A portrait of Jesus Christ that has been hanging in an Ohio public middle school since the 1940s is once again garnering national headlines. The school district reportedly moved the portrait earlier this week from the middle school to a local high school.

A lawsuit filed early this year against the school district by three anonymous students alleges that the portrait of Jesus was a gift to the school by a Christian student club and is therefore the school’s speech. Because it is religious in nature and there is no secular purpose for hanging the picture, the lawsuit argues that hanging it in the school violates the First Amendment’s prohibition against establishment of religion. In February, the school board voted to allow the picture to remain despite the lawsuit, saying that the portrait is not owned by the school but rather belongs to a Christian student club. The recent move of the portrait to a new school purportedly was a decision of the student club, not the school. The school suggested that removing the portrait would violate the First Amendment rights of the students in the Christian club. Which side is right?

There is not an easy answer, as is often the case with religious school speech questions. A first important consideration will be the context in which the portrait is hung. As the ACLU’s initial letter to the Ohio school district explained, courts are generally skeptical of religious displays, including religious works of art, that appear to be government sponsored unless there is a clear secular purpose behind the display. Examples of secular displays might include a display that includes art work from a number of different religions in an effort to teach students about the impact of religion on art or a display in which students are allowed to hang photographs of their choice and a student submits a religious photograph for the display. In contrast, courts have held particular works of art to violate the Establishment Clause where they are relatively isolated from other government-sponsored displays. The ACLU’s letter alleged that the Jesus portrait at issue here was not in a larger display of “world-renowned historical or religious figures,” and rather was hung in the middle school near portraits of alumni of the school. If those facts are true, and if the move to the high school did not remedy the problem, a court would be much more likely to find the portrait to be unconstitutional.

A second issue that will be considered is whether the portrait really was a gift by a student club to the school district or, as the school now maintains, the student club retained ownership and control over the portrait for the past 65 years. In a 1994 case from the Sixth Circuit—the highest appellate court with jurisdiction over Ohio as well as Michigan, Kentucky and Tennessee—the court held that a nearly identical portrait of Jesus that had been donated to the school was unconstitutional because it was neither part of a group of paintings nor used in conjunction with any class or educational program. Washegesic v. Bloomingdale Public Schools, 33 F.3d 679, 681 (6th Cir. 1994). Under that precedent, if the Jesus portrait at issue here truly has been under the control of the school for decades, the portrait may be unconstitutional. A more difficult question exists, however, if the portrait is seen to be the speech of the Christian club. If so, the court will likely consider whether the school district has truly opened up a forum for all organizations and clubs to hang similar works of art or materials relevant to their missions, or if the claim that such a forum exists is pretense for supporting just this specific Christian speech.

In light of the school district’s decisions to allow the portrait to remain and to move the portrait to another public school in the district, it seems likely that litigation on this issue will continue. The case is an important reminder to schools that care should be taken with respect to religious displays in schools. Although such displays are permissible, and may, depending on the context, even be required, schools should be confident that such displays do not constitute an unconstitutional establishment of religion before allowing them.


Jellyfish Take Carbon To The Ocean Floor

pyrisome sea squirt tunicate photo

"Pyrosomes are colonial tunicates, animals related to sea squirts, that look like fuzzy paint rollers, with individuals arranged around a hollow tubular center. This one has a spiny single-celled animal called a radiolarian, hitching a ride at one end."
Image credit:Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution

Eco-idealogs commonly characterize iron seeding proposals, which are intended to renew marine plankton growth, thus scouring more carbon from the atmosphere, as either unethical or ineffectual. The serial negativism about iron seeding amounts to spinning scientific uncertainty. Every new research report "proves" the negative (just like it does with climate deniers). If this isn't making sense for you, please see my earlier post: Anti-Science Environmentalism: Iron Seeding Experiment Protested...Again. Then read on about the role of jellyfish in consuming plankton and then pulling atmospherically-originating carbon into the ocean depths. Envirtonmental Research Web reports on a study which documents that Jellies fast track carbon to the seafloor. From the article:-

Mario Lebrato and Dr Daniel Jones of the National Oceanography Centre, Southampton have just published an account of the rapid mass transport of carbon to the deep-sea floor in the bodies of jellyfish-like creatures called pyrosomes. Their findings provide new insights into the way we understand carbon processes at large-scales, and demonstrate the importance of gelatinous zooplankton carcasses in the functioning of benthic (seafloor) ecosystems.

Because of the absence of light, deep-sea benthic ecosystems largely depend on the export of organic carbon from the sunlit surface waters. Much of this carbon comes from the remains of phytoplankton, the tiny plant-like micro-organisms that dominate primary production in the oceans, as well as the dead bodies and faecal pellets of the animals – zooplankton – that graze on them. The input of carbon to the deep sea is usually estimated using sediment traps, but they miss carbon from other organisms such as jellyfish and other gelatinous marine creatures. The ecological and biogeochemical significance of such additional carbon inputs has been difficult to estimate, but should not be ignored. It has been overlooked in biogeochemical models,....

Why does this entire discussion remind me of that childhood favorite, A Fly Went By, in which a boy figures out the chain of events in which something 'attacks' a man, who chases the fox, who follows the cow, who stalks the pig, who ambushes the dog, who races after the cat ,who pursues the frog, who hops after the fly?

Iron seeding renews the entire marine food chain: not just plankton.

I love that phrase rapid mass transport of carbon. Exactly what the doctor ordered: get Planet Earth into the ER, and therein stabilized for further diagnosis and treatment.

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8-Valent Fuzzy Logic for Iris Recognition and Biometry

Autori: N. Popescu-Bodorin, V.E. Balas, I.M. Motoc

Editorial: IEEE Press, Proc. 5th IEEE Int. Symp. on Computational Intelligence and Intelligent Informatics, p.149-154, 2011.

This paper shows that maintaining logical consistency of an iris recognition system is a matter of finding a suitable partitioning of the input space in enrollable and unenrollable pairs by negotiating the user comfort and the safety of the biometric system. In other words, consistent enrollment is mandatory in order to preserve system consistency. A fuzzy 3valent disambiguated model of iris recognition is proposed and analyzed in terms of completeness, consistency, user comfort and biometric safety. It is also shown here that the fuzzy 3valent model of iris recognition is hosted by an 8valent Boolean algebra of modulo 8 integers that represents the computational formalization in which a biometric system (a software agent) can achieve the artificial understanding of iris recognition in a logically consistent manner.

Cuvinte cheie: iris recognition, fuzzy logic, biometry // iris recognition, fuzzy logic, biometry

URL: http://fmi.spiruharet.ro/bodorin/articles/2011-fm-bodorin-balas-motoc-1.pdf


Videos of uterine fibroids - fibroids and bloating after eating

videos of uterine fibroids

herbal remedies to shrink uterine fibroids videos of uterine fibroids

Related indications with submucosal fibroids incorporate substantial, over the top menstrual draining and delayed feminine cycle. If you are not sure, talk to your doctor, pharmacist or nurse before having Zoladex. Fibroids are very sensitive to estrogen , as a result, they grow during the child bearing years, enlarge during pregnancy and tend to shrink or disappear after can red clover reduce fibroids menopause when there is decrease in the hormone production. During focused ultrasound surgery, high-frequency, can red clover reduce fibroids high-energy sound waves are used to target and destroy uterine fibroids. I am now pregnant and have 3 fibroid tumors I am 10 weeks and everything is going fine.

Male hormone derivatives work definition ultrasound images of fibroid uterus by suppressing hormone videos of uterine fibroids release from the pituitary gland and the ovaries. One cyst will become the dominant follicle and stop the other follicles from growing. Notes: Due to the oil increasing circulation, you may want to avoid using the oil during your period if you tend to have a heavier flow. In separate studies, scientists at Harvard and New York`s Albert Einstein College of Medicine confirm the value of carotenoid-rich diets even for women with deadly invasive breast cancer. A single full-term pregnancy lowers the risk by about 40%, and each subsequent pregnancy decreases it somewhat more. Vincent Lamaro: So one of the things is the understanding the biology of fibroids. These are channels which carry female reproductive functions.Vitiated doshas mainly kapha videos of uterine fibroids associated with vata and pitta causes deposition and accumulation of mucus and blood along with inner surface of garbhashaya to form uterine fibroids or called Granthi fibroids in pregnancy should i be worried about isis or Arbuda in Ayurveda. Symptoms start when an ectopic pregnancy grows so large that it ruptures out of the tube that contains it. Li JX, Zhang HZ. Treatment for adenomyosis depends in part on your symptoms, their severity, and whether you have completed childbearing.

treatment of submucosal fibroids Treatment of uterine fibroids using medication involves hormonal drugs, which can change the hormonal levels in the body. The most important thing about this natural cure is that is absolutely safe when is surgery needed for uterine fibroids and inexpensive. This supplement should be taken in conjunction with a healthy diet and regular exercise program. In general, only about 30% of women are suitable for treatment after the MRI assessment. A submucosal fibroid can cause a period to be heavier and make menstruation more unpleasant and painful. Unfortunately, there is a significant risk of recurrence of fibroids after myomectomy; in some studies up to 10% of women who underwent an initial myomectomy required a second major operative procedure. Fibroids definitely have a negative impact on daily life for women who experience extreme pain or nausea.

