Home / Politics / We are All Egoists – and Why That’s a Good Thing

We are All Egoists – and Why That’s a Good Thing

Many of those who end up exploring the political fringe – particularly on the Right – end up obsessed with various forms of what might loosely be called egocentricity. In those of a libertarian bent, this usually expresses itself as an obsession with contrasting honorable “individualism” against slavish “collectivism.” In the more anarchic and nihilistic types, it often expresses itself as an obsession with contrasting proud “egoism” against naïve “altruism.”

As an example of a typical statement from the former type, we can cite Ayn Rand in the January 1944 edition of Reader’s Digest: “Collectivism means the subjugation of the individual to a group – whether to a race, class or state does not matter. Collectivism holds that man must be chained to collective action and collective thought for the sake of what is called ‘the common good.’”

The problem with a characterization like this is that Ayn Rand wants to “subjugate the individual to the group” as well – the sole difference being that she wants to subjugate different individuals to a different group, for different reasons.

In The Virtue of Selfishness she writes, “Individual rights are the means of subordinating society to moral law.” “Society?” Doesn’t it border on becoming a fallacy of the stolen concept for Rand to use that word? According to her, “Society is [merely] a large number of men . . .” And the very problem with “collectivism” is that it “see[s] society as a super-organism, as some supernatural entity apart from and superior to the sum of its individual members.” What we’re really talking about here is still nothing other than imposing restrictions – violations of which will be met with violence – in how one individual is allowed to relate to another. If she had been asked about why it is that I cannot kill a random person if I would really enjoy doing it, and if I were certain that I would never suffer any adverse consequences from doing so in the future (say, because no one would ever find out), and could even walk away with spoils from the deed, Rand’s answer can’t ultimately be any more coherent than the so-called “collectivist’s” rationale concerning why I cannot stop paying taxes. The differences wouldn’t lie in the reasoning they use so much as in what it is they decide to apply that reasoning to.

And the reason for that is simple: when it comes down to it, Rand likewise wants to live in a “collective” which – to some degree “altruistically” – acts to defend a certain kind of social order. She simply wants that social order to be centered upon a Right-wing conception of human rights rather than a Left-wing conception of human well-being. And she understands perfectly well that the individuals who comprise this social order would have to sacrifice some of their desires if they were to fulfill their greater desire to live within this type of society – namely, they would have to avoid actions that would “violate individual rights,” even if they would tangibly benefit both in the present and long-term from doing so.

She tries to get around this by engaging in some very unimpressive rationalization of the claim that there are “no conflicts of interests among rational men.” But this premise is self-evidently absurd, and it can be demonstrated in less than ten short sentences: I come across a homeless man under a bridge. I am a sadist, and I would enjoy torturing him for an hour and killing him. No one would ever find out. He has “an interest” in staying alive. I have “an interest” in killing him. We therefore have a conflict of interests. Trying to deny that situations like this occur in the real world is as preposterous as claiming to have used a philosophical argument to disprove the existence of gravity.

To briefly address the “reasoning” she uses to try to defend this claim: “A man’s ‘interests’ depend on the kind of goals he chooses to pursue, his choice of goals depends on his desires, his desires depend on his values – and, for a rational man, his values depend on the judgment of his mind . . . A rational man never holds a desire or pursues a goal which cannot be achieved directly or indirectly [i.e., by trading] by his own effort . . . He never seeks or desires the unearned . . . The mere fact that two men desire the same job does not constitute proof that either of them is entitled to it or deserves it, and that his interests are damaged if he does not obtain it.” (The Virtue of Selfishness, pp. 50-56)

The first major problem with this bit of sophistry is that it conflates deserving with having interests. Whether my interests are damaged by failing to acquire a job has nothing to do with whether I “deserved” it, much less whether I deserved it equally as much as my competitor. I literally have “an interest” in taking the job if taking it would benefit me, and whether the job would benefit me (and is therefore in my interests) has nothing to do with how much I “deserve” it. The second major problem is that the definition of “rational” applied here is completely unclear, and is thus really nothing more than a crooked stick rigged to try to prop up the incoherency of the whole philosophical system. “A rational man . . . never seeks or desires the unearned”? Would a “rational man” not only refuse to pick up a million dollars he found lying on the side of the road, but in fact never even desire to, according to Rand’s definition? Then damn near everyone has a completely different understanding than the one Rand proposes in terms of what it means to be “rational,” namely one that comprehends the first point: that what a person’s interests are and what a person deserves are at best only tangentially related.

With that specious excuse out of the way, we’re back to the fact that Ayn Rand, too, wants to be part of a collective. And she does indeed want people to practice “altruism” by sacrificing some of their interests in order to acquire their greater interest in maintaining a collective social order which is cemented upon the principles she puts forward. What she proposes is a type of social contract just as much as are the views of Hobbes or Rousseau. She simply proposes different terms for the contract, demanding different requirements from its parties, and different benefits in exchange for meeting those requirements.

The more nihilistic and anarchic brand of egoists – who are often iconoclastic admirers of the nineteenth-century philosopher Max Stirner, whose The Ego and Its Own helped inspire Nietzsche – will have already concluded that Ayn Rand’s “individual rights” are nothing more than a “spook” to which people irrationally sacrifice themselves, which is right on par with all of the other “spooks” Ayn Rand already condemns: religion, the state, “society.” As Ulrike Heider explains in her survey, of Anarchism: Left, Right, and Green, Stirner wants to abolish “not only the state but also society as an institution responsible for its members.” Thus, he would abandon not just the idea of society as an institution responsible for its members’ well-being, along with Rand, he would also abandon the Randian or libertarian idea of society as an institution responsible for protecting its members’ rights.

What Stirner’s admirers miss, however, is that when the masses of people reject this brand of egoism, they are already in fact behaving “egoistically.” In my time within libertarian and anarchist circles, I’ve seen countless pasty white men in their early 20s acting dumbfounded that people are attacking them for endorsing this brand of pure egoism: “Why would people be offended by the suggestion that they should look out for their own interests?!” What they’ve failed to wrap their minds around is that the vast majority of psychologically healthy people want to be part of a community, and are therefore already acting precisely as “egoists” in their pursuit of that goal when they condemn the self-proclaimed “egoist.”

From romantic relationships, to families, to community clubs, and even political movements, we spend the better part of our lives not just in but seeking prolonged relationships that require the sacrifice of whatever momentary value we might gain from indulging some of our desires in order to preserve our greater desire for the continuing value derived from a communal relationship. Relationships and communities, both public and private, are thus a type of commons – and single-minded pursuit of transient self-interest thus leads to a tragedy of the commons just as much as it does when cows graze on unregulated common land. I may have a transient interest in stealing a few groceries, for example, but I have an even greater interest in being able to live in a society where groceries are sold in open aisles instead of under lock-and-key beneath the watchful eye of CCTV cameras. Stirner’s is the philosophy of the run-down inner city; when actually lived by, it leads to a world in which none but the most nihilistic thugs and anarchic ruffians actually want to live.

Thus, the contempt directed by some towards the Stirnerites seems to me to be perfectly justified by the fact that what the Stirnerite is really signaling – if he is indeed signaling anything at all – is an unwillingness to compromise in order to maintain values that others would like to preserve within the shared social commons. What differentiates the Stirnerite from others is not that the Stirnerite is a woke egoist, whereas everyone else is acting mindlessly. What the Stirnerite is saying is that he “egoistically” desires and intends to take actions that would put him at odds with the sort of social commons those around him would like to maintain. Meanwhile, those around him are responding that if that is indeed the case, then they intend to just as “egoistically” run him out of that commons in order to preserve the things they value in it. Wouldn’t it be a detestable form of altruism for them to sacrifice the commons they desire just for him? And would it not be pathetic for a declared egoist to beg for altruistic sacrifice from those around him?

The obsessions that occasionally spring up, especially within the political Right, in relation to “egoism” versus “altruism,” or “individualism” versus “collectivism,” are complete red herrings. The truth is that these obsessions emerge not because there is any real, fundamental dichotomy between the two, but simply because we find ourselves at odds with the particular kinds of commons those around us prefer. All of us, even the most self-sacrificing Christian socialist, are “egoistic individualists,” attempting to form the sorts of communities we wish to live in because life in such communities is what we desire. Likewise, all of us, even Ayn Rand, are “altruistic collectivists” because what all of us desire is a community in which both we and others sacrifice some things  – whether it is the right to keep our entire paycheck, or the right to kill random people we find alone in dark alleyways – in order to maintain and secure others. This is the case regardless of whether we are discussing a society that aims to secure certain levels of well-being or a society that aims to protect certain kinds of rights.

