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Steppin' Out—J-Hops and Dances at MSU Michigan State University's first Junior Hop was held at the Governor's Guard Armory inLansing in February 1888. Although women had been admitted since 1870, the student body was mostly male, with a 25:1 ratio of men to women. Consequently, the men invited girls from Lansing or brought girlfriends from home. Enrollment at the State Agricultural College fell in the 1890s. One response was to improve the social opportunities available to students. Social evenings with dancing were organized at the homes of faculty chaperones. It was thought, notes an 1895 faculty committee report, that "the presence of the ladies ... will be extremely helpful in elevating the moral tone of the students and increasing their regard for the amenities of polite society." In 1896, women were admitted to attend the new Women's Course. After the completion of the Women's Building, referred to as the "hen coop" in 1900 (now Morrill Hall), social life for most students became more structured. This was true for women who were restricted to the "coop" after dark. However, socials, such as teas and dances, were organized almost weekly by the "literary" societies that had temporarily replaced the fraternity system. Once each February, the junior class held a grand ball known as the J-Hop. Dress was very formal and the cost to attend the J-Hop was very expensive. Those unable to afford tickets could watch the dancing from an upper balcony. In many respects, the J-hop was the campus social event of the year. The evening began with a large banquet followed by toasts (nonalcoholic, especially during Prohibition). Then followed the Grand March, a procession to the dance floor, with a pause for a photograph. Finzel's 12-piece orchestra that arrived by train from Detroit provided dance music including waltzes, two-steps, and specials. Meanwhile, anonymous sophomores would attempt to disrupt the festivities. In 1904, a pig was introduced to the dance floor, and in 1909 the street car rails were greased on the hill leading up to campus. By the 1920s, the powerful Woman Student Council dictated the behavior of young women, permitting them to attend up to eight late parties each term based on their academic grades. Parties without faculty chaperones required special permission from the social director, and social participation was controlled through a point system monitored by the elite women of the Sphinx Society. The restrictions burdening student social activities eased gradually. The Great Depression, the return of veterans as nontraditional students after World War II, and the rise of dissent beginning in the 1950s and culminating in the 1960s, all began to erode the old college customs and rituals. Also, the growth in numbers of students popularized parties and dances in residence halls. As the students became more diverse, it became harder to entertain them. One of the last J-Hops in 1963 at the Auditorium featured two bands: the progressive jazz stylings of the Dave Brubeck Quartet, and the traditional dance music of Hal Munro's Orchestra. Perhaps this was a political compromise since that year's J-Hop chairman was Jamie Blanchard, better known in later years as governor of the State of Michigan. *Adobe Acrobat Reader is required to read PDF documents.
School Uniforms Debate Paper Rating: Word Count: 824 Approx Pages: 3 For many years parents, teachers, administrators, and students have argued over the pros, cons, and benefits of school uniform policies. Most realize there are both pros and cons to enforcing uniform policies in schools. There are social and safety related pros to having mandatory uniform policies in schools. There are legal, financial, and questionable effectiveness cons to the uniform policies. The debate lies in whether or not the pros do in fact make a difference in students' lives. A socially related pro is that it puts everyone on a level ground in term of socioeconomic status. When children get their choice of school clothes depending on how much money their parents make it leads to self-esteem issues. If all children have to wear the same outfit in school then it's not so obvious as to whose family can afford Gap and who can only afford Walmart. There have been school systems that have noted an increase in school pride and spirit, and a feeling of oneness or sense of belonging by students. Another argument that has been made in favor of uniforms is that it restores order and discipline in schools. Private schools are known to be more disciplined and if public schools enforce a school uniform policy it This Essay is Approved by Our Editor Page 1 of 3 Next > Related Essays
Night Depository DEFINITION of 'Night Depository' A bank drop box where merchants can deposit their daily cash, checks and credit card slips outside of banking hours. The bank collects the deposits and credits them to the merchant's account on the following business day. Night depositories provide additional security for merchants, since they don't have to keep this money at their business location overnight, where it could be vulnerable to theft. Instead of the envelopes that individual customers use to make bank deposits at ATMs, merchants often use lockable zippered bags, which are more secure and hold a larger volume of paper. 1. Commercial Account Any type of financial account that is owned and used by a business ... 2. Deposit Slip A small written form that is sometimes used to deposit funds ... 3. Checking Account A transactional deposit account held at a financial institution ... 4. Deposit 5. Automated Teller Machine - ATM 6. Discounted Payoff Related Articles 1. Options & Futures Choose To Beat The Bank 2. Options & Futures How To Break Up With Your Bank 3. Options & Futures Who Backs Up The FDIC? 4. Savings What Canadian banks offer the best savings accounts? 5. Savings What US banks offer the best savings accounts? 6. Professionals What's the average salary of a bank teller? 7. Budgeting What US banks offer free checking accounts? 8. Economics What is the difference between loan syndication and a consortium? Learn about consortiums and loan syndications, two types of multiple banking arrangements designed to finance transactions that single lenders do not handle. 9. Economics The New Global Banking Regulations To Avert Future Crisis 10. Economics Indian Banking Regulations -- What You Didn't Know You May Also Like Hot Definitions 1. Commodity 2. Deferred Revenue 3. Multinational Corporation - MNC 4. SWOT Analysis 5. Simple Interest 6. Special Administrative Region - SAR Trading Center
Mirror Collimation Scenery Display Mirror Collimation The mirror based collimated display, in a variety of forms, is the mainstay of large commercial simulators. In their most compact incarnation a single monitor is located above and forward of the pilot's position and is pointed down. The image is reflected away from the pilot by a partially reflective "beam splitter". (Basically, a partially silvered mirror that reflects about half the light, and allows the remaining to pass through.) The image is then reflected back toward the pilot by a large concave spherical-section mirror. This enlarges the image and makes it appear to be generated at a great distance from the pilot. Hence, stereopsis cannot generate distractive miscues. Glass Mountain Optics, CAE and SEOS Displays, Ltd. make reflective collimated displays and components. Glass Mountain Optics also sells to the hobbyist! Collimated display For theoretically perfect performance the mirror should be parabolic; however, these are quite expensive to make in suitable sizes so generally spherical mirrors are used. The distortion introduced by using a spherical mirror only appears off the central axis of the mirror. Because these systems are generally used with the pilot's head situated along or close to this axis, using a spherical mirror is a good tradeoff. The monitor is placed so that the screen is at the focus of the mirror. The optical path from the center of the mirror to the center of the screen is on the order of three feet. Because the focal length of a spherical mirror is one half the radius of curvature, this makes the mirror's radius on the order of six feet. For best performance the monitor's screen should be a spherical surface with a radius of curvature equal to one half the radius of the mirror. This is bad news as CRT monitors are being manufactured with increasingly flatter screens. This move toward manufacturing flat screen displays has created a small market for replacing obsolete spherical faceplate CRT displays used in military simulators. Diamond Visionics developed a rear projection system based on the TI moving mirror light modulator. The light modulator projects the image onto a spherical screen. The whole system is packaged like a CRT monitor. By today's standards it looks like the front bulges way out. Collimated displays of this sort can be placed side by side to expand the width of the field of view. The mirrors enlarge the apparent size of the monitors. This causes the perceived images to overlap even though the monitors don't physically touch each other. With careful positioning of the monitors the adjacent images are moved into alignment creating a single blended image. While you could make a very wide view display by positioning several of these monitor-based displays side by side, the big boys seem to have left this approach behind. Instead, a large, curved screen is mounted above the cabin and the exterior view is rear projected onto it. There will likely be several projectors carefully aligned such that the individual projected images blend into a single panoramic scene. This is viewed as a reflection from a very large curved mirror that surrounds the cabin and fills the entire field of view through any of the cabin windows. The mirror curvature is a type of spherical section and acts to collimate the image. As you can see from the diagram, the light paths into and from the mirror are somewhat off the mirror's central axis, and this might be expected to result in image distortion due to spherical aberration. In fact it does, but the spherical curve of the projection screen is designed to compensate for it. This approach delivers an impressive collimated, panoramic view. Unlike the smaller monitor based systems with their simpler mirrors, this approach allows for considerable latitude in possible viewing positions. Collimated display Collimating mirrors have been made from a variety of materials. Polished stainless steel, glass, acrylic, and thin films are a few of the common choices. Material selection depends upon many factors including size, complexity of shape, weight constraints, and required robustness. Given the large size, complex shape and a desire to minimize weight on the motion base, thin film is an excellent choice for simulator mirrors. Surprisingly, this is not new technology. Thin film mirrors have been around for more than 40 years. While making a large, thin film mirror with a complex shape and good optical properties can be quite a challenge, making a simple thin film, spherical mirror is quite easy. Cover a circular hole with a piece of aluminized Mylar (or aluminised Melinex), pull a small vacuum behind it, and voilá, instant spherical mirror. Unfortunately it doesn't take long to discover that it isn't a circular mirror that you want. You want a square mirror, or a rectangular one, or a trapezoidal one. You want a mirror that fills the field of view out all windows without having massive mirror area that cannot be seen. But you can't simply cover a square, or rectangular, or trapezoidal hole with a chunk of Mylar and end up with a spherical-section mirror. The main issue is that the frame that holds the film must lie on the surface of the desired mirror shape. So, if you want a spherical-section mirror, the supporting frame must be curved as though it were draped over a sphere. The reason that a spherical-section mirror with a circular frame is so easy to make is that the frame just happens to be flat. No such luck when you want different shapes. A secondary issue is establishing the proper tension in the thin film to accurately form the desired mirror shape. This creates yet another challenge when the frame has a complex shape. When the mirror is complete, the film is slightly stretched by the partial vacuum behind it. It is in this stretched condition that the film should be clamped to the frame if the proper shape is to be maintained. Proper assembly requires slightly stretching the film's edges as they are fastened to the frame. Just how must stretch and in which direction is the challenge. And those depend upon the specific shape and complexity of the mirror's frame. Here's a video from the Science Channel program, How's It's Made. It describes the construction of a commercial flight simulator. You'll get a brief view of the collimating mirror abour mid way. Given the simplicity of circular spherical-section mirrors and the low cost of aluminized Mylar (~US$0.45 per square foot), mirror based collimated display systems should be great projects for the flight sim hobbyist. At least on the west coast of the U.S., TAP Plastics is a source of the reflective Mylar. Other sources for reflective Mylar, surprisingly, are suppliers to plant nurseries. The film is used to maximize the amount of light on the plants' leaves. One such firm carrying reflective Mylar is Nielsen Enterprises. The pressure differential required for a 20-inch mirror is on the order of one psi, well within the capability of an ordinary vacuum cleaner. You may find that the real challenge is controlling the shape of the mirror. Even with a perfect seal (which you can't realistically expect) you will still see small transpiration through the film itself. Without an active shape control system the mirror will continually be going flat. Learning more about mirror based collimated displays should probably start with some introductory geometrical optics. Try Edmund Industrial Optics for an on-line "Optics Primer". After that a trip to the library is in order. If you can't find a book specifically on geometrical or ray-tracing optics, thumb through an undergraduate college physics textbook. Generally, simple optics is included and it's too early in the college curriculum for the math to be too intimidating. (For example, try The Feynman Lectures on Physics, volume 1.) It's very doubtful that you'll find a book specifically on mirror based collimated displays; the optics is just too simple. The real complexity is in the details of implementing those optics. This is one of those cases where the devil really is in the details. However, if you check out the websites of the manufacturers, primarily SEOS, Ltd., CAE and Glass Mountain Optics, Inc., you should find at least some basic descriptions in their product literature. There are several papers that address making membrane mirrors. An early one is "Aluminised Mylar as a Flux Collector" by Maurice Gavin. Originally published in the May, 1979 issue of Sky & Telescope, it is now available on the author's web site. Another is "The Varifocal Membrane Mirror" by L. Van Warren, also available on the web. There has been some serious research at the University of Strathclyde into the use of large film mirrors to display 3D images. Two papers addressing their work, which are well worth reading, are, "Membrane Mirror Based Display for Viewing 2D and 3D Images", and "Stereoscopic Display Using a 1.2-M Diameter Stretchable Membrane Mirror", by Stuart McKay, Steven Mason, Leslie Mair, Peter Waddell and Simon Fraser. (My thanks to Scott Ashburn for bringing this to my attention.) For information on more complex thin film mirrors you'll have to check out some patents. The basic patent for a "vacuum formed flex mirror" (pat. # 2,952,189) was issued in 1960. There are no surprises in it, but to see how mirrors with more complex shapes are made you might take a look at these: #3,973,834 "Mirrors having stretched reflective sheet materials and method and apparatus for their production", #4,592,717 "End retract device for completing spherically shaped reflective film" and #6,050,692 "Method of constructing a thin film mirror". These are U.S. patents available online from the Google patent search.
Light fog Pitts: In memory of an uncaged icon Her most famous work took its title from "Sympathy," a poem by Paul Laurence Dunbar. And it seems fitting, here just two days after Maya Angelou's death at the age of 86, to recall some of what the poet said: "I know why the caged bird sings, ah me, When his wing is bruised and his bosom sore — When he beats his bars and he would be free; It is not a carol of joy or glee, But a prayer that he sends from his heart's deep core, But a plea, that upward to Heaven he flings — I know why the caged bird sings!" It is not difficult to imagine why Maya Angelou saw herself in those words, and she chose "I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings" as the title of the celebrated 1969 memoir that would make her famous. Black girl, born Marguerite Johnson in St. Louis to parents whose interest in her might best be described as sporadic, coming of age during the Great Depression, an early childhood in the soul-crushing segregation of tiny Stamps, Ark., raped as a child by her mother's boyfriend, rendered mute for years afterward by the experience, an unwed mother at 17, briefly and unsuccessfully a prostitute not long after that. Did circumstance and happenstance ever leave any bird more effectively caged? And did any bird ever beat its wings against its bars to greater effect? In the process, Maya Angelou created herself. Not that Angelou — the first name was a childhood nickname bestowed by her older brother, the surname taken, slightly altered, from one of her husbands — was unique in this. To the contrary, the history of American popular culture is liberally strewn with acts of self-creation, works of will by people who were able to imagine themselves beyond the limiting constraints of their lives. But what makes Angelou different is not just the fact of her self-creation but the depth and breadth of it. Indeed, a listing of her achievements and accomplishments is so long and so varied that at some point, if you didn't know better, you'd think somebody was pulling your leg. You'd think they were describing the work of two women. Or three. "Caged Bird," celebrated for its lyricism and unblunted honesty, was the first of seven memoirs, including "Gather Together In My Name," "Singin' and Swingin' and Gettin' Merry Like Christmas" and "Mom & Me & Mom." Angelou was also a poet of great renown. Her "Still I Rise" is a sassy retort to the "bitter, twisted lies" about themselves with which African-American people contend from the womb to the tomb. Her "On The Pulse of Morning" was a song of celebration that was a highlight of Bill Clinton's first inauguration. But there was much more. She was a playwright, a dancer and a Tony Award-nominated stage actress who toured Europe in a production of "Porgy and Bess." She edited an English-language newspaper in Cairo, edited another in Ghana. She was fluent in French, Spanish, Italian, Arabic and Fanti, a West African language. She was awarded the Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama and held a reported 30 honorary degrees. She was an actress in film ("Madea's Family Reunion") and television ("Roots"), and directed the movie "Down In The Delta." She was a longtime professor of American Studies at Wake Forest University. She was a confidant of both Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X. She considered Oprah Winfrey the daughter she never had. She was a spoken word artist and sometimes made music, too (her album "Miss Calypso" was released in 1957 and she recorded "Been Found" in 1996 with Ashford and Simpson). And she was the "first Negro" hired to work on the streetcars of San Francisco. comments powered by Disqus Switch to our Mobile View
SciELO - Scientific Electronic Library Online vol.26 número1Genotoxicidad en linfocitos de fumadores habitantes de la Ciudad de MéxicoEficiencia y sostenibilidad del empleo del ozono en la gestión de los recursos hídricos índice de autoresíndice de materiabúsqueda de artículos Home Pagelista alfabética de revistas Revista internacional de contaminación ambiental versión impresa ISSN 0188-4999 JIMENEZ ISLAS, Donaji; MEDINA MORENO, Sergio A. y GRACIDA RODRIGUEZ, Jorge Noel. Biosurfactant properties, applications and production: a review. Rev. Int. Contam. Ambient [online]. 2010, vol.26, n.1, pp. 65-84. ISSN 0188-4999. Surfactants are amphiphilic molecules containing both hydrophilic and hydrophobic parts; these substances are located at the fluid-fluid interface with different degrees of polarity from oil-water or air-water interfaces. The properties of surfactants are characterized principally by four parameters: critical micelle concentration (CMC), aggregation number (na), hydrophilic-lipophilic balance (HLB) and cloud point (CP). These parameters are indicative of the potential of the surfactant as an emulsifier and surface-active agent and determine their application, mainly in industry and the environment. Surfactants are synthesized chemically or biologically, in which case they are called biosurfactants. Although an extensive number of microorganisms are capable of synthesizing biosurfactants, they are mainly produced by bacteria. Biosurfactants make up a series of compounds whose structure may be relatively simple such as rhamnolipids, whose structures have mono- and disaccharides joined by glycosidic bonds to hydroxylated carboxylic acids, or more complex such as emulsán, a polymeric biosurfactant with monomeric units of heteropolysaccharides bound to lipids. Biosurfactants have advantages over chemical surfactants due to their compatibility with the environment, low toxicity and biodegradability. However, the principal disadvantage is their high production cost in some cases. In this paper the chemical and microbiological properties of surfactants and biosurfactants are described as well as biosurfactant applications, principally in the bioremediation field. The effect of the main process variables on the production of biosurfactants is also discussed, particularly of rhamnolipids from Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Palabras llave : biosurfactants; Pseudomonas aeruginosa; rhamnolipids; surface tension. · resumen en Español · texto en Español · pdf en Español
KS3 Music a professional development programme Word format • Document 1b Microsoft Word 49kb Template planning file for a unit of work • Document 1c Microsoft Word 54kb Exemplar plan: Gamelan, Year 7 • Document 1d Microsoft Word 50kb Exemplar plan: Film, Year 7 • Document 1e Microsoft Word 80kb Exemplar plan: Samba, Year 8 • Document 1f Microsoft Word 62kb Exemplar plan: Chess, Year 9 • Document 1g Microsoft Word 50kb Exemplar plan: Toccata, Year 9 • Document 1h Microsoft Word 56kb Version of Document 1b with explanatory call outs • Document 1i Microsoft Word 43kb Exemplification of progression grid in Document 1a • Document 1j Microsoft Word 61kb Exemplar plan: Samba, Year 8 with full sequence of learning • Document A11 Microsoft Word 53kb Pupil questionnaire for Activity Resource 1 PDF format • Document 1a Download Acrobat Reader to view this PDF 62kb Six stages of progression in understanding • Unit 1 Download Acrobat Reader to view this PDF 482kb Archive version from DVD (2006) Audio & Video • Audio 1a Sound file 1mb Samba, Year 8: final unit outcomes for pupils in Video 1a • Audio 1b Sound file 917kb Tango, Year 9: pupil taught via emphasis on skills and knowledge • Audio 1c Sound file 1mb Tango, Year 9: pupil taught via emphasis on understanding • Video 1a Samba lesson: focus on contextual learning • Video 2a Samba lesson: focus on the first lesson of a unit Task 1: The current focus on understanding: a pupil perspective (30 minutes) Talk to small groups of pupils in Year 7, 8 and 9 (you may wish to use, or adapt, the questions provided in Appendix 1). Ask them about the extent to which they feel they currently learn and can demonstrate the aspects of musical understanding listed in the pupil section of the Recognising impact statements. (These statements are based on the rationale, definitions and model of musical understanding described in the Good practice section). If you have completed the audit in the Leadership guide, compare the pupils’ responses with your own assessment of the extent to which current teaching and learning focuses on musical understanding. Are there differences between your perceptions and those of your pupils? If so, in which aspects of their learning? Note those aspects where pupils report least confidence in their learning for understanding. As you work through this unit, these will need to be the focus for development. Task 2: Defining the focus of a unit according to style, genre or tradition (20 minutes) Take an existing unit from within your Key Stage 3 scheme of work. List the characteristics of the music being explored that might reflect aspects of a style, genre or tradition (i.e. film music might be identifiably within a horror movie style; be part of a genre for enhancing dramatic mood; and be part of a tradition which uses clichés to over-emphasise meaning). Now consider which of these characteristics is the one that you want to make the predominant focus for the unit – the one that will define the nature and focus of the musical thinking (and therefore musical understanding) for the pupils. Is it: • closed (as in a style, focusing on consistent and particular use of melody, rhythm, instrumentation, etc.); • guided (as in a genre, focusing on broad musical features determined by a contextual purpose, the roles of audience and performer, etc.); • open (as in a tradition, focusing on techniques that can be used in a wide variety of ways to create any form of music)? Consider how you might be able to adapt the current delivery of the unit to: • explore the richness of the music being explored – do pupils understand how the music works on a variety of levels? • refine the focus of learning for pupils so that as the unit develops, the form of musical thinking required for the main part of the learning – and the reasons for it – are made absolutely explicit. Task 3: Considering breadth and balance: styles, genres and traditions (20 minutes) Look at your current scheme of work for Key Stage 3. Complete the grid below, showing for each year group the specific styles, genres and traditions covered. Styles Genres Traditions Year 7 Year 8 Year 9 Is there a balance in each year? Is there a balance across the whole key stage? What areas might be over- or under-represented? The outcome of this review will be returned to later in the unit, but you might already begin to consider how any imbalances might be addressed: what styles, genres or traditions could you include to improve the range of experiences for pupils, or how could you adapt existing units to re-focus on a different form of musical thinking? If you wish to explore this notion in more depth, you can also look at Unit 5: Challenge in music, which explores how, over time, a department can build a more comprehensive range of styles, genres and traditions. Task 4: Exploring musical thinking (15 minutes) Look at the composer’s notebook from this unit. Composers Notebook An important aspect of this example is that it contains a variety of musical starting points, enables a range of compositional techniques to be explored at specific expectations, and guides pupils towards expressive possibilities by the inclusion of text and poetic lines. This differentiates it from many units on Variations, which unless carefully designed can require pupils to explore limited compositional ideas with closed outcomes lacking a sense of aesthetic communication. Identify the range of musical starting points (scales, melodic and rhythmic fragments, structural possibilities, chords, words that communicate meaning). If these represent appropriate expectations for most Year 9 pupils, what would enable more-able pupils to explore similar processes at more advanced expectations? Task 5: Understanding abstract music (45 minutes) In order to develop better understanding of the tradition of abstract music, first study Document 1f Microsoft Word 62kb. This is a unit of work designed to help Year 9 pupils explore the conventions of abstract musical thinking in contemporary classical music. It uses the game of chess as a starting point to explore a range of ways of organising musical ideas and sounds; but then branches out to explore how contemporary classical composers use abstract techniques to structure their ideas. As a support, it uses a resource from the Birmingham Contemporary Music Group – ‘Exchanging Notes’. You can then either: a) take an existing unit which is already close to the idea (perhaps a unit on cyclical musical forms: ostinato, ground bass, riffs), and adapt it to focus more clearly on: • a wider range of starting points; • specific compositional techniques with clearly defined expectations to challenge the pupils; • providing some kind of steer towards a sense of communication without losing the abstract nature of the work; b) for a particular year group, devise your own version of SCAA’s Optional tests and tasks, Unit 2: Musical ideas. Task 6: Refining a unit’s title (5 minutes) Decide whether you are going to: a) rework an existing unit; b) create a new unit based on a style, genre or tradition that is currently not well represented in your scheme of work (see Task 3 within the Challenges section for more on this). Once you have decided, make sure that the title reflects or is reworked into the new format: ‘Understanding the conventions of …’ Write this title into the relevant box at the top of the planning template available as Document 1b Microsoft Word 49kb. Task 7: Clarifying the detail of musical understanding (25 minutes) Read the statements and exemplification for each stage of musical understanding in detail. Note the characteristics of each stage by reading across the columns in the statement table and then reading the exemplification for that stage. Identify the progression through the stages by reading down the separate columns in the statement table: this can help to clarify the difference between each stage of musical understanding. Task 8: Applying the progression to unit planning (5 minutes) Select the stage of progression that most closely matches the current understanding of the pupils who will be undertaking the unit identified in Task 6. Copy either the stage of progression summary, or the objective for understanding bullets from the statement table into the relevant box in the planning template (Document 1b Microsoft Word 49kb). Task 9: Articulating the context of the music (15 minutes) Define the context of the music selected in Task 6: brainstorm everything you know about the music’s context, using the aspects listed above. Now refine the list so that it can be summarised either in a sentence of 15–20 words, or in three or four bullets. When doing this you should decide the following. • What are the contextual influences that have the strongest impact on the music, and that pupils will learn and understand most readily? • How can the learning of these contexts be refined further so that they are matched to the stage of understanding already established for the unit? You may want to use one of the following stems to articulate the context: • Learning why, how or that music is: (or) • Learning that the purpose or function of music is: Add these statements to the relevant place in the planning template. Task 10: Making the contextual link (10 minutes) Given the contextual learning already identified, identify an activity that you could use to ensure that the music’s context is relevant and clear to and for all pupils. What parallels are there between the music’s context and the everyday life of pupils or others? How can pupils be helped to empathise with the musicians who make this music? Is the link best made through a musical activity or a non-musical activity? If it is a non-musical activity, how can the link be made back to the musical learning that is to follow? Make a note of the activity or activities that you have thought of: you will need to return to them later. Task 11: Defining the conventions and the practical experience (15 minutes) List as many as you can of the key conventions for the musical style, genre or tradition that is the focus of your chosen unit. Make sure that these include the most distinctive features that, when combined, create the unique sound world of the music. Make sure that these do not just refer to aspects of the music that demonstrate a particular use of a ‘musical element’: be sure to include relevant processes and devices, including performing and/or composing techniques that are distinctive to the music. From the ‘long list’ you have created from your own knowledge of the music, identify a maximum of five that will be the key focus of learning for the pupils. You may want to use one of the following stems to articulate the conventions: • Learning how music uses: (or) • Learning that the key characteristics of music are: Given these conventions, now identify the most likely focus of the practical activity by which pupils can access and develop their understanding of the conventions. This will be broad at this stage – performing, composing, listening and reviewing and evaluating will be appropriate, though you may already be able to refine this further (ensemble performing, for instance). Note your decisions in the relevant section of the planning template. Task 12: Identifying learning (10 minutes) Refer to the unit from Task 6. Identify one or two significant features of musical elements that pupils will need to learn about in order to develop their knowledge and thereby improve their understanding. Identify one or two significant skills that pupils will need to learn and improve in order to access practically the main conventions of the music being studied. Task 13: Identifying learning outcomes (30 minutes) Identify the range of learning outcomes you want pupils to achieve in respect of overall understanding, features of musical elements and development of musical skills. Add these statements to your unit plan. Task 14: Sequencing the learning (45 minutes) For your chosen unit, identify and sequence the learning through practical activities that will: • introduce pupils to the style, genre or tradition and identify the essential conventions, processes and devices that will be explored; • enable pupils to acquire necessary knowledge about features of musical elements; • enable pupils to develop necessary practical musical skills; • enable pupils to apply this learning in an extended practical task that gives them the chance to explore the convention in context. Task 15: Reviewing the unit (30 minutes) Review the unit of work undertaken by answering the following questions. • Did pupils acquire relevant knowledge about features of a musical element, and did this support their knowledge of relevant conventions, processes and devices? What evidence do you have? • Did pupils learn how to improve their practical musical skills, and did this support their practical exploration of the genre, style or tradition? What evidence do you have? • As a consequence were pupils able to articulate and/or demonstrate practically their musical understanding? What evidence do you have? • Consider the progress pupils made in learning about features of musical elements and developing musical skills: was this less than, equal to or better than progress normally made? What evidence do you have? • Consider the impact on pupils’ motivation: was motivation lower than, equal to or better than usual? What evidence do you have? Extracts and references to the National Curriculum in Action web site (www.ncaction.org.uk/subjects/music) and Creatvity: find it, promote it (2004). © Copyright Qualifications and Curriculum Authority. Used with permission. Trinidad 2005 (image 1) photo used by kind permission of Nigel C. Hewitt, President of CarnivalPower.com. © CarnivalPower.com Recordings of Samba pieces. © Jenny Rankine, Bottisham Village College. Used with permission. Recordings of Tango pieces © Cromwell Community College. Used with permission.
#27: Control the Weather Using lasers to manipulate the weather sounds like science fiction, but researchers at the University of Geneva have done just that. In May, Dr. Jerome Kasparian unveiled the results of a study which used a high-powered laser to simulate rain cloud formations. Kasparian told Big Think that the genesis of his group's experiment came from an ongoing controversy about the possible contribution of cosmic rays to cloud formation, based on the ionization of the air that would promote the formation of clusters which then grow into particles and then into droplets. "We have very high-powered lasers that can ionize the air much more efficiently than cosmic rays," says Kasparian, "and we thought if the cosmic rays can have an effect, the laser should too.” And, sure enough, the laser created tiny rain droplets both in controlled lab settings and in the atmosphere. Water requires a non-gaseous surface to transition from a vapor to liquid. So for rain to form there must be both humidity in the air as well as small particles called condensation nuclei, which provide these surfaces on which the water molecules can condense. Effectively, Kasparian’s laser created ionized particles that mimicked condensation nuclei. This is the same idea behind cloud seeding, a controversial technology that purports to trigger rain by seeding clouds with particles like silver iodine. These particles, whether dropped into clouds from airplanes or shot into them with cannons, supposedly act as artificial condensation nuclei, triggering rain. The U.S. first developed cloud-seeding technology after World War II in an attempt to control hurricanes, but most of the experiments (conducted under the names Project Cirrus and Project Stormfury), were deemed a failure. Kasparian told us that, despite many experiments, cloud seeding is very difficult to verify because it is difficult to have control conditions. “You launch your silver iodine and get some rain, but you don’t know what would have happened otherwise.” Nevertheless, China claims to have perfected the science behind cloud seeding. Between 2001 and 2005, nearly 3,000 flights triggered 210 billion cubic meters of water over an area making up nearly a third of China's territory, according to an official from China's National Meterological Bureau. The problem, Kasparian says, is that “the Chinese only communicate the results of their experiments afterward.” They may try 10 times and fail, but if the only communicate the results of the one time it begins to rain (naturally or triggered by the silver iodine), the technology seems to work. But Kasparian’s work with lasers has returned an air of scientific respectability to this effort. And last year the former world’s-richest-man, Bill Gates, also got into weather control, applying for a patent with 11 others for a technology to cool down ocean surface temperatures, thereby weakening hurricanes. Hurricanes derive their destructive power from warm water temperatures at the surface of the ocean, so Gates's idea is to construct hundreds of massive, vertical tubes in the ocean that would force warm water from the surface down to cooler depths. Named Salter sinks, these structures are explained in the following video. Kerry Emanuel, a hurricane expert from MIT, believes that this technology is feasible. Cutting the temperature of the ocean by just 4.5 degrees Fahrenheit beneath the eye of a storm could effectively kill it, he says. According to a study published in Natural Hazards Review in 2008, hurricanes have caused $10 billion in damage annually over the past century. Minimizing the damaged caused by hurricanes might help to cover the cost of Gates's plan. Man has always dreamed of taming the heavens, and Kasparian’s experiment is a step toward that goal. If this technology is developed further it could have huge implications for agriculture. And if these more radical attempts to control hurricanes prove fruitful, they could save thousands of lives and billions of dollars. Hurricane Katrina, alone, is estimated to have cost between $80 and $125 billion, making it one of the most expensive natural disasters in U.S. history. U.S. weather modification technology lags far behind that of China, which invests roughly $100 million annually in controlling the weather. “It’s the epicenter of all weather modification activity,” says Bill Woodley, a former researcher with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Why We Should Reject This Controlling the weather is such a potentially dangerous technology that the United Nations banned its use in wartime in 1977—before the relevant technology even existed. Though the sort of weather warfare that may have seemed plausible in the '70s will probably never be possible, there are still dangers to even modest weather manipulation. When weather patterns are altered to suit one area or population, there will likely be adverse effects for someone else. The same would be true if we were ever able to guide the paths of hurricanes, diverting them from striking population-dense areas; we would have to contend with serious social and legal problems as a result, says MIT's Moshe Alamaro, who has suggested "painting" the tops of hurricanes with carbon particles to disrupt airflows within the storm. "If a hurricane were coming towards Miami with the potential to cause damage and kill people and we diverted it, another town or village hit by it would sue us. They'll say the hurricane is no longer an act of God, but that we caused it." As for Gates's plan to cool surface temperatures using Salter sinks, the cost would be astronomical. To hurricane-proof just the southern Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico (assuming that it would work in the first place) would require coverage of 528,000 square miles of ocean, says Neal Dorst of the Hurricane Research Division of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. More Resources —"Laser induced water-condensation in air" (2010) co-authored by Kasparian [PDF] Natural Hazards Review study (2005) on the damage cause by hurricanes in the last century [PDF] Study on weakening hurricanes published in Journal of Weather Modification (2006) by Moshe Alamaro [PDF] comments powered by Disqus
Canada 25 Cents 1967 Canada 25 Cents 1967 That's a lynx on the reverse side of this silver coin. Neat. Canada issued these commemorative quarter dollars in 1967, one hundred years after the Canadian Confederation in 1867. They are silver coins and carry value equal to the amount of silver they contain. Some coins are 80 percent silver, and some are 50 percent silver. The patterns and weights are the same, only the alloy is different, so there is no sure-fire method to tell the difference between the two. Sometimes we use a 'ring test' to check coin composition. In the US, pre-1982 cents were made of copper and post-1982 cents are made of zinc. When you drop a copper coin on a hard surface, you get a pleasant 'ring' sound. When you drop a zinc coin on the same surface, you get a dull 'thud.' Here's a game you can play. Get a 1966 and a 1968 Canadian quarter. The 1966 is made of 80 percent silver, and the 1968 is made of 50 percent silver. Perform the 'ring test' and calibrate your eardrum to 50% or 80%. Now test your 1967 quarter against your precision eardrum. To find the value, multiply the silver content (below) by the current price of silver (from That will be the value of your Canadian quarter. 50% SILVER QUARTER: 0.094 troy ounces silver 80% SILVER QUARTER: 0.150 troy ounces silver Coin: 13438 , Genre: Colonizers and Colonies Requested by: Ethel, Sat, 29-Dec-2012 21:45:19 GMT Answered by: Paul, Sun, 30-Dec-2012 02:48:30 GMT Reviewed by CoinQuest. Be sure to use current value of silver., Tue, 16-Dec-2014 14:09:17 GMT Requester description: 1867 Bobcat- picture 25 cents Canada 1867-1967 Queen - picture Elizabeth II D.C Regina 25 cents Tags: canada 25 cents cent peny pennys pennies penny bobcat cat queen elizabeth ii regina lynx leopard queem queens reginaf Leave comment Copyright 2009 to 2014 all rights reserved. Sat, 20-Dec-2014 18:35:36 GMT, unknown: 3532496
Canadian Self-Stereotypes Celebration by Kenny Louie Celebration by Kenny Louie To follow up on the article about the most common stereotypes that the international community tends to share when talking about Canadians, let’s take a closer look at the stereotypes we’ve created about ourselves. The self-stereotypes that each nation develops are amusing to collect — by a mysterious coincidence, they are almost exclusively of a positive nature. These myths often serve as a source of national pride, and Canada is no exception here. How do we view our country and what are some of the most popular national myths to which we like to subscribe? Not your first house? Click to use Moving Houses form. 1. Canadians enjoy living in a truly multicultural society and are generally very tolerant. We don’t force immigrants to assimilate, and we promote cultural and linguistic diversity. 2. We are extremely well-behaved, polite, and respectful toward others. We apologize a lot and have very refined manners. 3. Canadians are very environmentally conscious and don’t ever litter. We protect our wildlife and go green as much as we can. Whenever there is a transnational corporation trying to destroy our precious environment, we manage to stop them by actions taken by our well-developed civil society. 4. Most people in Canada are moderates and resent extremes of any kind. 5. Canadians aren’t nationalists, and our preferable form of patriotism is rather subdued. For sure, any attempt at nationalist propaganda would be given a hard time here. 6. We are socially conscious, and our government offers a helping hand to the poor and underprivileged. We are very charitable and often volunteer to help a good cause. 7. Canadians are popular around the world. When travelling, it is always important to stress our Canadian origin to get distinguished from the Americans. We are especially welcome in Europe, where people appreciate similarities with our culture. 8. Canadians don’t particularly understand the heroic culture of some of the other nations. We respect our honourable countrymen, but see no reason to adore them and turn them into icons. 9. Canadians are in better shape and generally enjoy better education than Americans. Basically, we have a greater share of fit, young intellectuals than other countries do. 10. We resent militarism and we would never ever start a war. 11. Canadian artistic achievements, especially in the cinema, are superior to those of the US, which are generally much more commercial. Now, looking at the list, what do you think? How many of these are actually true? Can you think of any other popular myths I forgot to mention? One Response 1. Y2K Blackout 1. Mostly true. 2. Somewhat true. 3. Somewhat true. 4. True. 5. Neutral. 6. Mostly true. 7. Don’t know. 8. Somewhat false. 9. Mostly true. 10. Mostly true. 11. Mostly false. Leave a Reply
An "Insulin Pill"? A lowly fungus that grows deep in the African forests near Kinshasa could soon be a pharmacological celebrity. In this week's issue of Science, scientists at Merck Research Laboratories in Rahway, New Jersey, report that the fungus, Pseudomassaria, produces a small, five-ringed molecule that can mimic insulin. Unlike insulin, the molecule is not a protein--so it could likely withstand the body's potent digestive juices, which suggests it could lead to a new type of antidiabetes pill. That would be good news for the millions of diabetics who now inject themselves with insulin or resort to a few orally taken drugs with serious side effects. To look for an insulin mimic, Merck scientists Bei Zhang and David Moller used hamster ovary cells engineered to produce the human insulin receptor. Then, they divided the cells among thousands of miniature petri dishes. After trying some 50,000 mixes of synthetic chemicals and natural extracts on the hamster cells, the investigators scored a major hit with an extract from Pseudomassaria, a fungus found years ago in the rainforest. Merck chemist Gino Salituro isolated the active agent, a quinone. In tests on cultured cells, the Pseudomassaria product, known as L-783,281, stimulated insulin receptors as much as 100 times more than other natural compounds tested. Preliminary animal tests look promising. The Merck team tried the compound in two mutant mouse strains that have classic diabetes symptoms. In both strains it suppressed the skyrocketing blood sugar levels by up to 50%--comparable to the reduction seen with current oral antidiabetic therapies, Moller says. And its effects appear to be specific: L-783,281 didn't stimulate a range of similar receptors. Achieving such specificity has always been "an elusive goal," says Zhang. Other antidiabetes drugs work in various ways, such as increasing insulin production by the pancreas or binding to the outer portion of the insulin receptor, but they may have serious side effects, such as excessively low blood sugar or blood pH, gastrointestinal problems, or liver failure. If further animal trials confirm that L-783,281 or chemical variants resembling it are both effective in lowering blood sugar concentrations and safe, Merck says clinical trials might be feasible. It "could become a drug that may be able to be given by mouth," says endocrinologist Arthur Rubenstein, a diabetes expert at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York. "The potential is enormous." Posted in Health
Authors: PALUMBO Ilaria Publication Year: 2007 JRC N°: JRC37666 URI: http://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC37666 Type: PhD Theses Abstract: Forest fires occur regularly in the Mediterranean Basin affecting several hundred thousands hectares every year. Most of fires, about 90% of the total, are human-induced. A relevant effect of this burning activity is the emission of greenhouse gases which has been recognised as an important issue by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Kyoto Protocol. Although it is crucial to have reliable information about the fire emissions, current estimates are still affected by high uncertainties mostly due to the inaccuracy of the data used in the analysis. The major contribution to the level of uncertainty is given by the information about the burned biomass. Therefore in this study a recent method for the estimation of the burned biomass is applied by using satellite remote sensing. The original approach has been developed in the tropical region and is based on the radiant energy emitted during the burning of vegetation (Fire Radiative Power, FRP). It has been shown that the FRP is linearly related to the amount of burned biomass. This research activity provides for the first time provides an assessment of the FRP in the forest fires of a Mediterranean ecosystem. The original method is therefore implemented to become applicable in this specific environment. The analysis has been carried out on three case studies by using the satellite imagery from the SEVIRI (Spinning Enhanced Visible and Infra-Red Imager) geostationary sensor on board the Meteosat Second Generation platform. A fire detection algorithm has been developed by applying a multispectral approach which uses the mid (3-5 μm) and thermal (10-12 μm) infrared bands. The identification of actve fires is essential for the application of the FRP method. The emitted energy is derived for each active fire during its whole duration so that the total radiant energy emitted is quantified (Fire Radiative Energy, FRE). The amount of burned biomass is estimated from the FRE by using the relation derived from previous studies carried out in the tropical area. It is assumed that the equation is also valid for the Mediterranean ecosystems since it is independent of the vegetation type. In addition to the satellite analysis the assessment has been integrated with field data collected from the study sites. The information from the field has been used to evaluate the accuracy of the estimates of burned biomass derived from the FRE. The results showed the feasibility of using the SEVIRI sensor for fire monitoring despite its low spatial resolution. The comparison of the FRE estimates with those derived from the field showed good agreement. Differences vary between 36% and 3% indicating a lower uncertainty when compared to that of the current methods used to estimate burned biomass. This result demonstrates that the FRP approach is applicable in the Mediterranean region and thus providing significant improvements in the estimates of fire emissions in its ecosystems. The GHG emissions have been quantified by using the burned biomass estimates derived from the FRE and from the field data. Their amounts can influence substantially the effects of air pollution on human health at local scale and can also contribute to climate change on a broader scale. JRC Institute:Institute for Environment and Sustainability Files in This Item: There are no files associated with this item.