videos of uterine fibroids fibroid images in ultrasounds

extra virgin olive oil and fibroids

Recent research has shown metformin to have other positive effects, such as decreased body mass and improved cholesterol levels. Great to read this blog because I have has several unfortunate events occur this year and I do believe I never properly released and healed from them. Uterine manipulators are inserted vaginally to help move pelvic structures therefore allowing greater accessibility. The body can synthesize its own vitamin D through the activity of sunlight on the skin. Fibroids usually do not interfere with pregnancy and may precautions after fibroid operation require treatment. Implantation occurs when the embryo attaches to the endometrial lining, with the placenta developing and obtaining blood supply from the uterine muscle. A breathing technique coined by author Isa Herrera using mind/body connection to release pain and tension of a painful muscle.

what causes fibroids in females

The organic molasses I have is just a tiny fraction of the amount of minerals as are in that. This questionnaire was developed to address menorrhagia, nonbleeding symptoms of fibroids, and to assess the quality of life impact by fibroids. Toward menopause, in my last year of periods, I read about how women with fibroids have low magnesium. CONCLUSIONS: Uterine fibroids increase the risk of complications during pregnancy and childbirth. Fibroids are most often found in women over age 30 and are rarely seen in women under 20. Fibroids Miracle is a very easy of perfusion could contribute to fibroids symptoms of ovarian cysts change my diet to include salmon, and increased pain sensitivity in the.

fibroids pressure on rectum

Radiofrequency ablation - This technique delivers intense heat to destroy thickened or abnormal tissue inside the uterus. Surgery - This option is offered f 4 cm uterine fibroids the symptoms are not being controlled with medications or in case the fibroids are too big/growing too rapidly. Decreased blood supply to the fibroid may influence liquefaction of hyalinized areas that are seen as cystic changes on the ultrasound. I was on bedrest for two months at the beginning of my pregnancy and i was also off 2 months towards the end opf my pregnancy. Endometrial hyperplasia, which is an increased number of cells in the uterine lining, can also happen and can be noncancerous. The radiologist reviews all the pictures and will report the results to your doctor.

can you get rid of fibroids without surgery

Finding eggs from flocks that aren't fed soy has consumed a tremendous amount of time, and now $$. It can be performed with monopolar or bipolar cutting or coagulating current at a setting of 100 W. By 12 hours the pain is usually a mild dull fibroid cure in nigeria and the patient is eating and drinking normally. DES was also used as a treatment for menopause, for treatment of breast and prostate cancers, and used in the growing of beef, exposing many women unwittingly to the synthetic hormone. This and muscles in the uterus area fibroids relax, 2 Pt 1. Office hysteroscopy is also an excellent tool to detect uterine fibroids inside the uterine cavity. What most doctors don't know is that the application of natural progesterone cream is highly effective to shrink fibroids enough to minimize or eliminate symptoms long enough to get to menopause, or when it will normally shrink significantly enough to cease being a problem. Not all uterine fibroids will require treatment, but there are different types of treatments available when treatment is necessary under your condition. We work closely with your OB/GYN and other providers to determine that this procedure is the right therapy option for you.

can you have endometrial ablation fibroids

The SI joint problems can cause piriformis syndrome or be caused by piriformis syndrome. I have had two myomectomies so far and that didn't keep the fibroids from coming back. Body Cleansing and Detoxification ways of preventing fibroid the major step to getting rid of accumulated toxins, old hormones, dioxin and xenoestrogen in the body that are link to the formation of fibroids. It is caused by mutations in the gene encoding the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator expressed in several organs including the lung, the pancreas, the biliary system, and the sweat glands. That information was included in the average weight gain/year calculation, considering the weight gain at age 20 and the collection of data in 1999, divided by the length of time between the age of 20 and the age in 1999.

surgical removal of the fibroids

complications types of fibroids in uterus

CF carriers do not show CF symptoms themselves, but can pass the problem CF gene to their children. Then a tool is attached to it, and the doctor chips away at the fibroid until nothing remains but the shell. Diagnose on usg rt adnexal cyst fom last 1 yr now usg show the size 4.1 cm x 3.9 cm vol is 26 post wall fibroid of same guidance for treatment further investigation. There's nothing magical about your 40th birthday that means the day after, or a few weeks after your birthday that you will not develop a fibroid. Exposure to certain environmental toxins may contribute to the development of uterine fibroids. This article shows relevant results of the study for the indication uterine fibroids. Pythagoras understood the impact that a clean body has on the brain, and insisted that all prospective students fast for six weeks before he would tutor them. African American women have higher risk of developing uterine fibroids compared subserosal large fibroids and pregnancy white women. Fibroids are basically tumors that form in the lining of the uterus itself, these tumors are quite benign and do not pose any major risk to the uterus or to the reproductive health of each women given that they are fairly common and they may show up at any given time during the woman's entire reproductive cycle and stages. This collaboration ensures patients receive cancer care based on best practices developed by one of the nation's leading cancer care providers.

fibroids in uterus images

I find the two work well together, and I get a nice infusion of magnesium for a much cheaper price than using only magnesium oil. He also uses focused ultrasound to treat bone cancer pain, and the pain is decreased or is eliminated within a week, he added. Uterine fibroid cases were confirmed by ultrasound diagnosis or hysterectomy surgery. The condition affects 20 to 30 percent of women, according to the Center treating large uterine fibroids Uterine Fibroids, and is more likely to affect minority women. Aziz A, Petrucco OM, Makinoda S, et al.


Keywords: digital television media education information television Media literacy commercialization consumerism globalization celebreality celebrities Reality show Big Brother colloquialism

KMT 2017 nr 7 Download PDF

Katarzyna Małysz

Colloquiality, vulgarity and aggression in various reality shows on the basis of „Big Brother”

Cite: Katarzyna Małysz, Potoczność, wulgarność i agresja w programach reality show na wybranych przykładach „Big Brothera”, "Kultura - Media - Teologia", 2017( 28) nr 7, s. 50-73.

The aim of this article is to show the informal nature of language in reality shows. They violate human dignity and the basic functions of television. TV, like any medium, should provide the viewers with information, education and entertainment. In this article I have tried to explain what entertainment really is. Mieczyslaw Szymczak, the editor of the dictionary, describes the concept of entertainment as: “a way of relaxation, rest, something enjoyable and cheerful; pleasure combined with relaxation and fun”. The "Big Brother" show is presented as one example of unethical and immoral reality shows. So why has the Big Brother gained so much popularity? What led the audience and the producers? And what affected its participants? What is really meant by "commonness"? These and other questions are going to be answered in this article. Colloquiality in the "Big Brother" was based on: using vulgar words, beating, humiliation, manipulation, entering someone's private or intimate sphere. The idea of the program was as follows - a dozen of people were locked in a big brother’s house which is cut off from the outside world. The ‘housemates’ live together for the a few editions, up to the moment when this "circus" tired of people. The winner could be only one and could get the final cash prize. In my analysis I am willing to show that the program, in spite of such huge popularity, is immoral and worthless. This reality show violates human rights, ethics and has a dangerous psychological impact not only on the participants but also on the audience. What is more, people who took part in the "Big Brother", engaged into politics, media, and journalism in general without having any knowledge about the subject.

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openSUSE Linux Unleashed presents comprehensive coverage of the community version of SUSE Linux, one of the most popular and most complete Linux distributions in the world.

This book provides detailed information on installing, using, and administering openSUSE. You’ll learn how to unleash the vast array of software products included in openSUSE so that you can use it as a desktop computer, as a professional workstation, or as a powerful server.

openSUSE Linux Unleashed includes a broad range of coverage: from using software you need everyday–such as email clients, web browsers, and productivity software including the OpenOffice.org productivity suite–to configuring and administering a wide range of network and server products, such as the Apache web server, and MySQL database.

Additionally, this book provides details on openSUSE’s acclaimed YaST administration tools, web programming, networking, and choosing from a wide selection of graphical interfaces and desktop environments, including both KDE and GNOME.


Feb 4, 2014

Satya nadella the next CEO of Microsoft

     Satya Nadella named Microsoft's next CEO

Satya Nadella.

Microsoft on Tuesday announced that Hyderabad-born Satya Nadella is replacingSteve Ballmer as its CEO who announced his intention to retire in August.

"As Satya Nadella becomes the third CEO of Microsoft, he brings a relentless drive for innovation and a spirit of collaboration to his new role," Microsoft said.

Nadella was earlier heading the company's cloud and enterprise business. He has been with Microsoft for 22 years. While in his earlier responsibility he looked after a division that had $19 billion annual revenue, the post of Microsoft CEO is a big step up for him.

The company generates around $78 billion in a year and is currently facing a number of challenges in the market where Apple and Google have emerged more exciting and innovating technology companies.

Nadella completed his engineering degree from Manipal University before heading to the US for higher studies. He joined Microsoft in 1992.

Microsoft also announced that John Thompson, lead independent director, will succeed Gates as chairman. Gates will assume a new role as "technology advisor," the company said in a statement.