The divide is not between “egoistic individualists” and “altruistic collectivists.” It is rather between immature, anti-social, or sociopathic “egoistic individualists” who obsess with those terms and labels in order to signal immaturity, anti-sociality, and sociopathy, and “egoistic individualists” who understand that their enlightened self-interest lies in maintaining a certain kind of social order which requires placing limits on their behavior so that others might do the same in order to secure greater shared, lasting benefits for all within a flourishing social commons. The differences lie in what kinds of “altruism” we request from those around us, and are willing to submit to ourselves, in order to obtain what type of social collective to live within. The differences lie not in whether we propose a social contract, but rather to what terms we’re willing to submit in order to reap which societal gains.

One benefit of framing this issue in a better way is that it makes it clearer that there is no objectively, universally correct answer to these questions: different people are going to be willing (or unwilling) to sacrifice different kinds of things in order to create different kinds of communities, not to mention the fact that different people are going to have what it takes to build particular kinds of communities more so than others. Ironically, Austrian-style libertarian proponents of the “subjective theory of value” should be the most inclined to understand this: different people put different values on having different kinds of “rights” protected, thus achieving different kinds of outcomes – including when it comes to economics.

Allowing for the creation of communities possessing a relatively large degree of “authoritarianism” within, and a relatively large degree of freedom from interference without, is the only way to even begin to move in the direction of allowing a meaningful form of “diversity” to flourish once again in the world. When it comes down to it, we are all “authoritarians” by someone else’s lights; if given the option, we would all impose by force the sort of society we would prefer to live in over others, namely those who hold preferences different from ours and would likewise impose theirs by force over us. As Jack Donovan puts it, “violence is golden.” And this is no less true for someone like Ayn Rand than they are for the Social Justice Warrior. Of course, in the end, the consistent Stirnerian “egoist” would likely have trouble finding any community which desires his presence unless he effectively converts to some practical philosophy other than “egoism” as such. This, in the end, is why politics is more susceptible to the bias of tribal emotions than science, philosophy, or other fields: the first task of any real “political philosophy” is to define a community – and then, to negotiate terms. Those who deliberately eschew the very notion of community, or else are removed from or simply lack the capacity to demonstrate their value to one, therefore have no place in any “political” realm. And it’s very likely that this explains why Stirner’s so-called “union of egoists” has never manifested and why anarchists have so rarely built any meaningful organizations in the real world (though there have been a few), and why even organizations such as the Libertarian Party have only been marginally more successful.

Our first task then, if we want to become a serious movement, is literally to create communities. Forming authentic, spontaneous networks of personal relationships is to creating a political movement as tilling soil is to creating a garden: it is the prerequisite for building the foundation out of which everything else will ultimately be grown. Then, we must draw clear boundaries regarding what it is we are asking from those who want to join our ranks, and what we have to offer them if they’re willing to meet our requirements. The stronger our communities become, and the greater the standards of loyalty and cooperation we can maintain between ourselves, the more compelling our offers will become. These are the standards to keep in mind when outsiders dox, harass, or otherwise attempt to pit us against one another. We’ve grown substantially stronger recently by demonstrating to outsiders how ready the Left is to “eat its own,” as we see when the various special interest groups attempt to form coalitions, only to turn against each other when one trespasses on the perceived territory of another; for example, when “anti-racists” condemn “feminists” as harshly as they condemn any other perceived racist for their emphasis on combating the abuse and rape of women among blacks.

If we want to be able to make better offers as a community to ordinary people than the Left, and to continue to grow through the authentic and spontaneous evolution of our sphere of influence, then we need to do everything in our power to make sure that this critique doesn’t become applicable to us.

  • Nemon

    There is a distinction which is being missed here (whether intentional on Rand’s part or not). Class and state are products of certain forms of economic and political organization. Race is an organic factor. One can abolish the state or revolutionize the classes. But race will still be there as long as the genes exist. Even if only one White person lived on the planet, that individual would still be White.

    In any event, if Objectivism opposes collectivism, then there ought to be an Objectivist critique of the various race-based leftist identity groups, especially given their rent-seeking behaviors. When was the last time that Objectivists went after, say, the NAACP on anything more than a perfunctory note? It’s easy enough to attack White identity politics as “barnyard collectivism” because that is the Establishment position, and because White people in America are not organized as a racial group. But to attack, say, “diversity” programs or affirmative action would lead to a firestorm of resistance from the non-White collectives as well as, perhaps, egregious violations of the non-aggression principle on the latter’s part.

    The practical result of the cited statement is to serve as a check on Whites organizing for their own self-interests. This is not to say there is no value in Rand’s advocacy of the individual. We might posit the heroic White man/woman of the mind, building a fantastic new civilization. But that brings back the racial-group factor, doesn’t it?


Hello kitty!

Found this very detailed pattern.

I added one round to make it squared, did the sides with dc and the top and bottom with tc.

I am planning a baby blanket and a small purse for the big sister (who loves hello Kitty)


Abhishake Yadav Abhishake Yadav - 8 months ago 66
Bash Question

using sqlite3 in for loop in shell script gives error

Need to query a certain value from each file in a directory and put it in a file. I use the code:

ls -lrt | grep -w "458752" | awk '{print $9}' | sort -V > list

for linename in cat list

/d/home/alima0152/Desktop/sqlite3 $linename "select trace_count from volume"; >> trc_count

rm list

But I get this error:

file is encrypted or is not a database

This code is trying to open the files cat and list.

To execute something and insert its output, use `...` or $(...):

for linename in $(cat list)


As a medievalist from the nouveau riche city-state of Singapore, I rarely need to be reminded how irrelevant my chosen subject can be to the average person on the street. Medieval history can often resemble a weathered castle high up on a hill – looming, majestic and probably important once upon a time, but largely meaningless to the passing observer lacking any specialised knowledge. When my contemporaries consider anything from the 1980s ‘old’ and when the study of history itself is being pushed increasingly to the sidelines in favour of more ‘practical’ subjects, I have a difficult time convincing anyone that my love for medieval history is not a waste of energy. The problem is compounded further since the Anglo-Saxon period belongs to that primordial chaos of European history broadly tarred as ‘The Dark Ages’. Too early for knights yet too late for Rome, the word ‘Anglo-Saxon’ is more widely used as a racial signifier for the people of Britain and America than a defined historical period. And an inhabitant of a post-colonial nation studying ‘Anglo-Saxon history’ can sound more than a little traitorous to his countrymen.

It is hoped that this site will contribute to the wider efforts to transform attitudes towards the Anglo-Saxon period. We cannot risk going about our usual business as academic historians, bickering over interpretations and schools of thought between themselves while very little of this information is transmitted beyond the realm of academia. With recent belt-tightening measures hurting funding across the humanities, we are at risk of devouring each other like starving prisoners in a dank dungeon fighting bitterly over the last piece of stale bread that will do little to rescue us from our collective doom. A jailbreak is in order, and it is hoped that this blog will contribute to the wider efforts to make the Anglo-Saxon period accessible to the non-specialist in the way that, say, Roman history or the two world wars have captured the imagination of the public. Evidently, I betray my youthful exuberance and idealism, but better to have tried and failed than not to have tried at all.


Just Decide Already

It all leads to the same place.

If you never had to make a tough decision again, would it lessen the quality of your life? If you could turn back the hands of time and re-choose your choices, would it serve you in the long run? Does the famed and extremely comforting idea of “keeping our options open” actually provide us with any solace?

The ideas behind these questions were spurred from an article a friend shared on Facebook.  It focuses on the idea that reversible decisions are less conducive to happiness than decisions we stand behind. The article touches on psychosomatic concepts describing how the mind can adapt to any given situation, making the present situation the best possible outcome. On the other hand, keeping your options open creates an endless query of uncertainty. This unknowable outcome produces stress, distraction, and ultimately unhappiness.

Deciding to not to decide is one of the worst decisions to make. I know this from experience.

My life circa summer 2009.

The mother lode of life-altering choices came to me just after graduating college in Southern California. I had been in a ridiculously long-distance relationship with a woman from halfway across the world. For most of my entire senior year, I was hell bent on leaving everything I ever knew behind and transforming myself into an Argentine. As the months drew closer and summer approached, I crossed paths with an old fling that never really took off. Well, needless to say, it began to take off.

I was stuck in the middle of two roads and time was running out. On top of this, I felt horrible. I tried to deny the problem and enjoy the moment, but behind every action, was a thousand pounds of guilt. I will never understand how men can be proud of cheating. Anyways that is another story.

I had a decision to make. I could clearly see down each path and they were as opposite as day and night. To make matters worse, I decided to keep both doors open as long as I could. I would have been better off trying to eat soup with a fork. Not only was I unsuccessful, but I had changed my mind about 100 times a day. The stress was building and I could no longer decipher what I actually wanted. I felt responsible for the lives of three people, and I was blowing it on every account.

