiffness. the joint is harder to use and might have a limited range of motion. " morning stiffness " is one of the hallmark symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis. while many people with other forms of arthritis have stiff joints in the morning, it takes people with rheumatoid arthritis more than an hour ( sometimes several hours ) before their joints feel loose. - swelling. fluid enters into the joint and it becomes puffy ; this also contributes to stiffness. - pain. inflammation inside a joint makes it sensitive and tender. prolonged inflammation causes damage that also contributes to pain. - redness and warmth. the joints may be somewhat warmer and more pink or red than neighboring skin. which joints does ra affect? the hands are almost always affected, although literally any joint can be affected with rheumatoid arthritis symptoms : knees, wrists, neck, shoulders, elbows, even the jaw. joints are usually affected in a symmetrical pattern - - the same joints on both sides of the body.


congestive heart failure ( chf ) congestive heart failure and pulmonary edema - congestive heart failure ( chf ) is an imbalance in pump function in which the heart fails to maintain the circulation of blood adequately. the most severe manifestation of chf, pulmonary edema, develops when this imbalance causes an increase in lung fluid secondary to leakage from pulmonary capillaries into the interstitium and alveoli of the lung. chf can be categorized as forward or backward ventricular failure. a diagnosis of heart failure sounds scary, as if your heart could stop at any moment. but the underlying heart conditions that commonly cause heart failure, such as coronary artery disease or high blood pressure, typically develop slowly over many years. the development of heart failure usually means that your heart ' s ability to pump blood has weakened, so it can ' t circulate enough blood to meet your body ' s needs. shortness of breath, fatigue and leg swelling may result. when fluid builds up, heart failure is called congestive. sometimes the heart becomes too stiff to fill properly, and that also can lead to heart failure. although sometimes there ' s no way to reverse damage to your heart, treatments can significantly improve signs and symptoms. you can also make lifestyle changes, such as exercising, reducing salt intake, and losing weight, to help your weakened heart work as efficiently as possible. your best defense against heart failure is to prevent or control risk factors that lead to coronary artery disease, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels, diabetes, smoking, alcohol abuse, inactivity and obesity. signs and symptoms heart failure typically doesn ' t occur suddenly. it develops slowly, over time. it ' s usually a chronic, long - term condition. the first and often only symptom may be shortness of breath. signs and symptoms of heart failure can include : your circulatory system includes arteries and veins. arteries deliver oxygen - rich blood to the organs and tissues of your body. veins bring oxygen - poor blood back to your heart to be cycled through your heart and lungs and back out to the rest of your body, via your arteries. your heart, the center of your circulatory system, consists of four chambers. throughout your life, your heart beats approximately once a second. in a single day, your heart beats about 100, 000 times. your heart ' s two upper chambers, the atria, receive blood. the two lower chambers, the


four chambers. throughout your life, your heart beats approximately once a second. in a single day, your heart beats about 100, 000 times. your heart ' s two upper chambers, the atria, receive blood. the two lower chambers, the ventricles, pump blood. blood returning to your heart enters the right upper chamber ( right atrium ) of your heart. from there, blood empties into the right ventricle underneath. the right ventricle pumps blood into your lungs, where blood is oxygenated. oxygenated blood from your lungs then returns to your heart, but this time to the left side — to the left upper chamber ( left atrium ). blood then flows into the left ventricle underneath — your heart ' s main pumping chamber. with each heartbeat, your left ventricle pumps blood into your body ' s largest artery ( aorta ) and onward to the rest of your body. your heart is composed of two upper and two lower chambers. the upper chambers, the right and left atria, receive incoming blood. the lower chambers, the more muscular right and left ventricles, pump... heart failure can involve the left side, right side or both sides of your heart. typically, heart failure begins with the left side — specifically the left ventricle, your heart ' s main pumping chamber. your doctor may refer to your condition as left - sided or left ventricular heart failure. he or she may define it further as systolic heart failure ( when the left ventricle loses its ability to contract vigorously ) or diastolic heart failure ( when the left ventricle loses its ability to relax or fill fully ) or a combination of both. the distinction is important because the drug treatments for each type may be different. right - sided heart failure can occur independently or be a consequence of left ventricular heart failure. heart failure often occurs because other cardiac conditions have damaged or weakened your heart, forcing it to work harder. a weakened heart can ' t pump blood efficiently throughout your body. this causes blood to pool in your legs, feet and ankles, your kidneys to retain excess water and sodium, and fluid to back up into your lungs, leading to shortness of breath. this buildup of fluid is called congestive heart failure. heart failure often results from the stress of a heart attack, high blood pressure, or other forms of heart disease such as valve disorders. in fact, all of the behaviors that you probably associate with heart attack or heart


called congestive heart failure. heart failure often results from the stress of a heart attack, high blood pressure, or other forms of heart disease such as valve disorders. in fact, all of the behaviors that you probably associate with heart attack or heart disease — such as smoking, being overweight, eating foods high in cholesterol and fat, and not exercising — also cause or contribute to heart failure. sometimes, your heart becomes weakened without explanation, a condition known as idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy. if you have heart failure, chances are you ' ve had one or more of the following conditions, which can damage or weaken your heart. some of these can be present without you even knowing it : other diseases — such as diabetes, severe anemia, hyperthyroidism, kidney or liver failure, and emphysema — also may precipitate heart failure. a single risk factor may be sufficient to cause heart failure, but a combination of factors dramatically increases the risk. risk factors include : blacks are more likely to develop heart failure, and the prognosis is generally worse. when to seek medical advice see your doctor if you experience any of the signs or symptoms associated with heart failure. often signs and symptoms of heart failure initiate an emergency room visit, where the condition may first be diagnosed. other heart and lung problems can cause signs and symptoms that are similar to heart failure. if you have a diagnosis of heart failure, and if any of the signs or symptoms suddenly become worse or you develop a new sign or symptom, it may indicate that known heart failure is getting worse or not responding to treatment. contact your doctor promptly.


the aim of this paper is to examine the factors associated with the belief that vegetarian diets provide health benefits. a random population mail survey about food choice was conducted among a sample of 1000 south australians. an additional ( non - random ) survey of 106 vegetarians and semi - vegetarians was also conducted, giving a total of 707 participants from both samples. the main predictors of the belief that vegetarian diets provide health benefits for all respondents were found to be the belief that meat is neither healthy nor necessary and frequent searching for information on healthy eating. however, there were differences between vegetarians, non - vegetarians and semi - vegetarians. in particular, health issues were relatively more important for semi - vegetarians and vegetarians, while knowledge and convenience issues were most important for non - vegetarians. the results have important implications for public health. many south australians perceive that health benefits are associated with eating a vegetarian diet, which may also apply to plant - based diets in general. however, if non - vegetarians are to obtain some of the health benefits associated with the consumption of a plant - based diet, they require information on the preparation of quick and easy plant - based meals. reproduced with the kind permission of the copyright owner. field of research 111199 nutrition and dietetics not elsewhere classified unless expressly stated otherwise, the copyright for items in deakin research online is owned by the author, with all rights reserved. every reasonable effort has been made to ensure that permission has been obtained for items included in dro. if you believe that your rights have been infringed by this repository, please contact firstname. lastname @ example. org.