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They also relieve flare-ups of chronic conditions such as eczema and psoriasis

They also relieve flare-ups of chronic conditions such as eczema and psoriasis 1

Environmental factors: a number of factors may trigger or exacerbate plaque psoriasis, including:Sunlight: there is usually a decrease in severity during periods of increased sun exposure (ie it often improves in the summer and is worse in the winter) but a small minority has an aggravation of symptoms during strong sunlight and sunburn can also lead to an exacerbation of plaque psoriasis. Any systemic upset, such as fever and malaise, which are common in unstable forms of psoriasis such as erythroderma or generalised pustular psoriasis. Avoiding specific exacerbating factors may help to prevent or minimise flare-ups but the cause of disease exacerbation is often unknown. Eczema (Atopic Dermatitis) is a chronic skin condition characterized by red, dry, cracked and itchy skin. In addition to hot, red skin, those with Eczema may also develop crusty sores, thick skin and pimple-like eruptions. Eczema and Psoriasis are easily confused because they share a defining characteristic, the inflammation of the skin. Eczema, on the other hand, flares up in response to external factors, including animal dander, food allergies or exposure to harsh cleaning chemicals. The variable nature of this chronic condition means cycles of remission and flare-ups are unpredictable. Consult a dermatologist for medical treatment to help clear up trademark patches and scales, but also take into consideration the following tips for at-home care to further ease symptoms. Never use such products on raw, broken or inflamed skin as it will sting, burn and further irritate already sensitive spots.

They also relieve flare-ups of chronic conditions such as eczema and psoriasis 2Medications that reduce the activity of an immune factor called TNF can help patients with severe psoriasis. However, these medications can be complicated by unusual and serious infections. The skin cannot shed these cells quickly enough, so they build up, leading to thick, dry patches, or plaques. Silvery, flaky areas of dead skin build up on the surface of the plaques they are shed. The condition may also be triggered by certain psoriasis treatments, and other medications such as corticosteroids or synthetic antimalarial drugs. Pustular Psoriasis. Drugs that can trigger the disease or cause a flare-up of symptoms include:. Flu-Like Symptoms. People who have exfoliative dermatitis may also have flu-like symptoms, such as fever and chills. Steroid medications treat severe or chronic inflammation and flaking of the skin. Some patients may benefit from phototherapy, treatments with psoralen, a photosensitizing agent, and ultraviolet A. Managing conditions such as cancer and psoriasis can speed healing too. People with no known cause for the disease may have flare-ups throughout their lives. People who have had exfoliative dermatitis may have long-lasting changes in the color of the affected skin. They may also have problems with hair loss or nail changes. If you’ve ever experienced chronic intense itching that gets increasingly worse in the evening, then you might be suffering from a skin condition like eczema or psoriasis. Eczema and psoriasis are potentially allergic conditions that can be triggered by environmental factors and dozens of other external irritants like the following:. In keeping with the autoimmune nature of psoriasis, when the person develops an infection, such as a sore throat or sinusitis, their psoriasis will often flare up. Using antihistamines, like Benadryl, can be helpful in relieving itching, but they cause drowsiness, so they’re usually not appropriate for daytime use.

Eczema can be confused with other skin conditions, such as psoriasis, another chronic skin condition. Make sure you use a lot of moisturizer in these areas as they will help prevent the situation. Psoriasis is an autoimmune disease that causes raised, red, scaly patches to appear on the skin. It typically affects the outside of the elbows, knees or scalp, though it can appear on any location. When biopsied, psoriasis skin looks thicker and inflamed when compared to skin with eczema. Inverse psoriasis shows up as very red lesions in body folds, such as behind the knee, under the arm or in the groin. It can also be very severe with thick, crusted plaques covering the entire scalp. Treat sudden flares of psoriasis on the hands and feet promptly and carefully. Psoriasis Diet and Prevention. Avoiding environmental factors that trigger psoriasis, such as smoking, and stress, may help prevent or minimize flare-ups of psoriasis. Sun exposure may help in many cases of psoriasis and aggravate it in others.

They also relieve flare-ups of chronic conditions such as eczema and psoriasis 3Psoriasis is a chronic (long-lasting) skin disease of scaling and inflammation that affects greater than 3 percent of the U.S. Psoriasis occurs when skin cells quickly rise from their origin below the surface of the skin and pile up on the surface before they have a chance to mature. Usually this movement (also called turnover) takes about a month, but in psoriasis it may occur in only a few days. Itching and pain can interfere with basic functions, such as self-care, walking, and sleep. It also discusses issues such as skin care and quality of life for people with atopic dermatitis. Recently I began to notice a few of my friends and family members battling skin conditions such as Psoriasis and Eczema. Eczema is a form of chronic inflammation of the skin; characterized by red, dry, cracked and itchy skin. They build up and form thick patches called plaques slightly elevated, red patches of skin. Eczema sufferers experience extremely dry, itchy and flaky skin, but this skin condition can also cause eczema pimple-like bumps that may ooze. Psoriasis is a common and chronic condition that usually causes patches of itchy, scaly and sometimes inflamed skin. Normally, skin cells are being constantly formed, and then pushed up to the surface where they eventually die and flake off, revealing new skin cells. Certain drugs, such as lithium (a common treatment for bipolar disorder) and some beta-blockers (used to treat high blood pressure, heart disease and some heart arrhythmias), can cause flare-ups of psoriasis. Subject: A mixture of honey, olive oil, and beeswax may relieve the symptoms associated with eczema and psoriasis, reports Complementary Therapies in Medicine (2003:11;226-34). Children whose parents have a history of any of these conditions are more likely to suffer from eczema; malfunctions of the immune system may also be a cause. What types of doctors treat psoriatic arthritis? Psoriatic arthritis is a chronic disease characterized by a form of inflammation of the skin (psoriasis) and joints (inflammatory arthritis). However, the arthritis may precede the psoriasis in up to 15 of patients. Psoriatic arthritis is a systemic rheumatic disease that also can cause inflammation in body tissues away from the joints other than the skin, such as in the eyes, heart, lungs, and kidneys. View pictures of the most prevalent adult skin diseases such as eczema, shingles, psoriasis, rosacea and more.

Treat Eczema And Psoriasis

Hand eczema presents on the palms and soles, and may sometimes be difficult or impossible to differentiate from atopic dermatitis, allergic contact dermatitis, and psoriasis, which also commonly involve the hands. The hands may also exhibit various other skin illnesses and potential fungal infection or psoriasis must be ruled out. Eczema and Psoriasis: What’s the Difference? Psoriasis is a chronic immune system-related disease that causes inflammation and damage to involved tissues, primarily the skin. It can also affect fingernails and toenails, the soft tissues of the genitalia and inside the mouth. They are used to treat plaque, erythrodermic and pustular psoriasis, especially if patients don’t respond to other therapies. Your child may go through life with their condition not even bothering them or flaring up, and only have the tiniest of patches somewhere on their bodies. Symptoms only develop if they are triggered by certain events, most frequently in children and teenagers, often after a throat infection due to streptococcal bacteria. If your child develops a rash make sure when you visit your doctor to tell them (if you are aware) that there is a family history of psoriasis and/or psoriatic arthritis in your family as this is an important fact that may be overlooked at initial diagnosis as psoriasis can also be mistaken for eczema. Moisturisers can help soothe such irritation but always ask your doctor or pharmacist first to see if such products are suitable for your child. Phototherapy, which involves exposure of the skin to ultraviolet light, can help improve the symptoms of psoriasis. The skin cannot shed these cells quickly enough, so they build up, leading to thick, dry patches, or plaques. The condition may also be triggered by certain psoriasis treatments and other medications, such as corticosteroids or synthetic antimalarial drugs. Medications: Drugs that can trigger the disease or cause a flare-up of symptoms include:.

In contrast to eczema, psoriasis is more likely to be found on the outer side of the joint. There are many treatments available, but because of its chronic recurrent nature, psoriasis is a challenge to treat. Up to one-third of people with psoriasis may also have arthritis, a condition known as psoriatic arthritis. Topical forms, including creams and lotions, work for inflamed, itchy skin caused by insect bites, poison ivy and allergic reactions to food or drugs. They also relieve flare-ups of chronic conditions such as eczema and psoriasis. Diet is important but these natural remedies can help get rid of it once and for all! Certainly, eczema and other skin issues are complex conditions with a potential variety of causes, but there do seem to be some common things that help (both dietary and other). Sometimes I also use a blend of coconut and avocado oils at night since avocado is such a heavy, moisturizing oil. We haven’t seen a flare in over six months. Atopic eczema (also known as atopic dermatitis) is a very common inflammatory skin condition. In some patients, symptoms are mild, while in others they can cause physical, social and psychological disability. The course of the condition varies widely, with flare-ups and remissions. How acupuncture can help. Patches of chronically itchy, dry, thickened skin, usually on the hands, arms, neck, face and legs. In children, the inner creases of the knees, wrists and elbows are often involved. During a flare-up of eczema, you are exposed to anyone with a viral skin disease such as cold sores or genital herpes. Having eczema puts you at increased risk of contracting the viral disorder.


Devery Jacobs in the role of Lia.

Coming of Age
Wilderness Adventure

Set at the Arctic Circle, The Sun At Midnight tells the story of an unexpected friendship between a hunter obsessed with finding a missing caribou herd and a teenage rebel who gets lost while on the run.

In the wake of her mother’s death, Lia, a 16 year-old urban princess, is sent to spend the summer with her Gwich’in grandmother in a small Subarctic community. Desperate to return to city life she steals a boat and sets out into the vast Northern wilderness hoping to reach the nearest town. Totally lost, she is discovered by Alfred, a Gwich’in hunter who reluctantly takes her under his wing as he navigates the massive landscape in search of caribou. When Alfred is severely wounded in a bear attack Lia pushes on and fights to save both of their lives.

