On the Lap of the Mighty Sagarmatha - Solu Khumbu or Everest region
The major mountains are the Mt.Everest, Mt.Lhotse, Cho Oyu, Nuptse, Pumori, Ama Dablam, Thamserku, Kantega, Mera Peak and Island Peak.
Mt. Everest, which is part of the Himalaya range, is located on the border between Nepal and Tibet. Rising to a height of 8848m, the world’s highest mountain was named in 1865 after Sir George Everest. The mountain got its Nepali name Sagarmatha during the 1960s, when the Government of Nepal gave the mountain the official Nepali name. In sanskrit Sagarmatha means "mother of the universe”. The Tibetan name for Mount Everest is Chomolungma or Qomolangma, which means “Goddess Mother of the Snows". Climbers wishing to scale the peak have to obtain an expensive permit from the Nepal Government, often costing more than $25,000 (USD) per person. Base Camp, which serves as a resting area and base of operations for climbers organizing their attempts for the summit, is located on the Khumbu glacier at an elevation of 5300 m (17,400 ft); it receives an average of 450 mm (18 in) of precipitation a year. The climate of Mount Everest is extreme In July, the warmest month, the average summit temperature is -19° C (-2° F).
When George Mallory, the British climber was asked why he wanted to climb Everest he replied ‘Because it is there’. After two unsuccessful attempts, in 1924 he again tried to climb the peak with Andrew Irvine. They started on June 8, 1924 to scale the summit via the north col route and never returned. Their bodies were later discovered by the Mallory and Irvine Research Expedition near the old Chinese camp in 1999. Edmund Hillary, a New Zealander and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay from Nepal were the first two climbers to set foot on the summit of Mt.Everest. They reached the summit at 11:30 a.m. on May 29, 1953 by climbing through the South Col Route. More than 300 climbers have scaled the highest mountain since then. Also there have been more than 100 deaths on the mountain where conditions are so difficult that most corpses have been left where they fell, some of them visible from standard climbing routes.
Mt. Lhotse (8516m) is the fourth highest mountain in the world. It lies south of Mt. Everest. It was first climbed by two Swiss climbers F. Luchsinger and E. Reiss in 1956 from the West face. The Czech scaled it via the South face in 1984. An impressive ring of three peaks makes up the Lhotse massif: Lhotse East or Middle, Lhotse and Lhotse Shar. The South Face of Lhotse is one of the largest mountain faces in the world.
Cho Oyu, (8201m) the sixth highest mountain in the world, has gained popularity among climbers just recently. The mountain sits on both sides of the border of Nepal and Tibet, about 30 km. west of Mount Everest. Cho Oyu in Tibetan means "the turquoise goddess ." The south face of Cho Oyu, facing Nepal, is quite steep and difficult, and is rarely climbed. The north side, accessed from Tibet, is more moderate, and there is a relatively safe route to the summit. In the autumn of 1954, an Austrian team made the first ascent via this route.
Ama Dablam (6856m) which means ‘mother’s jewellery box’, in sherpa language is considered to be one of the most beautiful mountains in the world. Seen from below, the mountain looks like a woman with outstretched arms or a woman wearing a long necklace. Ama Dablam lies alongside Everest in the heart of the Khumbu valley. Mt Lhotse, Mt. Makalu, Mt. Cho Oyu and Mt. Everest can be seen at close quarters from Ama dablam.
Nuptse (7,855m.) lies south west of Mt Everest. It is situated in the Khumbu Himal. From the Thyangboche Monastery Nuptse appears as a massive wall guarding the approach to Everest. The name Nup-tse in Tibetan means west-peak. The main ridge, which is separated from Lhotse by a 7556m high saddle, is crowned by seven peaks and goes west-northwest until its steep west-face drops down more than 2300m to the Khumbu-glacier. Nuptse I was first summited by a British expedition on May 16, 1961
Pumori peak at 7145m is just 8 km away from the world’s highest peak Mt.Everest. The ascent to this peak is described as a classic climb in the 7000m peak category. In Tibetan, ‘Pumo’ means girl and ‘Ri’, mountain. The peak was named by George Mallory, the famous English climber who lost his life trying to ascend Everest in 1924. The German climber Gerhard Lenser was the first to reach the summit of Pumori peak in 1962. Pumori is a popular climbing peak and the easiest. The best season to climb this peak is during autumn and spring.
Mera Peak (6,475m) is the highest of Nepal's trekking peaks. By its standard route, it is also the highest peak in Nepal that can be climbed without prior mountaineering experience. It was first climbed on 20 May 1953, by J.O.M. Roberts and Sen Tenzing, from the standard route at Mera La. The mountain lies to the south of Everest, dominating the watershed between the wild and beautiful valleys of the Hinku and Hongu.
Island Peak also known as Imja Tse at 6160m was named by Erick Shipton's group in 1953.It was so named as the peak resembles an island in a sea of ice when observed from Dingboche. The peak was first climbed in 1953 by a British group as preparation for climbing Mt. Everest. Among them one of the climbers was Mr. Tenzing Norgay. The peak is part of the south ridge of Lhotse Shar and the main land forms a semicircle of cliffs that rise to the north of the summits of Nuptse, Lhotse, Middle Peak and Lhotse Shar. Cho Oyu and Makalu lie to the east of the Island Peak. Baruntse, Amphu and Ama Dablam lie to the south.
Lobuche(6,119m) is known as Lhauche among the Locals. It rises above the town of Lhauche which is just a few kilometer from Mt. Everest. The first ascent on this peak was done by Laurice Nielson and Ang Gyalzen Sherpa on 25 April 1984.
Kalapattar is a small mountain 5,545 m (18,500 ft) high on the southern flank of Pumori (7,145 m). It is a trekking peak and every year tourists climb this peak to enjoy the fantastic panoramic views it offers of the Khumbu glacier, the Everest and nearby peaks like Lhotse and Nuptse. To the east, Makalu, Amadablam, Pumori, and Cho Oyu are visible.
Climate, Flora & Fauna
The climate in the Everest region can be divided into four climate zones owing to the gradual rise in altitude. The climatic zones include a forested lower zone, a zone of alpine scrub, the upper alpine zone which includes upper limit of vegetation growth, and the Arctic zone where no plants can grow. The types of plants and animals that are found depend on the altitude. In the lower forested zone, birch, juniper, blue pines, firs, bamboo and rhododendron grow. All vegetation that is found above this zone is shrubs. As the altitude increases, plant life is restricted to lichens and mosses. At an elevation of 5,750m begins the permanent snow line in the Himalayas. From this point there is no sign of greenery or vegetation. A common animal sighted in the higher reaches is the hairy animal yak. Dzopkyo a sterile male crossbreed between a yak and a cow is used to move goods along the trail. Red panda, snow leopard, musk deer, wild yak, and Himalayan black bear are some of the more exotic animals that are found in this region. A variety of birds can be sighted in the lower regions.
Sagarmata (Mt. Everest) National Park
The Sagarmatha National Park is the highest national park in the world. It was formally opened to public in July 19, 1976. The park covers an area of 1,148 sq km. It rises from its lowest point of 2,845 m (9,335 ft) at Jorsale to 8,850 m (29,035 ft) up to the summit of Everest. The park’s area is very rugged and steep, with its terrain cut by deep rivers and glaciers. It includes three peaks higher than 8,000 m, including Mt Everest. In 1979 the park was inscribed as a Natural World Heritage Site. The park's visitor centre is located at a hill in Namche Bazaar, where a company of the Nepal Royal Army is stationed for protecting the park. The park's southern entrance is a few hundred meters north of Monjo at 2,835 m. Trekking and climbing groups must bring their own fuel to the park (usually butane and kerosene), and the cutting of wood is prohibited. The Sagarmatha Pollution Control, funded by the World Wildlife Fund and the Himalayan Trust, was established in 1991 to help preserve Everest's environment. About a humdred species of birds and more than twenty species of butterflies have made this park their home. Musk deer, wild yak, red panda, snow leopard, Himalayan black bear, Himalayan thars, deer, langur monkeys, hares, mountain foxes, martens, and Himalayan wolves are found in the park
Early expeditions to climb Everest from the Nepalese side started from Jiri. Before the airstrip at Lukla came into existence all the trekking and climbing expeditions to the Everest region started from Jiri. Starting from Jiri, the route passes through the Sherpa villages of the Solu Khumbu, many of them having beautiful Buddhist monasteries.
Lukla, a village in Khumbu boast of the region’s sole airport.Lying at a height of 9000ft, most travelers to this region usually begin and end their adventure in Lukla. The airport was built in 1964 by Sir Edmund Hillary as part of his project in Khumbu region during the early 60s to transport the supplies for the Himalayan Trust projects in the Khumbu region. Today, somewhere between 90-95% of the foreign nationals who reach Lukla, arrive by a half hour flight from Kathmandu.
Namche Bazar is known as the sherpa capital. Namche is actually a village lying at the junction of the Dudh Koshi and a valley that leads to the frontier pass of Nangpa La . It is tucked away in a niche at a height of 7,845 ft. W. H. Tilman and C. Houston were the first westerners to enter it in 1950 and many more have come since then. Facilities like a bank, a post office, hotels and shops where one can purchase climbing equipment as well as tinned food have sprung up over the years. Namche Bazar is the major regional trading center. Its Saturday market or haat is the place where most of the trading takes place. The headquarters of the Sagarmatha National Park is located in Namche.
Thyangboche is famous for the Thyangboche gompa. It is one of the most important centers of Buddhism in the region. The gompa is the largest in the Khumbu region. It was first built in 1923. Destroyed by a fire in 1989, it was rebuilt later on partly with foreign aid. From Thyangboche, one gets a panoramic view of Kwangde, Tawache, Everest, Nuptse, Lhotse, Amadablam, Kangtenga, and Thamserku.
Buddhism is believed to have been introduced in the Khumbu region towards the end of the 17th century by Lama Sange Dorjee. According to the legend, he flew over the Himalayas and landed on a rock at Pangboche and Thyangboche, leaving his footprints embedded on the stone. He is believed to have been responsible for the founding of the first gompas in the Khumbu region, at Pangboche and Thami. Pangboche is the highest year-round settlement in the valley. The Imja Khola, coming from the right, joins the Dudh Koshi River a little above the village. The gompa (monastery) in Phyangboche is thought to be one of the oldest in the Khumbu region.
Khumjung , a village lying west of Thyangboche, is famous for the gompa where the skull of a supposed Yeti, the Abominable Snowman, is preserved under the supervision of the head Lama. The skull seems more like the outer skin of Himalayan Brown Bear, and this is proved by the report of a scientific exploratory expedition conducted by Sir Edmund Hillary, a copy of which is kept in the gompa.
Pheriche is located at an altitude of 13,845 ft. It lies on a level patch. Apart from the basic facilities available here, there is a medical-aid post maintained by the Himalayan Rescue Association of the Tokyo Medical College with Japanese doctors in attendance. Among other facilities, there is an air compression chamber installed for assisting victims of high altitude sickness
The scenic village of Gokyo lies below the hilly Gokyo Ri(5483m). The village is a cluster of stone houses and walled pastures.One has to pass by the holy Gokyo lakes on the way to the village. The Ngozumpa Glacier Nepal’s longest glacier at 25 miles has to be traversed enroute to this remote village. Gokyo Ri looms above the village on the northern edge of the lake. The summits of Everest, Lhotse and Makalu are visible from the summit of Gokyo Ri.
Thami at 3750m is in a large valley. The village has a police checkpost and a few lodges and tea shops. A little above the village is the Thami gompa, which is the site of the annual Mani Rimdu festival.
Sherpas live in the upper regions of Solu Khumbu. They emigrated from Tibet about 600 years ago. In the past they were traders and porters, carrying butter, meat, rice, sugar, and dye from India, and, wool, jewelry, salt Chinese silk and porcelain from Tibet and beyond. The closure of the border between India and China undermined their economy. Fortunately, with the mountaineering expeditions and trekkers, the Sherpa's found their load carrying skills, both on normal treks and high altitudes in great demand. The Khumbu region has provided a strong group of able bodied, hardy and fearless Sherpa porters and guides. The sherpas are Buddhists.
At the lower elevations lives the Kiranti Rai. The villages of Jubing, Kharikhola, Okhaldhunga, are inhabited by the Rais. Of mongoloid stock they speak their own dialect. Reference is made of their fighting spirit in the Hindu epic Mahabharata. The people from this group have supplied recruits to Gurkha regiments both in the British as well as Indian armies. The Rais follow a religion that is partly animistic with a strong Hindu influence. They revere their ancestors by observing Kul or Pitri puja every year.
The Jirels live in the area around Jiri. They are mongoloid and follow Buddhism.
Losar is celebrated in the month of February by the Sherpas. ‘Losar’ means New Year in Tibetan. Apart from the Sherpas and Tibetans, the Gurungs and Tamangs also celebrate Losar. Buddhist monks offer prayers for good health and prosperity at monasteries. People exchange various goods and gifts among them. Families organize feasts and perform dances.
Dumje is celebrated to mark the birthday of Guru Rimpoche (Padmasambhava).The celebration takes place in June and lasts for six days. It is celebrated in a big way in the villages of Namche, Thame and Khumjung.
Mani Rimdu is a festival that celebrates the victory of Buddhism over the ancient animistic religion of Bon. This festival is celebrated in the monasteries of Thyangboche, Chiwang and Thami. At Thangboche the celebration takes place during the November- December full moon. At Thami the Mani rimdu is festival is celebrated during the full moon in May.Chiwang Gompa generally celebrate this festival during autumn. The lamas wear elaborate brocade gowns and papier-mâché masks while performing. Through the dances, symbolic demons are conquered, dispelled, or converted to Dharma Protectors as positive forces clash with those of chaos. The dances convey Buddhist teaching on many levels from the simplest to the most profound, for those who do not have the opportunity to study and meditate extensively. It gives an opportunity to the Sherpas to gather and celebrate together with the monks.
Sakela (Chandi Dance) is a harvest festival celebrated by the Rai community. The harvest ceremony involves the worship of mother earth, called ‘Bhumi-Puja’. The festival is celebrated twice a year, once in spring before planting begins and once during autumn before harvesting. Ubhauli is celebrated during the spring season on Baishakh Purnima. In the autumn season on Mangsir Purnima, Udhauli is celebrated. The spring worship is done to propitiate mother earth for a good harvest and the rain god to bless the earth with enough rain. The festival is celebrated with more fervor in the remote hills. The Rai villagers celebrate it with priests (dhami) who perform rituals to worship their ancestors. The elders of the community begin the dance with a puja. Later on everybody participate in the dance forming a circle by holding each other’s hands. With drumbeats, they begin dancing at a slow pace but moves faster later with the drumbeats. The dance steps and hand gestures imitate the sowing and harvesting of crops .The festival also provides an opportunity for the Rai people to socialise.
The Classic Everest Base Camp Trek
Mt Everest Base Camp is the most popular destination for trekkers in Nepal. Its popularity has grown since the first expedition to the Nepalese side of Everest in the 1950s.One can do this trek the old way, by beginning the trek from Jiri. From Jiri it takes around nine days to reach Namche. On the way you will come across Rai settlements. The other (quicker) alternative is to take a flight to Lukla and to begin the trek from there. The trek follows the Dudh Kosi valley route with an ascent up to the Sherpa capital of Namche Bazaar. From Namche, you traverse along a high path from where you have the first good view of Everest. You head towards Thyangboche Monastery located on top of a mountain ridge and then descend the Imja Khola and continue to the villages of Pangboche and Pheriche. After that you arrive at the Khumbu Glacier. The trek through the glacier takes you first to Lobuche and then to Gorak Shep. From Gorak Shep you can climb up to Kala Pattar for even more spectacular views of the surrounding mountains, including Everest's south west face. Yhou then reach your destination, the Everest Base Camp at the foot of the Khumbu ice fall.