Religion Answers Welcome to Religion Answers. What would you like to know? Explain the beliefs and values of the vikings society? 56,489pages on this wiki • The Vikings were the people who came from Scandinavia (Denmark, Norway , Finland , and Sweden) around 800AD-1100AD and who traveled great distances in their longboats, as traders, settlers and warriors. Many of the Vikings were tall and had red or blonde hair and beards. Villages on or near any coast in early medieval Europe lived in great fear of Viking attacks. Some of the countries most affected by Viking piracy were England, Scotland, Ireland, and France. • More than the raiders of tradition, the Vikings were also traders and colonists.179px-Leif_Ericson_on_the_shore_of_Vinland.gif • The Viking Age was a period of considerable religious change in Scandinavia. Part of the popular image of the Vikings is that they were all pagans, with a hatred of the Christian Church, but this view is very misleading. It is true that almost the entire population of Scandinavia was pagan at the beginning of the Viking Age. But the Vikings had many gods, and it didnt bother them to accept the Christian god alongside their own. Most scholars today believe that Viking attacks on Christian churches had nothing to do with religion, but more to do with the fact that monasteries were typically both wealthy and poorly defended, making them an easy target for plunder. Around Wikia's network Random Wiki
to BioTechniques free email alert service to receive content updates. A Change of Heart Kristie Nybo, PhD With thousands of individuals awaiting transplants, researchers are searching for alternatives to replace damaged or diseased organs. How close are they to producing off-the-shelf personalized replacements? Find out... Tung-Ying Lu entered the lab early one Sunday morning to follow up on a first attempt at a new experiment. Shocked by what she saw, she picked up the phone to call her lab director, Lei Yang, assistant professor and director of the Stem Cell Core at the University of Pittsburgh. “Good news,” she reported, “I can see the construct beating.” Lei Yang, Assistant Professor and director of the Stem Cell Core, University of Pittsburgh Lu and colleagues had taken on the daunting challenge of creating a new heart using human stem cells. When he initiated the project in 2010, Yang believed that the construct would be so big that the cardiomyocytes differentiated from stem cells would be incapable of generating the mechanical force necessary to contract the new heart. But they did—and on the first attempt. “That was the most surprising and most exciting part of this study,” Yang said. Lu recorded a video immediately. “Frankly, we were not so sure we could make another beating heart, and we were not so sure it could beat the next day,” explained Bo Lin, co-first author with Lu on the Nature Communications article reporting their study (1). This initial success had to be documented. Lin’s doubts were well founded; making a heart from scratch is clearly no simple matter. The software Yang hopes to one day create heart tissues for clinical therapy, especially for personalized medicine. From the beginning, he intended to use human cells to create a new heart. To date, tissue engineering with human heart cells remains largely unexplored, partially due to the scarcity of human cardiomyocytes. “We couldn’t get enough cardiomyocytes,” he said. “That is why embryonic stem (ES) and induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells are a very nice resource. Those cells can provide an unlimited number of cardiomyocytes or cardiovascular progenitor cells for tissue engineering.” Yang is no stranger to working with stem cells. Prior to opening his lab at the University of Pittsburgh, he spent several years as a postdoctoral fellow in the laboratory of Gordon Keller at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine. Together, he and Keller identified one of the earliest cardiovascular progenitor cell types, multipotential cardiovascular progenitors (MCPs; 2), and worked out the culture methods to differentiate MCPs into cardiac, endothelial, and vascular smooth muscle cells—just the cells needed to create the heart. Led by Lin, Yang's group first reprogrammed human dermal fibroblasts into iPS cells and then differentiated these into MCPs using Yang and Keller's culture methods (3). “Using these as a cell resource, we can generate personalized heart constructs. That's definitely very important for the future development of personalized medicine or for personalized therapy of heart disease,” Yang explained. With MCP cells in hand, they turned their attention to the heart. But with the need for appropriate proportions of different cell types organized into the proper architecture and communicating together, growing heart cells in a dish falls quite short of creating a fully functional organ. The hardware A number of synthetic and natural matrices have been developed for tissue engineering, but rather than using those materials to structure their heart construct, Yang's group decided to repurpose an existing scaffold: a mouse heart. Using a method called perfusion decellularization developed in 2008 by Doris Taylor (4), currently Director of Regenerative Medicine Research at the Texas Heart Institute, Lu and Lin secured a mouse heart to some tubing and began perfusing it with trypsin and detergents. “By definition, perfusion decellularization is the removing of cells,” said Jeremy Song, a visiting research fellow at Massachusetts General Hospital who recently used the same approach to create a scaffold for a functional rat kidney (5). The result was a translucent, flaccid ghost of the former organ made up of the extracellular matrix (ECM) network. The combination While the process of removing cells from heart, kidney, and lung has been optimized, protocols for repopulating the organ are less refined and more problematic. In the case of Song’s rat kidney scaffold, he decided to deliver both endothelial and epithelial cells to generate endothelial barriers and resorption, secretion, and endocrine functions, respectively. “The kidney has a ureter that is designed to basically go only one way, so getting cells into the epithelial compartment was the greatest challenge,” Song said, noting that there were many failed trials along the way. While endothelial cells seeded the decellularized kidney smoothly by gravity perfusion, it took a vacuum system to pull the epithelial cells into the scaffold. “Obviously, if you apply a very strong vacuum, you would not only suck cells into the epithelial compartment, but you would destroy some of the matrix and have the matrix break down due to the pure force of the suction,” explained Song. “On the opposite side, if you used very little suction, you would deliver very few cells.” After extensive trial and error, Song finally found the right balance that allowed seeding of the kidney without too much damage to the structure. Yang’s group had a different problem when repopulating the heart. In their case, although gravity perfusion pushed cells into the heart, within days they washed back out again. They resolved this by seeding cells intermittently, with eight hour breaks between perfusion cycles, allowing the cells to settle and attach to the ECM. In contrast with previous studies using decellularized organs and differentiated neonatal cells, Yang’s group had to control differentiation of the MCP cells within the scaffold. “When we cultured the MCP cells, we found that if we added different growth factors, we could induce these MCP cells to more cardiomyocytes with less endothelial cells, or we could induce these MCP cells to more endothelial cells with less cardiomyocytes.” When designing the perfusion media for moving the cells into the heart, Yang had to determine what the resulting cell population should look like after differentiation within the scaffold and balance differentiation factors accordingly. A greater proportion of cardiomyocytes would increase chances of getting a beating construct, but the heart also needed vascular and smooth muscle cells to function. But once he poured these progenitor cells into the heart shaped bag and induced differentiation, how would the cells localize to their particular niches and establish relationships with adjacent cells? The organization “We found most of the cardiomyocytes in the ventricles of the decellularized mouse heart, and surprisingly, we found most of the endothelial cells dividing about the endocardium layer,” Yang reported. Without manipulation beyond the perfusion media carrying differentiation factors for MCPs, the cells migrated and differentiated in their precise niches. The majority of the progenitor cells spontaneously settled and matured exactly where they belonged, and this phenomenon wasn't specific to MCPs. Song also found that the ECM scaffold provided several advantages to the construct. “What I thought was so surprising was that these specific cells, most of them, if not the majority of them, knew exactly where to sit down. When we looked at the regenerated kidney after biomimetic culture, we found that glomerular epithelial cells actually sat at the glomerulus, that loop of Henle epithelial cells sat at the loop of Henle,” noted Song. “There's something so elegant about the ECM that it actually tells the cells where to sit.” Although the engineered kidneys produced urine, and the hearts made of human MCP cells in a mouse scaffold beat, there is still a long way to go before solid organs are manufactured and provided to patients on demand. Both groups are currently optimizing decellularization protocols and working with larger scaffolds from pigs and humans to scale up the organs. And studies will continue to determine the best cell types to use for this procedure and how to differentiate and culture them both in a dish and in organ scaffolds. The heart, in particular, is especially challenging since it requires an electrical conduction system to coordinate beating throughout its different regions. “For kidney or liver organ regeneration, you just put certain cells into the decellularized kidney or liver... and can claim the regeneration of that organ. But for the heart, if the construct is not electrically synchronized or controlled, we can never say we successfully generated a functional heart,” Yang said. He is quick to add that, despite the distance from achieving personalized organ transplants, there is much to be gained from the regenerated organs available today. For example, his lab is currently using their constructs to study cell migration and interaction during heart development. He pointed out that these hearts should also be useful for clinical testing or understanding the mechanisms of human heart disease. Song agreed, emphasizing the unique ability of decellularized organs to serve in studies of the extracellular matrix. “So definitely, tissue engineering is not only an approach for engineering tissue. It can be also used to crosstalk with other fields of biomedical science,” Yang concluded. (2) Yang L, Soonpaa MH, Adler ED, Roepke TK, Kattman SJ, Kennedy M, Henckaerts E, Bonham K, Abbott GW, Linden RM, Field LJ, Keller GM. Human cardiovascular progenitor cells develop from a KDR+ embryonic-stem-cell-derived population. Nature. 2008 May 22;453(7194):524-8. (3) Lin B, Kim J, Li Y, Pan H, Carvajal-Vergara X, Salama G, Cheng T, Li Y, Lo CW, Yang L. High-purity enrichment of functional cardiovascular cells from human iPS cells. Cardiovasc Res. 2012 Aug 1;95(3):327-35. (4) Ott HC, Matthiesen TS, Goh SK, Black LD, Kren SM, Netoff TI, Taylor DA. Perfusion-decellularized matrix: using nature's platform to engineer a bioartificial heart. Nat Med. 2008 Feb;14(2):213-21. doi: 10.1038/nm1684. Epub 2008 Jan 13. (5) Song JJ, Guyette JP, Gilpin SE, Gonzalez G, Vacanti JP, Ott HC. Regeneration and experimental orthotopic transplantation of a bioengineered kidney. Nat Med. 2013 May;19(5):646-51. Keywords: Tissue Engineering
Writers: Percy Bysshe Shelley Percy Bysshe Shelley Percy Bysshe Shelley Shelley was born in August 1792, in Sussex, England. The eldest son of Timothy and Elizabeth Shelley, he stood in line to inherit not only his grandfather’s considerable estate but also a seat in Parliament. He attended Eton College for six years beginning in 1804, and then went on to Oxford University. He began writing poetry while at Eton, and in 1810 published the Gothic novel, Zastrozzi, in which he voiced his own heretical and atheistic opinions through the villain Zastrozzi. In 1811, he was expelled from Oxford for the publication of The Necessity of Atheism. This led to a break with his father, leaving him in dire financial straits until he came of age. At age 19, Shelley eloped with Harriet Westbrook, aged sixteen and moved to the Lake District, where he wrote his first long serious work, Queen Mab: A Philosophical Poem. The poem emerged from Shelley’s friendship with the British philosopher William Godwin, and expressed Godwin’s freethinking Socialist philosophy. Shelley also fell in love with Godwin and Mary Wollstonecraft’s daughter, Mary, and in 1814 they ran away to Europe together, but soonre turned having run out of money. In November 1814 Harriet bore a son, and in February 1815 Mary Godwin gave birth to a child who died two weeks later, but the following January, Mary bore another son. In May the couple went to Lake Geneva, where Shelley spent a great deal of time with Byron. In December 1816 Harriet Shelley apparently committed suicide by drowning. Shelley then married Mary Godwin, losing custody of his two children. In 1818, he left England for the last time. During the remaining four years of his life, Shelley produced all his major works, including Prometheus Unbound (1820). On July 8, 1822, Shelley was drowned while sailing. Shelley and Socialism, Edward and Eleanor Marx-Aveling, To-Day 1888. The difference between Byron and Shelley, Edward and Eleanor Marx-Aveling, Die Neue Zeit, 1888 Queen Mab, 1813
Create a new account It's simple, and free. Cause and effect: stress Stress comes from many different things and is the cause of many problems in a person’s life. Stress management can be complicated and confusing because there are different types of stress. There are three main types of stress, acute stress, episodic acute stress, and chronic stress. Each has their own characteristics, symptoms, duration, and treatment approaches. Almost everyone has some type of stress. Some people cope with it better then others. Causes of stress are known as stressors. Stressors can be physical or emotional, internally or externally generated. Stressors can be events, situations, people or demands the individual perceives to be the source of stress. The most common stressor is change, such as loss of a loved one, career change, illness or injury, and lifestyle changes. Stressors also vary amongst people; children, teens and adults are all capable of experiencing stress yet, there are some stressors that are specific to the age or type of person. Sources of stress are often categorized into "crises and catastrophes, major life events, and daily hassles." Daily hassles such as noise, car problems, financial issues, misplacing keys, and conflicts in interpersonal relationships are all examples of the "microstressors" that add up over the course of a day or week. These "microstressors", when they accumulate have been shown to have a longer-lasting impact and contribute more to illness than catastrophes and major life events such as getting divorced, having a baby, or getting fired from a job. The body’s physiological reaction to stress causes the following uncomfortable symptoms: The dilated pupils can lead to blurred vision. Moisture redirected into the bloodstream makes the mouth feel very dry. The heart pumps harder and faster, which produces a pounding sensation and a racing pulse. Over longer periods, this can lead to high blood pressure, strokes, and heart attacks. The liver releases stored energy, which ov... Page 1 of 3 Next > Related Essays: APA MLA Chicago Cause and effect: stress. (1969, December 31). In Retrieved 13:39, December 20, 2014, from
Vocabulary Builder Vocabulary Builder Improve Your Writing • Boost your vocabulary • See words in the context of real sentences • Learn by association and by definition • Master a new lexicon! Get Started Below Vocabulary Word Word: aloof Definition: apart; not open in one's relationship with other people; reserved; ADV. Sentences Containing 'aloof' According to Kees Wisse, van Beinum "detested the Nazis and kept himself as aloof as he could." Boyet Pipino initially stood aloof from the task, saying that he was not a hacker and that it was against his principles to break into someone else's computer. Ghent remained aloof from the organized socialist movement for more than a decade, finally joining the Socialist Party of America (SPA) in 1904. Hammond proved to be aloof and distant and at 43 was a generation older than the rest of his team, who held in him awe. Hercules and Iolaus decide to escort the princess to the marriage, with Melissa confusing Iolaus for a manservant and referring to him as "Iolfus" and acting aloof to the situation. His disposition -LRB- always inclined to exact concessions rather than to make them -RRB- kept him aloof from all friendships. On Chujo, the aloof Chupchups suddenly seek contact with the humans and present records revealing that all these events are part of a genetically encoded cycle of evolution that knits together all three sapient races in the Murasaki system: the Chupchups bioengineer the Genjian ecology but every time they cause an environmental disaster which results in diebacks and in the breakdown of the Ihrdizu civilization; the carpet whales exile the Chupchups to Chujo so that they can improve their bioengineering, and call them back when the cycle can be started again. She doesn't trust him, remaining aloof, and he sees MacGinnis is also back in the neighbourhood. Such prime ministers exist in some governmental systems: The prime minister runs the government (operations-wise), while the president remains somewhat aloof from the political process, but personally handling policy matters. The aloof Weiyun appears distant all the time. The disconnect between his literary eloquence and reticence to speak in public caused many of those who came into casual contact with Ghent to think him aloof. The State of Andhra was carved out of the Madras State in 1953, Rajaji remained aloof from the Andhra State and related issues. We crossed the road, and were pressing on towards her, when it occurred to me that she might be more disposed to feel a woman's interest in the lost girl, if we spoke to her in a quieter place, aloof from the crowd, and where we should be less observed. Zhen grew up to be a pretty and kind hearted lady who displayed an aloof attitude towards men. More Vocab Words ::: partition - divide into parts ::: sacrosanct - invioably sacred; most sacred; inviolable ::: fusion - union; coalition; V. fuse ::: matriarch - woman who rules a family or larger social group
Electronics Handbook/Matter From Wikibooks, open books for an open world Jump to: navigation, search Matter refers to any physical quantity that has shape, can be measured, and has its own physical, chemical and electrical properties. Physical Properties All matter exists in one of three states 1. Solid for instance an ice cube 2. Liquid for instance liquid water 3. Gas for instance water vapor All matter has a mass M and a volume V that can be measured. The ratio of mass over volume defines the density of matter D = \frac{M}{V} Chemical Properties All matter is made up from Chemical Elements. There are about 128 Chemical elements have been discovered and tabulated in a table called Chemical Element Periodic Table invented by a Russian Scientist named Mendeli Each Chemical Element has its own Atomic number and Mass . The Atomic number represents number of Protons in the Nucleus and number of Electrons on the orbits of Matter's Atom E zm Sub Atomic Electric Charged Particles Further study of matter has shown that atoms are made up of sub-atomic particles that carry Electric charge, called Electric Charged Particles. There are three basic types of charged particles: 1. Electron a sub-atomic particle that has Negative Charge with a Mass Me denoted by a symbol e- 2. Proton a sub-atomic particle that has Positive Charge with a Mass Mp denoted by a symbol p+ 3. [neutron]] a sub-atomic particle that has Zero Charge with a Mass Mn denoted by a symbol no Matter Model Since the discovery of charged particles scientific theory has developed. It is now theorised that all matter is made up from charged particles. Rutherford's Model In 19__, Rutherford proposed a model of matter using electrons, protons and neutrons. According to Rutherford's model, 1. All matter has a Mass M a Volume V and a Density equal to the ratio of Mass over Volume. All matter exists in one of three states: solid, liquid or gas 2. All matter is made up from charged particles the smallest indivisible part still has the same characteristics 3. All matter has a nucleus made of protons and (with some exceptions) neutrons in the center and electrons orbiting around the nucleus 4. Usually the number of electrons in the orbits is equal to the number of protons in the nucleus. 5. Only electrons in the outermost orbits can participate in chemical reactions Bohr's Model In 19__, Bohr proposed that 1. Each electrons orbit has a quanta of energy corresponding to an Energy Level Number n . 2. There are 4 Energy Level Number n = 1 ..4 . n = 4 has the highest energy level . n = 1 has the lowest energy level 3. When an electron moves from High Energy Level to Low Energy Level Electron then electromagnetic radiation is emitted of equivalent energy 4. En-1 - En = hf
You are here Goat Cheese Goat cheese also known as goat's milk cheese, goats' cheese or chèvre (French for goat) refers to the cheese made out of goat's milk. This cheese occurs in a large number of varieties and the mainly popular variety among them is a soft, simply spread cheese. Goat cheese can either be made with hard aged characteristics as well as semi firm cheeses such as feta. Goat cheese is particularly popular in the Middle East, Africa and other Mediterranean countries, where climate is sustainable for the hardy goats rather than cows which cannot be herded in such climatic conditions. Popular goat cheese recipes include - Herb Goat Cheese & Beet Salad, Goat Cheese Pesto, Goat cheese salad, Herb Goat Cheese & Beet Salad and Lentils And Goat Cheese Salad. History of Goat Cheese The origin of goat cheese goes back to the time when goats started getting domesticated. Goats happened to be one among the earliest animals to be domesticated. The practice started in the Eastern Mediterranean thousands of years ago, making way into Spain and France where it was well accepted. Greek historian Xenophon (430-355 B.C.) states that goat cheese had been familiar since centuries in Peloponnesus. Culinary Uses of the Goat Cheese Goat cheese is recommended for its medicinal properties. Normally goat milk is administered to young children, the elderly and people who are ill or for people with allergy to cows' milk. Goat cheese recipes are varied and different in flavour from that of the cow milk cheese. While the West has promoted the cow milk products, goat milk and goat cheese are much favoured dairy products in the other parts of the world. Goat cheese is treated and subsequently aged with more amounts of salt and is common in regions with insufficient cold conditions. Goat cheeses are often greatly treated with salt to thwart deteriorating. This is the reason for the cheese becoming infused with salt more so as in strongly salted feta. Popular Goat Cheese Recipes Herb Goat Cheese & Beet Salad is an appetizing recipe among goat cheese recipes that makes use of sliced beets with goat cheese. Goat Cheese Pesto is one of goat cheese recipes that are simple to make using only garlic, onions and olive oil with the cheese. Lentils And Goat Cheese Salad is a recipe rich in proteins chiefly with lentils, goat cheese and assorted vegetables. Goat cheese salad is a simple bed of greens topped with warm breaded goat cheese, dried cranberries and walnuts. Eggplant Tomato and Goat Cheese Sandwiches is one of the flavourful goat cheese recipes for making sandwiches. Cuisines Using Goat Cheese Goat cheese recipes are popular among many cuisines, particularly in Europe, Australia and China. In France a great number of goat milk cheeses, particularly in the Loire Valley and Poitou, is manufactured. In Spain and Portugal fresh cheese known as Mató is at times a fresh Catalan or goat cheese. Castelo Branco is a Portuguese variety of goat cheese. In UK Pantysgawn is a Welsh goat cheese and gevrik is a Cornish goat cheese. The Greek variety of feta, mizithra and anthotyros are typically made out of a mixture of goat's and sheep's milk. In Italy, Caprino is an Italian goat cheese. In China, Rubing is a fresh goat cheese made in Yunnan Province, similar to the Indian paneer. In Australia, Buche Noir is a fresh goat cheese from Sydney region coated in fine vine ash. In Venezuela, particularly in the states of Falcón, Lara and San Jose de Turgua in Miranda state, goat cheese is manufactured through traditional methods. Preferable Cooking Methods for Goat Cheese Recipes This cheese turns soft when revealed to heat; nevertheless, it refrains from melting – similar fashion in which many cow cheeses do. Stiffer goat cheeses with crusts are baked in an oven at times which results in forming a viscous, warm cheese that is perfect to be applied over bread with or without roasted garlic. Nutritive Value of Goat Cheese Goat cheese is a healthy form of cheese. It is much lower in fat content, calories and cholesterol as compared to cow’s milk products like cream cheese. It as well supplies additional calcium and lesser carbohydrates than cream cheese. This cheese has a full, rich and creamy flavour although containing less number of calories. It is rich in vitamin A and potassium. Goat Cheese Buying and Storing Tips Goat cheese lasts considerably longer and stays well when taken care of with respect to certain aspects. Excess contact to air can result in the cheese to dry out. Pieces must be wrapped tightly in plastic wrap or wax paper or placed in a zip-style bag squeezing out all the air before closing. This cheese stays better when stored in the cheese drawer the refrigerator at 40°F. Goat Cheese: Trivia Goat Cheese pairs well with many wines including-Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Zinfandel, Pinot Noir or Malbec.
Take the 2-minute tour × I was looking through some coding standards at my work and I came across this: string query = "SELECT * FROM USERS WHERE USER_ID='" + userIdFromWebPage + "'"; userIdFromWebPage is a variable that contains untrusted data that has not been validated. Imagine that it contains one of the following: • "' or 1=1 -" • "' ;DROP TABLE users -" • "' ;exec xp_cmdshell(''format c:') -" The final query could look like this. string query = "select * FROM USERS WHERE USER_ID='';exec xp_cmdshell('format c:') -"; This results in a format of the c:\ drive on the database server. Is that actually true? share\|improve this question That little Bobby Tables is such a scamp, isn't he? xkcd.com/327 – mfinni Jan 24 '12 at 17:52 1 Answer 1 up vote 3 down vote accepted The real question is can that code be used for SQL Injection? and the answer is absolutely yes. The days of vandals who would format your drive just to spread mayhem are long gone, nowdays the attacks are mounted by individuals interested in financial gain, they will usually use the SQL injection vector usually to add your host to their botnet, sometimes to steal information you may have, sometimes to take your data hostage and ask for ransom (encrypt it and ask for compensation for decryption). So they will unlikely issue a format c:. Can xp_cmdshell be used to issue a command like format c:? Not by default, ever since SQL 2005 the engine disables xp_cmdshell by default and an administrator has to explicitly enable it back. But if it is enabled, can it be used? Yes. Will the OS format the c: drive? Unlikely. No OS around today accepts a format of the system volume. But ultimately the point is that your code should not allow for SQL injection. share\|improve this answer Your Answer
Take the 2-minute tour × Could please someone show an example of applying the number format to the cell. For example, I need scientific format, form would be like '2.45E+05' but I couldn't figure a way how to do that in openpyxl. I tried in several ways but they are all reporting errors when saving the workbook. for example: import openpyxl as oxl wb = oxl.Workbook() ws = wb.create_sheet(title='testSheet') _cell = ws.cell('A1') _cell.style.number_format = '0.00E+00' or this (here I'm trying to use some of the predefined number formats, I have also seen there is engineering format in builtins but don't know how to access it: nf = oxl.style.NumberFormat.FORMAT_NUMBER_00 _cell.style.number_format = nf I have seen this thread: Setting styles in Openpyxl but it doesn't help because I don't have to change any other formatting settings. Here is the error: C:\Python27\openpyxl\cell.pyc in is_date(self) 408 """ 409 return (self.has_style --> 410 and self.style.number_format.is_date_format() 411 and isinstance(self._value, NUMERIC_TYPES)) AttributeError: 'str' object has no attribute 'is_date_format' In both cases I get the same error. share\|improve this question What ways have you tried, and which errors did you see? – Andy Hayden Sep 12 '12 at 11:33 I edited my post, and the error that I was getting was about the number format having is_date_format set to None or something like that. I'll check it later in more detail. – Renesis Sep 12 '12 at 12:14 2 Answers 2 up vote 3 down vote accepted Nevermind, I figured it out, it has to be used like this (if using the same code as before): _cell.style.number_format.format_code = '0.00E+00' share\|improve this answer For people being sent here by Google (like I was). The accepted answer does not work with openpyxl 2.0. The number_format can be changed directly. The given example becomes: from openpyxl import Workbook wb = Workbook() ws = wb.create_sheet(title='testSheet') _cell = ws.cell('A1') _cell.number_format = '0.00E+00' share\|improve this answer Your Answer
The StoreDot phone charger YouTube video. Source: YouTube The StoreDot phone charger YouTube video. Source: YouTube An Israeli startup called StoreDot has wowed the internet with a YouTube clip: a Samsung Galaxy 4 smartphone taking just 30 seconds to charge to 100 percent from 27 percent. The video, viewed more than 1.2 million times in about 24 hours, was something of a circus trick: Rather than the Galaxy's standard battery, a device about three times as thick as the phone was attached to its back. StoreDot even developed a nice Android app to show on the phone's screen how fast that thing was filling up with energy. The demonstration ended with the charge level at 100 percent, refraining from any mention that the new battery would drain more quickly than the standard one. StoreDot chief executive Doron Myersdorf wasn't out to dupe the gullible public, however: He was indeed demonstrating the future of all battery-powered electrical devices, from phones to cars. The way the technological winds are blowing, it lies with devices called supercapacitors. They are a cross between a battery, which charges slowly and holds a lot of energy, and a capacitor, which is the exact opposite, charging and discharging extremely fast. Developing a supercapacitor that can soak up a lot of energy quickly depends on materials used in the electrodes. A team in Korea reported last fall that it had built a supercapacitor storing almost as much energy as a lithium-ion battery using graphene, a fashionable new material whose developers received the 2010 Nobel Prize in Physics. Almost simultaneously, similar claims were made by a team at Stony Brook University. Chemists at Oregon State University have proposed a process for treating cellulose, and cheap and abundant material, to create supercapacitor electrodes. All these advances are about as recent as those of StoreDot, which claims to have built what it calls a bio-organic battery. According to Myersdorf, "On the one side, it acts like a supercapacitor with very fast charging, and on the other is like a lithium electrode with slow discharge." The Israeli company's new electrodes are made using organic molecules, peptides, forming so-called nanodots that improve capacitance. Myersdorf has a lot to say about his fairy-tale technology, saying it can be used to produce color displays and ultra-fast memory chips. The fast-charging batteries are just the first commercial application. The StoreDot chief executive says the company needs another year to produce a battery that will fit in the mobile phone and then two years to make it last a whole day. If he doesn't deliver on those promises, that will be no big deal (except to the firm's early backers who have invested $6 million, and possibly Samsung, which was in talks about a partnership with StoreDot last year). Someone else will almost certainly produce a supercapacitor able to store energy like a lithium-ion battery, using one or several of the emerging technologies. Even if that lofty goal is not reached, supercapacitors are likely to be used in conjunction with traditional batteries to enable fast charging. For electric car owners, that will not only mean creating a gas-station-like charging experience but also extend running time because braking energy can be stored in a supercapacitor. Batteries are too slow-charging for that. So many talented teams are working in this direction now that the new electrical revolution is almost assured, and that is all we need to know from the StoreDot demonstration so far. That's a lot, though: Just when we thought smartphone progress had stalled, improvements are coming in an area where they are most needed. To contact the writer of this article: Leonid Bershidsky at To contact the editor responsible for this article: Mark Gilbert at
Three capacitors having capacitances of 8.6 \mu F, 8.6 \mu F, and 4.9 \mu F are connected in series across a 38-{\rm V} potential difference. a) What is the total energy stored in all threecapacitors? b) The capacitors are disconnected from the potentialdifference without allowing them to discharge. They are thenreconnected in parallel with each other, with the positivelycharged plates connected together. What is the voltage across eachcapacitor in the parallel combination? c) What is the total energy now stored in thecapacitors?
I Stay Safe Queensland Health What is safe sex? We've all heard the term "safe sex", but what exactly does it mean? Being safe with sex means caring for both your own health, and the health of your partner. Being safe protects you from getting or passing on sexually transmissible infections (STIs) and an unplanned pregnancy. Whether you have vaginal, anal or oral sex, it definitely pays to play it safe! And remember: There's more to sex than sexual intercourse! There are lots of ways to enjoy physical intimacy with your partner without having oral, vaginal or anal sex. Safe sex also includes lots of other activities like kissing, cuddling, rubbing, massage, stroking, masturbation (touching your own genitals) or touching each other's genitals. Why not explore other ways to be intimate which do not put you at risk of sexually transmissible infections or an unintended pregnancy? How you can stay safe? • Use of condoms is the only method of contraception that protects against both STIs and pregnancy. Even if you’re using other methods of contraception (like the pill or a diaphragm), always use condoms as well. • If you are having unprotected sex, talk to your partner about the risks involved. Remember your decision about safe sex is important, as some STIs can be cured but some can’t, including HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus). • Before having sex, you need to discuss the use of condoms with your partner and come to an agreement about using condoms. Remember, you have the right to say NO if your partner does not agree to use condoms. • Never have sex (even with a condom) if your partner has a visible sore, ulcer or lump on their genitals or anal area. Suggest they see their doctor, family planning clinic or sexual health clinic. • STIs can be passed from one person to another by oral sex. If you put your month in contact with your partner’s penis, you need to use a condom to avoid STIs. If you put your mouth in contact with your partner’s anus or vulva (outside of vagina) while having sex, you need to use a dental dam (whether you are a guy or girl). This is especially important if you’ve got a cut or sore around your mouth or lips or bleeding gums. • STIs can also be transmitted if you use sex toys, so you need to be safe. Use condoms and change the condom for each person. Wash the toys carefully after use and wash your hands after removing the condom. • Don’t be afraid to talk to your partner about sex. Find out more in the Let’s Talk About Sex section. More info
Mark Twain’s metaphor for forgiveness shows the power of the metaphor. Metaphors can help get us unstuck from deeply ingrained patterns and habits of thinking. We use metaphors all the time and often do not even realize them as they have become so much of a part of our language. Case in point, they can “open doors” and provide “the keys” to insight! So next time you think you are “at the end of your rope” – think metaphors! Since creative people think in abstract terms, unleashing the power of the metaphor can truly be powerful and attitude altering. Metaphors can open up “mountains” of possibilities! Besides, thinking in metaphors can be fun also! Commonly understood terms from everyday life take on new meanings that can “stretch” your mind, like a rubber band! For example, when I go by the dairy case at my local grocery store, I don’t look at Swiss Cheese like all the other cheeses. Why? My self-help book is based on the metaphor of Swiss Cheese representing life with all its “holes.” After all, life is not smooth and predictable like Cream Cheese or American! Life has holes, and its how we get through them that counts! Would you really want your life to be bland and predictable? What fun would it be to go to a baseball game and already know how it will end up? One of the chapters in the book, “Fondue Can Never Turn Back Into A Block of Cheese” uses the metaphor of fondue to help others get past their past. What’s done is done, and people who get stuck in their past never can get past it and move in in their lives. We learned this lesson early on in life with the Humpty Dumpty nursery rhyme. No matter how hard they tried, all the kings horses and all the kings men could not put Humpty Dumpty back together again. The analogy helps plant the seed even in children that we need to “use the past as a guidepost rather than a hitching post.” One part of Dale Carnegie’s enormous influence was his use of metaphors, such as his simply put “you can’t saw sawdust.” The image of the butterfly is a common metaphor which represents transformation and change. It also is the subject of my very favorite proverb, “Just when the caterpillar thought the world was over, it became a butterfly…” I would imagine that countless people going through difficult transitions have found much solace in this proverb. The image of the sunflower is another commonly used metaphor, as it represents how you can stand upright and beautiful with strength and confidence if you positively orient yourself towards the light represented by the sun. Even more mundane analogies can be quite meaningful as we learn life lessons, such as the image of a flat tire. It has been suggested in various quote postings that a bad attitude is like a flat tire. To move forward you need to change it! Speaking of changing your attitude, if you don’t like the way your life is going, why don’t you “change the channel?” By the way – are you the type of person that focuses on the “hole” - what’s missing – or the “whole?” That will determine if you are an optimist or a pessimist! Have you ever considered how life is like a book? The story unfolds as you turn the page, and we can write our own “happy ending.” As we read on, things start to come together at the end, just like in our lives we can connect the dots of our life with the benefit of hindsight. So the next time you feel like your life is falling apart, why not make it into a beautiful mosaic using the power of metaphors? What is your favorite metaphor? I would love to see yours in the comments below. (Photo credit: Safelock via Shutterstock) Love this article?
Edition: U.S. / Global 2 Astronauts on Mir Scrap an Old Engine Published: April 12, 1998 Two astronauts crawled along a 46-foot support boom on the space station Mir today to remove an old engine, in the first of three spacewalks intended to keep the station aligned toward the Sun. The team detached the engine and shoved it out into space, where it will eventually burn up in Earth's atmosphere. ''That's it,'' said Capt. Talgat Musabayev watching the engine float away. ''It's gone.'' The thruster engine ran out of fuel during a spacewalk last week, forcing the astronauts to rush back inside and switch on another engine, which restored Mir's orientation. The station must remain in alignment with the sun because it is partly powered by solar energy. Orientation engines are not rechargeable and need replacing when fuel runs out. It took the cosmonauts an hour to reach the engine. Captain Musabayev said he could see the Sahara and the Red Sea. At one point, the two cosmonauts watched a violent thunderstorm over China and Korea. Russian space officials hope to keep the station manned at least until next year, when a new international space station should be ready to handle a crew.
Photo Credit Getty Images If you think meditation is something only Buddhist monks (or people with lives a lot less crazed than yours) can do, think again. Not only can anyone meditate, but there are myriad benefits to your health and well-being from a simple, daily meditation practice. For starters, meditation can: - decrease blood pressure, as well as cortisol (a stress hormone) and cholesterol - increase creativity - reduce anxiety and -strengthen the immune system. A recent study at the University of Wisconsin-Madison found that meditators produced significantly more antibodies to a flu vaccine than did nonmeditators. The same research also showed that those who meditated were calmer and had a more positive emotional state. Getting started Begin to meditate by learning one simple technique and practicing it every day. There is no right or wrong way to do it; whatever resonates for you is the method you'll want to return to. Here's one to try, adapted from Meditation for Dummies by Stephan Bodian (Wiley Publishing, 1999): - Sit comfortably on a cushion or a chair. Don't slouch, but your back doesn't need to be ramrod-straight either. At first, you may want to try sitting against a wall to support your back. Use extra pillows under your knees or anywhere else to make you comfortable. - Try lying down, if sitting to meditate is unappealing. Miriam Austin, author of Meditation for Wimps (Sterling Publishing, 2003), recommends lying on the floor with your calves and feet resting on a chair seat. - Put on music, if that helps to calm you before beginning to meditate. Turn it off once you begin. - Set a digital (nonticking) timer. Start with five minutes and work your way up to 10, then 15, and eventually 20. It will probably take weeks or months to lengthen the time you practice. Try not to put yourself on a schedule. Whatever your pace, it's fine. -l Breathe normally through your nose, with your mouth closed. Your eyes can be open or closed. Focus on the breath moving in and out of your nostrils, or on the rise and fall of your belly. - When you notice your mind wandering, bring it gently back to the breath. Be careful not to drift off; this will be tempting, especially if you're lying down. While shutting off your mind is not the goal of meditation, neither is judging the meditative process. No matter what feelings or thoughts you have, simply bring your focus back to the breath again. And again. The obstacles As with anything new, once you've tried meditation, you're bound to hit a snag or two. Here are six of the most common barriers to getting into a regular meditation practice and how to get through them: My mind races. Why it happens That's the way our minds naturally work. How to work with it Try counting your breaths, or repeating a word or phrase (such as "peace" or "one") silently to yourself. "The practice of meditation is not about suppressing thought, but surpassing it. Observing your breath is one way to approach this," says Victor Davich, author of 8-Minute Meditation: Quiet Your Mind, Change Your Life (Perigee, July 2004). You may want to try a tape or CD of a guided meditation to quiet your mind and develop your focus). I fall asleep. Why it happens It's a natural response when you're relaxed. How to work with it If you tend to fall asleep, try sitting up while meditating. "It's normal to feel sluggish when we let go of daily concerns," says Sharon Salzberg, co-founder of the Insight Meditation Society in Barre, Mass. "Remember to keep your spine straight, and try opening your eyes." Focus softly on a spot a few feet in front of you. I can't sit still. Why it happens Your body as well as your mind is restless. How to work with it Try a walking meditation: - Walk at your usual pace or slower, indoors or out. - Synchronize the rhythm of your breathing with your steps. - Gaze ahead calmly with your eyes lowered. - Notice the contact of your feet with the ground. - Focus on your breath and on walking. My back (knees, rear end) hurts. Why it happens You may need to adjust your body, or you may just be tired or restless. Remember that it's fine to meditate sitting in a chair or lying down (as long as you don't fall asleep). How to work with it "Just sitting still is an enormous challenge for most of us," Bodian says. "If you're truly experiencing an urgent pain, move to a more stable position. But notice if it is just restlessness and if so, try to sit with it." You also may want to try a walking meditation. I feel nothing special. Why it happens Your preconceived notions about what meditation is may be getting in your way. How to work with it Aim simply for an increased awareness of your breath. Try to avoid unrealistic expectations that something monumental is going to occur. Bodian says, "In some ways, meditation is like building muscle. The repetitions with weights are not exactly exciting, but you know the ultimate goal is valuable." Salzberg adds: "Remember to have patience with yourself." Your experience of meditation is very personal. For some people, it is simply becoming aware of the thoughts that have always raced through their minds. For others, meditating is a feeling of intense concentration, and for still others it is a deeply relaxed yet highly alert state. The truth is, each meditator probably gets a taste of each of these states -- and many others -- in the course of a session. The bottom line? No matter what you are feeling, you simply can't do it wrong. I don't have time to meditate. Why it happens You're busy and feeling overwhelmed. How to work with it You can carve out the time. Really. Set your alarm clock to get up 15 minutes earlier in the morning or try meditating before bed instead of watching the late-night news, Bodian suggests. The most important thing is to meditate regularly -- even if it's just for 10 minutes a day. Davich agrees: "All you need is time and consistency. Quite simply, meditation can help you become more aware and more present. And that makes life more enjoyable." 614 shared this comments powered by Disqus
Power Transmission for Motion Control While technology has advanced and there are many new ways to accomplish useful motion within particular applications, electric motors and gearheads are still the preferred and most popular choices for power transmission throughout commercial, industrial, and automation applications. Motors are the components that convert electrical power to useful mechanical power. Gearheads transform the mechanical rotary power to the desired combination of speed and torque if the motor cannot do so directly. Benefits of this combination include low cost, simplicity, reliability, and versatility. altThere are several styles and types of electrical motors and power transmission devices on the market today. Depending on the application, a designer might first choose between AC and DC motors, then between styles (e.g., induction, universal, and permanent magnet), and finally between the many types specific to each style. The designer is also challenged with the task of selecting a controlling device and amplifier to provide the proper input power for the electric motor. Within the layout for the power transmission, one can select between options such as direct drive, chain/belt drive, ball screws, direct gearing, and all of the types respective to those styles. Input Power As designers put the pieces of the puzzle in place to resolve their applications, they usually hit a hurdle somewhere in the middle; the motor does not provide the proper output. For example, the motor may be capable of supplying the necessary power, but not match the speed or torque requirements. Most motors are rated to operate for peak output around a certain continuous load range of torque and speed. To operate the motor outside that range might either under utilize the motor and result in wasting money on an oversized motor, or over utilize the motor and potentially run the risk of damaging the motor. Although each type and style of motor operates differently, smaller motors typically operate more efficiently at higher speeds and lower torques. Larger motors operate at higher torques and lower speeds. The dynamics of this is simple to follow once the motor is viewed as a large moment arm. The greater the radius of the rotor the larger the moment that can be created from the motor, resulting in greater torque. High-energy permanent magnet servo motors have become extremely popular in the motion control industry of late. For these motors, a general rule of thumb is that if the length of the motor is doubled, then the output torque capacity of the motor is also doubled. However, the output torque capacity of the motor will be quadrupled if the length is kept the same and the diameter of the motor is doubled. For maximum efficiency, proper sizing, and a cost effective design, it is best to design the motor for operation at or slightly under its designed load point of speed and torque.
Last modified on 13 September 2007, at 03:18 Invertebrate Zoology/Metazoans Metazoans is as name suggests. (Meta-beside or after: Zoon-animal) The most notable trait that sets metazoans apart from it's protozoan cousins is that these cells have learned to work together to form complex organisms capable of movement. Metazoa is the taxological name for the "animal kingdom". Under Metazoa you will find every single furred, feathered, skinned, scaled creature that ever creepy crawled on the face of the Earth. This is where you are. Just know you are in the same Kingdom as the worm and the racoon, and that you have a city of cells that have done what so many could not. Now get moving.