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CACAO DANCE CEREMONY Come and melt in blissful cosmic magical heart-opening with a chocolate bliss dance ceremony with Amanda and Willem through the healing properties of raw cacao offered in a sacred ceremonial space, followed by and intertwined within a deep, guided immersion into Conscious Cosmic Cosmo dance with Willem. These are two practices that support each other in leading you into a state of deep open-hearted oneness and expansive bliss.

Cacao-Ceremony-images-1200x650According to the Mayans, Cacao is the food of the gods. Not as we know it now as chocolate, but in its raw form, where, when ingested in sacred ceremony, it has magical alchemical properties. The alkaloids, neurotransmitters, neuromodulators, vitamins and minerals specific to cacao have a particularly nourishing and healing effect on the human body, which expands to include the heart and spirit when ingested with true reverence for the plant in sacred ceremony. Cacao as a shamanic teacher plant is a unique and magical heart-opener. How beautiful to experience working with a teacher plant in a very safe, gentle and grounded way that is accessible for all.

Amanda will be our magical alchemical cacao guide, leading you into a space of delicious open-hearted expansion and love through ritual, ceremony and heart meditations, with the cacao plant as your medicine teacher.

Willem will be our dance with the Deva of Cacao channel, who will then move you gently into a sacred space of dance, guiding you into deep open-hearted meetings with yourself and others, facilitated by the cacao whose properties deepen our capacity for ecstasy and love, as does Cosmo Bliss Dance. Both these practices will deepen your experience of oneness, with yourself, others and all life, as we melt like chocolate into the ocean of love.

For many people who are lucky enough to participate in a Cosmo Dance session it is one of the most wonderful discoveries of their life!
I get so many people who feel everyone they know should get to experience this freedom of expression. The process gets you to move on very viby music, and when you feel yourself taken into movement by such a feeling of joy and invigorating Life force, your natural expression just flows.
Generally people can’t wait for the next session, as it tends to open a floodgate of feeling for Self Fulfilment and enthusiastic, joyful participation in Life!
Cosmo dance is a sparkling crystalline Conscious Dance process helping participants bring their systems into alignment with greater Life and the superfluid energies of the Cosmos. Vibrant, dynamic, joyfully flowing and expansive expressive movements with specifically chosen music is used to help Dancers move into alignment and balance.
Through the use of specific music, tuning in to energy guidance , as well as the groups energy, the facilitator sets up coherent crystalline fields that help dancers move into a deeper order of Core Self.
The Cosmodance process also assists old energy ,blockages, samskaras or miasmas to be released from our bodymind, and once this happens we can be like a clear crystal, pulsing in harmony with the frequencies of the Universe. When we clear old energy and blockages from our system it also enables us to access more and more subtle energies, thus fine tuning our capacity to a richer and more fulfilling Life of high quality.
The Cosmodance process also primarily helps us to move into Presence, with the wonderful result of feeling renewed, sparklingly refreshed, clear , in Joy, aligned , harmonized, expanded , at Peace and radiating Love, enthusiastically connected and in tune with the greater Orchestra of Life.

This space is open to all, including those who have never done dance before.

Amanda and Willem have 20 years of work in the field of awakening practices. Amanda Gifford from Johannesburg South Africa has an MA in Psychology and is a Drama Therapist and Family Systems Constellations Facilitator with 15 years experience. Amanda has a long tradition of Ancient Mystery School Trainings and just completed her training with Annu Tara and Alchemical Chocolate in initiating in the art of serving this beautiful female sacrament.

Willem Smuts also from Johannesburg South Africa has been a Conscious Dance Facilitator and Quantum Healer for 15 Years. Willem is a Holistic Quantum Health practitioner, intuitive, and an alchemist at heart, a deep field Bliss dance facilitator.

They both live and run the Windrush Centre in Johannesburg.
Both have been on a Spiritual Awakening Journey for more than 20 years.

~ VERY NB drink lots of water throughout the day (this will help to alleviate sideffects caused by the strong detox action of Cacao when taken in ceremonial doses )
~ avoid dairy for the day
(Dairy lines the intestines and thus hinders the uptake of the Cacao)
~ avoid caffeine for the day
(Mixing caffine with Ceremonial doses of Cacao can cause the heart to speed up too much, especially in sensitive folk)
~ if you are on strong Chemical Anti-depressents, mood balancing or blood thinning drugs you need to please contact us before booking. Speaking to your doctor before eating high doses is neccessary.
(Cacao has a potent action re feel-good brain chemicals activity, and in Ceremony is taken in high doses, this potency on top of chemical activity is not advisable)

The Healing properties of Raw Cacao

Magnesium is the primarily mineral missing when heart problems occur. Magnesium increases the overall vigor of the heart muscle. This mineral also decreases blood coagulation thus lowering blood pressure and helping the heart pump more effectively. Cacao, of course, is a fantastic food source of heart-supporting magnesium.

According to research cited in The New York Times, fresh cacao beans are super-rich in antioxidant flavonols. Cacao beans contain 10,000 milligrams (10 grams) per 100 grams of flavonol antioxidants. This is a whopping 10% antioxidant concentration level! This makes cacao one of the richest sources of antioxidants of any food.

Anti-Depressant Properties
Cacao is a great source of serotonin, dopamine, and phenylethylamine, three well-studied neurotransmitters, which help alleviate depression and are associated with feelings of well being.
Cacao contains monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAO Inhibitors) that improve our mood because they allow serotonin and dopamine to remain in the bloodstream longer without being broken down.
Cacao contains anandamide which delivers blissful feelings.
Cacao also contains B vitamins, which are associated with brain health.
Cacao contains significant quantities of the amino acid tryptophan which is yet another powerful mood-enhancing nutrient.
All this makes cacao a natural Anti-Depressant!

Lose weight, eat chocolate!
Anyone who eats chocolate knows that it diminishes appetite. There is evidence indicating MAOIs also diminish appetite. There is actually no scientific evedince to implicate chocolate consumption with obesity. In fact the reverse seems to be the case. Eating cacao helps one to loose weight by allowing you to eat less

 For more details or to book a ceremony contact or whatsapp 078 499 6472

Amanda Gifford
Whatsapp 078 499 6472

Willem Smuts
Whatsapp 082 458 1031


Murderous May: The Black Legend of Richard III

Tower of London as viewed from the Thames River.

Tower of London as viewed from the Thames River.

The mysterious disappearance of two princes from the Tower of London has plagued scholars for generations. No one knows exactly what happened to the young boys or their remains. Though there are several suspects, the convenient ascension of Richard III to King and the rumor of foul play has made Richard III suspect number one in the disappearance of Prince Edward V and Prince Richard.

The prime motive for Richard III to have murdered the boys was the throne. Richard III claimed the two boys were illegitimate because Edward IV was supposedly betrothed to Lady Eleanor Butler before his marriage to Elizabeth Woodville. Under the laws of the time, that meant Edward IV had a contract to marry Lady Butler. Were there such a contract, it would mean Edward IV’s marriage to Elizabeth Woodville was bigamous and any children from their relationship were illegitimate and, therefore, ineligible for the throne. An Act of Parliament of 1483 known as Titulus Regius, made this claim official and Protector Richard, Duke of Gloucester, was crowned King Richard III.

Richard III was king for only two years. His reign ended when he was slain during the War of the Roses in the Battle of Bosworth Field, August 1485. Henry VII of the Tudors succeeded to the throne following the death of Richard III.

In 1674, the skeletons of two children were discovered during renovations to the White Tower at the Tower of London. The remains were found buried beneath the staircase leading to the chapel and, in 1678, they were interred inside an urn in the Henry VII Chapel of Westminster Abbey (along with the bones of several other animals including but not limited to fish, duck, chicken, sheep, pig, ox and rabbit). Based on a study of the bones from July 1933, many scholars believe them to be the remains of the two tower princes, but the findings of the 1933 study are inconclusive.

Tower of London Map

Tower of London Map from "The Official Guide Book: The Tower of London" (English-1997)

The 1933 study of the bones took six days. It did not involve the use of more modern forensic and medical technology– including radio carbon dating, which would have provided an approximate age for the bones. Age of the bones at the time of death was determined by dental records and an assessment of the growth plate, which had not yet fused to the bones. The remains were said to have been aged 12-13 years and 10 years– the approximate age of the two princes. However, the study never assessed the gender of the bones.

Other evidence was gathered and speculations were made to connect the remains to the two missing princes. One such speculation was the presence of osteomyelitis (a bone infection) in the lower jaw of the elder skeleton. The baseless conclusion, since it was never determined with complete certainty whose remains were being studied, was that the infection may have contributed to the depressive behavior of Edward V. This could have been a contributing factor to the young man’s disposition if those were indeed his remains. Scrapings of a possible bloodstain on the facial skeleton of the elder set of bones, explained as possible staining from being smothered by feather pillow as depicted in Shakespeare’s Henry VI, were taken from the bone for spectroscopic examination. Unfortunately, there were not enough scrapings to run the test. It is also disappointing that the study concluded the presence of unusual (Wormian) bones was significant as it was actually a fairly uncommon characteristic of bones in medieval populations.

Unfortunately, the Tanner and Wright 1933 investigation of the bones merely concluded the bones were the remains of adolescents aged 13 and 10 who may have been related. It did not determine the gender of the bones, nor did it offer any explanation for the possibility that these were not the bones discovered at the white tower (there was a 4 year gap between the discovery of the bones and their reinterment). This study did not conclusively prove the remains were those of the two princes, but the hypothesis that they are indeed the remains of Henry V and his brother Richard has been heavily emphasized and relied upon by the scientific community.