There are two well-known approved apparitions of Saint Joseph - but of which occurred in the context of a Marian apparition.
Our Lady of Knock (1879)
On the evening of Thursday, 21 August 1879 (Eve of the Octave of the Assumption) in Knock, Ireland, three mysterious persons appeared. The one in the middle was immediately identifiable as the Blessed Virgin Mary, veiled, crowned and praying. Immediately on her right was Saint Joseph with a gray beard, bowing toward Mary. To Mary's left was one appearing as a bishop who wore a short mitre. This last saint was the virginal Apostle Saint John the Evangelist.
Our Lady of Fatima (1917)
As we discussed a few days about on the significance of the three Marian visions of the Miracle of the Sun (See: Miracle of the Sun Signifies Rosary Mysteries), the first vision included Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, as Lucia described:
When Our Lady disappeared in the immense distance of the sky, next to the sun we saw Saint Joseph holding the Child Jesus and Our Lady dressed in white with a blue mantle. Saint Joseph and the Child seemed to be blessing the world making the sign of the cross.I find it startling that Saint Joseph, although not a priest, would give the sacerdotal blessing of the sign of the cross in union with his foster-Son, Christ.
What can we observe from these two apparitions of Saint Joseph?
- In both visions, Joseph does not speak.
- Joseph appears along with Mary.
- In the Knock vision, John appears, and John is the "son" of Mary is a special way. Is he also a "son" of Joseph in a special way?


