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Global Capitalism as Enslaving the Third World

The concept of the multinational exploitation of the third world is a large and complicated issue. This paper will attempt to summarize the main ideas in this debate, both the view of comparative advantage and the rationality of the international division of labor, and the basic position of those who think the third world is exploited by the MNC and the market that they operate within. The issue over global capitalism and its exploitation of the third world has been one of the most important issues on the world stage since African decolonization beginning in the 1950s.

This paper will argue that the developing world, through their multi-national corporations (MNCs), does exploit the third world, but this conclusion is a guarded one. This is so because there is a great responsibility on the third world state in guarding and fostering economic competitiveness among its workers and local capitalists. While it is true that exploitation is the norm for the MNCs, exploitation is also a stock in trade of the third world state. Firstly, however, the idea of exploitation must be understood.

For Karl Marx, this was a rather technical term: exploitation meant that the laborer in industrial capitalism is paid far less then the value of his work. The difference between the value of his work and the value of his wages is the technical definition of “profit. ” Hence, for a capitalist to turn a profit, the capitalist must pay the worker less than he is worth in terms of the value of his work, hence, for profit to be made, the worker must be exploited (Marx, 1848/1964, also Bradshaw, 1991). The same principle can be applied to the “international division of labor.

” In order for MNCs to turn a profit on the world stage, the MNC must extract raw materials from the host country, and, using local, cheap labor, turn that into a commodity that can either be resold to the host population, or sold to the home country of the MNC. Either way, the third would country or region is exploited in a analogous way to Marx’s definition: the raw material and local labor is bought cheap, and the product itself is resold at a profit, that is, a higher price than the value of the labor or raw materials. The third world provides the labor and raw materials, and the MNC gets the value of the goods.

This is the general idea behind the concept of third world exploitation. One of the best scholarly works on this process is the (1975) article by Dieter Senghaas. This work seeks to reject the much older concept of comparative advantage and rather, see the structural linkage between the above described division of labor and the host economy. The idea of comparative advantage is well known and intuitive: countries should specialize in what they can do best, even if it means to dismantle other areas of expertise relative to the world market.

The basic ideas is that the “global market” is best served by an international division of labor where countries and regions specialize in what they do best, given the available raw materials, climate and basic disposition of the labor force. Now, while this is commonplace in establishment economics, it ignores the structural influences of such a division of labor. As a matter of course, these structural problems that develop over the long term in the international division of labor is called dependency, but that school is for another time (cf.

Wallerstein (1966) as well on these basic structural issues, also cf. Smyth for a list of third world complains on these terms). In Senghaas’ case, he thinks he can isolate the major structural factors, over the long term, in the international division of labor theorized by comparative advantage and the neo-liberal approach to international economics. These arguments are central to this paper, and hence, will be treated at length: (A) The structural development of the third world economy under international capitalism can be described as export oriented production.

This is the case for both MNC investment and local capital. (B) Early, on, the question of import substitution becomes important, where the state attempts to shut out the MNC and replace it with local capital. As of today, the IMF and other international agencies will not lend to states who practice import substitution. This does not last, and hence, the domestic industries based around mass consumer goods production stagnates or disappears.

(C) The domestic economy stagnates given the purely export, market orientation of the economy. This is especially the case with domestic agriculture, which stagnates when the sate and the MNCs encourage export-led growth. (D) at the same time, the defeat of import substitution policies (often in the name of comparative advantage) leads to the stagnation of the local capital market in consumer goods, the main structural consequence of the defeat of import substitution and the intrusion of MNCs. (Senghaas, 1975).

Senghaas calls these the “traits of periphery capitalism,” and is based around the idea that the structural consequences of global free trade and the intrusion of the MNCs into a host economy destabilizes both local capital formation (that is, light industry for local markets) and, most importantly, local, domestic agriculture, that is not geared for export. Hence, the debate seems to be between that of the utilitarian idea of the comparativists, where efficiency in the use of resources is paramount and hence, the benefit is to the consumer, and that of, for lack of a better term, the radicals, for whom the MNC is a destructive force.

The question for the radical is not efficiency but the structural distortions that are introduced into the host country through MNC investment, an investment which implies the host countries’ involvement in some form of free trade regime with the developed world. These are all forms of exploitation that the third world complains are part and parcel of the global reign of free trade. The argument here is basically that comparative advantage is only an advantage for who controls both the MNC and the global regime itself.

The MNC demands that it have access to local resources and local labor at low cost, and then sells the product back to them at a high value added, and hence, pockets the proceeds. There is a substantial argument, however, against the above idea, and three major pieces of work will be used to defend it. The argument is that the MNC invasion since World War II has been a boon to the third world, and that the MNC has assisted the third world in myriad says. Thomas Sowell, the most prominent Black-American conservative, wrote a brief article (2002) in the conservative weekly, Human Events, denying that the MNC exploits the third world.

He argues his point this way. MNCs pay better than local capitalists, first of all. Secondly, that the MNC provides jobs and incomes that the third world cannot do without, and lastly, that MNC investment boosts labor productivity, which, in general, is a fraction of the American productivity per worker. Of course, the counter argument is that since the MNC outperforms local capitalism, it has destroyed the local capitalist’s power to pay mor in the first place.

The famed British economist Peter Bauer also denies the essentially predatory role fo the MNC. In his (1980) book Equality, The Third World and Economic Delusion, he makes the argument that the third world, of itself, does not have the power to industrialize or to introduce labor saving techniques. Only the local investment for the MNC has the ability to introduce these things. Further, that the connection with western markets made possible by MNC penetration is central to exploiting local resources and making money.

At the same time, Bauer argues that these specializations, such as Cocoa in Africa, copper in Chile, or coffee in Latin America were discovered and exploited by westerners, not locals. In other words, that these industries were crated by the MNC, not the local population (Bauer, 1980). Bauer uses the example of Ghana to illustrate his point: Ghana, prior to decolonization, was a wealthy country, aimed at supplying the west with cocoa. While this inidustry was created by Europeans, it enriched many natives and gave Ghana is “comparative advantage.

” However, after decolonization, Ghana was taken over by Nkruma, who made the exploitation of the third world by MNCs and western states the centerpiece of his rule. He taxed and regulated the cocoa industry to such an extent that it eventually collapsed. Hence, it is Nkurma who impoverished Ghana, not the British or the British-created cocoa industry. But this brings this essay to its final piece. Peter Evans (1989) places the blame for third world poverty on the state policies of the developing world, not the MNC.

For Evans, the third world state can take one of two courses (generally). The first is the predatory course, a course described by Bauer above. This predatory course is when the state develops, it takes more and more productive surplus under its control as “non-productive rents. ” An example of a “non-productive rent” is in Zaire’s banana industry: under President Mobutu Seso Seko, for a local to be a part of the banana industry, he had to pay a substantial sum to the state to get a licence, and continued to be taxed heavily while in business.

Hence, the industry was distorted not by the MNC, but by the state. At the same time, he points to South Korea, where the rentier state was rejected in favor of state policies that encouraged and fostered entrepreneurship that cooperated with rather than fought the MNCs. The comparative results are not difficult to see: South Korea is now a first world country, while Zaire is strictly fourth world. Hence, it is the state that is the exploiter, not the MNC. In conclusion, the debate here is about what the MNC (and the global market that the MNC is a part of) can bring to the third world.

Those that hold that the MNC is exploitative usually point to the value added properties of goods sold in the third world that both destroy native industries as well as exploit local resources, since the goods themselves are sold for more than the value of the resources and labor, with the profits going tot he MNC, not localities. Hence, the host country sees its own industry destroyed and natural resources plundered for the benefit of the wealthy. The local economy is scarred and distorted, with its local potential being taken back to the dominant states rather than being invested locally.

On the other hand, the neo-liberal view is that the MNC brings industry, efficiency and high wages to countries that could not provide this for themselves. Hence, the MNC is not an exploiter, but if any one is, the local state and strongmen are, who manipulate the local economies in the interest of their own pockets, hence destroying what profit is available. Rather than leave these local economies in the hands of strongmen or politicians, the MNC puts these resources to good use, and pays their labor far higher than they could otherwise earn.

Hence, the rational conclusion is that third world states take control over local resources, but making sure that their rentier status is kept to a minimum. Given the above, it seems that third world states need to do two things: consider MNC investment as a development aid, while giving aid themselves to the elements of the economy that are distorted via MNC intrusion, local agriculture and mass produced consumer goods. One needs to bide one’s time until the local capital formations are such that the third world state can compete successfully with the MNC, as was done in Korea and Taiwan.

This means that the state needs to be a strong one, strong enough to control local strongmen and underground figures in the interest of the proper mobilization of the surplus. Bibliography: Bauer, Peter. (1980) Equality, the Third World, and Economic Delusion. Routledge. Bradshaw, York (1991). Foreign Debt Expansion, the IMF and the Regional Variation in Third World Poverty. ISQ 35, 251-272 Evans, Peter (1989) Predatory, Developmental and Other Approaches: A Comparative Political Economy Perspective in the Third World State. Sociological Forum 4, 561-587 Marx, Karl. (1848/1963) Early Writings. Trans TM Bottomore.