Take the 2-minute tour × I am completely new to programming. I have no idea how to compile & run a simple C program in Sublime Text 2. (In college I was asked to use Turbo C++ 3.0 but I found that IDE quite ancient.) I'm using Windows 8 (x64). Here's the error I got when I clicked on build. enter image description here share\|improve this question Without seeing the compile command, it's doubtful anyone can help. You would be better off starting your programming compile attempts on the command line so your clear on the compile process. There are endless examples on google for you to follow. – Pete855217 Jan 31 '13 at 8:44 Anything I said helpful at all? – Onorio Catenacci Feb 1 '13 at 13:23 C or C++? Sublime has built-in C++ build options, and given the compiler output starting with "g++" it looks like you're compiling C++ but your description said C. – thinkOfaNumber Mar 13 '14 at 23:33 4 Answers 4 up vote 3 down vote accepted I realize you mentioned that you're new to programming but this page might still help you to figure out what's going on. Basically, it looks as if you're not specifying the name of the C file to compile in the build command correctly. In the example given at that webpage, the file to be compiled is specified by the $file parameter. EDIT: Looking again at the output, try saving your file as a *.c file--File->Save As and call it something like Hello.c. The .c extension is the important thing in this case. EDIT 2: You don't need two ; at the end of line 4. That's unlikely to be your problem (should compile ok) but it's not needed and you shouldn't get into the habit. share\|improve this answer Thank you, after saving it, I built it and it was a success. – Shail Feb 1 '13 at 15:12 Glad to hear it--best of luck with your learning in the future. – Onorio Catenacci Feb 1 '13 at 15:35 I recommend you to read build document of Sublime Text 2. Here is the answer. In Sublime, click Tools -> Build System -> New Build System... For Windows user, type the following code and save: "cmd" : ["gcc", "$file_name", "-o", "${file_base_name}.exe", "&&", "${file_base_name}.exe"], "selector" : "source.c", "shell" : true, "working_dir" : "$file_path" For Mac user, type the following code: "cmd" : ["gcc", "-o", "$file_base_name", "$file_name"], "cmd" : ["./$file_base_name"], "selector" : "source.c", "shell" : false, "working_dir" : "$file_path" share\|improve this answer windows7 - 'gcc' is not recognized as an internal or external command, ... – vsync Nov 4 '14 at 18:30 Get gcc for windows here: mingw.org – Shawn Erquhart Dec 28 '14 at 7:52 You didn't saved the file. The compiler can't find the file. Save the file and try again. share\|improve this answer You need to install the C++ compiler, I use mingw. Once that is installed the c:/mingw and you have added it to the computers environment path it should start compiling. I use this version of mingw as it includes Boost. http://nuwen.net/mingw.html share\|improve this answer Your Answer
Seccombe and Arber, comps. Elizabethan Sonnets. 1904. In sixteenth-century England the history of the sonnet falls into two well-defined chapters. The form of verse was at its first coming into England recognised as the child of Petrarch, and Petrarch remained the guiding spirit of the sonnet through the Elizabethan era. But Petrarch’s example did not prove strong enough in itself—before it mingled with other developments—to stir in this country an extended or a permanent enthusiasm. It required the added stimulus supplied at a later date by the sonneteering activity of sixteenth-century France and sixteenth-century Italy, to render the sonnet in England a universally popular poetic instrument. The widespread vogue of the sonnet in Elizabethan England was, at the outset, indeed excited by French energy to a larger degree than by Italian. Consequently the first chapter in the history of the English sonnet, which treats of the sonnet under the more or less exclusive sway of Petrarch, is short. The canvas is mainly occupied by the second chapter, which treats of its growth under the spur not merely of Petrarch himself, but, in addition, of the French Pléiade School and of the contemporary Italian Petrarchists. 1 Petrarch’s fame reached England in his lifetime. Chaucer, who was his contemporary, in the prologue to the Clerk’s Tale, refers to ‘Fraunceys Petrarck, the laureat poete …, whos rethoryke sweete Enlumined al Itaille of poetrye.’ In his poem of Troilus and Criseyde (Book I. stanzas 58–60), Chaucer in a spirit of prophecy translated one of Petrarch’s best-known sonnets, which was in the sixteenth century to undergo innumerable renderings and adaptations in every language of Europe. 1 But Chaucer’s cry found no lasting echo. More than a century passed away without any further attempt in England to spread abroad a knowledge of Petrarch’s poetic achievements. 3 Early in the sixteenth century Petrarch was discovered anew by cultivated Englishmen of Henry VIII.’s Court, who visited Italy and eagerly assimilated the literature of the Italian Renaissance. The elder Sir Thomas Wyatt and the Earl of Surrey were the true pioneers of the sonnet in England. Their culture was wide, and they knew many classical writers. They perceived the merit of Petrarch’s predecessor, Dante, and of some of Petrarch’s followers, notably Serafino and Alamanni. To a smaller extent they were impressed too by the rising fame of their own contemporary Ariosto, as well as of Marot and Melin de St. Gelais in France. But it was mainly from Petrarch that they borrowed their inspiration. 2 4 EM>Wyatt and Surrey did their main literary work between 1530 and 1540, but none of it was published before 1557, when it appeared, together with much poetry by other of Henry VIII.’s courtiers, in the volume called Songes and Sonettes written by the ryght honorable Lorde Henry Howard late Earle of Surrey and other. 3 The book was familiarly called, after its publisher’s name, Tottel’s Miscellany. 5 Sonnets figured largely in this volume. Although their source was never precisely indicated, it was generally hinted at in two anonymous sonnets in the collection, entitled respectively A praise of Petrarke and of Laura his ladie, and That Petrark cannot be passed but nothwithstanding that Laura is far surpassed. The first sonnet opened thus:— ‘O Petrarch, head and prince of Poets all, Whose lively gift of flowing eloquence Well may we seek, but find not how or whence So rare a gift with thee did rise and fall, Peace to thy bones, and glory immortal Be to thy name.’ 4 The second sonnet began with the lines:— ‘With Petrarch to compare there may no wight Nor yet attain unto so high a style.” 5 Of Wyatt and Surrey, the two main contributors to Tottel’s volume, Wyatt, who had the advantage of superior poetic feeling although not of metrical skill, was the more voluminous sonneteer. His extant sonnets number thirty-eight. The majority are neither adaptations nor paraphrases; they are direct translations—for the most part of Petrarch. 6 One example of Wyatt’s ordinary method will suffice:— PETRARCH, Sonnet cix. Amor, che nel pensier mio vive, e regna, E’l suo seggio maggior nel mio cor tene; Talor armato nella fronte vene; Ivi si loca, ed ivi pon sua insegna, Quella ch’amare, e sofferir ne’nsegna, E vuol che’l gran desio, l’accesa spene Cagion, vergogna, e reverenza affrene; Di nostro ardir fra se stessa si sdegna: Onde Amor paventoso fugge al core Lassando ogni sua impresa; e piagne, e trema; Ivi s’asconde, e non appar più fore. Che poss’io far, tremendo il mio signore, Se non star seco infin all’ ora estrema? Che bel fin fa chi ben amando more. WYATT (Tottel, p. 33). The long love that in my thought I harbour, And in my heart doth keep his residence, Into my face presseth with bold pretence, And there campeth displaying his banner. She that me learns to love and to suffer, And wills that my trust, and lust’s negligence Be reined by reason, shame, and reverence, With his hardiness takes displeasure. Wherewith love to the heart’s forest he fleeth, Leaving his enterprise with pain and cry, And there him hideth, and not appeareth. What may I do, when my master feareth, But in the field with him to live and die? For good is the life, ending faithfully. Wyatt did not entirely confine his study to the sonnets of Petrarch. He paid some attention to the master’s canzone, two of which he borrowed. Nor was he uninterested in the work of Petrarch’s fifteenth-century disciple, Serafino dell’ Aquila. At least two of his songs reproduce Serafino’s fantastic lyrics (strambotti). Even in his satires Wyatt, while betraying the influence of Juvenal and Persius, freely conveyed passages from the similar work of the sixteenth-century Italian Petrarchist, Luigi Alamanni. Nor did Wyatt altogether neglect French literature. He rendered with verbal accuracy a popular sonnet of Melin de St. Gelais (1487–1558). 7 8 Surrey is hardly less learned a graduate in the Petrarchan school, though his sonnets often adapt his master’s work with greater freedom than Wyatt essayed. But he did not on occasion disdain literal translation. Petrarch’s Sonnet cix., which was rendered into English by Wyatt, was also independently translated by Surrey, his fellow-poet; and it may be of some interest to compare with Wyatt’s version, which has already been quoted, Surrey’s version, which is somewhat more literal and more dexterous. ‘Love that liveth and reigneth in my thought, That built his seat within my captive breast; Clad in the arms wherein with me he fought, Oft in my face he doth his banner rest. She, that me taught to love, and suffer pain; My doubtful hope, and eke my hot desire With shamefast cloak to shadow and refrain, Her smiling grace converteth straight to ire. And coward Love then to the heart apace Taketh his flight; whereas he lurks, and plains His purpose lost, and dare not show his face. For my Lord’s guilt thus faultless bide I pains. Yet from my Lord shall not my foot remove: Sweet is his death, that takes his end by love.’ Note 1. Petrarch’s Sonnet (cii.) opens:— ‘S’amor non è, che dunque è quel ch’i’ sento?’ Chaucer’s fourteen-line translation, which fills two stanzas, each of seven lines, begins thus:— ‘If no love is, O God, what fele I so? And if love is, what thing and whiche is he? If love be good, from whennes comth my wo?’ See Watson’s rendering of the same sonnet of Petrarch in his Hecatompathia, No. V. Cf. De Baif, i. 102, ed. Marty-Laveaux (Amours de Francine), and Jacques Grévin (L’Olimpe) in Becq De Fouquière’s Poètes Français du XVIe. Siècle, p. 200. [back] Note 2. According to the familiar language of Puttenham, the Elizabethan critic of English poetry:—‘In the latter end of the same king’s [Henry VIII.] raigne sprong vp a new company of courtly makers, of whom Sir Thomas Wyat th’ elder and Henry Earle of Surrey were the two chieftaines, who hauing trauailed into Italie, and there tasted the sweete and stately measures and stile of the Italian Poesie as nouices newly crept out of the schooles of Dante Arioste and Petrarch, they greatly pollished our rude and homely maner of vulgar Poesie, from that it had bene before, and for that cause may justly be sayd the first reformers of our English meetre and stile.’—(Puttenham’s Arte of English Poesie, 1589, ed. Arber, p. 74, ed. 1869.) Again: ‘I repute them [i.e., Wyatt and Surrey] for the two chief lanternes of light to all others that haue since employed their pennes vpon English Poesie, their conceits were loftie, their stiles stately, their termes proper, in all imitating very naturally and studiously their Maister Francis Petrarcha.’—(Ibid., p. 76.) Again: ‘The same Earle of Surrey and Sir Thomas Wyat, the first reformers and polishers of our vulgar Poesie, much affecting the stile and measures of the Italian Petrarca.’—(Ibid., p. 139.) [back] Note 3. That volume quickly obtained popularity, and was nine times reprinted before 1589; no further edition followed till 1717. [back] Note 4. Tottel, ed. Arber, p. 178. [back] Note 5. Ibid. [back] Note 6. The following sonnets of Petrarch are literally rendered by Wyatt. I give the first lines of the Italian and English in order to facilitate comparison. The sonnets of Petrarch are numbered according to the notation accepted in all modern editions. To Wyatt’s sonnets are attached the page-numbers in Arber’s reprint (1870) of Tottel’s Miscellany, 1557:— Petrarch xvii. (Son’ animali al mondo di sì altera vista). Cf. Tottel, p. 38 (Some fowls there be that have so perfect sight). Petrarch xix. (Mille fiate, o dolce mia guerrera). Cf. Tottel, p. 69 (How oft have I, my dear and cruel foe). Petrarch xliv. (Mie venture al venir son tarde e pigre). Cf. Tottel, p. 68 (Ever my hap is slack and slow in coming). Petrarch lxi. (Io non fu’ d’amar voi lassato unquanco). Cf. Tottel, p. 33 (Yet was I never of your love aggrieved). Petrarch lxxxi. (Cesare, poi che’ l traditor d’Egitto). Cf. Tottel, p. 37 (Cæsar, when that the traitor of Egypt). Petrarch xcix. (Amor, Fortuna, e la mia mente schiva). Cf. Tottel, p. 69 (Love, Fortune, and my mind which do remember). Petrarch civ. (Pace non trovo, e non ho da far guerra:) Cf. Tottel, p. 39 (I find no peace, and all my war is done). Petrarch cix. (Amor, che nel pensier mio vive, e regna). Cf. Tottel, p. 33 (The long love that in my thought I harbour). Petrarch cxx. (Ite, caldi sospiri, al freddo core:) Cf. Tottel, p. 73 (Go, burning sighs, unto the frozen heart). Petrarch cxxxvi. (Pien d’un vago pensier, che mi desvia). Cf. Tottel, p. 35 (Such vain thought as wonted to mislead me). Petrarch clvi. (Passa la nave mia colma d’oblio). Cf. Tottel, p. 39 (My galley charged with forgetfulness). Petrarch clxxxviii. (S’una fede amorosa, un cor non finto). Cf. Tottel, p. 70 (If amorous faith, or if an heart unfaigned); see also p. 36 (If waker care, if sudden pale colour). Petrarch ccxxix. (Rotta è l’alta Colonna, e ’l verde Lauro;) Cf. Tottel, p. 72 (The pillar perished is whereto I leant). Note 7. ‘Voyant ces monts de veue ainsi lointaine.’ Tottel, p. 70: ‘Like to these immeasurable mountains.’ [back]
@article{Neiner2004, abstract = {Scenario planning is a method for anticipating possible alternative futures. Used widely in business applications, it allows planners to anticipate problems, reevaluate assumptions, and reflect on consequences of those alternative futures. In this article, scenario planning is applied to public health, specifically to illustrate the four steps in scenario planning for public health using a health department's desire to address chronic disease prevention and control. An unhealthy diet and physical inactivity are considered to be key risk factors. The scenarios are presented in table format and are for illustration purposes only. Many other plausible scenarios could be constructed. Scenario planning allows stake-holders to define a desired, shared vision of the future, but more important, they can better prepare public health professionals to be successful in a constantly changing environment.}, added-at = {2012-02-27T06:11:36.000+0100}, author = {Neiner, Jennifer A and Howze, Elizabeth H and Greaney, Mary L}, biburl = {http://www.bibsonomy.org/bibtex/2767512f8949231002d832c84d18842e6/kamil205}, doi = {10.1177/1524839903257692}, interhash = {d53df90a0f3ecbd44652997f8a16f22f}, intrahash = {767512f8949231002d832c84d18842e6}, issn = {1524-8399}, journal = {Health promotion practice}, keywords = {Administration,United Chronic Disease,Community Health Making,Public Planning,Community Planning: Promotion,Health Promotion: States \& administration,Humans,Policy methods,Diet,Exercise,Health organization}, month = jan, number = 1, pages = {69--79}, pmid = {14965437}, timestamp = {2012-02-27T06:11:59.000+0100}, title = {{Using scenario planning in public health: anticipating alternative futures.}}, url = {http://hpp.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/5/1/69}, volume = 5, year = 2004 }
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Quiz \| Four Week Quiz B Buy The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Lesson Plans Name: _________________________ Period: ___________________ Multiple Choice Questions 1. Whose idea of the after-life does Huck favor? (a) Miss Watson's. (b) His father's. (c) The widow's. (d) Tom Sawyer's. 2. When the King questions him in Chapter 27, what lie does Huck tell? (a) He claims that the undertaken sneaked into the King's room just before the funeral. (b) He claims to have seen Jim and Mary Jane talking to a strange man in a yellow coat. (c) He claims that 'the niggers were in the King's room'. (d) He claims that Joanna and Susan were in the King's room. 3. In Chapter 30, what do the King and the Duke accuse each other of doing? (a) Trying to escape with the money. (b) Hiding the money in the coffin. (c) Trying to drown Huck, (d) Flirting with Mary Jane. 4. Which animal does Tom suggest Jim might tame? (a) A dog. (b) A rat. (c) A rattlesnake. (d) A large spider. 5. Why do the murderers defer leaving in the skiff? (a) They decide to have a pot of whiskey first. (b) They want to get rid of Turner first. (c) They are worried about the river currents. (d) They want to get Turner's share of the money. Short Answer Questions 1. Which people did Huck and Tom intend to ambush? 2. According to Tom, how do prisoners always water their plants? 3. Who built Silas Phelps' church? 4. According to what Huck tells the King and the Duke, where did his parents come from? 5. Who says: "It's lovely to live on a raft"? (see the answer key) This section contains 291 words (approx. 1 page at 300 words per page) Buy The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Lesson Plans
Is Diet Soda Bad For You? Diet soda is the calorie-free alternative to the sugar-laden regular soda. Including the word ‘diet’ in the name though, might be a bit of a misnomer. There is an ongoing debate as to whether diet soda contributes to weight-related maladies, such as obesity, vascular problems, and diabetes. Is Diet Soda Bad for You? Recent medical studies have affirmed the link between diet sodas and health issues, but the data still remains in question. The diet soda companies aren’t going to go down without a fight after all. Calorie-conscious consumers of diet soda are led to believe they are making a healthier choice, but is there really such a thing as healthy soda? We strongly think the answer to this question is most definitely; no. Since diet sodas don’t contain calories, many people drink them liberally in hope of losing weight. A study by the University of Texas Health Center in San Antonio claims diet soda actually made frequent consumers actually gain weight, not lose weight. The study, like other similar studies done on diet soda, is specific to the parallel of diet soda and increased obesity. However, it cannot be said whether diet soda is the primary factor in the increase in waistline, among other health issues reported by diet soda drinkers. Some experts believe that those who turn to diet sodas are likely at risk to health problems in the first place. Also, there is a notion that some of these at-risk individuals substitute diet sodas in a high-calorie, high-fat diet in an attempt to lose weight. For example, a person will go into a fast food restaurant, order an over-sized meal full of fat and calories and wash it down with a giant diet soda. Researchers also believe that diet soda drinkers are more prone to a sedentary lifestyle and use diet soda as a ‘shortcut’ to weight loss while eschewing exercise. Simply having ‘diet’ in the name might make them feel as if they’re making a healthy choice. Diet Soda and Diabetes Diet sodas contain artificial sweeteners. The debate continues as to whether these artificial sweeteners increase the risk of diabetes. The UT Health Center San Antonio study found a link between diet soda and diabetes. Also, a Dartmouth Medical School study concluded the same, in 2006. According to the Dartmouth research, diet soda increased blood glucose levels. One diet soda a day increased A1C levels in the blood by 0.7 units. So for those with diabetes, or who have a family history of diabetes, diet soda might not be the best choice in an attempt to lose weight. Other Diet Soda Risks The artificial sweeteners used in diet sodas, such as aspartame and saccharin, have been linked to cancers in laboratory mice. However, according to the National Cancer Institute’s fact sheet on artificial sweeteners, the amount of aspartame which induced a higher incidence of cancers in lab animals was astronomical (the equivalent of drinking 8-2,083 cans of diet soda daily). It still remains unclear if diet sodas are bad for you. Some research has stated that diet soda makes you fat. Other research claims a link between diet sodas and diabetes. So, are diet drinks bad for you? As far as a calorie-free alternative to regular soda, perhaps not. But if one is concerned about health and well-being, there are better beverage choices available. Green tea and black coffee supply the caffeine fix of diet soda, but contain no artificial chemicals or sweeteners (unless added by the individual user). When used in moderation, they may also actually possess health benefits. Diet soda, on the other hand, has no health benefit. Diet soda is loaded with artificial colors and sweeteners. In other words, it’s loaded with chemicals. These chemicals may or may not contribute to health problems, but why risk it? If you are truly trying to live a healthier lifestyle while cutting calories to lose weight, why not choose a natural beverage, like pure fruit juice or water? If it’s caffeine you’re craving, enjoy coffee or tea instead. Don’t assume, just because the name of the soda contains ‘diet’, that it’s healthy. Discuss This Article Comments: 0 Add a New Comment Thank you for adding to the conversation! Our comments are moderated. Your comment may not appear immediately.
Cross-posted from Functional Shift. As I wrote a while back on my linguistics blog, I am working on a research project that explores vernacular speech in American literature and considers how it functions in relation to the development of language attitudes in American culture. For a relatively young country, we’ve got some pretty deeply entrenched language ideologies, and the literary arts seem to have both informed and been informed by the development of a specifically American language consciousness. One question I think about a lot is how “vernacular” or “dialectal” varieties of language acquire that status, which I guess is really to say how “standards” (i.e., the preferred varieties of language), get their status. In some ways, the answer to this question is fairly obvious, as I will discuss below. But for the larger project, I am interested in specific things that got said and written and done in the early days of the republic and into the 19th century, overtly as well as subtextually, to establish the relative and differential statuses of language varieties, and that’s where the analysis of literary dialect and other writing, especially about language, comes in. For right now, though, for this post, I am thinking about the big picture, the wider cultural contexts surrounding the establishment, institutionalization, and ongoing preservation of a preferred standard for American English. Much more below the fold. As I wrote a while back in a post titled "Webster’s Third Is 50, But…," public conversation about what “American English” ought to be – starting with the idea that in fact it ought to be – was well underway as early as the 1780s. Part of what I am doing with this research project is looking at the way language consciousness informs literary and other public discourse from the early years of the republic and embeds itself in the process of defining distinctly American political, linguistic, and cultural traditions. The notion of what constitutes a “national identity” is part of my research question, which is to say that I haven’t got an answer to that one yet, but I am pretty sure that work can be done (and that plenty of it was done) to try to create and project a national identity without anyone knowing or agreeing on exactly what that might mean and even without necessarily realizing that’s what they were doing. As I wrote in "Webster’s Third Is 50," several influential 18th-century advocates for American independence maintained that it could not be fully achieved without the establishment of a national language. As the lexicographer and patriot Noah Webster (1758-1843) put it in 1789, “Our honor requires us to have a system of our own.” As I also noted in that post, developing a new linguistic system for exclusively American use would have been a challenging task in a new nation whose ruling class consisted primarily of English-speakers trying to establish their independence from a bunch of other English speakers, and I suggested that therefore their best alternative was to find ways to differentiate American English from British English. I also suggested that one way of doing so that was actually plausible would have been to identify and institutionalize a standard for American English on the basis of linguistic features (pronunciation, vocabulary, orthography) that were beginning to be associated with speakers in the U.S. and that by the late 18th century already encoded some of the inevitable differences that would arise between the Englishes of the two nations because of their lack of geographical proximity. For example, in Dissertations on the English Language, in an appendix titled “On the Necessity, Advantages and Practicability of Reforming the Mode of Spelling, and of Rendering the Orthography of Words Correspondent to the Pronunciation,” Webster advocated a complete overhaul of the English spelling system for American English, which in his view would not only help differentiate American English from British but would also in the process solve the messy problem of the idiosyncratic and non-phonetic spelling system for which English was then and is still dubiously renowned. [1] It is part of my day job to point out that the process of establishing and authorizing what we call Standard American English (SAE) was not (and is not) at all socially just. Pointing this out outside of work is also a habit that gets me into trouble fairly regularly with some of my Facebook friends, some of whom I have come very close to losing when I have been unable to refrain from commenting on the scourge of linguistically themed "e-cards" that people post sometimes. These e-cards are shared for ostensibly for humorous purposes, but they make pronouncements about language and usage that actually help to perpetuate a culture of linguistic gate-keeping in English that originated initially in a classist resistance to the rise of a middle class in England and the consequent expansion of literacy, an ideology that later turned out to be similarly accommodating to racism. (They can also be really mean.) That historical context seems to come as news to a lot of people, many of whom really ought to know better. So do the related revelations that there is nothing linguistically superior about SAE compared to the other varieties that speakers of American English use and that the status of SAE as the "correct" way to speak is entirely the result of the institutional privileging of the language varieties spoken by people endowed with power and authority. What a surprise. And of course, that is pretty much how it always goes down when standard varieties are institutionalized. It’s not like American English has the market cornered on this one. Far from it. See, for example, the Academie Francaise, which was founded in 1635 and continues its tradition of exclusivity today. Its website announces as its primary purpose “de travailler, avec tout le soin et toute la diligence possibles, à donner des règles certaines à notre langue et à la rendre pure, éloquente et capable de traiter les arts et les sciences,” which means, more or less, to work carefully and diligently to establish and maintain rules for the French language and to make it "pure" and "eloquent" and therefore worthy for use in speaking or writing, especially about lofty topics such as art and science. (And check out Francophonie Avenir, whose business is apparently to protest the encroachment of foreign words into the French language. Their campaign is illustrated with particular passion in the essay linked here, in which the author rails against the use of the English word email by French speakers and refers to Microsoft founder Bill Gates as Guillaume Desportes. Good times.) All this is to say that language consciousness is not in any way a uniquely American phenomenon nor one that is unique to speakers of English but that it manifests itself in a multitude of ways across cultures. Anyway, Webster made the case in Dissertations for a standard based on “all the certainty and uniformity which any living tongue is capable of receiving,” which I don’t think he intended as a joke even though that sounds kind of hilarious to anyone with knowledge of historical linguistics, because they know that the sum of uniformity and especially certainty is only slightly greater than zero in any living language (and, it may go without saying, linguists also obviously have fairly low standards for humor, but this is only because there aren’t nearly as many good linguistics jokes as you might think). Webster also seems to have anticipated the particular kind of linguistic anxiety that still prevails among his countrymen and women in the 21st century, when early in the Dissertations, he warns that a national failure to standardize American English could result in “inaccuracies” which could then “corrupt the national language” (18-19). But to be fair to Webster, I have to point out that his language attitudes were complicated and interesting, that he wasn’t a pedant or a snob or an authoritarian prescriptivist who thought he owned the language and that he could therefore just make up whatever idiotic rules he liked, regardless of how linguistically indefensible they might be, and then try to force everyone else to go along with them. Dissertations is a collection of really smart, interesting, well-informed essays about English pronunciation and grammatical structure, orthography, the history of the English language, the origins of language in general, and theories of language relatedness, among other topics. The guy knew a lot about linguistics before there really even was such a thing and about the English language, and he was also a pretty damn good writer. But it’s not easy to characterize Webster’s language attitudes, at least not in any categorical way, because some of them are inconsistent and even contradictory. Of course, that’s a selling point as far as I’m concerned, because I like how despite his astonishing expertise, he is thoughtful, judicious, and reasonable and rarely gives in to the dogma that tempted so many of his colleagues (and continues to torment English speakers and learners today). I like even more how he works as an unselfconscious and dynamic character in the story of American English, which he tells in a way that holds up even after 200+ years. He’s a guy who’s OK with nuance and doesn’t back down from paradox. He would have been a man after Walt Whitman’s heart, an explorer of his own contradictions. Webster is large—he contains multitudes. Like his dictionaries. Slight (but in my defense, awesome) digression here: Webster really was a guy after Whitman’s heart, or because Webster had about 60 years on Whitman, maybe it would make more sense to say it the other way around, that Whitman was a guy after Webster’s heart. Whitman was a student of historical linguistics and the English language, and according to a terrific book by Ed Folsom, Walt Whitman’s Native Representations (Cambridge UP, 1994), he also loved dictionaries and especially Webster’s and shared the lexicographer’s affection and admiration for American English. As Folsom observes (1994:15), “Whitman believed that the American language, which would evolve as English became expressed in the American way, would become ‘the medium that shall well nigh express the inexpressible’ (Leaves of Grass, 727-28).” So, yeah, pretty awesome, I know. Anyway, about Webster and his multitudes when it came to language attitudes. For one thing, his calls for standardization are unmistakable and a key theme throughout the 432-page Dissertations: [T]here are . . . important reasons, why the language of this country should be reduced to such fixed principles, as may give its pronunciation and construction all the certainty and uniformity which any living tongue is capable of receiving. . . . Nothing but the establishment of schools and some uniformity in the use of books can annihilate differences in speaking and preserve the purity of the American tongue. A sameness of pronunciation is of considerable consequence in a political view; for provincial accents are disagreeable to strangers and sometimes have an unhappy effect upon the social affections. (19-20) And this founding father of American English suggests a less than democratic approach to the project of standardization: To cultivate and adorn [the language] is a task reserved for men who shall understand the connection between language and logic, and form an adequate idea of the influence which a uniformity of speech may have on national attachments. (18) But his position is complicated if not contradicted by an openness to the realities of language change that was uncharacteristic of his time (and is uncharacteristic of ours) as well as a similarly forward-thinking sense that standards ought to be determined by observing the ways that real speakers actually use language: No man, whatever may be his rank and abilities, has a right to reject a mode of speech, established by immemorial usage and universal consent. Grammars should be formed on practice; for practice determines what a language is. . . . The business of a grammarian is not to examine whether or not national practice is founded on philosophical principles; but to ascertain the national practice. (204) But Webster credits this idealistic-sounding position to a more practical reality, namely that “the general practice of a nation is not easily changed” (205), that constructing new norms at odds with how most people actually talk and then trying to impose them on a nation of speakers is clearly a fool’s errand. He was certainly right about that, the persistence over hundreds of years of some pretty astonishingly stupid prescriptive rules notwithstanding. We need only look at the continued existence and even flourishing of stigmatized linguistic features and language varieties for evidence that total reform is impossible, regardless of where you might stand on its desirability. As Webster also said, the only effect that an attempt to reform it can produce, is, to make many people doubtful, cautious, and consequently uneasy; to render a few ridiculous and pedantic by following nice criticisms in the face of customary propriety; and to introduce a distinction between the learned and unlearned, which serves only to create difficulties for both. (205) If only the ridiculous and pedantic could have been as few as he predicted. So to some extent, Webster’s own beliefs about standardness, as well as the developing cultural discourses and language ideologies to which he gives voice are inherently contradictory. But then, so much about standard-language ideology is contradictory. For one thing, despite its socially privileged position, Standard American English has no real identity of its own. Rather, its existence depends entirely on the existence other ways of speaking that are not standard. It is identifiable not by any characteristics of its own but only by what it lacks: stigmatized features, the existence of which it depends on for its own value and status. This is ironic given the resources spent on the teaching of SAE and the perpetuation of its ideology, i.e., that it has intrinsic value above all other varieties, that therefore its speakers have greater value as well, that everyone should speak SAE or at least want to, and that all other varieties should be eradicated. If some of the reactions to uses of linguistic features and language varieties that are not considered standard are any indication, apparently it is distressing to some of the people who value SAE (or fetishize "correctness"), or whatever they imagine SAE to be, to have to be subjected to these features and varieties. It must be distressing, because why else would some of the defenders of SAE (as genuinely clueless as some of them seem to be) seem to feel that they have no choice but to be unkind in response? Maybe they don't realize that if the efforts to eradicate nonstandard varieties were to succeed, there would no longer be any status at all attached to SAE, which could be a disappointing turn of events for some of its most vocal champions, for whom feeling superior to others is apparently part of the charm. I think Webster was better than that, though. For one thing, he overtly rejected the ideology that certain speakers have ownership rights to the language that are not shared by other speakers. But on the other hand, he also seems to assume that some speakers are better qualified (which may or may not suggest a greater right) than others to do the work of ascertaining if not determining the prevailing usage norms of American English. For example, he includes frequent citations of literary examples that would have been inaccessible to most Americans in 1789, in order to illustrate linguistic features and especially to exemplify what he considered correct and appropriate usage. These examples are in Webster's own words appeals to “the authority of ... good writer[s] in the language” (201), and they exclude usage norms of rural, nonwhite, and non- or semi-literate speakers. Given his insistence on American linguistic independence and his lament elsewhere in the Dissertations over the lingering attachment of Americans to English literature ("for the taste of her writers is already corrupted, and her language on the decline," p. 20), it is ironic that most of these examples are taken from British-authored texts. Do I contradict myself? Very well then . . . . I contradict myself; I am large . . . . I contain multitudes. Walt Whitman, from Leaves of Grass, 1855 edition So while I continue to ponder Webster, the process of standardization in American English and American history, and the zeal of self-appointed guardians of the language, I’ll turn it back over to Whitman one more time to take us home. If they do not enclose everything they are next to nothing, Walt Whitman, from Leaves of Grass, 1855 edition 1. See Ronald Wardhaugh’s Proper English: Myths and Misunderstandings about Language (Wiley-Blackwell, 1999), especially Chapter 6, “Some Consequences of Literacy,” for a nice historical overview of the weirdness of English spelling. Google Books preview linked here. The title of this post, “So Appropriate to Our America and the Genius of Its Inhabitants,” is borrowed from Walt Whitman’s 1856 essay ”America’s Mightiest Inheritance" (pdf alert), in which he celebrates the English language. Originally posted to alevei on Sun Apr 14, 2013 at 08:14 PM PDT. Also republished by History for Kossacks and Cranky Grammarians. Your Email has been sent.
Skip to main content Report this ad See also: Special beer is ready for outer space Vostok Space Beer has been developed in Manly, Australia by 4 Pines Brewing Company. Working with space engineers, the brewers have overcome the obstacles of beer in space for travelers. The maiden test of the beverage was done in Florida with a trial batch. This is the "world's first space beer" designed specifically for consumption in outer space, although beer has previously been shot into and consumed in space. And brewing beer with barley grown at the International Space Station has already been tested. The name Vostok comes from the Russian spacecraft. One issue is that due to zero gravity, bubbles do not rise in space as in carbonation and human discomfort is caused. According to 4 Pines brewer Jaron Mitchell, "On earth when you burp, due to the gravity that's acting on your stomach, the gas and the liquid separate. However in space... the gas and the liquid can both come up during a burp." A second problem is that the entire face including the tongue swells in space which lessens the ability to taste beer. Vostok beer had to have low carbonation and be higher in flavor. Also tested were some of beer's nutrient transferral properties that can ease long duration spaceflight stress. There are other firsts in the space beer production, the first look at alcohol absorption in space and the first beer in aviation history legally served on a commercial microgravity aircraft. One problem is that testing beer in zero gravity is extremely expensive so space beer cannot be just about making a profit at this point. To test Vostok's taste and effects on a 0-gravity parabolic flight, 4 Pines partnered with independent professional flight researchers Astronauts4Hire. The tests exceeded space flight conditions, going from 1.8g (nearly twice body weight) to 0g and back fifteen times. While six samples of 150ml beer were drunk, basic biometrics taken between samples measuring effects of the beer carbonation level on the tester showed no effects from carbonation. Volstok is a craft beer, not a novelty beer, and must taste great both on Earth and in microgravity. It is available at pubs in Australia and the 4 Pines website has contact information for those in outer space at, or phone +61 450 202 337. Report this ad
The city was allied with Athens in the Peloponnesian War and became (3d cent. B.C.) a leading member of the Second Achaean League. It led a revolt against the Macedonians in 218 B.C. but sank into insignificance before the Roman conquest (146 B.C.) of Greece; it was revived (late 1st cent. B.C.) as a Roman military colony by Augustus and soon flourished as a port. See more Encyclopedia articles on: Greek Political Geography
Last updated: March 19. 2014 1:22PM - 1819 Views Story Tools: Font Size: Social Media: Until about three years ago, federal agents annually intercepted 8,000 unaccompanied minors entering the United States illegally. By last year, the number had jumped to nearly 26,000. This year’s projection: As many as 60,000 youngsters may attempt to cross into this country without parents or papers. This surge of under-age humanity presents two problems. Parents desperate to raise their children outside the reach of powerful gangs are packing them off to the north, making the calculated gamble that the trip will be safer than staying put. Other youths are caught up in sex-trafficking or similarly exploitative or abusive situations, and they come to this country to escape. The United Nations high commissioner for refugees released a report recently spotlighting the problem and calling on the governments of the United States, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Mexico to work together to stem the flow; acknowledge that more than half the minors likely have internationally recognized cause to be granted refugee status based on the risks they face at home; and adopt procedures to identify those with legitimate claims for asylum or refugee status. Regrettably, the report did not offer suggestions on what the nations should do to address the root causes. It’s sensible to seek a regional approach to a humanitarian issue that is beyond the power of a single government to control. A joint effort holds greater potential to address the causes of this migration trend, and the affected governments should work together to find a solution before it becomes a migration crisis. The second problem the U.S. faces is what to do with the youngsters once they get here. Unlike people charged with criminal offenses, those detained on immigration violations do not have the right to a court-appointed attorney during deportation proceedings, so if the detained person can’t afford a lawyer, he or she often faces the judge alone. There are real consequences: A 2007 Georgetown University Law Center study found that people represented by lawyers were three times more likely to win protection. The issue is compounded when the defendant is a child. Children barely of school age have been compelled to argue alone in immigration court why they should be allowed to stay. Often, the children can’t even understand the language, let alone the process, which means there is a very real chance that minors who qualify for asylum or other protections are being booted out of the country without a fair hearing. This is wrong. There are reasons for and against providing indigent adults with legal help as they seek permission to remain in the country, a debate we won’t join here. How unaccompanied children are processed within the U.S. immigration system is a different issue that needs addressing out of fairness, if not a sense of humanity. The federal government should develop a system under which unaccompanied minors have access to a lawyer or experienced advocate (as happens in child-welfare court proceedings) to defend their interests. A number of nonprofit organizations, such as Kids in Need of Defense, have been training and coordinating pro bono lawyers to help children. While the number of available lawyers falls far below the need, that pro bono system could offer a framework for the government to build on — much like a targeted public defender system — to ensure that all detained unaccompanied minors have someone in their corner during deportation proceedings. — The Gleaner, Henderson comments powered by Disqus Featured Businesses Info Minute Gas Prices Harlan Gas Prices provided by GasBuddy.com
George Kennan Veteran diplomat and historian who shaped US policy towards the Soviet Union for more than 40 years There are not many people who can be said to have changed the shape of the age they lived in, but the American diplomat George Kennan, who has died aged 101, was certainly one of them. Virtually singlehandedly, he established the policy which controlled both sides of the cold war for more than 40 years. The irony of the US "containment" approach towards the Soviet Union, which Kennan proposed in 1947, was that it assumed exactly the opposite shape to that which he thought he had recommended. The concept emerged from a tiny seed planted when an unknown US Treasury official sent a message to the American embassy in Moscow asking why the Russians were being difficult at the World Bank. The official could never have anticipated the page-upon-page response which clattered into the state department telex room on the afternoon of February 22 1946. The then US ambassador, Averell Harriman, was on leave and Kennan had been left in charge. "The occasion, to be sure, was trivial," he acknowledged later, "but the implications of the query were not. Here was a case where nothing but the whole truth would do. They had asked for it. Now, by God, they would have it." Kennan divided his message into five parts so that "each could pass as a separate telegram, and it would not look so outrageously long". What has gone into history as the Long Telegram ran to 8,000 words and triggered a seismic change in superpower relations. It was a detailed assessment of the psychology of the postwar Soviet regime, and recommended a number of principles to guide Washington's dealings with the Kremlin. Citing Stalin's belief that peaceful coexistence with the west was impossible because of its hostile encirclement of his country, Kennan stressed the Soviet dictator's determination to do everything to advance Soviet might and, simultaneously, reduce the strength of capitalist countries. He counselled that "this does not represent the natural outlook of the Russian people, who are, by and large, friendly to the outside world, eager for experience of it, eager to measure against it the talents they are conscious of possessing, eager, above all, to live in peace and enjoy the fruits of their own labour." But the US was obliged to deal with a ruling Soviet elite that would cleave firmly to Stalin's line. These apparatchiks, Kennan argued, lived in an atmosphere of oriental secrecy, with no belief in objective truth. "There is good reason to suspect that this government is actually a conspiracy within a conspiracy and I, for one, am reluctant to believe that Stalin himself receives anything like an objective picture of the outside world," he added. The most effective American response to this situation, he went on, depended on the health of its own society. "World communism is like a malignant parasite, which feeds only on diseased tissue. This is the point at which domestic and foreign policies meet. Every courageous and incisive measure to solve the internal problems of our own society, to improve self-confidence, discipline, morale and the community spirit of our own people is a diplomatic victory over Moscow, worth a thousand diplomatic notes and joint communiques." The telegram caused a sensation in Washington, where it was widely circulated. Its impact on the secretary of state, Dean Acheson, led to Kennan's swift appointment as director of foreign policy planning. There was, however, no mention in the Long Telegram of the key strategy for which Kennan has gone down in history. The notion of containment only emerged 17 months later, when Foreign Affairs magazine carried Kennan's public exposition of his analysis, written under the pseudonym "X". Much of this second essay was simply a more elegant version of the Long Telegram, but Kennan's reflections after his return to Washington had led him to make what turned out to be a world-shaking addition. He first described Soviet political policy as a fluid stream, in which the main concern was to ensure it filled every available nook and cranny of world power. "But," he continued, "if it finds unassailable barriers in its path, it accepts these philosophically and accommodates itself to them ... In these circumstances, it is clear that the main elements of any United States policy toward the Soviet Union must be that of a long-term, patient but firm and vigilant containment of Russian expansive tendencies." When he penned that sentence, Kennan may well have had in mind something allied to the self-improvement policy advocated at the end of his Long Telegram. At the time, however, his diplomatic message remained locked in the state department archives. The public response to the idea of containment was, therefore, entirely in military terms. Decades later, Kennan acknowledged how jolted he had been by this reaction. He said he had never thought the Russians had military designs on America; his idea, as originally outlined in the Long Telegram, had been to concentrate on political confrontation. "The real response," he remarked ruefully, "was the Marshall Plan" (announced in July 1947, just a month after the "X" article had appeared). At this distance, however, his attitude seems strangely naive, given the disastrous diplomatic climate of the period. While the US and Britain had largely demobilised, the Soviet Union, though still without nuclear weapons, was maintaining a vast standing army in the centre of Europe. Winston Churchill's "iron curtain" speech of March 1946 - echoed, a few months later, by a similar attack from the US secretary of state, James Byrne - had signalled the end of the wartime alliance with Moscow. Having unilaterally decided to combine the US, British and French occupation zones in Germany, the west had, unsurprisingly, failed to make progress in its talks with the Russians about a German peace treaty. President Harry Truman had proclaimed America's defence of Greece and Turkey against communist insurgents, and promised help for any other threatened nations. Finally, Stalin's rejection of Marshall aid had set the seal on the cold war division of Europe. Against this background there was not the slightest chance of a purely diplomatic response to Stalin; even less was it likely in the face of the 1948-49 Soviet blockade of Berlin and the ensuing western airlift. With that blockade still under way, Nato had been brought into being, followed by the elections from which the West German republic emerged and Stalin's retaliatory creation of the German Democratic Republic. The shape of containment as a military strategy had been firmly fixed. Kennan's curious misreading of America's likely domestic response probably stemmed from his background, and the fact that he had spent little of his adult life at home. Born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, he was something of a loner from his earliest years. After graduating from St John's Military Academy, he went to read history, with particular emphasis on modern European diplomacy, at Princeton University. He joined the US foreign service in 1926, at the age of 24, and was almost immediately appointed vice-consul in Geneva. America still had no diplomatic relations with the fledgling Soviet Union, so it used surrounding capitals as listening posts. From Geneva, Kennan was transferred, in quick succession, to Berlin, Tallinn and Riga to piece together what was happening in Moscow. In 1929, the state department decided to train him formally for the job, and sent him to the University of Berlin, where he learned Russian and studied that country's culture and thought. In November 1933, when the newly elected President Roosevelt established diplomatic relations with the Soviet Union, Kennan became third secretary at the US embassy in Moscow. But events in central Europe rapidly engaged Washington's interest rather more, and he was moved, first, to Vienna, then to Prague, and finally to Berlin, where, as first secretary, he reported on Hitler's steady march through Europe and into the Soviet Union. When America entered the war in December 1941, the Nazis interned Kennan for five months. Upon his release, he was reassigned to Lisbon, then a notorious espionage centre. However, as US relations with Stalin assumed paramount importance, in 1944 he returned to Moscow as minister-counsellor and chargé d'affaires. While still in Berlin, Kennan had expressed grave reservations to his fellow diplomat, Loy Henderson, about America's alliance with Russia. He thought that welcoming the Soviet Union as a defender of democracy could only identify the US "with the Russian destruction of the Baltic states, with the attack against Finnish independence, with the partitioning of Poland . . . and with the domestic policy of a regime which is widely feared and detested throughout this part of the world". On his return to Moscow, he found that his warnings to treat Stalin with circumspection had been ignored in Washington, so he reiterated them when the Red army failed to support the Warsaw uprising against the Nazis in 1944. "This was the point at which we should have insisted on a thorough-going exploration of Soviet intentions with regard to the future of the remainder of Europe," he cabled. Kennan blamed Roosevelt for ignoring the warnings, saying that, towards the end of his life, the ailing US president had clung to a concept of Stalin's personality that was far below his normal quality of statesmanship. It was against this background, and after an absence of some 20 years, that Kennan returned home, at the age of 43, to direct foreign policy planning. His career prospered in the early years, but the shadow of John Foster Dulles soon fell across it. Under the patronage of the powerful Senator Vandenberg, Dulles (a dyed-in-the-wool Republican) had improbably been appointed as a foreign policy adviser by the Truman ad-ministration. He and Kennan immediately fell out over the question of recognising communist China - Dulles leaked to a reporter the substance of their secret discussions on the issue to demonstrate how dangerous an official Kennan had become. In 1949, Kennan resigned his policy planning post to become the state department's counsellor, but decided, the following year, to join the Institute for Advanced Study at Princeton. In 1952, however, Truman made him ambassador to Moscow, where he immediately fell victim to Stalin's growing paranoia. When he complained about the isolation the Russians were imposing on western diplomats, he was unceremoniously thrown out. In America, meanwhile, the detonation of the Soviet Union's first nuclear weapon in September 1949, and the outbreak of the Korean war nine months later, precipitated an anti-communist frenzy from which Senator Joe McCarthy emerged with his infamous list of "a great many known communists" employed by the state department. Kennan returned to Washington at the height of McCarthy's campaign, to find himself among those in the firing line. He strongly opposed the new defence doctrine NSC-68, in which the US national security council defined containment as "a policy of calculated and gradual coercion". He had also argued against the creation of Nato, and maintained that developments in Korea and Vietnam sprang from nationalism rather than Marxism. President Eisenhower's selection of Dulles as his secretary of state in 1953 spelled the beginning of the end. After McCarthy had denounced Kennan as "a commie lover", Dulles called him in to say that the administration "don't seem to have a niche for you". This was not a problem John Foster's brother Allen Dulles shared; as director of the CIA, he offered Kennan any job he wanted. When Kennan left the state department, no one in the new Republican administration even acknowledged his years of public service. He returned to Princeton as professor of historical studies and, apart from a further ambassadorial stint in Yugoslavia for the Kennedy administration from 1961 to 1963, passed the rest of his long life writing history and mordantly observing the social and political turns of his nation. Among his 17 books were Russia Leaves The War (1956), which won a Pulitzer prize and the National Book award, and two volumes of memoirs. The first, published in 1967 and covering the period from 1925 to 1950, won a Pulitzer and the National Book award; the second, taking the story up to 1963, came out in 1972. Sketches From A Life appeared in 1989. His awards included the Presidential Medal Of Freedom in 1989. Apparently appalled by the way containment had turned out, Kennan became a forceful advocate of superpower disengagement, allied to progressive disarmament. He also despaired of a cultural evolution which had turned out so wildly differently from that he had championed in the Long Telegram. At the age of 95, he complained to the New York Review of Books that "we export to anyone who can buy it or steal it the cheapest, silliest, and most disreputable manifestations of our culture. No wonder that these effusions become the laughing stock of intelligent and sensitive people the world over." In 1931, Kennan married Annelise Sorensen, a Norwegian he had met in Berlin. She survives him, as do their son and three daughters. · George Frost Kennan, diplomat and historian, born February 16 1904; died March 17 2005
UltraCAD Design, Inc (The Unabridged Version) The January, 1996, issue of Printed Circuit Design magazine contained an article by Barry Olney titled "Design For EMC." In that article, Olney wrote this: Orthogonal trace corners should be avoided. The debate rages, but as frequencies and edge rates continue to rise, 90 degree corners introduce excess capacitance and cause a small change in characteristic impedance. This change becomes disastrous at high frequencies (e.g.100 Mhz) when electrons virtually fly off the sharp corners of the bend. (p. 28, emphasis added) This triggered the following exchange between UltraCAD and the editor, an abridged version of which was printed in the February issue (p. 48). This is the unabridged version of that exchange. Barry Olney's comments about the "disastrous" effects of orthogonal trace corners, where "electrons virtually fly off the sharp corners of the bend" ("Design For EMC", Jan. 96, p. 28) reminded us of the various ways our customers have tried to solve that problem through the years. We thought we'd share some of them with you. One customer asked us to point all orthogonal trace corners towards one corner of the board. Then he installed an electron grabber there. This caught the "flying" electrons and dropped them to the power plane. The beauty of this arrangement was that as frequencies went up, more electrons were captured and returned to the plane, thus increasing efficiency. At very high frequencies, efficiencies were so high (so many electrons being returned to the power plane) that no external power supply was required at all! Of course, some systems contain both analog and digital electrons. These MUST be kept separate. The solution is to point all digital orthogonal trace corners to one corner of the board and all analog orthogonal trace corners to the opposite corner of the board. Then the respective digital and analog electrons can be grabbed and returned to their own respective power planes. An electron reflector should be used at the plane boundaries to ensure that the digital and analog electrons can't mix. Another customer wanted us to chamfer the corners. Then, the electrons, rolling along like little marbles, would simply reflect around the corner instead of reflecting back or flying off. Finally, a customer concerned about electromagnetic energy being emitted at a sharp point (which begins to resemble a poorly designed antenna) asked that the edge of the trace be sculpted, much like the serrated edge of a knife. The electromagnetic waves then reflected in so many different directions at the same time that they all got confused and canceled each other out. As Olney does point out, however, the easiest way to avoid all these problems is to miter the corners. That is why knowledgeable designers NEVER EVER use orthogonal trace corners. And then, no one has to watch out for "flying" electrons. Douglas G. Brooks To: Douglas Brooks From: Pete Waddell Dear Doug, Thanks ever so much for the technique tips on controlling those pesky flying electrons. It seems to me that there is something in this perpetual energy rejuvenation at high frequencies, but I can't quite grasp it. But I would be careful, were I you, that the energy companies don't find out about it yet. Remember the rumors of a 100 mpg carburetor? Also I thought you may be interested in a large mayonnaise jar full of spare electrons that I recovered several months ago, from a poorly designed board. I have not sorted the analog from digital electrons, but thought you might be interested, if the cost of separating them is not too great. I'm glad to see that people out there are concerned about these issues, and hope that we can bring problems such as uncontrolled flying electrons to the attention of OSHA. I've heard that electrons flying from a board at high enough frequencies can cause severe damage if people are not wearing the necessary protective gear. One technician in Peaudunque, Ohio was nearly castrated by a ricochet electron that flew off of a board at the speed of 1.8 gig. These things CAN be prevented. Perhaps you would care to write up an article on preventing accidents in high speed designs? Thanks for the fax, keep in touch. Dear editor, Thanks for your response to my letter to the editor re flying electrons. I understand your not quite being able to grasp the incredible efficiencies we were able to achieve with the electron grabbers, but that is not the first time I've been involved with such feats. Funny you should mention the 100 mpg carburetor. In an earlier life I was president of a predecessor company called UltraCAR Design, Inc. But, that's another story. I have bad news about your mayonnaise jar that you filled with flying electrons. It is my understanding that it is impossible to recover analog and digital electrons after they have been allowed to mix. By the way, I hope the jar was clean. If not, electrons covered with mayonnaise are REALLY messy. The semiconductor guys call that "mayonnaise doping." If the jar was clean, there are three problems with catching them. First, the little critters are REALLY fast. Once they are unconstrained, they are hard for normal humans to catch up with. But more than that, being fundamentally different, the results are uncertain when they collide with each other, which they most certainly will when locked up in a jar. In some cases, since they are fundamentally opposite, they simply cancel each other out and leave a void. In other cases, they combine as a useless hybrid. But, when they combine, the combination is twice as heavy as is allowable under the laws of physics, and they shed (give birth) to another ill-behaved, although very noisy, electron. Jars containing flying electrons MUST be vented to accommodate the changes in pressure as a result of these possibilities; otherwise they may either explode or implode, depending on which is the predominate effect. You are right, flying electrons can be dangerous critters, and they should only be handled by people experienced in such matters. These two effects are precisely why analog and digital electrons MUST be kept separate in PCB designs. If they combine and then cancel there is an obvious change in the electrical signal. If they combine and generate new, ill-behaved and noisy electrons, these play havoc during FCC compliance testing. Good signal integrity and low EMI emissions cannot be obtained if analog and digital electrons are allowed to mix. The story about a near castration from a flying electron reminds me of another board we did for someone. I never wanted to talk about it since we treat such information as confidential. Also, we didn't want to be known as accomplices. A professor from a local school asked us to design lots of orthogonal trace corners all pointing ... actually focused is a better word ... at a point about 18" off the board. When he energized the design he was going to use the incredible energy of the flying electrons to cut into a bank vault at the local branch of Seafirst Bank. Unfortunately --- or fortunately, depending on your viewpoint --- he accidentally turned it on before going into the bank and destroyed the ignition system of his getaway car. He was arrested for blocking traffic and was subsequently discovered. Since then, we either point the flying electrons into a corner of the board where they can be grabbed and used beneficially, or simply leave them trapped in their traces by mitering the corners. Designers who don't follow these rules may inadvertently be endangering their customers and also risk FCC compliance testing failures. I wonder if the IPC has included this type of risk in their designer certification exams? Note: Readers might want to refer to our Design Note on 90 degree corners entitled "Right Angle Traces" for a more enlightened discussion of 90 degree traces! Click on logo to return to UltraCAD's Home Page.