S.A.D.D. is an acronym used to described the symptoms/signs/strong behavioral patterns that a nonwhite person is having sex with a white person and/or having frivolous contact with white people (not using the time with white people for constructive benefit).
S- Space for white people.
The nonwhite/victim of racism person will seek space for white people in discussion of racism. Often seeking space for white people who are not racist and have a high problem of not suspecting white people they come in contact with of being racist/white supremacist especially the white person they are having sex/sexual contact with.
The C.O.W.S. w/ Dr. Eddie Moore, Jr.
"Your definition sounds like it is not leaving space for white people who don't practice racism or is working against racism" Dr. Eddie Moore, Jr., after hearing Gus T. Renegade/Victim of Racism definition of racism/white supremacy.
A- Abstract thought and speech.
The nonwhite/victim of racism "They won't talk about racism as if it's live and experienced everyday" but they will talk about it as if it's "out there". They will use words like institutional racism as if institution's are not buildings and are run by the people inside them.
The C.O.W.S. w/ W. Kamau Bell
Victim of Racism known as W. Kamau Bell used the abstract term Halls of Power six times to describe the system of white supremacy.
D- Defend white people/Divided loyalties
Defend White People/Defend making white space
The nonwhite person will ferociously defend white people and that space they make for white people in discussion of racism. They will often experience from Cognitive Dissonance when they start to think about pondering that the white person they are sleeping with might be a racist/white supremacist.
The C.O.W.S. w/ Cynthia McKinney
A victim of racism called in after Cynthia McKinney left defending the space for white people.
D- Divided loyalties.
A metaphor of divided loyalties.
The nonwhite person will be on the battlefield of countering racism/white supremacy and instead of going full charge at their enemies, they will be discouraging nonwhite persons from fighting, causing conflict and confusion within the tents making it easy for the white supremacists to come slaughter them.


New York Manumission Society
The New York Manumission Society was an early American organization founded in 1785 to promote the abolition of the slavery of African descendants within the state of New York. The organization was made up entirely of white men, most of whom were wealthy and held influential positions in society. Throughout its 71-year history, which ended in 1849, the society battled against the slave trade and for the eventual emancipation of all the slaves in the state; it founded the African Free School for the poor and orphaned children of slaves and free people of color.
John Jay
John Jay had been a prominent leader in the antislavery cause since 1777, when he drafted a state law to abolish slavery. The draft failed, as did a second attempt in 1785. In 1785, all state legislators except one voted for some form of gradual emancipation. However, they did not agree on what civil rights would be given to the slaves once they were freed. In 1799, an emancipation bill passed by not mentioning the subject of civil rights for freed slaves at all.
Jay brought in prominent political leaders such as Alexander Hamilton. He also worked closely with Aaron Burr, later head of the Democratic-Republicans in New York. The Society started a petition against slavery, which was signed by almost all the politically prominent men in New York, of all parties and led to a bill for gradual emancipation. Burr, in addition to supporting the bill, made an amendment for immediate abolition, which was voted down.
Jay founded the New-York Society for Promoting the Manumission of Slaves, and Protecting Such of Them as Have Been, or May be Liberated or the New York Manumission Society, and became its first president in 1785.
The organization was originally composed of Jay and a few dozen close friends, many of whom were slave-owners at the time. The first meeting was on January 25, 1785, at the home of John Simmons - who had space for the nineteen men in attendance since he kept an inn. Robert Troup and Melancton Smith were appointed to draw up rules; Jay was elected President. There were 31 members at the second meeting on February 4, including Alexander Hamilton. Several of the members were Quakers.
The Society formed a ways-and-means committee to deal with the difficulty that more than half of the members, including Troup and Jay, owned slaves (mostly a few domestic servants per household). The committee reported a plan for gradual emancipation: members would free slaves then younger than 28 when they reached the age of 35, slaves between 28 and 38 in seven years' time, and slaves over 45 immediately. This was voted down; and the committee dissolved.
This society was instrumental in having a state law passed in 1785 prohibiting the sale of slaves imported into the state, and making it easy for slaveholders to manumit slaves either by a registered certificate or by will. In 1788 the purchase of slaves for removal to another state was forbidden; they were allowed trial by jury "in all capital cases," and the earlier laws about slaves were simplified and restated. The emancipation of slaves by the Quakers was legalized in 1798. At that date, there were still about 33,000 slaves statewide.
Lobbying and boycotts
The Society organized boycotts against New York merchants and newspaper owners involved in the slave trade. The Society had a special committee of militants who visited newspaper offices to warn publishers against accepting advertisements for the purchase or sale of slaves.
Another committee kept a list of people who were involved in the slave trade, and urged members to boycott anyone listed. As historian Roger Kennedy reports,
"Those [blacks] who remained in New York soon discovered that until the Manumission Society was organized, things had gotten worse, not better, for blacks. Despite the efforts of Burr, Hamilton, and Jay, the slave importers were busy. There was a 23 percent increase in slaves and a 33 percent increase in slaveholders in New York City in the 1790s."
Beginning in 1785, the Society lobbied for a state law to abolish slavery in New York, as all the other northern states (except New Jersey) had done. Considerable opposition came from the Dutch areas upstate (where slavery was still popular), as well as from the many businessmen in New York who profited from the slave trade. The two houses passed different emancipation bills and could not reconcile them. Every member of the New York legislature, but one, voted for some form of gradual emancipation, but no agreement could be reached on the civil rights of freedmen afterwards. Success finally came in 1799, when the Society supported a bill which said nothing about such rights. Jay signed this statement into law as governor.
The Act for the Gradual Abolition of Slavery 1799 declared that, from July 4 of that year, all children born to slave parents would be free. It also outlawed the exportation of current slaves. However, the Act held the caveat that the children would be subject to apprenticeship. These same children would be required to serve their mother’s owner until age twenty-eight for males, and age twenty-five for females.
The law defined the children of slaves as a type of indentured servant, while scheduling them for eventual freedom. The last slaves were emancipated by July 4, 1827; the process was the largest emancipation in North America before 1861. Thousands of freedmen celebrated with a parade in New York.
Other anti-slavery societies directed their attention to slavery as a national issue. The Quakers of New York petitioned the First Congress (under the Constitution) for the abolition of the slave trade. In addition, Benjamin Franklin and the Pennsylvania Abolition Society petitioned for the abolition of slavery in the new nation; but the NYMS did not act. (Hamilton and others felt that Federal action on slavery would endanger the compromise worked out at the Constitutional Convention, and so the new United States.)
African Free School
See also
- Berlin, Ira and Leslie Harris, eds.. Slavery in New York. New Press, 2005. ISBN 1-56584-997-3.
- Gellman, David N. Emancipating New York: The Politics of Slavery And Freedom, 1777-1827 Louisiana State Univ Press, 2006. ISBN 0-8071-3174-1.
- Gellman, David N. "Pirates, Sugar, Debtors, and Slaves: Political Economy and the Case for Gradual Abolition in New York." Slavery & Abolition (2001) 22(2): 51-68. Issn: 0144-039x
- Gellman, David N. "Race, the Public Sphere, and Abolition in Late Eighteenth-century New York." Journal of the Early Republic (2000) 20(4): 607-636. Issn: 0275-1275 Fulltext: online in Jstor
- Leslie M. Harris. In the Shadow of Slavery: African Americans in New York City, 1626-1863 (2003),
- Horton, James Oliver. "Alexander Hamilton: Slavery and Race in a Revolutionary Generation" New-York Journal of American History 2004 65(3): 16-24. ISSN 1551-5486
- Roger G. Kennedy, Burr, Hamilton, and Jefferson: A Study in Character (2000)
- Littlefield, Daniel C. "John Jay, the Revolutionary Generation, and Slavery." New York History 2000 81(1): 91-132. Issn: 0146-437x
- Edgar J. McManus, History of Negro Slavery in New York (1968)
- Newman, Richard S. The Transformation of American Abolitionism: Fighting Slavery in the Early Republic. Univ of North Carolina Press, 2002. ISBN 0-8078-2671-5.
- Schaetzke, E. Anne. "Slavery in the Genesee Country (Also Known as Ontario County) 1789 to 1827." Afro-Americans in New York Life and History (1998) 22(1): 7-40. Issn: 0364-2437
- Jake Sudderth," John Jay and Slavery" (2002) at
- "African-Americans in New York City, 1626-1863". Emory University Deptartment of History. Retrieved 2006-12-11.
- "Race and Antebellum New York City - New York Manumission Society". New-York Historical Society. Retrieved 2006-12-12.
- Davis, New York’s Manumission (Free the Slaves!)Society & Its African Free School 1785-1849, as cited.
- John Jay and Sarah Livingston Jay, Selected Letters of John Jay and Sarah Livingston Jay (2005) pp 297-99; online at
- Edgar McManus, History of Negro Slavery in New York, Syracuse University Press, 1966
- Davis, op. cit.; Chernow, Alexander Hamilton p.214
- Ron Chernow, Alexander Hamilton, p. 215
- Peter Nelson. The American Revolution in New York: Its Political, Social and Economic Significance. (1926). p, 237.
- Roger G. Kennedy, Burr, Hamilton, and Jefferson: A Study in Character (2000) p. 92
- Herbert S. Parmet and Marie B. Hecht, Aaron Burr (1967) p. 76
- Edgar J. McManus, History of Negro Slavery in New York
- Edgar J. McManus, History of Negro Slavery in New York
- Jake Sudderth," John Jay and Slavery" (2002) at
- Forrest McDonald, Alexander Hamilton, a Biography(1982) p. 177