While a full forensic study of the remains could determine more accurately whether or not these truly are the bones of the two tower princes, it will never conclusively prove whether King Richard III actually had them murdered so he could ascend to the throne.

Despite there being other suspects, Richard III remains the popular scapegoat for vanishing the two young princes. Tudor historians and authors have not been kind to Richard III, and his possible involvement in the disappearance of the young boys has been called the “Black Legend” of Richard III. His so-called involvement in the boys’ disappearance will likely remain a mystery, but the popular verdict of a guilty has since been immortalized in Shakespeare’s play Richard III Act IV, Scene 2:

Why, Buckingham, I say, I would be king,

Why, so you are, my thrice renowned liege.

Ha! am I king? ’tis so: but Edward lives.

True, noble prince.

O bitter consequence,
Cousin, thou wert not wont to be so dull:
Shall I be plain? I wish the bastards dead;
And I would have it suddenly perform’d.
What sayest thou? speak suddenly; be brief.

Your grace may do your pleasure.

Tut, tut, thou art all ice, thy kindness freezeth:
Say, have I thy consent that they shall die?

Give me some breath, some little pause, my lord
Before I positively herein:
I will resolve your grace immediately.

There is further discussion on this topic at our Blog’s forum located here:
The Witching Hour: The Two Princes

* Shakespeare’s play Richard III, Act IV, Scene 2
(This is a great source if you’re interested in other suspects and more details.)
* Bramwell, NH, and RW Byard. “The Bones in the Abbey: Are They the Murdered Princes? a Review of the Evidence.” The American Journal of Forensic Medicine and Pathology. 10.1 (1989): 83-7. Print.
* The Official Guide Book: The Tower of London (English-1997)

2 thoughts on “Murderous May: The Black Legend of Richard III

  1. Perhaps you can clarify where you think I mean “Edward V and his brother Richard” as I do talk about two different Edwards, each with a brother named Richard in the article. There is first King Edward IV whose brother Richard, Duke of Gloucester (later King Richard III) is uncle to the two young princes–Edward V, Prince of Wales and Richard of Shrewsbury, 1st Duke of York.

    I really hope this isn’t about the parenthetical (King Edward IV) I’ve used in the first paragraph. I really debated about including that as a clarifyer to reduce confusion about which Edward I was speaking of and to denote the father, but if it makes things more confusing for readers I suppose I’ll have to remove it.

    If there is in fact an error, I’d love if you could point out the paragraph and sentence to me so I can correct the information because I cannot find the alleged error with the information you’ve provided.

Comments are closed.


Getting Rid of Leading Zeros in a Number Format

by Allen Wyatt
(last updated September 26, 2015)

When you enter a numeric value into a cell, by default Excel will display a leading zero on values that are less than 1. For instance, if you enter the value 1.234 into a cell, Excel displays just that: 1.234. If you enter .234 into the same cell, Excel includes the leading zero: 0.234.

If you want to get rid of the leading zeros, then you need to rely upon a custom format. This is rather easy to create; just follow these steps:

  1. Select the cell (or cells) that you want to format.
  3. If the Number tab is not displayed, select it.
  4. In the Category list, choose Custom. The dialog box changes so you can enter a custom format. (See Figure 1.)

  6. In the Type box, enter the following pattern: .###
  7. Click OK.

That's it; the number in the cell will no longer have a leading zero if it is less than 1. There are some caveats to this, however. First, if the number you enter in the cell has more than three digits after the decimal place, then the number will be rounded (for display purposes) to only three digits. If you are going to routinely have more than three digits in the value, you should increase the number of hash marks (#) in the custom format.

Second, if the value you enter into the cell has fewer than three digits to the right of the decimal place, then only the number of digits required will be displayed. Thus, if you have multiple cells formatted this way, it is very possible for the numbers to not "line up" along the decimal point. The solution to this is to change the format to something that will always display the same number of digits after the decimal point. A good choice is, in step 5, use the format ".000" (without the quote marks). This format will always display three digits after the decimal point, adding zeros to the end of the value, if necessary.

You could also change the format a bit if you want things to line up on the decimal point, but you don't want any trailing zeros. Try replacing the hash marks (#) in the custom format in step 5 with question marks. Thus, you would use ".???" instead of ".###". This results in up to three digits being displayed, but if there are fewer than three digits the remaining question marks are replaced with spaces.

Third, if the value you enter into the cell is a whole number, then it will always be displayed with a decimal point. Thus, entering 3 in the cell results in the display of 3., with the decimal point. For most people this won't be a big deal, and there is no easy way to modify the custom format to remove the decimal point from whole numbers.

Fourth, if you enter 0 in the cell, it won't be displayed at all. Instead you get a single decimal point in the cell and nothing else. The way around this problem is to make your custom format just a bit more complex. In step 5, above, enter the following as the custom format:

This custom format indicates that a 0 value should be shown as 0, any value less than 1 should be shown with no leading zero and three digits to the right of the decimal point, and anything else should be displayed using the General format.

ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (10029) applies to Microsoft Excel 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. You can find a version of this tip for the ribbon interface of Excel (Excel 2007 and later) here: Getting Rid of Leading Zeros in a Number Format.

Author Bio

Allen Wyatt

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As one of the world’s leading car manufacturers, we take seriously our responsibility to help protect the environment. That means creating vehicles which have as little impact as possible on the natural world around us. It is not just a matter how they perform when they are driven on the road; we believe it is just as important to find cleaner, sustainable ways of making vehicles and disposing of them when they reach the end of their useful life.

We have spent decades researching how we can make vehicles that are kinder to the environment, producing technologies such as hybrid that have already proved their value in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and helping us move towards a low carbon society. We are still on that journey and we want to reduce our vehicle CO2 emissions by 90% by 2050, compared to the level we were at in 2010.

It is not just about reducing CO2, however. We share the concerns of governments and consumers around the world about the importance of air quality and continue to invest in finding ways of reducing vehicle emissions that directly impact on people’s health, such as nitrogen oxides (NOx) and particulates (PM) within our 360-degree view of design and technology innovation.

We have announced ambitious plans to reduce CO2 emssions from vehicles in operation (tank-to-wheel) by 90% by 2050.

The right car, in the right place, at the right time

Around the world, people use different types of vehicles to suit their lifestyle and their local environment. Some may only need a small car for short urban journeys, while others require a larger and more powerful vehicle to make regular long-distance trips. Concern about the environment and cutting carbon emissions cuts across these differences, which is why we believe there is no single solution when it comes to creating the ultimate eco-car. With our hybrid system we have produced a low carbon technology that can be used in multiple ways to address these different demands.

Ever since vehicles began using the internal combustion engine in the late 19th century, they have largely relied on fossil fuels that produce CO2 and contribute to global warming. While conventional engines will continue to play an important role in the short to medium term, we are researching and developing alternatives such as biofuels from organic sources, electricity and, more recently, hydrogen. With this multi-path approach we aim to secure better environmental performance by providing the right car, in the right place, at the right time.

"Natural resources are limited. We must be friendly to the planet. We have to hand it to our future children."

Akio Toyoda, President Toyota Motor Corporation

Our route to producing the ultimate eco-car takes in different applications of our hybrid technology and the use of alternative fuels to secure the best results across a complete range of driving requirements.

Meet the Family

With the launch of the Mirai, the world’s first mass-produced hydrogen fuel cell sedan, our range of advanced, alternative power vehicles continues to grow, taking our technology out of the research laboratory and on to the road. Our range also includes all-electric vehicles for urban mobility, such as the prototype i-ROAD, an ever-increasing number of hybrid cars and a rechargeable plug-in hybrid. Together these create a technical roadmap for our journey towards the ultimate eco-car – one which aims for zero impact on the environment.

Mapping a route to sustainable mobility

Our technology roadmap brings together a broad range of environmental technologies for cleaner, more efficient future mobility, including hybrid, plug-in hybrid, electric battery power and fuel cell systems. Each technology moves us closer to our goal of creating the ultimate eco-car. By 2050 our aim is reduce our vehicle CO2 emissions by 90% compared to the level in 2010. It is an ambitious vision, but we are committed to developing and refining these new technologies and bringing them to the market so that their benefits can be realised in real-world driving.

Our multi-award-winning Hybrid Synergy Drive hybrid power system is the core technology shared by all the different powertrains in our roadmap. The fact it is modular in design means that it can easily be adapted for use in different types of vehicle. In plug-in hybrids it is largely unchanged, but uses a more powerful battery that can be recharged from an external power supply. In electric vehicles its format is simpler with no petrol engine and a more powerful electric motor. In fuel cell hybrids the petrol engine is replaced by the fuel cell stack, to generate electricity from hydrogen fuel with no harmful tailpipe emissions.

Our innovative hybrid power technology is applied to a range of vehicle types to suit the personal preferences and the mobility needs of many different customers, including electric vehicles, hybrids, plug-in hybrids and fuel cell vehicles.

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Fictional Character ~ Theme #AtoZ

Character is everything

We build character in kids from a young age, because real-life character is everything.

What about fiction?

The way I see it, fiction contains three elements that divide into many other, but three main components:

1.   Character

2.   Plot

3.   Setting

In my book — literal and figurative —  character is number one.

Sure, there are great plot-driven novels with little character development. Their success isn’t due to lack of character growth but excellent plot that is engrossing from the jump. The Maze Runner, a YA dystopian, is an example. Very plot-driven.

But back to my number one: character-driven fiction.