Corpses, Curses, and Cannibalism: Containment and Excess in Selma Lagerlof's Bannlyst and Its Reception Article excerpt SELMA LAGERLOF (1858-1940) is generally considered one of Sweden's few world-famous and canonical novelists. Dung her lifetime she was enormously popular and became the most widely translated Swedish author of her time. Working as an elementary school teacher, Lagerlof made her literary debut in 1891 with the novel Gosta Berlings saga [The Story of Gosta Berling]. In a literary career spanning four decades, Lagerlof created subsequent masterpieces such as Jerusalem (1901-02), Nils Holgerssons underbara resa (1906-07) [The Wonderful Adventure of Nils], Kejsarn av Portugallien (1914) [The Emperor of Portugallia], and Lowenskoldstrilogin (1925-1928) [The Lowenskold Cycle]. Lagerlof was a highly esteemed public figure. In 1909, she became the first Swede and the first woman to receive the Nobel Prize for literature, and in 1914 she was the first woman to be elected to the exclusive group of eighteen authors and scholars comprising the Swedish Academy. Until her death in 1940 at the age of eighty-one, Selma Lagerlof was increasingly considered a national icon, a beloved "Great Storyteller." Residing at her Marbacka estate in Varmland, she received enormous attention from the emerging new culture industry. The success of Swedish silent cinema relied on Lagerlof adaptations; the radio broadcasted Lagerlof readings and interviews; and newsreels and magazine cover stories portrayed her life at Marbacka. Due to the popularity of works such as Gosta Berlings saga and Kejsarn av Portugallien, Lagerlof's Varmland, both real and imagined, became a kind of theme-park tourist destination from the early century onward. Despite her fame and success, however, Selma Lagerlof's stares as an important artist within the literary canon has always been problematic. Her artistic appropriation of local legends and the folklore of Varmland into her narratives contributed to her reputation as the "Great Storyteller." A captive of her public persona, Lagerlof has often been read as drawing on mere inspiration and intuition while passively transmitting folkloristic narrative treasures hidden in the depths of the Swedish people. This patronizing myth of Lagerlof as a moralizing and entertaining "natural" storyteller obscured the conscious aesthetic and narrative experimentation of her works as well as their emotional depths and audacity. By exploring issues of excess and containment in the compromised creation and critical reception of Lagerlof's lesser-known 1918 anti-war novel Bannlyst (1918) [literally "banned" but translated as The Outcast], (1) this article examines how Selma Lagerlof's literary project was initially conceived and has subsequently evolved in Swedish literary criticism during the twentieth century. The history of Bannlyst's reception illustrates how each interpretation and evaluation selects and reshapes features of the text in accordance with the critic's personal and political agenda and the gendered biases and blind spots of received academic practice. Using Bannlyst as a case study, one can illuminate the polarized discursive forces surrounding Lagerlof's oeuvre since her literary debut in 1891. Bannlyst can serve as a kind of mise-en-abyme of the entire Lagerlof canon as well as the legend surrounding the author by foregrounding its internal and external fault lines and contradictions, its courage and compromise, its narrative experimentation and self-censoring, its magical-realist audacity, and its "great storyteller" caution. Bannlyst represents an author at mid-life struggling to voice her outrage about the First World War yet refusing to be co-opted into the progressive women's anti-war movement. Before undertaking this examination of Bannlyst, however, it is crucial first to examine how Lagerlof's debut work, Gosta Berlings saga, written almost thirty years earlier had shaped the critical and public image of Lagerlof that has problematized and haunted the reception of her works to this day. From her literary debut on, Lagerlof has resisted being categorized within contemporary literary movements. …
A Blog Around The Clock New and Exciting in PLoS ONE Diversity and Relatedness Enhance Survival in Colour Polymorphic Grasshoppers: Evolutionary theory predicts that different resource utilization and behaviour by alternative phenotypes may reduce competition and enhance productivity and individual performance in polymorphic, as compared with monomorphic, groups of individuals. However, firm evidence that members of more heterogeneous groups benefit from enhanced survival has been scarce or lacking. Furthermore, benefits associated with phenotypic diversity may be counterbalanced by costs mediated by reduced relatedness, since closely related individuals typically are more similar. Pygmy grasshoppers (Tetrix subulata) are characterized by extensive polymorphism in colour pattern, morphology, behaviour and physiology. We studied experimental groups founded by different numbers of mothers and found that survival was higher in low than in high density, that survival peaked at intermediate colour morph diversity in high density, and that survival was independent of diversity in low density where competition was less intense. We further demonstrate that survival was enhanced by relatedness, as expected if antagonistic and competitive interactions are discriminately directed towards non-siblings. We therefore also performed behavioural observations and staged encounters which confirmed that individuals recognized and responded differently to siblings than to non-siblings. We conclude that negative effects associated with competition are less manifest in diverse groups, that there is conflicting selection for and against genetic diversity occurring simultaneously, and that diversity and relatedness may facilitate the productivity and ecological success of groups of interacting individuals. An Investigation into the Poor Survival of an Endangered Coho Salmon Population: To investigate reasons for the decline of an endangered population of coho salmon (O. kisutch), 190 smolts were acoustically tagged during three consecutive years and their movements and survival were estimated using the Pacific Ocean Shelf Tracking project (POST) array. Median travel times of the Thompson River coho salmon smolts to the lower Fraser River sub-array were 16, 12 and 10 days during 2004, 2005 and 2006, respectively. Few smolts were recorded on marine arrays. Freshwater survival rates of the tagged smolts during their downstream migration were 0.0-5.6% (0.0-9.0% s.e.) in 2004, 7.0% (6.2% s.e.) in 2005, and 50.9% (18.6% s.e.) in 2006. Overall smolt-to-adult return rates exhibited a similar pattern, which suggests that low freshwater survival rates of out-migrating smolts may be a primary reason for the poor conservation status of this endangered coho salmon population. Comparative Influence of Ocean Conditions on Yellowfin and Atlantic Bluefin Tuna Catch from Longlines in the Gulf of Mexico: Directed fishing effort for Atlantic bluefin tuna in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM), their primary spawning grounds in the western Atlantic, has been prohibited since the 1980s due to a precipitous decline of the spawning stock biomass. However, pelagic longlines targeted at other species, primarily yellowfin tuna and swordfish, continue to catch Atlantic bluefin tuna in the GOM as bycatch. Spatial and temporal management measures minimizing bluefin tuna bycatch in the GOM will likely become important in rebuilding the western Atlantic bluefin stock. In order to help inform management policy and understand the relative distribution of target and bycatch species in the GOM, we compared the spatiotemporal variability and environmental influences on the catch per unit effort (CPUE) of yellowfin (target) and bluefin tuna (bycatch). Catch and effort data from pelagic longline fisheries observers (1993-2005) and scientific tagging cruises (1998-2002) were coupled with environmental and biological data. Negative binomial models were used to fit the data for both species and Akaike’s Information Criterion (corrected for small sample size) was used to determine the best model. Our results indicate that bluefin CPUE had higher spatiotemporal variability as compared to yellowfin CPUE. Bluefin CPUE increased substantially during the breeding months (March-June) and peaked in April and May, while yellowfin CPUE remained relatively high throughout the year. In addition, bluefin CPUE was significantly higher in areas with negative sea surface height anomalies and cooler sea surface temperatures, which are characteristic of mesoscale cyclonic eddies. In contrast, yellowfin CPUE was less sensitive to environmental variability. These differences in seasonal variability and sensitivity to environmental influences suggest that bluefin tuna bycatch in the GOM can be reduced substantially by managing the spatial and temporal distribution of the pelagic longline effort without substantially impacting yellowfin tuna catches. Dissecting the Clinical Heterogeneity of Autism Spectrum Disorders through Defined Genotypes: The etiology of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) is largely determined by different genetic factors of variable impact. This genetic heterogeneity could be a factor to explain the clinical heterogeneity of autism spectrum disorders. Here, a first attempt is made to assess whether genetically more homogeneous ASD groups are associated with decreased phenotypic heterogeneity with respect to their autistic symptom profile. The autistic phenotypes of ASD subjects with 22q11 deletion syndrome (22q11DS) and ASD subjects with Klinefelter Syndrome (KS) were statistically compared to the symptom profile of a large (genetically) heterogeneous ASD sample. Autism diagnostic interview-revised (ADI-R) variables were entered in different statistical analyses to assess differences in symptom homogeneity and the feasibility of discrimination of group-specific ASD-symptom profiles. The results showed substantially higher symptom homogeneity in both the genetic disorder ASD groups in comparison to the heterogeneous ASD sample. In addition, a robust discrimination between 22q11-ASD and KS-ASD and idiopathic ASD phenotypes was feasible on the basis of a reduced number of autistic scales and symptoms. The lack of overlap in discriminating subscales and symptoms between KS-ASD and 22q11DS-ASD suggests that their autistic symptom profiles cluster around different points in the total diagnostic space of profiles present in the general ASD population. The findings of the current study indicate that the clinical heterogeneity of ASDs may be reduced when subgroups based on a specific genotype are extracted from the idiopathic ASD population. The current strategy involving the widely used ADI-R offers a relatively straightforward possibility for assessing genotype-phenotype ASD relationships. Reverse phenotype strategies are becoming more feasible, given the accumulating evidence for the existence of genetic variants of large effect in a substantial proportion of the ASD population. Selection and Presentation of Imaging Figures in the Medical Literature: Images are important for conveying information, but there is no empirical evidence on whether imaging figures are properly selected and presented in the published medical literature. We therefore evaluated the selection and presentation of radiological imaging figures in major medical journals. We analyzed articles published in 2005 in 12 major general and specialty medical journals that had radiological imaging figures. For each figure, we recorded information on selection, study population, provision of quantitative measurements, color scales and contrast use. Overall, 417 images from 212 articles were analyzed. Any comment/hint on image selection was made in 44 (11%) images (range 0-50% across the 12 journals) and another 37 (9%) (range 0-60%) showed both a normal and abnormal appearance. In 108 images (26%) (range 0-43%) it was unclear whether the image came from the presented study population. Eighty-three images (20%) (range 0-60%) had any quantitative or ordered categorical value on a measure of interest. Information on the distribution of the measure of interest in the study population was given in 59 cases. For 43 images (range 0-40%), a quantitative measurement was provided for the depicted case and the distribution of values in the study population was also available; in those 43 cases there was no over-representation of extreme than average cases (p = 0.37). The selection and presentation of images in the medical literature is often insufficiently documented; quantitative data are sparse and difficult to place in context. Industrial Melanism in the Peppered Moth Is Not Associated with Genetic Variation in Canonical Melanisation Gene Candidates: Industrial melanism in the peppered moth (Biston betularia) is an iconic case study of ecological genetics but the molecular identity of the gene determining the difference between the typical and melanic (carbonaria) morphs is entirely unknown. We applied the candidate gene approach to look for associations between genetic polymorphisms within sixteen a priori melanisation gene candidates and the carbonaria morph. The genes were isolated and sequence characterised in B. betularia using degenerate PCR and from whole-transcriptome sequence. The list of candidates contains all the genes previously implicated in melanisation pattern differences in other insects, including aaNAT, DOPA-decarboxylase, ebony, tan, tyrosine hydroxylase, yellow and yellow2 (yellow-fa). Co-segregation of candidate gene alleles and carbonaria morph was tested in 73 offspring of a carbonaria male-typical female backcross. Surprisingly, none of the sixteen candidate genes was in close linkage with the locus controlling the carbonaria-typical polymorphism. Our study demonstrates that the ‘carbonaria gene’ is not a structural variant of a canonical melanisation pathway gene, neither is it a cis-regulatory element of these enzyme-coding genes. The implication is either that we have failed to characterize an unknown enzyme-coding gene in the melanisation pathway, or more likely, that the ‘carbonaria gene’ is a higher level trans-acting factor which regulates the spatial expression of one or more of the melanisation candidates in this study to alter the pattern of melanin production. Bare Bones Pattern Formation: A Core Regulatory Network in Varying Geometries Reproduces Major Features of Vertebrate Limb Development and Evolution: Major unresolved questions regarding vertebrate limb development concern how the numbers of skeletal elements along the proximodistal (P-D) and anteroposterior (A-P) axes are determined and how the shape of a growing limb affects skeletal element formation. There is currently no generally accepted model for these patterning processes, but recent work on cartilage development (chondrogenesis) indicates that precartilage tissue self-organizes into nodular patterns by cell-molecular circuitry with local auto-activating and lateral inhibitory (LALI) properties. This process is played out in the developing limb in the context of a gradient of fibroblast growth factor (FGF) emanating from the apical ectodermal ridge (AER). We have simulated the behavior of the core chondrogenic mechanism of the developing limb in the presence of an FGF gradient using a novel computational environment that permits simulation of LALI systems in domains of varying shape and size. The model predicts the normal proximodistal pattern of skeletogenesis as well as distal truncations resulting from AER removal. Modifications of the model’s parameters corresponding to plausible effects of Hox proteins and formins, and of the reshaping of the model limb, bud yielded simulated phenotypes resembling mutational and experimental variants of the limb. Hypothetical developmental scenarios reproduce skeletal morphologies with features of fossil limbs. The limb chondrogenic regulatory system operating in the presence of a gradient has an inherent, robust propensity to form limb-like skeletal structures. The bare bones framework can accommodate ancillary gene regulatory networks controlling limb bud shaping and establishment of Hox expression domains. This mechanism accounts for major features of the normal limb pattern and, under variant geometries and different parameter values, those of experimentally manipulated, genetically aberrant and evolutionary early forms, with no requirement for an independent system of positional information. The Acid Test of Fluoride: How pH Modulates Toxicity: Bacterial Acquisition in Juveniles of Several Broadcast Spawning Coral Species: Coral animals harbor diverse microorganisms in their tissues, including archaea, bacteria, viruses, and zooxanthellae. The extent to which coral-bacterial associations are specific and the mechanisms for their maintenance across generations in the environment are unknown. The high diversity of bacteria in adult coral colonies has made it challenging to identify species-specific patterns. Localization of bacteria in gametes and larvae of corals presents an opportunity for determining when bacterial-coral associations are initiated and whether they are dynamic throughout early development. This study focuses on the early onset of bacterial associations in the mass spawning corals Montastraea annularis, M. franksi, M. faveolata, Acropora palmata, A. cervicornis, Diploria strigosa, and A. humilis. The presence of bacteria and timing of bacterial colonization was evaluated in gametes, swimming planulae, and newly settled polyps by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) using general eubacterial probes and laser-scanning confocal microscopy. The coral species investigated in this study do not appear to transmit bacteria via their gametes, and bacteria are not detectable in or on the corals until after settlement and metamorphosis. This study suggests that mass-spawning corals do not acquire, or are not colonized by, detectable numbers of bacteria until after larval settlement and development of the juvenile polyp. This timing lays the groundwork for developing and testing new hypotheses regarding general regulatory mechanisms that control bacterial colonization and infection of corals, and how interactions among bacteria and juvenile polyps influence the structure of bacterial assemblages in corals. Phylogenetic Distribution of Fungal Sterols: Ergosterol has been considered the “fungal sterol” for almost 125 years; however, additional sterol data superimposed on a recent molecular phylogeny of kingdom Fungi reveals a different and more complex situation. The interpretation of sterol distribution data in a modern phylogenetic context indicates that there is a clear trend from cholesterol and other Δ5 sterols in the earliest diverging fungal species to ergosterol in later diverging fungi. There are, however, deviations from this pattern in certain clades. Sterols of the diverse zoosporic and zygosporic forms exhibit structural diversity with cholesterol and 24-ethyl -Δ5 sterols in zoosporic taxa, and 24-methyl sterols in zygosporic fungi. For example, each of the three monophyletic lineages of zygosporic fungi has distinctive major sterols, ergosterol in Mucorales, 22-dihydroergosterol in Dimargaritales, Harpellales, and Kickxellales (DHK clade), and 24-methyl cholesterol in Entomophthorales. Other departures from ergosterol as the dominant sterol include: 24-ethyl cholesterol in Glomeromycota, 24-ethyl cholest-7-enol and 24-ethyl-cholesta-7,24(28)-dienol in rust fungi, brassicasterol in Taphrinales and hypogeous pezizalean species, and cholesterol in Pneumocystis. Five dominant end products of sterol biosynthesis (cholesterol, ergosterol, 24-methyl cholesterol, 24-ethyl cholesterol, brassicasterol), and intermediates in the formation of 24-ethyl cholesterol, are major sterols in 175 species of Fungi. Although most fungi in the most speciose clades have ergosterol as a major sterol, sterols are more varied than currently understood, and their distribution supports certain clades of Fungi in current fungal phylogenies. In addition to the intellectual importance of understanding evolution of sterol synthesis in fungi, there is practical importance because certain antifungal drugs (e.g., azoles) target reactions in the synthesis of ergosterol. These findings also invalidate use of ergosterol as an indicator of biomass of certain fungal taxa (e.g., Glomeromycota). Data from this study are available from the Assembling the Fungal Tree of Life (AFTOL) Structural and Biochemical Database: http://aftol.umn.edu. 1. #1 Jonathan Vos Post May 29, 2010 I have emailed to a client “Dissecting the Clinical Heterogeneity of Autism Spectrum Disorders through Defined Genotypes” and hope to discuss the clinical implications with said client, face-to-face, next week. It is potentially a very important paper. New comments have been temporarily disabled. Please check back soon.
Using ARVs to Prevent HIV Could Result in Drug Resistance Their scientific methods may have been quite different, but their conclusions were not. In asking whether drug resistance could be a problem if antiretroviral (ARV) drugs become a mainstay for HIV prevention, the two studies - one involving a mathematical model and the other assays of cells and tissue - arrived at the same answer. Resistance could happen if people who are unknowingly already infected use the approach. The results of these studies, which were reported today at the International Microbicides Conference (M2010) in Pittsburgh, USA, underscore the importance of incorporating routine HIV testing and ongoing monitoring of infection status in any prevention program that involves the use of ARVs. Read more Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), as the approach is called, involves the use of ARVs by HIV-negative people in order to reduce their risk of infection. Several clinical trials are testing whether PrEP can prevent HIV in different high-risk populations. With PrEP, a single ARV is used, typically once a day. While one ARV has the potential to prevent HIV in someone who is uninfected, one drug alone is not enough to suppress virus in someone who is infected, which is why at least three different ARVs, used in combination, are required in the treatment of HIV. If a person who is infected continues taking a single drug, the concern is that virus would become resistant to that drug or drugs in the same class, thereby limiting treatment options in the future. The current research does not diminish the promise of PrEP and other ARV-based prevention approaches, the researchers say. What the studies provide is a more clear view of what is likely to be needed to ensure that PrEP can offer the most benefit to as many people as possible and with the least amount of risk. It is likely that any successful HIV prevention program which includes the use of ARVs will require routine screening for HIV in order to prevent HIV-infected people from inadvertently using PrEP when they are already infected. Mathematical model identifies key factors that would influence spread of HIV drug resistance if ARVs are used for prevention Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is a promising HIV prevention approach that involves use of antiretroviral (ARV) drugs by HIV-uninfected individuals to protect against infection. But, should clinical trials find the strategy successful and PrEP is then rolled out as a prevention approach in at-risk communities, there is concern that virus resistant to the ARVs potentially would emerge and spread. Indeed, a mathematical model found that if people who are already HIV-infected inadvertently use PrEP, drug resistance is very likely to occur. The finding underscores the importance of routine HIV testing and ongoing monitoring of infection status being a part of any PrEP program, says Ume Abbas, M.D., of the Cleveland Clinic Foundation, who led the study. Dr. Abbas and colleagues developed a model to simulate the impact of PrEP on HIV prevention and drug resistance in a region of sub-Saharan Africa, where HIV rates are among the highest, and to identify the determinants contributing most to HIV drug resistance prevalence. The model singled out two factors having the most influence, finding that the greater number of people who use PrEP who shouldn’t be and the longer they keep using the ARVs, the more prevalent drug resistance would be. The model looked at different scenarios, including ones representative of the most pessimistic and the most optimistic situations. The optimistic scenario assumed that PrEP reduced the risk of infection by 75 percent, that 60 percent of the at-risk population used it, and 5 percent of the population of individuals who are already infected inadvertently used it. Under these conditions, the model predicted the prevalence of resistance after 10 years to be only 2.5 percent of the population. Under the pessimistic scenario, which assumed a 25 percent reduction in HIV risk with PrEP, 15 percent of the at-risk population being covered and 25 percent of those already infected using PrEP, resistance was expected to affect 40 percent of the population in 10 years. The model took into account age, gender, sexual activity, HIV status, stages of disease and PrEP use and discontinuation and HIV drug susceptibility. Laboratory studies find ARV-based gels protect against infection with resistant virus Researchers testing whether antiretroviral (ARV)- based candidate microbicides are effective against strains of HIV known to be resistant to these ARVs and/or drugs in the same class found they were indeed protective in laboratory studies. And in other tests trying to determine whether use of ARV-based microbicides could contribute to the emergence of drug resistant virus, they determined the possibility could exist if HIV infection was already present. Granted, experiments conducted in a laboratory cannot with any certainty predict what will be true in real-life settings, but the results are encouraging nonetheless, says Susan M. Schader, a doctoral student at McGill University and the McGill AIDS Centre in Montreal, Canada. Four ARV-based candidate microbicides were studied, including tenofovir and dapivirine, which belong to a class of ARVs called reverse transcriptase inhibitors that act on a key enzyme HIV needs for replicating itself. Tenofovir gel has already been tested in one clinical trial and another large clinical trial is underway, while a phase III trial of dapivirine is being planned. The researchers also looked at DS001 and DS003, which are in earlier phases of development as potential microbicides for preventing sexual transmission of HIV. Both are entry inhibitors that prevent HIV from getting inside cells by targeting specific docking stations on the cell surface. There are at least nine known genetic subtypes of HIV-1. In the United States and Canada, most HIV infections are with the B subtype strain, while elsewhere in the world all other subtypes are predominant. Resistant virus is categorized accordingly. As the availability and use of ARVs increases in places like Africa, drug resistance will increasingly be more common. And people who develop resistance could feasibly infect others with virus that is drug-resistant. So, the researchers looked at how well each of the ARVs worked alone and in different combinations against cell cultures containing B subtype drug-resistant virus and three strains of non-B subtype resistant virus. They found each of the four candidate microbicide ARVs potent against the drug-resistant strains, although the ARV combinations (dapivirine plus tenofovir and dapivirine plus DS003) were more effective than any one drug. Interestingly, dapivirine and tenofovir used together was more effective against HIV resistant to dapivirine when compared to each drug used alone and to wild type HIV. To evaluate whether the ARV-based microbicide compounds could cause virus to become drug resistant, the researchers infected blood cells with different subtypes of HIV and exposed the infected cells to dapivirine alone and to dapivirine plus tenofovir continuously for more than 25 weeks to induce drug resistance. Drug resistance emerged only if HIV infection was present before the candidate microbicide ARVs were introduced and continued to be used. Bobby Ramakant - CNS Published in: Citizen News Service (CNS), India/Thailand News Trust News, New Delhi, Delhi Elites TV News, USA, USA, UK No comments: Post a Comment
Lecture 33 (Wednesday, December 6, 2000) Course: 15-412 Operating Systems: Design and Implementation Lecturer: Gregory Kesden Slides Used In Today's Lecture CSS (ppt) Content Scrambling System (CSS): Introduction You may recently have heard about the Content Scrambling System (CSS) or CSS-compatible open-source software known as DeCSS. CSS, which includes both player-host mutual authentication and data encryption, is used to protect the content of DVDs from piracy and to enforce region-based viewing restrictions. It may also have other purposes and certainly has other side-effects. DeCSS, which is open source, allows Linux-based systems to access the content of DVDs by emulating a licensed player and performing the authentication and decryption. The national attention is the result of a recent federal circuit court ruling, in which the court held, among other things, that the distribution of the DeCSS source code violates the Digital Millenium Copyright Act (DMCA). It is my understanding that this ruling holds that it is illegal to distribute CSS compatible source code, including by URL reference ("link") to the same. Others, including myself, believe that there exists a very clear distinction between human ideas expressed unambiguously and concisely in source code and the machine that exists after this source code is compiled or interpreted, and made runnable within a machine's memory. I believe that ideas expressed in this source code are Constitutionally protected speech, and that only the executible machine may be considered a "circumvention technology". As we discussed on the first day of class, "A program is a specification, whereas a process is an instance of a program in execution." Furthermore, I believe that reverse-engineering for the purposes of ensuring compatibility, as a matter of public policy, and as a matter of the DMCA, should be and is protected. I believe that DeCSS, the product of reverse-engineering, is nothing more than a tool which allows Linux boxes to run .VOB programs on equipment other than that licensed by the monopoly DVD Copy Control Association. But my opinion on this issue is uneducated and unreliable -- I am not an attorney, and at least one court seems to have taken a different view. Although I may disagree with the law, I cannot stand in front of this classroom and violate it or suggest that you violate it. Instead, I encourage you to obey it -- and to act to change it if you disagree with it. As we'll discuss shortly, CSS is based on two Linear Feedback Shift Registers (LFSRs). Although very efficient in hardware, LFSRs are somewhat inefficient to implement in software, and there are some interesting programming techniques that are used to speed up the process. Unfortunately, I do not believe it is lawful for me to show that code, or equivalent code, to you today -- for that reason, I will not. Unfortunately, the same concern leads me to suggest that you refrain from reviewing the DeCSS source code after this lecture. Unlike my suggestion to review an implementation of DES, obtaining source code for DeCSS may well violate federal law. So today, you will literally get, "As much of an education as the law allows -- and no more." But don't take anything I've said as legal advice -- I am a teacher, not a lawyer. Ask an experienced and licensed attorney, if you have any concerns. So, without further delay -- let's dig in and take a look at CSS as an example of a stream cipher and an authentication protocol. System Overview In our discussion of CSS, we are going to look at the system used to play DVDs in terms of three components: the DVD itself, the DVD player that reads the disk and delivers the content, and the host (computer, host board, &c). The DVD disk itself contains the encrypted content, as well as a hidden area. It is my understanding that commerciallyt writeable DVDs already have this area marked, so that they cannot write to it. The contents of this hidden area cannot be delivered, except to an authenticated device. Presumedly, any device which can authenticate has been licensed by the DVD Copy Control Association, and as a consequence is trusted to receive the information. This hidden area contains the several pieces of information that we will soon discuss: a table of encrypted disk keys, and an encrypted disk key (disk key hash). The player itself stores the player keys that are used to decrypt the disk key (more later), the region code that identifies the region in which the player should be used, and another secret that is used for authentication with the host. The host seems to contain a secret that is used for authentication. It seems that this isn't a public key encryption scheme, but rather a private key scheme. We'll discuss authentication more shortly. Region Code One other detail: Overview of Keys Authentication Key Session Key (Bus Key) Player Key Disk Key Sector Key Title Key Overview of the Process Step 1: Mutual Authentication Step 2: Decoding disk Step 3: Send disk and title keys Step 4: Step 5: Step 6: Disk and Player Keys As we discussed, each player has a small number of licensed player keys. These keys can be used to decrpyt the disk key on a particular DVD. This disk key is used to decrypt title keys on the disk. Each work on the disk is encrypted with a title key. So in order to decrpyt the work, we must begin by decrypting the disk key. This disk key is stored on the hidden sector of the DVD along with a a table containing the disk key encrypted will each of the 409 possible player keys. It also holds the disk key encrypted with the disk key. The player decrypts the appropriate entry in the table and then verifies that it has correctly decoding the disk key, by decoding the encrypted disk key. The result, should be the disk key. That is to say that the decryption of the disk key, using the disk key, should prove to be the identity function. Players have more than one player key, so if the operation fails, they try again with an alternate. Linear Feedback Shift Registers (LFSRs) and Encrpytion So, let's begin to talk about how the encryption works. We're going to begin with a little bit of background, then look at how data is encrypted, and then look at how keys, such as the title key above, are encrypted. One technique used to encode a stream is to XOR it with a pseudo-random bit stream. If this random-looking bit stream can be regenerated by the receiver of the message, the receiver will be able to decode the message by repeating the XOR operation. The LFSR is one popular technique for generating a pseudo-random bit stream. After the LFSR is seeded with a value, it can be clocked to generate a stream of bits. Unfortunately, LFSRs aren't truly random. They are periodic and will eventually repeat. In general, the larger the LFSR, the greater its period. The period also depends on the particular configuration of the LFSR. If the initial value of an LFSR is 0, it will produce only 0s, this is sometimes called null cycling. LFSRs are often combined through addition, multiplexers, or logic gates, to generate less predictable bit streams. An LFSR is seeded with an initial value. With each clock tick, certain tapped bits of the LFRS are evaluated by a feedback function. The output of this feedback function is then shifted into the register. The output of the register is the bit that is shifted out. This process is illustrated in the slide below: The CSS algorithm makes use of two LFSRs. The first is a 17-bit LFSR. Initially, it contains a two byte seed, with a 1 injected into the fourth bit, for a total of 17 bits. The is placed into the register to prevent null cycling. The second LFSR operates the same way, except it holds 25 bits. Unlike typical LFSR-based stream ciphers, CSS throws away the bit that is shifted out of each LFSR. Instead, it considers the output of the feedback function to be both the input to the LFSR and the output. CSS uses a 40-bit, or 5 byte key. This is explains the size of the two registers: one is seeded with the first two bytes of the key, and the other the remaining three bytes of the key. The two LFSRs are shown in the slides below: LFSR Addition The output from the two LFSRs is combined using 8-bit addition. After each LFSR clocks out 8 bits of output, this output is added to form an output byte. The carry out from this addition is used as the carry in for the addition yielding the next output byte. It is worth noting that this is a pretty week way of using the LFSRs. Other approaches use more LFSRs, and do more complicated things with them, including clocking them at different rates, or combining them using multiplexers -- but not here. CSS actually has four different modes. Depeding on the mode, the output of either or both LFSRs may be bit-wise inverted before the addition. The table below shows the inverter settings for each mode: Invert Output of LFSR? Mode LFSR-17 LFSR-25 Authentication Yes No Session Key No No Title Key No Yes Data Yes No The slide below shows the process, including the LFSRs, inverters, and addition. Please remember that each inverter is only enabled in those modes noted as "yes" in the table above: Data Encryption/Decryption To encrypt or decrypt data, each LFSR is seeded with a portion of the title key. LFSR-17 is seeded with bytes 0 and 1 and LFSR-25 is seeded with bytes 2, 3, and 4. These bytes are seeded with a nonce that I called the sector key that is read from each sector. The sector key is stored in bytes 80-84 of the sector. The first 128 bytes of each sector, the sector header, which includes the sector key, is plain text. The first two bytes (0 and 1) of the title key are XORed with the first two bytes of the sector (80 and 81), before seeding LFSR-17. Similarly, bytes 2-4 of the title key are XORed with bytes 82-84 of the sector, before seeding LFSR-25. Please also remember that a "1" is injected into each seed at bit 4, to make the seeds 17 and 25 bits, respectively. Once the LFSRs are seeded, their output can be added together as described above, to form the pseudo-random bit stream. This bit stream is XORed with the plaintext, to generate the ciphertext. Much as was the case with DES, bytes of the plaintext are run through a table-based S-box prior to the XOR operation. Upon decoding, this operation is reversed. Although the initial permutation substition in DES was performed to improve the runtime of DES on 8-bit machines, the reason for this substitution is unclear to me. It doesn't appear to me to improve either the runtime or the strength of CSS -- but I could be wrong. The whole process is shown below and can be used for encoding or decoding: Key Encryption In addition to the encryption described above, CSS goes through an additional two-step mangling operation in the case of keys, including the title key and session key. This process is shown in the slide below. If we view this slide in terms of columns, each column represents one byte of the key. Lk is the output of the encryption step for the byte represented by the column. The output of the first stage of the mangling function feeds the input of the second stage. The first and second stage are otherwise identical, except for the fact that the output of the 4th byte of the second stage does not wrap around and feed the XOR in the first column. Mutual Authentication Before the DVD player will begin to send data over the bus to the host, it first goth through a form of weak mutual authentication with the host. In the process, it negotiates a key for use in encrypting the data in transit over the bus. This encrpytion is necessary because it would otherwise be possible to snoop the plaintext data right off of the bus, rendering the prior encryption virtually useless. The key that is negotiated is known as the session key or bus key. The negotiation begins when the host requests an Authentication Grant ID (AGID) from the drive. This ID is much like a session ID or a thread ID. It gives a name to this particular negotiation. The next thing that happens is the host generates an arbitrary stream of bytes called a nonce or challenge and sends it to the drive. The drive then encrpyts this stream of bytes and sends them back to the host. The host then decrypts the byte stream and ensures that it is correct. It assumes that the drive is authentic, because it knew the correct secret and algorithm to encode the nonce. The host performs exactly ther same operation. It generates a nonce, encrpyts it, and sends it to the host. The host in turn encrypts the nonce and sends it back to the drive. The drive then decrypts the nonce and makes sure that it is in fact correct. At this point, both the host and the drive trust each other. This seems to be a fairly weak authentication scheme, because it is based on a secret private key. But this key really can't be all that secret, since it is presumedly in the firmware inside of every DVD player and drive. Regardless, both the host and the drive now know each other's nonces. Each then takes the two nonces, combines them, and encrypts them as described earlier. The result is the bus key, a.k.a. session key. This key is used to encrpyt all data sent between the drive and the player. Since only the player and the host know the nonces which change every session, only the player and the host can generate the key needed to decrpyt the data. The only other important note is that, during encrpytion and decryption, a different substitution table is used to perform the initial substition for each of the keys. Weakness #1: Brute Force Now that we've discussed the CSS algorithm, let's see what we can learn from its weaknesses. The first thing to note is that the key is only 40 bits long. This isn't a terrbily long key -- it is 16 bits narrower than the DES key. As we discussed last class, even 56 bits can fall somewhat quickly to a prute force attack. The 40 bit length was likely selected to satisfy U.S. export regulations -- but that came at a price. Weakness #2: 6 Bytes of LFSR Output The second attack that we are going to talk about requires 6 bytes of LFSR output. It isn't a terribly useful attack, since we don't usually happen to have six bytes hanging around, but it is interesting to talk about, since it provides a 216 attack on the encryption algorithm. In other words, it allows us to crack the whole 40-bit key, if we have 6 bytes of output and crack the 16-bit (plus 1) register by brute force. Here's how it works: 1. Take a guess at the initial state of LFSR-17. 2. Clock out 4 bytes. 3. Use those 4 bytes to determine the corresponding 4 bytes of output from LFSR-25. This isn't hard, since the two are added -- just subtract. 4. Use the LFSR-25 output to determine LFSR-25's state. 5. Clock out 2 bytes on both LFSRs. 6. Verify these two bytes. Celebrate or guess again. Weakness #2: 5 Bytes of LFSR Output Another attack is possible in 2 time, if we know only 5 bytes of output. As you'll see soon, this is a much more practical weakness, because there is yet another weakness that can give us 5 bytes. 1. Guess the initial state of LFSR-17 2. Clock out 3 bytes 3. Determine the corresponding output bytes from LFSR-25 4. This reveals all but the highest-order bit of LFSR-25 5. Try both possibilities: 1. Clock back 3 bytes 2. Select the setting where bit 4 is 1 (remember this is the initial case). 3. It is possible that both satisfy this -- try both. 6. Verify as before Weakness #3: Mangled Output This attack can recover 5 bytes of the output of the LFSRs, given both the ciphertext and the plaintext. This 5 bytes can then be used as the 5 output bytes needed for the attack above. Recall the mangling function we talked about earlier. This attack is based on taking a guess and reversing that function. 1. Guess Lk4 2. Work backward and verify input byte 3. This is a 28 attack. 4. Repeat for all 5 bytes -- this gives you the 5 bytes of known output for prior weakness. Weakness #5: Attacking the Disk Key Hash There is also a known attack that can recover the disk key from the disk key has in 225 time. This attack is a bit complex, so we won't discuss it. The important observation is that the existence of a 225 attack demonstrates a weakness in the algorithm -- that is a long way from 2. Please note: You should be aware that, in light of a recent federal circuit court decision, it is probably unlawful for you to obtain the the first two sources. To the best of my non-expert and incomplete knowledge, the fourth source has not yet been subject to judicial review in the United States. These works are cited to "give credit where credit is due". This citation should be viewed as proper attribution not suggested reading. It is my understanding that the recent decision did not incriminate presentations of CSS, such as this one, in detail and form insufficient to constitute a working implementation. But, case law in this area is underdeveloped. As the meaning of the law is further exposed, we (you and I) may find ourselves unable to lawfully distribute or communicate this presentation or its content. Another note: Take legal advice from a licensed attorney, not from me.