- OurWorld 2.0 - http://ourworld.unu.edu/en -
What does Cancún offer the climate generation?
Posted By Huw Oliphant On December 8, 2010 @ 8:30 pm In General | 4 Comments
Across the globe, young people are paying attention to what is happening at the COP16 climate negotiations in Cancun, Mexico. They are the “climate generation” — the ones who are going to have to live with our climate legacy, our tendency to prevaricate and our collective global failure to act sooner. The hope is that we will see substantive progress in Cancun towards an internationally binding agreement.
This hope was echoed by a group of 30 young climate champions (from Japan, Korea, Thailand, Indonesia, Australia and Vietnam) who met in Vietnam on 22-26 November 2010 and who called on the leaders of the world to stop talking and take action  on climate change.
They were brought together by the British Council Climate Generation Project  in a workshop that focused on green business and entrepreneurship, aimed to help participants develop their green projects through project management and leadership skills training, as well as interaction with experts in the field.
What can the climate generation do?
To begin with, business as usual is not an option. These young people are green entrepreneurs and they are all developing “cool” projects aimed at addressing climate and sustainability issues in their community.
These young people are green entrepreneurs and they are all developing cool projects aimed at addressing climate and sustainability issues in their community.
For instance, Syuichi Ishibashi from Japan has developed an impressive energy literacy project  to help monitor on-line energy use at home. Other projects include a factory  making furniture from recycled materials in Thailand; a community based conservation project  (link in Indonesian) near Lake Buret in Tulungagung, East Java; a green fashion show in Korea; and a project aimed at developing smart grid systems in Vietnam.
Young leaders can make a difference
Siti Nur Alliah, a British Council Climate Champion from Indonesia, is tackling a burning issue in the heart of Indonesia’s countryside in a quest to reverse climate change and lift a community out of poverty. As a community organiser, Alliah was keenly aware that farmers in Sekonyer village, central Borneo, remained poor no matter how much they burned surrounding forest to expand their farmland.
“Tragically, no matter how many resources are exploited, they are still considered as a community living under the poverty line,” she said.
So Alliah decided to see if there were more environmentally friendly agriculture methods that would have the added benefits of raising the quality and quantity of farm yields. The result was the Forest Farming project, which works with villagers in Sekonyer to expand their knowledge of agriculture to find better ways of managing their land.
Alliah says the project depended on cultivating local knowledge, encouraging the community to take action and fostering commitment in the village to sustained involvement. She says the great willingness of the indigenous people to work with her and her team to change their farming practices is a real sign that they are making a difference.
Climate Champion Hiroki Fukushima is part of a network of Japanese students who have issued the Climate Campus Challenge to educational institutions throughout the country. To help cut the education sector’s emissions of greenhouse gas, the students encourage universities to use renewable energy sources, retrofit campus buildings and buy green products. They then rank the colleges according to their success.
“We made an environmental survey of 334 universities and assessed them according to criteria, such as energy consumption per student, reduction in energy consumption, climate change policies, climate education for students and unique initiatives,” Hiroki said. “We published an Eco University Ranking and awarded certificates to universities with good environmental policies and activities, and organised a seminar to promote universities with good practice.”
Hiroki says the number of Japanese students participating in environmental activities has been on the rise since the 1990s but few of the activities were aimed at tackling climate change on campus. To remedy the situation, the core group studied projects overseas and thought how the activities could be best adapted to implement the campus challenge. They then enlisted students at various universities and established a network to realise the project.
Thai Climate Champion Panita Topathomwong is driving home her environmental message through her Cool Bus Cool Smile project. Panita is encouraging residents to cut their greenhouse gas emissions by leaving the car in the garage and hopping on public transport. She says that transport is one of the big sources of carbon dioxide emissions in urban centres and cutting back on car use would help lower the sector’s environmental impact and have the added benefit of easing gridlock.
So, with the support of the Bangkok Mass Transit Authority (BMTA) and the Ministry of Transport, Panita and her team organised a design competition to decorate three city buses and take the message to the road. The decorated buses toured Bangkok streets for three months after a high-profile launch in April 2009 attended by the Vice Minister of Transport, the Director of the BMTA, a representative from the British Embassy Bangkok and various media.
Climate Champions are young green entrepreneurs who are developing innovative projects aimed at addressing climate and sustainability issues in their community.
“We believe that by redecorating the buses with great images we conveyed the message about climate change to wider audiences in Bangkok. The buses were like mobile billboards which convinced everybody to be concerned about climate change,” Panita said.
It is cool to be a Climate Champion
Since 2008, the British Council Climate Generation has worked with over 120,000 young people from across the world interested in tackling climate change. Through the Climate Generation project, young people have the chance to come up with grassroots projects to combat and offset the effects of climate change. The participants are given the training and resources they need to realise their proposals and spread the word about the issue in their communities.
Climate Generation encourages young people interested in tackling climate change to connect with each other, come up with local solutions and reach out to local, national and international decision-makers.
As Climate Champions, programme participants have access to the training and information they need to ignite discussion in their communities and devise projects that will help people adapt to and mitigate climate change. The result is a global network of enthusiastic young people with the knowledge, contacts and on-the-ground resources to take action on climate change and make positive contributions to people’s lives.
Climate Champions have come from a wide variety of backgrounds including government, business, entrepreneurship, NGOs, education and media. Through training in communication and negotiation, they can learn how to put their plans into practice and give voice to the concerns of their generation.
Clearly, the Climate Champions are acting in advance of the outcomes at COP16 and “doing it themselves” but hope that real progress can be made at Cancun.
• ♦ •
For more information on the programme, please contact Huw Oliphant .
Article printed from OurWorld 2.0: http://ourworld.unu.edu/en
URL to article: http://ourworld.unu.edu/en/what-does-cancun-offer-for-the-climate-generation/
URLs in this post:
 stop talking and take action: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b8APNC8R57w
 Climate Generation Project: http://climatecoolnetwork.ning.com/
 energy literacy project: http://e-idea2010.climate-change.jp/en/ishibashi.php
 factory: http://www.kokoboard.com
 community based conservation project: http://www.pplhmangkubumi.or.id/
 Huw Oliphant: mailto:email@example.com
Copyright © 2008 OurWorld 2.0. All rights reserved.