by sarah pike, cross posted from aeon magazine julia butterfly hill spent 738 days living in a 55m california redwood tree in a successful attempt to prevent the clearing of surrounding forest. photo by eric slomanson one day last summer, a young woman looked down on a small crowd of vocal supporters and police officers from her hammock or ‘ sky pod ’, 60ft above an old logging road in moshannon state forest in pennsylvania. the pod was tied to trees and anchored to a blockade across the road, so that anyone trying to move the blockade would release her in a dangerous, perhaps fatal, fall to the forest floor. another activist on the ground had locked his neck to one of the lines anchoring her pod. it was a familiar sight from protests against the logging of old - growth forests, but here the target was different. workers who arrived for their shift that sunday morning could not get past the blockades to attend to a 70ft hydraulic fracturing drill rig used to extract natural gas from the rock formations beneath the forest floor. ‘ you ’ re adults, but you ’ re acting like children, ’ shouted one of the officers. they had been called to the scene by eqt, the natural gas company that had leased mineral rights to the gas - rich marcellus shale that lies beneath a large portion of several northeastern states, including pennsylvania, ohio and new york. ‘ we are peaceful protesters, ’ responded one of the activists. other officers stood by with assault rifles, waiting to see what would happen. by henia belalia, cross posted from peaceful uprising how do activists use social movement history? what lessons can be learned from past movements for social change in our fight to stop climate change? we often rely on lessons and tactics from the u. s. civil rights movement. we think this might be the best source for our lessons from the past. how about the abolition of the slave trade? as an activist, i fight for climate justice. as an historian and a scholar of law and history, i study slavery and the slave trade. the movement for civil rights — certainly the mainstream movement — was based on the perceived need to have equal rights in an existing system. the right to vote, the right to fair housing. an end to segregation. integration into the existing status quo at every level. and none of these things are bad things. having equal rights is better than not having equal rights. but even the more radical wing of the civil rights movement questioned this strategy. s. n. c. c.


existing status quo at every level. and none of these things are bad things. having equal rights is better than not having equal rights. but even the more radical wing of the civil rights movement questioned this strategy. s. n. c. c. members often asked, “ do we really want to die for the right to vote? ” the movement for climate justice is different. we are demanding “ system change, not climate change. ” by brian owens, cross posted from nature an isolated population of arctic foxes that dines only on marine animals seems to be slowly succumbing to mercury poisoning. the foxes on mednyi island — one of russia ’ s commander islands in the bering sea — are a subspecies of arctic fox ( vulpes lagopus ) that may have remained isolated for thousands of years. they were once numerous enough to support a small yet thriving group of fur hunters. after humans abandoned the settlement in the 1970s, the fox population began to crash, falling from more than 1, 000 animals to fewer than 100 individuals today. by mike ludwig, cross posted from truthout photo from ashbygirls. blogspot. com the april 17 explosion at a fertilizer plant in west, texas, that killed 15 people and injured 200 was perhaps one of the most severe chemical accidents of its kind in recent memory, but it was by no means the first. earlier this month, for example, tyson foods and its affiliates agreed to a $ 4 million civil settlement with the environmental protection agency ( epa ) and the justice department for violations of the clean air act at 23 facilities in iowa, kansas, nebraska and missouri where the toxic chemical anhydrous ammonia was released during several occasions between 2006 and 2010, causing property damage, multiple injuries to workers and one death. the tyson incidents did not involve a massive explosion like the disaster in texas, but the accidents have one potentially deadly element in common : anhydrous ammonia. investigators now believe that large stores of ammonium nitrate caught on fire and caused the explosion at the west plant. but the plant also held two 12, 000 - gallon tanks of anhydrous ammonia that could have exacerbated the disaster in texas if they leaked or exploded, according to the center for effective government ( ceg ). during the past 15 years, 1, 000 accidents have occurred nationwide at chemical facilities that hold large quantities of anhydrous ammonia, according to data recently compiled by ceg. cross posted from real seeds on monday may 6th a draconian new law


the past 15 years, 1, 000 accidents have occurred nationwide at chemical facilities that hold large quantities of anhydrous ammonia, according to data recently compiled by ceg. cross posted from real seeds on monday may 6th a draconian new law will be put before the european commission, which creates new powers to classify and regulate all plant life anywhere in europe. the “ plant reproductive material law ” will regulate all plants. it contains immediate restrictions on reproduction of vegetables and woodland trees, while creating powers to restrict all other plants of any other species at a later date. under the new law, it will immediately be illegal to grow, reproduce or trade any vegetable seed or tree that has not been tested, approved and accepted by a new “ eu plant variety agency ”. moreover, an annual fee must also be paid to the agency if that particular variety is to be used by anyone. cross posted from eco - action. org an article from do or die issue 9. in the paper edition, this article appears on page ( s ) 160 - 166. in 1999, in the aftermath of the june 18th global day of action, a pamphlet called reflections on june 18th was produced by some people in london, as an open - access collection of “ contributions on the politics behind the events that occurred in the city of london on june 18, 1999. ” contained in this collection was an article called ‘ give up activism ’ which has generated quite a lot of discussion and debate both in the uk and internationally, being translated into several languages and reproduced in several different publications. here we republish the article together with a new postscript by the author addressing some comments and criticisms received since the original publication. one problem apparent in the june 18th day of action was the adoption of an activist mentality. this problem became particularly obvious with june 18th precisely because the people involved in organising it and the people involved on the day tried to push beyond these limitations. this piece is no criticism of anyone involved – rather an attempt to inspire some thought on the challenges that confront us if we are really serious in our intention of doing away with the capitalist mode of production. by stephen leahy, cross posted from the guardian monitoring of environmental activists in canada by the country ’ s police and security agencies has become the “ new normal ”, according to a researcher who has analysed security documents released under freedom of information laws. security and police agencies have been increasingly conflating terrorism and extremism with peaceful citizens exercising their democratic rights to organise petitions, protest and question government policies, said


to a researcher who has analysed security documents released under freedom of information laws. security and police agencies have been increasingly conflating terrorism and extremism with peaceful citizens exercising their democratic rights to organise petitions, protest and question government policies, said jeffrey monaghan of the surveillance studies centre at queen ’ s university in kingston, ontario. the rcmp, canada ’ s national police force, and the canadian security intelligence service ( csis ) view activist activities such as blocking access to roads or buildings as “ forms of attack ” and depict those involved as national security threats, according to the documents. protests and opposition to canada ’ s resource - based economy, especially oil and gas production, are now viewed as threats to national security, monaghan said. in 2011 a montreal, quebec man who wrote letters opposing shale gas fracking was charged under canada ’ s anti - terrorism act. documents released in january show the rcmp has been monitoring quebec residents who oppose fracking. by yuxing zheng, cross posted from the orgonian salem — with talk about “ environmental terrorism, ” the oregon house approved two bills monday that target tree sitters and other environmental activists who interfere with logging in state forests. house bill 2595, which passed 43 - 12, would create the crime of interference with state forestland management. house bill 2596, which passed 51 - 4, would allow private contractors with the oregon department of forestry to sue environmental protestors for the cost of damaged equipment, employee wages, attorney fees and similar costs. both bills head to the senate. the legislation comes amid divisive efforts to increase logging in elliott state forest near reedsport and proposals to increase logging in federal forest lands. environmental activists affiliated with cascadia forest defenders and cascadia earth first! staged protests at elliott state forest in recent years and at the oregon state capitol in may and june 2012, which led to arrests. “ they are known to overturn their vehicles on roads, chain themselves to trees, chain themselves to equipment, damage equipment, dig ditches in the roads, drive spikes in trees to cause injuries to workers, among other dangerous acts, ” said rep. wayne krieger, r - gold beach, who carried both bills. “ this type of conduct cannot and should not be tolerated. ” house bill 2595 would allow district attorneys “ to charge these terrorists with a crime and make them accountable, ” he said. how should the animal rights and environmental movement use undercover footage of illegal practices? this article argues that the current trend of using footage