McGraw-Hill. Senghaas, Dieter (1975) Multinational Corporations and the Third World: On the Problem of the Further Integration of the Periphery into the Given Structure of the International Economic System. Journal of Peace Research 12, 257-274. Smyth, Douglas (1977) The Global Economy and the Third World: Coalition or Cleavage? World Politics 29, 584-609 Sowell, Thomas. (September, 17, 2002) “The Truth about Third World Economic Exploitation. ” Human Events, np. Thacker, Strom. (1999) The High Politics of IMF Lending. World Politics 52, 38-75. Wallerstein, Immanuel. (1966) The Modern World-system. Academic P

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The 20 most beautiful places to visit in the United States
Are you planning to visit the United States? Prepare to experience one of the most beautiful trips of your life!

You will be amazed by the diversity of the landscapes, the disproportionate panoramas and a breathtaking wild nature. Composed of fifty states and as large as seventeen times France, the American territory is the country of road-trips par excellence. With its 6 million km of roads, you will be transported in Far-West decorations, canyons of red rocks, lush tropical forests, impressive swamps, imposing mountain peaks and on sandy beaches. Its nickname “America the beautiful” is amply deserved.

Do you also want to live your American dream and wonder what to do in the United States? Here is our selection of sites to see when you plan to visit the United States.

1. The Grand Canyon

Located in northern Arizona, the Grand Canyon National Park is one of the most famous national parks in the country. It’s the quintessential image of the American West. Founded in 1919, the park contains 4,931 km2 of protected space and geological wonders sculpted by the Colorado River for several millennia. It shelters the massif of the Grand Canyon with its superb layers of red rocks, witnesses of a long history of geological development.

The best way to contemplate the canyon is to take the hiking trail called Rim trail, which will give you access to several exceptional viewpoints.

2. New York

Commonly known as The big apple, New York is one of the most attractive cities in the United States. This eclectic megalopolis is full of historical, tourist and cultural sites such as the Statue of Liberty, the Empire State Building, Times Square, Central Park, and exudes a unique atmosphere not found in any other American city. To fully immerse yourself in this New York culture, reserve your seats to attend a Broadway musical.

3. Monument Valley

Fans of John Wayne’s westerns and movies, you can’t miss a stop at Monument Valley, one of the iconic landscapes and one of the most beautiful in the American West. Located on the border between Utah and Arizona, you can meander along a 27-kilometer path, between sandstone buttes, geological formations called mesas and panoramic views.

4. Route 66

Baptized in 1926 and 3943 kilometers long, Route 66 or Mother Road crosses the United States from east to west and connects Los Angeles, California to Chicago, Illinois.

At the time of its creation, this famous road was used to promote immigration to the west. Today crisscrossed by enthusiasts, we can see villages, petrol stations, period restaurants classified as historic monuments.

5. Yellowstone

A trip to the United States is not complete without a visit to Yellowstone Park. What to do in the United States and what to visit in this famous national park? Established in 1872 and covering over 3,500 square kilometers of wilderness, Yellowstone was the first park in the world to be named a national park. It is renowned for its wildlife, waterfalls, rainbow-colored hot springs and legendary geysers that regularly erupt such as the Old Faithful.

6. The Golden Gate bridge

Located at the mouth of San Francisco Bay, the famous Red Bridge has become the landmark of California. Inaugurated in 1937 to link San Francisco and Marin County, this bridge still fascinates today for its modernity and elegance. 2.7 kilometers long and built 67 meters above the waters of the bay, you can cross the Golden Gate bridge by car, bicycle or on foot.

7. The Everglades

The Everglades swamps are unquestionably to do when you plan to visit the United States. At the southern tip of Florida, you can observe over 6,000 km2 the incredible floral and animal diversity of the Everglades National Park, reputed to be the largest subtropical wilderness area on the North American continent. Climb aboard an airboat and meet protected animal species such as alligators, manatees or turtles.

8. The United States Capitol

Located in Washington DC, and topped with a golden dome, the United States Capitol is a symbolic place for Americans. Constructed in 1793, the building that serves as the seat of Congress has become the symbol of United States legislative power and democracy for more than two centuries. The Capitol and its Dome are free to visit and allow you to learn about American history.

9. Antelope Canyon

What to do in the United States if you are looking for an exotic site? When you decide to visit the United States, don’t miss Antelope Canyon, the most photogenic place in the country. Located in northern Arizona, this site, which consists of two separate canyons: Lower Antelope Canyon and Upper Antelope Canyon, is owned by the Navajo Indians. This geological wonder, sculpted by the wind and by torrential rain, can only be discovered through guided tours.

10. The French Quarter in New Orleans

A trip to the United States is not complete without having traveled the atypical and picturesque streets of the French Quarter of New Orleans, founded in 1718. Nicknamed the old square, it reflects the French and Spanish influence through its architectural heritage and culinary. Live a unique experience by walking the cobbled streets of the French Quarter to find the colonial houses with their wrought iron balconies and their flowered patios.

11. Yosemite National Park

Nestled in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California, Yosemite Park was created in 1890 to protect wilderness spanning nearly 3,000 square kilometers. Thanks to the 1,200 kilometers of marked trails, you can admire granite peaks such as the Half Dome, dizzying waterfalls such as Bridalveil Fall and majestic cliffs.

12. Arches National Park

Located on the border between Colorado and Utah, this superb site has the largest concentration of natural arches in the world. The 2000 and a few arches that rise within the national park create a setting that is both magical and mysterious. Explore the largest land arch, Landscape Arch, and marvel at its natural beauty. This is a visit that is unquestionably a must when you plan to visit the United States.

13. Pacific Coast Highway

Considered one of the most scenic and beautiful routes in the world, the Pacific Coast Highway runs more than 1,000 kilometers along the Pacific Ocean. From northern California to the south, you can admire a multitude of landscapes and sail through sequoia forests, coastal villages and Napa Valley wine lands. To make the most of the ocean views, it is recommended that you take the Pacific Coast Highway from north to south.

14. Lake Tahoe

Stuck at more than 1867 meters above sea level in the mountains of Sierre Nevada, Lake Tahoe, whose name comes from the Indian word washoe which means lake, is a natural jewel with transparent waters and beaches bordered by pine forests. This natural wonder, which stretches over 500 km2, is the largest alpine lake in North America. The panoramic road which encircles the lake crosses alpine forests with snow-capped peaks and gives the appearance of the Far North.

15. The Wave

Located in Vermilion Cliffs National Park near the northern Arizona border, the Wave is a wind-shaped sandstone rock formation. The Wave is considered to be one of the most exceptional and harmonious geological formations in the American West. To protect this extremely fragile area, entry is restricted to 20 people per day. A special permit will be issued to the lucky ones to access this unforgettable site.

16. The Venice beach district

The famous district of Los Angeles is a must to do in the United States. On the promenade along the Pacific Ocean, you cannot miss the sportsmen and artists who entertain the locals. Venice Beach is renowned for its friendliness and dynamism. Stroll along the canals to find a dolce vita atmosphere.

17. The Keys

What to do in the United States if you are looking for an original destination? The Keys archipelago, located at the southern tip of Florida, is a destination for diving enthusiasts. This chain of islands stretching across the Atlantic Ocean is renowned for its seabed, which is among the most spectacular in the world. The five main islands that make up the archipelago are linked by a series of bridges that offer exceptional views of the azure ocean.

18. Zion National Park

In southern Utah, over 593 km2, stands Zion National Park, which offers an exceptional array of diverse landscapes characteristic of the American West. Thanks to its legendary hikes such as The Narrows and Angel’s Landing, you will enter the bowels of the park and you will see canyons carpeted with ash and poplar trees, splendid waterfalls and cliffs of excessive red sandstone.

19. Universal Studios Hollywood

If you are lucky enough to visit Uncle Sam’s country and you are looking for what to do in the United States to entertain young and old, take a detour to Los Angeles to discover Universal Studios Hollywood, a theme park themed the cinema. Visitors find themselves immersed in former Hollywood film studios and the iconic worlds of The Simpsons and Harry Potter.

20. Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park

Located on Big Island in the Hawaiian Archipelago, this national park is one of the few places in the world where one of the most active volcanoes in the world has been observed since 1916, Kilauea. Frequent eruptions have created a quasi-lunar environment, composed of wilderness, craters and deserts.


My pronoun is: 3rd person singular

Bamgbose (2000: 106)

Getting planes into Bijogo

Kriol origin Singular Bijogo word Plural Bijogo word Gloss
karta karta ŋa-rta ‘letter’
kalsa kadisa ŋa-disa ‘trousers’
kopu kɔp ŋa-ɔp ‘glass’
guuja kuuja ŋa-uuja ‘needle’

Kriol origin Singular Bijogo word Plural Bijogo word Gloss
lebri dɛbri kɔ-dɛbri ‘hare’
mango mango kɔ-mango ‘mango’
boti boti ko-boti ‘boat’

Kriol origin Singular Bijogo word Plural Bijogo word Gloss
soldadi ɔ-soɔndane ya-soɔndane ‘soldier’
fransis ɔ-paransis ya-ɔparansis ‘French person’
fula ɔ-puda ya-puda ‘Fula person’

Here comes the full reference:

(No) strings attached

The observation that many noun class systems – characterised by nominal inflections in which all nouns in a language are formally marked by so-called noun classes or gender – have plants and their classification at their core goes back to Brent Berlin. True to this finding, many Atlantic languages have genders (paired noun classes for singular and one or several plurals) for trees, fruit, seeds and smaller plant-based items. You can find some examples in this post. These noun classes can be extended to items that are similar to botanical items in various respects: they can have a longest vertical axis just like trees, be spherical or have a round diameter like many fruit, or occur in an extended assemblage or a mass just like creepers or beans. Many Baïnounk languages, spoken in and around the Casamance region of Senegal, have an additional gender for string-like objects. Have a look at these nouns that are among those that enter the ‘string’ gender in Baïnounk Gujaher:

Singular form Plural form Gloss
cin-niba ñan-niba ‘shrub of the species Dombeya quinqueseta (Delile) Exell’
ciŋ-ŋaarara ñaŋ-ŋaarara ‘vine of the Smilax anceps Willd.’
cil-lug ñal-lug ‘marrow plant’
ciŋ-kal ñaŋ-kal ‘tail’
cin-díít ñan-díít ‘intestine’
cin-tííb ñan-tííb ‘trace’
cil-líít ñal-líít ‘ribbon’

What is remarkable is the origin of the class marker cin-. It is transparently related to the word denoting ‘bark’, ‘rope’ and ‘string’ – cin-cind. So the root cind occurs with a noun class marker that is probably derived from it to classify rope as a string-like item. The link to the botanical domain is still very salient, as ropes and strings are made from the bark of trees and from the stalks of vines and creepers.