Difference Between SD and SDHC Cards
SD stands for Secure Digital which is the most popular storage medium for mobile devices in use today. SD cards can reach up to 4GB of storage space and can come in 3 different form factors; the standard size, mini, and micro each one bigger than the next. SDHC (Secure Digital High Capacity) was developed to overcome the 4GB limit that SD faced, with its smallest capacity starting at 4GB and with a 32GB maximum capacity.
The move to SDHC came as more and more consumers start wanting higher capacity memory cards than what is available in the market. SD cards were once sufficient for use in digital cameras, but with portable media devices like mp3 players and video players, it becomes very apparent that more is always better.
SD was limited in the memory capacity not by the physical aspect of the device since you can always add more; it is because of the byte addressing system that is used in SD. Fat32, which is the most commonly used file system in mobile devices can only allocate up to 232 addresses or just under 4.3 billion. If each address is equivalent to 1 byte then there are only 4.3billion bytes or 4GB.
SDHC utilized sector addressing rather than byte addressing. Each sector is composed of 512 bytes each, allowing a theoretical maximum capacity of 2 terabytes. But currently, it is limited to a maximum of 32GB per card but will probably be increased once that threshold is reached.
SDHC cards are not necessarily faster than SD cards but the enforcement of minimum write speeds could potentially mean much faster read and write access. SD cards start out at 0Mb/s then gradually increases to its max speed then slows back down. The minimum speed of SDHC cards can range from 2Mb/s to 6Mb/s, meaning it starts at a much faster speed compared to SD cards.
In order to maintain backwards compatibility, most devices that take SDHC memory cards can also work with SD cards. Most memory cards are pretty easy to identify as SD or SDHC cards due to their capacities, but cards that have a 4GB capacity would need to be examined further since those could be either.
1. SD memory cards can only reach 4GB maximum while SDHC can reach 32GB
2. SD cards use byte addressing while SDHCS utilized sector addressing
3. SDHC cards can be potentially faster than SD cards
4. SDHC readers are backwards compatible with SD cards
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OHIO DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Division of Plant Industry – Apiculture
8995 East Main Street
Reynoldsburg, Ohio 43068-3399
“SWARM PREVENTION AND CONTROL”
When honey bees swarm it is a natural process where the colonies divide. In essence, it is nature’s way of trying to increase bee colony populations. Beekeepers can not stop all swarming. However, swarm prevention should be incorporated info a beekeeper’s management program, if he/she is interested in obtaining a good honey crop.
The following are some things that can be done to reduce swarming.
- Colonies should be requeened every 2 to 3 years. This can be done in the spring, fall, after a honey flow or as conditions dictate.
- Clipping the wings on a new queen is another attempt to prevent swarming. This procedure slows down swarming, but may resutt in the colony swarming anyway with a virgin queen.
- Reversing the hive bodies in the spring results in having an empty hive body being placed above the brood chamber, thus providing more room for queen laying, pollen and honey storage. This procedure may be done several times in the spring.
- Colonies can be split. This entails dividing the colony population in half to make up 2 hives. This is an effective method in swarm control.
- Cutting queen cells is a method many beekeepers use. However, the bees usually win out. Once the queen cells are eliminated the bees will produce more queen celIs.
|Prepared by:||Gordon Rudloff
Ohio Department of Agriculture


Inflammation Key to the Asthma-Sinus Connection
People with asthma frequently experience problems with their sinuses. And more than half of those who have chronic sinusitis also suffer from asthma.
Is there a connection? Each condition is marked by inflammation, which is to blame for both the symptoms of asthma—cough, chest tightness, shortness of breath, and wheezing—and sinusitis. Researchers speculate inflammation in the lungs or sinuses affects both. As a result, people with lung symptoms likely will eventually get symptoms in the nose, and vice versa. Plus, sinusitis can trigger asthma attacks.
What is sinusitis?
Sinusitis occurs when air-filled spaces behind the nose, forehead, cheeks, and eyes become inflamed and blocked with mucus. Often, infection results.
Symptoms usually occur after a cold that fails to improve or gets worse after five to seven days. They include:
People with asthma who experience sinus problems should talk with their doctor about treatment. Studies show that resolving sinusitis often improves asthma and decreases the need for asthma medication.
How you can protect yourself
Those with asthma need to be vigilant about colds and the flu. Viral respiratory infections often worsen asthma. Some prevention tips:
Avoid smoke and pollution.
Drink plenty of fluids.
Take decongestants for upper respiratory infections.
Get help for allergies.
Use a humidifier to increase moisture in nose and sinuses.


Sepia is a dark brown-grey color, named after the rich brown pigment derived from the ink sac of the common cuttlefish.
The word sepia is Greek for "cuttlefish".
Sepia in human culture
In the last quarter of the 18th century, Professor Jacob Seydelmann of Dresden developed a process to extract and produce a more concentrated form for use in watercolors and oil paints.
It has been suggested that the actual skin color of most black people would be most accurately represented by the color sepia.
There is a magazine for African-Americans called Sepia, which was started in 1947.
Sepia ink was commonly used as writing ink in classical times.
Sepia tones are used in photography; the hue resembles the effect of aging in old photographs and photographs chemically treated for archival purposes, an effect sometimes created by purpose. Many digital cameras include a sepia tone effect as well.


The Durban climate change negotiations are about three gaps.
The first is scientific and has to do with the amount of Greenhouse gases we are pumping into the atmosphere, and the levels we need to reduce to in order to prevent irreversible changes to the climate system. The second is political and affects the course of the negotiations. The third is the gap between public perception of climate change and the reality of the change that has already begun.
All of these gaps are interrelated.
In 2009 countries made pledges to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in order to keep global average temperature from increases below 2 degrees Celsius. Last week the United Nations Environment Programme issued “The Emissions Gap Report: Are the Copenhagen Accord Pledges Sufficient to Limit Global Warming to 2oC or 1.5oC?”
Following the conclusion of the 15th Conference of the Parties (COP 15) in Copenhagen, 42 industrialized countries submitted “economy-wide” emissions targets for 2020. Another 43 developing countries also submitted “nationally appropriate mitigation actions.” While the Copenhagen negotiations failed to produce an expected new climate change treaty, these pledges have become the basis for “analyzing the extent to which the global community is on track to meet long-term temperature goals” (for details, see the Emissions Gap Report).
They are also the source of much of the wrangling that continues in the Durban negotiations. The 2020 date is significant because that’s the date by which the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change states that emissions cuts need to start being made if the global average temperature increases are to be kept below 2oC.
The report states that while it is possible to reach the required level of reductions by 2020, the current reduction pledges “are not adequate to reduce emissions to a level consistent with the 2°C target, and therefore lead to a gap.”
Research tells us that annual emissions need to be around 44 gigatonnes (Gt) of CO2 equivalent by 2020 to have a likely chance of holding global average temperatures to 2°C or less. (A gigatonne is equal to 1 billion tonnes of carbon. According to the International Energy Agency, the world emitted a record 30.6 tonnes of CO2 in 2010 - a 5% increase over the previous record level in 2008.
The report states that if the “highest ambitions” of all the countries that signed the Copenhagen Accord are implemented, annual emissions of greenhouse gases would be cut by around 7 (Gt) of CO2 equivalent by 2020.
This represents a cut in annual emissions to around 49 Gt of CO2 equivalent, which would still leave a gap of around 5 Gt compared with where we need to be—”a gap equal to the total emissions of the world’s cars, buses and trucks in 2005.”
However, if only the lowest ambition pledges are implemented, and if no clear rules are set in the negotiations, emissions could be around 53 Gt of CO2 equivalent in 2020 – “not that different from business-as-usual so the rules set in the negotiations clearly matter.” If it’s “business as usual” emissions could rise to 56 Gt by the same date.
This points to the second gap -- in political will. The differences between those who are feeling the brunt of rapid climate change right now -- primarily many of the Small Island Developing States and Least Developed Countries -- and the major emitters, is growing. The Framework Convention on Climate Change, negotiated nearly 20 years ago in Rio de Janeiro, calls on all nations to cooperate “...in accordance with their common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities and their social and economic conditions.”
This has been traditionally interpreted to mean that the industrialized nations of Europe and North America bear a large portion of the responsibility for dealing with the problem since they are primarily responsible for the vast majority of historical emissions. Indeed, the United States was only recently surpassed by China as the largest GHG emitter. However, the US, Canada and others have higher per capita emissions levels.
Nevertheless, Canada has led the charge of developed nations that now say that it is “unfair” for developed countries to cut total emissions while developing nations such as China, India and Brazil are not bound to reduce in the same way. Canada has become the first nation in the world to say it will not abide by the Kyoto Protocol, nor will it agree to a second commitment period.
This approach has widened the gap between those that support a renewed Kyoto Protocol -- most of the developing world and the European Union (subject to developing nations such as China getting onboard) -- and those that say they don’t want a second commitment period. This group is led by Canada, Russia and Japan but others have now joined, so many that there is little chance that the Kyoto Protocol, which lapses next year, will be renewed in Durban.
Such positioning and politicking is widening the gap between developed and developing countries. For some, like the Small Island Developing States, there is a sense of being abandoned to their fates. Delay does not bode well for the Arctic either. People from both regions need immediate and sustained emissions reductions.
The third gap is between what we think or believe is (or is not) happening and what the facts are telling us. The latter are based on observation and a growing body of scientific knowledge. There are literally thousands of peer reviewed scientific papers that demonstrate that the climate is changing and we are primarily responsible.
The public in developed countries -- and many developing nations -- still has not embraced this reality. While millions of people are mobilized and calling for action, there is still a strong predilection to ignore the signals that are all around us, or to use the current economic downturn as an excuse for inaction. Both lead to the same end -- they are further narrowing the window in which we have time to act. And they are passing the problem of adaptation on to future generations, when the price will be much higher.