Not exactly effective.

It finally began to be too much, to the point of breaking down. I didn’t remember who I was. I felt like I had a growing lump of coal burning a whole through my stomach. I knew I was afraid to leave my family and the life I had known for years, so I decided to stay in California.

As soon as I made this decision, the weight lifted. I became a new born soul, ready to live up to my choice. I had not an ounce of proof that the choice I made was correct, but I had all the time in the world to prove it. Within the first two weeks, I had already chosen to see how beautiful my life was going to be and how unfitting it would have been had I chosen the other direction. My mind was adapting to my new reality.

The choices in life do not matter as much as we lead our selves to believe. Surely, there are some decisions where a definite yes or no is understood, but in the more ambiguous choices, the most important factor is commitment. Once committed, we can begin to fulfill our decisions.

The part that we most often do not understand is that the illusion of choice—the idea that one path will lead us to something different than the other—holds us back from moving forward. In any given decision, the outcome will equate to the same result. This may be difficult to understand, especially in the example I have given between Argentina and California, but when you decide to change the focus from the decision at hand to the person deciding, a different story unfolds.

Oh the choices!

Although the choices may look different, the one deciding them is the same. Any decision made will reflect the state of the person deciding. So whether I choose to move to Argentina or stay in California, I will attract exactly what I am already attracting. This is not to say that once I have lived in either place I will not have different experiences, but in the moment of choice, either decision will bring forth the same exact result. The choice at hand is a product of who I was in the past. In this light, the decision has already been made.

It is not choosing the correct path that is required, but choosing a path. All paths are correct. This is the same concept behind spirituality. Every spiritual practice is valid. There are infinite ways to reach Enlightenment/God/Satori/etc. It is not the path you choose, but the fervor for which you traverse it.

So choose. And stay committed. Don’t look back and steady on. The path you are on is correct because you are on it. There is no judgement, only progression or stagnation. Move forward and you will reach your goal.

The key to happiness is commitment.

Unlock the door.

Why My Diet is Better Than Yours

Here’s an article of mine that just went up on elephantjournal.com

One reason: Because it’s mine.

Click here for the full article.

The Language of Food

If you’ve ever listened to a banana, it probably didn’t say anything to you.  If it did, then you most likely don’t need to read this blog as you’re much beyond the subversive language of food (that or you’re high as a kite).  However, for the rest of us, learning to understand the meaning of food is a much more subtle task.

Most people eat food.  In fact, I’m positive that almost everyone—save those breezy breatharians—eats something.  Usually the process involves chewing, swallowing, and then a mad dash back to the crazy schedule of life.  The intention of food is thus focused on sustenance: energy needed to get through the day.  This is certainly one quality of food.  Yet there exists other unnoticed meanings of food that transcend physical health and speak to the greater tenants of existence.

Can’t get enough of that air flavored ice cream

It’s mid-December and in the world of academia, its time to start handing in final papers.  So for the last month, I have been absorbing as much information pertaining to food and its relationship to the human experience as possible.  I have found an enormous amount of knowledge that defines food as a means of communication; a form of language.  Most commonly understood, food can relay messages of culture, nature, society, the individual, and the greater world.  Where the discourse falls short is about foods capacity to express the language of the universe.

Food as the universe?  What?  How could my shy, little banana possibly tell me something about the universe? Well, in Vedic philosophy it goes like this: food is the embodiment of the Self (macro) and in its relationship to the human self (micro) it can reveal the tendencies of the ultimate reality.  Now to those of you peeking behind that banana peel looking for equation of the unified field, put the down the banana and read this quote:

God permeates the soul just as oil permeates a sesame seed ~Vasudev from the Upanishad

Vasudev was the father of Krishna, seen here being an awesome dad.

This small quote carries an epic message: as is the food, so is the thought. Or more specifically, as is the food, so is the universal human experience. In its complete, holistic nature, food reveals our perfection.  Just as a bruised banana embodies the universe, the imperfect soul is an expression god.  The language of food can be heard through its simple, yet perfected existence.

The human experience is a reflection of the universal experience.  Everything in existence is a reflection of truth, meaning there are no differences.  To quote Bob Marley, “One love, one heart, one destiny.”  And one food.

So if everything in the universe can speak this language, how is food any different from the rest? Well, because the food we eat becomes a vibrational AND physical part of us.

Just like sound current affects one’s frequency, food can affect one’s consciousness.  That means that choosing between an industrially farmed triple-sized BigMac and an organically grown, home-cooked vegetarian meal is certainly going to have an impact on the way you think.  Mental clarity, perception, mood, and communication are just a few of the areas affected by food.  And not only does food influence our thoughts, but it controls our physical bodies.  Responsible for creating matter, dictating health, and supplying nutrition, food—unlike any other object in the universe—becomes a material part of us.  It is truly the connection between the tangible and the intangible.

Doesn’t this mean you’d want to eat food that is of the highest universal vibration?  I’d surely think so.  That means that banana you were just having a one-sided conversation with should probably be an organic one. It also means that food treated like a commodity, infused with the stress of commercial kitchens, or devoid of anything resembling nature should be avoided.  Well, I shouldn’t say that.  Instead, I suggest if you want to achieve a greater cosmological existence, you should strive to eat better food.  Otherwise, do as you please.  The inorganic banana judges no one.


Investment Philosophy    A Speculators Dream     Market Commentary     Commodities Investing

               Blue Chip Equities     Portfolio Management      Forex Trading      Property Market Analysis

Investment is without a doubt the 2nd most important aspect of your personal life after your career. We can apply the term Investment broadly in the sense that its giving time, talent or energy towards the achievement of some purpose. This might include a business, stocks, perhaps even self improvement and health, in as much as these are activities that extend our lives. I will deal with the broader implications in this blog, and here I will restrict myself to the art of money making.

The great importance I place on investment rests on the premise that 'money makes money' and if you take an average salary of $60,000, after 10 years of savings, you might well be making as much money on your investments as your primary income. Depending on your career advancement, the prospects for your investment portfolio might look even brighter than your career prospects. The implication is that if you manage your money well you might be able to retire after 15 years of work.

This is however a hard call. Your capacity to make money depends on so many factors. I will expand on these points in more detail, however your capacity to make money depends on:

1. Knowledge - Your capacity to find investments that offer higher yields or capital growth is critical. There is a misconception that risk is inversely weighted to reward, but this ignores the fact that risk is a element of knowledge management, so risk is not equal. Thus the market value for risky investments is lower for a technician than a layperson.

2.Investment strategy - If you want to make money you can't haphazardly throw money at the market like its a crap game. You need a strategy based on evidence and the knowledge you are accumulating. It goes without saying tha your yields should improve over time due to developing expertise and growth in your asset base.

3.Market timing - Its easier to expand your wealth during periods of economic expansion and easier to loose it during periods of economic contraction.

4.Investment psychology - Some people might have a great knowledge and an excellent strategy, but they are unable to convert their strategy into action. Basically the state of their psychology prevents them from executing their plan, or their psychology undermines their outcomes. Their psychology might be motivated by self-righteousness (validation), or a fear response.

Take a look at the links above to discover some of the investment strategies and tools I use for investing purposes.

There are several types of analysis that I employ to assess the different markets.

1. Fundamental Analysis

I use my knowledge of geology, mining engineering, metals and energy to make investments in mining stocks and commodities. This bottom-up approach to fundamentals involves estimates of future mining revenues or earnings.

2. Technical Analysis

I use my knowledge of charts to identify trends, as well as support & resistance levels. Understanding candle sticks is another useful tool I use.

3. Economic Analysis

I use a top-down fundamentals analysis to get a picture of the future direction of the market, starting with the bond market, then looking at property, equities, retail spending and commodities.