house bill 2595 would allow district attorneys “ to charge these terrorists with a crime and make them accountable, ” he said. how should the animal rights and environmental movement use undercover footage of illegal practices? this article argues that the current trend of using footage to prosecute individual workers may be taking blame and attention away from industries of abuse. cross posted from the vegan police : image from opednews. com i ’ ve followed the introduction of ag gag bills – bills designed to criminalize undercover video of animal use industry – since they were in the dream phase in the wake of the conklin dairy farm undercover video in 2010. that particular undercover investigation, i feel, is one of the most important undercover video investigations in the history of the “ animal rights ” movement and set the stage for the current battles around ag gag bills as well as our movements response. the footage captured in that investigation was horrific and one particular character seemed to take pleasure in extreme violence against animals on the farm – billy joe gregg jr. it was nearly impossible to watch that footage and not dream of justice – whether you were a regular member of the public or a hardened animal liberationist. animal agriculture – across the country – went into overdrive to recognize this particular weakness and exploited it. billy joe gregg jr. was the “ bad apple, ” the fall guy. the movement as a whole was so wrapped up in this character, in this horrific footage, that very few people questioned the structure of industrialized animal use or the precedent being set – the singling out and criminalization of individual workers as a movement strategy and measure of “ success. ” by rabb! t / earth first! newswire national delisting of endangered species is on the rise, and flowing up the food chain. as was reported yesterday, the fish & wildlife service has proposed lifting all endangered species act protections from the critically endangered gray wolf. when state protections were lifted from this same species in montana, idaho and wyoming, populations diminished rapidly as hunters flocked to the area to take the lives of these majestic beasts. now, yet another predator has been taken off the endangered species list. recent studies have shown that united states fish & wildlife service populations have reached hazardous levels, causing irreversible damage to their natural biosphere and destroying plant and animal populations at an unsustainable rate. experts say that the organization ’ s levels of predation — which were tenuous to begin with — have escalated to such an extent that any protections bestowed upon them would be a danger to the north


overeducated and underemployedjanuary 28, 2013 : 10 : 50 am et getting a college degree still helps your chances of getting a job, but not necessarily a good one. some americans are becoming overeducated for the jobs that are available to them, as data shows more college educated workers are taking low - skill jobs that are clearly below their qualifications. take taxi drivers for example. about 15 %, or more than than 1 in 7, had at least a bachelor ' s degree in 2010, according to bureau of labor statistics data. compare that to 1970 when less than 1 % of taxi drivers had college degrees. and the job description hasn ' t changed much, if at all, since then. " a lot of people, particularly people with bachelor ' s degrees, are getting jobs, but not good jobs, " said richard vedder, an economist at ohio university. in a study released monday, vedder shows that about 37 % of employed u. s. college graduates are working in jobs that require no more than a high school diploma. those include jobs like taxi drivers, sales clerks, firefighters and telemarketers. he calls this phenomenon " credential inflation, " as the supply of college grads is growing faster than the jobs requiring that level of education. vedder argues that an underemployment problem is likely to persist even after the u. s. economy recovers fully from the jobs crisis. he predicts that the number of college grads will grow by 19 million between 2010 and 2020, while the number of jobs requiring that education is expected to grow by less than 7 million.


curriculum & school to school connection corps - world wise schools peace corps global education resources for educators. videos and accompanying teacher guides, or pen pals with students around the globe help students gain understanding of cultures and regions of the world. the national peace corps association ' s project for global education including sharing a newsletter with the ascd. a must read for classroom usable ideas about global education. this education newsletter is a quarterly teacher resource from the global education networks of npca and ascd ( formerly the association for supervision and curriculum development ). world, our world teaches leadership, tolerance and conflict resolution while engaging the students ( mostly in grades 4 - 7 ) in a global education assembly. based in solana beach, the program has presented to over 150, 000 students in is a national education project of the southern poverty law center, dedicated to helping teachers foster equity, respect and understanding in the classrooms and beyond. their materials for teachers are excellent. if you are not already involved with them, this site is a must! character education partnership a nonpartisan coalition of organizations and individuals dedicated to developing moral character and civic virtue in our nation ' s youth as one means of creating a more compassionate and responsible society. finding, commending and publicizing people who stick their necks out for the common good... to get others to follow their lead. source & reference sites global schoolhouse, global school net a fun filled site for parents, teachers and kids... very good ideas for projects. gsh is already one of the most popular sites on the entire net. founded in oceanside, ca, gsh has found an intelligent way to let the internet carry the message. prb is dedicated to providing timely, objective information on u. s. and international population trends. is an educational non - profit dedicated to informing young people about the problems of increasing world population, and the complex interrelationships between human numbers and the environmental, social and economic issues population - - > population connection the nation ' s largest grassroots organization concerned with the impacts of rapid population growth and wasteful consumption. and conflict resolution sites for nonviolent communication the center for nonviolent communicationsm ( cnvc ) is a global organization whose vision is a world where all people are getting their needs met and resolving their conflicts peacefully. in this vision, people are using nonviolent communicationsm ( nvc ) to create and participate in networks of worldwide life - serving systems in economics, education, justice, healthcare, communication : a language of compassion ( book by marshall rosenberg, published


in this vision, people are using nonviolent communicationsm ( nvc ) to create and participate in networks of worldwide life - serving systems in economics, education, justice, healthcare, communication : a language of compassion ( book by marshall rosenberg, published in escondido, ca ) nonviolent communication ( nvc ) is a life - changing way of interacting that facilitates the flow of communication needed to exchange information and resolve differences peacefully. with its focus on human feelings and needs, the practice of nvc emphasizes emotional intelligence over intellectual analysis in expressing what ’ s going on in people. http : / / www. nonviolentcommunication. com / institute of peace the mission of the united states institute of peace is to strengthen the nation ' s capabilities to promote the peaceful resolution of international of florida study projects connects schools with conflict resolution / peer mediation programs. these projects resulted in the following curricular materials : - working together to resolve conflict curriculum ( middle / junior high ) - working together to resolve conflict peer mediation training manual ( middle / junior high ) - tools for getting along ( upper elementary ) - take charge! has developed over the past 15 years books, curriculums, and programs to educate children about roots of conflict and violence : bullying. the overall intent of the atrium society is to provide every child with the essential materials and education to end the conflicts in their lives. over the years the atrium society has reached children all over the world from russia to africa, and to europe, asia, and the america. of torture, international survivors of torture, international is an independent nonprofit organization dedicated to caring for survivors of politically - motivated torture and their families who live in san diego county. since 1997, survivors has helped more than 500 torture survivors from more than 40 countries to recover from their traumas through a holistic program including medical, dental, psychiatric, psychological, legal and 3 : bringing it all back home for the museum of the peace corps experience while the peace corp is very successful at fulfilling most of kennedy ’ s vision, the third goal of the mission — the promotion of a better understanding of other peoples by americans — continues to lag behind. we need your help to realize the full potential of the peace corps mission. as a retuned peace corps volunteer ( rpcv ), you have the background to help us create themuseum of the peace corps experience. as the peace corps enters its fifth decade, there is a wealth of stories that should be shared with a wider audience. this proposed permanent museum will..