Physical examination by a health care provider confirms the abnormal curve of the spine. The doctor will also look for any nervous system (neurological) changes (weakness, paralysis, or changes in sensation) below the curve.
MRI (if there may be a tumor, infection, or neurological symptoms)
Treatment depends on the cause of the disorder:
Congenital kyphosis requires corrective surgery at an early age.
Scheuermann's disease is treated with a brace and physical therapy. Occasionally surgery is needed for large (greater than 60 degrees), painful curves.
Multiple compression fractures from osteoporosis can be left alone if there are no nervous system problems or pain. However, the osteoporosis needs to be treated to help prevent future fractures. For debilitating deformity or pain, surgery is an option.
Kyphosis caused by infection or tumor needs to be treated more aggressively, often with surgery and medications.
Treatment for other types of kyphosis depends on the cause. Surgery is needed if neurological symptoms or persistent pain develop.
Adolescents with Scheuermann's disease tend to do well even if they need surgery, and the disease stops once they stop growing. If the kyphosis is due to degenerative joint disease or multiple compression fractures, surgery is needed to correct the defect and improve pain.
Decreased lung capacity
Disabling back pain
Neurological symptoms including leg weakness or paralysis
Round back deformity
Treating and preventing osteoporosis can prevent many cases of kyphosis in the elderly. Early diagnosis and bracing of Scheuermann's disease can reduce the need for surgery, but there is no way to prevent the disease.
Spiegel DA, Hosalkar HS, Dormans JP. The spine. In: Kliegman RM, Behrman RE, Jenson HB, Stanton BF, eds. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 18th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2007:chap 678.
Thomas N. Joseph, MD, Private Practice specializing in Orthopaedics, subspecialty Foot and Ankle, Camden Bone & Joint, Camden, SC. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M. Health Solutions, Inc.


Dying Suddenly - Sudden Cardiac Death
People at Risk
- Individuals who have coronary artery disease, especially those who have suffered myocardial infarctions ("heart attacks") in the past
- Individuals who have congestive heart failure of any cause
- Individuals with intrinsic heart muscle disease such as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy, and arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia
- Individuals with family history of heart muscle disease and SCD
- Individuals with syncope of unknown cause
- Individuals who abuse cocaine or heroin
Coronary artery disease is the underlying heart disease in 70 to 90% of individuals who succumb to SCD. Although many episodes of SCD are called "heart attacks," most of them, in fact, do not represent new myocardial infarctions. The arrhythmias that occur originate in previously damaged regions of the heart, and no new heart damage is necessary to start the arrhythmias.
Patients with congestive heart failure are at high risk of SCD. As left ventricular ejection fraction falls, the risk of SCD increases regardless of the underlying cause of the heart disease. Ironically, CHF patients who receive certain types of antiarrhythmic drugs are particularly prone to suffer proarrhythmic side effects of the medications because of interactions between the medications and the diseased tissue. Some non-antiarrhythmic medications, the beta blockers and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, have been shown to decrease the risk of SCD in CHF patients, but the degree of risk is still much higher than that of a normal healthy person.
SCD is frequently seen in individuals with heart diseases where the primary problem lies with the heart muscle cells themselves; these diseases are called cardiomyopathies. Different cardiomyopathies are caused by different cellular defects, but most of the cardiomyopathies are associated at one time or another with congestive heart failure and the formation of scar tissue in the ventricles. Since many cardiomyopathies are genetically transmitted, individuals in families that exhibit cardiomyopathy who have family members that have died suddenly appear to be more prone to SCD than those without a family history of SCD.
Syncope is spontaneous loss of consciousness. Since arrhythmias may cause syncope and may also be the first and only manifestation of heart disease, thorough cardiac evaluation following an episode of syncope is very important. Although the most common causes of syncope are relatively benign, "aborted" SCD should be considered as a possible cause of syncope, especially in a patient who has not been evaluated. If no heart disease is found after thorough evaluation and the history suggests a simple drop in blood pressure in the absence of arrhythmias, one can be reassured that the likelihood of life-threatening disease is low.
Many drugs have been associated with serious arrhythmias. Antiarrhythmic medications, when administered to patients with heart disease, can have proarrhythmic effects as noted above. Cocaine has been noted to cause spasm of the coronary arteries and, in large repeated doses, to have a direct toxic effect on the heart muscle. The cocaine-induced cardiomyopathy shows the same tendency toward arrhythmias as other cardiomyopathies. In addition, cocaine increases adrenaline and catecholamine levels in the bloodstream that further stresses the heart and exacerbates the tendency toward arrhythmias.


William Gilly has seen a Kraken. The mythical squid beast with
ship-dooming tentacles surely exists, Gilly says, because he's seen
a baby one. "It was this big around," he says, making a circle as
big as a tire with his arms, a proud, boyish smile on his face.
Fishermen spotted the carcass of the 2.4-metre-long, 181-kilogram
baby giant squid in Monterey Bay three years ago, according to
"If you're an assistant professor proposing to study it, I don't
think you'd get tenure," he says. "But one has to exist."
laboratory at Stanford University's Hopkins Marine Station
in Pacific Grove brims with squid décor: stuffed animals, preserved
specimens, glass figurines, drawings, photographs, plastic toys,
and piñatas. He has studied these denizens of the sea for almost
four decades, and he's handled countless numbers of the fabled
Kraken's smaller cousins, the very real jumbo Humboldt squid. Like
their giant counterparts, Humboldt squid are enigmatic. No one has
seen them mate or lay eggs. No one has watched them develop from
egg to adult. No one knows how many exist.
These tentacled titans have now ensnared marine biologists with
another riddle: they have left their normal gathering grounds in
the Sea of Cortez in Baja California, Mexico. Fishermen worry that
a critical part of their livelihood may be gone. Many families have
depended on Humboldt squid since the slippery creatures moved in
droves into the Gulf of California's Guaymas Basin in the
"We have a huge problem on our hands," says coordinator Juan
Pedro Vela Arreola of the Alianza de Ribereños y
Armadores, an association of fishermen and producers in Mexico.
"Fishermen are desperate."
Gilly blames the most recent El Niño in the Pacific Ocean for
forcing some Humboldt squid to migrate away. Others have physically
shrunk -- just one bizarre adaptation among their many strange
body-shifting traits. Leaders of Mexican fisheries and scientists
are banding together to figure out whether the diablos
rojos (red devils) will come back, and how to cope in the
"You have to learn to live in a very unpredictable way," says
Unai Markaida of El Colegio de la Frontera Sur (ECOSUR)
in Campeche, Mexico. "You live like a squid, and you adapt to the
life it leads."
"They're very mysterious," says marine biologist Danna Staaf,
stressing very in a slightly higher pitch. "And
Staaf, a self-described "cephalopodiatrist,"
completed her PhD with Gilly's team. She studied Humboldt squid on
two summer research cruises in the Gulf of California before the
latest El Niño drove them away. She and her crewmates pulled up to
15 squid out of the water every night, when they would come up to
the surface from depths of more than 975 metres to feed. Many of
the 9-kilogram cephalopods she caught were about 1.2 metres long.
Most were a year old. Scientists can tell their age by looking at
the number of rings on tiny crystals located near their brain
called statoliths, like botanists can age a tree by counting its
rings. These stones help a squid detect gravity and maintain their
balance and sense of space.
The scientists stored some of the catch in their "squid condo,"
an oversize cooler with continuously flowing water and six clear,
plastic tubes. They housed squid in separate tubes to keep them
from attacking one another. Over the next few days, they studied
the squids' behaviours and neurophysiology. For instance, altering
the temperature and oxygen content of the water could trigger or
change their escape response -- the way squid dart away when
startled by a predator.
Staaf dissected other squid to study their development, the
focus of her dissertation. She used their eggs and sperm to make
squid babies. She wanted to discover the temperature range at which
their eggs could hatch and develop. At the time, Humboldt squid had
spread to waters off the coast of Monterey. Marine scientists
thought the squid might establish new colonies there, but Staaf
wanted to know whether it was even possible for the animals to grow
in the much cooler waters of California's Pacific coast. In the
lab, she found, their
eggs can grow between temperatures of 15 and 25 degrees
Celsius, suggesting it is possible they could set up a breeding
population. Whether squid babies have the same preferences in the
wild is still unknown, Staaf says.
Other team members studied squid chromatophores, structures in
their muscles that allow them to change colour. Humboldts sometimes
flash from red to white as they propel themselves through dark
waters. Scientists don't know how they control these colour shifts,
whether it's the brain or local nerve cells that set off the
flickering. They also don't fully understand why they suddenly
change colours, but some speculate it's a form of
When they're not in direct contact with other squid, their flesh
flickers from red to white in a random, mosaic-like pattern. Gilly
compares this to visual white noise. But as they interact with
their species, the irregular colour waves become more organised,
like a cephalopod Morse code, Gilly says. They can change the
intensity of the flashing, as well as the rhythm and frequency.
Squid might use these "calls," together with arm posturing, to
attract mates or to establish hierarchies, for example.
Gilly and his team have seen some of these behaviours through
underwater "Crittercams," about
the size of 340-gram drink bottle, attached to a squid's back.
"Ideally, we'd also like to see what they eat," Gilly says, because
that might help his team study these animals. Scientists can't get
Humboldts to eat in the lab, so squid last only a few days in
Indeed, squid dislike being trapped, strongly. Sometimes they
get so anxious, they ram themselves against the tank. "They've
never seen the bottom. They've certainly never seen the wall of a
tank," Gilly says. "They're intelligent organisms. And when you put
one in an abnormal situation, they get totally freaked out. They
don't do their flickering in the lab," he notes.
Scientists do know that during the day, Humboldt squid forage
for silvery lanternfish and other small animals in the oxygen
minimum zone, a dark, cold netherworld more than 900 metres deep.
Here, oxygen is scarce, and while few animals can withstand its
hostile environment, Humboldts seem to thrive. "Living in low
oxygen -- that's surprising, especially for an animal that's an
athlete," Markaida says. How they move and how their nervous system
functions under these conditions is still a mystery.
Widespread changes in the temperatures of Earth's oceans have
compelled many creatures, including the powerful Humboldt squid, to
seek new climes. Their dominion usually stretches from Argentina to
California, but more recently they've been spotted in Canada and
Alaska. Scientists don't yet understand how the squid are settling
into their new hangouts. This month, a few Humboldts stranded
themselves on the beaches of Pacific Grove, Calif, while
whale-watching boats have spotted them near Point Pinos. These
sightings might be a sign they are returning, Gilly says.