A climbing belt made from plant fiber and string

But what is even neater is the metaphorical extension of the prefix cin– into other domains. It is used to create the noun ‘family name’, cir-ram, literally cin-greet. Greeting is a reciprocal activity that connects two people, and verbal nouns and infinitives linking participants via social activities are created using cin-, in addition to being marked with the reciprocal suffix –ai.

Gujaher infinitive Gloss
cinsukai ‘accompany each other’
cinfeyai ‘hate each other’
cinnannai ‘exchange’ (lit.: cin-give-reciprocal)
cinramai ‘greet each other’
cinyikai ‘have problems with each other’
cimbicai ‘divorce each other’
cimbutai ‘share with each other’
cimmaŋai ‘love each other’

I can hear some of you thinking aloud: “Why is ‘to marry’ not in the list when ‘love’ and ‘divorce’ are? It’s perhaps the most prototypical reciprocal activity!” Well, not in Gujaher (and in fact in many West African languages. While the verbs with cin– above denote activities that are thought about as involving a relationship or an exchange between two equally agentive participants, whose roles can be reversed, ‘marry’ is not construed in this way. The infinitive for ‘marry’ is bujax in Gujaher, taking a different noun class marker to signal the infinitive. The verb can only have men as agents – they are seen as taking women in marriage. Women can only be taken in marriage, so no reciprocity here. They are equal in love, hate and divorce though!

Liquid salt

Most languages of the Niger-Congo stock (a large grouping of languages that are likely to go back to one single ancestor language) have rich noun class systems, on which I’ve written before in several posts. Some families within this large group don’t, among them Mande languages, and this is one of the numerous reasons while the historical relationships between these languages are tenuous. The ways in which noun class systems are organised are really different from language to language, but one striking fact sticks out: the vast majority of Niger-Congo languages with noun classes dedicate a particular noun class to liquids, and, highly unusually, the affix that formally signals this noun class has a similar shape across them. Liquids bear a noun class marker with that has the initial consonant m.

Okay, some of you will say, so if I want to order a coke, I’ll just stick an m in front, and I’ll have a word that could belong to a Niger-Congo language. But you already have a hunch that this would be too easy, don’t you? In noun class systems, items are not put into a noun class based on a single criterion. Rather, these classification systems are built up over time, and while speakers may put an object into a particular class based on different and conflicting criteria (being a ‘natural’ liquid such as sap, blood or tears as opposed to being man-made, for instance) at any point in time, this is even more true over time. But many liquids, and in particular those that occur as liquids in the natural world, are marked with m. Here are the only six words I have found in this class in Baïnounk Gujaher to give you a taste:

Gujaher form Gloss
mun-saal ‘urine’
mun-jil ‘tear’
mun-yin ‘milk’
mul-leen ‘blood’
muŋ-xaana ‘oil’
mum-méér ‘salt

Clearly, all of these words denote liquids. All of them? Some of you may have stumbled over ‘salt’. Why would this crystal be categorised as similar to blood? Looking at how salt is made in Casamance provides the necessary clue. In this area close to the sunken coast line of the Upper Guinea Coast, rivers are tidal and carry salt water far inland. Out of the salty soil close to the rivers, salt is won by extraction through mixing it with water and then evaporating the repeatedly filtered salty water by putting it to the boil until the salt crystals remain. Imagine a future where everybody in Casamance buys salt in shops and this practice is lost. The language would still reflect the experiences of previous generations that salt arrived as water, got absorbed by the soil, and turned into a liquid again before being reduced to its final state.

Here you can see salt and its transformation from solid to liquid and back.

The sun, fire and bovine beings

I mentioned noun classes, one of the most prominent features of many languages of the Niger-Congo language phylum, in previous posts. I also introduced Fula, a language of the Atlantic family whose speakers are found across Africa from the shores of the Atlantic to the Horn of Africa, and which has many different local varieties. Among them are Pulaar in Senegal, Pular in Guinea (yes, one vowel makes a lot of a difference, since Pulaar is associated withe the Futa Tooro region in northern Senegal, and Pular with the Futa Jalon in Guinea, both places where different Fula states were located). Further eastwards there are Maasiina Fulfulde in Mali, and Adamawa Fulfulde in Nigeria and Cameroon. Each of these languages has more localised ways of speaking. Fula spread because many of its speakers are or were cattle herders and coexist(ed) with sedentary farmers in a division of labour. Some of them were and continue to be members of mobile professional groups, for instance woodworkers and mobile merchants who travel around to sell their wares. And finally, mainly in the 18th and 19th century, many Muslim Fula groups conducted jihads and founded a number of theocratic states, into which slaves from many other groups were incorporated.

Because of the widespread nomadic way of life among Fula, with cattle herding as the main subsistence activity, cattle have a central place in the Fula universe, and this is reflected in language. In most Fula varieties, there is a special class for cows, the NGE class, in which nagge, the word for cow and cattle is realised. Have a look at the words in the NGE class in Maasiina Fulfulde:

The NGE class in Maasiina Fulfulde, in: Breedveld (1995: 71)

Look at the many and intricate words for different types of cattle, all in the NGE class! This class also contains a handful of other items, including sun and fire, and also the word yannge ‘ceremony’. Why would this be so? Which component of meaning binds these notions together? All of the terms, as Anneke Breedveld, who studied Maasiina Fulfulde, argues, are related to cows: fire attracts them and chases away mosquitoes. The sun governs their movement; and the ceremonies comprised by yannge involve the exchange of cows or milking rights. A beautiful demonstration of how a language’s vocabulary is structured according to what its speakers communicate about.

Read more about the meanings behind noun classes in Maasiina Fulfulde here:

Breedveld, Anneke. 1995. The semantic basis of noun class systems: the case of the KI and NG classes in Fulfulde. Journal of West African Linguistics XXV(2): 63-74.

On circular medicine

Thursday is noun class day in my developing routine to post on African indigenous languages throughout the year. I mentioned in my first post on noun classes last week that in many Atlantic languages, nouns are not assigned a gender, but rather, nouns are created from semantically general roots through the combination with multiple noun class markers, and that the meaning carried by noun class marker adds a concrete meaning component that gives rise to a noun. Consider the noun class prefixes bu- and i- in Gujaher, spoken in Southern Senegal. These noun class markers, for the singular and plural respectively, carry the meaning ’round, circular’. When combined with roots designing plant matter, the resulting nouns denote fruit or tubers, as in bu-liimo ‘orange’. Bu-diin, literally ’round-rain’ is the word for well or cistern.

Many spherical objects or entities with a circular diameter are realised in this gender, for instance the sun (bu-nëg), and words for round containers (e.g., bu-dux ‘pot for storing drinking water’). The words denoting other concepts related to the meaning of the root are realised in other genders. The word for orange tree, for instance, is created through the combination of the root liimo that we have seen above with the noun class markers for trees and elongated objects (ci‘- in the singular and mun- in the plural). Medicine is often made from plants, and therefore the root han ‘related to medicine’ turns into the lexeme ‘medicine’ when combined with ci’– and mun-. Bu-han, in the circular gender, means ‘medicine pot’. But who knows, maybe with the advent of pills and tablets bu-han ‘circular medicine’ will extend its meaning to denote them as well!