Guest's blog Blue Dot Movement Rolls Across Canada David Suzuki This is a guest post by David Suzuki. Sick of Enviro Documentaries? Why You Should Still Watch Disruption This is a guest post by Zach Roberts. Subsidy Spotlight Prescription for Health: Fight Global Warming This is a guest post by David Suzuki Previously unrecognized health benefits could be realized from fast action to reduce climate change and its consequences,” says a news release about WHO’s first global conference on health and climate in Geneva August 27 to 29, adding, “changes in energy and transport policies could save millions of lives annually from diseases caused by high levels of air pollution.” Encouraging people to use public transit, cycling and walking instead of driving would cut traffic injuries and vehicle emissions and promote better health through increased physical activity. Reducing the threat of global warming and finding ways to adapt to unavoidable change will also help people around the world “deal with the impact of heat, extreme weather, infectious disease and food insecurity.” Climate change affects human health in multiple ways. Increased extreme weather causes flooding and droughts, which influences food production, water and sanitation. Pathogens that plague humans, livestock and crops spread more widely. WHO notes that diseases such as cholera, malaria and dengue are especially sensitive to weather and climate changes. UK Scientist Unveils Plan to Make Renewables Cheaper Than Coal Within 10 Years Sir David King WEC Three weeks before the UN Secretary-General's extraordinary meeting of world leaders in New York to tackle climate change, a leading British scientist unveils plans for a global low-carbon fund on a par with the Apollo Moon programme. There are prospects of significant progress in the response of world governments to climate change, according to a former UK Government chief scientist, Sir David King. “There are signs that a leadership role is beginning to emerge”, he told a conference in London held by the Green Economy Coalition. Sir David also announced that he and a colleague are working with governments to raise funds to help all countries, including developing countries, to switch to renewable energy. Their scheme hopes to raise nearly as much as the cost of the Apollo programme, NASA's moon-landing project. Seven Reasons to Walk Away From Keystone XL This is a guest post by Mike Casey, originally published at Scaling Green. There is less than a month before the justices of the Nebraska Supreme court hear arguments in a case that will have a big impact on TransCanada's proposed Keystone XL pipeline. The court will hear the argument that ranchers and farmers in the pipeline's path must have their lifestyles ruined first before standing up to the bullying and lies by TransCanada. I'm not making that up - it's the actual argument that TransCanada's apologists are saying. Good luck with that. A loss in court for TransCanada would be significant for the premier pusher of tar sands, the dirtiest form of oil on the planet. The result would be hitting the “restart” button, with new pressure to reroute the pipeline and its highly toxic, spill-prone contents away from the Ogallala Aquifer, the source of drinking water for three million Americans and countless, drought-stricken farms and ranches. However, the company's Keystone problems are far more extensive than just this court case. Markets and the truth are walking away from this project. This is despite the desperate, high-dollar propaganda and influence-peddling campaign by the tar sands industry. Keystone's rejection is not just the smart thing to do. It's increasingly inevitable. Impending loss now defines this project. Since the President's June 2013 speech on the importance of solving the climate crisis, at least eight events have happened that indicate the pipeline will not and should not be built: Subscribe to RSS - Guest's blog
ATV Jules Verne ROLE ISS resupply, reboost & demonstration flight LAUNCH DATE 9 March 2008 LAUNCHER/LOCATION Ariane 5/Kourou, French Guiana LAUNCH MASS 10 470 kg (empty) \| 20 750 kg (launch mass) ORBIT Transfer and phasing to dock with ISS NOMINAL MISSION 6-12 months; ATV Jules Verne mission complete 29 Sep 2008. + First vehicle to conduct fully automated rendezvous with ISS + Jules Verne during Demo Day 2 Jules Verne ATV approaches the ISS during Demonstration Day 2 manoeuvres, 31 March 2008 The Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV) is probably the most complicated spacecraft ever built in Europe, launched and operated by the European Space Agency. The complexity comes from the nature of its mission and the constraints imposed by its destination, the International Space Station (ISS). The first ATV, dubbed Jules Verne after the famous French author, is designed to carry over seven tonnes of experiments, fuel, water, food and other supplies from Earth to the ISS orbiting at about 350 km. When it arrives, it becomes a 22-cubic-metre extension to the ISS, giving extra space for the six astronauts and cosmonauts who will ultimately form the permanent ISS crew. Whilst attached, apart from transferring its cargo to the ISS, it also gets loaded up with solid and liquid waste from the station; its thrusters are used to periodically boost the ISS orbit (which decays with time) and it can also be used for emergency manoeuvres, such as those required if a piece of space debris is predicted to hit the station. After some six months, ATV is undocked from the ISS, and undergoes two carefully planned manoeuvres, which direct it on a trajectory that will cause it to burn up harmlessly in the atmosphere over an uninhabited area of the Pacific ocean. ATV-1, the Jules Verne, completed its mission on 29 September 2008. The ATV Control Centre (ATV CC) is located at CNES (the French national space agency) facility in Toulouse, France. The Mission Operations Team A. Novelli, Head of ATV Mission operations Alberto Novelli The ATV Mission Operations Team works at the ATV CC in Toulouse and comprises a mixed ESA-CNES (Centre National d'Etudes spatiales - France's space agency) team. Experienced ESA operations and ground controllers work as Mission Directors and in training, simulation and flight dynamics, while CNES engineers work under the CNES Flight Director. ESA's lead Mission Director is Alberto Novelli. Other teams at the CNES operations centre provide support to ATV operations in the areas of flight dynamics, engineering support and software support. Mission operations overview Since ATV will approach and be attached to the ISS, safety is paramount. Most spacecraft functions are doubly redundant, meaning that each subsystem, unit, switch and valve is duplicated - so that the spacecraft can withstand any single failure. Since anything associated with the ISS must be designed to be triply redundant, ATV is designed to cope with two simultaneous failures. ATV Control Centre For example, the ATV propulsion system has both main and redundant thrusters to power it during docking with the ISS. In case both the main and redundant thrusters fail, it has a completely separate, alternative thruster system, controlled by completely different hardware and software. This system is used particularly if it appears that ATV is not going to dock properly with the ISS. If anything goes wrong, an 'Escape' or a 'Collision Avoidance Manoeuvre' (CAM) can be commanded by ground controllers, by astronauts on the ISS or by the ATV itself, acting autonomously. During an Escape, the normal thrusters are used to bring ATV away from the ISS into a safe parking orbit; during a CAM, the backup thruster system does essentially the same thing. Much of the complexity of the first ATV mission comes from proving that these Escapes and CAMs work correctly. Only when all of these vital safety operations have been tested in actual orbit and proven to work flawlessly will ATV be allowed to dock with the ISS. Launch and LEOP The mission starts with the Launch and Early Orbit Phase (LEOP), when the spacecraft is put into a low Earth orbit by Ariane 5. This is probably the most risky part of the mission, especially until ATV has deployed its four solar array panels used to generate the power necessary to control the spacecraft. After LEOP, the spacecraft performs a series of manoeuvres to bring its orbit in phase with the ISS, approaching it from behind and slightly below; the crucial Collision Avoidance Manoeuvre is tested during this phase. Simplified view of ATV docking trajectory (click for larger version) The approach to the ISS is characterised by a series of way-points and station-keeping manoeuvres, which are numbered from S-1/2 (at about 40km from the ISS and marking the start of proximity operations) to S41 - only 12m from docking. • When ATV reaches S-1/2 (around 40 km behind and 5 km below the ISS), GPS receivers on ATV and the ISS are used to calculate the relative positions of the two bodies. ATV starts a pre-homing phase, passes through S0 (30 km from the ISS), performs the homing phase and stops at station keeping point S2, located 3.5 km behind and 100 m above the ISS. • When all checks at S2 are completed, an Escape is initiated to demonstrate correct operation of the safety manoeuvre, after which ATV circles around the ISS and returns to the S-1/2 station keeping point. • Three days later, a second demonstration phase is initiated. This time, ATV approaches to station keeping point S3, which is 280m behind the ISS. Further checks are performed at S3, and a switch is made to high-performance sensors for control of the final approach. Before docking can be attempted, a series of hold and retreat commands are demonstrated, to ensure that the crew or ground controllers could stop an unsuccessful docking attempt if necessary. • Having successfully retreated back to the S3 station keeping point, ATV continues to station keeping point S4, which is 25m from the ISS, and then to S41, a mere 12m away. Again, a retreat to S4 is commanded, and finally an Escape - the ultimate abort test - with ATV again circling round the station and back to the S-1/2 station keeping point. Finally, about 18 days after launch, the final approach and rendezvous is commanded, and following checks at each station-keeping point, ATV ultimately performs a fully automatic docking with the ISS. ATV mission scenario - from launch through to destructive re-entry in the Earth's atmosphere Attached phase Once attached, the spacecraft is continually monitored. It carries water, gases and ISS propellant, which are transferred to the ISS during the attached phase along with up to 1342 kg of experiments, and up to 6340 kg of waste material is loaded for the return journey (see specifications below). Video showing the destructive re-entry of Jules Verne ATV, 29 September 2008 During the attached phase, the ATV uses its thrusters to correct and adjust the orbit of the 400-tonne ISS structure and to perform debris avoidance manoeuvres when necessary. Finally, all good things must come to an end, and ATV undocks from the ISS and plunges to a fiery end in the upper atmosphere - but this is no 'one-off' mission. The design and operations concept proved during the flight of Jules Verne will be used to build and fly at least four further ATV spacecraft, providing support to the ISS programme well into the next decade. ATV Platform & Payload Main propulsion: 4 x 490N thrusters Thrusters: 28 x 220N for Altitude control & braking Length (with adaptor, probe retracted): 10 770 mm Largest diameter: 4 480 mm Solar arrays span: 22 281 mm Mass budget Vehicle dry mass: 10 470 kg Max. lift-off mass 20 050 kg Load, total 7667 kg Inside pressurised module: 5500 kg Water: 840 kg ATV-2 launch configuration Cargo mass Dry cargo: 1599 kg Water: 0 kg Gas (N2, O2, air, 2 gasses/flight): 100 kg ISS refuelling propellant: 850,6 kg ISS re-boost and attitude control propellant: 4535 kg Launch vehicle Ariane 5 (300x300 km & 51.6° transfer orbit) ATV-1 launched with solar panels folded to the body of the spacecraft Launch site Kourou, French Guiana Launch date 15 February 2011 • These are maximum values for each type of load, and cannot be achieved simultaneously on the same mission. • Figures shown are for ATV1 Jules Verne. Detailed specifications for ATV2 Johannes Kepler may vary.
Turmeric improves skin health, protects from UVB radiation damage and aging, concludes Japanese study Monday, November 11, 2013 by: L.J. Devon, Staff Writer Tags: turmeric, skin health, radiation damage eTrust Pro Certified Most Viewed Articles Popular on Facebook CDC issues flu vaccine apology: this year's vaccine doesn't work! Biologist explains how marijuana causes tumor cells to commit suicide Companies begin planting microchips under employees' skin NJ cops bust teenagers shoveling snow without a permit Chemotherapy kills cancer patients faster than no treatment at all Why flu shots are the greatest medical fraud in history Flu vaccine kills 13 in Italy; death toll rises The 21 curious questions we're never allowed to ask about vaccines Whooping cough outbreak at Massachusetts high school affected only vaccinated students (NaturalNews) The Holy Powder of India, turmeric, is spreading its healing influence around the world, blessing the open mind with its plethora of health benefits. (It is a great brain-boosting, mood-enhancing antidepressant). Used extensively in Ayurvedic, Unani and Chinese medicine, turmeric cures hepatic disorders and conditions caused by inflammation in the body. In topical applications, turmeric is supreme, proven to heal skin infections and treat boils efficiently. Bright orange-yellow, turmeric is voluptuous to the eyes; its key component, curcumin glows strong as a natural blood-cleansing, antioxidant, cancer-killing super spice. In all honesty, this bright orange-yellow color should be replacing the pink colors associated with the whole breast cancer awareness advertising malarkey. A study from Zehijian, China, shows that curcumin has the capability to kill triple negative breast cancer cells by inducing programmed cell death (apoptosis). In the US, curcumin-based treatments could replace, and should replace, expensive radiation treatments immediately. In any case, turmeric could be used to protect skin cells from the damaging effects of radiation treatments, which are practically forced onto people who have cancer. Study shows how turmeric protects skin from UVB radiation damage A study from Ehime University in Japan suggests that turmeric extract protects skin health from ultraviolet B radiation damage. The researchers examined the effects of long-term, low-dose UVB radiation on melanin-possessing hairless mice. They looked at changes such as skin thickness, elasticity, pigmentation and wrinkling. When they began administering turmeric doses twice daily, they noticed preventative benefits showing up in the skin of the mice. Both dosages of 300 and 1000 mg/kg of turmeric were effective at reducing skin elasticity that was induced by UVB radiation. Both dosages also prevented an increase in skin thickness. The high dosage prevented wrinkle formation and also decreased the diameter and length of skin blood vessels. In the end, the researchers found out that chronic irradiation increases the expression of matrix metalloproteinase-2 genes. Turmeric, on the other hand, stops that gene's expression in its tracks. Study shows how topical vesicular formulations of turmeric recuperate UV-damaged skin The anti-aging, moisturizing, antioxidant, astringent and antimicrobial properties of turmeric were put to the test in a study from India. Various creams containing Curcuma longa (turmeric) were formulated to study their effect on recuperating UV radiation-damaged skin. What they found out was that the alcoholic Curcuma longa extract was most effective in transfersomal creams. It was found to enhance skin hydration when compared to plain extract-loaded conventional creams. Sebum production was enhanced as well. Sebum, a secretion from the sebaceous glands, acts as a cellular lubricant. By cleansing these glands, turmeric stimulated sebum production, which can keep the skin looking young and unblemished. In conclusion, the herbal extract creams were highly efficacious and, with turmeric extract included, could be used as strong photo protective skin care products in the future. Michigan study shows how curcumin works at the cellular level In conjunction with the Japanese and Indian studies, a US study from the University of Michigan shows how curcumin helps regulate cells. By inserting itself inside the cell membranes, curcumin goes to work within the cells, fighting infections and cancers deep within the membranes. This study, spearheaded by Ayyalusamy Ramamoorthy, utilized solid-state NMR spectroscopy to examine atoms, membranes, proteins and compounds. Prior assumption alleged that curcumin acted by interacting with the proteins in the cell membrane, but the new Michigan study shows that the cell membrane undergoes unique changes in the presence of curcumin. Curcumin will be used in future skin care creams to not only protect from radiation damage but also recuperate skin. With its cell-penetrating ability, curcumin can cleanse the body at the most vital level to prevent cancers and protect skin from damage imposed by an irradiated environment. 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Share this entry it (or that) (all) depends Definition of it or that all depends in English: Used to express uncertainty in answering a question: How many people use each screen? It all depends More example sentences • Wrong question, since it depends on the definition of life, and so both answers are possible. • The short answer to your question is that it depends on what sort of production facilities you currently have. • Hunt said the answer to that depends on how long ago the drug use took place. See parent entry: depend Share this entry What do you find interesting about this word or phrase?
phrases, sayings, idioms and expressions at The Phrase Finder The meaning and origin of the expression: A rolling stone gathers no moss Home > Phrase Dictionary - Meanings and Origins > A rolling stone gathers no moss Browse phrases beginning with: A rolling stone gathers no moss more like this... ...other phrases about: Someone who does not settle in one place rarely prospers. Gathers mossThis proverb refers to what is well known about mosses and lichens - that they are slow-growing organisms that don't thrive on disturbance. A sure way to prevent a colony of moss from growing on a stone is to move it about. As with all proverbs, it isn't the literal meaning that conveys the sense but the metaphor. A 'rolling stone' refers to a wanderer, unable to settle to any job or lifestyle and therefore characterised as unreliable and unproductive. That notion was known to the ancient world and Greek and Latin versions of the phrase are cited by Erasmus in the third volume of his collection of Latin proverbs - Adagia, 1508. The proverb may have come into colloquial English before then, although early records are incomplete. We do know that it was in use by 1546, when John Heywood published A dialogue conteinyng the nomber in effect of all the prouerbes in the Englishe tongue: The rollyng stone neuer gatherth mosse. Heywood's claim in the title to include all the proverbs in English is a little overstated, but Dialogue is the most comprehensive early collection and the source of many previously unrecorded proverbs. They were assembled from various sources, including Erasmus' Adages and from his own collecting amongst the Tudor populace. By the early 17th century, a 'rolling stone' was referred to as a type of wastrel - one who would amount to nothing. In A dictionarie of the French and English tongues, 1611, Randle Cotgrave listed the French word 'rodeur' and gave it this definition in English: A rolling stone gathers no mossQuite a good name for a rock band you might think and Brian Jones thought just that when he formed the eponymous blues/rock band in 1962. Despite what appears to be Mick Jagger's impressively dogged attempt to sleep with most of the models in London and despite his long-standing friendship with Kate Moss, journalists have not yet had occasion to wheel out the inevitable headline 'Rolling Stone gathers Moss'.
Science, Tech & Environment Hello? Is anybody out there? Scientists using NASA's Kepler space telescope have found the best candidates yet for habitable worlds beyond our solar system. NASA/JPL-Caltech/ Reuters The odds of humans being alone in this universe now seem a lot smaller than they did Monday. Player utilities Astronomers announced Tuesday that there are billions of potentially habitable Earth-sized planets in the Galaxy. The figure comes from data collected by NASA's Kepler space telescope. With so many potentially habitable planets, contact with extraterrestrials seems more probable. And while that day is probably still far off, protocols are in place to speak as one planet when it comes. Astronomer Jill Tarter has been thinking about those protocols her entire career. She directs the SETI (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence) Institute, which started more than 50 years ago. In the beginning, when the Institute was funded by the US government, a government protocol was in place, Tarter says. However, since 1993, SETI has been privately funded and the protocol doesn't necessarily include alerting the US president if life is found. Instead, says Tarter, the protocol is a loose set of steps. "Make sure you're right, send out a scientific paper, send out a telegram alerting the world's observatories and hold a press conference for the world," she said. SETI has never had to put the protocol to use, of course, but the Institute has had a few close calls. In 1998, the Institute's equipment was damaged by a lightning strike and the observatory started to receive signals from what scientists believed to be a star they were tracking. "It took us the better part of a day to finally figure out that it wasn't coming from a star that we'd been tracking, it was in fact coming from a spacecraft that was orbiting around the sun called Soho," Tarter explained. While we wait for extraterrestrial life to contact us here on earth, we've been busy figuring out what messages we want to send into the galaxy. There have been many attempts to communicate to potential intelligent life. NASA sent up Pioneer 10 and 11 with small metal plaques identifying their time and place of origin. The Voyager 1 and 2 spacecraft have golden records aboard with sounds and images chosen by NASA to represent Earth. "I sometimes say we lied through our teeth," Tarter said of the golden records aboard the Voyagers. "Everybody is beautiful, there's no war, no disease, no pollution." SETI is currently sponsoring a petition asking NASA to upload a version 2.0 of the Voyager record to the New Horizons spacecraft en route to Pluto. Instead of the picture-perfect view of life on earth, Tarter envisions the new record would be a crowdsourced view of our planet, collected using social media. In the meantime, you can suggest what we should say to any future extraterrestrial neighbors via a different kind of space — cyberspace.
2015+: Achieving Universal Access Requires More Than Health Services ...implies that people are able to have a satisfying and safe sex life and that they have the capability to reproduce and the freedom to decide if, when and how often to do so. Implicit in this last condition are the rights of men and women to be informed and to have access to safe, effective, affordable and acceptable methods of family planning of their choice, as well as other methods of their choice for regulation of fertility which are not against the law, and the right of access to appropriate health-care services that will enable women to go safely through pregnancy and childbirth and provide couples with the best chance of having a healthy infant. [R]eproductive health … also includes sexual health, the purpose of which is the enhancement of life and personal relations, and not merely counselling and care related to reproduction and sexually transmitted diseases. So when we talk about universal access to reproductive health, we are not limited to talking about access through primary care to prenatal and perinatal care, safe delivery, prevention of unintended pregnancy, or the prevention and management of sexually transmitted infections like HIV. It includes rights, human relations, satisfying and safe sex—the things in life that require societies that value and respect women as demonstrated by laws and policies. Around the world we have laws that oppress, discriminate and stigmatize: laws that do not protect women from rape in marriage and impunity for all rape, laws that prevent women from access to safe abortion, laws that discriminate against those living with HIV, and laws that stigmatize lesbian, gay, and transgender persons. In some countries, such laws are exacerbated by harmful traditional practices such as early child marriage, female genital mutilation and cutting, and abduction. We have health care workers who denigrate, dismiss, and demean women in labor, women living with HIV, women engaged in sex work. We have families who ostracize women, kicking them out of their homes because of an HIV diagnosis or pregnancy as a result of rape. How can we achieve universal access to reproductive health—or any other health service—as long as women and girls, and those who face stigma and discrimination based on sexual orientation, marital status, or HIV status, continue to have their rights violated? The United Nations made its stance clear in August, when the Special Rapporteur reported that any criminal law or legal restriction that bars access to sexual and reproductive education and information, contraception, or abortion violates the right to health, and thus must be removed by the state. A community can have the best, most comprehensive, reproductive health service (which is rare enough on its own), but if a woman is unable to say no to sex, if she is told by her priest she cannot use modern methods of contraception, if her husband refuses to agree to use a condom to protect her from HIV, if she refuses medical care in childbirth because she is treated poorly, or if she is forced to marry, the mere existence of these services means nothing to her. With 2014 and 2015 deadlines upon us, the question is not what deadline or mechanism is needed to deliver for women. The question is when will the world—heads of state, ministers of health, parliamentarians, health care providers, advocates—demand that national laws reflect the human rights women are guaranteed under international law so that women have the power to seek and demand of their primary care givers access to reproductive health. What will it take? Entry Comments 1. There are no comments for this entry yet. Speak Up! Remember me next time. Notify me of follow-up comments.
Solid empty space? 1. Learing about matter and what it is composed of, I'm spending a lot of time trying to wrap my brain around the idea that most of our mass is empty space, that the mass of our atoms is calculated and expressed in energy. How is this possible? Are the recreations moving so fast they almost create a solid field? 2. jcsd 3. 524 Science Advisor I've got no idea what you mean by this. Could you perhaps expand on what you're thinking? The fact that you can express the mass of atoms in terms of energy is nothing too exciting - it's just plain old E = mc2 - we know that mass and energy are equivalent. In fact, I can write my own mass in terms of energy - about 6x1018 Joules. 4. Yeah but that is not what I'm asking. Our atoms are mostly empty space, if we add up the mass of the atomic and sub atomic particles that make up a person, the ones that gain mass from the Higgs field, it is only a fraction of our total mass. What we know of as mass on an atomic scale is energy correct? So how are we solid as a whole when most of what we are made of is empty space? I understand that it comes down to how the energy in atoms and molecules interact with each other, but still, an atom is 99.99999% empty space! why aren't we that way? 5. Bandersnatch Bandersnatch 1,348 Gold Member But we are! 6. So then why can't I see through my arm? Or pass through another object? Is it the energies interacting with each other? 7. phinds phinds 8,783 Gold Member No, it is ALL of our mass. Where do you think the rest of our mass would be? As bandersnatch stated, we are. Why would you think we are not? 8. Thanks for putting up with my ignorance but I'm still confused. I'm trying to define mass from the atomic level up. We are just empty space interacting with other empty spaces right? I mean the Higgs field doesn't even give us mass really, it just slows down the subatomic particles enough to interact with each other and to be perceived. Adding up the mass of all our protons, neutrons, and electrons is just a small fraction of our total mass correct? So why is all that empty space able to interact with anything at all? I really appreciate the comments and enjoy talking with anyone about this. 9. Bandersnatch Bandersnatch 1,348 Gold Member You're on the right track! Imagine a pair of magnets with like poles facing each other. The space between them can be empty(in vacuum), yet they'll resist being brought together. This space is only empty in so far as being devoid of massive particles, but it is filled with fields of various forces, with varying strengths. From far away, the magnets are "unaware" of each other, but if you bring them close enough, the interaction will become noticeable, getting ever stronger as the distance decreases. Atoms and molecules(bound collections of the former) act like a multitude of tiny magnets, whose fields collectivelly act to repel(or attract!) other atoms. In their case, it's not magnetic, but electric interaction(both being two facets of one fundamental, electromagnetic force). When atoms attract, they tend to bind into more complex molecules, which is what chemistry is all about. As for light, it only cares about the extent of the electromagnetically interacting "stuff" - i.e., the fuzzy cloud of electrons surrounding atoms/molecules. This is because light is the excitation of electromagnetic field. It doesn't matter how much of the volume of an atom/molecule is occupied by mass, just what is the extent of the electron cloud. As a rule of thumb, only light of wavelength comparable to the object it hits gets to interact, other wavelengths passing through. Molecules are about the right size to interact with what we call the visible spectrum(360-720nm, iirc). Particles that don't interact electromagnetically(like neutrinos) can pass through atoms as if they weren't there. 10. phinds phinds 8,783 Gold Member No, it is ALL of our mass. Where do you think the rest of our mass would be? This is the second time I've asked you that question. Do you have an answer? 11. 524 Science Advisor So, just for the record, it's not quite true that the sum of the masses of the protons and neutrons and electrons in our body is equal to our mass - in the same way that the mass of oxygen is not the mass of 8 free protons and 8 free neutrons - you need to take binding energy into account. It is also not true that the mass of protons and neutrons comes from the Higgs Mechanism alone. The Higgs Mechanism gives mass to the quarks, but the bulk (~99%, IIRC) of the mass of a proton or neutron comes from the gluon-mediated strong force, from E = mc2. sambogrub, The reason we look "solid" rather than mostly empty space (or transparent) is actually rather easily answered! It's a matter of wavelength. We see the universe in the visible region of the EM spectrum, with wavelengths on the order of 500 nm. That's 5*10-7 m. An atom - the scale at which we're mostly empty space - has size of about 1 Angstrom - that's 10-10m. That is, an atom is one thousand times smaller than the wavelength of visible light! A general rule of thumb is that to examine an object of some size, you need light of wavelength about the same or a bit smaller than the thing you want to examine. If you use a bigger wavelength, diffraction ruins whatever you're trying to examine. This is why to do something like nuclear physics or crystallography you use gamma radiation or x-rays which have smaller wavelengths. So! Visible light is just way way way too big! But if you go to higher energy light, like gamma-rays from radioactive decay, which is on the order of MeV - about 10-12m, then you start to look pretty transparent! 12. Drakkith Staff: Mentor It's true that you can't take the mass of each particle in a free state and multiply it by the number of each particle in your body to get an accurate number. You need to account for the loss of mass the system has due to a loss of energy (binding energy). However I don't know if I'd say that you can't add up the mass of every particle in your body to get the answer, as they don't really have the same mass as they did in their free, unbound states. Of course, even defining the mass of a bound particle is touchy, as you have to measure the system as a whole or break it apart to measure each piece separately, which requires adding energy and thus mass to each piece. All of which contributes to the "rest mass" of the proton or neutron as a whole. 13. 524 Science Advisor I think we're in exact agreement? Or rather, I'm not sure what part of my post you're disagreeing with? 14. Drakkith Staff: Mentor Not really disagreeing, just wanted to expand a little on what you said for clarity's sake. 15. 524 Science Advisor Great! I was mildly concerned. 16. Bandersnatch Bandersnatch 1,348 Gold Member I've heard something to this effect a few times already, but I must say I can't quite understand why it is so. Isn't binding energy of the strong force negative, like all attractive forces? Or does the positive contribution come from that region where the force becomes repulsive? 17. Drakkith Staff: Mentor I see why you're confused. Binding energy typically refers to the energy needed to separate a system of bound particles and represents the amount of energy released when these particles enter their bound state. Thus a system of particle bound together are less massive than when they are not bound together due to this release of binding energy. It may be more accurate to say that most of the mass of a proton or neutron is in the form of kinetic energy of the quarks themselves plus the energy of the gluons binding them together. I'm not certain why this is called binding energy, but then again I don't work in a QCD related field. 18. 524 Science Advisor I work in a QCD related field, and I would have said just what you did - it's called the binding energy just because that is the energy required to separate the nucleus or nucleon into constituent parts - to make it unbound. 19. Drakkith Staff: Mentor Hmm... I may have to make a thread on this so we don't hijack this thread. Edit: Thread here: Last edited: Jul 28, 2014 20. phinds phinds 8,783 Gold Member While I agree that all of the foregoing comments to the effect that our particle mass is not quite our total mass (because of binding energy) are correct statements, I think they are in this case an irrelevant side issue that detract from the fundamental incorrectness of Sambogrub's contention that they are "just a small fraction of our total mass". That statement is completely incorrect and I ask him again to say why he thinks it is correct. 21. I guess I was exaggerating a bit when I said a small fraction, but the answers given actually help a ton. I was talking about exactly what was stated earlier, that you have to take into account the energies in our atoms and molecules to find our total mass. I guess I have the definition of mass wrong as I have it in my head as something that has substance or is solid, which quarks and other subatomic particles are, from the little I know. So its not really true that all of our mass is in these particles but a portion is also in the energies holding everything together. And I really apprecite the answers. I sort of had the idea of it being light related that we cannot see through ourselves and also that we can interact with other objects because of the magnetic fields but this helps me know just a little more. Have something to add? Draft saved Draft deleted
You have searched the English word "Moul" meaning in Urdu "سانچہ" Sancha. Moul meaning has been search 18109 (eighteen thousand one hundred and nine) times till 5/29/2015. You can also find Moul meaning and Translation in Urdu, Arabic, Hindi, Spanish, French and other languages. Moul Meaning in Urdu Roman Urdu Sancha سانچہ Phaphondi Wala پھپھوندی والا Kareez Karna کریز کرنا مولین ٬ گلیشیر میں استوانی سوراخ کسی چیز کا سانچا Definition & Synonyms • Mouline 1. (n.) Alt. of Moulinet • Moult 2. (v. & n.) See Molt. Ecdysis, Exuviate, Molt, Molting, Moulting, Shed, Slough, • Moulding 3. () of Mould 4. (p.a.) Used in making a mold or moldings; used in shaping anything according to a pattern. Border, Modeling, Modelling, Mold, Molding, Mould, • Mouldable 1. (a.) Capable of being molded or formed. • Moulinet 1. (n.) A machine formerly used for bending a crossbow by winding it up. 2. (n.) In sword and saber exercises, a circular swing of the weapon. 3. (n.) The drum upon which the rope is wound in a capstan, crane, or the like. • Moulder 4. () Alt. of Mouldy Decompose, Molder, Rot, • Mouldwarp 1. (n.) See Mole the animal. • Moulten 1. (a.) Having molted. • Mould 1. (n.) Cast; form; shape; character. 4. (v. t.) To knead; as, to mold dough or bread. 6. (v. t.) To cause to become moldy; to cause mold to grow upon. 7. (v.) Earthy material; the matter of which anything is formed; composing substance; material. 11. (n.) A group of moldings; as, the arch mold of a porch or doorway; the pier mold of a Gothic pier, meaning the whole profile, section, or combination of parts. 12. () Alt. of Mouldy 14. (v. t.) To cover with mold or soil. 15. (n.) A fontanel. Cast, Forge, Form, Model, Modeling, Mold, Molding, Moulding, Shape, Work, • Moulting 1. () of Moult Ecdysis, Molt, Molting, Moult,
New York Times - 6 Sep 05 Prof. Robert B. Laughlin Department of Physics Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305 (Copied 28 Aug 09) Experts Find Reduced Effects of Chernobyl Published: September 6, 2005 A nursery school's remains recently in Prypiat, Ukraine, in the exclusion zone of the 1986 Chernobyl disaster. - Joseph Sywenkyj/Redux, for the New York Times. The panel found that contrary to previous forecasts, there had been no observed rise in the incidence of leukemia, a blood cancer widely associated with radiation exposure - except for a small increase among workers who were in the contaminated plant. Nor has there been the expected detectable decrease in fertility or increase in birth defects. Indeed, the report concludes that "the largest public health problem unleashed by the accident" is "the mental health impact." Residents of the region, who view themselves as victims of a tragedy they poorly understand, are still haunted by anxiety that has prevented many from restarting their lives. In the immediate aftermath of the disaster, the Soviet Union declared an 18-mile "exclusion zone" around the reactor, which still exists, and resettled hundreds of thousands of people. Agriculture was forbidden in contaminated areas, as was the collection of forest products like berries and mushrooms. A host of compensation schemes were established. "People have developed a paralyzing fatalism because they think they are at much higher risk than they are, so that leads to things like drug and alcohol use, and unprotected sex and unemployment," said Dr. Fred A. Mettler, leader of the team analyzing health effects for the Chernobyl Forum, a research group comprising United Nations agencies and representatives of affected countries. Other than the thyroid cancer cases, other cancers and adverse health effects, when they occur, may be particularly difficult to link to the Chernobyl accident, because life expectancy dropped dramatically in the region after the fall of the Soviet Union. "The effect may be difficult to detect against the background noise," Dr. Mettler said. "Early on, there were all sorts of claims being made because people didn't have much accurate information," said Dr. Mettler, a University of New Mexico expert on the effects of radiation exposure. "Now, at last, we have the eight U.N. agencies and the three governments involved coming to a consensus about the effects and what needs to be done." "People were evacuated from areas that now have dose levels lower than where I live in New Mexico," Dr. Mettler said. Although there is still a strong stigma against growing or eating agricultural products from anywhere in the area, concentrations of radioactivity "in agricultural food products produced in areas affected by the Chernobyl fallout are generally below national and international action levels," the report found. "A small but important minority, those caught in the downward spiral, need substantial material assistance to rebuild their lives," the report said. But for the millions of others designated as victims, it said, the priority should be to encourage self-reliance, providing them with realistic information about the minimal risks they face. Noting that the collapse of the Soviet Union - and the end of Soviet-era benefit programs - worsened the poverty of the region, the researchers said its people should now be provided with incentives to develop small businesses, for example.
Toxic Mud Spill Latest Insult to Polluted Danube River The recent reservoir failure that flooded several towns in Hungary with toxic red mud is the latest environmental insult to Europe's Danube River. But it is not the first, nor the worst, disaster of its kind, experts say. (See photos of the mud spill.) The Degraded Danube Hungary Prime Minister Viktor Orban called the spill the country's biggest ecological disaster. But other government officials say there has been no serious impact on the Danube's wildlife because the sludge's toxic substances have been safely diluted by the river—a claim that Greenpeace and other environmental groups have been quick to question. "To say it's not creating any environmental impact at all would be misleading, but whether those impacts are devastating, it doesn't appear that they are," said Jim Kuipers, a mining-engineering consultant based in Butte, Montana. "It's sort of like having a bad backache and then having your kid jumping on you," said Emily Stanley, a freshwater scientist at the University of Wisconsin, Madison. "It's an acute injury to a chronically stressed system." One of the biggest threats facing the Danube today is human alterations to the river made for navigation purposes, according to a 2004 European Commission report. Projects to deepen, dam, or straighten the river and remove "bottlenecks" to vessel passage are changing the river's traditional floodplain landscape and water flow into deltas, as well as destroying wetlands and other protected habitats, according to the environmental nonprofit WWF. There are currently projects underway to restore the Danube's floodplains, and a recent plan by the International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River (ICPDR) aims to halt the illegal dumping of hazardous materials into the river. Making Mining Safer? "The immediate devastation of this dam failure is in a relatively small area, and we haven't seen huge widespread ecological impacts from it," he said. "But in the Gulf, the widespread impacts are pretty much indisputable, and it's going to cost tens of billions of dollars to clean up. It's not going to cost tens of billions of dollars to deal with the ecological impact of this spill." "If only one person is killed, it's one person too many," he added. "It points to very lax [dam-building] standards in the country as a whole." “In Eastern Europe in particular, there are a lot of these dams and facilities that are not receiving any kind of oversight any more," she said. "The money is short and the government has just walked away." For example, a tailing dam proposed for the headwaters of Bristol Bay, Alaska, would be among the largest dam of any kind in the world. If that dam were to break, "the scale of what happened in Hungary will seem like child's play," said Alan Septoff, research director of Earthworks, a nonprofit environmental group based in Washington, D.C. "Dams are like baby boomers," the University of Wisconsin's Stanley said. "They get old, they age, and they begin to show signs of deterioration. Without inspection and regular repairs and maintenance, I think it's highly likely that we'll see more of these [failures] in the future." "As a result, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and others immediately undertook an evaluation of all similar facilities in the United States," Kuipers said. Stanley is similarly hopeful. "Maybe this is a difficult thing for Hungary, but a wake-up call or the rest of the world about managing these wastes," she said.
5 May, 2014 1:59PM AEST Tasmania's Black War and the road to reconciliation A seven year journey of historic research and discovery has culminated in a book that is the first social history of the war that escalated in the 1820s between Indigenous Tasmanians and the growing colonial population. • Print Print page • Email Email this • Permalink Permalink • Share The Black War: Fear, Sex and Resistance in Tasmania is the title of a newly launched narrative that aims to go behind the selective history, the rhetoric, the stigma and the myth that are part and parcel of the colonial relationship with the first Tasmanians. While there are large numbers of records pertaining to various aspects of early 1800s European life in Tasmania, documents relating to Tasmanian Aboriginal life, and especially the violent battle that grew between the two cultures are shrouded behind unrecorded transgressions and selective acknowledgement. Historian and now author Dr Nicholas Clements has set himself the task of first and foremost, uncovering as much information as possible without submitting to the 'romanticising' of either culture's social history. Speaking with Louise Saunders on the 936 Hobart Drive program, Dr Clements said his book is an attempt to cut through polemic historical narratives that have persisted, and force people to see it from both sides. "It's remarkable that you can talk to any number of educated Tasmanians, and the majority of them either won't have heard of the black war, or won't have much of an idea of what it was about." Dr Clements has structured the book juxtaposing the perspectives of the two groups in each chapter, while acknowledging that the records that do exist are largely written from the white perspective. He explains that as the colony expanded after the Napoleonic Wars, conflict became inevitable. "From the 1820s, the interior of Tasmania started filling up really rapidly. "With the encroachment, with the massive gender imbalance which encouraged many frontiersmen to rape and abduct Aboriginal women and children, the reasons for conflicts increased. "In 1824 there were 20 attacks by Aborigines, and they increase every year until 1830, when 259 attacks were recorded." Dr Clements says he has tried to understand the motives and actions of both sides in the war, without using secondary sources of information. He has made extensive use of primary sources such as letters and diaries, especially those of George Augustus Robinson, appointed in 1828 by Governor Arthur as a conciliator with the first Tasmanians. "They are arguably the single most important source, anywhere in Australia, from an Aboriginal perspective." "Obviously Aborigines didn't write it down, but Robinson spent almost a decade with the Aborigines, and recorded numerous conversations." Listen to Dr Nick Clements speaking with Louise Saunders on the 936 Hobart Drive program, ahead of the Hobart launch of his new book The Black War: Fear, Sex and Resistance in Tasmania.
Previous page Home page The Rule Of Law We hear this term the “rule of law” a lot. What does it mean? The “rule of law” is generally perceived as a society that is ruled by a set of rules that protects the rights of the individuals, as opposed to being ruled by the whims of a King, a President, A Prime minister, a Premier, or even a democratically elected parliament! The basic principles of the “rule of law” were stated in the British Magna Carta which states: “No free man will be denied his liberty, his life, or his estate without due process of the law” The “due process of the law” is composed of a notice, a hearing, a judgement. Pretty simple, right? Unfortunately our present governments sometimes don’t exactly follow the letter of the law! In Alberta over the last several years the government has done its’ best to distort and thwart the basic principles of the “rule of law”! The land theft bills (24, 36, 19, and 50) all were direct violations of the “rule of law”……..all of them denied you the right to due process of the law! Bill 2, the Responsible Energy Development Act, goes even further…… fact it takes the Magna Carta and throws it in the garbage can! In a “rule of law” society the citizen must always have the right to lobby the government, protest government policy, and challenge the government in front of a court. This is a basic right and any government who denies or represses that right is not a legitimate government. · Now a disclaimer here: This right to protest and lobby does not give the dissenter the right to break laws or infringe on the rights of others. It does not give the dissenter the right to vandalize property, block public roads, or libel individuals! It should also be noted it does not give government the right to declare legal dissenters as terrorists and traitors. It does not give government the right to discriminate against or oppress legal dissenters! History teaches us that when a government continually breaks the law, refuses to acknowledge the legitimate dissention of its citizens, and in fact abuses and oppresses those citizens, society will eventually rise up and replace the government. Whether through bloody revolutions like the French Revolution and American Revolution, or through the ballot box, the citizen is justified in removing a government that violates the “rule of law”. When the “rule of law” is violated by the government in one area (property rights), often further depredations follow…….life and liberty! It is our duty as “free men” in a just society, to protect the “rule of law”……to fail to do so means we don’t deserve our right to life, liberty, or property! Instead we deserve to be treated as little more than a chattel, owned and managed completely by our master the government! Previous page Home page
10 Ways to Recycle Paper Unlike money, paper does (sort of) grow on trees, which is why it’s important to be mindful of how much you use―and waste. Check out these 10 budget- and earth-friendly tips for recycling paper: 1. Print again. Reuse printer paper if it has text on only one side. It’s perfect for faxes and casual print-outs. 2. Take note. Make a notepad by stapling used printer paper, blank side up, to a piece of cardboard. 3. Let them scribble. Printer paper is great for kids to draw and paint on, and is often more cost-effective than paper made specifically for artistic pursuits. 4. Make art. Set aside an afternoon to create with your kids. The creative options are endless. Get inspired to make your own at Howstuffworks.com. Papier mâché, for example, simply uses strips of computer or newspaper to yield beautiful creations ready to paint. Get instructions at Ehow.com. 5. Cushion your packages. Newspaper or old wrapping paper can be used as package padding―shred, crumple or tear and eliminate the need for Styrofoam! 6. Make cat litter. Turn newspaper into odor-deterring kitty litter. It only takes a few simple steps―shred, soak in dish detergent and baking soda, and dry. Learn how at Planet Green. 7. Wrap it in your own style. Tape together sheets of unwanted paper, decorate and…instant customized wrapping paper! This is a great way to recycle children’s leftover artwork that doesn’t make the “keeper” pile. 8. Stuff it. Shred old paper to use as fill for stuffed animals or throw pillows. You can use any type of paper. It’s cheaper than buying synthetic padding and works just as well. 9. Create your own. Never buy fancy stationery again! Making your own gorgeous textured paper is much easier than you might think. All you need is pantyhose, bendable wire (a coat hanger, for example) and a blender. Follow the instructions at Ehow.com. 10. Recycle it. If you’ve absolutely run out of creative reuses for your scrap paper, you still shouldn't throw any out. Paper bags, newspapers, computer paper, magazines, packaging and envelopes (minus the plastic pieces) can all be recycled. The only recycling no-nos are waxed paper, laminated paper (like that in fast-food products), pet-food bags and oil- or food-soaked paper. Check with your local sanitation department for restrictions in your area.
Letters addressed to several politicians, including President Barack Obama, have tested positive for ricin, a potentially deadly substance, in the past few days Dr. Anthony Maresso, an assistant professor of molecular virology and microbiology at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, answered questions about ricin Q: What is ricin? Ricin is a protein toxin. It is not an infectious agent, so it is not believed to be able to spread from person to person. If it enters your body, it can enter into your cells and when it does so, it can prevent proteins that your body wants to make from being made, which is very toxic. Q: How are you exposed to ricin? There are a number of ways you can be exposed to ricin. One way is through inhalation, meaning that you breathe it in. Eating or ingesting the toxin would be gastrointestinal exposure and then there’s the direct injection into your body. The concern with what has happened in Washington, D.C. would be inhalation exposure to ricin protein toxin being sent via the mail. Q: Where is ricin found? Ricin comes from the castor bean plant. It’s possible to obtain the beans and isolate the toxin and use that for harmful purposes. However, this is a very crude way to isolate the toxin and I suspect that what’s happened in Washington, D.C. is very crude. Q: Is this similar to the anthrax scare? This is very different from the anthrax scare in 2001 where the spores of the bacterium B. anthracis, which causes anthrax and are infectious, were made to be distributed and more easily aerosolized. It’s much harder to get ricin intoxication through a letter than it is to get an anthrax infection through inhalation of spores, which is a bacterial infection. That’s not to diminish the concerns for safety and the impact of this event, just that it is more difficult to be intoxicated with crude ricin than it is a specially formulated spore of anthrax. Q: Is it always toxic? It’s thought that enough ricin of the size say of a few salt grains is enough to kill an adult human being. Relative to botulinum toxin, it is less toxic but it is much more toxic than many other proteins or protein toxins. Q: What are the symptoms if you are exposed to ricin? • Inhalation symptoms manifest three to six hours after breathing it in (and you have to breathe in a significant amount), include: • Shortness of breath • Pain or tightness in the chest • Cough • Nausea or vomiting (especially if ingested) • Fever If untreated, a person can succumb or die from ricin intoxication in about three to five days. Q: What is the treatment? The treatment for ricin exposure is supportive, meaning that the symptoms you are experiencing are treated. This can include intravenous fluids or pumping of the stomach (if ingested). There is no known vaccine or antidote that is readily available to the public. Q: Can it spread from person to person? If you are exposed to ricin and it’s in your clothing or hair, it’s very low probability (not likely) that it can be transferred from one person to another. If you are experiencing symptoms of exposure to ricin, you cannot transmit to another person. Q: How do you detect ricin? There are measures in place that the government uses to screen for this, but those are not available to the general public. However, it’s important to avoid all suspicious powder-like material, regardless of its color or texture. Q: What should you do if you think you are exposed to ricin? If you know you’re exposed via aerosol, immediately leave the area and get fresh air as soon as possible. If you believe it’s on your clothing the general recommendation is to remove the clothing, preferably by cutting the clothing off rather than pulling it over your head. Take a shower and thoroughly rub your body with soap for 10 to 15 minutes and wash your hair as well. Immediately contact emergency personnel. Don’t manipulate, handle or touch any suspicious packages or letters that you do not recognize. Q: If it’s detected in an area, or there is a suspicion of ricin, who needs to evacuate? Do not manipulate, handle, or touch any suspicious packages, letters, or material suspected of containing ricin or powder-like material. Contact emergency personnel immediately. If exposure is in a single room, other parts of the building may be contaminated, and the entire room or building should be evacuated. Q: Any additional information you would like to add? The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (www.cdc.gov) is a good resource to learn more about ricin. Relative to some other toxins, the amount of ricin needed for death is much higher and exposures of this sort are usually with a crude preparation, which in and of itself is not usually very potent. However, all the normal procedures for handling or staying away from suspicious packages and letters should be applied.