It’s advertised as a literary-fiction element. But, oh, how I disagree. Character-driven writing works superbly for genre fiction. Take Gone Girl, for one. Relationship drives the plot, sure, but the gradual revelation of characters, that’s what makes the story.

My kind of gig — stories with characters that become complicated people. Where personal evolution and character decisions shape the plot. Where writers develop the heck out of characters traits and together with plot cook up and serve magnificent stories.

And since you’re dying to know my A-Z Theme, here it is:

No lectures, no writing advice.  I’m sure there is enough of that coming at you fast.  Just an accumulation of references, if you will. All in one place, right here.

No long articles. It’s my third or fourth A-Z Challenge. I’m familiar with the craziness about to ensue. There will be images, brief descriptions and examples.  That’s it.

So, come talk character. Add your favorite trait(s), name your fave characters, or simply talk fiction. Or life. Or whatever.

Okay?  Awesome. Onward to the April A-Z, dear blogging friend!

Images: Pixabay

Why do you write?

Because I’m a spider and words are my silk. Because I’m inspired and have something to say. Because writing is crack, and I’m an addict.  ~ Answers from National Writing Month

What do we write?

What we know, what moves us.  About our findings, travels. Life events. Someone else’s story. Eye-catching headlines. Issues.

About curiosities. Questions posted on social media.

The last two inspired a post I wrote and deleted. Too long, too verbose. This shorter, lighter form survived since the question raised continued moving about my mind.

This was the question.

Why did Washington State pass a law on gender neutrality?

This was followed by commentary linking said law to child abuse. Choosing neutral on a birth certificate rather than boy or girl.

 It should be clear enough, right? Boy. Girl. Boy. Girl.

 What about intersex children?

 And who decides?

 The doctor? The parents? Would we like it decided for us?

 Take Jim Bruce, for example.

Jim Bruce was born with XY male chromosomes but ambiguous genitals. After his birth in 1976, Bruce’s external organs and testes were surgically removed and he was raised as a girl. He struggled for years, preferring rough play and being attracted to girls.

Leaving it up to him as adult, would that have been better? Not an option at the time, but let’s just imagine. If you read the article, you’ll see the girl eventually grew into a man.

Or take model Hanne Gaby Odiele

She  was born with an intersex trait known as Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome (AIS) in which a woman has XY chromosomes more typically found in men.

Should life have been decided for her at birth?

Up to 1.7% of the population is born with intersex traits, according to the United Nations — a figure roughly equivalent to the number of redheads.

We like clear answers, clear definitions. Clear lines to follow. Most times we like it all to be the way we were raised.

 We’re also writers.

And writers can provoke a great deal of thought and annoyance and anger in equal measure.  All those wonderful ways with words. All that curiosity. Topics in need of exploration. Taboos. Convictions. All constantly addressed, challenged, written and re-written about.

Confronting, debating, or even discussing firmly established routines and rules can be infuriating. I know.

But is that our concern as writers?

Images: Pixabay

Curiosity is the wick in the candle of learning ~ W A Ward

As children we’re naturally curious – it’s how we grow and learn – but by a certain age that sense of wonder starts to disappear.

Why?  Life. Society. Socioeconomic dynamics.

Answers are more valued than inquisitive thought, so curiosity is trained out of us. Being right is more important than being smart.

Regaining our sense of wonder is important, isn’t it? But if regaining curiosity is even possible, how do we go about relearning such a quality?

Well, wouldn’t you know it, I found a list (what’s a blog post without a list?) In case you’re … umm … curious.

Habits of curious people:

1. They ask lots of questions.

Curious people ask how, what, when, where and why. This creates openness.

2. They listen without judgment.

The genuinely curious have no hidden agenda. They seek to understand the perspectives of others, and are willing to sit in ambiguity, open and curious without being invested in the outcome.

3. They seek surprise.

Curious people try new foods, talk to a stranger, or ask a question they’ve never asked before.

4. They make time for curiosity.

They think of scenarios that are three years in the future, question major assumptions, and wonder if they’re doing things they no longer should be doing.

5. They aren’t afraid to say, I don’t know.

Big one. It’s more important for them to learn than to look smart.

6. They don’t let past hurts affect their future.

The problem is that we stop being curious about new experiences and are instead focused on understanding what we’ve already been through.

This is especially true if we’ve been hurt in the past. Curious people, however, are more apt to take risks.

 ~  As for me, a recent conversation with friends on gender neutrality sparked my curiosity so that I buried myself in inquiry — I hope to share findings in next post.

What about you? What are/have you been most curious about?

images: pixabay

Saying goodbye to stories is hard. But writing endings that are impactful is harder.

It’s often the ending that resonates with readers. Endings can make the preceding sixty or hundred thousand words look great (or awful) in retrospect.

We don’t want to leave the reader unnecessarily disheartened. I’ve once thrown a book across the room for having kept me riveted only to end with a kidnapped character die a horrible death that had little to do with the core of the story. Call me crazy, but it felt as though the writer was resolving personal issues and found killing the character therapeutic.

No, thank you. For such reasons, we have shrinks. Courts of law.

We also don’t want rainbows and butterflies and unicorns. Don’t want a feel-good ending for fear of disappointing. No tricks. The ending has to be congruous with the story. Organic. No last-minute solutions popping out of nowhere.

After having written several endings, I find this attempt no easier than my first. And that is where I find myself at this time, dear reader, with my work in progress — a mystery novel. Near the ending.

I lay awake at night, trying to make the final reveals in various scenes make sense. Trying to tie together loose ends, lay the groundwork for the resolution — a piece that comes after, when everything that’s come before seems retroactively wonderful.

One night I had a brilliant idea on how to do all this, which turned out to suck in the morning after I had two cups of coffee and thought about it some more. Sure I knew where the story had to go from the beginning. Some hundred pages later, things have changed. But the goal remains. I’ve made a promise I have to deliver on.

So, what are my choices at this time?

1. Tear the whole thing up?  Um, no.

2. Simplify. Maybe a little, but not enamored with the idea.

3. Dive deeper into the characters’ heads. Works, but not as a stand alone.

4. Re-read everything. Sure. I’ve probably done it fifty times.

5. Shut up and do the work. Write, write, write. Re-write. Then write some more. And it will all come together. Eventually.

~~ Tell me about endings you’re read, written, loved, hated.

— pixabay


ARE NUMBERS REAL? by Brian Clegg

The Uncanny Relationship of Mathematics and the Physical World
Email this review

The emphasis is on “real” in the latest by the prolific British science writer, who questions the extent to which mathematics truly reflects the workings of nature.

Clegg (Ten Billion Tomorrows: How Science Fiction Technology Became Reality and Shapes the Future, 2015, etc.) has a degree in physics from Cambridge, and he uses that knowledge to discourse on the relationship between math and science. Math builds its own universe based on given (i.e., not proven) axioms and rules of operation to derive facts (theorems) that are true in that system. Science, on the other hand, builds theories based on observations and experiments, and the theories become conventional wisdom until questioned by new observations and data. Nevertheless, over time, there has been an eerie congruence between abstruse developments in math—e.g., non-Euclidean geometry—and the equations that govern Einstein’s theory of general relativity. Clegg suggests that math increasingly has come to rule the roost in physics. Nobody has ever seen a black hole he notes; the objects are “more the product of mathematics than of science,” the evidence for their existence being indirect. Likewise the Higgs boson and superstring theory. The author urges caution and a step back rather than obedience to a questionable math authority. Before reaching this conclusion, Clegg treats readers to an orderly history of math. He begins with counting on fingers or marks on sticks to match the amount of a physical object, leading to symbols for numbers. These numbers are really real, he says, because they are based on matches with objects in nature. But as math evolved, that connection blurred. By the 19th century, with set theory and concepts of orders of infinity, and 20th-century proofs on the incompleteness of mathematical systems and other logical conundrums, the relation to reality has faded—as will some readers’ attention, because this is not easy stuff.

Solid as a straightforward chronology of how mathematics has developed over time, and the author adds a provocative note urging scientists to keep it in its place.

Pub Date: Dec. 6th, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-250-08104-9
Page count: 288pp
Publisher: St. Martin's
Review Posted Online:
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15th, 2016

NonfictionTEN BILLION TOMORROWS by Brian Clegg
by Brian Clegg
NonfictionFINAL FRONTIER by Brian Clegg
by Brian Clegg
NonfictionEXTRA SENSORY by Brian Clegg
by Brian Clegg
NonfictionHOW TO BUILD A TIME MACHINE by Brian Clegg
by Brian Clegg

NonfictionWEIRD MATH by David Darling
by David Darling
NonfictionCALCULATING THE COSMOS by Ian Stewart
by Ian Stewart
NonfictionHOW TO BAKE PI by Eugenia Cheng
by Eugenia Cheng


St Petersburg, Concert Hall

How a ballet is staged

Conductor: Alexei Repnikov

Third concert of the seventeenth subscription (Saturday)
Featuring Yekaterina Chebykina, Sofia Gumerova, Sofia Ivanova-Skoblikova, Yulia Kasenkova, Arina Varentseva, Daria Vasnetsova, Daria Ustyuzhanina, Zlata Yalinich, Andrei Arseniev, Alexei Popov, Yuri Smekalov, David Zaleyev

Script Author: Natalia Entelis
Hosts: Natalia Entelis, Dmitry Korneyev
Stage Director: Alexander Maskalin
Production Designer: Sergei Grachev
Lighting Designer: Roman Peskov
Choreographer: Dmitry Korneyev

In theatre there is a very special world in which the characters neither speak nor sing – this is the mysterious and magical world of dance.