Ways with gender

My second post on African languages to honour the UNESCO year of indigenous languages puts the noun class systems of Atlantic languages (a group of languages mainly spoken on the Atlantic coast of West Africa) into the spotlight. In languages with noun class or gender systems, nouns occur in a particular gender based on aspects of their meaning or on formal properties. The noun class systems of Bantu languages are best known to linguists, but Atlantic languages deserve attention because of the complexity and diversity of their noun class systems. Ironically, the two most well-known Atlantic languages, Wolof and Fula, are not representative for the group. Wolof, mainly spoken in Senegal, has only ten different noun classes, eight for the singular and two for the plural, and is the only Atlantic language that does not mark noun class on the noun itself. The different varieties of Fula, a language that stretches from the Atlantic shores to the horn of Africa because of the many nomadic pastoralists among its members, have 20+ noun class markers that combine into genders (singular-plural pairs). Fula marks noun classes on the noun itself, but unlike all other Atlantic languages, the noun class markers are suffixed (i.e. occur at the end of the noun), and not prefixed. Additionally, Fula is characterized by consonant mutation: the initial consonant of the noun changes in different noun classes. Consider the words for ‘Fula’: they are pull-o in the singular and ful-ɓe in the plural. The changes in the initial consonant explain why the English and French designations for members of this group sound so different: the French term Peul is based on the singular; the English denotation Fula on the plural. In many Atlantic languages, there are more than 30 different genders. Noun roots have a very general meaning, and the combination with different noun class markers creates nouns with specific meaning. Let’s have a look at the root lëb in the language Gujaher. Its vague meaning is translatable as ‘something to do with speaking’. Through prefixation of the noun class marker, the following concrete meanings are created:

u-lëb ‘speaker’
ñan-lëb ‘speakers’
bu-lëb ‘speak’
gu-lëb ‘language’
ha-lëb ‘languages’
kan-lëb ‘place of speaking’


Mechanisms of Risk Production in Modern Cities

in Nature and Culture
Restricted access

Historically, risk assessment and the concept of risk itself have been dominated by environmental, engineering, and economic sciences. Consequently, in analyzing risk production in modern cities, a rather technical view emerges on risks and urban dynamics. Though scientifically grounded and practically useful, this view fails to capture the social complexity of the city, its paradoxes and causalities. Elaborating on the hypothesis that the life-supporting mechanisms in modern cities are simultaneously life-endangering mechanisms, the article aims to develop a sociological framework to comprehend the dynamics of systematic risk production in the urban milieu. Methodologically, to illustrate the functioning of such mechanisms, we will use historical references and several empirical analyses related to urban research.


Waste Management Perspectives for Military

Waste management has a profound impact on all sections of the society, and military is no exception. With increasing militarization, more wars and frequent armed conflicts, protection of the environment has assumed greater significance for military in armed conflicts as well as peacetime operations. Tremendous amount of waste is generated by military bases and deployed forces in the form of food waste, papers, plastics, metals, tires, batteries, chemicals, e-waste, packaging etc.

War on Waste

Sustainable management of waste is a good opportunity for armed forces to promote environmental stewardship, foster sustainable development and generate goodwill among the local population and beyond. Infact, top military bases in the Western world, like Fort Hood and Fort Meade, have an effective strategy to counter the huge amount of solid waste, hazardous waste and other wastes generated at these facilities.

Waste management at military bases demands an integrated framework based on the conventional waste management hierarchy of 4Rs – reduction, reuse, recycling and recovery (of energy). Waste reduction (or waste minimization) is the top-most solution to reduce waste generation at military bases which demands close cooperation among different departments, including procurement, technical services, housing, food service, personnel. Typical waste reduction strategies for armed forces includes

  • making training manuals and personnel information available electronically
  • reducing all forms of packaging waste
  • purchasing products, such as food items, in bulk
  • purchasing repairable, long-lasting and reusable items

Due to large fraction of recyclables in the waste stream, recycling is an attractive proposition for the armed forces. However, environmental awareness, waste collection infrastructure, and modern equipment are essential for the success of any waste management strategy in a military installation.

Food waste and yard waste (or green waste) can be subjected to anaerobic digestion or composting to increase landfill diversion rates and obtain energy-rich biogas (for cooking/heating) and nutrient-rich fertilizer (for landscaping and gardening). For deployed forces, small-scale waste-to-energy systems, based on thermal technologies, can be an effective solution for disposal of combustible wastes, and for harnessing energy potential of wastes. In case of electronic wastes, it can be sent to a Certified Electronics Recycling and Disposal firm.

Key Aspect

Management options for military installations is dependent on size of the population, location, local regulations, budgetary constraints and many other factors. It is imperative on base commanders to evaluate all possible options and develop a cost-effective and efficient waste management plan. The key factors in the success of waste management plan in military bases are development of new technologies/practices, infrastructure building, participation of all departments, basic environmental education for personnel and development of a quality recycling program.

Military installations are unique due to more than one factor including strict discipline, high degree of motivation, good financial resources and skilled personnel. Usually military installations are one of the largest employers in and around the region where they are based and have a very good influence of the surrounding community, which is bound to have a positive impact on overall waste management strategies in the concerned region.

Titanium – An Environmental Vanguard Among Metals

When titanium was first brought into widespread usage, it was lauded for its strong and weathering-resistant properties. Due to energy costs, production declined over the past 10 years; however, a new process established by the UK’s Dstl has reduced titanium processing time by 50%. The result –  Cheap, low-energy titanium production.

Titanium is used in a startlingly diverse array of applications, too. From paint, to bikes, to eco friendly party glitter, you will likely encounter titanium in your day-to-day life more frequently than you’d notice. It’s good news, then, that titanium is being used to support positive environmental change in numerous ways.

Titanium taking over plastic

One of the foremost ways in which titanium is helping to improve our natural environment is through offering alternatives to polluting items. A great example of this is plastic replacement.

According to clean ocean advocates The Ocean Cleanup, there’s over 80m tonnes of plastic in the oceans. A large contributor to this is the plastic straw, which features at 11th in the list of Get Green’s most commonly littered plastics. Many manufacturers, by utilizing the non-rusting and sturdy quality of titanium tubes, have opted to replace drinking straws with titanium. Given the possibility of cheap, low energy tubes, this means ocean cleanliness can be improved and carbon emissions mitigated.

Taking titanium to the next level

The material properties of titanium are being taken to the next level by modern science. Another huge cause of carbon emissions and pollution is the plastic bottle. A key target for environmental plans, the reusable bottle industry grew to $7.6bn last year, according to Nielson.

Titanium has entered the market through a  clever flexible bottle, with titanium a key component. The metal has again been chosen due to its resistant quality and the improving environmental impact of producing it.

Tackling the oxides

Oxides have been the main use of titanium for a while. Paint, ink, sunscreen, medicines, paper – there are countless products that use titanium oxide. Historically, the process for oxide extraction has been environmentally damaging, as has the product itself; for example, the USA’s National Park Service states that various sunscreens with Ti oxide will damage coral.

Many manufacturers are replacing plastic drinking straws with titanium.

Now, Titanium Oxide is likely to be brought into the green sphere, too. A novel new study published in the Journal for Pharmaceutical Sciences found that titanium oxide can be synthesized using bacteria, and that this could spell a much brighter future for the historically damaging extraction.

Titanium is a versatile and well renowned metal used in a huge range of applications. As such it’s not an easy proposition to remove it from the market on the grounds of environmentalism. However, through determined scientific study and consumer action, it’s becoming a figurehead in helping the public to use its quality and simultaneously protect the planet.

Medical Waste Management in Developing Countries

Healthcare sector is growing at a very rapid pace, which in turn has led to tremendous increase in the quantity of medical waste generation in developing countries, especially by hospitals, clinics and other healthcare establishments. The quantity of healthcare waste produced in a typical developing country depends on a wide range of factors and may range from 0.5 to 2.5 kg per bed per day.

For example, India generates as much as 500 tons of biomedical wastes every day while Saudi Arabia produces more than 80 tons of healthcare waste daily. The growing amount of medical wastes is posing significant public health and environmental challenges across the world. The situation is worsened by improper disposal methods, insufficient physical resources, and lack of research on medical waste management. The urgent need of the hour is to healthcare sustainable in the real sense of the word.

Hazards of Healthcare Wastes

The greatest risk to public health and environment is posed by infectious waste (or hazardous medical waste) which constitutes around 15 – 25 percent of total healthcare waste. Infectious wastes may include items that are contaminated with body fluids such as blood and blood products, used catheters and gloves, cultures and stocks of infectious agents, wound dressings, nappies, discarded diagnostic samples, swabs, bandages, disposal medical devices, contaminated laboratory animals etc.

Improper management of healthcare wastes from hospitals, clinics and other facilities in developing nations pose occupational and public health risks to patients, health workers, waste handlers, haulers and general public. It may also lead to contamination of air, water and soil which may affect all forms of life. In addition, if waste is not disposed of properly, ragpickers may collect disposable medical equipment (particularly syringes) and to resell these materials which may cause dangerous diseases.

Inadequate healthcare waste management can cause environmental pollution, growth and multiplication of vectors like insects, rodents and worms and may lead to the transmission of dangerous diseases like typhoid, cholera, hepatitis and AIDS through injuries from syringes and needles contaminated with human.

In addition to public health risks associated with poor management of biomedical waste, healthcare wastes can have deleterious impacts on water bodies, air, soil as well as biodiversity. The situation is further complicated by harsh climatic conditions in many developing nations which makes disposal of medical waste more challenging.

The predominant medical waste management method in the developing world is either small-scale incineration or landfilling. However, the WHO policy paper of 2004 and the Stockholm Convention, has stressed the need to consider the risks associated with the incineration of healthcare waste in the form of particulate matter, heavy metals, acid gases, carbon monoxide, organic compounds, pathogens etc.

In addition, leachable organic compounds, like dioxins and heavy metals, are usually present in bottom ash residues. Due to these factors, many industrialized countries are phasing out healthcare incinerators and exploring technologies that do not produce any dioxins. Countries like United States, Ireland, Portugal, Canada and Germany have completely shut down or put a moratorium on medical waste incinerators.

Alternative Treatment Technologies

Steam sterilization is one of the most common alternative treatment method. Steam sterilization is done in closed chambers where both heat and pressure are applied over a period of time to destroy all microorganisms that may be present in healthcare waste before landfill disposal. Among alternative systems, autoclaving has the lowest capital costs and can be used to process up to 90% of medical waste, and are easily scaled to meet the needs of any medical organization.