Odireleng Martin Ntwaeaborwa

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Bluish-green photoluminescence from calcium 8-hydroxyquinolate (Caq2) powder, synthesized by a co-precipitation route, and a blended Caq2:PMMA thin film is reported. The film was obtained by mixing the Caq2 powder with PMMA (Polymethylmethacrylate) in a chloroform solution. X-ray diffraction analyses confirm the formation of the Caq2 powder and thin film.(More)
Terbium-doped gadolinium orthovanadate (GdVO4 :Tb(3+) ), orthophosphate monohydrate (GdPO4 ·H2 O:Tb(3+) ) and orthovanadate-phosphate (GdV,PO4 :Tb(3+) ) powder phosphors were synthesized using a solution combustion method. X-Ray diffraction analysis confirmed the formation of crystalline GdVO4 , GdPO4 ·H2 O and GdV,PO4 . Scanning electron microscopy images(More)
This paper reports on the sonochemical synthesis of zinc oxide (ZnO) nanophosphors (NPr) at different ultrasonication times (5 min, 30 min, 1h, 5h, 10h and 15 h) for near white light emission applications. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy indicated that the O1s peak consists of two components. These were O1 (ZnO) and O2 (deficient oxygen; OH groups) centred(More)


Dr Andile Dube

Director: Youth programmes, loveLife

Andile Dube has always been driven by one question: "How do we break the cycle of poverty?� When she considered how she broke her own cycle, she realised it was through education. After completing a BPead, a BEd and an MA in environment and development Dube obtained her PhD in 2011 with a thesis on "Primary School Drop-Outs and Their Re-Entry into School�. Her interest in youth development started in 1995 when she volunteered as a tutor and mentor at a home for former street children. Today, as director for youth programmes at loveLife, Dube understands that "the youth make up 50% of our population, but many of them never make the transition from childhood to adulthood�. In her experience, integrated youth development programmes are the only way to help them to become contributing members of society. After all, if she was able to break the cycle, why can't others do the same? � Vuvu Vena

Twitter: @andiledube


Recent Post

September 14, 2013

Essay on Good Socio Economic System

A good socio-economic system
In order to understand and come up with a good socio-economic system, one must return to the philosophical and ethical foundations of the soioeconomic structure. It should be pointed out that in any context be it organization or a country, the economic activities are an expression of prevailing economic systems that also mirrors the manners, customs, traditions and all ethical and cultural features of the society.
So basically these manners, customs, traditions, and ethical traits (social philosophy) that we analyze are always likely to pose serious problems to the formation of a good socio-economic system. The economic behavior of individuals is primarily a cultural behavior, obeying a certain number of rules and ethical principles.

  The economic system should be in harmony with the cultural system based on ethics such as social philosophy and world view, sanctifying human life and guided primarily by the quest for social justice, harmony between individuals (love). Thus, truth, love, and justice shape up a good socio-economic system. They are the centerpiece.(Richard, 1995)
            In its economic system, indeed, isolation and individualism should be excluded as the man should only be part of a social harmony. The individuals treated fairly according to their behavior and roles in the society will lead to a situation in which they will live in harmony with each other and the environment and nature. The system of general and special education should be imbued with the general collectivism based on the principle of love, equality, and justice. The strong and influential people should assist those weak and resource less.  That is to say that the basis for productive activity and relationships that develop between individuals as a result of the process of production, exchange, is not the purpose of winning an absolute maximum, as in the capitalist system, but the purpose of gaining compatibility with the preservation of the material life of all members of society. This aim, which derives from the sacredness of human life, does not mean that the pursuit of gain is prohibited; only that it must be compatible with the requirements of preservation of the material life of all members of society and must be subject to these requirements.

            This is one of the cornerstones of the organization of a good socio-economic development. For example, the hereditary caste occupation should be intended to mitigate competition and to guarantee every individual the means of subsistence, to correct the injustices of natural selection during the "struggle for life": the strong must not crush the weak, to correct social injustice in general, secure life.(David, 1991)
The ethical treatment of economic system should not result in the absolute rejection of such a system and its implementation should lead to the rule of dictatorship or the monopoly of certain corporation as we have seen in today’s globalized and highly capital-centric world.

   Indeed, the ethical foundation of western capitalism is the natural order (natural law   : understanding natural selection) and individualism: each individual must seek his own interests, and doing it that individuals are
more useful to each other and to the whole society, if one believes the capitalist ideology. So it's "every man for himself and God for all" also the initiative and responsibility of the individual rise to the level of moral justification that everyone can pursue the goal of absolute maximum gain. This economic system is finally characterized by the cult of competition and therefore emulation. That is why economists call it a free market economy. (George, 1970)

            Thus, the pre-colonial African economic system and the capitalist economic system was based on two Western cultures, social philosophies and world views. However, they coexisted within black African society today.However, although black Africans today are torn between the two systems under consideration, the pattern remains the dominant cultural system of precolonial African economic system even though it is more or less altered. For this reason, it is in the provisions of this socio-economic organization to look for the primary source of a number of current problems of the society.

The socio-economic that we adopt must have an inherent ability to strike the balance between the rich and the opulent, also the order, justice and security should characterized the socio- economic system. These characteristics undoubtedly reflect the success of the economic and social model.
   However, some of the mechanisms on which it is based, among which the caste system of hereditary occupations and philosophical foundations, tend to condemn the decline of any socio-econmic system sooner or later. Unquestionably, however, the organization in hereditary caste occupations should be accompanied by the principle of mutual assistance, support from the strong to weak, correcting the injustices of the natural order and secure life.
To some degree, in fact, insecurity, anxiety, uncertainty and the vagaries of the near and distant future and so on can still exist and may not be fully eliminated. But it should be made sure that the wretched individuals in the society should be supported by others and they must have nothing to fear for their lives. The reverse, however, can have adverse effects giving way to different sources of problems. It should at all costs be ensured that the people are treated farily and justly. The downtrodden people should not be compelled to suffer from the gross injustices taking place due to the economic inequity. Welfare state should come into place through the imnplementation of the socio-economic system.

    Indeed, securing life completely, eliminating the anguish caused by hazards, uncertainty of the future, the assistant to the weak and strong mutual support eventually eliminates future concerns of the less privileged people of the society. They now have very little concern for the future, and make very few expectations on their socio-economic development of medium and long term and remain concerned with the present time where the life of poo continues to move in the right direction.
The hereditary caste occupation, because it leads to create an economy and society of monopolies, should be suppressed ensuring that competition is one of the fundamental factors of progress, understood that push forward the economy and society.Every man should have an equal opportunity to excel in the society irrespective of his caste, creed, and social status.
Thus, in the long term, over the centuries and millennia, with education resulting from this monopoly environment, jealousy and envy will replace the emulator and start to gradually erode the company: the behavior will then become : when you do better than me I'll try to stop you from advancing, rather than trying to overcome you. The remnants of such monopolistic behavior that is a veritable tomb of development are only too visible in the black African societies today.

 Slavery affects historically the most vulnerable populations and children first. The fate of the abandoned child and often led to slavery in Mesopotamia and later in Greece and Rome.
In the past two ancient civilizations, the exhibition right authorized the abandonment of a child, usually before a public building, a temple for example. The foster child was subject to the whim of his benefactor and rarely could escape slavery.
When he was not abandoned, the child may also be sold. Contracts of sale of children, dating from the Third Dynasty of Ur, that the practice appeared to be widespread among civilizations. The slavery has now changed its form and shape in modern day setting.
Debt bondage is a way to repay a debt by providing direct work rather than money or property.
 Often leading to forced labor, bonded labor is equated to slavery in many countries and by certain international conventions, particularly with regard to child labor.
  The system of bonded labor still exists today, although officially banned in national legislation in India has abolished debt bondage in 1975, under the leadership of Indira Gandhi and Pakistan passed a law to that effect in 1992, yet these remain poorly enforced laws.
 It is found especially in Nepal with the Kamaiya system in Nepal in such systems, parents may place a child at 7 or 8 years to work at the factory to get a loan or pay off debts.
The best known examples of bonded labor are Nepal, Pakistan and India in the latter country, the practice is widespread in agriculture and industries of the cigarette, or silk carpets, and especially for the Dalits.
 Debtors, regardless of the country, are frequently the poorest ethnic minorities, lower castes, landless peasants. One study examined the lives of thousands of children working in carpet industry and described
Kidnapped, displaced or placed by their parents for small sums of money. Most of them are being held captive, tortured and forced to work 20 hours a day without a break.
These small children must squat on their toes, from dawn to dusk each day, severely handicapping their growth. Social activists in this area are unable to work because of control close to that of a mafia exercised by the managers of weaving.
Other similar situations are found in Brazil with sugar cane plantations and charcoal. In 1993, children aged 4 had been delayed at work in cotton farms in Paraná.
  The modern form of slavery in form of child labor is detrimental to the socio-economic system and must be abolished forcefully in order to come up with a good socio-economic system where the child is treated as child not as a source of income or debt.

Richard Bonney (1995), Economic Systems and State Finance, 680 pp.
David W. Conklin (1991), Comparative Economic Systems, Cambridge University Press, 427 pp.
George Sylvester Counts (1970), Bolshevism, Fascism, and Capitalism: An Account of the Three Economic Systems.

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Personality Test

This morning some coworkers and I started discussing personality tests. There was one in
particular that takes your personality result and goes a step further to explain how the corresponding traits affect relationships with coworkers, friends, and family. In was interesting to read this article that, very accurately, described myself. There were a couple things that it didn't cover, but what test will after only 60 questions?
But there was more, it also had corresponding articles about how that personality functions in relationships with coworkers, family, and friends. It even gave tips on what to work on to strengthen the weaknesses inherent to my results.
It just added a certain, new level of self-awareness, pin-pointing those tendencies that I hadn't quite given a name to yet.