Midnight Rising: John Brown & the Raid that Sparked the Civil War
November 2, 2011
Abolitionist John Brown is best known for his foiled attempt to seize the federal armory and arsenal at Harpers Ferry, Virginia, on October 16th 1859. Three years after he and his sons raided and viciously killed five men at a pro-slavery settlement in Kansas, Brown led 18 men, including five blacks and two of his sons, to what is now Harpers Ferry, West Virginia. Ten of the men were killed in the raid, one got away, and seven were hanged, including Brown. Our guest, Pulitzer-prize winning journalist TONY HORWITZ, considers if Brown’s intention was to be a martyr for his vehement anti-slavery war stance, as he deepened and exposed the divide between the North and the South and forced people to take sides. In his new book, Midnight Rising: John Brown and the Raid that Sparked the Civil War, he researches the beginnings of Brown’s Calvinist, anti-slavery family and ponders the question whether John Brown's legacy is as a hero or a zealous vigilante.


Asbestos Exposure in the Workplace
Asbestos exposure is common among those who work in the trades or do manual labor. Discuss your work history with your doctor if you fall into one of the high risk categories listed below. This will keep your doctor on the alert for symptoms of asbestos–related diseases, which often take decades to develop after the initial asbestos exposure (see asbestosis, mesothelioma, and lung cancer for details).
If your asbestos exposure took place during the course of private employment, you may be eligible to file a workers' compensation claim. You may also have a case against the manufacturer of the asbestos product involved. To learn more about workers' compensation options, visit the asbestos workers' compensation section.
Additional Information About High Risk Jobs
The following list of trades have a high incidence of asbestos exposure. More specific information about asbestos exposure on the following jobs can be found at Asbestos Network.
Insulators, or people that worked extensively around asbestos insulation, are especially at risk for the development of an asbestos related disease. Common products that insulators worked with are:
- asbestos pipe covering,
- asbestos block insulation,
- asbestos containing cement,
- asbestos lagging, or
- Zonolite Attic Insulation.
Those involved with the building or maintenance of ships are at risk for high doses of airborne asbestos. Commonly used around boilers and steam pipes, asbestos insulation may become air borne during simple routine maintenance.
Power Plants, Refineries and Industrial Settings
Power plants, refineries and industrial settings are jobsites where asbestos was used extensively.
Asbestos products were used extensively in both home and commercial construction. Fireproofing, insulation, joint compounds, plaster and patching compounds are just a few of the commonly used products that contained asbestos. Plumbers and pipefitters are also at risk—exposed through asbestos laden cement pipes, deteriorating asbestos insulation and pipe coverings.
Pipefitters and Plumbers
Miners of asbestos, talc and vermiculite are at significant risk for heavy asbestos exposure and asbestos disease. Large amounts of asbestos dust, poor ventilation and lack of proper breathing protection were contributing factors to the high incidence of mesothelioma in the Iron Range miners.
The textile industry used asbestos in heat resistant products like heat–resistant pads, asbestos gloves, and woven into cloth coverings and protective blankets.
There was extensive use of asbestos in brake pads and shoes, as well as asbestos clutch discs and linings. For mechanics, the danger from asbestos resides in asbestos fibers becoming airborne during brake, clutch, and gasket installation, removal, and inspection.
The high heat output of steam and diesel locomotives made them a perfect candidate for the heat resistant properties of asbestos heat insulation. Boilers, steam pipes, hot water lines and refrigeration units were common applications of asbestos heat wrap and insulation. Regular maintenance involved the removal and replacement of asbestos insulation; exposing workers to airborne asbestos fibers.
Appliance shops, where older asbestos–containing consumer products are dismantled and repaired.
Helping Those With Asbestos & Work Related Injuries
Our asbestos attorneys have helped asbestos victims for over 30 years. If asbestos exposure has affected you and you are suffering from an asbestos–related disease, contact our team of expert asbestos attorneys to learn more about how we can help you.