), you have the background to help us create themuseum of the peace corps experience. as the peace corps enters its fifth decade, there is a wealth of stories that should be shared with a wider audience. this proposed permanent museum will... assembled, published, distributed and sold by returned pcvs of wisconsin - madison. this yearly international calendar project seeks to share peace corps experiences with our home communities and to raise money for grassroots projects in the countries where we served or in which we live. the images of the calendar will introduce you to the people who welcomed us so warmly into their communities. from august orward from : each month ' s - day has listings of cultural events from throughout the world. more information about each month ' s - country ( including recipes ) can be accessed by clicking on the month ' s - picture moving across screen - bottom. some previous years ' calendars are available - - check the site. world through my eyes the world through my eyes helps mozambican children learn about and experiment with photography, improving their chances of receiving scholarships at a university either in mozambique or abroad. it is a project put in place by rpcv blake schmidt when he was a pcv in mozambique in 2001 - 2003. visit the site to find out more about waht is being done. and check out the photographs for sale to help raise money. awesome photos!!! peace corps times : revised newsletter / magazine we recevied as volunteers in the field. available in electronic pdf downloadable format the peace gallery presents images from around the world as seen through the cameras of peace corps volunteers. although the images show the amazing diversity on our planet, they also show how similar we are to each other. corps special funds support global initiatives such as drinking water and sanitation, information and communication technology, and hiv / aids prevention and education. you may also be interested in learning about current volunteer projects or supporting a specific country through country funds. https : / / donate. peacecorps. gov / index. cfm? shell = donate. contribute. donatenow & keyword = spf pc partnership programs ( selling over the internet ) center - - a virtual crafts shop on the internet, to provide an overseas market for unemployed and under - employed bulgarian artisans. all credit cards accepted. same - day shipment in most cases.. also : peace corps bulgaria t - shirts and sweatshirts to benefit the orphanage weaving cooperative - - a project to equip a women ' s weaving and sewing cooperative and provide jobs for up to 64


. same - day shipment in most cases.. also : peace corps bulgaria t - shirts and sweatshirts to benefit the orphanage weaving cooperative - - a project to equip a women ' s weaving and sewing cooperative and provide jobs for up to 64 women in a severely depressed rural community. see the website at : peace corps volunteers memorial project since the peace corps began in 1961, more than 170, 000 peace corps volunteers have served in 137 countries. of these dedicated men and women, 257 have sacrificed not only their energies and time, but also their lives while pursuing the peace corps mission. they are remembered here on this site, so that all may honor and celebrate their lives and service. the bookman is a global charitable organization based in san diego, california that supplies books free to anyone who asks. operated with all volunteer labor by irwin herman, the organization has given away more than 7 million books to people across the us and in 42 other countries. corps worldwide ( used to be pc writers ) peace corps worldwide provides a virtual community, supplies resources and shares real stories from around the world to returned peace corps volunteers ( rpcvs ), peace corps volunteers ( pcvs ), their families and friends, and to all who share our belief that international understanding contributes to world at peace. to achieve these goals we have brought together a group of talented returned peace corps volunteers, former peace corps staff, and friends and family of pcvs and rpcvs who have volunteered to contribute their time and skills to create a social network where we will help each other in our careers and in our lives. submit a story : anniversary story project a peace corps at 50 project our goal is to collect and publish stories — in print and online — that capture the spirit of the peace corps. this site is our invitation to you — rpcvs, staff, and invisible others — to write up your memories and send them along.... we will be looking for nonfiction stories that reflect the full range of experience in the peace corps, from the hilarious to the grim. on that continuum reside all the variations on the theme of dealing with the unfamiliar.... stories submitted and used become the property of the project... to date four books have been published out of this project and are available at amazon and other stores : one hand does not catch a buffalo : 50 years of amazing peace corps stories : vol 1 : africa ( peace corps at 50 ) by aaron barlow ( togo, 1988 – 90 ), jane albritton ( india, 1967 – 69 )


stores : one hand does not catch a buffalo : 50 years of amazing peace corps stories : vol 1 : africa ( peace corps at 50 ) by aaron barlow ( togo, 1988 – 90 ), jane albritton ( india, 1967 – 69 ) travelers ' tales, ( mar 1, 2011 ), 400 pages pbk $ 18. 95 ( $ 12. 89 ) | | gather the fruit one by one : 50 years of amazing peace corps stories : vol 2 : the americas ( peace corps at 50 ) by bernie alter ( india, 67 – 69 ), pat alter ( paraguay, 70 – 72 ), eds. travelers tales, ( may 2011 ) 400 pages pbk $ 18. 95 ( $ 13. 87 ) | | a small key opens big doors : 50 years of amazing peace corps stories : vol 3 : heart of eurasia ( peace corps at 50 ) by jay chen, ed. ( kazakhstan, 2005 – 08 ) travelers ' tales, ( october 2011 ) 352 pages pbk $ 18. 95 ( $ 12. 37 ) | | even the smallest crab has teeth : 50 years of amazing peace corps stories : vol 4 : asia & pacific ( peace corps at 50 ) by jane albritton ( india 1967 – 69 ) travelers ' tales ( october 25, 2011 ) 352 pages pbk $ 18. 95 ( $ 12. 37 ) activities & groups opportunities to volunteer volunteer san diego volunteers serve our community by feeding the homeless, serving seniors, tutoring youth and cleaning beaches. vsd ( a 501 c3 ) also assists companies, schools and over 650 non - profits in developing volunteer programs and cultivating community leaders. • view their calendar for sd volunteer opportunities. • download their volunteer newsletter to find out more about the many ongoing activities and for humanity, international • world habitat day : the united nations has designated the first monday in october as annual world habitat day. in 2009, world habitat day was celebrated on october 5. on this day, we reaffirm that adequate shelter is a basic human right, and we focus on the housing conditions of cities and towns around the world. • jimmy and rosalynn carter work projects through yearly volunteer labor and donations of money and materials, habitat builds and rehabilitates simple, decent houses with the help of the homeowner ( partner ) families. habitat houses are sold to partner families at no profit, financed with affordable, no - interest loans. victor villasenor has spoken throughout the u. s. and mexico. his message is : we


of the homeowner ( partner ) families. habitat houses are sold to partner families at no profit, financed with affordable, no - interest loans. victor villasenor has spoken throughout the u. s. and mexico. his message is : we are one race, the " human race ", una familia, we are the power all over the globe, and recorded history, as we know it, separates us and causes all of our confusions. he speaks from his heart, and he reaches out to embrace everyone who sees him. snow goose thanksgiving : san diego, ca : 1 pm sunday before thanksgiving to celebrate life - la vida - to honor mother earth, and to practice world peace!... if we really want peace and harmony on earth, then we need a day to rally around, a day of fun and joy. so let ' s take our u. s. celebration of thanksgiving and go global with it, inviting all of god ' s children to join us on one day a year to give thanks for all the good things we already have on earth and then feast and make merry with peace and harmony in our hearts and souls. the prc is a community clearinghouse of information on peace and social justice issues and activities. by promoting networking among peace - related organizations, offering nonviolent alternatives... founded in 1980 by six local organizations committed to peace, the peace resource center now has over 40 member organizations... is guided by the principles of nonviolence, tolerance, compassion and respect for diversity. volunteer day - - world volunteer web worldvolunteerweb. org is the global focal point for international volunteer day ( ivd ), celebrated around the world every 5 december. through the extensive information systems, the worldvolunteerweb. org promotes volunteerism while catalyzing partnerships between volunteer stakeholders from all continents. begun by a united nations general assembly resolution inviting “ united nations volunteers to develop a global internet volunteer resource based on the international year of volunteers... ” mother for peace another mother for peace is a non - profit, non - partisan association whose goal is to eliminate the use of war as a means of solving disputes between nations, people and ideologies. to accomplish this, we seek to educate citizens to take an active role in opposing war and building peace. our vision and motivation can be summed up in a single sentence : " war is not healthy for children and other living things " join us in urging our elected representatives to pursue peace and turn away