All this to say that being self aware is very important. I can be super pumped and ready to go out and share the gospel but if I am unaware of how I am being perceived, I could accidentally be coming across totally wrong. Self awareness is important for interactions with people we meet everyday and how we are perceived as believers. Knowing what my tendencies are, socially, allows me to use my strengths and know how to combat my weakness so that I am being interpreted as the Christ loving person I try to be.


Yudit Tiery Ecsedy

Yudit Ecsedy (neé Judit Tiery) was born on December 24, 1942 in Budapest, Hungary. Her parents were both part of the Budapest intelligentsia and her father worked for the U.S. company Price Waterhouse. Because they knew they would be penalized under the communist regime that would likely take over after WWII, her family fled the country. Although she was just a toddler, Yudit recalls a fear-filled time living in German refugee camps for 5 years before they were admitted to the United States as displaced persons in 1949.

In Germany, her father, who spoke 8 languages fluently, was the president of the association of Hungarian refugee university students. Their initial plans were that they would return home once the Russians left Hungary. When that no longer seemed likely and the Iron Curtain began to descend on Eastern Europe, Yudit's family emigrated to the United States.

Once in the United States, Yudit's family lived first in New York and then the New Brunswick, New Jersey area and became actively involved in Hungarian life there. Yudit recalls being hopeful in 1956 during the revolution, and then translating for the Hungarian refugees who fled the country after the revolution was crushed. Meeting the young revolutionaries, she was inspired to write a speech for her public speaking class in 1956 - a speech that won awards at a number of public speaking competitions around the state.

In 1961, because of her father's work, her family moved to Palm Springs, California. There, Yudit completed her university studies in English and art history. She became an artist, community organizer and mother of four - an inspiring member of both her Hungarian and American communities. She currently lives in Desert Hot Springs with her husband, Árpád Ecsedy, who was a freedom fighter in 1956.

Interview conducted by Andrea Lauer Rice and Réka Pigniczky in Desert Hot Springs, California in April of 2016.

Other videos from
the Visual Archive


Doble Kara

This is the story of Sarah and Kara (both played by Julia Montes), twin sisters who grows up in a happy family despite being poor. However, when Kara is diagnosed of leukemia, the twins’ mother is forced to separate the two and give Kara to her real father because they don’t have the money for her treatments. What will Sarah and Kara do when fate brings them back together after many years? How will the sisters’ relationship change after they grew up having different lives?

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We'll be blogging about health, beauty,natural cleaning methods, natural beauty secrets and natural living.  With a focus on the environment and healthy living.

disease 'cold spots' and how to live a healthier life

Daphne Miller M.D in her book The Jungle Effect examines "the healthiest diets from around the world". Rather then focusing on hot spots - a community “where there is an unusually high number of people suffering from a particular disease.” Daphne Miller went on a exploration of  cold spots -  “a place or community where there are an unusually low number of people suffering from a particular disease.”

After mapping out many cold stops throughout the world, Daphne Miller then went on to discover what may have led to these cold spots. She travels to remote areas and focuses in on the local diet and lifestyle that she feels has attributed to these cold spots.  Her book is readable and insightful with easy to follow recipes to bring those healthful diets home.


Monday, August 23, 2010

Your Well-being Is Your Responsibility

Concern with well-being has been with man kind for as long as we remember. However, the definition of well-being and how we generate it and who is responsible, however, has changed over time.

There was a time when people left the responsibility of one’s well being to their clan, their community and believed that if all was well with the community or clan, their well-being was taken care of as also the reverse; i.e. if they had a sense of well-being with themselves, then the community as a collective also had a sense of well-being with itself. Often in such diffused state, individual’s sense of well being had to be sacrificed at the alter of the collective well being.

Then came a time when we were told that a sense of well being came with who you are in your roles that your establish with the world at large – be it in the family, at work, in the world and wherever else. If we maintained the balance in the relationship well, well-being would be guaranteed was the assurance. This created the misbalance that we did not know how to relate to ourselves and to others without the given roles and found a sense of identity only within the given roles. Any sense of well being that came outside the scope of roles were discarded and generated stress.

Today, I believe we are going through a phase in the world, where the basic message that is being passed on to us is that “Your well-being is your responsibility alone”. We are going through a phase when we are individuals first and collective later but unlike the clan or the role era, the collective tells us who we should be and how we should be without taking any responsibility for it.

We are told, nobody else can or will take responsibility of your well -being and hence the individual is to maintain and generate her or his sense of well-being irrespective of the context. So, for instance we keep getting message through ads of chocolate, cars or even bottled water, which generates instant sense of well being even when the situation surrounding the protagonist is potentially fearful, disconnected or stressful. We are also given lessons on positive thinking which would generate well-being but often times some of these messages do not take into account the contextual reality.

However, there is an associated message as well, which is while you are solely responsible for your well being, you must not disturb other people’s well being. This effectively means that not only you have to be continuously aware, competent and rational, you must also remain vigilant that you do not become a source of disturbance for others. On the surface of it, this sounds quite alright; if everyone took responsibility of their well-being, this world will be a happy and peaceful place. The problem occurs when remaining vigilant and aware at all points of time itself becomes difficult and when such things are simplified to such an extent that they become absolute, like a dogma.

Before I proceed any further, let me clarify that the kind of individuals and context that I am talking about here are largely urban, middle class, above school level and are mostly into employment or business or are professionals. I must also clarify that as a concept I am a great fan of positivity and positive thinking but I do take offence when they are passed on as an absolute reality without taking their context into account.

Let me state a couple of small stories.

Story number one in which a woman who is feeling quite direction less in her life. She is in her mid thirties, holds a responsible job and is intelligent, caring, perceptive and competent. The sense of confusion and directionlessness comes partly from her past history of stressful relationships and partly from her work context where she is new and is trying to find her feet. Despite her best efforts, she often finds herself on the verge of losing control over her emotions, falls sick quite often without any associated disease and ends up taking decisions that she regrets later on. In this situation, more often than not, she receives advice from her near and dear ones both at work as also from her personal context that she needs to sort herself out and only if she could do that, i.e. go to a therapist, practice yoga, take care of herself, has better routine, all such problems will be taken care of and things will come back to normal. This woman, despite doing all of the above, finds herself at the same crossroad and then starts doubting her sense of worth.

And what does the context do, while she stands on her head trying to “sort herself out?” Her mother who is critical, gets hyper critical about this woman’s problems out of her own anxiety, her boyfriend stays away from her because he was unable to handle her emotional upheavals, her work context demands the same amount of attention, care, concern and competence from her irrespective of her situation and they all pass on this message to her that “please stay away from us, take care of your situation and come back to us as a “functional” person as we are unable to take care of your dysfunctionality. We however, wish you well and are willing to bear the cost of your medical bills, will hire a counselor for your or even help you find a yoga teacher, offer you gymming facility, etc, etc. This in turn increases this woman’s low sense of self worth and pushes her to the brink further and further.

The context in this case, would hardly ever look at reducing some of the stress causing factors that may contribute to her lack of well being, e.g. her mother becoming less critical, her boyfriend’s hyper sensitivity to her emotional outbursts, her work context not demanding her to be always sensible, rational and fair, etc, etc.

Story number two is a multinational organisation where higher and higher responsibility, ownership and performance are demanded from the employees. The employees don’t mind, they see this as a rightful demand on the part of the organisation in return of the money, status, position, learning and value that are being provided to them by the organisation.

So far, so good- Right? Wrong. In a situation like this most of the time the employees would not know what to do with the stress and tension that they carry for a context that is ever changing, highly competitive and very demanding. One can of course argue that this is the way of the world and that people who come for this kind of work have made a choice. However my point here is not about the choice but whether just by making a choice, the responsibility of the generating well being becomes an individual responsibility or is it both? After all, if the context learns to take care of its inhabitants, the context generates its own well being as well. However, most of the time, organisations such as these would term such stresses as symptoms of lack of work life balance problem and would organize training programs to take care of such anomalies without making the slightest difference to the internal environment which is tipping off the balance continuously. Alternately the context usually not question the value frames from where such stressors are originating and whether they are an absolute must for the “development” and “progress” of the context.

Therefore it is not surprising that often who we are and who we should be are defined and dictated by the popular media and even when we hear a heart breaking story of a model taking her own life, it often comes in the garb of how her professional life created this stress and how does one stay away from the stress through individual effort while the context goes away scot free in the name of being a “high stress” industry.

The opposite is also true, i.e. there are individuals and groups who would never look at how they are contributing to the stress of the context and would demand that the context makes all the changes while they retain all their dysfunctional habits and patterns in relation to the context.