The United Nations' Mission Impossible Warring sides must agree to intervention BECAUSE there is no peace, conventional wisdom holds that the United Nations has failed in Bosnia as it failed in Somalia. Neither UN action, however, was designed to establish or maintain peace: The UN's mission in both places was to facilitate and protect the delivery of relief supplies to civilians caught up in the conflicts. But the successes in this humanitarian effort have been overshadowed by pictures of the victims, the humiliation of international protectors, and confusion over objectives. Except in cases when the UN was the umbrella for a fighting force - as in Korea and the Gulf - the international organization has never sought, as a neutral entity, to force peace on warring parties. The UN role in previous post-World War II conflicts - in Kashmir, Cyprus, and areas adjoining Israel - has been to monitor the implementation of agreements, whether cease-fires or armistices. The presence of small numbers of lightly armed observers along agreed lines has been sufficient to maintain a status quo accepted by both protagonists. In most crises of the last decade, however, the Security Council has decided to intervene before full agreements were reached among the protagonists. The international organization can claim a measure of success in two cases. In Cambodia, the task was to insure the fulfillment of an accord among the major parties against the efforts of one of the parties, the Khmer Rouge, to undermine it. Although the Khmer Rouge is far from being a spent force, peace has generally returned to the land and a tortuous political process to find more permanent stability is under way. In Haiti, the UN forces are facilitating political agreements already reached. The internal picture is far from benign, but a process toward internal reconciliation has begun. In neither Bosnia nor Somalia, however, were agreements in place that could be supported. Peace negotiations failed in both cases. The lightly equipped UN forces sent primarily to protect relief activities found themselves in the midst of multisided conflicts. To carry out their mission, they were required to confront warring parties - the ''bandits'' representing opposing warlords in Somalia and ethnic rivals in the former Yugoslavia. In the absence of a clear understanding of its mission - especially in the United States - the UN was denounced for its inability either to protect civilians or punish attackers. In the battle areas, the presence of armed UN troops led to expectations of support, especially by the Bosnian Muslims, and to disappointment and bitterness when it did not materialize. For a while the UN aura held; the soldiers under the blue flag were respected. But as the fighting among the factions grew and UN forces stood in the way of military objectives, the contesting forces discovered the UN forces' weakness. The UN leadership in both Somalia and Yugoslavia resisted calls for strong retaliatory action. Not only did it recognize the danger that airstrikes or other military actions posed to its own troops, but it believed, further, that any armed reaction would impede the UN's relief task. In Bosnia, hostage-taking and fears for the troops' safety have prevented stronger outside action. Humiliation and world exasperation have followed. The UN forces in these conflicts were attempting what had not been tried before - to provide, by force if necessary, assistance to the victims in a war without the consent of the parties and while the conflict still raged. In major wars of the past, relief was supplied to victims and refugees on the periphery of battle zones. The Red Cross, YMCA, or similar international agencies, using unarmed civilians, carried out the relief with the agreement of one or another of the combatants. Rarely, if ever, did such organizations seek to cross lines or to confront armies in the interest of providing relief. In the unclear circumstances of the post-cold-war era, the UN role in Bosnia and Somalia represents a new and untried departure. The difficulties encountered are not surprising. The unfortunate lesson from the experience is that the noble desire of the world community to deliver and protect food and medicines by military forces in the midst of conflict is unrealistic. Perhaps relief in the future must be, as in the distant past, through the courageous work of civilian agencies that will, through negotiations with the warring parties, do what they can to mitigate the ravages of war. Share this story:
The Journal of Online Mathematics and Its Applications Volume 7. February 2007. Article ID 1431 Mathematics with Structure and Style Kyle Siegrist This article discusses how to use HTML, CSS style sheets, and JavaScript to produce mathematical documents that are well-structured, conform to best practices, and look good. We also provide a number of basic tools to help authors: a basic style sheet and script file, HTML and XHTML templates, and GIF images of mathematical symbols. Subject classification 1. 00 general 2. 00A miscellaneous 3. 00A20 reference works Main Contents 1. Introduction 1. Mathematical Documents in the Digital Age 2. Best Practices 2. Basic Languages 1. HTML 2. CSS 3. JavaScript 3. Basic Guidelines 1. Head Information 2. Content and Presentation 4. Large Structures 1. Front Matter 2. Mathematical Structures 5. Links and Navigation 1. Links 2. Directional Issues 3. Navigation 4. Reference Lists Sample Documents Ancillary Materials 1. Introduction The purpose of this article is to help authors prepare mathematical documents for the web--authors generally, not just JOMA authors. We go beyond the issue of mathematical notation and discuss the structure of mathematical documents. 1.1 Mathematical Documents in the Digital Age Mathematical documents, even expository ones, are typically more formal than most documents on the web. In addition to standard document structures such as sections and subsections, many will have the well-defined and somewhat specialized elements that are traditional in mathematics. These include In addition, web-based mathematical documents should (and often do) have elements that go beyond what is possible with printed documents. Some of these are 1.2 Best Practices We do not presume, in this article at least, to tell you how to write mathematical content, either for research or expository articles. However, from a technical point of view, many "best practices" are widely accepted by experts, even if little known in the mathematical community. Most of these best practices deal with the interrelated issues of access and re-use. We want you to keep an important point in mind. Although ultimately you are writing mathematical documents for your colleagues or students, at an intermediate level you are writing for various software and hardware processing agents: No one will see or use your documents unless these processing agents work correctly first. So what are the best practices? Separate content from presentation Content refers to the basic information and data that you are providing your readers. Presentation refers to the how that content is rendered. Separating the two allows you (the author) to concentrate on what's most important (the mathematical and expository content) and worry about matters of style later, and separately. Your source documents are clean and uncluttered. Besides, you may well need different types or presentation for different devices. The best way to display the document on a computer screen may be very different than the best way to print the document. Use metadata Metadata are bits of information about your document, usually invisible to the reader, but often essential to those agents that are processing the document (readers, search engines, etc.). At the very least, you should provide the following metadata for your documents: Write good code and validate it Yes, if you are going to write good mathematical documents for the web, then you need to think of yourself as a programmer, at least in a broad sense, and regardless of the authoring tools that you use. The languages that we will discuss in this article (HTML, CSS, JavaScript) are all computer languages, each with a precise syntax. But that's not new. Mathematicians have used TeX (and its higher order variant LaTeX) for decades to write mathematical documents for print and electronic journals. Moreover, TeX is a compiled language that must be syntactically correct before any output can be produced. By contrast, the languages we will discuss are interpreted languages. Modern browsers are amazingly forgiving, often producing useable output from even the most horribly butchered code. So why bother to write good code? You should want to produce good code for the same reason that you want to write correct proofs--mathematicians often value correctness and clarity above all things. Also, you don't want to leave it up to the browser to guess what you mean. Finally, those other processing agents (readers, search engines) may not be nearly as tolerant as browsers. Finally, XML-based compound documents with MathML and other embedded languages (the future of mathematics on the web) are required to be syntactically correct. Provide alternative descriptions Presumably, you want your document to be as accessible as possible, to users with disabilities, and to users with various hardware and software configurations. Here are some simple things you can do. Here are a couple of good exercises that you can use to judge the accessibility of your document. Use the simplest technology appropriate and use open, standard formats when possible You want your document to "degrade gracefully" if some of the technologies fail or are inaccessible to a user. Here are some basic "do's and don'ts" 2. Basic Languages It's well beyond the scope of this article to discuss HTML, CSS, and JavaScript in detail. However, if you are going to write web documents, and in particular, mathematical web documents, there are a few basic concepts that you must understand, regardless of the authoring tools that you use. 2.1 HTML HTML (the HyperText Markup Language) is the lingua-franca of the web. You should not think of it as simply a language for producing formatted text. It does that, of course, but the real power and value of HTML derive from the fact that all sorts of other elements can be embedded in it (graphics, mathlets, other markup languages), and because rich, semantic information can be included. Think of HTML as the basic expository glue of a mathematics document on the web. HTML is basically an object-oriented language. The language has tags that create document objects such as headings, paragraphs, tables, lists, images, links, horizontal lines, and so forth. The tags are of two basic types: binary tags have opening and closing parts that enclose text. <p>This markup creates a short paragraph.</p> Unary tags do not enclose text: the following markup inserts an image with filename "myGraph.png". <img src="myGraph.png" />. Each tag has a number of attributes that can be set, depending on the type of object. Typical examples are border (for a table or image), color (for a font or a line), src (the source reference for an image), and href (the protocol and URL for a link). Every object (tag) has two attributes that are fundamentally important: class and id. The class attribute allows us to create sub-classes of objects. These sub-classes help refine the structure of our document, and as we will see, allow different presentation. The id attribute allows us to give a unique name to an object, so that we can link to the object, or even find and manipulate the object programmatically (with JavaScript, for example). Exercise 1 Look at the source code of this page (available from your browser's View menu). Note the general syntax of the HTML tags and their attributes. Obviously, HTML, as a general purpose markup language, cannot include tags for specialized disciplines, such as mathematics. There is no theorem tag, for example. However, there are two general purpose tags that allow us to create our own objects, in a sense; these are the <span></span> and the <div></div> tags. Roughly, the <span></span> allows us to encapsulate small bits of text (an inline mathematical expression, for example), while the <div></div> allows us to encapsulate block level chunks (a theorem, for example). An HTML document is technically a rooted (and therefore ordered), labeled tree. (What mathematician can't appreciate that?). The root of the tree is the html tag, and immediately below are head and body tags. The children of the body node are typically headings, paragraphs, lists, tables, and so forth. A list has list items as children while a table has table rows as children which in turn have table data as children. Well, you get the idea. The structure of this tree is referred to as the Document Object Model (DOM). Exercise 2 If you are using the Firefox browser, explore the document object model of this page using the DOM Inspector, available from the Tools menu. If you are not using Firefox, please consider using it instead of, or in addition to, your regular browser. Because of its support for MathML, CSS, SVG and other standard technologies, Firefox is unparalleled as a browser for mathematical web documents. In the meantime, you may view a screen shot of the DOM Inspector. 2.2 CSS CSS (Cascading Style Sheet) is a style language that is used to control the presentation of HTML documents. Essentially, statements in CSS assign style conditions to HTML elements. Different style conditions can be applied to subclasses of an element or to elements with a particular id attribute. This is the reason for the term cascading in the title, and one of the reasons that the class and id attributes are so important in our HTML markup. To give you an example of CSS syntax, here are the style attributes, in our style sheet, for the <var></var> tag and for the vector subclass of the <var></var> tag: var { font-style: italic; font-weight: normal; var.vector { font-weight: bold; As you can probably guess, text enclosed in the <var></var> tag is rendered in italic style with normal font weight. However, for text enclosed in the <var class="vector"></var> tag, the normal font weight specification is overridden in favor of the bold font weight specification. However, the italic style is still in effect (it's inherited, in language of Object Oriented Programming). Exercise 3 If you are using the Firefox browser, open the DOM inspector. In the left pane, select Stylesheets. In the upper right pane, the various HTML objects are displayed. If you select one of these, the style attributes appear in the lower right pane. Explore the style attributes of some of the HTML objects in this way. If you are not using the Firefox browser then--well, why aren't you? In the meantime, you may view a screen shot of the DOM Inspector Exercise 4 Open the CSS style sheet for this web page. Note the general syntax. 2.3 JavaScript JavaScript is a powerful scripting language that can be used to extend the basic capabilities of HTML and to manipulate objects in the DOM. JavaScript is a web standard; the actual standards name is ECMAScript, named for the standards organization ECMA International One of the most basic uses of JavaScript for a typical document is to open an ancillary page in a small pop-up window without the usual menu bar, navigation tools, and address field (sometimes referred to as a window without chrome). Here is the function in our script file that does that: function openWindow(address, windowName, w, h){ newWindow =,windowName, If you are familiar with Java or similar programming languages, you can probably guess what this code does: it opens a new window and loads a page with the URL given in the address variable. The window is not given a toolbar or menu bar, but is given scrollbars and can be resized. The window is initially sized to the width and height given by the w and h variables, and finally given the focus so that it appears on top. Our script file also includes a function that can extract any element in the DOM with an id attribute, and display this element in a popup window. This is not a particularly useful function, but it illustrates the interaction between JavaScript and the DOM. For example, please view Exercise 2 Exercise 5 Open the DOM Inspector. Select DOM Nodes in the left pane and JavaScript Object in the right pane. Select various nodes on the left and note the bewildering collection of JavaScript functions and attributes that correspond to that object. By now, we're assuming that you're using the Firefox browser, but if not, you may view a screen shot of the DOM Inspector JavaScript is also a very powerful tool for creating interactive mathlets, particularly in combination with images and HTML form elements (buttons, list boxes, input fields, etc.). It's well beyond the scope of this article to explore this in detail. However, for an example, try the Venn Diagram mathlet. 3. Basic Guidelines The very first part of an HTML document (up to and including the <html> tag) contains declarations about the type of HTML, the language encoding, and similar information. These declarations vary depending on whether other languages (such as MathML or SVG) are embedded, so we treat this topic in the individual sample articles (see the table of contents). The <head></head> part of the HTML document contains basic information about your document, including the <title /> tag for the title of the document, the <meta /> tags for metadata, <link /> tags used to link the document to other documents (particularly the style sheet), and <script></script> tags, used for JavaScript. We recommend that you have metadata for authors, keywords, a brief description, and date, at a very minimum. You will also need references to the style sheet and script file. Thus, the head information might have the following form: <title>Document title</title> <meta name="author" content="Authors of document" /> <meta name="Keywords" content="keyword list" /> <meta name="Description" content="Brief description" /> <link rel="stylesheet" href="stylesheetURL" type="text/css" /> <script src="scriptFileURL" type="text/javascript"></script> 3.2 Content and Presentation Remember that style and presentation issues are to be handled with the style sheet. Thus, avoid HTML tags that deal only with presentation. For example, there are no good reasons to use any of the following: Similarly, do not use tag attributes that deal only with style (since, again, this should be handled by the style sheet). There are no good reasons to use any of the following attributes for example: On the other hand, you should use content tags that give appropriate information about the enclosed text: Remember that if you don't like the default style associated with these elements, then you can easily change them with the style sheet. Of course, you will inevitably use block-level tags, such as headings, paragraphs, lists, and tables, to structure your document. In particular, HTML provides a rich collection of list types (unordered lists, ordered lists, and definition lists) and lists can be nested. Moreover, you can sub-class any HTML element to refine the structure of your document, or to use special styles. For example, you might have subclasses of the <code></code> tag for Maple code, Java code, etc. But do not use content tags to achieve presentation effects: 4. Large Structures We use the term large structure to refer to any well-defined structure within your document that consists of more than one block-level element. Typically, general document structures such as sections and subsections fall into this category, as do special mathematical structures such as theorems, proofs, examples, exercises, etc. As a rule of thumb, you should encapsulate any large structure in your document with a <div class="objectClass" id="idName"></div> tag. As always, we gain two important benefits from this approach: 4.1 Front Matter Front matter refers to the special document elements that occur before the main body of the document, such as the abstract, keyword list, table of contents, etc. You may or may not have such elements, but if you do, they should be marked as objects. Then, the entire front matter could be enclosed in <div class="front"></div>, like any large structure should be. Except for the title and author information, the front matter is rendered by our style sheet in a slightly smaller font and with slightly larger margins. But of course, you could change any of this. Title and Author Information Title and author information might be marked using special classes of headings as follows: <h1 class="title">Article Title</h1> <h2 class="author">Name of author</h2> <h3 class="department">Author's department</h2> <h3 class="institution">Author's institution</h3> <h3 class="date">Date</h3> This can be modified in a straightforward way to include additional information, to delete information, or for multiple authors. For example, you might want to include address or date information. The abstract might be marked as follows: <div class="abstract" id="Abstract"> The body of the abstract might consist of several paragraphs or even other block level elements such as lists. Remember to give the abstract an id attribute if you want to refer back to it. The list of keywords might be marked as follows: <div class="keywords" id="Keywords"> <ul class="keywords"> <li class="keyword>Keyword 1</li> <li class="keyword>Keyword 2</li> <li class="keyword>Keyword 3</li> Note that the list of keywords is marked in this example as an unordered list (because that's what it is), even thought our style sheet renders the list as a single row, without bullets or other embellishments. Subject classification Typically, an article will have a subject classification relative to some given taxonomy. This could be marked as follows: <div class="subjects" id="Subjects">> <h4>Subject classification<</h4> <ol class="subjects" id="Subjects"> <li class="subject>Subject 1</li> <li class="subject>Subject 2</li> <li class="subject>Subject 3</li> Note that the subject classification is marked as an ordered list, even thought our style sheet renders the list as a single row, without numbers or other embellishments. Table of Contents A typical table of contents might be marked as follows: <div class="contents" id="Contents"> <h4>Main Contents<</h4> <li>Section 1</li> <li>Section 2</li> <li>Section 3</li> <h4>Ancillary Topics</h4> <li>Topic 1</li> <li>Topic 2</li> <li>Topic 3</li> This is intended as an example only. Web article can have very complicated, "nonlinear" structures, with multiple threads and various types of ancillary materials. Your table of contents might involve nested lists or several different lists. Remember to give the table of contents an id attribute so that you can link back to it. 4.2. Mathematical Structures Special mathematical structures such as definitions, theorems, etc. typically involve several block-level HTML objects, and hence are created as subclasses of the generic <div></div> tag. For example, the first theorem in the article might be marked as follows; <div class="theorem" id="Theorem1"> <h4>Theorem 1</h4> The body of the theorem can have several paragraphs or other elements such as lists, displayed mathematical expressions, etc. Note that the theorem belongs to the general class of theorems, so that all theorems can be styled in a special way, and the theorem has a unique id attribute so that you can link back to it. The following subclasses of <div></div> are defined in our style sheet, and all work in roughly the same way. As always, you could add other classes and you could change the style attributes. 5. Links and Navigation Linking is a tricky issue in web documents. As we noted early, a mathematics article might have several "threads" of discussion, usually would have ancillary material (inessential notes, media clips, mathlets, proof details), and almost always would have links to external sites on the web. The author should give the user clues about the various types of material. Typically, the author wants an external page to open in a separate browser window or tab, so that the user understands that the page is not part of the article (or at least is not under the control of the author). Similarly, the author might want an ancillary page to open in a separate browser window or tab, so that the user is not distracted from a main discussion thread. On the other hand, the user might still get lost if there are too many browser windows (or tabs) open, and no sense of hierarchy among these windows. As an alternative, the author might want an ancillary page to open in a small pop-up browser window without the usual menu bar, toolbar, and address bar (sometimes referred to as a window without chrome). Launching such a window cannot be done with simple HTML, but is very easy with JavaScript. Our stylesheet defines three classes of the <a></a> tag, with class names "internal", "external", and "ancillary". The target="_blank" attribute assignment should be used for a link that should be opened in a separate window, and the title attribute can give the reader a tool-tip that the link is to an external site. You can use our JavaScript file to open an ancillary page in a pop-up window without chrome. Use the following syntax: <a href="JavaScript:openWindow('URL', 'windowName', w, h)" class="ancillary">link material</a> where URL is the address of the ancillary page, windowName is the name that you want to given the window, in case you need to refer to it in other JavaScript commands, w and h are the width and height (in pixels) that you want for the pop-up window, and where link material is the material to be linked to the ancillary page (this could be text or images). Exercise 6 Please see the table of mathematical symbols. Note that this page opens in a pop-window without chrome. Ordinarily, you should not have links in an ancillary page that is displayed in a pop-up window, except perhaps to other ancillary pages of the same type. Recall that the pop-up window lacks basic navigational tools (forward and backward buttons, address toolbar, etc.), and by definition, the page is not part of a main discussion thread. 5.2 Directional Issues A web page displayed in a browser window has well-defined top and left sides, but not bottom and right sides. Western text, at least, is read from top to bottom and from left to right. Much of the time, some of the material in the page will be hidden below the bottom of the browser window. Less frequently, but still often, material will also be hidden beyond the right of the browser window. (Of course, the user scrolls down and to the right to get to this material.) A web "page" (file) may actually be many printed pages, perhaps dozens. These facts imply several good practices, obvious on reflection but often overlooked: Of course, you should use an id attribute for any labeled object, including mathematical expressions, graphics, and tables, so that you can link to these objects. Navigating users through your article is also a complicated issue, particularly if your document has multiple threads and ancillary material. One commonly accepted practice is to provide a "you are here" sequence of links that explains the location of a page in the overall article. This sequence is typically located at the top of the page. At the bottom of the page, you probably want to give links to where the user should go next (possibly several different places) and links to where the user has come from (again, possibly several different places). Our style sheet provides basic "header" and "footer" subclasses of the generic <div></div> tag for navigational information. Navigational text is rendered in a sans-serif font with a slightly smaller font size. 5.4 Reference Lists It's a good practice to have a complete list of references for your document, including both links to external web sites and printed works. When referencing an external site in the body of the article, some authors link to the reference list (which then links to the external site), rather than linking directly to the site. However, this is not the behavior that most readers would expect, requires an extra click, and takes the reader away from the main document. A better practice is to have two links--one directly to the external site (opening in a new window or tab, of course), and one to the reference list. Here's an example: please see the W3C Math site [references] for more information about MathML, the Mathematics Markup Language. Beyond this basic recommendation, we offer no prescriptions for reference lists. Like the table of contents, the collection of references may be very complex and the best structure may depend on the type of document, perhaps involving multiple lists or nested lists, ordered and unordered.
Using regular expressions with the grep command The following characters can be used to create regular expressions for searching on patterns with grep. Always quote the regular expression. This prevents the shell from interpreting the special characters before it is passed to the grep command. c any non-special character represents itself \\c turns off the meaning of any special character ^ beginning of a line $ end of a line . matches any single character except a newline [...] matches any of the enclosed characters [^...] matches any character that is not enclosed [n-n] matches any character in this range * matches any number of the preceding character
Compartir esta entrada orthography Saltos de línea: or\|thog¦raphy Pronunciación: /ɔːˈθɒɡrəfi/ Definición de orthography en inglés: sustantivo (plural orthographies) 1The conventional spelling system of a language: a spoken language which has as yet no sanctioned orthography Más ejemplos en oraciones 1.1 [mass noun] The study of spelling and how letters combine to represent sounds and form words. Oraciones de ejemplo • This does not deny the importance of work by linguists on problems of orthography. • But those attitudes belong to the past, along with grammar drills and orthography. 2 another term for orthographic projection. sense 1. Oraciones de ejemplo • Professional social scientists will regret that it has no tables and orthographers will wonder why Princeton's usually diligent proofreaders did not correct such solecisms as ‘multifaceted,’ and ‘Pentacostal.’ Pronunciación: /ɔːθəˈɡrafɪk/ Oraciones de ejemplo • These results suggest that the acquisition of phonological skills is a necessary step in building the orthographic lexicon. • Just as a name must conform to the phonological system of the language, so the way it is written must conform to the orthographic conventions of the language. • Thus, orthographic differences now disguise what is a similar pronunciation and make the languages look more different in their written form than they are when spoken. Pronunciación: /ɔːθəˈɡrafɪk(ə)l/ Oraciones de ejemplo • Letters display the kind of orthographical and punctuational errors that one is supposed to have left behind by the tenth grade. • Personal names are part of any language and obey most of its general rules, whether phonological, morphological, syntactic, orthographical or semantic. Pronunciación: /ɔːθəˈɡrafɪk(ə)li/ Oraciones de ejemplo • Overall, evidence from Hebrew shows indeed that these ambiguous letters are orthographically represented last and the weakest. • Inevitably, these sites are being called photologs (or, more commonly, the more orthographically challenged fotologs). • By ANALOGY, an intrusive r occurs where it is not etymologically or orthographically justified: sofa rhymes with gopher, but in The sofa/r is lost an r sound often intrudes. Late Middle English: via Old French and Latin from Greek orthographia, from orthos 'correct' + -graphia 'writing'. Palabras que riman con orthography autobiography, bibliography, biography, cardiography, cartography, chirography, choreography, chromatography, cinematography, cosmography, cryptography, demography, discography, filmography, geography, hagiography, historiography, hydrography, iconography, lexicography, lithography, oceanography, palaeography (US paleography), photography, radiography, reprography, stenography, topography, typography Definición de orthography en: Compartir esta entrada ¿Qué te llama la atención de esta palabra o frase? Obtenga más de Oxford Dictionaries Suscribirse para eliminar anuncios y acceder a los recursos premium
'The condor release sites are chosen for a variety of reasons," says the Wild Animal Park's curator of birds Michael Mace. "[We must get the birds] in a location that is very remote so they will not be around people, and we also have to take into account the ability to service that facility [local staff must be able to reach the site]. We look at wind direction and thermals -- the birds use those to fly around, so they can easily traverse the area -- and we make sure food sources are available." On Friday, April 28, Zoological Society of San Diego condor biologist and leader of the condor reintroduction team Mike Wallace will lecture on the California Condor Recovery Program as a guest of the Sierra Club's San Diego chapter. The California condor's wingspan of up to ten feet makes it the largest flying bird in North America. The endangered birds reached their lowest point in 1982 when only 22 were accounted for in the world. Condors have few natural predators, and the bird's near extinction was the result of factors including pesticides like DDT (which thins the eggshells), collision with power lines, and poaching of eggs. In 1987, "A landmark decision was made to bring all the birds in from the wild to two facilities -- the San Diego Wild Animal Park and the Los Angeles Zoo," says Mace. "Since that time [our facility has] produced 128 chicks, and there are now over 270 condors in the world." Four breeding facilities yield around 30 chicks a year. In the wild, a pair of condors produces one chick every two years. With the use of "puppet rearing," condor biologists are able to double the number of offspring in captivity. When a condor couple produces an egg, scientists remove that egg and put it in an incubator. The condors then produce a second "replacement egg." When the egg in the incubator hatches, it is raised with the use of a puppet made to resemble a mature condor. "This way," says Mace, "the birds never see people, they just see the puppet, so they know they are a condor during their impressionable period." Both at the hatching facilities and at the release sites, "mentors" (adult condors that behave as a condor should) are used to teach chicks how to survive on their own. "Youngsters are integrated with mentors and start to learn skills. They watch the adult bird forage for food and watch how the adult behaves." A chick may stay in the aviary with a mentor from one month to six months. The aviaries at the release sites allow chicks to grow accustomed to the climate. Also, "The mentor stays back [in the aviary] and serves as a beacon for chicks to know where they can come back to so they don't get too far off on their own and get into some kind of trouble, like getting lost." The two primary release sites in California are located in Ventura County and Big Sur. The San Diego facility's release site is located 7000 feet up in the San Pedro de Mártir Mountains in Baja California, a seven-hour drive from the border. It takes three to four hours to reach the site by car from the nearest town. "As a condor flies, that's not a long distance," says Mace. "In Arizona the birds travel more than 200 miles a day." A total of 16 condors have been released at the Baja site over the past four years. "Since its inception, going back to the early '80s, the entire project has [cost] somewhere around the 20- and 30-million-dollar range," says Mace. Including all departments (e.g., research division, behavioral division, pathology department), San Diego's facility requires "around a quarter of a million dollars a year." This money comes from ticket sales to the San Diego Wild Animal Park and Zoo and donations. Released condors have been reproducing on their own, hatching and raising approximately five chicks a year between California and Arizona. "That number will grow exponentially as [the birds] mature." Chicks do not reach sexual maturity for at least 5 years, but their lifespan is 60 years. Condors are social animals; outside of the breeding season, which is the first half of the year, they congregate in larger numbers (eggs are usually produced in January, take almost two months to hatch, and at least another five months before the chick will leave the nest). "In general, condors are an incredibly hardy species," Mace points out. "They live a very long time," and their strong immune system keeps them from becoming sick from bacteria found in the rotting carcasses on which they feed. "But with that said, they're also very vulnerable to the environmental issues that affect all of us. We're not saying not to develop, just [that people should] take into account all of the things that [can be done] to be responsible in a community. Using California as an example, if you just preserve and manage effectively the property that condors live on, there are fifty other endangered species [living there] -- they may not be as well known or charismatic, but if you take care of the one you know about, there are plants, reptiles, other birds, and more that will benefit as well." -- Barbarella Bi-National California Condor Reintroduction Program Lecture by Michael Wallace, Ph.D., Zoological Society of San Diego condor biologist Friday, April 28 7:30 p.m. Joyce Beers Center 3900 Vermont Street (in the Ralphs/Trader Joe's shopping center) Uptown Cost: Free Info: 619-299-1743 or www.sandiego.sierraclub.org More from SDReader Sign in to comment Join our newsletter list for $5 off your next purchase on our daily deal site, ReaderCity.com
Avila, Spain Like no other city in Spain, Avila invites its visitors to repose and contemplation. It conveys to its guests the stillness and mystery of the spirituality that lies within it convents and monasteries. In Avila flourished the famous Spanish mystics, Saint Teresa of Jesus and Saint John of the Cross. This city of saints hides within its magnificent walls a priceless compound of churches and palaces while preserving in its streets the medieval austerity of the Castilian spirit. In the center of Spain and at an altitude of 1.127 meters—the highest city in Spain above sea level—Avila is built on a hill at the foot of Guadarrama Sierra. The Adaja River waters the city. Avila’s province is one of the nine in the Autonomous Community Castile-Leon. Its dry climate is one of sharp contrast between cold winters and hot summers. Avila’s origins are among the oldest in Castile. The first signs of a primitive civilization are the burial stones and sculptured groups of boars left by the Celtiberians around 700 B.C. In the third century B.C., the Romans settled it and called it Avela. They incorporated it to the Lusitania province, and built its first wall making the city a strategic point of defence. The Episcopal see of Avila was founded around year 65. The Visigoths settled in Avila after the Romans bringing in a bleak period in its history with several centuries of decline. In the beginning of the 8th century, it was conquered by the Moors. The Christian kings succeeded in taking possession of the city losing it to the Moors time and again until Alfonso VI reconquered it in 1085. He charged Raimundo de Borgoña with the repopulation of the city and with supervising the reconstruction of the wall over the ruins of the ancient Roman fortress. The current city walls as well as temples, convents, and palaces were built during the twelve century. The peak period of Avila’s history was the 16th century when various industries, specially the textile industry, flourished. Saint Teresa of Avila and Saint John of the Cross were born during this period. To this day, the whole city is permeated with Teresa’s legacy and poetic spirit. Her works as well of those of John of the Cross raised Spanish mystical poetry to its highest level. The 17th century saw Avila’s decline as an industrial center. In the 18th century some signs of recovery begun to appear such as the Construction of the Cotton Textile Royal Factory and the creation of Friends of the Country Society. It was well into 19th century when a more significant renewal of the city took place, evidenced by municipal projects, restorations, housing developments, or the introduction of religious orders and buildings. Avila’s rich cultural and artistic legacy earned it the title World Heritage, which was granted by UNESCO in 1985. Some Important Sights: The City Walls Avila’s walls are much more than a mere device for war. They are as the city’s narrator presenting to its listeners its past and its people. The walls were an active, decisive factor in the distribution of the urban space of the various social groups that inhabited the city. The walls—with a perimeter of 2,516 meters, 12 meters in high, 3 meters in thickness, 88 towers and 9 gates—surrounded the city entirely. It represented an unconquerable bastion against the enemy, and it has remained intact throughout the centuries. Avila’s walls are among the best preserved walls in the world. The Cathedral The building of the Cathedral works during the 12th century in the Romanesque style, and it was completed in the 16th century as the first cathedral in Spain of Gothic design. Two characteristics are harmoniously combined in Avila’s cathedral, the elements of a church and those of a fortress. Built within the city walls and situated next to the ramparts, it constitutes a part of their system of defense. In its exterior architecture, the details of a fortress are predominant above those of a church. The most important feature of the interior is the main chapel built in transition Romanesque style with Mudejar addtitions. San Vicente Basilica The Basilica stands outside of the city walls where the tradition claims that three of Avila’s saints were martyred during the rule of the Roman emperor Diocletian. It was built during the 11th to 14th centuries in the purest form of Romanesque architecture. The interior is spacious and majestic, shaped as a Latin cross. Other Places to Visit Churches: San Juan, San Pedro, San Segundo, San Andrés, San Esteban, San Nicolás, Santo Tomé, Santa María de la Cabeza. Monasteries: San Francisco, Santo Tomás, La Encarnación Convents: Our Lady of Grace, Saints Teresa’s (her home), San Jose’s. Palaces: Nuñez Vela, Davilas, Valderrabanos, Bracamontes, and Deanes. The lookout Cuatro Postes with its fabulous view of the city. El Mercado Chico, where the old Roman forum was situated, and the centre of the town. The Romanesque bridge over the Adaja River. The nine magnificent city gates. Avila’s cuisine of medieval linage, is a simple and basic approach to cooking, yet delicious. Roast lamb, fried trout, grilled steak, stewed partridge and bean stew are among the better known dishes. Deserts: Hornazo (cake) and Yemas de Santa Teresa (sweets made of egg yolks and sugar). San Segundo (May 2). Typical pilgrimage to the saint’s hermitage. Nuestra Señora de las Vacas (2nd Sunday in May). At the end of a pilgrimage, gifts resented by the faithful are auctioned. Fiestas de la Santa (8-15 October). Main festivity of Avila in Saint Teresa’s honor. Virgen de Sonsoles (2nd Sunday October). Pilgrimages celebrated with nearby towns. Summer Festivities. Holy Week Penitential processions of the Stations of the Cross during the early hours of Good Friday morning, which travels the length of the wall. Leave a comment
The Liberation of Port Royal November 7, 1861, was a momentous day in the history of emancipation during the American Civil War. On that day, a combined Union naval and army amphibious force captured Port Royal, South Carolina. Roughly halfway between Charleston, South Carolina, and Savannah, Georgia, Port Royal Sound was one of the best natural anchorages on the Atlantic coast of the United States. It was an ideal location for the U.S. Navy to establish a base so it could tighten its blockade against the Confederacy. What was new about Port Royal compared to other areas of the South occupied by Union forces was its exceptionally high concentration of slaves. Port Royal was part of the Sea Islands region of South Carolina and Georgia, an area dominated by large cotton and rice plantations. African Americans greatly outnumbered whites in the Sea Islands, so much so that many slaves in the Sea Islands spoke Gullah, a highly Africanized English dialect that was largely unintelligible to standard English speakers. Union military leaders were aware of the nature of the Sea Islands and their initial plan for dealing with slavery there was to reassure the region’s white population that they did not intend to free their slaves. So Secretary of War Simon Cameron ordered the commander of the army portion of the expeditionary force, Gen. Thomas W. Sherman, to follow strictly the policies formulated during Benjamin Butler’s tenure at Fortress Monroe. Which meant seizing slaves as needed to serve the labor needs of Union forces, but keeping scrupulous work records so that loyal owners could later be compensated and their human property restored to them. Cameron’s letter to Sherman read: Cameron’s orders, however, assumed the white population in the vicinity of Port Royal would be around during the Union occupation. The initial landing party from the invasion fleet found something quite different when they entered Beaufort, the only town in the Port Royal area. Naval Lieutenant J. Glendy Sprotson reported to his superior from Beaufort on November 8. In obedience to your orders I landed in the town of Beaufort, and found the place deserted by every [white] inhabitant with the exception of two, one of whom I was conducted to by the Negroes who were rejoiced to see me crowding down in large numbers and cheering the flag. They told me that their masters had been firing at them and driving them back in the woods to prevent their communicating with United States Forces, and I judged from their manner that would commit any act of retaliation that opportunity offered. They also stated that the Forces, formerly occupying St Phillips Fortifications, with the Beaufort Artillery had retired to Port Royal Ferry, ten miles distant from the town. Mr. Allen an old inhabitant of the place, but Northern by birth, met me at the entrance to his Store, much agitated and holding a flag of truce in his hand. He Said, and I witnessed its corroboration that the Negroes are perfectly wild, breaking into evry building and destroying or carrying off all portable property, and that the Light Boats had been burned immediately after the Surrender of the Batteries. Mr. Wilcox, an other resident of the place was said to be in the town, but I did not find him, So brought Mr Allen on board — An intelligent mulato boy dismounted from a horse he was riding and coming towards me said, “the whole County have left sir and all the soldiers gone to Port Royal Ferry,” they did not think that you could do it Sir.” On close inquiry I judged that there must be at Port Royal Ferry at this time, or the time of the Negroes departure from there this morning, about a thousand troops and the Beaufort Artillery. So when Confederate forces retreated in the face of the northern assault, virtually all of the white inhabitants fled with them. They evidently did not trust that the northern soldiers would protect them from their slaves, who they believed (as was common throughout the South) once freed from slave discipline would embark on an orgy of vengeance. The Confederate flight from Port Royal left about 10,000 slaves in Union hands. They became contraband-of-war, presumably subject to the Confiscation Act but not formally free either. But effectively from November 7, 1861 forward the black population of Port Royal, South Carolina were no longer were slaves. For a time they would become wards of the federal government and its representatives in what became known as the “Port Royal Experiment,” as they contended with well-meaning Northerners over what their freedom would mean in practice, setting precedents that would help chart the course for Reconstruction after the Civil War. About Donald R. Shaffer This entry was posted in Uncategorized. Bookmark the permalink. 3 Responses to The Liberation of Port Royal 1. Chris Wise says: An important moment. Interesting that I was just at Hilton Head and this event has gone unmentioned at any of the tourist sites I visited. 2. Doug didier says: Live on st Helena island.. Battle of port royal covered in detail here.. Hopefully the aftermath addressed in more detail in future.. “the birth of freedom”. 3. Doug didier says: Forgot to check notify box.. Sorry Leave a Reply You are commenting using your account. Log Out / Change ) Twitter picture Facebook photo Google+ photo Connecting to %s
• By A more recent post on Conficker, updated April 1, here You may have heard about Conficker, the rogue computer program that might do something dreadful on April 1. The truth is that the threat posed by Conficker is almost entirely theoretical, and that only a handful of dedicated professionals will notice anything out of the ordinary when that date comes around. Conficker is the latest example of a type of malware called a botnet, which gives a cybercriminal control over an infected computer. The criminal can steal information stored on the computer or make it do things like send spam emails. In some cases, criminals amass millions of computers to command. Researchers estimate that a couple million computers could be infected with Conficker, which makes it a large botnet, but not the largest. What sets Conficker apart is that it’s more sophisticated than any previous piece of malware. It uses a new form of cryptography, can be controlled by criminals in multiple ways, and updates itself. This scares security researchers. So does the fact that the bad guys haven’t done anything with the computers they control yet, which means they could do, well, anything. Conficker periodically seeks new instructions from its master, and the first day of April is the next scheduled update. At that point it could receive instructions to steal information or try to launch some sort of Internet crippling attack. But there’s no evidence that anything like that will happen. “I don’t see anything on April 1 that will cause any significant havoc,” says Phil Porras, a researcher at SRI, and one of the people trying stop Conficker. The most likely outcome is that the day will pass and no one will have noticed anything. Conficker is grabbing headlines because Microsoft offered a $250,000 bounty to anyone providing information leading to the arrest and conviction of the people responsible for the malicious code. Plus the fact that it hasn’t been used for anything yet gives it an air of mystery — most botnets are used to send emails pushing Viagra. Journalists and tech companies looking for attention are willing to project onto Conficker whatever they think sells. And in the tech security world, that’s too often gloom and doom stories. It’s certainly better not to have your computer infected with Conficker — and anyone using a computer with up-to-date anti-virus software is reasonably safe. But Conficker isn’t the digital Pearl Harbor some have made it out to be. “There is an amazing amount of crying wolf about the wrong things,” says Rodney Joffe, senior vice president at NeuStar, a technology clearinghouse, and another one of the self-appointed Internet defenders. “There is no indication that anything will happen.”