Advanced autoclaves or advanced steam treatment technologies combine steam treatment with vacuuming, internal mixing or fragmentation, internal shredding, drying, and compaction thus leading to as much as 90% volume reduction. Advanced steam systems have higher capital costs than standard autoclaves of the same size. However, rigorous waste segregation is important in steam sterilization in order to exclude hazardous materials and chemicals from the waste stream.

Microwave treatment is a promising technology in which treatment occurs through the introduction of moist heat and steam generated by microwave energy. A typical microwave treatment system consists of a treatment chamber into which microwave energy is directed from a microwave generator. Microwave units generally have higher capital costs than autoclaves, and can be batch or semi-continuous.

Chemical processes use disinfectants, such as lime or peracetic acid, to treat waste. Alkaline digestion is a unique type of chemical process that uses heated alkali to digest tissues, pathological waste, anatomical parts, or animal carcasses in heated stainless steel tanks. Biological processes, like composting and vermicomposting, can also be used to degrade organic matter in healthcare waste such as kitchen waste and placenta.

Plasma gasification is an emerging solution for sustainable management of healthcare waste. A plasma gasifier is an oxygen-starved reactor that is operated at the very high temperatures which results in the breakdown of wastes into hydrogen, carbon monoxide, water etc. The main product of a plasma gasification plant is energy-rich syngas which can be converted into heat, electricity and liquids fuels. Inorganic components in medical wastes, like metals and glass, get converted into a glassy aggregate.

3 Ways Zero Valent Iron Can Help in Environment Protection

Zero Valent Iron can be effectively used in soil remediation

Applications of Zero Valent Iron

What you should look for in ZVI?

Watch out for the following properties of ZVI

  • Look for the great adsorption performance and sound chemical activity
  • A large surface area for that very strong reductibility
  • Must be environment-friendly, deprived of any toxic compound

Enhanced nitrate-removing potential

Nitrate and How it Accumulates

A Tool to Remediate Acid Mine Drainage

Recycling of metallurgical waste

Final Thoughts

Hiring a Waste Management Company Can Take the Guesswork out of Recycling

What Kind of Recycling Service is Required?

What Can Be Recycled?

Recycling has unending benefits

What Are the Benefits of Recycling?


Allies or Advocates? Men for Women in STEM

Danielle Lewis

Danielle Lewis working on revisions of findings for this project.

Danielle Lewis working on revisions of findings for this project

Graduate Student Project

More than half of the students graduating with a Bachelor's degree each year are women, but did you know that in engineering, they comprise only 20% of degree recipients? This is despite a heightened awareness of and resources devoted to increasing the number of women in subjects like engineering. Many of the programs that seek to increase the representation of women in STEM often exclude men who comprise the majority of leadership in these disciplines. I know this because for several years, I managed a support program for women in STEM majors at a university and men were not engaged or present. During my time in that role, I consistently wondered if excluding men was a missed opportunity to engage the majority group in STEM to help address the issue. So, I set out to explore how men who do advocate for women in STEM come to be advocates, and then, if they do self-identify as advocates, are they actually engaged in actively supporting women in their daily lives or do they simply espouse gender equity as a personal value, thereby serving in more of a passive ally role? This study explores all of these questions in an attempt to identify any replicable factors that could help to raise up a new generation of advocates by mobilizing a group that has adequate positional power to effect the culture and therefore, representation of women in STEM.

The effort to increase the number of women in the science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) disciplines has garnered much attention, resulting in a significant allocation of resources to address the issue. Many of the proposed solutions exclude men, yet men fill the vast majority of leadership positions. This study examined and compared the experiences and perceptions of 20 undergraduates in STEM. The factors that contributed to men participants' identification as advocates for women in STEM were specifically explored. Advocates are defined in literature as taking on a more active role by participating in activities that contest the status quo; results of this study demonstrate that men who identify as advocates actually engage in efforts more as allies, supporting women passively. Additional findings reveal that men often carry unconscious gender bias and a sense of uncertainty regarding how best to influence discipline-level culture, which could hinder their advocacy efforts.

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World-Class Universities: Making Aspirations Achievable

University World News published my article on the challenge of making the aspirations of world-class universities achievable.

GLOBAL: Aspiring to world-class universities achievable
Rahul Choudaha*
16 August 2009
Issue: 0089
University World News

The prestige seeking behaviour of universities is ever increasing as the global war for talent intensifies and education’s role in the knowledge economy becomes more critical. In this process, the quest for world-class status among universities has become more prominent.

For example, the Prime Minister of India has announced establishment of 14 world-class universities in the XIth five-year plan 2007-2012. Likewise in 2007,Pakistan announced its ambitious US$4.3 billion project to create nine world-class engineering universities in collaboration with European universities, with 50% of its academics and administrators coming from Europe.

The big question is how achievable these aspirations are? Are countries and universities beng unrealistic in benchmarking what a world-class university is and what resources are required to achieve it?

The notion of world-class universities can be broken down into three stages: self-declared, aspirational, and externally validated. The issue of self-declaration of world-class status is most serious as it results in failure of vision and also duping of the stakeholders’ expectations.

Recently, the World Bank released a report by Jamil Salmi, The Challenge of Establishing World-Class Universities. It points out that, “Becoming a member of the exclusive group of world-class universities is not achieved by self-declaration; rather, elite status is conferred by the outside world on the basis of international recognition.”

Self-declaration of world-class status often results because of two primary reasons: lack of knowledge and understanding of what world-class standards really mean and how to achieve them ,and exaggeration of the relatively mediocre standards of the institution.

Universities are in a haste to declare themselves as world-class because of competitive pressures to gain attention from stakeholders and attain prestige. Gaining external validity is not easy as it takes significant investment of time and resources to achieve world-class standards.

“The lack of an absolute set of performance criteria and measures may mean that world class will always be positional, referring to those universities that are at the top in terms of academic reputation rather than those that fit a class of standards.” Levin, Jeong and Ou reported in 2006. Thus, self-declaration works as an easy way out for institutions.

The definition of what makes a world-class university is subjective and contextual. Given the diversity of global education systems and different societal needs and priorities, it is extremely difficult to define common standards.

For example, Indira Gandhi National Open University in India is the world’s largest university with an enrolment of more than two million students. The university serves a very different mission of providing access to disadvantaged segments of society through distance education and may not have the resources and even the need to adhere to “world-class” standards.

Its noble mission and low-cost operations appropriately serves its mission. It has created its own standards which has implications for developing countries. Global fascination for rankings and its parameters discounts the local contexts and the institutional missions.

“There is no universal recipe or magic formula for ‘making’ a world-class university. National contexts and institutional models vary widely. Therefore, each country must choose, from among the various possible pathways, a strategy that plays to its strengths and resources,” Salmi writes.

But despite the subjectivity involved in defining world-class standards, there is a need for it so that institutions may appropriately benchmark themselves with the best in the world and strive to work towards quality improvement.

It will also help in better planning and execution of the institutional mission.

Salmi provides an interesting framework for building world-class universities by leveraging three complementary sets of factors:

(a) a high concentration of talent (faculty and students)

(b) abundant resources to offer a rich learning environment and to conduct advanced research

(c) favourable governance features that encourage strategic vision, innovation, and flexibility and that enable institutions to make decisions and to manage resources without being encumbered by bureaucracy

Likewise, Philip Altbach suggested a combination of conditions and resources for creating world-class universities:

1. Sustained financial support, with an appropriate mix of accountability and autonomy

2. The development of a clearly differentiated academic system–including private institutions–in which academic institutions have different missions, resources, and purposes

3. Managerial reforms and the introduction of effective administration

4. Truly meritocratic hiring and promotion policies for the academic profession, and similarly rigorous and honest recruitment, selection, and instruction of students

Educational excellence is a gradual and resource-intensive process and excellence in the local context is a must before setting aspirations for global standards. This results in a realistic assessment of the institutional capability to serve societal needs. Furthermore, resources are better allocated to meet the needs of the vision.

Institutions also need to recognise that achieving world-class standards requires a strong commitment to global best practices adapted to the local context. There is nothing wrong with the aspiration of achieving world-class status but the challenge is the mismatch between resource availability and societal needs, which results from the lack of understanding of what it takes to build a world-class university.

Some new projects are aiming higher and establishing appropriate standards, processes and resources to achieve excellence. King Abdullah University of Science and Technology in Saudi Arabia is one such ambitious project.

Continuous quality improvement and innovation is a must for higher education and to that end we need more success stories where universities are able to aspire and achieve world-class standards.


Task Planning for Highly Automated Driving

Chao Chen, Andre Gaschler, Markus Rickert und Alois Knoll

Proceedings of the IEEE Intelligent Vehicles Symposium (IV), pp. 940–945

Juli 2015 · Seoul, South Korea · DOI:10.1109/IVS.2015.7225805

A hybrid planning approach is presented in this paper with the focus of integrating task planning and motion planning for highly automated driving. In the context of task planning, the vehicle and environment states are transformed from the continuous configuration space to a discrete state space. A planning problem is solved by a search algorithm for an optimal task sequence to reach the goal conditions in the symbolic space, regarding constraints such as space topology, place occupation, and traffic rules. Each task can be mapped to a specific driving maneuver and solved with a dedicated motion planning method in the continuous configuration space. The task planning approach not only bridges the gap between high-level navigation and low-level motion planning, but also provides a modular domain description that can be developed and verified individually. Our task planner for automated driving is evaluated in several scenarios with prior knowledge about the road-map and sensing range of the vehicle. Behavior that is otherwise complex to achieve is planned according to traffic rules and re-planned regarding the on-line perception.