Till such time both the individuals and context look at each other as integral part of each other and that this relationship is not just contractual (work context), or societal (family, relationships), but are complimentary to each other and one will not survive without the other, but at the same time one can not subsume the other, this confusion and stress will continue to haunt us.

On a different take, why is a constant state of well being so important? What is wrong with unhappiness, struggle, sadness, confusion, anger, grief and lack of well being? Aren’t some of these great mobilisers for new path, new directions and new action choices? May be this calls for another post, later!

What do you think and feel about your well being?

Thursday, August 12, 2010

I will be out for the weekend and I realised how much am I going to miss my blog and my blogger friends.

If I look back at the last couple of months, I can see how many wonderful  and talented people I have met in the blogosphere.  People who write about varied subjects, people who are as different from me as cheese and chalk, people who have very similar interests in life as me, people who have known me differently and now also are my blog buddies and are co bloggers.  The experience has been extremely rich and rewarding.

There are so many blogs that I love reading and keep going back to get my fill every day;  some of which are: - for lovely and soulful poems - for great animation and humour - a wonderfully written blog for tips and tricks hosted by warm and friendly Jean Sarauer. - for touching and inspiring posts hosted by a very compassionate Corinne. - again a very well written helpful and friendly blog hosted by wonderful Barbara - for a humorous yet vibrant landscaping of a woman's life - posts on varied subjects coming straight from the heart of a passionate person.

Many many other such ones are part of my blog roll that I visit every day to laugh, to think, to feel inspired, to feel touched, to act, to respond .... and everyday is a new experience.

I have received responses to my posting in many different ways, some helpful tips, some friendly pats,  some kind comments, some helpful critiques, silent but regular visitors ...  All these make me want to write more.

I have learnt from my friends about blog etiquette, about various techniques and tools that I can use, about what it means to be a blogger and why do we write and about passion, rigour, commitment and focus.  I am so grateful and appreciative of all my friends who comment, who visit and who teach me to be a better person and a blogger every day.

What about you?  how's your experience of connecting in the blogosphere?

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Wordless Wednesday - Monsoon!

Lazy afternoon
monsoon in Kolkata, India
Right after a heavy shower!

Sunday, August 08, 2010

Where do we go from here?

Looking forward to hearing from you.  What do you think?


Tuesday, June 3, 2014

Common Core IRL: Colonial America books to read aloud (grades 1-6)

Welcome back for the latest installment of Common Core IRL (In Real Libraries), a blog hop featuring outstanding librarians and bloggers Mary Ann Scheuer at Great Kid Books, Alyson Beecher at Kit Lit Frenzy, and Cathy Potter and Louise Capizzo at The Nonfiction Detectives. Our goal: to provide examples of and facilitate thinking about what the Common Core State Standards look like in real libraries.

This month, we're visiting the topic of Colonial America. To cover this topic to the best of our abilities, resources for a variety of ages and uses will be on the following blogs:

Children across the United States usually encounter basic information about Colonial America when they learn about the First Thanksgiving, usually in preschool or in kindergarten. More in-depth learning, however, takes place in the older elementary years, when students encounter a (hopefully) more nuanced historical perspective. By supplementing this factual learning with historical fiction read alouds, children can engage in a deeper understanding of the time period and what it was like to be a Colonial American.

I've divided the read aloud titles discussed in this post into two age ranges: grades 1-3, and grades 4-6.

Younger Read Alouds (grades 1-3):

Anne Hutchinson's Way by Jeannine Atkins, pictures by Michael Dooling (Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 2007)
     This picture book conveys the story of Anne Hutchinson and her family, Puritans who arrived in the colonies only to experience further religious persecution. Anne had strict religious beliefs about inclusiveness, rights of all community members to preach, and non-violence, for which she was ultimately banished from colonial Boston. The story is based on the life of the real Anne Hutchinson and her family.
     Anne's perspective on faith and what is right is clearly very different from male colonial lawmakers, and the story provides opportunities to connect to standard RL.3.3, which focuses on describing characters and how their traits and actions contribute to what happens in the story.

Pilgrim Cat by Carol Antoinette Peacock (Albert Whitman & Company, 2004)
     This picture book follows a young girl, Faith, as she journeys on the Mayflower and endures the first year at Plymouth Rock, culminating in the First Thanksgiving. She shares the experience with a cat whom she discovers on the Atlantic voyage and names Pounce. Faith and her fellow colonists encounter Samoset and Squanto, Wampanoags who may be familiar to young readers from their previous Thanksgiving lessons.
     The illustrations do much to convey the amount and variety of work that went into staying alive on the journey to and in the new colony, connecting to standard RL.2.7, which emphasizes using information from both words and illustrations to demonstrate understanding of the contents of a text.

Older Read Alouds (grades 4-6):

Our Strange New Land: Elizabeth's Diary, Jamestown, Virginia, 1609 by Patricia Hermes (Scholastic, 2002)
     Part of the "My America" series of fictional first-person historical diaries, this book (and its two sequels) allows readers insight to a young girl's perspective of the day-to-day struggles and new experiences associated with living in Colonial America. A number of historical figures, like John Smith and Pocahontas, make appearances in the storyline, allowing readers to make direct connections to historical facts they learn in social studies lessons.
     The diary format of this book provides ample opportunity to explore pacing in storytelling. This exploration fits with standard RL.5.5, which deals with understanding how a series of chapters (or, in this case, diary entries) creates the structure of a story.

*A note about read alouds on the topic of Colonial America: As I did some research to locate a variety of historical fiction titles that could fit this Common Core IRL topic, I discovered that there is something of a void in this area of literature for children. Most of the books I found were published before 2000, and of these, many were culturally insensitive--a disproportionate number added drama through tales of abduction by Native Americans. While abductions did occur in Colonial America, these texts overwhelmingly depict Native Americans in stereotypical and harmful ways. The majority of the more recent titles I found deal specifically with the American Revolution; while a worthwhile topic on its own, life during the American Revolution was not the same as life during the Colonial period between 1620 and 1775. There is a real dearth of high-quality children's historical fiction set in Colonial America. Given the ubiquity of the topic in school curricula, one would hope that authors and publishers will rectify this lack of sensitive and compelling Colonial America stories.

  1. Thanks for these lists. the thing I don't understand about common core is this- why aren't we seeing textbooks with everything teachers need? Why keep reinventing the wheel? Sure, everyone teaches differently and has pet projects, but why not a standard text that can be supplemented? (Says the former Latin teacher who LOVED her Jenney and Scudder!)

    1. From a marketing standpoint, I agree--it's interesting that we haven't seen textbooks that purport to include everything teachers need. What I like about Common Core, however, is that it plugs into subject and thematic curriculum, regardless of what that curriculum may be. That means students studying the same topic have opportunities to read different books from one another--as opposed to everyone having to read the same thing, which they may or may not enjoy.

      I continue to see how implementation and usage of CCSS evolves.


Australia is second in UN Human Development report

Australia has come in as the second best country in the United Nations' Human Development report measuring improvements in health and longevity, income and education, and personal security.

But, the United Nations says in its annual report that, globally, improvements in life spans, education and incomes are slowing due to natural disasters, misguided government policies and worsening inequality in a world where the 85 richest people have as much wealth as the 3.5 billion poorest people.

With nearly a third of humanity poor or vulnerable to poverty, governments need to put a higher priority on creating jobs and providing basic social services, the United Nations Development Program said in the report, launched in Tokyo on Thursday.

It warned that improvements in longevity, education and income, which are the three main components of the UNDP's influential index of human development, are slowing due to worsening inequality and economic disruptions, to droughts and other natural disasters and to poor government policies. But the agency also said the solutions are not complicated.

"As this report says, it's not rocket science," UNDP head Helen Clark said in an interview before the report's release.

"Where people do address these things, development can come along very, very nicely. Where they haven't addressed a lot of vulnerabilities and development deficits, as in Syria, it all comes spectacularly unstuck."

Eradicating poverty was not just about "getting to zero," Clark said, "but about staying there".

Most people in most countries are doing better than ever before thanks to advances in education, technology and incomes, the report said. But it notes a "widespread sense of precariousness in the world today in livelihoods, the environment, personal security and politics".

Nearly half of all workers are in insecure or informal employment while some 842 million, or about 12 per cent, of all people go hungry, it said.

The report ranks Norway at the top of the Human Development Index, followed by Australia, Switzerland, the Netherlands and the United States. Among Asian countries, Singapore leads at number 9, followed by Hong Kong and South Korea at 15. Despite its lead in longevity, Japan is ranked 17th due to its lower income and schooling measures.