Definition of Alveoli
Alveoli: The plural of alveolus. The alveoli are tiny air sacs within the lungs where the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide takes place.
Last Editorial Review: 6/14/2012
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Will our beaches become an example of the Tragedy of the Commons?
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NCAR Digital Library
The Tragedy of the Commons
The term "Tragedy of the Commons" was coined by Garrett Hardin in a 1968 article in Science magazine. The concept, however, dates back to the days of Aristotle. Briefly, it states that a shared resource is inevitably ruined by uncontrolled use.
The metaphor that Hardin uses to explain the concept is that of a community common or park on which the town’s people bring their cows to be fed. In the back of everyone’s mind is the fact that the common is going to be ruined because the grass is going to be eaten to depletion. Still, everyone wants to get grass for their cows. No one thinks or cares about the consequences of so many cows eating the grass, and the Tragedy of the Commons occurs.
Human actions that many categorize as examples of the phenomenon include human-created air pollution; the hunting of the American buffalo to near extinction in the 1800s; the widespread abuse and destruction of rainforests and our oceans’ coral reefs; and human-induced climate change due largely to the burning of fossil fuels for energy use.
Some people believe that the Tragedy of the Commons can only be averted by making most commodities private property. But how does someone own the air or the ocean? And can either the air or ocean stay unpolluted with populations of 10 million or more in the world’s megacities? Others believe the "Tragedy of the Commons" can be avoided through laws and taxing devices which make it more costly to serve one’s self interest over the common good.
What almost everyone can agree on for now is that such vital resources need some form of control so that the world’s natural resources can be sustained and the Tragedy of the Commons can be avoided.
Last modified February 19, 2006 by Teri Eastburn.
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How can we create more effective education systems that provide access and highquality education for all students; capitalizing on emerging technologies for learning anywhere, anytime; and responsive to the 21st century context of an interconnected global economy and rapidly emerging global society?
That was an organizing question for more than a thousand people who gathered in Doha, Qatar, for the inaugural World Innovation Summit for Education (WISE) last November. Organized by the Qatar Foundation for Education, Science, and Community Development, the summit brought together key individuals from more than 120 countries on every contintent. The summit’s goal was to examine the key challenges facing education around the globe and to promote visionary thinking about new education models.
The summit was opened by Her Highness Sheikha Mozah Bint Nasser al-Missned, chair of the foundation, who said, “Today, we place great faith in the power of education to prepare world citizens for a peaceful and cooperative future and to prepare citizens of our individual nations for the cultural transformations that result from globalization.” The WISE Summit was designed to be a multidisciplinary platform to promote international dialogue about best practices, to recognize exceptional impact through an annual WISE awards program, and to promote innovation and educational engagement on a global scale.
The summit builds on and extends the Qatar Foundation’s domestic efforts to modernize Qatar’s own education system, including its flagship Education City, where more than eight top-flight American universities offer degree courses to students from a host of countries.
This article cannot deal with every issue on the summit agenda. What follows are a few examples of the challenges and innovations under discussion.
Access to Education
At the most fundamental level, the world has still not achieved the commitment made by the world’s governments to provide basic education for all children. While there has been remarkable progress worldwide in giving millions of children, including girls, access to primary education, 75 million children never receive any schooling, primarily girls and children in conflict zones. Governments usually provide basic education, but since many of these children are in “weak states,” much of the discussion focused on the role of nongovernmental schools and organizations in reaching the hardest to reach and on the need for schools to be declared “protected zones” in times of conflict.
Quality of Education
Although the size of education systems has increased enormously in recent decades, the quality has not. Therefore, in higher education, summit participants addressed the role of accreditation systems in improving quality in higher education, making education more relevant in the dynamic global knowledge economy, and moving from measuring inputs to outputs. In elementary and secondary education, the growth of international assessments has increasingly led countries to compare themselves to emerging global standards of excellence and to examine how their education systems can emulate the effectiveness of the highest performing education systems.
In keeping with the summit’s emphasis on innovation, central themes included using technology to increase access, improve performance, and promote a new conceptualization of education. For example, in Brazil, a distance learning initiative transmits live classes via videoconference to 25,000 students in 700 secondary school classrooms throughout the remote reaches of the Amazon forest. In sub-Saharan Africa, a consortium of 15 universities in nine countries delivers open educational resources to almost one quarter million teachers, many of whom are not formally trained.
And in India, the provocative “hole in the wall” experiments, in which computers are installed in walls in slum areas and left for children to use unsupervised, show just how much children can learn on their own, without teachers, in “self-organized learning environments.” There was also lively debate about the potential educational uses of Twitter, videogames, and, especially, mobile phones, which now have four billion customers around the world (compared with 1.5 billion e-mail accounts).
Given this huge penetration of mobile phones, could strong educational applications be developed so that poorer countries can leapfrog the lack of Internet access?
Finally, there was widespread recognition that the content of education itself needs to change--that a global world requires a global education. Echoing Confucius’ sentiment that “It is better to take a journey of 10,000 li than to read 10,000 books,” there was agreement that more students need to study outside their own countries. Currently, only about 2% of higher education students do so. Migration and increasing diversity within countries also require that schools, from kindergarten on, teach tolerance and respect for other cultures and faiths.
And the rapid pace of globalization is causing countries everywhere to recognize that their young people need to be more globally minded and to ask: What should all education systems teach their young people about other cultures, languages, and global challenges? How can education bring the world to students and students to the world? Overall, the summit made a convincing case that significant rethinking of education is needed. All nations share an interest in creating more effective education systems that provide access and high-quality education for all students, that capitalize on emerging technologies for learning anywhere and anytime, and that are responsive to the 21st-century context of an interconnected global economy and rapidly emerging global society. The WISE Initiative and annual summit were attempts to provoke some answers to the questions that concern all nations.
Author: Vivien Stewart
Originally published on pdkintl.org.


As previous research has demonstrated, HIV attacks the host's immune system, including an important category of T cells critical for fighting infection called CD4+ T cells. The virus specifically destroys those CD4+ T cells that reside in the tissues of the body like the intestine and lung that interface with the outside environment. As HIV replicates in the human body, the tissue levels of CD4+ T cells are killed and, when the number of these cells drop below a certain level, a patient develops AIDS. At this point, the patient's immune system is weakened enough to allow infections caused by bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites that are normally held at bay by a healthy human body. The infected body's inability to fight off these "intruders," leads to death.
"To learn more about HIV, its impacts and possible treatments, we study simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV), a close relative of HIV that infects and causes AIDS in nonhuman primates," explained the study's lead author Louis Picker, M.D. Picker serves as director of the VGTI's vaccine program and associate director of the VGTI. He is also a professor of pathology, and molecular microbiology and immunology in the OHSU School of Medicine; and director of the Division of Pathobiology and Immunology at the OHSU Oregon National Primate Research Center.
"What we were able to discover using SIV-infected monkeys was that a certain naturally occurring protein called interleukin-15 (IL-15) caused a dramatic restoration of tissue CD4+ T cel
Contact: Jim Newman
Oregon Health & Science University


Certain lifestyle factors greatly increase your risk of contracting HIV infection and developing AIDS. By avoiding behaviors that are associated with increasing your risk, you can greatly reduce your risk.
Risk factors include:
Having Unprotected Sex
Most people become infected with HIV through sexual activity. You can contract AIDS by not using a condom when having sexual relations with a person infected with HIV. Not using condoms properly can also put you at increased risk for acquiring HIV infection. During sex, the vagina, vulva, penis, rectum, and mouth can provide entry points for the virus.
Other risky behaviors include having:
- Sex with someone without knowing his or her HIV status
- More than one sex partner
- Sex with someone who has more than one sexual partner
- Anal intercourse
Men who have sex with other men may be at a higher risk of being infected with HIV. Having unprotected sex and using drugs (eg, methamphetamines) during sex can increase this risk. Women who engage in risky behaviors and have both male and female partners may also be at a greater risk.
If you inject illegal drugs, this increases your risk of becoming infected with HIV. Using a needle or syringe that contains even a small amount of infected blood can transmit HIV infection.
Having Certain Medical Conditions
Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and vaginal infections caused by bacteria tend to increase the risk of HIV transmission during sex with an HIV-infected partner. Examples of STDs include:
For men, not being circumcised can also increase the risk of getting HIV infection.
Having Certain Medical Procedures
Having a blood transfusion or receiving blood products before 1985 increases your risk of HIV infection and AIDS. Before blood banks began testing donated blood for HIV in 1985, there was no way of knowing if the blood was contaminated with HIV, and recipients could become infected through transfusions.
Receiving blood products, tissue or organ transplantation, or artificial insemination increases your risk of HIV infection and AIDS. Even though blood products are now screened for HIV, there is still some degree of risk because tests cannot detect HIV immediately after transmission.
Being a Healthcare Worker
Exposure to contaminated blood and needles puts healthcare workers at risk for HIV.
- Reviewer: Rosalyn Carson-DeWitt, MD
- Review Date: 12/2011 -
- Update Date: 12/30/2011 -


Chapter 31 of the Book of Proverbs in the Hebrew Bible is presented as advice, which Lemuel's mother gave to him about how a virtuous king should reign and also describing how an ideal wife or virtuous woman should behave. The second section of text of this chapter directs women to be industrious and of good report; however, the first section is directed exclusively to men. It seems to me that we normally associate Proverbs 31 with finding a wife of noble character; hence, the popular phrase "Proverbs 31 Woman," while ignoring the advice for men. However, only vv.10-31 talks about the woman of noble character. What about the beginning of the chapter? What about the “Proverbs 31 Man?” On an openminded review of the chapter, it occurred to me that verses 1-9, 23 & 28 talks about male behavior and wise steps towards being a good leader, character and husband.
Men are called to be nobles. We are to be "kings," or leaders, especially in the house and in the church. More so, just as the nobility are set apart from the common people and are to be distinguished with virtues and high standards, we are to be set apart-set apart from the world, or holy to God-and we are to be marked with honor, dignity, integrity, loyalty, righteousness and holiness. A commentary in my Bible says that "Lemuel" means "belonging to God." In other words, the noble man belongs to God, is set apart for God's use only. Proverbs 31:2- 3 -- a noble man guards his heart and sets his priorities straight.
Proverbs 31:4-7 -- a noble man does not get drunk on wine but is instead filled with the Spirit; a noble man does not love the world or anything in the world. Proverbs 31:8-9 -- a noble man stands up for what is right and shows concern for others. Such are the sayings of King Lemuel, a noble man belonging to God. Many biblical scholars believe that Lemuel is another name for King Solomon, whose mother was Bathsheba.
Interesting enough while King Solomon is often given credit for being the wisest man in the Bible, he did not follow the advice of his mother especially in Proverbs 31: 3 Do not spend your strength on women, your vigor on those who ruin kings. There are countless numbers of prominent men whom felt the consequences of playing loosely with the advice of Proverbs 31:3. Interestingly enough, Solomon had numerous wives and concubines and suffered the repercussions thus do many men of current times.
As Christian men fall short of the “Proverbs 31 Man” on so many different levels, it seems hypocritical for men to continue without change in their own lives expect every Christian women to be a “Proverbs 31 Woman.”
Nevertheless, there are Proverbs 31 men and women men but they are not found among the violent, drunkards, or whoremongers we find in our churches and sitting in high places everywhere. We must stop preaching so loudly about the Proverbs 31 woman until we at least take a closer look and begin to teach about the Proverbs 31 man.
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