August 20, 2010 Witches: Depiction through Art History One of the most often depicted subjects in art, witches & witchcraft hold a spell over history. Since their roots in ancient paganism, witches have gone through a very interesting journey. They have been popularized, hated, romanticized, and even depicted as horrible and repulsive beings. This is their evolution through art history. Medieval Art We start here because this is when the meaning of the word "witch" was born. Before the middle ages paganism ruled, thus making the word "witch" irrelevant. During this time (5th-15th C.) the depiction of witches in art was mostly illustrative. While we do encounter certain depictions of "witch hunts", most of which appear around the end of the Medieval ages with the rise of witch persecutions , we mostly see appearances in the storytelling realm, both biblical and mythological, such as the case of Arthurian Legends. During the Late Middle Ages, with the rise the Renaissance (late 14th C), we also see an increasing interest in the occult. Perfect examples of this are the alleged creation of Tarot cards, and fascination with mythical creatures, such as dragons & unicorns. However, while the symbolism of fantastical beings were accepted in this Christian era, witches were not. The Burning Times Ironically enough, with the beginning of the Modern Age, in the 16th C, came the Witch trials in Early Modern Europe. Anti-witch laws has been around as early a Ancient Greece, however, it wasn't until now that the hysteria that malevolent satanic witches were operating as an organized threat to Christianity spread through Europe and its colonies. Most of the Art from this time, which lasted until the end of the 17th C, is propaganda, accounts, and images of how a "witch" really looks like. Grotesque figures were emphasized. Witches were depicted engaging in sexual acts, having meetings with the Devil and performing spells. Post 18th Century: A look back at witches By this time witch hunts and trials had completely vanished from society; there were still laws against witchcraft, but there weren't any hangings and horrendous deaths. The 18th century was the time of enlightenment and reason. Starting from this period artwork begun depicting witches in the historical events that had taken place in the past two centuries. This was part of the Neoclassicism movement in the 18th & 19th Century. Romanticism & Victorianism: Witches make a come back A complex artistic, literary, and intellectual movement that originated in the mid-18th century, Romanticism gained strength because of the contrast of the Industrial Revolution and the era of enlightenment. Among one of the many characteristics of this movement is the involvement of the supernatural. This is when witches starting changing; having been previously depicted in horrendous ways, witches were now taking a more feminine figure. While the imagery of the "ugly witch" was still present, witches were now being portrayed by good looking, modelesque women, as if their beauty and grace captivated people into a world of evil. Art from this time often, but not always, was based on literature, mythology and story telling. Some say that Romanticism died in the mid-19th century. Whether it did not not, its influence was obvious during the Victorian Era and early 20th century. The Arts and Crafts movement, the aesthetic movement, Anglo-Japanese style, and Art Nouveau style have their beginnings in the late Victorian era. It was, also during the Victorian era, that the Golden Age of illustration came to be (1880 - World War I). In a time when wood engraving was the predominant method by which an illustrator's work was reproduced, many Artists and illustrators working at the turn of the century took full advantage of the developments in new printing processes. It is during that time that Fairy tales took a more mainstream role; an example of this is the publication of "Children's and Household Tales" in 1812, also known as the Grimm's Fairy tales". It was this genre of literature, followed by Drama (Shakespeare), from where most witches were depicted. The Modern Witch. Today's witch enjoys from a variety of positive attributes, in fact, much of today's entertainment is based around the concept of witchcraft. While the "Ugly witch" imagery remains a major archetype (that perhaps will never go away), we leave behind the grotesque images of the 16th century. At the same time we don't focus on the overly sexualized figures of the romantic era. Today's witch is surprisingly human, taking inspiration from different sources, gothic, fantasy,etc. One thing is certain, they sure have come a long way. No comments:
← It came from outer space: Fireball streaks across Canadian Prairie, crashes Don_Quix's Avatar Jump to comment 23 by Don_Quix Question: What happens to the constituent elements when a meteor burns up? Do they just become dispersed? I'm no expert, but I would guess that the lighter elements vaporize and either become part of our atmosphere, slowly settle to the ground in the form of carbon, or drift back into space. If it was made of heavier elements (like iron) and was large enough to survive the trip through the atmosphere, part of it may have impacted the ground out in the middle of nowhere. I'm sure it probably depends on what the rock is made of. Sun, 23 Nov 2008 16:13:00 UTC \| #275527
Tab Notes Answers To Tough Questions By Pastor Roosevelt Wright, Jr. What is the meaning of A.D. and B.C. The abbreviation "B.C." really is short for "Before Christ"; the secular term often used in its place, "Before the Common Era," is abbreviated "B.C.E." (The term "Common Era," abbreviated "C.E.," is the secular term often used in place of A.D.") A.D. stands for the Latin "Anno Domini," meaning in the Year of our Lord. It is now used to number the years since the year Christ was thought to have been born (AD 1). Some incorrectly refer to A.D. as "After the Death." Christ was born 4 or 5 BC, thus his years on earth would be about 4 or 5 BC to AD 30. What does B.C. stand for in Latin? Such as A.D. stands for "anno domini." B.C. is short for "Before Christ" or "Before The Common Era." (B.C.E.) Since there is no agreement on when time began, Europeans adopted the convention of recording dates in terms of whether they occurred before or after the birth of Jesus Christ, by assigning the YEAR ONE to the year of Jesus' birth. (Muslims do the same thing, only they use a different year for their YEAR ONE, the year of Mohammed's return to Mecca.) Nowadays, historians believe that Europeans of the Middle Age got the date of Jesus' birth wrong, but nevertheless, we continue to use the system they devised. Assuming that our starting point is the YEAR ONE (there is no YEAR ZERO), then BC , meaning "before Christ" is the abbreviation used for years that occured before the YEAR ONE. AD means "anno Domini" (Latin for "year of our Lord") and is used on all dates that come after YEAR ONE. What about "Circa" What does it mean? About "circa," the Webster's American Dictionary, College Edition (1997) lists it as both a preposition and an adverb and says "about:" used esp. in approximate dates. It lists the abbreviations: c, c., ca, ca., cir., circ. It is generally combined with dates or numerals to express approximation and lack of absolute certainty; as, circa 800 A.D. Scholarly sources seemed to agree that the "A.D." goes _before_ the year number (while "B.C." goes after it). However, when describing a century, the "A.D." comes after, e.g., "the fourth century A.D." Ask Pastor Wright A Question Inquiry #
Take the 2-minute tour × Please help me to figure out how to produce with that: I have the following code: $$ gcd(0,0) = 0 $$ $$ gcd(u,v) = gcd(v,u) $$ $$ gcd(u,v) = gcd(-u,v) $$ $$ gcd(u,0) = \|u\| $$ 2^{x^3} = x+1/x\ge 2 = \pi\approx 3{,}14 This is what I need: First requirement I don't want to align anything, I just want to remove the space between equations because I think it takes too much space. Anyway I don't like the view of my equations, looks like something is not good there (only with gcd, the other equations looks OK). One thing to fix that is probably to use "\gcd" instead of "gcd"... I'd like to have some advice how to make it look better and to resolve the original question with spacing between equations as well. I also looking for the most simple solution, without using complex ams-structures if possible. share\|improve this question Surely \gcd should be used; you want to look at the gather* environment of amsmath. Never use $$ in LaTeX (see Why is \[ … \] preferable to $$?). In Plain TeX there's \displaylines for centering multiple equations. – egreg Feb 14 '13 at 13:58 Thanks for the right way to look into! – Mikhail Kalashnikov Feb 14 '13 at 18:30 1 Answer 1 Actually, I've found a way. I started to use the following environment from "amsmath" packages: x + y = z \\ x + z = y \\ y + z = x \\ The following trick fixes the spacing between the equations inside: This trick fixes the spacing between text and equation for the both sides: Now it looks so: And that is completely OK for me. share\|improve this answer I don't think that those setting to \abovedisplayskip and \belowdisplayskip do anything. – egreg Feb 14 '13 at 18:31 Actually, they do. The one thing, it seems this settings disappears on every new included page (it is somehow related to the document class), so you probably will see nothing if include this in your preamble. Try to put this settings right before the equation environment (or at the start of the list) and I hope it should work as well as for me. – Mikhail Kalashnikov Feb 14 '13 at 19:28 It seems it would work for any kind of environment with amsmath. I used this topic to figure it out: tex.stackexchange.com/questions/3323/… – Mikhail Kalashnikov Feb 14 '13 at 19:33 Your Answer
navigation links Virtual Tour (Click images to enlarge; use your browser's Back button to return) Station One A - On Path Outside Visitor's Center Main Entry Door Visitor Center Welcome to Albacore Park. The Albacore was a one-of-a-kind submarine built, home ported and maintained here in Portsmouth by the skilled craftsmen of the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard across the way in Kittery, Maine. The first submarine named Albacore was lost in the Pacific during World War II. Streamlined hull Classified by the Navy as an Auxiliary General Submarine, Albacore was the first modern submarine to have the rounded, teardrop shaped hull. Her test or maximum operating depth was 600 feet and her conventional lead acid battery gave her a maximum submerged speed of 25 knots or almost 30 miles per hour. Albacore was built strictly as an experimental submarine - she had no torpedo tubes and carried only pistols and rifles for her security watch. She was small - at 205 feet long, she was 2/3rds the length of a World War 2 Fleet Boat; and fast - with her special silver zinc battery, Albacore could outrun a contemporary nuclear submarine until her battery was exhausted. Albacore was highly maneuverable. Due to the steep angles the boat sometimes took, subway car type straps could be found throughout the boat for people to hang onto when the boat was performing hydrobatics - or underwater acrobatics. In addition to being used as a high speed submarine target, Albacore was the platform for trying out new submarine propulsion and control systems, tactics and operational concepts. Launched in August of 1953, Albacore was placed in commission in December of that same year. Albacore remained in active service until September of 1972 when she was decommissioned and moved to the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard. She remained in Philadelphia until 1984 when she was towed to Portsmouth and later moved to her current location in 1985. In 1989, Albacore was designated a National Historic Landmark due to her contributions to submarine design. In 2000, she was further honored with the designations of being a Historic Mechanical Engineering Landmark for her many unique systems and as a Historic Welded Structure for her hull. In May of 2005, Albacore was inducted into the Submarine Hall of Fame located in Norfolk, Virginia due to her contributions to submarine engineering and tactics. The pathway to your right leads to our Submarine Memorial Garden which honors the sacrifices made by our submariners. Dolphin carving Included in the Garden is a sculpture of a dolphin, the symbol adopted by the submarine force. Straight ahead is the entrance to our Visitor's Center and museum where you may view pictures, ship models and artifacts from the Albacore, purchase tickets to tour the submarine and purchase submarine related items to remind you of your visit. Station One - Outside Museum near Propeller Field Propeller field In the area in front of you are some of the propellers used by Albacore and other submarines. Albacore was the first modern submarine to have only one propeller. Originally built to use the single large propeller you see, Albacore was later outfitted with two counter rotating propellers as part of an experiment to provide greater propulsion efficiency. One of the three smaller propellers was a spare for Albacore while the other two are from the USS Jack (SSN 605) the only other US submarine to have a counter rotating propeller propulsion system. Under the leadership of Admiral Charles Momsen, Albacore was conceived to inaugurate a radical change in submarine design. Experience in World War II had shown that speed, endurance and maneuverability were key requirements for submarines. As a result, Albacore's hull was designed with underwater speed as the prime requirement. Scale models of the hull were tested in tow tanks and wind tunnels to determine the optimum hull design. (With this streamlined hull, Albacore was able to set submerged speed records in 1965 with a conventional lead-acid battery and again in 1966 with a higher capacity silver-zinc battery.) Albacore was built with a newly developed high-strength steel hull. Along with these two innovations, Albacore was to serve as a test vessel for the newest designs in submarine technology. Throughout her career, she tested many innovative concepts. As a result, the U.S. Navy was able to refine these designs before incorporating them into the fleet. Albacore truly lived up to her motto: "Praenuntius Futuri" or "Forerunner of the Future". Please proceed to the next station located at the ship's stern. Station Two - Outside at Stern of Albacore X-stern and counter-rotating propellers As you walk down the length of Albacore toward the entrance at the bow, notice some of her unique external features. She has two counter-rotating propellers which provided greater propulsion efficiency. The rudder and dive planes are in an X-configuration as opposed to the conventional cross arrangement. The X-stern and two propellers were respectively parts of the third and fourth phases of Albacore's external control system development and gave the boat great maneuverability submerged and on the surface. Albacore was designed to go through four different phases or configurations of control surfaces and propeller arrangements. The original arrangement of the after control surfaces had them located behind a single propeller in the conventional cruciform or cross configuration with a small set of bow planes located forward on the hull. The second configuration changed the position of the after controls to be forward of the propeller and removed the bow planes entirely. All submarines are designed with positive buoyancy on the surface. To submerge, valves on top of the four ballast tanks that surround Albacore's hull were opened to let the air escape through the top of the tanks and allow sea water to rush in through flood grates at the bottom of the tanks. As the tanks filled with water, the boat lost its positive buoyancy and submerged. Once the boat was fully submerged, the valves were shut and the tanks were ready for surfacing. To surface, high pressure air was directed into the top of the tanks and the expanding compressed air forced water out through the flood grates in the tank bottoms. Positive buoyancy was regained and the boat rose to the surface. Please proceed forward to the next station. Station Three - Outside at the end of the aft exit Ramp Dive brakes area Starting just behind the sail, but since welded shut, was a series of ten large doors that ringed the hull. These doors could be popped opened like dive brakes on an airplane to rapidly slow the boat when submerged in case there was a casualty to the control system. Although they made the boat vibrate heavily, the dive brakes worked as intended. However, they had a tendency to pop open on their own at high speeds due to the sucking action of the water flowing over the doors. Although a good idea, the dive brake mechanism was removed and the doors were welded shut. Before the dive brakes were installed, a parachute used to decelerate a jet bomber after landing was borrowed from nearby Pease Air Force base. The idea was that the parachute, when released from its housing near the top of the sail, would open and create a large drag force to slow the submarine and tilt the bow upward. However, the parachute material wasn't strong enough and tore away. Sail with dorsal rudder Looking up at the after end of the vertical superstructure or "sail", you will see a second rudder. This "dorsal" rudder was used to counter the tendency of the boat to perform a snap or sharp roll when turning at high speeds with the first rudder and stern planes configuration. There was concern that a sharp enough roll would create a control problem wherein the rudder and stern planes would reverse their functions and an uncontrollable dive below test depth would ensue. Testing proved this not to be true and the dorsal rudder was deactivated. A similar rudder/stern planes situation was predicted with the x-stern and the dorsal rudder was reactivated. However, a vernier system was installed which, when activated, limited the amount of rudder (and planes) movement and proved to be an effective way to control the amount of roll. Just aft of the numeral 5 on the sail are several slots cut into the sail. These slots allowed air to be taken in to the sail and then pass through the main induction valve and into the boat. Through these slots passed air used by the ship's diesel engines when the ship was running on the surface. Some of this incoming air was circulated throughout the boat by the ship's ventilation system. Please proceed forward to the next station outside the bow entry ramp. Station Four - Outside at the Ramp to Forward Entry At the forward end at the very top of the sail, notice the flat windshield and clamshell like doors. There is a small platform up there where the Officer of the Deck or OOD and one lookout stood their watch when the boat was underway on the surface. Housing for anchor Just before you enter the forward access door to the boat, notice the large hinged door up and to your right. Behind this door is the ship's anchor. And look back along the length of the boat and notice how few objects protrude from the hull to disturb the smooth flow of water. Every effort was made to streamline the hull so as to maximize the boat's hydrodynamic design. Ballast tank As you enter, notice that there is a thin outer hull and a thicker, inner hull. The outer hull provided Albacore with its streamlined shape while the inner thicker or pressure hull had the strength to resist sea pressure at deep depths. The space here between the two hulls is a part of one of the two forward ballast tanks. As you enter the boat, be sure to watch your head. Station Five - Bow Compartment by Escape Trunk Base of forward escape trunk As you enter this space, directly in front of you is the forward escape trunk. It was the main entry point for anyone coming on board. As the name implies, it was to be used in case the boat was disabled and unable to reach the surface. A submarine rescue chamber or mini-sub would seat itself on the main deck above the upper hatch and the sub's crew would climb up to it through this trunk. If there was no rescue vessel or chamber available, three crew members at a time could escape into the water from this chamber and, using inflatable life vests, free rise to the surface. The museum has a life vest, known as a Steinke Hood, on display. Crews berthing port and starboard sides The bow compartment, the first of five watertight compartments separated by heavy doors, was used principally as enlisted crew's quarters. There were 26 bunks in this space - one of two main berthing areas for the enlisted men. If you were assigned one of the upper bunks, you had to be somewhat of a gymnast to get in and out of it. You can see that some bunks shared space with large valves and other pieces of equipment. The right hand photo shows where 3 additional bunks were located before the bow access doorway that you came in through was cut in the hull. One of the ship's two high pressure air compressors is located in the space below the berthing area. This vital piece of machinery provided the compressed air, stored in large flasks, that was used to expel water from the ballast tanks when it was time for the boat to surface. Because Albacore was intended to be a research vessel, there were few creature comfort or homey type items. To begin with, there were just enough bunks for the assigned 50 man crew. And, as you can see, there was very limited storage space for any personal gear. If their bunk was built with a pan, a crew member could gain access to his clothes and toiletries stored in the flat space underneath the mattress by lifting up the pan. The green covers over the mattresses serve several purposes. Firstly, they are fire resistant. A submariner's greatest fear is a fire when submerged. These 'flash covers' protect the mattress from becoming part of a fire. Secondly, the flash cover keeps the ever present moisture in a submarine's atmosphere from being absorbed by the mattress and helps to protect the bedding. When special projects or tests were undertaken at sea, it was not unusual to have instrumentation spread out over several of the bunks thus creating a shortage of sleeping spaces. It was then that "hot bunking" came into being. Hot bunking is where three people would share two bunks - one person on watch and two sleeping. When the watch ended, one of the two sleepers was up for the next watch and the off-going watch stander climbed into the just vacated "hot bunk". Compounding the bunking situation were the extra personnel now on board to run the test instrumentation. Fortunately, few of the special projects required the boat to be at sea for any extended period of time so the hot bunking was of relatively short duration. Watertight door to forward battery Please proceed aft to the next compartment, the Forward Battery. Watch your head as you go through the watertight door. Station Six - Forward Battery by Pantry Wardroom pantry On your right as you enter is a small pantry which held the dishes and silverware for the officers mess. The pantry contained a small warming oven and refrigerator for keeping food warm/cold until it was time to be served. Food was prepared aft in the galley and brought forward and served out of this area. Commanding officer's stateroom Across from the Pantry on your left is the Commanding Officer's stateroom. A Commanding Officer usually had a room to himself, but because of the small number of berthing spaces, there is a second bunk which was for the Executive Officer. There is under bed storage, a Pullman sink, a desk with drawers for clothing and an upright closet for hanging clothes. Note the instruments mounted at the forward end of the top bunk. They are there so the Captain could tell at a glance the ship's course and speed. There is also a sound powered telephone which allowed the Captain to reach any space in the ship. By simply dialing in the space he wanted to reach and turning the crank on the side of the box, he would be connected to that space. Officers' stateroom The next area aft on your left is the three-man officers' stateroom. The officers shared an upright closet, a desk and each had one drawer in the wardrobe unit. A fold down panel on the front of the unit became a shelf for writing. A Pullman type sink completes the amenities. Captain's chair in wardroom Forward end of wardroom Across from the stateroom is the Wardroom. This is where the officers ate their meals, held meetings and in general conducted the ship's business. Beside the Captain's chair you can see one of the hand cranked telephone boxes and above it instruments that displayed ship's course and speed. At the forward end of the wardroom were lockers containing table and bed linens. Wardroom settee rigged as a bunk With a nominal complement of five officers, each officer had his own bunk. However, there were two additional bunks that could be made up in the wardroom when additional officers or senior scientists were on board. The back of the settee in the wardroom could be raised up and supported from the overhead to form one bunk while the settee seat itself was made up as the second bunk. A major drawback to sleeping in the wardroom, aside from the constant use of the space, was that you had to be up and out for every meal. Station Six A - Aft Bulkhead of Passage to Ship's Office Ship's office Continuing aft on your right, the small space behind the wardroom was the Ship's Office. It was here that the ship's yeoman, or enlisted administrative assistant, maintained the ships records and files. Note that he didn't have a computer to work on, just on old fashion typewriter. And there was very limited space to store any supplies or files. Hatch to forward battery space The hatch or access plate in the deck outside the ship's office/wardroom passage is the entry to the battery compartment below. In this lower space were 250 battery cells that weighed about 1000 pounds each. This, and a second battery located under the Crew's Mess, provided the energy for lights, heat, air conditioning, cooking, and was the power source for all shipboard equipment in addition to turning the main motors that drove the ship through the water when submerged. The batteries were charged by electricity generated by running the two diesel engines located aft in the Machinery space. During Albacore's third phase conversion to the X-stern, a special high capacity, silver zinc battery was installed. It was this special battery that gave Albacore the power to become the fastest submarine in the mid '60s. Goat Locker The space aft of the Ship's Office is the Chief Petty Officer's bunk room, better known as the "Goat Locker". Three bunks, a Pullman sink and small vertical lockers round out the amenities for these senior petty officers. Station Seven - Forward Battery across from Radio Room Officer's head On your right as you proceed aft are two small closet like spaces. The first is the Officer's Shower - about the size of a phone booth. Because fresh water was a scarce commodity at sea, a once-a-week shower was the norm, whether you needed it or not. The second small space is the Officer's Head or toilet. A tank, known as a sanitary tank, located below the deck holds the shower water and refuse material from the toilet until the tank was emptied by pressurizing it with air and blowing the contents into the sea. Radio shack On your left just before you enter the next compartment is the ship's Radio Room or communications center. Equipment in this space gave the boat the ability to talk directly to shore stations and ships and aircraft it might be operating with. The Radiomen operated the hydraulics for raising and lowering Albacore's two radio masts. Watertight door to control room Please proceed aft to the Control Room, the next compartment. Watch your head as you go through the watertight door. Station Eight - Control Room Forward by Navigation Center Access trunk to bridge As you enter the Control Room, immediately on your right is a door that opens to a narrow trunk that leads to the tiny open bridge atop the forward end of the sail where the Officer of the Deck and lookout stood their watches when on the surface. Control room starboard side Across from the bridge access door is the ship's navigation center where the Quartermaster of the Watch was stationed. The ship's quartermasters were responsible for maintaining and projecting the ship's path of travel, referred to as the ship's track, both when surfaced and submerged. The squarish table in the center of this space was used by the navigation team for laying out their charts and plotting the ships position. Under the table was the auxiliary gyro compass. Mounted on the bulkhead aft of the table is the fathometer, a device that measures the distance from the bottom of the ship's hull to the ocean bottom. This was an important navigation tool especially when leaving or entering port. The access hatch to the pump room is located in front of the IC switchboard. This space is a second auxiliary machinery space which contains the trim pump and a second high pressure air compressor. IC switchboard Outboard of the table is an array of switches on panels which make up the Interior Communications or IC network. These switches connect or isolate such systems as the sound powered telephones, compass repeaters, depth and speed indicators. The hatch to the second auxiliary machinery space containing a second high pressure air compressor and the trim/drain pump is located in front of the switchboard. Ship's announcing & alarm panel Mounted on the bulkhead forward of the Quartermaster's table is the control panel for the ships announcing systems and alarms. Aft of the table was where the Messenger of the Watch was stationed. He ran errands for the watch standers which included calling the next watch, carrying verbal messages and reporting routine occurrences to the Commanding Officer. In the center of the control room on the raised platform is the ship's periscope and it is here that the Conning Officer, usually the Captain or the Executive Officer, stood his watch. Unlike today's sophisticated periscopes with radar, radio, TV and infrared capabilities, Albacore's periscope contained a only a basic set of optics. Chicken switch Albacore was built with a number of redundant systems. In particular, the hydraulic systems were state of the art and complex. For example, in addition to the normal and emergency systems for the steering and diving planes, there was a separate set of hydraulics that, in an emergency, would allow the Conning Officer to over-ride and take control of the stern planes. Mounted above and behind the Conning Officer's station was a red colored Emergency Ship Control handle, commonly referred to as the Chicken Switch. If the Conning Officer was not satisfied with either the response of the planesman or the actions of the diving planes, he could take control and move them himself. The whole boat shook when the chicken switch was used. Control room port side To the left of the raised platform is the ship control area. The two seats were occupied by the Diving Officer (the inboard or nearest seat) and the Helmsman (outboard seat). The two shared the positioning of the x-stern control surfaces. The Helmsman was responsible for using the rudder function to steer the ordered course. The Diving Officer, using the diving plane function, was responsible for reaching and maintaining depth. The inboard (Diving Officer) set of controls could be electrically connected to control both the diving planes and rudder. Using the buttons on top of the control wheel, the Diving Officer also controlled the dorsal rudder located on the aft end of the sail. The row of red lights directly in front of the Diving Officer indicated the position of the dorsal rudder. Notice the three colored buttons on the panel in front of the Diving Officer. The green button sounded the Diving Alarm. Two blasts of this alarm alerted everyone that the boat was going to submerge. Three blasts from this same alarm was the signal for surfacing the boat. The yellow alarm button was that of the General Alarm. This alarm alerted everyone to proceed to their General Quarters or Battle stations. The red button sounded the Collision Alarm which caused the heavy watertight doors to be shut and dogged tight and the ventilation system valves between compartments to be shut. This provided the maximum amount of watertight integrity in case a collision produced a break in the pressure hull. Trim manifold The Diving Officer was responsible for reaching and maintaining the ordered depth and for the "trim" of the boat. The boat was balanced or "trimmed" by adding or removing seawater from special 'trim' tanks located forward, midships and aft inside the pressure hull . For safety reasons, most submarines adjusted their trim such that they were slightly positively buoyant so that if they lost propulsion, the boat would slowly rise to the surface. Positive buoyancy usually required that water be pumped out of the midships auxiliary tanks after the boat was properly trimmed fore and aft. For ease of remaining on depth, the angle of the boat was adjusted downward by shifting water from the after to forward trim tank. Albacore usually maintained a one degree down bubble or angle to counteract the upward force of positive buoyancy. The Diving Officer gave orders to the Trim Manifold Operator who, through a series of valves and pumps, moved water in and out to sea and between tanks. Christmas tree panel Standing directly behind these seats was the Chief of the Watch. At his station was the Christmas Tree, a panel of red and green lights that indicated the condition of all the openings in the ship's hull that could cause flooding of the boat. A red circle indicated that a valve or hatch was open and a straight green light meant that it was shut. Before the boat was submerged, the Chief of the Watch would call out "Straight Board" so that the Conning Officer would know that all hull openings were shut and it was safe to dive. The Chief of the Watch functioned as the Ballast Control Panel or BCP Operator, Trim Manifold Operator and Air Manifold Operator. Upon command from the Conning Officer to submerge the ship, the BCP operator positioned electric switches, located on the bottom half of the Christmas Tree panel, that opened valves to let air out of the four ballast tanks that surround Albacore's hull. Once submerged and functioning as the Trim Manifold operator, he shifted water, at the direction of the Diving Officer, in and out of the internal tanks to balance the boat. Also as BCP operator, he positioned switches to admit high pressure air into the ballast tanks when it was time to surface the submarine. High-pressure air manifold Acting as the Air Manifold operator, the Chief of the Watch stood ready to direct high pressure air into Negative and Safety tanks when directed. Station Nine - Outside Sonar Room Sonar consoles As you move aft to the next section of the compartment located behind the Air Manifold you will find the Sonar Room. When submerged below periscope depth, the Conning Officer relied upon Sonar (Sound Navigation and Ranging) to serve as the eyes and ears of the ship. Two large consoles sit against the after bulkhead in Sonar. Albacore had two types of sonar mounted in her bow. One was passive or listen where the operator listened for sounds created by other ships, sea creatures, or the weather. Passive sonar only gave us a direction to a noise. If the contact was a ship, the operator could, by listening, determine characteristics such as how many propellers it had, how many blades on each propeller, how fast the propellers were turning and could estimate the type of vessel - merchant, fishing boat, warship, etc. The other, active sonar, required that we project a sound wave into the water and then listen for a returning echo. Active Sonar gave us bearing and range information. All sound contacts were logged and, if so designated by the Conning Officer, were tracked to determine whether or not they posed a threat of collision to Albacore. Radar console LORAN console Forward of the sonar consoles is the ship's radar unit. When on the surface, it was used for navigation and detecting ships. When submerged, it could be used at periscope depth to search for nearby surface contacts when the antenna was raised above the surface on its retractable mast. Master gyro compass Opposite the Sonar Room on the deck is the master gyro compass and mounted on a bulkhead to the right is the Loran or Long Range Navigation unit. Functioning something like today’s satellite navigation system, Loran used signals from two or more know radio station sites to provide lines of position which the Quartermaster's plotted on special Loran charts to determine the ship's location. Watertight door to after battery Please proceed aft to the After Battery, the next compartment. Watch your head as you go through the watertight door. Station Ten - After Battery by Galley/Scullery Ship's galley Immediately on your right as you entered is the ship's galley where all the food was prepared. Electric ovens, a deep fat fryer and a grill top were the only cooking facilities. From this galley, the ship's cooks prepared breakfast, lunch and dinner for the 55 officers and crew. In addition, a mid afternoon meal known as "soup down" of hot soup and sandwiches was served to all hands. "Mid rats" or midnight rations were served at 11:15 pm for the oncoming and off going watch standers. Also from this small galley, the ship's baker daily prepared fresh rolls, bread, pies, cakes and other pastries during the midnight to 4 am mid-watch. Opposite the galley is the scullery where all the pots, pans, silverware, glassware and dishes were washed. The cooks were assisted by junior members of the crew referred as "mess cooks" in preparing, serving and cleaning up after each meal. The length of time one spent as a mess cook was usually 90 days. Crew's mess Down from the scullery area are three tables which constitute the mess deck or crews eating area. The mess deck was used as the site for all hands meetings and briefings, the place where the evening movie was shown and was the site for letter writing, card playing, a place to study for advancement examinations or where you could get a cup of coffee and relax for a few minutes. Entrance to Hogan's Alley, and Hogan's Alley outboard looking aft Opposite the mess decks was the entrance to the second of the crew's berthing areas known as Hogan's Alley. This area has 21 bunks for a total of 47 bunks between here and the bow compartment for the 50 enlisted men. (Remember the three bunks in the Goat Locker?) Under the berthing and mess deck areas is a second battery compartment identical to that of the forward battery. If you didn't see it on your way in, there is a typical submarine battery cell located in the Visitor's Center. Station Eleven - Aft end of After Battery in the vicinity of Crews Washroom Crew's washroom and crew's head At the after end of this compartment are the crew's washroom and toilet facilities to serve the 50 man enlisted crew. The toilets were flushed using sea water and drained into a second sanitary tank located under the deck. Because fresh water was costly in electricity to make at sea, fresh water usage was pretty much limited to about a gallon per man per day. A partial sink full of water was used to take a "bird bath". This consisted of brushing teeth, shaving, washing hands, face and whatever parts of the body needed washing. Due to sanitation requirements, only the cooks, baker and mess cooks were allowed to exceed the stringent water limitations. A weekly shower was taken if there was sufficient fresh water available. Under the deck at the very aft end of the compartment are refrigerated spaces consisting of a chill room, a freezer and also a dry store room. When the ship was to be at sea for a prolonged period of time, canned and dry goods were stored down here and in lockers throughout the ship because there is never enough storage space for food on a submarine. Although never done on Albacore because of her relatively short periods at sea, it was not unusual for a boat going to sea for a long time to have cases of canned goods on the deck until space became available in the designated food lockers. Watertight door to machinery compartment Please proceed aft to the Machinery Compartment. Watch your head as you go through the watertight door. Station Twelve - Machinery Space Under After Escape Trunk Starboard engine room Just inside the door on either side as you entered this aft-most compartment are two sound isolated spaces for the two main diesel engines. Manufactured by General Motors, these two high speed engines powered generators that produced the electricity to drive the main motors, charge the two high capacity main storage batteries and provided service power for lights, hot water, cooking and other housekeeping functions. Turning at a constant speed of 1500 RPM or twice the speed of earlier submarine diesels, these light weight aluminum engines had a history of frequent breakdowns. Albacore's two engines were the last ones of this type in active service. These engines, installed in an entire class of six submarines, were removed and replaced because of their unreliability. Those 24 dismantled engines and their repair parts were warehoused and used to keep Albacore's engines operational. One of the considerations for retiring Albacore was the cost to the Navy of either buying and installing new engines or starting up a long dormant production line to make additional repair parts since she had nearly used up all the parts taken from the other submarines. After escape trunk Above your head in between the two engine spaces is the after escape trunk. This trunk served the same purpose and functioned the same way as the trunk in the Bow Compartment. Cubicle starboard side Cubicle port side Located just aft of the escape trunk is an area known as "Maneuvering" and at its center is the propulsion cubicle. The cubicle was the watch station of the main power electricians and it was here that electricity from the main generators (when running on the surface) or from the battery (when submerged) was applied to the main motors in response to the Conning Officer's speed orders. Distilling unit control panel Aft on the port side is where the two 300 gallon per day fresh water distilling units are located. These units took in sea water, boiled it and condensed the steam to make fresh water. Fresh water was stored in several tanks throughout the boat and was used for maintaining the main batteries, cooking and washing in that priority. Station Thirteen - Machinery Space beside Main Motors Main motors On your left as you continue aft are the two main propulsion motors. Albacore was originally built with one motor, one propeller shaft and one propeller. As part of the Phase Four conversion package, this compartment was cut open and extended in length to accommodate a second main motor which was placed aft of the original motor. Each motor can produce 75 hundred horse power. The original propeller shaft connected to the forward motor was replaced by a smaller diameter shaft that fit inside the second, hollow shaft attached to the after motor. The motors were wired such that they always turned in opposite directions. When you walk past the stern on your way back to the museum, notice that the propeller blades are pitched in opposing directions so that they both provide thrust in the same direction even though they are turning in opposite directions. Hydraulic pumps & MG sets As you continue aft, you can see a maze of pipes and various pieces of auxiliary machinery such as lubricating oil and hydraulic oil pumps and accumulators or pressurized storage flasks. The lube oil pumps supplied oil to main motor and propeller shaft bearings to keep them moving freely and to prevent overheating. The hydraulic pumps kept pressure up in systems that operated the periscope, steering and diving planes, main air induction and engine room air supply valves, and the vent valves on the ballast tanks. Station Fourteen - Machinery Space Aft near bridge over propeller shafts After bulkhead starboard side This picture shows the propeller shaft in the right hand side as it penetrates the pressure hull through the aft bulkhead of the machinery compartment. In the lower left side is the end of one of the hydraulic rams that position the control surfaces on the x-stern. The yellow box at the top of the picture is a battery powered emergency light that would come on if normal lighting power was lost. The orange colored box contains flashlights for emergency use. For almost 19 years, Albacore served the Navy as an experimental vessel. Prior to Albacore, the fastest a submarine could go underwater was about 12 knots or about 13 miles per hour. In 1966, Albacore set a submerged speed record of 35 knots or just over 40 miles per hour. One of her last experiments was an attempt to make her even faster. Dubbed the Slippery Water project by some, its intent was to reduce the friction of the water flowing over Albacore's hull reducing the drag force and thus make the boat go faster. While the test results indicated about a 10 percent speed increase, the relatively small gain in speed was outweighed by the short duration of the system's effectiveness and the complex mechanical installation required. In summary, Albacore was an undersea laboratory that demonstrated the use of several types of towed sonar devices, tested four different propulsion and control surface arrangements, evaluated several combined instrumentation panel displays, used sound quieting techniques for rotating machinery, introduced aviation type controls, evaluated a more effective ballast tank blow system, and introduced the fiberglass sonar dome as a replacement for the standard steel dome. Notable among devices and systems tried but not universally adopted for use on later U.S. submarines were: dive brakes, the dorsal rudder, slippery water, counter-rotating propellers and the x-stern. While some foreign built submarines have adopted the x-stern, only the USS Jack, a nuclear powered submarine, was built with counter-rotating propellers. Bridge over propeller shafts Exit from machinery compartment This completes your tour. To exit, please step up and over the propeller shafts and pass out through the door on the other side. Should you have any questions about Albacore, please inquire at the Visitor's Center. And thank you for visiting the historic ship Albacore.
• 25 Motorcycle riders in Oklahoma may soon be able to run red lights legally under certain circumstances. It may sound odd at first, but many motorcyclists are familiar with sitting at intersections and staring at red lights that refuse to change due to sensors that are not calibrated to detect vehicles smaller than automobiles. In many cases, weight sensors cannot detect motorcycles, so the rider is forced to sit at the light with the engine idling away. House Bill 1795 seeks to change all that by allowing motorcycle riders the ability to ride through red lights if there isn't any oncoming traffic and if its done in a safe manner. Good idea? We're not sure, but its backers say that the passage of this bill would likely reduce riding accidents and it would also have the desirable effect of saving fuel and reducing emissions. Similar legislation already exists in South Carolina. [Source: Clutch and Chrome \| Photo: lattiboy] I'm reporting this comment as: • 1 Second Ago • 6 Years Ago Presence sensing devices that control stop lights, usually left turns are a nuisance for motorcyclist. Typically the devices react to the metal of the vehicle and MCs simply don't have enough mass. Usually if you sit through a cycle and turn when the road is clear the LEO's give you a pass, but not always. Several states have laws that outline when a rider/drive can ignore a malfunctioning signal. • 6 Years Ago Actuated traffic signals typically use inductive loops embedded in the pavement. These work off magnetic principles. You can see a picture of one here: Contrary to popular believe, your bike has plenty of metal to active one of these loops. The problem is that most motorcyclists don't stop over a loop or don't stop with enough metal over the loop. To activate a signal, all you have to do is park your bike over the right or left edge line of the lead loop when you are waiting for a signal. That way you will have as much metal mass as possible directly over the magnetic portion of the loop, which should be enough to trigger it. This strategy worked 100% of the time for me, even on a tiny Ninja 500r. Unfortunately, it doesn't work with bicycles. So if you are on a bicycle, you still have to hop off and press a pedestrian call button. Fortunately, many places are moving to camera based triggers for the lights, which at least give bicyclists and motorcycles a 50/50 chance of being detected. Interestingly, California passed a law that now requires new intersections and major retrofits to provide the same level of signal activation for motorcycles and bikes, as it does for cars. • 6 Years Ago And this law is NOT NEW... it's that way in Several states. Last one I remember changing was North Carolina a few years back. It's something tried and true (though making the city workers FIX the problem would be a much better solution, rather than adding yet Another law to the books). Now if only lane sharing for motorcycles would be more accepted. • 6 Years Ago Traffic lights are lame and dangerous anyway. Viva le roundabout! • 6 Years Ago In California, all drivers (trucks, cars, motorcycles, bicycles) follow the same rules at a traffic signal that doesn't detect them. It's specified in CVC 21800(d)(1) : "The driver of any vehicle approaching an intersection which has official traffic control signals that are inoperative shall stop at the intersection, and may proceed with caution when it is safe to do so." No special treatment for any class of vehicle, fair and equal for everyone. • 6 Years Ago I have the same problem in my Jeep... with 37" tires on 15" rims, there's too much rubber before you get to any metal on the jeep... on top of that, the body clearance is 39". I've sat through many looooooooong lights before turning right and doing a u-turn just to get back on my route. • 4 Years Ago Hey Jeremy, Same problem here in California. I fought a case and won and am now trying to get legislation passed. I created a petition, and I was hoping youâd let me use the picture from your article here for the petition image. Please let me know! Link to petition: http://www.change.org/petitions/tell-our-california-representatives-to-fix-the-red-light-law • 6 Years Ago I had pretty good luck by stopping my bike over the sensor, rather than at the white-line. I won't say that this was a non-problem, but that did minimize the amount of times I had to sit there twiddling my thumbs before the light changed. But to the substance of the article -- when you get on a motorcycle, your safety is in your hands, and your hands alone. Many laws are almost irrelevant already -- the rules of the road may say that you have the right-of-way, but the jackass in running that stopsign in his Ford Extension really has the right of way -- if you want to live, anyway... So this rule won't change anything fundamental for motorcyclists -- if it looks like someone's going to rear-end me and the road in front of my is clear, I'm going to run the red light -- and I'll be happy to explain that to a judge any day of the week. I'm looking forward to getting back on a motorcycle. But the Enertia is expensive, and my girlfriend keeps contributing to the bench-tool fund every time I mention it -- so it'll be a while. :-) • 6 Years Ago I agree with this bill in principle. Being a bike rider of 25 years, I can assure you it is frustrating waiting them out until a car finally gets behind you to turn. However, there are devices specifically made for motorcycles that TRIP these sensors and allow you to get through the light safely (assuming the other people stop on red.......). Running a red light is not a moral issue, but a SAFETY issue. It also instills a sense of "special privilege" for motorcycles by auto drivers. Something that will ALWAYS create resentment and therefore more indifference towards bikers. The best way is the safest way and installing a $25 unit on your scoot saves you red-light-madness and saves your skin. The government shouldn't foot our cost. Because we ULTIMATELY pay for it in return, sometimes hundred fold. Sunny side up and rubber side down! HH • 6 Years Ago I have the same problem on a bicycle; while I know that many people blissfully ignore traffic codes while biking (non-motorized), I'm personally not one of them and think its incredibly dangerous. A solution such as this legalizing an otherwise unpreventable problem makes a lot of sense. • 6 Years Ago The bottom line is they dont work at all. • 6 Years Ago I've found I can usually trigger the sensor by placing the wheel rim close enough to the sensor coil - assuming that coil is isn't too far away, as it might be when in a bike lane. Perhaps the motorcyclist could trigger the sensor by attaching metal plates to their boots and putting their foot down? Might be worth a try, and metal shod boots would sure look macho! • 6 Years Ago Amen Brother! Bicyclists that ignore traffic laws do more harm than good. For those of us who observe the laws and are interested in keeping their ride a "ride" and not a "suicide run", these idiot biker scofflaws are a terrible nuisance. They put themselves, and others, at risk and, worse, they train idiot drivers to observe a whole different set of behavior when a cyclist is en route. No good. Observe the laws, cars and bikes alike! • 6 Years Ago Get rid of the helmet law while were a it. • 6 Years Ago Yeah, having sat through several signals that would not change, this is a welcome change. There's always the moral dilemma in your head thinking, "maybe it will eventually change, or maybe it will not... should I run the light?". Not having to worry about getting a ticket would be nice. • Load More Comments
YouDocs: Keeping your brain power as you age Q: I'm worried that I'll end up with memory problems, like my mom. I'm 47, and she's 79. What can I do to dodge that bullet? -- Francine T., Chicago First and foremost, you want to protect your cardiovascular system so it delivers the nutrients and oxygen that your brain needs to stay healthy. That calls for smart nutrition and plenty of physical activity (which also will help you manage stress and control your blood pressure -- important steps for heart and brain health). What you eat, or don't eat, can help your arteries stay clear of plaque. So dump the Five Food Felons -- added sugar and syrup, trans and saturated fats, and any grain that isn't 100 percent whole -- and eat lots of omega-3-rich fish, like salmon and sea trout, while aiming for nine daily servings of fruits and veggies. (Ask your doctor about taking 162 mg of aspirin daily; research shows that it may help protect brain function.) Walking 10,000 steps, or the equivalent, at least five days a week also can protect or even boost brain power. One minute of aerobic activity equals 100 steps, so a 90-minute aerobics class is really good! Combining walking with strength-building exercise does the most to encourage growth and survival of new neurons in the brain. But physical exercise is just one workout you need to give your brain. Flexing your brain's mental muscle by taking up group activities, crafts or arts, reading or playing games can postpone or prevent cognitive problems, even if you don't start until middle age or older. Q: I'm five months pregnant and just read new guidelines that say pregnant women should eat more fish. But there are all these warnings about avoiding some fish because they contain mercury! What's the solution? -- Sally P., Carbondale, Illinois A: You must be referring to the new Food and Drug Administration/Environmental Protection Agency guidelines about safely getting enough omega-3 fatty acids while you're pregnant and breastfeeding, since they're essential for fetal brain development, a newborn's vision and continued neurodevelopment. Omega-3s also help Mom by reducing the risk of pre-eclampsia, preterm labor and delivery and postpartum depression. The guidelines recommend eating 8-12 ounces of low-mercury fish a week so you get enough omega-3s. This includes salmon, trout, light tuna, herring, blue mussels, Pacific oysters, whitefish, shrimp, pollock, tilapia, catfish and cod. FYI: Atlantic salmon has 2 micrograms of mercury per 4-ounce serving and delivers 1,200-2,400 milligrams of omega-3s! Albacore tuna has 54-58 mcg of mercury and 1,700 mg of omega-3s in a 4-ounce serving. As for supplements: There's no definitive recommendation for daily intake of omega-3s for pregnant women or anyone else, but eating 12 ounces of fish a week could deliver 4-6.5 grams; that's an average of up to 900 mg a day. So, talk with your doctor about all your nutritional needs during pregnancy to make sure you're getting enough omega-3s, plus folic acid and other nutrients essential for a healthy pregnancy. And congratulations! Want to leave your comments? Sign in or Register to comment.
It's always been hard to quantify the sheer joy that you might get eating a bowl of piping-hot soup. Soup heals us, fills us, and is, above all, easy to make. The reason we love soup, as NPR's Salt blog tells it, is because it has been part of our history for much longer than we thought. Looks like the numbers were off by about 15,000 years: Advertisement - Continue Reading Below So they were definitely brewing something. And while, yes, it could have been alcohol, the notion that soup was being made is comforting considering there was an Ice Age still happening around that time (as opposed to soup's formerly accepted 5,000-to-9,000-year age estimates). But there's also evidence that shows our ancestors might have been eating soup even before then: In other words, it's not out of the question to consider that Carl Weathers or the Soup Nazi had Neanderthal precursors: [Via The Salt] What Do You Think?
Internal Controls of an Accounting System As discussed previously, the accounting system provides businesses with a uniform way in which to use their data and financial information. The three key divisions within the accounting system, of analysis, design, and implementation must be complemented with a system of control. This internal control is a system within a system, but plays a key role in the success of the accounting system. The internal controls protect our businesses from abuse and fraud; they ensure that the information we're receiving is accurate and timely, and that all regulatory requirements are being met. So how are internal controls set, and how does the control system function? Let's take a closer look. There are five key elements of internal control: environmental control, risk assessment, control procedures, monitoring and information and communication. Each area contributes an essential part of the control system as a whole, and without all of the key elements present, the controls and control system doesn't work. The environmental control refers to management and employee attitude and behavior. The goals and objectives of management will affect employee behavior and attitude throughout a business and if the goal and objective of the management is to achieve certain sales levels at all costs, this discourages employees to adhere to the internal controls in place and encourages achievement of what management wants, never mind the consequence. The human resources department of a business will provide much of the input for effective environmental control. Risk assessment incorporates a businesses ability to analyze business risks, estimate their importance and react or act accordingly. Risk assessment is generally a managerial function, but can be included in a day to day analysis by employees, if the work environment includes risks and dangers. The first two internal controls elements do not seem to have very much to do with an accounting system, but if you will stop and really think, each of these areas can have a tremendous affect upon the profitability and successful operation of a business. Therefore, they are an essential part of the accounting systems internal controls. The next element, the control procedures simply provides the stated methods for carrying out the environmental controls, the risk assessment, the monitoring, and the information communication that must take place in the internal control process. In order to decrease the potential for fraud, inadequately trained personnel, and eliminate process error, control procedures benefit the company, the management, and the employee of a business. Control procedures greatly affect the information and communication aspect of the business, in that so much of the communication of the state of the business is dependent upon the information furnished by each department. The checks and balances that the control procedures provide assures a business that each department will provide timely and honest as well as accurate and useful information. The monitoring of internal controls for effectiveness and necessity is the feedback element of the process. Without adequate monitoring of implemented procedures, how does a business determine the systems effectiveness? They can't.