take an active role in opposing war and building peace. our vision and motivation can be summed up in a single sentence : " war is not healthy for children and other living things " join us in urging our elected representatives to pursue peace and turn away from the use of violence to solve humankind ' s problems. check out their home page for history, mission statement, peace materials ( the big yellow poster is back! ), peace homework and quarterly newsletter cross - cultural solutions is a not - for - profit international volunteer organization that operates volunteer programs in brazil, china, costa rica, ghana, guatemala, india, peru, russia, tanzania, and thailand. participants work side - by - side with local people, on locally designed and driven projects. our volunteer programs are designed to facilitate hands - on service and cultural exchange in the aim of fostering cultural understanding. crossroad : world volunteer, internship & mini - adventure • world volunteer, internship : global crossroad offers many exciting volunteering opportunities to international volunteers in marvelous countries, such as india, nepal, china, sri lanka, thailand, mongolia, ghana, combodia & costa rica. world mini - adventure : the global crossroad ' s 2 week long mini - adventure program will allow for you to blend your volunteer project with a thrilling global voyage in nepal, india, china, sri lanka, thailand, mongolia, combodia, ghana & costa rica. the international people to people movement development aid from people to people was formed in 1977 in denmark as a response to the pressing need to improve conditions in the poor parts of the world. the idea was simple - a simplicity that has characterised the work of the organisation ever since : there are people in need, and we have so much and can get hold of even more. so let us take some of our surplus and transfer it to the needy. several hundres of programs in africa, asia, europe, north america and central america. consortium of leading international volunteer organizations, universities and colleges, corporations, and government agencies working collaboratively. idealist is independent of any government, political ideology, or religious creed. our work is guided by the common desire of our members and supporters to find practical solutions to social and environmental problems, in a spirit of generosity and mutual respect. offer information / connection for international : jobs, organizations, volunteer opportunities, internships, events, programs, resources, people. building bridges coalition the building bridges coalition ( bbc ) is a consortium of leading organizations working collaboratively to promote the field of international volunteering


/ connection for international : jobs, organizations, volunteer opportunities, internships, events, programs, resources, people. building bridges coalition the building bridges coalition ( bbc ) is a consortium of leading organizations working collaboratively to promote the field of international volunteering. we are a galvanizing force, a convening space, and the voice of our field. the bbc is a project of the brookings institution ’ s initiative on international volunteering and service and is comprised of international volunteer organizations, corporations, universities and colleges, government agencies, policy makers, and other stakeholders. volunteer groups worldwide australian volunteers international : australia ' s largest and most experienced international volunteer sending agency. every year, we recruit, prepare and support hundredsds of australians who volunteer to live alongside people of other cultures and work towards the sustainable developmetn of communities.... volunteering : on the australian volunteers international site a listing of 24 inernational volunteering oranizations. | of archival interest google and others have good listings of information sources and groups working in relief world wide. use the links in their list to investigate individual groups and find more. web : an independent vehicle of information, designed specifically to assist the international humanitarian community in effective delivery of emergency assistance, reliefweb was launched in october 1996 and is administered by the un office for the coordination of humanitarian affairs ( ocha ). tsunami relief page : list of live urls to 30 + groups working in relief as well as news about tsunami relief many good listings of information sources and groups working in relief world wide. use the links to investigate individual groups and find more. send us any new links you frind appropriate. assembled september 3, 2005 ( links may be outdated ) peace corps volunteer sites peace corps ' homepage with directories and links to its various parts and related services. pc headqauarters, jobs, contracts, policies, links and more... new : peace corps times : newsletter / magazine we recevied as volunteers in the field. available in electronic pdf downloadable format peace corps association • peace corps connect : this is the national network of peace corps alumni and friends which carries out the third goal of the peace corps - bringing the world back home. to experience the information of our world and ideas on immigration, environment, and education as we discuss them among ourselves. website is titled : peace corps connect. • connected peace corps : compaion website to pc connect. it is described as : the place online for people who value the peace corps to reconnect


, and education as we discuss them among ourselves. website is titled : peace corps connect. • connected peace corps : compaion website to pc connect. it is described as : the place online for people who value the peace corps to reconnect and work together toward a more peaceful and prosperous world. individuals may sign on and joinor build groups - - which reflect the affiliate groups of npca. response : originally named crisis corps – is a peace corps program that mobilizes perons for challenging short term assignments ( generally three to six months in length ) in various program areas around the world. it was historically only available to eligible returned peace corps volunteers. now it has been expanded to include americans with at least 10 years of work experience and medical professionals. groups : alumni & " friends of " groups listings of various groups of pcvs, rpcvs, etc. on the npca website : more than 150 groups listed by country of service, geographical region and nationwide interest. listed on peacecorpsonline : rpcv ' s sign themselves onto the listings by country of service available here. shriver peaceworker fellows program : support during graduate studies everyone who successfully completes peace corps service has a lifetime eligibility for the peace corps fellows programs around the country. these are great programs that support rpcvs as they earn graduate degrees while engaging in service to our communities here at home. our program, the shriver peaceworker fellows program, was founded by sargent shriver ' s family to continue his remarkable legacy of service leadership... links to all known peace corps related sites, quotes of the month, software tips and whole lots more. updated monthly! – corps online [ not affiliated with pc / washington ] news forum serving returned peace corps volunteers. " current articles, news, stories, discussions, directories related to rpcvs and their concerns. peace corps online is not affiliated with peace corps / washington. magazine, pc library, rpcv directory, post your views and responses to a wide variety of issues relevenat to pc... corps wiki [ not affiliated with pc / washington ] peace corps wiki is a collaborative project whose goal is to create a free, interactive and up - to - date source of information about serving as a volunteer with the u. s. peace corps. anyone is welcome to edit, add, or change any entry, or start a new one.