Stichworte:autonomous driving, robotics


By Melody Gutierrez

California will overhaul its election system beginning in 2018 so that voters have more options on when and where to cast their ballots in future elections, under a bill Gov. Jerry Brown signed Thursday.

SB450 by Sen. Ben Allen, D-Santa Monica, and Sen. Robert Hertzberg, D-Van Nuys, allows counties to opt into the new system, and if they do, those counties would be required to mail all voters a ballot that can be cast at voting centers up to 10 days before election day. The ballots can also be returned by mail.

"People lead increasingly complicated lives; we should provide them with maximum flexibility when it comes to voting," Allen said in a statement. "Under this new law, people will be able to choose the time and place to vote that is most convenient for their lifestyle and their schedule."

Lawmakers modeled the law after Colorado's election process, which has increased voter turnout and reduced the cost of holding elections.

Supporters of the bill said the increased flexibility will especially help working Californians and hopefully lead to higher voter turnout.

"Why limit voting to one location on a single Tuesday," said Secretary of State Alex Padilla, who sponsored the legislation.

The bill was introduced in the wake of steadily declining voter turnout, including a historically low voter turnout in 2014, when only a quarter of all registered voters cast a ballot in the June primary and 42 percent cast a ballot in the November general election. California ranks 43rd out of 50 states for its voter turnout rates.

Under SB450, 14 of the state's 58 counties can opt into the new system beginning in 2018, including San Mateo and Santa Clara counties in the Bay Area. The remaining counties in the state may start in 2020. If a county opts in, mail ballots would be sent to every voter 28 days before the election. Voters could then vote in person at a voting center or mail their ballot in or drop their ballot off.

Voting centers would replace neighborhood polling places and instead be open for anyone within a county to cast their ballot. While there would be fewer voting centers than polling places, the centers would be open longer, including on the two weekends leading up to the election, and workers there would help voters with same-day registration, replacing a ballot or providing materials in a different language.

Brown signed and vetoed dozens of bills Thursday ahead of Friday's deadline to act on legislation.

Brown signed two bills Thursday to protect traumatized foster children from psychiatric care that is overly reliant on risky medications, adding to what is now the most comprehensive set of such laws in the nation.

SB1174 by Sen. Mike McGuire, D-Healdsburg, and SB1291 by Sen. Jim Beall, D-San Jose, will subject overprescribing physicians to stepped-up investigations and ensure that counties offer mental health services for foster children that include nondrug treatments.

Brown also vetoed a bill that would have enhanced juvenile court oversight of prescribing.

Among the other bills the governor signed:

--AB1732 by Assemblyman Phil Ting, D-San Francisco, makes all public single-stall restrooms gender-neutral. The law would go into effect March 1, 2017, and would not affect multistall restrooms.

--SB1150 by Sen. Mark Leno, D-San Francisco, extends homeowner protections against foreclosures to surviving family members. The bill requires lenders to work with the next of kin of a deceased homeowner to avoid foreclosure and extends other protections in the California Homeowner Bill of Rights to widows and other survivors.

--SB443 by Sen. Holly Mitchell, D-Los Angeles, creates stricter rules for law enforcement agencies to seize a suspect's money, car or other assets. Supporters of the bill said a loophole in the state's civil forfeiture laws created an incentive for officers to seize money and property to increase their own budgets, even when the suspect was not charged. SB443 requires a criminal conviction before police can permanently seize less than $40,000 in cash or property in drug cases.

--AB1494 by Assemblyman Marc Levine, D-San Rafael, allows voters in California to take selfies with their ballot and post them on social media. Previously, California law prohibited sharing the contents of a ballot, although federal courts have found those restrictions are likely unconstitutional.

--SB438 by Sen. Jerry Hill, D-San Mateo, will create the California Earthquake Early Warning System Program to help the state drive investments in an early warning system.

(c)2016 the San Francisco Chronicle


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What is the purpose of this lesson?

For children to see the huge journey that Elsa takes.  She begins life feeling afraid, trapped, segregated, isolated (teach your child these words by showing them a definition and using them in example sentences) and is only freed by her journey away from others.  As the song progresses, we see her change not only emotionally (look at her expression, her body language), but also visually (clothing, creating ever more elaborate structures with her passion and emotion).


The Sejm passes a vote of confidence on Prime Minister Morawiecki’s government

Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki called the Sejm of the Republic of Poland to express a vote of confidence in the Council of Ministers. The parliamentary majority expressed their support for the government and its policies.

1 of 11
Photo: Adam Guz / Chancellery of the Prime Minister

‘What do the Polish people need today? More than anything else, they need effectiveness and justice. They need our actions to have a real influence on the economic and healthcare realities. Polish people need stability and actions that benefit the Republic,’ said Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki in his Sejm speech.

Polish government in the fight against COVID-19

The Prime Minister also addressed the current situation related to the coronavirus pandemic. He highlighted the importance of unity between the legislature and the executive in the face of new challenges and the current situation. ‘We’ve achieved great success in the fight against the coronavirus. We made the right decisions at the right time. This success has been recognised by everyone around the world,’ said the Prime Minister.

It was thanks to the Polish government introducing such measures as closing the borders and banning mass events that our situation was not as difficult as in other countries.

Support for entrepreneurs

Government action towards stabilising employment and supporting the liquidity of businesses serves to maintain production capacity, necessary in order to resume economic activities once the pandemic ceases. ‘Despite the crisis, we will lead Poland towards ambitious goals; a better distribution of wealth and a fair Poland,’ said the Prime Minister. As he remarked, the government is protecting tens of thousands of businesses from bankruptcy along with millions of jobs through the Anti-Crisis Shield and Financial Shield, introduced among other measures.

‘We’ve directly saved between 2 and 3 million jobs. This means 60 million zlotys have been spent so far, while the entire Shield may amount to as much as 400 million zlotys. In less than a month, the Polish Development Fund paid out over 40 million zlotys, which is an amount equal to the yearly national budget revenue from the CIT,’ the Head of Government summed up.

Investments in the time of coronavirus

The pandemic has not put a halt to all Polish investment projects. Amid the epidemic, their pace remains the same as before the outbreak. Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki spoke about future plans and a huge investment programme. He added that ‘new investments are no give and take. We don’t have to choose between schools and roads. These investments include schools, roads, bridges and railways alike. They’re investments in small municipalities and major cities.’

235 Deputies of the Sejm voted in favour of the vote of confidence, while 219 voted against it and 2 Deputies abstained.

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MRI of the Abdomen

MRI of the abdomen gives detailed pictures of structures, organs, and other tissues within the belly, infection, and tumors. Detailed MR images allow physicians to better evaluate various parts of the body and certain diseases that may not be assessed adequately with other imaging methods such as x-ray, ultrasound or computed tomography (also called CT or CAT scanning).

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a noninvasive medical test that helps physicians diagnose and treat medical conditions. MR imaging uses a powerful magnetic field, radio frequency pulses and a computer to produce detailed pictures of organs, soft tissues, bone and virtually all other internal body structures. The images can then be examined on a computer monitor, printed or copied to CD. MRI does not use ionizing radiation (X-rays).

Your doctor may recommend a MRI of the abdomen to find problems or tumors in the abdominal organs and tissues. In some cases, MRI can tell if a tumor is non-cancerous (benign) or cancerous (malignant). This examination can also check lower abdominal and pelvic organs for tumors, bleeding or problems present since birth (congenital abnormalities).

A MRI of the abdomen is also routinely used to find a blocked tube or stones in the tube that carry bile from the liver to the gallbladder (bile duct), as well as check organs and blood vessels prior to organ transplantation or surgery.

MRI examinations may be performed on outpatients or inpatients. You will be positioned on the moveable examination table. Straps and bolsters may be used to help you stay still and maintain the correct position during imaging. Small devices that contain coils capable of sending and receiving radio waves may be placed around or adjacent to the area of the body being studied.

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Antigonish, Nova Scotia, Canada

StFX welcomes NASA engineer to campus to speak with students, deliver public address

February 17th, 2016
Dr. Renee Horton

StFX is looking forward to welcoming Dr. Renee Horton of NASA to campus next week to dialogue with physics students and to deliver a public address.

Dr. Horton’s visit is hosted by the StFX Physics Department, in cooperation with the offices of the StFX Human Rights and Equity Advisor and the Advisor for Students of African Descent. Her visit is also part of events as StFX celebrates Black History Month.
Dr. Horton, who is the lead metallics and weld engineer for NASA’s Space Launch System at the Michoud Assembly Facility, will deliver a talk “Intersection between talent and passion” aimed at a general audience on the subjects of gender, disability, race and science. The event takes place Thursday, Feb. 25 at 5:15 p.m. in Nicholson Hall 151
The next day, she will give a physics department colloquium talk entitled “Friction Stir Welding and NASA” for students and faculty.
Dr. Horton currently works for NASA Michoud Assembly Facility (MAF) in New Orleans, LA as the lead Space Launch System (SLS) Core Stage Metallic and Weld Engineer. She holds a PhD in materials science with a concentration in physics from the University of Alabama and a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering from Louisiana State University. She was the first African American to receive her degree in material science from the University of Alabama in 2011.
In addition to overseeing a crucial aspect to NASA's journey to Mars, Dr. Horton has a long list of accolades including the NASA Space Flight Awareness Award, three separate Group Achievement NASA Awards, and the Black Engineer of the Year Trailblazer Award.
This PhD-carrying successful NASA scientist didn't always see herself as someone who could achieve so much. Growing up, she had a hearing impairment that went undiagnosed until she was 17 years old. Her hearing became such an obstacle that she decided to drop out of college, where she was pursuing a degree in electrical engineering. She made the decision to instead, focus on starting a family. However, after her third child, she realized that she needed to return to college to pursue a passion that she had since she was young - science.