It takes a great deal of effort to become a dancer, and the elegance and ease of the movements require a tremendous amount of hard work. Dancers are taught from a very young age – starting when they are seven or eight years old – and they train for many hours a day for several years.

It is not, however, only professional performers who can dance – anyone can do it. If there were no dances then our lives would be bereft of much of its enjoyment and fun – we all love to dance! And people who say they don’t like dancing have probably just never learned. In times gone by everybody had to be able to dance. Aristocratic families would invite dance masters to give private lessons to their children before they attended their first ball. These dance masters would be quite anxious at times – after all, not everyone can dance well!

Everyone was able to dance, though some were able to dance particularly well and with great elegance – and they took pride in doing so. King Louis XIV of France did not consider it beneath him to dance before his courtiers and show off his skills. But is that how ballet emerged? No, it is not! Ballet only became a true art form when it began to enact various stories. Without any words and set to music. So that tales and stories could be told to music, a special language – the language of dance, the language of gesture – came into being in ballet.

Once the renowned dancer Māris Liepa performed the role of Prince Limone in the ballet Cipollino after the tale by Gianni Rodari. One child present at the performance explained to his mother that “Prince Limone said that Cipollino must be caught.” He had understood the language of ballet without any words, and indeed ballet dancers don’t say a word – they just make gestures and dance!

Running time 1 hour
The concert has no interval

Age category 6+

The highlighting of performances by age represents recommendations.


Why Digital Certificates?

This certificate of an employee is a proof for a company that a person has full capabilities and knowledge to solve specific tasks. Here we can also say that certificate is a quality proof.

And what about cryptography? What certificate means there? Why is it called “digital”? Normal real life certificate contains your data (name, surname, date of birth and etc..), data about who issued a certificate, data about what this certificate means and what capabilities the holder of the certificate posses and sometime date of certificate validity date.

When public key cryptography was created, it allowed many people to exchange their public keys in secure manner, and furthermore the problem of associating a public key with a person has been raised. As an example, you receive a public key (a small file with unreadable data) and you have no guarantee that this key belongs to a person who has send it to you. The solution to this problem was introduced almost immediately and specified “digital certificate”, which contains your public key, your data (name, surname, date of birth and etc.), data about possible public key usage and certificate validity date. Compare this to information in previous section, we can see that there is only one thing missing to compare real-life certificate and digital one. Right, data about issuer of a certificate is missing. You still can receive even a certificate with all the data, but you cannot be sure that it is true.

The solution to this last issue was introduction of certificate authority which protected digital certificate with their signature and gave a possibility to all PKI users not only to read data about public key holder and also be sure that this data was not altered and is verified.

So Public key infrastructure became complete and will help us today and tomorrow to achieve needed security and confidence in the electronic world of communications. And coming back – why digital? Because it is not printed on paper, digital certificate is data sequence which can be seen only in special software. And don’t worry – currently, almost all daily used programs with support of cryptography also support PKI digital certificates.


Discovery and detection of ’’dark energy“ = ’’Supernovae Energy“?

Lehner, Hans

Quantum Theory / Particle Physics

Date Published:

April 26, 2013

new cosmology, new astrophysics, dark matter as a transport medium, dark energy = supernovae energy, new gravity theory, new gravitation theory, cosmic "mechanical" pressure, dark matter in magnetism

The basics of this publication are the research results at the ISQP/ISQR Institute in new magnetism, with the new image of magnetism - and with the introduction of the flux-law of Daniel Bernoulli in magnetism and electromagnetism. The title of the scientific publication is: Discovery and detection of "dark matter" in magnetism? See: General Science Journal, March 2013. With the discovery and proof of a "magnetic space quantum flux SQFm" on permanent magnets by Oliver Crane and Christian Monstein in 1992, with the concepts of modern physics, a "dark matter-flux” is discovered and proven on permanent magnets. This discovery is so revolutionary that two magnets with north and south poles no longer mutually "attract" each other, as was previously taught, but are compressed - through a larger "outer" cosmic medium-pressure transmitted through the "dark matter" in the cosmos, and caused by the "dark energy" in the universe, by an "average" of 86,400 supernovae explosions fed daily in the universe. The "dark energy" is thus responsible for gravitation, in the sense of a cosmic "mechanical" pressure, and for the accelerated expansion of the universe (Physics Nobel Prize 2011). With the new findings, the "mass attraction" theory of Newton and Einstein is under massive revision pressure.

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Auditor Message

Dear respected Patrons, and well-wishers of M.A.S.D. Public School, Panipat

At the very outset, it is my proud privilege to greet you, with warm prayerful best wishes and choicest showers of blessings from the almighty God.

I have been enquiring from a number of parents and guardians, when they had an option to make, then, why did they desire to seek admissions for their children and wards at M.A.S.D. Public School, Panipat. Their quick and spontaneous response was that they could not find another school like M.A.S.D., known for its name, fame and good repute. Further they said that it is one of the best schools of Panipat, known for academic, curricular, co-curricular and extra-curricular activities combined with the flavour of discipline, devotion and dedication with which the management and teaching faculty is committed to take care the welfare of the students. The School campus is surrounded by lush green grass, trees, and flowers, adding to the harmony of an echo friendly peaceful atmosphere. It has massive play grounds with indoor and outdoor sports facilities. The students are taught skills and techniques in good health and hygiene.

Great men were not great when they were born nor when they started their career, but made themselves great by learning, learning and learning. As once Leonardo Da Vinci the great Italian artist and scientist remarked, “Iron rusts from disuse, stagnant water loses its purity and in the cold weather water becomes frozen; even so does inaction sap the vigour of the mind”.

Have not the people seen for ages, apples falling from the trees? But surprisingly, Isaac Newton observed it and he discovered the law of gravity. Christopher Columbus charted a course in an unknown ocean and Thomas Edison the idea of electric bulb. To quote former president of India, Mr. Abdul Kalam “Dreams are not those you get when you sleep, but dreams are those that don’t let you sleep”.

Our humble endeavour at M.A.S.D. has been to encourage and prepare our students, in every way to face the difficult challenges of today, boldly and whole heartedly.

We gratefully acknowledge your trust and confidence deposed in M.A.S.D. School, by giving us an opportunity to serve you and your children in a better way. Once again, I wish all the students, parents and guardians better cooperation and great success.

Yours Sincerely.

Shashank Aggarwal


When used as an aperitif, serve at 50 F, and add an ice cube if required.

Pour Pineau in a wine glass and hold it up against a light background to appreciate the colours and hues.

Aerate the Pineau des Charentes by turning it on your palate. The first attack is lively and reviving, while the second gives a sweetness and fatness that envelops the palate.


Lumen, Physics

lumen; lm:

The derived SI unit of luminous flux, described as the luminous flux emitted through a uniform point source of 1 cd emitting its luminous energy on a solid angle of 1 sr; thus it has units of cd sr.

Posted Date: 3/28/2013 5:24:08 AM | Location : United States

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Objectives of credit control , Managerial Economics

The old objective of controlling credit creation by the commercial banks in the country was dictated by considerations of maintaining stability of the rate of foreign exchange. The international gold standard was maintained for this purpose from 1857 to1914. During the war period of 1914-18, it was temporarily suspended but it was re established in the post war period from 1925-36 in various forms and degrees. But exchange rate stability was incompatible with the domestic price stability. Exchange rate stability was possible at the heavy cost of causing fluctuations in the domestic and international prices. Consequently, such exchange rate stability was followed by fluctuations in the level of economic activity. Naturally, with the passage of time though was given to the maintenance of price stability instead of exchange rate stability as the main objective of credit policy of the central bank. The reason for emphasising exchange rate stability as the goal of central bank credit policy before the breakdown of international gold standard in1936 rested on the universal belief that exchange rate stability was essential for international prestige of a country and for the smooth flow of international trade and lending.

After the breakdown of international gold standard in the thirties, price stability as the goal of economic policy attracted more attention. The economic rot brought by the great depression of the thirties convinced the economists and financial experts of the futility of achieving the foreign exchange rate stability in the face of fluctuating domestic prices that did irreparable harm to the stability of domestic economy of a country. The opinion that price stability should be preferred to exchange rate stability if the former was incompatible with the latter gained support on the plea that stabilisation of domestic prices was most conducive to the national economic welfare.

Apart from those who support either exchange rate stability or domestic price stability as the goal of central bank monetary policy there are those who argue that the fundamental objective of central bank monetary policy should be to promote accelerated growth of the economy by preventing the occurrence of booms and slums and unemployment. These economists consider economic growth with stability, as against either mere price or exchange rate stability. As the sine qua non of maximisation of national welfare. In recent times the emphasis has shifted from mere economic stability to economic stability compatible with full employment and high per capital income in the economy. So important has the achievement of full employment and growth become as the goals of central bank monetary policy that many countries have officially declared that the basic objective of their economic policy is to achieve full employment and accelerated growth of the economy and monetary policy of the central bank is directed towards the achievement of these twin objectives. In the context of rapid economic growth the special function of central bank in a free enterprise economy are:

1.To improve the existing system of financial intermediaries in order to ensure the maximum productive investment of community savings.

2.To provide direct loans in those areas where the commercial bank do not find it profitable to operate.