| this article does not cite any references or sources. ( february 2007 ) | | cyrillic letter ze | | cyrillic numerals : 7 | | list of cyrillic letters | ze ( з з ; italics : з з ) is a letter of the cyrillic script. it commonly represents the voiced alveolar fricative / z /, like the pronunciation of ⟨ z ⟩ in " zoo ". ze is romanized using the latin letter ⟨ z ⟩. history and shape ze is derived from the greek letter zeta ( ζ ζ ). in the early cyrillic alphabet its name was земля ( zemlja ), meaning " earth ". the shape of the letter originally looked like a greek letter z similar to modern latin z with a tail on the bottom ( majuscule :, minuscule : ). in the cyrillic numeral system, ze had a value of 7. medieval cyrillic manuscripts and church slavonic printed books have two variant forms of the letter ze : з / з and /. some early grammars tried to give a phonetical distinction to these forms ( like palatalized vs. nonpalatalized sound ), the system had no further development. ukrainian scribes and typographers were regularly using з / з in an initial position, and / otherwise ( a system in use till the end of the 19th century ). typographers from the great russia also knew the two shapes, but have used the second form mostly in the case of two з ' s in row : ( the system in use till mid - 18th century ). the civil ( petrine ) script knows only one shape of the letter : з / з. however, shapes similar to z / z can be used in certain stylish typefaces. in callygraphy and in general handwritten text, lowercase з can be written either fully over the baseline ( similar to the printed form ) or with the lower half under the baseline and with the loop ( for the russian language, a standard shape since the middle of the 20th century ). phonetic value the letter ze may represent : - / z /, the voiced alveolar sibilant ( macedonian, bulgarian, serbian, russian, ukrainian and belarusian ) ; - / zʲ /, if followed by ⟨ ь ⟩ ( by ⟨ ј ⟩ in serbian ) or any of the palatalizing vowels, as in russian зеркало [ ˈzʲɛr. kə. lə ] ( “ mirror


/, if followed by ⟨ ь ⟩ ( by ⟨ ј ⟩ in serbian ) or any of the palatalizing vowels, as in russian зеркало [ ˈzʲɛr. kə. lə ] ( “ mirror ” ) ; - / s /, the voiceless alveolar sibilant ( in final position or before voiceless consonants ) ; - / sʲ /, if followed by ⟨ ь ⟩ in final position or before voiceless consonants ; - clusters ⟨ зж ⟩ and ⟨ зш ⟩ are pronounced in russian as if they were ⟨ жж ⟩ and ⟨ шш ⟩, respecively ( even if ⟨ з ⟩ is the last letter of a preposition, like in russian без жены “ without wife ” or из школы “ from school ” ) ; - cluster ⟨ зч ⟩ ( sometimes also ⟨ здч ⟩ ) is pronounced in russian as if it was ⟨ щ ⟩ ( рассказчик “ narrator ”, звездчатыи “ stellar, star - shaped ”, без чая “ without tea ” ) ; - cluster ⟨ дз ⟩ can be pronounced ( mostly in ukrainian and belarusian ) as the voiced alveolar affricate / dz / ( ukrainian дзеркало “ mirror ” ) or its palatalized form / dzʲ / ( belarusian гадзіннік “ clock ” ), but if ⟨ д ⟩ and ⟨ з ⟩ belong to different morphemes, then they are pronounced separately. з - shaped latin letters - 3 : digit three - ζ ζ : greek letter zeta - z z : latin letter z - ʒ ʒ : latin letter ezh - : latin letter yogh - : cyrillic letter dhe or ze with descender - : cyrillic letter abkhazian dze computing codes | unicode name | | cyrillic capital letter ze | | cyrillic small letter ze | | utf - 8 | | 208 151 | | d0 97 | | 208 183 | | d0 b7 | | numeric character reference | | з | | з | | з | | з | | koi8 - r and koi8 - u | | 250 | | fa | | 218 | | da | | code page 855 | | 244 | | f4 | | 243 | | f3 | | code page


27th infantry division ( poland ) the 27 infantry division ( polish : 27 dywizja piechoty ), was a unit of the polish army in the inter - war period. it was created on 18 october 1920, as a result of reorganization of the army, from units of the 2nd i. d., 3rd i. d., and 13th i. d. its headquarters were located in kowel, with units stationed in other volhynian towns, such as lutsk, sarny and wlodzimierz wolynski. division ' s first commandant was general gustaw kuchinka. participation in polish september campaign the division, under general juliusz drapella, was mobilized between 14 and 16 august 1939. in the following days it was transported by rail to the area of bydgoszcz and inowrocław, and finally, by 27 august, it was placed southwest of starogard gdanski, as part of the pomorze army. on 1 september 1939 ( see : polish september campaign ) the division was ordered to march towards torun. the next day it engaged in heavy fights with the advancing wehrmacht. on the third day of the war, it was cut off from the pomorze army after bloody fights around terespol pomorski and swiecie. the germans managed to destroy the bulk of the unit in a battle waged in forests around wierzchucin. remaining parts of the division managed to reach bydgoszcz and later torun. there, the division was moved to the rear to reorganize and recuperate. on 6 september, the division, renamed into operational group of general drapella and strengthened by reserve units including the 208th infantry regiment from inowrocław and national defence battalion starogard, was ordered to defend torun from west. the next day, it began a retreat towards warsaw, covering the main forces of the pomorze army. during the following days, it helped polish units fighting in the battle of the bzura, engaging the wehrmacht around solec kujawski ( 7 – 8 september ), włocławek and brzesc kujawski ( 9 – 12 september ). withdrawing towards southeast, it attacked a german outpost near płock, but without success. on 16 september, the group was ordered to march towards gabin, but was attacked by the luftwaffe and german ground forces. the group was destroyed. separate smaller groups of


| this article does not cite any references or sources. ( september 2007 ) | a hot spare or hot standby is used as a failover mechanism to provide reliability in system configurations. the hot spare is active and connected as part of a working system. when a key component fails, the hot spare is switched into operation. more generally, a hot standby can be used to refer to any device or system that is held in readiness to overcome an otherwise significant start - up delay. examples of hot spares are components such as a / v switches, computers, network printers, and hard disks. the equipment is powered on, or considered " hot, " but not actively functioning in ( i. e. used by ) the system. electrical generators may be held on hot standby, or a steam train may be held at the shed fired up ( literally hot ) ready to replace a possible failure of an engine in service. in designing a reliable system, it is recognized that there will be failures. at the extreme, a complete system can be duplicated and kept up to date — so in the event of the primary system failing, the secondary system can be switched in with little or no interruption. more often, a hot spare is a single vital component without which the entire system would fail. the spare component is integrated into the system in such a way that in the event of a problem, the system can be altered to use the spare component. this may be done automatically or manually, but in either case it is normal to have some means of error detection. a hot spare does not necessarily give 100 % availability or protect against temporary loss of the system during the switching process ; it is designed to significantly reduce the time that the system is unavailable. hot standby may have a slightly different connotation of being active but not productive to hot spare, that is it is a state rather than object. for example, in a national power grid, the supply of power needs to be balanced to demand over a short term. it can take many hours to bring a coal - fired power station up to productive temperatures. to allow for load balancing, generator turbines may be kept running with the generators switched off so as peaks of demand occur, the generators can rapidly be switched on to balance the load. being in the state of being ready to run is known as hot standby. though it is not a modern phenomenon, steam train operators might hold a spare steam engine at a terminus fired up, as starting an engine cold would take a significant amount of time.