The report reflects the growing conviction among many working in global policymaking and poverty alleviation that the gains made in the late 20th century risk being eroded by climate change, a global "race to the bottom" by big corporations that is forcing more and more workers to live on less and government budgets "balanced on the backs of the poor," said Khalid Malik, a lead author of the report.

The UNDP report, published annually since 1990, is intended to inform and influence policy makers. Governments watch the rankings carefully, and "when they don't do well they put a lot of pressure on us to change the rankings," Malik said.

It cites exhaustive data to illustrate the costs both within countries and on a global scale of growing inequality, at a time when the 85 richest people in the world have as much wealth as the 3.5 billion poorest people.

"Most problems are due to inadequate policies and poor institutions," Malik said. "It's not innate that people have to suffer so much."

Such issues apply not just to the poorest countries but to some of the wealthiest. When the index is adjusted for internal inequalities in health, education and income, some of the wealthiest nations drop out of the UNDP's top 20.

The US falls from 5 to 28 on that list, South Korea drops from 15 to 35, and Japan falls from 17 to 23.

Income support, job creation policies and equitable access to health, education and other services, are investments in "human capital" that can secure faster, more sustainable growth in the long run, the report says.

"If you invest in people, if you upgrade your infrastructure and increase the choices available to all you will have a more stable society," Malik said.


Oral or spoken defamation. Slander is the act of harming one person’s reputation by telling one or more other people something that is untrue about that person.

Libel involves publishing a statement about someone in written form or via broadcast (in the securities industry the publication is on the form U-4 and U-5) that is untrue and would harm the reputation or livelihood of that person.

Libel is considered a civil wrong (tort) and can be the basis of a lawsuit.

Contact Ms. Stoneman if you feel you've experienced slander or libel.

- Stoneman Law (719) 783-0303 Free consultation, Nationwide Representation


Atmospheric Effects on Density

by Flight Learnings

in Aircraft Performance

Effects of Pressure on Density

Since air is a gas, it can be compressed or expanded. When air is compressed, a greater amount of air can occupy a given volume. Conversely, when pressure on a given volume of air is decreased, the air expands and occupies a greater space. That is, the original column of air at a lower pressure contains a smaller mass of air. In other words, the density is decreased. In fact, density is directly proportional to pressure. If the pressure is doubled, the density is doubled, and if the pressure is lowered, so is the density. This statement is true only at a constant temperature.

Effects of Temperature on Density

Increasing the temperature of a substance decreases its density. Conversely, decreasing the temperature increases the density. Thus, the density of air varies inversely with temperature. This statement is true only at a constant pressure.

In the atmosphere, both temperature and pressure decrease with altitude, and have conflicting effects upon density. However, the fairly rapid drop in pressure as altitude is increased usually has the dominant effect. Hence, pilots can expect the density to decrease with altitude.

Effects of Humidity (Moisture) on Density

The preceding paragraphs are based on the presupposition of perfectly dry air. In reality, it is never completely dry. The small amount of water vapor suspended in the atmosphere may be negligible under certain conditions, but in other conditions humidity may become an important factor in the performance of an aircraft. Water vapor is lighter than air; consequently, moist air is lighter than dry air. Therefore, as the water content of the air increases, the air becomes less dense, increasing density altitude and decreasing performance. It is lightest or least dense when, in a given set of conditions, it contains the maximum amount of water vapor.

Humidity, also called relative humidity, refers to the amount of water vapor contained in the atmosphere, and is expressed as a percentage of the maximum amount of water vapor the air can hold. This amount varies with the temperature; warm air can hold more water vapor, while colder air can hold less. Perfectly dry air that contains no water vapor has a relative humidity of zero percent, while saturated air that cannot hold any more water vapor has a relative humidity of 100 percent. Humidity alone is usually not considered an essential factor in calculating density altitude and aircraft performance; however, it does contribute.

The higher the temperature, the greater amount of water vapor that the air can hold. When comparing two separate air masses, the first warm and moist (both qualities making air lighter) and the second cold and dry (both qualities making it heavier), the first must be less dense than the second. Pressure, temperature, and humidity have a great influence on aircraft performance because of their effect upon density. There is no rule-of-thumb or chart used to compute the effects of humidity on density altitude, but it must be taken into consideration. Expect a decrease in overall performance in high humidity conditions.Performance

Performance is a term used to describe the ability of an aircraft to accomplish certain things that make it useful for certain purposes. For example, the ability of an aircraft to land and take off in a very short distance is an important factor to the pilot who operates in and out of short, unimproved airfields. The ability to carry heavy loads, fly at high altitudes at fast speeds, or travel long distances is essential performance for operators of airline and executive type aircraft.

The primary factors most affected by performance are the takeoff and landing distance, rate of climb, ceiling, payload, range, speed, maneuverability, stability, and fuel economy. Some of these factors are often directly opposed: for example, high speed versus short landing distance, long range versus great payload, and high rate of climb versus fuel economy. It is the preeminence of one or more of these factors that dictates differences between aircraft and explains the high degree of specialization found in modern aircraft.

The various items of aircraft performance result from the combination of aircraft and powerplant characteristics. The aerodynamic characteristics of the aircraft generally define the power and thrust requirements at various conditions of flight, while powerplant characteristics generally define the power and thrust available at various conditions of flight. The matching of the aerodynamic configuration with the powerplant is accomplished by the manufacturer to provide maximum performance at the specific design condition (e.g., range, endurance, and climb).

515G+mn0RuL._SX331_BO1,204,203,200_Learn more about aviation weather with Weather Flying by Robert Buck. Regarded as the bible of weather flying, this aviation classic not only continues to make complex weather concepts understandable for even the least experienced of flyers, but has now been updated to cover new advances in technology.

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Computer Lab and STEM Updates

Computer Lab/ STEM Updates

Developing Catholic Stewards, Scholars and Leaders

Interested in helping with the 2016-2017 St. Adelaide Yearbook?  Contact Mrs.Jasso for details

The Computer Lab is a resource available to all students, especially those researching and typing essays.  Keynote is also available for students to work on presentations and visual aids.  Students may make arrangements to come in during lunch or after school.

Internet agreements when home August 25th, please return them by Monday August 29th.

Students will not be allowed to use any web sites or web based programs without a signed internet agreement.

Grades 2nd-8th have a typing speed that need to achieve by the end of the year.

2nd grade-5wpm (words per min)

3rd grade-10 wpm

4th grade- 15 wpm

5th grade- 20wpm

6th grade- 25 wpm

7th grade- 30 wpm

8th grade- 35 wpm

Students practice typing during computer time on Mavis Beacon.

At home students can practice online with Dance Mat Typing

Here is the link for level 1:

Dance Mat Typing- Level 1

Here is a link with all the levels:

Dance Mat Typing

Part of the year long curriculum includes typing speeds, students will be practicing typing in the lab

and are asked to use correct hand placement.

Important Reminder

Honor Roll:  Qualification for Honor Roll is determined by grades in all core subjects, conduct, and Accelerated Reader.

With the use of technology rapidly increasing in education and the workforce,

it is imperative that St. Adelaide students meet the Common Core Standards for Technology.

STEM – Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics

Students in grades 5-8 will experience their first science lab in an investigation projecting the long-term effects of continued drought at California’s largest lake, the Salton Sea. Students will study the plan to stop water replenishment after 2017, and the increase of water exportation from the Imperial Valley, which historically delivers 70% of the lake’s inflows. The students will study the expected problems associated with decreasing shoreline and will formulate hypotheses related to the bird habitat at the lake’s shoreline.  The investigation will incorporate web-based research, mathematical calculations and a somewhat simplistic hands-on lab experience. This work will generate a complete scientific method write-up, which will be an excellent way to begin a year filled with STEM learning.

Welcome to our award-winning Science Fair! The fair is on Tuesday, FEBRUARY 9, 2016.
• Each year, St. Adelaide students choose projects that are very interesting to them and that will be fun to investigate. Most important is how we at Saint Adelaide Academy show the wonder of God in the world around us.
• All students are welcome to enter a project in the fair. These students do not have to write the research report that the Middle School students prepare.
• Students in grades K-4 may work with partners on their project. The fair is optional for these grades.
• All fifth grade students participate in the Science Fair. Fifth graders will work alone on a project.

Where are some good Science Fair ideas?
• Mrs. Pettitt and Mrs. Kluge have many idea books that they will share. Students may check these out for overnight use. We will photocopy the project idea the student is interested in if we are asked to do so. The Highland local library has many good project idea books, too.
• The internet has an endless supply of topics. Please have a parent search the net with the student. This way ideas can be shared before planning begins.
• Projects cannot involve any experiments with animals or humans. Anything dangerous is NOT allowed.