3.To conduct its policy of credit control in a manner so as promote the maximum growth rate without causing runaway inflation or unmanageable deficit in country external balance of payments.

Posted Date: 12/1/2012 6:59:58 AM | Location : United States

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what are the limitation of managerial economics and what is the solution of it?

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Flood Potential Outlook
Issued by NWS Binghamton, NY

Versions: 1 2 3 4
483 FGUS71 KBGM 151717 ESFBGM NYC007-015-017-023-025-053-065-067-077-097-099-101-105-107-109- 123-PAC015-069-079-103-115-127-131-171730- Winter/Spring Flood Potential Outlook National Weather Service Binghamton NY 117 PM EDT Thu Mar 15 2018 ...AVERAGE RIVER FLOOD POTENTIAL THROUGH MARCH 29th... This is the sixth in a series of regularly scheduled hydrologic outlooks issued during the Winter and Spring season. This outlook is designed to provide a generalized assessment of river flood potential (not flash flooding) across Central New York and Northeast Pennsylvania for the next two weeks...March 15th to March 29th. ...SUMMARY... .Antecedent conditions in the majority of our basins would suggest a higher than average risk of river flooding for the next two weeks. However, medium and long range weather forecasts suggest gradual warming trends and a limited chance for heavy precipitation. The flood favorable conditions in place would thus be mitigated by a gradual melting of the snow pack and no heavy rainfall. The overall flood potential is therefore considered about average for late March. ...CURRENT CONDITIONS... .PRECIPITATION: Above average. The first two weeks of March have seen 1 to 3 inches of precipitation across the basins. Over the past 30 days, precipitation departures ranged from 125 to 200% of normal. .SNOW COVER AND WATER EQUIVALENT: Above Average. Several coastal storms, and lake effect events, have re-established a deep snow cover across many of the basins. The deepest snow cover existed across the headwaters of the Susquehanna and Upper Delaware basins where snow depths ranged from 8 to 18 inches. Up to 2 feet of snow was in place over the highest peaks in the Catskills, the Tully-Heighburgs and the southern Tug Hill. Elsewhere, snow cover ranged from 2 to 12 inches with the lowest totals in the Chemung and Finger Lakes area. The liquid equivalent of the snowpack was about 1 to 3 inches with locally higher amounts approaching 6 inches in the deep snow areas. .RIVER ICE COVER: Normal. The river ice season has passed. All main river channels were clear of any significant ice cover. .STREAMFLOW: Above normal. Streamflow, averaged over the past 28 days, was above normal at a majority of the stream gauge locations when compared to the long term history of each gauge. Some streams from the northern Chemung across the Finger Lakes were running at normal levels. .SOILS AND GROUNDWATER: Above normal. The Palmer Drought Severity Index, along with other multi-model soil moisture indicators, showed wetter than average deep soil conditions throughout the basins. Groundwater levels were generally normal to above normal. .RESERVOIR AND LAKE LEVELS...Variable. NYC Reservoirs were slightly above the long term median pool height. The Finger Lakes levels were generally normal, while Lake Wallenpaupack in NEPA was above its March target pool height. ...FORECAST OUTLOOK... .FUTURE WEATHER CONDITIONS: The 6 to 14 day outlook calls for colder than normal temperatures and slightly above average precipitation. Several other computer forecast simulations suggested generally normal precipitation, and little to no significant storms in the period. The exception being another possible coastal storm during the March 20-21 time frame, which right now is looking to be a cold-side event with mainly snow, or mixed precipitation. .LONG RANGE RIVER MODELING AND PROBABILITY FORECASTS: The ensemble of river forecast systems indicated a lower than average risk of flooding during the next 1-2 weeks. An analysis of flooding, using current hydrologic conditions compared to historical flows, suggested the majority of basins have a lower than average chance of flooding, although basins in the Upper Susquehanna and Delaware headwaters were exhibiting a higher than historical average chance of minor to moderate flooding through early April. ...IN CONCLUSION... This outlook estimates the potential for river and lake flooding based on a current overview of hydro-meteorological factors which contribute to flooding. It is important to note that significant flooding does not occur from snow melt alone. Rainfall, how much and in how short a period of time, is the most important factor in determining the severity of flooding. Specific forecasts of heavy rainfall and flash flooding are not included in this outlook. The next Winter/Spring Flood Outlook will be issued by this office in two weeks, on March 29th 2018. If conditions change in the interim: Flood Watches, Warnings or Advisories will be issued as necessary. $$ JAB


Nalysis of 3 Alfred Hitchcocks Films That Represent His directorial Efforts (American Cinema Class)

This essay is an analysis of a cultural figure whose connection to the culture is expressed through movies.

Choose 3 films that represent the directorial efforts of Hitchcock (Rear Window; Strangers On A Train; Psycho). You want to explore the directors use of style, his infusion of authorship, and how this relates in a cultural/social context. Remember that the director reflects the needs, fears and hopes of the culture.

Using the 3 films that you have viewed plus appropriate additional research material, analyze what Hitchcock says about American culture. What are the ideological concerns, values, societal roles, goals, etc. of the wider culture of the time period he represents? How is Hitchcocks style calculated to represent these concerns? Have ideological concerns, values, societal roles, etc. changed during the directors artistic life and, if so, has Hitchcocks persona changed to reflect these concerns?

This should be a 5 page paper excluding sources cited (3). Appropriate additional material may consist of information from the texts, interviews of Hitchcock in magazines or newspapers of his/her era, critical reviews of the films, reference books on social concerns and values of the time period.

The assignment is sharply focused. Your essay about Hitchcock should be built on the foundations of the solid research, strong cultural analysis and keen cinematic observations.

This essay is NOT a biography or a filmography. It does NOT matter where the director was born, unless that impacts his work. It does NOT matter about how many awards he has garnered, unless you wish to establish his popularity with his fans.

Give the essay a title that helps you frame your topic. Write an opening thesis paragraph that sets a focus for your work.


Open Source/Open Access

The fundamental concept behind open sourcing is access to, production of, and distribution of a project that is unrestricted and free. Openness does not imply that resources such as time, talents, and ATP (yes, I’m a biologist) are not expended – only that money (extrinsic motivators) be more or less taken out of the picture. In this sense, open sourcing is really all about developing common pool resources – resources that a group of individuals agrees to share, develop, and protect in a common fashion.

Openness does not imply that resources such as time, talents, and ATP are not expended – only that money be more or less taken out of the picture.

No commons is without rules: in fact, the most successful commons have very strong rules which the community agree to abide by. In the case of the traditional sense of free (read: “open source”) software, the GNU license is thought of as the core body of rules that users agree to abide by. Fundamentally, this set of rules is based on a philosophy that creativity and participation are renewable, unlimited resources which will be continually developed if there is sufficient trust.

The exact opposite philosophical approach is that of patenting. Patents assume that there is a shortage of 1) ideas, 2) altruistic, participatory behavior, 3) trustworthy use by others, and provide a means of protecting the resource for the 4) express monetary use (also limited) of that resource by one individual or organization. The obvious attraction to patents is the promise of monetary reward for the effective exploitation of a specific resource/piece of information in order to successfully compete in a free market (also driven by monetary value). Unfortunately, though patents fundamentally protect the rights of the originator, they tend to be prohibitively expensive to produce, license, and enforce. The allure is that once the patent is obtained, you will be able to recoup those costs by licensing or protected production.

Patents fundamentally protect the rights of the originator, but tend to be prohibitively expensive to produce, license, and enforce.

This whole system is based on a definition of economics that is inherently narrow – most people experience little or no intrinsic value (utility) from money; it is the definition of monetary value as an economic utility and its (current) universality that drive people to desire it. The very philosophy behind Open movements opposes this definition and identifies more intrinsic and meaningful sources of value/utility for individuals and organizations.

My goal in describing the dichotomy between these two systems is not to diminish the importance of protecting intellectual property, only to identify that building walls does not build innovation, but rather causes stratification. Access to ideas enables people to disagree with them and propose alternative solutions. The access that academicians have to knowledge about the universe has not diminished the variety of ideas nor the proliferation of ways and means of doing things. On the contrary, the greater access academicians have to each other’s work(s) leads to greater debate and discussion which inherently leads to greater innovation and advancement of intellectual pursuits. This is the same with other intellectual property pursuits as greater access does not somehow diminish the development of ideas: when more people can share their ideas and debate them, greater work can be accomplished.

The obvious caveat which the academic world has more or less dealt with is that of attribution: when a scientist proposes a theory and works on it, it becomes their unique property, though others have access to debate and or improve it. This is a subject open to much debate in the private sector: how to protect the originator of the idea/process etc. I want to address this in the next couple of posts, but here’s a quick spoiler: I think the solution is protection of attribution with full sharing of the data/product.


Esther 8:9

  9 H4428 Then were the king's H5608 [H8802] scribes H7121 [H8735] called H6256 at that time H7992 in the third H2320 month H2320 , that is, the month H5510 Sivan H7969 , on the three H6242 and twentieth H3789 [H8735] day of it; and it was written H4782 according to all that Mordecai H6680 [H8765] commanded H3064 to the Judeans H323 , and to the satraps H6346 , and the governors H8269 and princes H4082 of the provinces H1912 which are from India H3568 to Cush H3967 , an hundred H6242 and twenty H7651 and seven H4082 provinces H4082 , to every province H3791 according to the writing H5971 of it, and to every people H3956 after their language H3064 , and to the Judeans H3791 according to their writing H3956 , and according to their language.