the state of being ready to run is known as hot standby. though it is not a modern phenomenon, steam train operators might hold a spare steam engine at a terminus fired up, as starting an engine cold would take a significant amount of time. the spare may be similar component or system, or it may be a system of reduced performance, designed to cope for the duration of the time to repair and recover the original component. in high availability systems, it is common to design so that not only is there a spare that can quickly be switched in, but also that the failed component can be repaired or replaced without stopping the system - this is known as hot swapping. it may be considered that the probability of a second failure is low, and therefore the system is designed simply to allow operation to continue until a suitable maintenance period. the appropriate solution is normally determined by balancing the costs of implementing the availability against the likelihood of a problem and the severity of that problem. there are two types of hot standby : 1. hot standby master - slave 2. hot standby in shearing mode computer usage a hot spare disk is a disk or group of disks used to automatically or manually, depending upon the hot spare policy, replace a failing or failed disk in a raid configuration. the hot spare disk reduces the mean time to recovery ( mttr ) for the raid redundancy group, thus reducing the probability of a second disk failure and the resultant data loss that would occur in any singly redundant raid ( e. g., raid - 1, raid - 5, raid - 10 ). typically, a hot spare is available to replace a number of different disks and systems employing a hot spare normally require a redundant group to allow time for the data to be generated onto the spare disk. during this time the system is exposed to data loss due to a subsequent failure, and therefore the automatic switching to a spare disk reduces the time of exposure to that risk compared to manual discovery and implementation. the concept of hot spares is not limited to hardware, but also software systems can be held in a state of readiness, for example a database server may have a software copy on hot standby, possibly even on the same machine to cope with the various factors that make a database unreliable, such as the impact of disc failure, poorly written queries or database software errors. hot standby operation in railway signalling at least two units of the same type will be powered up, receiving the same set of inputs, performing identical computations and producing identical outputs in a


patriot ( american revolution ) patriots ( also known as rebels, revolutionaries, congress - men or american whigs ) were the colonists of the british thirteen united colonies who violently rebelled against british control during the american revolution and in july 1776 declared the united states of america an independent nation. their rebellion was based on the political philosophy of republicanism, as expressed by pamphleteers, such as thomas jefferson, alexander hamilton, and thomas paine. as a group, patriots represented a wide array of social, economic, ethnic and racial backgrounds. they included lawyers like john adams and alexander hamilton ; planters like thomas jefferson and george mason ; merchants like alexander mcdougall and ordinary farmers like daniel shays and joseph plumb martin. the critics of british rule called themselves whigs after 1768, identifying with members of the british whig party ( including the radical whigs and patriot whigs ), who favored similar colonial policies. the oxford english dictionary third definition of " patriot " is " a person actively opposing enemy forces occupying his or her country ; a member of a resistance movement, a freedom fighter. originally used of those who opposed and fought the british in the american war of independence. " the earliest citation is a 1773 letter by benjamin franklin. in britain at the time, " patriot " had a negative connotation, and was used, says samuel johnson to attack " a factious disturber of the government. " many patriots were active before 1775 in groups such as the sons of liberty. the most prominent leaders of the patriots are referred to today by americans as the founding fathers of the united states. the patriots came from many different backgrounds. among the most active of the patriots group were highly educated and fairly wealthy individuals. however, without the support of the ordinary men and women, such as farmers, lawyers, merchants, seamstresses, homemakers, shopkeepers, and ministers, the struggle for independence would have failed. in 2000 historian robert calhoon said the consensus of historians is that in the thirteen colonies between 40 and 45 percent of the white population supported the patriots ' cause, between 15 and 20 % supported the loyalists, and the remainder were neutral or kept a low profile. with a white population of about 2. 5 million, that makes about 380, 000 to 500, 000 loyalists. the great majority of them remained in america, since only about 80, 000 loyalists left the united states 1775 - 1783. they went to canada, britain, florida or the west indies, but some eventually returned. to understand how people made the choice between being a patriot


of them remained in america, since only about 80, 000 loyalists left the united states 1775 - 1783. they went to canada, britain, florida or the west indies, but some eventually returned. to understand how people made the choice between being a patriot or a loyalist, historians have compared the motivations and personalities of leading men on each side. labaree ( 1948 ) has identified eight characteristics that differentiated the two groups. psychologically, loyalists were older, better established, and more likely to resist innovation than the patriots. loyalists said the crown was the legitimate government and resistance to it was morally wrong, while the patriots thought morality was on their side because the british government had violated the constitutional right of englishmen. men who were alienated by physical attacks on royal officials took the loyalist position, while those who applauded were being patriots. most men who wanted to find a compromise solution wound up on the loyalist side, while the proponents of immediate action became patriots. merchants in the port cities with long - standing financial and sentimental attachments to the empire were likely to remain loyal to the system, while few patriots were so deeply enmeshed in the system. some loyalists were procrastinators who realized that independence was bound to come some day, but wanted to postpone the moment ; the patriots wanted to seize the moment. loyalists were cautious and afraid of anarchy or tyranny that might come from mob rule ; patriots made a systematic effort to use and control mob violence. finally, labaree argues that loyalists were pessimists who lacked the patriots ' confidence that independence lay ahead. no taxation without representation the patriot faction came to reject taxes imposed by legislatures in which the tax - payer was not represented. " no taxation without representation, " was their slogan, referring to the lack of representation in the british parliament. the british countered there was " virtual representation, " that is, all members of parliament represented the interests of all the citizens of the british empire. though some patriots declared that they were loyal to the king, they believed that the assemblies should control policy relating to the colonies. they should be able to run their own affairs. in fact, they had been running their own affairs since the period of " salutary neglect " before the french and indian war. some radical patriots tarred and feathered tax collectors and customs officers, making those positions dangerous ; the practice was especially prevalent in boston, where many patriots lived, but was curbed there sooner than elsewhere. list of prominent patriots most of the individuals listed below served


patriots tarred and feathered tax collectors and customs officers, making those positions dangerous ; the practice was especially prevalent in boston, where many patriots lived, but was curbed there sooner than elsewhere. list of prominent patriots most of the individuals listed below served the american revolution in multiple capacities. statesmen and office holders - thomas jefferson - john adams - john dickinson - benjamin franklin - jonathan shipley - william paca - james madison pamphleteers and activists - samuel adams - alexander hamilton - william molineux - timothy matlack - thomas paine - paul revere - patrick henry - samuel prescott - molly pitcher - roger sherman - philip mazzei military officers - nathanael greene - nathan hale - francis marion - andrew pickens - daniel morgan - james mitchell varnum - joseph bradley varnum - george washington - john paul jones - thomas sumter - francis vigo - elijah isaacs - " patriot " in oxford english dictionary ( 3rd ed. online 2011 ). accessed 19 december 2011. - robert m. calhoon, in ' a companion to the american revolution ', ( 2000 ) ; p 235. - thomas b. allen, tories : fighting for the king in america ' s first civil war ( 2011 ) p. xviii - leonard woods larabee, conservatism in early american history ( 1948 ) pp 164 - 65 - see also n. e. h. hull, peter c. hoffer and steven l. allen, " choosing sides : a quantitative study of the personality determinants of loyalist and revolutionary political affiliation in new york, " journal of american history, vol. 65, no. 2 ( sept. 1978 ), pp. 344 - 366 in jstor - the most in - depth study of the patriot psychology is edwin g. burrows and michael wallace, " the american revolution : the ideology and psychology of national liberation, " perspectives in american history, ( 1972 ) vol. 6 pp 167 - 306 - benjamin h. irvin, " tar and feathers in revolutionary america, " ( 2003 ) - ellis, joseph j.. founding brothers : the revolutionary generation ( 2002 ), pulitzer prize - kann, mark e. ; the gendering of american politics : founding mothers, founding fathers, and political patriarchy, ( 1999 ) online version - middlekauff, robert ; the glorious cause : the american revolution, 1763 - 1789 ( 2005 ) online version - miller, john c. origins of the american revolution. ( 1943 ) online version - miller, john c. triumph of