What kind of work is necessary for a Science Fair project?
• First, a PROBLEM needs to be found. This problem is what the project is about. Write the problem as a question.
• Next, a prediction has to be made. This is the HYPOTHESIS. This says what the results of the experiment might be. The hypothesis does not have to be proven correct.
• List the MATERIALS that are needed for the experiment.
• Tell what the PROCEDURE is. That is, tell how the experiment will be conducted.
• What were the results of the experiment? What was found out? This is the data. Tell what OBSERVATIONS were made during the experiment. Use words to tell what happened. Take photos too, if possible. Make nice data charts and graphs to show what happened. Computers make nice charts, but so do hands, paper, and colors.
• Next, analyze the data. This is the ANALYSIS. What does the data mean? Say how the data (findings) agree or disagree with the hypothesis. Is more information needed to prove or disprove the hypothesis?
• CONCLUSION – Briefly tell what was learned from the investigation. Tell how we can use this information in our daily lives. Are there any new questions or problems that need to be investigated?

What goes in the display for the Science Fair?
• The information can go on a simple poster paper sheet. Information sheets can also be placed nicely on the table. If a fancy display board is bought, do not write on it. These can be used over and over again if the information is taped to them.  ****  Mrs. Pettitt has many tri-fold boards available for the science fair. ****
• Nicely tell what the title of the experiment is. Be creative!
• Neatly print all the information described above. A separate sheet for each heading (those in CAPS) is a good way to do this. Using a computer is okay, but neat printing is very nice, too.

What else do I bring to the Science Fair?
• A display of the project is a great way to share the experiment. However, these things cannot be brought in: Living or dead plants, liquids, anything edible or that may be dangerous to children of any age.
• The journal and anything that has information about the project that did not fit on the board.

What happens the day of the Science Fair?
• Before the fair, practice telling people about the project. A judge will listen to you tell about the project. Be able to answer questions!
• Have a good time sharing your knowledge with people!

The project will involve one of these three scientific problem-solving methods: observation, experimentation, or statistical study.

What is observation?
Scientific observation involves listing characteristics or properties that may be identified with the senses. It is a gathering of data by actually observing events or behavior. It is made under natural conditions for best results. It usually involves an observer who observes without the subject being aware of the observation.

What is experimentation?
Experimentation is the testing of an idea to determine its validity. It is demonstrating the truthfulness of a known fact. It is the conducting of tests. All experiments must have a control. Controls are necessary to the experiment because they show what would happen in a given situation if the experiment had not been performed. A control is identical to what is being tested – however, the control is never tested.

What is a statistical study?
Once facts have been gathered, the data must be analyzed for accuracy. This means that the data obtained in the experiments must be legitimate and can be obtained many times under the same conditions. Data should be presented in charts and graphs. A statistical study, therefore,
• is counting something,
• is analyzing the information obtained and making a general statement concerning the information, and
• could be a comparison of numerical information.

How do I record what happens in my project?
• If the project involves things that grow, then measure the growth. Taking pictures is a great way to record data.
• Use a journal (like a diary with dates) to write down everything that happens and everything that was learned with the experiment. Real scientists do this!
• Put all the data (what happens during the experiment) in a chart or graph so everyone can see the results of the experiment. Be sure the chart or graph has a title and tells what was measured.

Water retention of different soils
Composition of sands of various areas
Using a computer for mineral identification
How clean is our air?
How acid is our rain?
Speed of clouds using photography
Effect of wave action on different rocks
Use of feathers to clean up oil spills
Terracing and how it affects erosion
The effects of water on different types of wood
Does a magnetic field affect the growth of beans?
Does electricity affect the growth of beans?
Does temperature affect the growth of beans?
How do plants react to different kinds of music?
How do detergents affect the growth of plants?
Do plants grow better with tap water or distilled water? Why?
The effects of root bounding on plant growth
Do roots always grown down?
Do mirrors affect the way plants grow?
Leaf size versus location
Effects of artificial versus natural light on plants
Under which color cellophane do plants grow best?
Testing different potting soils
Which mulch covering works best?
Does the phase of the moon affect the germination of seeds?
Under which thickness of plastic do radishes grow best?
How does the amount of light affect the growth of marigolds?
Do avocados ripen more evenly with the stems left on?
Which banana has the most sugar – green, yellow, or brown?
Compare the moisture content of various apple types
Does aspirin, soda pop, prolong the life of cut flowers?
Which solution will help cut flowers stay fresher longer?
Under what conditions do plant cuttings survive the heat?
How detergents affect the growth of algae in pond water
Study marine growth on various surfaces
How fast does a mealworm or snail travel under which conditions?
Speed of snails (others) on different surfaces
Horsepower of snails (others)
Do earthworms help plants grow?
Can insects pull more than their own body weight?
Ant control – natural versus chemical repellants
Do goldfish grow larger in a larger tank?
Fish feeding – the effects of light
Can mice see colors?
Can mice distinguish shapes?
Hamster activity and the phases of the moon
How well do different liquids conduct electricity?
What materials withstand corrosion by seawater?
What materials are the best insulators of heat?
Measure the efficiency of airspace as an insulator
How does the design of an airfoil affect its flight?
Which metals conduct heat best?
Measuring the calories in a peanut
Does temperature affect the height at which different balls bounce?
How consistent is the temperature of my own refrigerator?
How accurate is the temperature in my own oven?
The effects of temperature on the strength of dry cells
The effect of light on dyed materials
Calculating liquid density using light refraction
Which materials absorb sound?
String telephones – what materials work best in conducting sound?
Conductivity of various liquids
How temperature affects the amount of electricity given off by a solar cell
How increasing the number of batteries affects the speed of a motor
What is the voltage range of the GE-14 (or other) bulb?
The strength of a magnet versus distance
Which fabrics are the most fire-resistant?
The amount of dissolved salt in drinking water
Can saltwater be desalinated by freezing?
Popcorn – a graphical analysis of pops per second under various conditions
Ink evaluation with paper chromatography
Splat – a study of droplet patterns
Chlorine levels in our drinking water
Quality of tap water versus (vs.) bottled water
Comparing the effectiveness and duration of various rechargeable batteries
Testing sugar amounts in soft drinks
Comparison of vitamin A content in frozen, canned, and fresh peas
Testing various orange drinks for vitamin C
How well do various fabrics absorb and retain dye?
How strong is a spider web filament?
How does the tail affect the flight of a kite?
What shutter speed is needed to photograph a moving fan?
What is the velocity of water through different diameter-sized tubes of the same material?
What is the density of various liquids?
Do oil additives reduce friction on engine parts?
Create a frictionless magnetic bearing
How many rotor blades give maximum lift for a helicopter?
Robots and robotics – computer generated
Using electromagnets to power a car
Various computer projects
Testing a car headlamp as a satellite dish antenna
Storing the sun’s energy
Power generated by rising air
Power generated from sea waves
Testing different water turbine blades
Charting the apparent motion of the star Polaris
Testing the effectiveness of various batteries


Zillow Talk: A Real Estate Must Read

Few topics reach the masses in the way that Real Estate does. And whether you rent or own your home, everyone is involved to some extent. While we live in a Real Estate obsessed culture, it’s still one of the least understood sectors of our economy. Zillow, the leader in Real Estate data, is changing that by providing us with access to more information now than ever.

If you are considering purchasing a home or already own a home, Zillow Talk is a fascinating read that can help you better understand what drives the Real Estate market. The authors of Zillow Talk explain how they use their massive database to identify trends, debunk common myths and accurately predict home values. It’s an informative read, with valuable insights, that gets you thinking about the housing market in new ways.

Understanding #Hashtags

Hashtags are a great way to promote yourself, your brand, a promotion or other campaign and expand your reach on social media. However, all hashtags are not created equal and it’s important to understand how users engage across different social media platforms. This presentation will help you better understand hashtags and how to use them.


Didn’t have time in August (holidays) to write a complete blog posts on the DLL Hijacking thing. So I only did some YouTube videos, how explain better the dangerousity of this flaw. But what is interesting in this story, is the “Acros” position on the HDMoore proposed coordinate disclosure process and the collision between security researchers on the same vulnerability without knowing that they are working on the same thing but thousand of milles away from each other.


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A business must communicate important information quickly and effectively with employees to maintain proper daily company operations. Business owners may spend hours using ineffective and outdated means of communication or wondering if employees received their messages. By using Instant Census automated two-way text messaging, businesses have the power to communicate with and gather feedback from employees in seconds to minutes.

Businesses use Instant Census to send messages and solicit feedback in a quicker, more advanced mode of communication.

Customer Engagement

Responding to customer inquiries, addressing customer feedback, and handling general customer communications is necessary to keep customers happy. Communications via email, snail mail and phone do not offer solutions or services quick enough to satisfy customers' needs. They also lack the personal experience many customers crave when communication with businesses.

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