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Pen Coed y Bwlch

Area:The Berwyns
Maps:240 Explorer or 126 Landranger
Grid Ref:SJ224304         Hills nearby: 5km 10km 20km
Summit:no feature
Daylight:dawn 04:05, sunrise 04:54, sunset 21:39, dusk 22:29

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If you need accommodation we have details of 10 properties offering rooms near Pen Coed y Bwlch. Here are some examples:

4 Sykes Cottages Assessed Cottage
£239-1251 per week
5.4km (3.3 miles) away, sleeps 3
3 Sykes Cottages Assessed Cottage
£229-1090 per week
3.4km (2.1 miles) away, sleeps 4
5 Sykes Cottages Assessed Cottage
£407-1684 per week
4.2km (2.6 miles) away, sleeps 4


Owls of Yellowstone

Yellowstone National Park’s owl population is difficult to spot due to their nocturnal habits. However, if you’re lucky, you might catch a glimpse of one of these incredible birds.

The Great Horned Owl

Great Horned Owl

Great Horned Owl.

This owl species is one of the most widespread types of owls in North America, and it’s the most common owl in Yellowstone National Park. Named for the tufts of feathers on the upper part of their head that resemble horns, the great horned owl has a light gray underside stripped with dark bars (basically stripes), a white band of feathers on its upper breast and yellow-orange eyes. They often hunt from high perches, spotting their prey and then swooping down to snatch it with large, sharp talons.

Great Horned Owl Chicks

Great Horned Owl Chicks Three Weeks Old

The Great Grey Owl

Great Gray Owl

Great Gray Owl

This species of owl prefers to live in secluded coniferous forests, taking over abandoned hawk or eagle nests or tree stumps and claiming them for their own. They typically eat small rodents like mice and squirrels. Although the great grey owl has a massive 60-inch wingspan, the bird looks brawnier than it is. A typical adult weighs only 2-3 pounds.

Burrowing Owls

Burrowing Owl

Burrowing Owl

You’ll recognize a burrowing owl by its round head, white eyebrows, yellow eyes and long legs. Their heads, backs and the upper parts of their wings are sandy colored, while their breast and bellies are whitish or cream with barring. Burrowing owls also have a white chin stripe. These ground-dwelling owls eat a variety of different things, including small mammals like mice, rats, gophers, and ground squirrels as well as beetles and grasshoppers.

Short-Eared Owls

These owls are brown with dark streaks on the chest, belly and back, coloring that provides great camouflage. Males tend to be a bit lighter in color than females. Short-eared owls are great actors; they’ll play dead to evade a predator.

Boreal Owls

Boreal owls are strictly nocturnal creatures that eat small mammals, birds and insects. They typically nest in abandoned woodpecker nests and other recesses in trees. Boreal owls are relatively small with a body length between 8 and 11 inches; however, their wingspans stretch to between 19 and 25 inches.

Long-Eared Owls

Long-eared owls have what appears to be, you guessed it, long ears—although actually these “ears” are just tufts of long, black and reddish brown feathers. Their actual ears are just holes on either side of their head under the feathers. Long-eared owls can be distinguished from great horned owls by their brownish-colored bodies with heavy barring and stripes on their breast and belly.

The Northern Pygmy Owl

This tiny, woodland owl feeds during the day. Their upper bodies are gray, brown or red with a lighter colored stomach streaked with brown. White dots cover the head and nape of the neck.

Bald Eagle Reflection

Bald Eagles in Yellowstone

If you’re looking to get a close-up look at America’s national symbol, Yellowstone National Park is a great place to do it. Bald eagles are often spotted soaring through the skies, especially around lakes and rivers.

Grizzly bear and cub.

Yellowstone Bear FAQs


Hier finden Sie wissenschaftliche Publikationen aus den Fraunhofer-Instituten.

Cognitive Assistance Systems as Boundary Objects

Theorizing and analyzing digitally networked communication practice in organizations
: Keller, Alinde; Fischer, Evelyn

Volltext (PDF; - Gesamtes Abstract book)

Univ. of Turku:
WORK 2019. Real Work in the Virtual World. Abstract Book : 14-16 August 2019, Helsinki, Finland
Helsinki, 2019
ISBN: 978-951-29-7708-6
International Interdisciplinary Conference on Research on Work and Working Life (WORK) <4, 2019, Helsinki>
Abstract, Elektronische Publikation
Fraunhofer IFF ()

Due to digitalization, industrial companies face rising complexity of cyber-physical systems. As these are associated with complex products, services and processes, they are getting more difficult to understand for the worker at the groundfloor. Obviously, this has to have consequences for communication practices in organizations. The technological innovation within digitalization requires fast and adequate information provision, fast training processes as well as interdivisional cooperation. Thus, digitalization also includes the potential of transforming linear information transfer into information networks and creating organizational added value.
Our contribution grounds in theoretical perspectives connecting to the “boundary object” approach for complex structuring of information. Following Leigh Star and Ruhleder (1996), boundary objects support collective processing of knowledge and distributed problem solving. As ‘immutable mobiles’ (Latour 1987) they perform translations between individuals, teams, different disciplines or organizations, while maintaining the specificity of the disciplines.
The concept of boundary objects not only offers a theoretical framework but as well a methodological concept to manage complexity by information and communication systems. In fact, cognitive assistance systems applied in industry are digital technologies interlinking different business units to support workers in highly variable and knowledge intensive working situations. Preliminary work realized by Fraunhofer IFF shows the potential of cognitive assistance systems in various fields of application, e.g. in the field of maintenance and manual assembly (Schenk & Berndt 2016, Haase 2017, Keller et al. 2017).
As we can observe, companies and research institutions currently face methodological challenges regarding the design and implementation process of cognitive assistance systems. These challenges emerge in complex interdependencies between humans, organization and technology.
The concept of boundary objects in this sense can contribute, too, for understanding and realizing the design process of digital infrastructures. Leigh Star and Ruhleder (1996) point out that the digitalization of large information spaces has to bridge gaps between different contexts of use, different assumptions and underlying rationalities about digital work and between professional “languages” of designers and users. Since the concept of Leigh Star (Gießmann & Taha 2017) basically is an ex post identification of boundary objects, the design process of cognitive assistance systems as digital boundary objects still remains an open task.
The paper develops a theoretical framework for a design approach of cognitive assistance systems shaping networked communication practice in organizations. Based on an organizational education theory perspective, we focus on technological design as a process of organizational learning (Göhlich et al. 2018). As shown above, this organizational learning process is theorized as boundary work within an actor-network theory framework, a design- and organizational learning perspective. Based on a case study we illustrate characteristics and examples of cognitive assistance systems in the field of maintenance. Cognitive assistance systems classified as ‘knowledge systems’ are analyzed regarding the aspect, how the technological digitalization system crosses boundaries in and between organizations and how networked communication practices are shaped and emerge in practice. Following Bergemann & Hanke (2017) and Leigh Star & Griesemer (1989), we discuss four different types of boundary objects and categorize the cognitive assistance system accordingly. Empirically analyzing the potential of the explained theoretical framework of (digital) boundary objects, we derive methodological assumptions for a design approach of cognitive assistance systems enhancing organizational meta-reflection.


Smart Infrastructure

There is immense value waiting to be created amidst the chaos and weak infrastructure. There is a huge potential for technology to be applied smartly, to connect different public infrastructure to each other for the sole purpose of making them more accessible to the populace.

Our focus is on deepening support for early-stage technology ventures building consumer internet and infrastructure that will power Nigeria and Africa’s digital economy.

Why we believe this is important

Our Thinking

Infrastructure plays a significant role in fostering business growth and development. The
availability and deliberate deployment of the right infrastructure that reflects modern business needs will naturally attract the best talent, provide an enabling environment for businesses to grow and thus accelerate the growth of the Nigerian technology ecosystem.

What we have done

Our Expressions

The i-HQ project is helping to build an ‘innovation city’ – a hotspot for creative ventures where all key stakeholders (academics, industry and government) find adequate infrastructure, resources and an enabling environment to strive while collaborating. From a vision, a virtual tour was launched to communicate the vision and engage the larger tech community and key stakeholders. In 2013 CcHUB constituted a consortium of core implementation partners which includes MainOne, Technovision and the Lagos State government.The I-HQ project is home to over 30 technology companies in Yaba.

Yaba Manifesto

On the 23rd of June, 2017, stakeholders of the Yaba technology ecosystem came together to discuss the current state of the ecosystem and share their ideas on actions required to build the ecosystem into a successful one. At the town hall meeting, it was agreed that if we succeed in building a functional ecosystem in Yaba, it can serve as a template for building other technology clusters across the country and maybe someday, Africa. The seven pillars decided upon include: Culture, Infrastructure, Policy, Talent, Research & Development, Funding and Smart City.

GC Fund

In 2015, we launched GC Fund, our social innovation fund aimed at creating an unprecedented path to scale for outliers driving social change in Nigeria. The fund supports high potential, early-stage businesses building our next generation infrastructure using technology. Participating investors bring their experience, resources and networks together to work for investees to catalyze their path to growth.