orthodox jewish man with untrimmed beard and pe ' ot | halakhic texts relating to this article : | | babylonian talmud : | | makkot 20a | | mishneh torah : | | avodath kokhavim 12 : 6 | | shulchan aruch : | | yoreh deah 181 | | * not meant as a definitive ruling. some observances may be rabbinical, custom or torah - based. | payot ( also pe ' ot, peyot, payos, peyos ; hebrew : singular, פאה ; plural, פאות ) is the hebrew word for sidelocks or sidecurls. payot are worn by some men and boys in the orthodox jewish community based on an interpretation of the biblical injunction against shaving the " corners " of one ' s head. literally, pe ' ah means corner, side or edge. there are different styles of payot among haredi, yemenite, and hasidic jews. yemenite jews call their sidelocks simonim hebrew : סימנים, literally signs, because their long curled sidelocks served as a distinguishing feature in yemenite society ( distinguishing them from their non - jewish neighbors ). rabbinical interpretation the torah says, " you shall not round off the פאת pe ' at of your head " ( leviticus 19 : 27 ). the word pe ' at was taken to mean the hair in front of the ears extending to beneath the cheekbone, on a level with the nose ( talmud - makkot 20a ). the mishnah interpreted the regulation as applying only to men. thus it became the custom in certain circles to allow the hair over the ears to grow, and hang down in curls or ringlets. according to maimonides, shaving the sidelocks was a heathen practice. there is considerable discussion in the halachic literature as to the precise location of the payot and of the ways in which their removal is prohibited. as kabbalistic teachings spread into slavonic lands, the custom of payot became accepted. in 1845 the practice was banned in the russian empire. in the crimea, crimean karaites did not wear payot, and the crimean tatars consequently referred to them as zulufsız cufutlar, meaning jews without payot, to distinguish them from the krymchaks, referred to as zuluflı cufutlar, meaning jews


, and the crimean tatars consequently referred to them as zulufsız cufutlar, meaning jews without payot, to distinguish them from the krymchaks, referred to as zuluflı cufutlar, meaning jews with payot. many hasidic and yemenite jews let their sidelocks grow particularly long. some haredi men grow sidelocks, but keep them short or tuck them behind the ears. even among jewish groups in which the men do not wear noticeable payot, often the young boys do wear them until around the age of bar mitzvah. - belz - the belz hasidim are careful to never trim their payot ; rather, they wrap their sidelocks around their ears as many times as necessary. - breslov - rabbi nachman of breslov wore long twisted locks. this custom is followed by many breslover hasidim today. however, others wear their payot in different styles in line with the teaching of rabbi nachman that his followers should not have a uniform garb. - chabad - lubavitch - the chabad - lubavitch hasidim ' s payot are not evident but exist. so long as there is hair around the ear and behind it that can be plucked out, that is considered payot. - ger - some gerer hasidim raise their sidelocks from the temples and tuck them under their yarmulke. others, especially in israel, let them hang down. - skver - the skver hasidim twist their sidelocks into a tight coil, and leave them protruding in front of the ear. - yemenite - some traditional yemenite jews still wear distinctive long and thin twisted locks, often reaching to the upper arm. the actual area where the hair grows and where the ringlet begins is neat and tidy. most other hasidic groups wear their payot down and curled. the lithuanian jews were less influenced by kabbalistic practises, but still retain sidelocks to a degree, in a small number of variant styles : - lithuanian - the lithuanian jews often cut their sidelocks, but leave a bunch of strands uncut, and place them behind the ear ; this style is most commonly found among yeshiva students, who sometimes remove the uncut strands when they have grown sideburns. - brisk – the brisk movement brush their hair straight down, usually so that it reaches to the ear lobe ; sometimes, some


| king rama iv | | reign | | 1 april 1851 – 1 october 1868 | | coronation | | 2 april 1851 | | predecessor | | nangklao ( rama iii ) | | successor | | chulalongkorn ( rama v ) | | spouse | | queen somanas vadhanavadi ( 1851 ) queen debsirindra ( 1851 – 1861 ) princess pannarai ( 1861 – 1869 ) | father | | buddha loetla nabhalai | 18 october 1804 | thonburi palace, thonburi, siam | died | | 1 october 1868 grand palace, krung thep, siam phra bat somdet phra poramenthramaha mongkut phra chom klao chao yu hua ( thai : ), or rama iv, known in foreign countries [ which? ] as king mongkut ( 18 october 1804 – 1 october 1868 ), was the fourth monarch of siam ( thailand ) under the house of chakri, ruling from 1851 – 1868. he was one of the most revered monarchs of the country. outside of thailand, he is best known as the king in the 1951 play and 1956 film the king and i, based on the 1946 film anna and the king of siam – in turn based on the 1944 novel about anna leonowens ' years at his court, from 1862 to 1867. during his reign, the pressure of western expansionism was felt for the first time in siam. mongkut embraced western innovations and initiated the modernization of siam, both in technology and culture — earning him the nickname " the father of science and technology " in siam. mongkut was also known for his appointment of his brother, prince chutamani, as vice - king. prince chutamani was crowned in 1851 as king pinklao. mongkut himself assured the country that pinklao should be respected with equal honor to himself. mongkut ' s reign was also the time when the power of the house of bunnag reached its zenith and became the most powerful noble family of siam. early life mongkut was the second son of to prince isarasundhorn, son of buddha yodfa chulaloke ( king rama i ), the first chakri king of siam, and princess bunreod ; he was born in 1804 at the old ( thonburi ) palace. he was later joined by his brother prince chutamani, who was born in 1808


i ), the first chakri king of siam, and princess bunreod ; he was born in 1804 at the old ( thonburi ) palace. he was later joined by his brother prince chutamani, who was born in 1808. in 1809, prince isarasundhorn was crowned as buddha loetla nabhalai ( king rama ii ). the prince himself was nine at the time and they all moved to the grand palace. monastic life and thammayut sect | this section does not cite any references or sources. ( april 2013 ) | in 1824, at age 20, mongkut became a buddhist monk ( ordination name vajirayan ; pali vajiranano ), according to siamese tradition that men aged 20 should become monks. the same year, his father died. by tradition, mongkut would be crowned the next king, but the nobility instead put on the throne the influential prince jessadabodindra, who was a son of a concubine rather than a queen. perceiving that the throne was irredeemable and to avoid political intrigues, mongkut chose to retain his monastic status. vajirayan became one of the members of the royal family who devoted his life to religion. he travelled around the country as a monk and saw the relaxation of the rules of pali canon among the siamese monks he met, which he considered inappropriate. in 1829, at phetchaburi, he met a monk named buddhawangso who strictly followed the canon. vajirayan admired buddhawangso for his obedience to the canon, and was inspired to pursue religious reforms. in 1833, he began a reform movement reinforcing the canon law that evolved into the dhammayuttika nikaya, or thammayut sect. in 1836, vajirayan arrived at wat bowonniwet in what is now bangkok ' s central district, but was then the city proper, and became the wat ' s first abbot ( ). during this time, he discovered western knowledge, studying latin, english, and astronomy with missionaries and sailors. vicar pallegoix of the roman catholic archdiocese of bangkok lived nearby, the two became close friends, and vajirayan invited pallegoix to preach christian sermons in the wat. vajirayan admired christian morals and achievements as presented by the vicar, but could make nothing of christian doctrine. it was then he made the comment later attributed to him as