Reach out to us


P738: 500 piece Puzzle - Blue Bird Yellow Bird

Key data

Category: P - Puzzles

Location: O (On loan)

Age range: 10+

Number of pieces: 504

Number of unique pieces: 5

1 box

1 lid

500 pieces

1 ziplock bag

1 raeco bag

Description: THIS PUZZLE WILL BE WEIGHED ON RETURN The total weight of the pieces of this puzzle including the ziplock bag is 360.5gms without the box. Each piece weighs approx. 0.8gms.

Alerts and warnings


About the Speaker
  • speaker photo
    Ian Schneller
    SVP Global Information Security, Financial Institution

    A 20+ year information security veteran, Ian has served in many leadership positions to include CIO/CISO. Ian also led a multi-billion dollar mission charged with developing and operating advanced cyber capabilities for the Undersecretary of Defense (Intelligence), the DoD Chief Information Officer, and the Secretary of the Air Force. In this role he led high impact global teams and advised the US Congress and Executive Branch, resulting in a coordinated, funded national approach to resolve the highest cyber concerns of Government leadership. In the financial sector, Ian has led strategic capabilities to protect critical infrastructure from cyber-attack.


Joslin Real Estate

Positioned less than four kilometres from the city, Joslin is a rectangular suburb stretching from Payneham Road to the River Torrens. With a population of over 1,000 people at the last census, the average housing price exceeds $1,000,000. It’s convenient location close to the city, with local transport easily accessible along Payneham Road, excellent local schools East Adelaide Primary School, Walkerville Primary School, St Peters College and Walkerville Shopping precinct and The Parade make it an popular choice to live for singles and families alike.

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Andreas Schimper and Plant Adaptation to the Environment

Agriculture and commercial forestry have transformed the landscape over almost the whole of Europe. There are few areas of true wilderness remaining, and in an ecological sense the plant communities are not those that would have developed without human interference. Consequently, it is not easy to observe the way plants have adapted naturally to the climate. The German botanist and phytogeographer Andreas Schimper (1856–1901) pointed this out in 1898 in his book Pflanzengeographie auf Physiologischer Grundlage, published in English in 1903 with the title Plant Geography on a Physiological Basis, as the following excerpt from the English edition demonstrates.

The greater prominence of physiology in geographical botany dates from the time when physiologists, who formerly worked in European laboratories only, began to study the vegetation of foreign countries in its native land. Europe, with its temperate climate and its vegetation greatly modified by cultivation, is less calculated to stimulate such observations; in moist tropical forests, in the Sahara, and in the tundras, the close connexion between the character of the vegetation and the conditions of extreme climates is revealed by the most evident adaptations.

It was Schimper, in Plant Geography on a Physiological Basis, who first used the term tropical rain forest to describe one type of vegetation that is adapted to a warm, humid climate. He defined tropical rain forest as being: “evergreen, hygrophilous in character, at least thirty meters high, rich in thick-stemmed lianes, and in woody as well as herbaceous epiphytes.” It is the definition that remains in use today. Lianes or lianas, are free-hanging climbing plants. Hygrophilous means growing in or preferring moist habitats.

Andreas Franz Wilhelm Schimper was born in Strasbourg, France, on May 12, 1856, where his father, Wilhelm Philipp Schimper (1808–80), was director of the natural history museum and a professor of geology. Andreas was educated at the Strasbourg Gymnasium (high school) from 1864 to 1874, when he enrolled at the University of Strasbourg to study biology. He received his Ph.D. at Strasbourg in 1878 and spent a year, 1879–80, at the University of Wurzburg, working with the botanist Julius von Sachs (1832–97), who had studied the process by which plants orient themselves toward light. Schimper was a fellow at Johns Hopkins University from 1880 to 1882 and visited the West Indies and Venezuela before returning to Europe in 1883 to take up a post as lecturer at the University of Bonn.

While he was at Bonn, Schimper published the results of his physiological researches. He was the first person to describe chloroplasts—the bodies within plant cells that contain chlorophyll and that are the sites of photosynthesis. Schimper called them Chlorophyllkorner (chlorophyll grains) and Chlorophyllkorper (chlorophyll bodies). He then changed direction, concentrating on phytogeography and plant ecology. In 1886 the University of Bonn made Schimper an extraordinary professor (a professor who does not occupy a chair). He remained at Bonn until 1899, when he became professor of botany at the University of Basel, Switzerland, a position he held until his death in Basel on September 9, 1901.


How Can I Copy and Paste in My Route Stops?

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2001 Blake St, Denver, CO 80205
1555 Blake St, Denver, CO 80202
1000 Chopper Cir, Denver, CO 80204

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Samples "Classification"

Classification Essays

Introduction Attention Grabber: Time lost can never be regained once it has been lost. Time management is a concern for people in every stage in their life and it is one of the most important skills that a college student can learn. Transition: This statement applies to every aspect of...

751 words

Human beings are social animals. Most of us usually have numerous friends because we need friends not only to have an enjoyable life but also to grow as individuals. Our friends share our sorrows and joys and they help us better understand ourselves. Not all friendships are created equal because...

500 words

The modern society today boasts of the power of machine learning technology that ranges from web searches to recommendations on e-commerce websites. The machine learning systems help in the object identification of images, speech transcription and even in the selection of results of a search (Arel et al., 2010). The...

1437 words

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Amnesia is a disease with symptoms of lack of memory or incomplete memories of the events. It can be spontaneous and often temporary. Memories come back in chronological order, starting with the oldest. The memories of the last events preceding the amnesia often do not come back. Causes of amnesia...

1010 words

It is an election year in the U.S. and unlike any other election year in recent memory. The rise of Donald Trump in the Republican race and the rise of Bernie Sanders in the Democratic race have been nothing short of a huge surprise. Bernie Sanders, in particular, deserves attention...

624 words

In any thriving organization, the productivity of employees as well as their collaboration enhances an improvement in productivity. Customers and clients enjoy exceptional service from these employees. The management style used by managers is detrimental to sustaining profitability in the long-term. Hence, the best organizational performance levels are instigated by...

678 words

367 words

There are many ways to study, and the choices a student makes to get through college are basically a means to an end that hopefully leads to knowledge, a high grade, and future success. While the study skills a student has may develop over time, they are often combined with...

942 words

When one is out on the road driving, one must look out for people who are in a hurry and are driving erratically, or are distracted while driving, or are going to slow to be safe while driving. These three types of drivers represent threats to one’s safety on a...

621 words

How To Write Classification Essays

The main idea behind a division and classification essay is organizing or sorting things into different categories. There are several steps to remember when creating a good classification essay. This guide will highlight these steps with practical examples to ease the process.

What is a classification essay?

This type of essay is an academic paper which classifies character, ideas, or even objects into specific categories or groups. This classification and division essay is quite common in high schools and colleges but can be present in other higher levels of education as well.

How to write a classification essay

Below are a few steps to follow:

  1. Gather ideas
  2. You need to get ideas for your essay before starting. However, if you already have a topic to work with, this may not be necessary. In the absence of a topic, here are some classification essay topics to serve as examples:

    • Types of modern literature
    • Types of contemporary comedians
    • Types of diets
    • Types of democratic societies
    • Types of religious individuals
    • Categories of animal activists
    • Study habits of high school students
    • Types of atheists
    • People’s attitudes towards spending
    • Dancing styles

    Any idea that catches your attention can become an essay topic. After picking your preferred topic, go online to find some information on it. You should have enough material to support your argument if you pick a good topic. It will also help you write it smoothly without wasting time.

  3. Create the thesis statement
  4. This statement is the essay’s foundation. It helps the reader to understand the main approaches you will use in the paper. It also sets expectations for the reader. The statement gives the readers a summary of the paper while also guiding your writing.

  5. Planning
  6. When your topic and thesis statement is ready, the next step is planning. Plan your timeline by determining how much time you would need to research, write and edit.

    After setting your timeframe, plan the outline. The research should have given you a good idea of what to write about. Developing the outline is like the preliminary research you conducted. Simply try to provide the ideas in the right spots in the essay.

    Fit the right ideas into the introduction, body and conclusion. The outline should cover all examples and supporting ideas that explain the classifications. The thesis statement should also be at the end of the introductory part of the essay.

  7. Research
  8. You need more research to explain the categories for your essay. Since you already have some information in your outline, use it to research. As you research, cite reliable sources in the paper. This makes it more trustworthy.

    Start by defining each category. Make them clear and informative. Remember to list the characteristics of the categories and how they will be discussed. Most times, there will be differences or similarities in the category. However, you shouldn’t shy away from writing them because that is the point of a classification essay.

  9. Write your essay
  10. After the second research, it is time to start writing. If you follow the previous stages religiously, the writing part will be a lot easier. All the information you need would be available, the outline is ready, so all you need is to connect the points coherently.

    Start with the introductory part. This part contains the subject, and the overall concept to attract the attention of the reader. After this part, the thesis statement is next and it explains the classifications.

    The body comes next and there is no specific template for this. The number of paragraphs depend on how many categories you have on your outline. However, you should not include so many categories to avoid blurring your classification.

    Each paragraph must be linked to the one before and it should be well arranged. Try to maintain a logical progression no matter what arrangement you choose.

    The conclusion part is for summarizing the points in the paper.

Here are some writing tips for your essay:

We’ve Got Your Back With Essay Examples

To create a good classification essay, you need to gather ideas, create a thesis statement, plan, research and write the essay. These steps highlighted above can help make it easier.

There are lots of classification and division essay examples online to give you a head start. MyPaperWriter has a great collection of classification essay examples for students who need some ideas to work with.