SPECIAL OFFER: - Limited Time Only! (The ad below will not display on your printed page) Mold: The Hidden Allergy Problem child sitting outside on ball Ericka McConnell Mold is a fungus that comes in thousands of varieties and grows both outside and inside. In order to thrive. mold needs two things: water and warmth -- and you certainly don't have to endure a hurricane to find it multiplying in your home. "Mold spores are everywhere. They're just waiting to be watered to start growing," says Paul J. Pearce, PhD, assistant professor of pathology and microbiology at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. Mold can be present indoors during the entire year. And in most of the country, this is the time when outdoor molds start to grow as well. They flourish in damp, shady areas such as piles of leaves, hay, grass, and soil, and they last through late fall. In warmer climates, they can be a year-round problem. Up to one-third of children are allergic to mold (only pollen allergy is more common). Inhaling spores -- the invisible airborne seeds of mold -- can cause sneezing, a runny nose, itchy eyes, wheezing, and coughing. If one parent has allergies, a child has a 30 to 40 percent chance of inheriting the tendency to develop them; if both parents are allergic, the odds are more than 50 percent. Unfortunately, doctors are finding that mold allergy is more than just hereditary. A study at the University of Cincinnati revealed that babies exposed to high levels of certain types of household molds have an increased chance of developing multiple allergies later in life. Other research has found that children who live in a home with visible mold and a history of water damage have as much as double the rate of asthma -- even if their parents don't suffer from the disease. Asthma and mold are a particularly risky combination. Most kids with asthma are allergic to mold, and they tend to react more severely to molds than they do to other triggers. "Outdoor mold begins growing in the spring and gets worse as the year progresses," says Linda B. Ford, MD, an allergist at The Asthma & Allergy Center in Omaha. "If your child has asthma, it's important to try to avoid places that are most likely to have mold." Areas that are especially mold-prone typically include home vegetable gardens, freshly mowed grass, barns, farms, and buildings closed during the winter. Over the past two years, after thousands of homes were flooded in the Midwest, doctors warned residents about the danger of indoor mold growth. "When your building has been flooded, it's very difficult to dry it out quickly and completely," explains H. James Wedner, MD, chief of allergy and immunology at Washington University School of Medicine, in St. Louis. The number-one rule is to remove all wet building materials, carpet, and even wood because they can't be salvaged if they've been saturated for longer than two days. "Sheetrock soaks up water far above the flood line; mold can be hidden under wallpaper, carpet, and floorboards, as well as in ceiling tiles, furniture, and clothing," says Dr. Wedner. Contamination can start with just a trickle of water -- even a small leak in your roof or pipes can lead to a major mold problem that can make your family sick. Although mold can grow behind your walls or in your basement where you can't see it, you may see dark patches on surfaces or notice a musty smell. Jennifer Minus learned how insidious mold can be when her family moved into military housing on the East Coast. Her son, Joseph, then 6, started sniffling soon after the move, and eventually he couldn't breathe out of his nose at all -- even with his allergy medication. "He had trouble sleeping, he'd get winded easily, and he was generally miserable," recalls Minus. She found mold growing on a wooden window frame, so she cleaned it with a bleach solution, but then she heard that neighbors had recently moved out of their house because of mold. She had her home's air quality checked, and the test revealed massive amounts of mold. "It was growing inside the window frames and through the wall," says Minus. The army moved the family to new housing, and Joseph's symptoms improved quickly, even though it was prime allergy season. Unfortunately, though, most families aren't able to escape from their moldy home this easily. You may brush off your child's sniffles at this time of year as a bit of hay fever, but pay attention to whether he reacts in specific locations, like the basement or outside after you've mowed, and also if his symptoms persist beyond spring pollen season (generally March to June). If your pediatrician thinks that mold may be the culprit, she'll probably refer you to an allergist for testing. The allergist will lightly prick your child's skin with a needle containing common allergens and watch for a hive-like reaction. "The skin test is the gold standard for identifying allergies and finding the treatment that is the most effective," according to Stuart Abramson, MD, PhD, a pediatric allergist and immunologist at Texas Children's Hospital in Houston. When your child is mildly allergic, avoiding exposure may be the only treatment she needs. Check your local newspaper or the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology's National Allergy Bureau (aaaai.org/nab) for outdoor mold-spore levels in your area, and try to stay indoors when levels are high. If your child's allergy is severe, a combination of an over-the-counter antihistamine, like Claritin or Zyrtec, and a prescription inhaled nasal steroid, such as Flonase or Nasonex, should help. Immunotherapy shots against mold are available, but experts say they aren't always effective. During our own cleanup after the hurricane, we sealed our daughters' bedroom door to keep the mold spores contained, and then we tore out the wet Sheetrock and carpet. Within days, Emily's wheezing subsided, and I'd learned a valuable lesson: If you can't prevent mold, get rid of it as fast as possible. Although older houses may be more prone to leaks, new ones are also vulnerable to mold because energy-efficient windows and doors can keep moisture trapped inside. Follow these tips to reduce your risk. • Repair any leaks quickly. If you notice a moldy odor in a room, look for hidden leaks. • Use exhaust fans, which vent outside of the home, in the bathroom and kitchen. • In bathrooms, use washable throw rugs instead of carpet. • Keep indoor humidity levels at 40 to 60 percent (check them with a small digital humidity monitor). Set up a dehumidifier if necessary, especially in a damp basement. • Use an air conditioner with a HEPA filter to remove spores in the air, and change the filter regularly. If you don't have AC, close windows when it's humid. If you find mold in your home, don't panic. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), you usually don't need an air-quality test. The tests are expensive, there are no federal standards for safe mold levels, and knowing the type of mold won't change how you handle it. The most important thing is to take these steps to remove the mold -- and correct the water problem that caused it. • Wash clothing, stuffed animals, and other washable cloth items in hot, soapy water. Dry clean or throw out cloth items that can't be washed. • Wipe hard-surfaced objects like countertops and toys with a solution of one cup of bleach to one gallon of water and let them dry thoroughly. • For large areas of mold contamination, consult a professional trained in mold remediation (visit iicrc.org to find one near you). Ask your doctor if your family should leave while the mold is being removed. You may have heard news reports about "toxic" molds like Stachybotrys chartarum, which has been blamed for everything from runny noses to potentially fatal pulmonary hemorrhage during the past decade. A few molds do produce chemical toxins called mycotoxins, but you'd need to swallow them to get sick. "In order for inhaled mold to pose a serious health risk from mycotoxins, you would have to be in a very, very heavily contaminated building," says Dr. Stuart Abramson. But the CDC is still urging caution. According to its comprehensive study, any type of mold can cause symptoms if you're exposed to large quantities of it for long periods of time, even if it's not considered to be "toxic." Children and adults who suffer from mold allergies or lung diseases are the most vulnerable. Originally published in the April 2009 issue of Parents magazine.
Geography 200 Find tag "migration" 94 views \| +0 today Your new post is loading... Your new post is loading... Rescooped by Elizabeth Bitgood from Geography Education! Stalin’s Ethnic Deportations—and the Gerrymandered Ethnic Map Stalin’s Ethnic Deportations—and the Gerrymandered Ethnic Map \| Geography 200 \| "An earlier GeoCurrents post on Chechnya mentioned that the Chechens were deported from their homeland in the North Caucasus to Central Asia in February 1944. However, the Chechen nation was not the only one to suffer such a fate under Stalin’s regime." Via Seth Dixon Elizabeth Bitgood's insight: This article describes the practice of Lenin and Stalin of Russifacation. This policy led to many ethnic minorities with in the Soviet Union being deported from their home soil to the interior of Russia. The aim was to place ethnic Russian in boarder areas and to bring the ‘undesirable’ ethnicity into the interior to become Russian or sent to the gulags to die. The effects of this mass relocation of ethnicity is still being felt today. The rising conflict in Ukraine is a direct result from these policies as the country is split between ethnic Ukraine and the decedents of the ethnic Russians move there to secure the ports to the Black Sea. Ryan Amado's curator insight, December 11, 2013 3:43 AM Stalin probably did not have the outlook of his country's geography in mind when he deported all of these people. It goes to show that ruthless dictatorships are never the way to go, as impulsive decisions and tyranny can have consequences for the long term. Nathan Chasse's curator insight, March 1, 2014 1:09 AM This article details the ethnic deportation of peoples during the Soviet era. Many peoples were relocated under the guise of creating an ethnically unified Soviet Union but the truth was while some of the deportations were to simply move workers places of planned industry, many were to exile those deemed enemies of the state. The article estimates over 40% of those relocated died of diseases, malnutrition, or mistreatment. These forced migrations changed the demographics of Eastern Europe and Asia while causing major conflicts between various ethnic groups and Russia. Alec Castagno's curator insight, December 12, 2014 1:43 PM The Soviet Union forced vast amounts of people and ethnic groups out of their historical homelands to settle new areas during the early and mid 20th century. Many of those forced into resettlement died, and today some consider it a genocide or crime against humanity. As ethnic groups were moved out, ethnic Russians were moved in to take their places, and explains why many places outside of Russia (Ukraine) have populations that still maintain strong Russian identities. It also explains why places like Chechnya have such a long history of insurgency and extremism against Russian authority and power. Rescooped by Elizabeth Bitgood from Geography Education! Canada: As immigration booms, ethnic enclaves swell and segregate Canada: As immigration booms, ethnic enclaves swell and segregate \| Geography 200 \| Via Seth Dixon Elizabeth Bitgood's insight: This article was interesting because it showed how modern immigration patterns are not that dissimilar from historic patterns. People come to a new country and they settle in an area that has relatives or familiar people already living there. The formation of ethnic enclaves is the example. People are choosing to self-segregate when they immigrate to a new homeland because it is the familiar with in the strange. Perhaps once the new immigrants have acclimated to Canadian society they may move out of the enclave areas but they also may stay. It is an interesting example of how people cluster together with similar people when they move to a new country. Meagan Harpin's curator insight, September 12, 2013 9:15 PM It is amazing that over 600 people come into Canada a day and settle into areas that used to be quite little farming land. These areas are now home to North Americas second largest Asian communities. Canada now has 260 ethnic enclave neighborhoods and they are an important part of Canadas landscape. They are mostly moving into the suburbs where land is cheaper and in my opinion I think they are moving there for job and because they concider it safer. They are also closing down the business of the families that have been their forever and cant compete like the greek families. Nathan Chasse's curator insight, January 24, 2014 1:15 PM This article contains details about the Canadian immigrant population boom, mostly from east Asia, which began in the 90's. Unsurprisingly, many of these immigrants settle into communities with others whom share their culture. These Canadian ethnic enclaves differ from those in the US because most immigrants are choosing suburban areas (where the cost of living is lower) rather than being relegated to an urban "ethnictown." However, these enclaves are not entirely a product of economic equality as the average earnings for a recent immigrant are only 61% of a Canadian-born worker, limiting their ability to move elsewhere. Conversely, the immigrant communities which become economically successful are seeing many of their sons and daughters move away to the city or other suburbs as they are more fully integrated into the Canadian culture and if there is no influx of new immigrants into these enclaves they begin to die out. This seems to indicate that long-standing ethnic enclaves are at least partially the product of economic inequality than a desire to preserve culture. Gubert's curator insight, February 11, 5:17 AM XIPHIAS Immigration is one among the Top Five Immigration Consultants in India according to The siliconindia as Top Five Most Promising Immigration Consultants. www.xiphiasimmigration,com Rescooped by Elizabeth Bitgood from Geography Education! Belize: A Spanish Accent in an English-Speaking Country Belize: A Spanish Accent in an English-Speaking Country \| Geography 200 \| Via Seth Dixon Elizabeth Bitgood's insight: This article was interesting as it shows that the problems faced in the United States due to immigration are not unique. The friction between old and new immigration seems to be universal. How different counties handle and adapt to the changing demographics of their people is challenging and shows the character of the population. I was unaware of the makeup of Belize’s population or that they were an English speaking country. This article told me a lot about the people of this country. Rachel Phillips's curator insight, February 12, 6:05 PM As an American, I've never really thought about immigration to places other than the U.S., but this really opened my eyes. It's a bad situation. These people need their jobs, and need the money, but the immigrants are scooping all of that up. Immigration is such a large occurrence that the language spoken in Belize is actually changing. It's gone so far that politicians are pitching in to help immigrants just to help themselves. In a way, it's absurd, and shocking, at least to me, that the government is just welcoming this while the citizens seem to be so against it. Kendra King's curator insight, April 14, 11:40 PM Belize is becoming more Spanish speaking due to their influx of migrant immigrants. According to the article, “Belize now has more native speakers of Spanish than of English.” As such, knowing how to speak two languages is a huge benefit to those working in the service sector. Given that this sector is one that both migrants and natives partake in, it makes sense. Thus, making Spanish classes mandatory for the native non-migrants is actually a smart economic move that ensures the students will come out with practical skills. It may seem odd that English is still the primary language taught in school given the importance of Spanish, but it isn't. My guess is that most of the migrant Spanish speaking workers are not in school . The article mentioned most of the migrants are moving into rural areas where they work in the the fruit fields. Such jobs do not requite a lot of education. So without the Spanish speaking population present in the school system, there isn't much of a reason to change the primary language of the school. Therefore, adding Spanish as a class is the best move given the populations needs. Conversely, the ethnic relations in the country is something I do not full grasp. The author's insured the relationship between members of different ethnic groups are “generally good.” However, I would have liked more concrete proof of this assurance. To me the evidence the author provided could just end up causing more tensions. For the author assured the groups were getting along because politicians weren't divided on ethnic lines and as such were giving free land to new migrants. The land wasn't going to the other members of the population because it is not in their character to ask. While it might not be in there character to ask for help, they could resent others actually taking the help. Especially if this gives an economic advantage. Now I could be wrong, but in countries where the minority challenge the majority things get unpleasant as discussed in class when looking at Europe and the Untied States. Given the developmental differences of these regions, the comparison may be inaccurate. However, until I hear more about how the groups actually feel towards each other, I am going to remain critical of the author's statement that all is good. Rachel Phillips's curator insight, April 16, 4:26 PM I find it really interesting that so many immigrants are so welcomed by politicians, who actually pay immigration fees just to gain votes. It's also intriguing that politicians "give away" land, and that so many people are moving away from cities, while the rest of Central America is moving into the cities. this is kind of an odd tactic, atleast from the view point of an America, because if an American politician did these things for immigrants, most Americans wold absolutely refuse to vote for them. However the issue of immigration and locals being "too proud" to get governmental help, whereas immigrants will "stand in line", seems to fall right into place with how many view immigration in America, so it's relatable. Rescooped by Elizabeth Bitgood from Geography Education! After Alabama Immigration Law, Few Americans Taking Immigrants' Work After Alabama Immigration Law, Few Americans Taking Immigrants' Work \| Geography 200 \| ONEONTA, Ala. -- Potato farmer Keith Smith saw most of his immigrant workers leave after Alabama's tough immigration law took effect, so he hired Americans. Geography is all about the interconnected of themes and places. This issue in Alabama is displaying these interconnections quite vividly. Economics, immigration, culture, politics and agriculture are intensely intertwined in this issue. Via Seth Dixon Elizabeth Bitgood's insight: This is another article that highlights the skill deficit in this country. People seem to be afraid of doing hard work and would rather do nothing then work hard to learn this skill. If it were a choice between no job and this type of job people would take the jobs but the third choice of unemployment payments makes people who might do these jobs decide not to. As long as they are paid more to not work then work, they will not do the jobs that need workers. The farmer made a good point that a skilled picker can make $200-$300 a day but an unskilled worker doing the job makes only $24 a day. The work ethic of this country needs to be changed, young people today do not want to work hard or put in the effort. When farmers can no longer get workers how long will it be before there is a food problem as well as a worker problem in this country. It is possible to make a good living doing these types of jobs but not as long as people feel the work is beneath them or they are unwilling to do the hard manual labor required to do the job well. Louis Mazza's curator insight, January 28, 12:26 PM i see this as a very good law. America is on the verge of recovering from an economic recession and the United States can benefit from every job given to a natural born american citizen. i do see the problems that a farmer can have such as receiving a decline in profits if they must pay more for the product. in the article the farmers also say that Americans just do not work like seasoned Hispanics and production is way down. another looming problem that the Americans have is that they are slow, and want to call it a day after lunch, and expect to get paid more. Kendra King's curator insight, February 2, 5:36 PM As the title implies, this is about how Americans are not cut out for doing intensive farming jobs because the workers just quit quickly. A few politicians mentioned in the story, Governor Robert Bentley and Senator Scott Beason, said they received thank you messages from constituents who found work. This was supposed to be evidence of Americans benefitting from jobs that immigrants took, but I would love to know how many of those people actually stayed with the job. Furthermore, I find it a bit too suspicious that none of the people wanted to speak with the press as the author mentioned or that the names just weren’t given. I am more inclined to believe the owners of the famers mentioned in the article, who said they can’t keep Americans on their site happy due to lack of pay and benefits. Mind you now it wasn’t just one owner who said this either. I think this is telling as well because the owners are the individuals who best know the industry as they work it every day. From the farmers perspective the new law is now a huge problem that could also affected consumers. They lost steady “Hispanics with experience,” who they knew could handle the work. For some farmers, according to the article, has made it so the produce is left on the vine rotting because it isn’t picked. So in essence, what the Arizona law just did was harm agriculture and the buyers too because if enough of that food perishes the price will go up. Now I can understand a state being aggravated over illegal immigration (it is a serious problem that is nowhere close to being solved), but to pass a law with these kinds of economic ramifications isn’t really helping the situation much either. As much as people hate to admit it, our economy needs immigrants from Mexico for our agriculture sector to work. It is just a little known fact. The new law isn’t the only law at issue in this article. Connie Horner of Georgia tried to legally hire workers through the government’s visa program. She soon found it is too costly for her to do and too time consuming, so instead Ms. Horner is turning to machines. The fact that visas are that hard to attain for workers is also part of the reason the immigrants come illegally. Rather than spending more money to watch the boarder how about the government figure out a way for the bureaucracy of the immigration process to move quicker. This isn’t an issue of 2011 either when the article was written. Listening to the news, I have heard farmers complain about the visa program for years. No wonder immigrants come over illegally and then citizens get angry at these people. Really, American’s should be more annoyed with their government’s ineffective stance on boarder control. Rescooped by Elizabeth Bitgood from Geography Education! Rising Anti-Immigration Sentiment in the EU Stratfor Europe Analyst Adriano Bosoni discusses the political implications of the increasing number of migrants from the European Union's periphery to its c... Via Seth Dixon Elizabeth Bitgood's insight: This video describes the increase in immigration into EU countries from other EU countries. The EU agreements on free movement are being challenged in countries that feel rightly or wrongly that the immigrants coming in are a drain on their economies during this difficult economic time. It is interesting to see how Europe deals with this immigration issue compared to how America deals with its immigration issues. James Hobson's curator insight, October 10, 2014 4:47 PM (Europe post 8) Europe's immigration 'crisis' seems to echo many of the causes and effects currently being felt in the U.S.'s own situation. As jobs become scarcer, anti-immigrant sentiments start to gain ground. The introduction of new cultures can create a sense of cultural insecurity. Controversial laws are put into effect to try to gain some control on the situation. Though it does seem like an invasion to those already living there, keep in mind that the immigrants aren't trying to cause such things; rather, they are looking to regain lost ground for themselves. I know there is a wide divide on political views, but in the very least individuals and governments alike should keep an open mind (even if not an open door) to what outsiders are experiencing / what their driving force is. Samuel D'Amore's curator insight, December 14, 2014 7:54 PM While many talk about tensions regarding immigration they think of the American public's take an immigration while in actuality Europe is having the same problems and if anything tensions are higher than in the States. In Europe the Influx of immigrants primarily from Turkey and the Middle East have brought about a rise in both racial and religious tensions. In America we're somewhat used to cultural melding while in Europe many are used to cultural homogeneity and these foreigners are bringing with them the fear of cultural dilution and the loss of jobs. Kristin Mandsager San Bento's curator insight, April 6, 10:13 PM People are reacting to the economics. This is what happens when there is a down turn in the economy and it takes from the pockets of the working class. The working class doesn't want to support outsiders. If the people who are indigenous to the area don't feel taken care of, why would they feel ok with the government taking care of immigrants before them? Rescooped by Elizabeth Bitgood from Geography Education! Rapes Cases Show Clash Between Old and New India Rapes Cases Show Clash Between Old and New India \| Geography 200 \| Via Seth Dixon Elizabeth Bitgood's insight: The rapid modernization of India along with the rural attitudes and male centric society makes it difficult for women who are raped to get justice. Mostly because to come forward as a rape victim will take their honor away. If they have to admit it happened then their lives will be ruined. Even when their family stands behind them, the women are in fear and one almost killed herself because she felt pressured to testify. The men who rape these women are from the small villages around the area and feel free to do as they please because they do not fear that their victims will report the abuse. Things will not change until attitudes towards women and rape change in this area. Jessica Rieman's curator insight, April 23, 2014 1:37 PM Jess Deady's curator insight, May 4, 2014 9:06 PM Kendra King's curator insight, March 28, 8:37 PM Rescooped by Elizabeth Bitgood from Geography Education! Migrants’ New Paths Reshaping Latin America Migrants’ New Paths Reshaping Latin America \| Geography 200 \| In Mexico and Latin America, old migratory patterns are changing as migrants move to a wider range of cities and countries, creating regional challenges and opportunities. Diffusion and patterns of migration are by their nature, going to be fluctuating. Whether and why people stay or go, has profound impacts on the human geographic landscape of a variety of regions. With less Latin American migrants coming to the United States and the Maquiladora zone of Northern Mexico, this has allowed southern Mexico and other countries to reap the benefits of maintaining portions of their most educated and entrepreneurial population. Via Mr. David Burton, Seth Dixon Elizabeth Bitgood's insight: This article points out how when the pattern of immigration shifts it creates new challenges for the country of immigration, even if it is internal migration as opposed to external migration. The path and flow of people moving from place to place can change the shape and nature of a country. WalkerKyleForrest's curator insight, September 16, 2013 10:10 AM My insight on this would be how that Latin American countries have more educated people than other countries, then they spread to surrounding counties, providing many challenges and opportunities. Some opportunities would be that speading education would bring jobs. And the challenges would be the issue of mixing diversities, which could cause stds and gene mutations.- walker Gareth Jukes's curator insight, March 24, 12:52 PM Consequences of migration: socioeconomic, cultural, environmental, and political; immigration policies; remittances- This article speaks of how migratory patterns are changing for illegal immigrants, and how it is causing problems. It states that as more countries and cities are exploited, their needs to be more jobs created. Sometimes, even new immigration policies are needed. This article portrays the idea of consequences of Migration because it speaks of what those nations must do in order to thrive and survive the wave of illegal immigrants.
We have begun a series of notes on the basics of Corporate Law. This post deals with Securitization by Umang Singh. Securitization process generally refers to pooling of homogenous financial assets which have regular cash flows attached to it and then repackaging it into securities which can be sold as a commodity to the investors. Important terminologies related with securitization: • Originator- It is entity which gives loans to the borrowers e.g. banks or has receivables due/accruing to it. Thus, it is the entity which purports to securitize its loan/receivables. • Investors- involve persons/company who actually invest or buy the securitized loan/commodity offered. • Issuer/SPV- Generally, the originator transfers the assets to SPV who holds it for investors and issues its own security to the investors. The importance of SPV is that it can be difficult for banks to individually allocate assets to investors and also as the securitization process generally involves trenching of securities it helps in better management of the transaction. The SPV is a distinct independent legal entity from its creator (originator) and can have many functions apart from holding intermediary to investing/restructuring the cash flows as per the requirements of individual securitization transaction • Obligor- The debtor who is responsible for receivables /loan to the originator. E.g. in a loan transaction which is later securitized the bank who gives the loan and who purports to securitize it is the originator and the person who is responsible for the payment of loan is obligor. T • Credit Rating Agency – The agency responsible for assessing the risk factor related with the securitized product. Eg. S&P, Moodys etc. • Investment Bank – Body responsible for documentation etc. • Credit Enhancement – As the securitization transaction depends upon the regular flow of receivables, it is important that the banks take proper measures to in case to curb default or late payment. Thus, the banks either create an escrow account to meet late payment or get the transaction insured or underwrite by insurance/underwriting agency. How securitization transactions takes place? One of the easiest examples to describe a securitization transaction is the case of automobiles loans. Suppose a bank has given several auto loans to debtors. The bank has a minimum receivables secured for the term of the loan which will accrue to it monthly or whatever, the case may be. But the money/instalments of the loan paid by the debtors to the bank will only accrue on monthly basis (presuming you need to pay monthly instalments on the loan). The bank does not have all the money which it loaned at that specific point of time. But it does have right over those loans and will recover it with time. So, what should bank do if it needs instant cash? The bank adopts the method of securitization to sell its loan to the investors and raise money. But how the bank does that and why would anyone buy it? The bank knows that it cannot sell the assets/loans directly to the investors as it is not practical. Therefore, the banks create a Special Purpose vehicle which is an independent legal entity and which holds the assets on behalf of the investors. One should keep it in mind, that the transfer of all the assets from the bank to the special purpose vehicle is a true sale which means the bank has no further interest in such assets as it is completely transferred to the SPV. The SPV issues securities over those assets which the investors buy. So, eventually the right over the instalments/ receivables which was originally with the bank is issued to the investors. But it seems to be a very risky transaction why should anyone buy someone’s loan. What if the debtors default? So in such cases what the bank does it enhances the credibility of such securitized product by maintaining a separate escrow account to meet any late payment by investors. It also asks the credit agencies to rate such product thereby, eliminating the factor of risk if the product gets high AAA rating etc. The SPV further classifies the security into three categories for convenience lets name them Category A, B&C. Now, “Category A” securities are highly rated and offer the safest returns but interest rates on such transactions are low. “Category B” is the medium rated product and carries a fair interest rate and “Category C” is the most risky product but to attract investors it carries the best interest rates. Now if there is any default category C investors are firstly exposed to it followed by Category B & A. This is how a general securitization transaction takes place, there are different kinds of securitization for example Asset-backed securitization, Mortgage based securitization etc. Securitization transactions were vehemently criticized for triggering the financial breakdown in USA in 2008. In India the securitization transactions are governed by SARFAESI ACT, 2002 and by circulars of RBI from time to time the latest issued on 7th May, 2012.
Kiwamu Okabe / Flickr Far from making interstate cyberwarfare more common, the ease of launching an attack actually keeps the tactic in check. The Fog of Cyberwar Why the Threat Doesn’t Live Up to the Hype The Stuxnet and Flame attacks, however, are not the danger signs that some have made them out to be. First of all, the viruses needed to be physically injected into Iranian networks, likely by U.S. or Israeli operatives, suggesting that the tactic still requires traditional intelligence and military operation methods. Second, Stuxnet derailed Iran’s nuclear program for only a short period, if at all. And Flame did nothing to slow Iran’s nuclear progression directly, because it seems to have been only a data-collection operation. Some cyberattacks over the past decade have briefly affected state strategic plans, but none has resulted in death or lasting damage. For example, the 2007 cyberattacks on Estonia by Russia shut down networks and government websites and disrupted commerce for a few days, but things swiftly went back to normal. The majority of cyberattacks worldwide have been minor: easily corrected annoyances such as website defacements or basic data theft -- basically the least a state can do when challenged diplomatically. Our research shows that although warnings about cyberwarfare have become more severe, the actual magnitude and pace of attacks do not match popular perception. Only 20 of 124 active rivals -- defined as the most conflict-prone pairs of states in the system -- engaged in cyberconflict between 2001 and 2011. And there were only 95 total cyberattacks among these 20 rivals. The number of observed attacks pales in comparison to other ongoing threats: a state is 600 times more likely to be the target of a terrorist attack than a cyberattack. We used a severity score ranging from five, which is minimal damage, to one, where death occurs as a direct result from cyberwarfare. Of all 95 cyberattacks in our analysis, the highest score -- that of Stuxnet and Flame -- was only a three. To be sure, states should defend themselves against cyberwarfare, but throwing vast amounts of money toward a low-level threat does not make sense. The Pentagon estimates it spent $2.6 to $3.2 billion on cybersecurity in fiscal year 2012. And it is likely that such spending will only increase. The U.S. Air Force alone anticipates spending $4.6 billion on cybersecurity in the next year. Even if the looming “fiscal cliff” guts the Defense Department’s budget, Panetta has made clear that cybersecurity will remain a top funding priority. At a New York conference on October 12, 2012, he described the United States as being in a “pre-9/11 moment” with regards to cyberwarfare and said that the “attackers are plotting,” in reference to the growing capabilities of Russia, China, and Iran. Of the 20 ongoing interstate rivals in our study, China and the United States cybertargeted each other the most. According to our study, Beijing attacked U.S. assets 18 times and Washington returned fire twice. Two notable attacks were the 2011 Pentagon raid, which stole sensitive files from the Defense Department, and the 2001 theft of Lockheed Martin’s F-35 fighter-jet schematics. These attacks get only a moderate severity score because they targeted specific, nonessential state documents and were not intended to affect the general public. Over the same time span, India and Pakistan targeted each other 11 times (India five times, Pakistan six), as did North and South Korea, with North Korea being the aggressor ten times and South Korea launching one return attack. These ranged from minor incidents, such as Pakistan defacing an Indian government website, to more serious ones, such as North Korea stealing sensitive state documents from South Korea. Israeli-Iranian tensions have risen in recent months, but despite all the talk, this conflict is not playing out in the cybersphere. There were only eight cyberattacks between these states from 2001 to 2011, four launched by Israel, four by Iran. Although Stuxnet and Flame were more severe, Iranian attempts to disrupt government websites have not been very sophisticated. And Israel’s near-insistence on an armed conventional attack proves that even the most sophisticated cyberattacks are not changing state behavior. Cyberattacks are rare, and when they do occur, states are cautious in their use of force. As with conventional and nuclear conflict, some of the principles of deterrence and mutually assured destruction apply. Any aggressor in cyberspace faces the acute threat of blowback: having techniques replicated and repeated against the initiator. Once developed, a cyberweapon can easily be copied and used by a tech-savvy operative with access to a critical system such as the Defense Department’s network, which foreign-government hackers have had success infiltrating. Far from making interstate cyberwarfare more common, the ease of launching an attack actually keeps the tactic in check. Most countries’ cyberdefenses are weak, and a state trying to exploit an adversary’s weakness may be similarly vulnerable, inviting easy retaliation. An unspoken but powerful international norm against civilian targets further limits the terms of cyberwarfare. The United States and other responsible powers should restrain their use of the tactic in order to avoid escalation. Attacks such as Flame and Stuxnet are dangerous because they break down the standard of mutually beneficial restraint. These attacks caused little damage in the end, but they still may have encouraged other states to bulk up their own capabilities. The main danger is that one state will overuse the tactic and push other states to do the same. There is also concern that some countries will overreact to the cyberthreat by clamping down on the freedoms that make the Internet an open and dynamic space. A paranoid government might be tempted to develop extreme defenses, such as a kill switch, that would allow it to shut down all incoming and outgoing cybertraffic. Such a drastic step would have a chilling effect on society, creating more problems than it would solve. This is yet another reason why international standards and communication are crucial. Cooperation on the cyberwar threat originated in an unlikely place: Estonia. A tiny country with a population of just over one million, it has become a global leader in promoting cyberspace rules and norms that keep states, democratic and autocratic alike, in line. Estonia was thrust into the spotlight after the 2007 cyberattack by and subsequent widespread international condemnation of Russia. Instead of lashing out against its attacker, the small state sought a world forum to discuss its case; since then, it has hosted the International Conference on Cyber Conflict four times. This conference is an outcropping of NATO and hosts countries such as the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Italy. The gatherings have successfully promoted the adoption of norms and modes of restrained behavior in cyberspace. Developments include the agreement that territorial sovereignty applies to a state’s cyberspace, and that cyberwarfare is covered by Article 51 of the UN Charter, which allows a state to take action in response to an attack. Along these same lines, cyberattacks are now being categorized on an intensity scale to help determine what a proper international response might be. To be sure, cyberterrorism is still a danger. This is a development that will be more difficult to deter. However, fear of a lone cyberterrorist -- like the recent Bond villain in Skyfall who is capable of bringing a government to its knees -- is unfounded. To be effective, cyberwarfare requires substantial infrastructure, money, and ground operatives. Because these resources are hard to come by, most cyberattacks launched by rogue individuals are trivial or personal. For example, in 2011 the hacker group Anonymous attacked and shut down the PlayStation network in response to a lawsuit against programmers who modified the software. The network was down for weeks, but aside from creating some disgruntled gamers, the attack left no real damage. In short, this seldom-used tactic will not change foreign policy calculations anytime soon. Cyberwarfare poses a threat only if it is grossly overused or mismanaged, or if it diverts resources toward a mythical fear and away from real threats. Browse Related Articles on {{}} {{ \| number}} Articles Found • {{bucket.key_as_string}}
Single-phase AC motor - winding distribution Historical artifacts (tools, furniture, toys, buildings, etc.) 1. Leave as-is - don't touch 0 vote(s) 2. Return to original state - don't touch 0 vote(s) 3. Return to original state and use 0 vote(s) 4. Update and use 1 vote(s) 5. Cannibalize or integrate 0 vote(s) 6. Recycle for raw material 0 vote(s) 7. Other (please explain) 0 vote(s) 1. Motor: Delco - 1/4 HP - 5.3A - 1735 RPM - single-phase AC; 32 slots - 4 poles - I have run into conflicting terminology, so I apologize for any confusion - Each of the four poles in this motor's stator core contains three coils with two empty slots at the center for a total of eight slots per pole. Is there a perfect distribution of windings between the three coils, or is it only a matter of widening the pole? I have read that distributing the coils in a belt like this creates a more sinusoidal pattern...but...I can't find any information on a proper distribution. Also, is there a way for me to SAFELY increase the power of the motor without sacrificing RPM? If you can at least point me toward a good explanation, I will be quite grateful. 2. jcsd 3. I am not an engineer so you may need to wait for someone more knowledgeable to give you a better answer. However, I did work for a company that manufactured motors very similar to the one you're asking about. I can tell you that the distribution of turns between the three coils on each pole will vary depending on the model. If your motor has an auxiliary winding then the outer large coil will usually always have a greater number of turns than the inner two. As I've said, I'm not an engineer but I would suspect that the reason for the three coils per pole is to maximize the amount of copper in the field core. The engineers seemed to love to cram as much copper in there as they could. It was a real challenge for guys like me to keep the machines from scraping the wire as it was inserted into the field core. I don't know of any way to safely increase the power. These motors are probably already engineered for maximum output. Trying to increase it would probably just saturate the field core and lead to increased heating which would cause the thermal overload to trip more often. 4. I was afraid I might not be able to increase the power...All I can think to do is remove the starter coils and add to the running coils, bringing the motor up to speed by hand or with another motor that I can disengage. But maybe that, too, would cause it to overheat..? It makes sense for the outer coils to have more turns because the coils in the other circuit don't pass through those slots - at least, not in this 4-pole, 32-slot motor. I do remember a greater number of turns in the outer coil, but my counts varied between coil belts (probably my fault). Tonight I'll measure the total length of each belt and try to recreate the distribution. I just wish I knew if there were more to those numbers than maximizing the amount of copper! I read something about minimizing harmonics in the emf, but I couldn't begin to understand any of it. Maybe I'll study that again tonight. 5. berkeman Staff: Mentor Why is there an unrelated poll attached to this thread? 6. I wondered about the poll also. I just assumed it was an error. You are correct about the turns on the inner two coils. Since the aux winding (starter coils) do not occupy the same slot as the main outer coil, it allows for a greater number of turns on the main outer coil. If you're using the motor for intermittent duty and the motor is rated for continuous duty then you may be able to get away with boosting the power a little. But I'm curious to know why you would go to so much trouble. I know it's not easy inserting all that wire by hand. Why not just get a larger motor? Maybe the same type motor with a larger stack height? 7. I apologize for the poll; I can't seem to get rid of it. Perhaps a moderator can do that? I'm rebuilding this motor because I found it in a pile of junk, started dissecting it, and my dad said 'Hey! That's mine! But don't bother - it's not worth it.' So...naturally, I'm trying very hard to resurrect this thing. That, and if it can be made to run it ought to - otherwise it's just another piece of junk, and we've got way too much of that around here. How would I figure out whether the motor were rated for intermittent or continuous duty? Continuous duty is what I'm after for the sake of efficiency. If I can get enough power I'll put it on a wood lathe. Last edited: Jul 14, 2009 Have something to add?
Single Namespace Lisp The SchemeLanguage deliberately provides only a single namespace for both function and non-function bindings (together with a single family of binding constructs). Proponents of this language argue that this provides for simpler and cleaner semantics. [From LispSchemeDifferences] Scheme (single namespace): (define (square x) (* x x)) (define (g f x) (+ (f x) (f x))) > (g square 5) 50 Common Lisp (two namespaces, so we use (function square) to get the function-value of square, and (funcall f ...) to use this value, rather just saying (f ...)): (defun square (x) (* x x)) (defun g (f x) (+ (funcall f x) (funcall f x))) > (g (function square) 5) 50 Note that (function square) is usually written as the abbreviation #'square (SharpQuote is a ReadMacro which expands at read-time to the longer version). Canonical arguments in favor of a single namespace [quotes are from]: ..and against a single namespace: Fallacious non-arguments [quotes are anecdotal]: -- KartikAgaram? ChristianQueinnec's book LispInSmallPieces contains a chapter discussing the relative merits of single and multiple namespaces for LispLanguages. A single namespace looks more attractive to people who favor FunctionalProgramming over other programming paradigms. Separating the function namespace seems to be preferred by people who are more open to freely mix programming paradigms. Also here is something to consider: in Lisp you actually have two choices, instead of SharpQuote you can use an ordinary quote on the symbol: (g 'f 5) This is different, because it passes the symbol f rather than pulling out its function-binding and passing the function object. The semantics difference becomes obvious when you dynamically replace functions. If you replace the implementation of function F in a running Lisp image, any retained results of previous evaluations of #'F do not change; they continue to be the old function objects. FUNCALL on these objects gets the old implementation of the function. But FUNCALL on the symbol always calls the latest implementation; the function object is extracted each time. Example time: (defvar stored-function-a 'foo) (defvar stored-function-b #'foo) ;; ... (funcall stored-function-a 5) ;; always calls latest foo (funcall stored-function-b 5) ;; always calls original foo Unlike Scheme, Lisp defines how a program can be made up of separate modules, and how functions can be dynamically replaced, so these subtleties are important. In Scheme, how do you express the difference between the above two funcalls? If you want (stored-function 5) to always call the latest foo, then if you redefine foo, you also have to take care to redefine stored-function. But stored-function can just be a lexical variable in some closure somewhere; and there could be lots of such variables; you can't hunt down all of them and update them! So how do you indirect upon a function in Scheme such that your indirections update themselves when you redefine the function? Ah, but grasshopper, redefining program at run time pure functional not be! That for practical programmer, who write server application from zero to deployment and have beta users without ever stop and restart! The answer is: the run-time tracks dependencies and recompiles whatever is dependent on these changes. I think ChezScheme? and MITScheme are the only Schemes likely to do this. This is the same strategy taken by the SmalltalkLanguage/SelfLanguage implementations. But in Lisp there is no requirement that anything in the image be recompile-able. You can deliver fully compiled software to the customer without a shred of source code anywhere in it; yet pieces of it can be redefined. I can give you a compiled piece of Lisp code which retains functions that you specify to it. And you have the freedom to specify them in such a way that their definition can change. How? By giving me a symbol instead of a function object. Because I use the FUNCALL operator (or its cousins), I don't care which one you give me. But how does recompiling fix up the references to the old functions so they refer to the new ones? Say I have some function created by (define x ...) then later I copy x to y. Then I redefine x, so that variable now refers to a new function object. But y points to the old object. How will y notice the change? In CommonLisp, the answer is simple: if you want this kind of updating, then manipulate the function as a symbol, rather than as a direct reference to the closure. You store the symbol x in variable y, rather than #'x. The dreaded (funcall y) operator works nicely with either a symbol parameter or a function object, as do the other applicators like apply, mapcar and so on. To retain this ability in a Lisp1, you would have to introduce the funcall operator for calling through symbols, or otherwise support symbols in the CAR of a list, e.g. (let ((x 'y)) (x 1 2 3)) to call (y 1 2 3) and similarly ('y 1 2 3) as a synonym for (y 1 2 3). This leads to dereferencing chains. What if x stores the symbol y, symbol y is not bound to a function but has a value binding to symbol z, which has a value binding to a function? Should (x 1 2 3) become (y 1 2 3) become (z 1 2 3) become (<function> 1 2 3) which then does the call? Or do you allow just one level of dereferencing so that the CAR expression must evaluate to a function, or to a symbol which has a binding to a function? How do Lisp-1 dialects support symbolic function indirection? This has nothing to do with compilation dependencies, which don't normally even exist in Lisp. The exception is that when you change a macro, or other read- or compile-time construct, code which depends on it has to be recompiled. Even that can be avoided if you do proper versioning so that the existing expansions of that construct continue to be supported side by side with the new expansions. In any case we are not talking about macros. There is no difference between Scheme and Lisp in this respect. In both languages, one can transparently redefine functions. The simplest implementation strategy is to compile an indirect jump/call rather than a direct one. How do you tell the implementation which one to use? Through reference x, I want this function always. Through reference y, I want the latest. Where in the Scheme report is this covered? For that matter, where in the Scheme report is it stated that you can transparently redefine functions, and that all existing calls, even indirect ones, are magically updated? In Lisp you request an indirect call by funcalling through a symbol. You request a direct call by funcalling on a reference to a function object. The effects of redefining a function are well-specified, as is the consequent behavior with respect to these two different ways of accessing the function. In Scheme, something like (cons x y) invokes whatever procedure happens to be the value of the variable "cons" at the moment of invocation. Redefining "cons" therefore updates all call sites, but of course it is possible to capture the original value of "cons" in another variable prior to the redefinition. This behaviour is mandated by the formal semantics in Chapter 7 of R5RS. Suppose I want to write a graphical interface toolkit in which users can define a BUTTON object. A button can have a callback, which is specified through the constructor, say (MAKE-BUTTON :CALLBACK 'MY-FUNCTION). Moreover, I want to give you a compiled version of this GUI toolkit, containing no source code whatsoever. How do I do this such that you can instantiate a button on the screen, and without destroying and re-creating it, you can redefine the callback function such that clicking on the button calls the new one? In Common Lisp this is achieved easily; I write my toolkit without caring whether you pass me a function object or a function symbol. I just use FUNCALL (or any of its cousins) everywhere, and they work properly with either one. So I delegate the choice to you; you can use :CALLBACK #'MY-FUNCTION to give me the object, or :CALLBACK 'MY-FUNCTION to give me a symbol to achieve the level of indirection for dynamic redefining. ItJustWorks because I wrote the code in the most obvious way, guided by the design of the language, not because I had put in any extra effort. My toolkit code doesn't have to be recompiled. Moreover, it cannot be, because the source code is not even available; I distribute it in compiled form. So you see there is a disadvantage to being able to use the "obvious" notation, and its associated semantics (MAKE-BUTTON :CALLBACK MY-FUNCTION). MY-FUNCTION is evaluated down to an object; that object is recorded in the button, and will not change for the lifetime of that button, unless an explicit assignment is performed like (SETF (GET-CALLBACK BUTTON) NEW). If a whole lot of buttons share the callback, you have to hunt them down and repeat for each one. I can do the same in Scheme by passing either MY-FUNCTION or (LAMBDA ARGS (APPLY MY-FUNCTION ARGS)). Aha! With a suitable macro, you can reduce that LAMBDA trampoline to something like (WRAP MYFUNCTION) and it's almost as convenient as the 'MYFUNCTION read syntax. In scheme, how about: (define (funcall proc . args) (if (procedure? proc) (apply proc args) ; else (apply (eval proc) args)))) (define (make-button proc) (lambda () (display "this is a button\n") (funcall proc) (display "\nbye\n"))) (define foo (lambda () (display "hello"))) (define static-button (make-button foo)) (define mutable-button (make-button 'foo)) (define foo (lambda () (display "goodbye"))) (static-button) (mutable-button) eval and apply are expensive in many schemes, so the lambda trampoline thing is probably a better solution. Note that if you know the number of arguments the callback takes, you can use cut from srfi-26 instead of "wrap" above, it's much cheaper than apply (no argument list consing). While not directly relevant to Lisp, it's interesting to note a similar change in C/C++. CeeLanguage has two (maybe more, I cannot remember) separate namespaces--one for structure and union definitions, the other for everything else (variables, function names, typedef declarations. We're ignoring the preprocessor here, BTW...which is it's own issue). In other words, the following code is legal in CeeLanguage. struct foo { int x; int y; void function (int x, int y) { struct foo foo[2]; foo[0].x = x; foo[0].y = y; foo[1].x = y; foo[2].x = x; printf ("%d %d\n", sizeof (foo), sizeof (struct foo)); /* prints 16 8, assuming 4-byte ints */ } The keyword "struct" is used to access the structure namespace. "foo" by itself does not refer to the structure definition. However, you can promote it into the "main" namespace with a typedef. typedef struct foo foo; Now, "foo" refers to the structure. In CeePlusPlus, this was eliminated; the definition struct foo { int x; int y; now creates a global symbol called foo automatically. (It still creates an entry in the "struct" namespace, which is retained for backwards compatibilty; but use of "struct" outside a structure definition is generally considered to be deprecated). Typing typedef struct foo foo; into a C++ compiler is an error. This is one of the more annoying aspects of writing header files that are both C and C++ compatible. I include this to point out that after numerous years of experience with a dual namespace, C++ decided to break compatibility with C on this point and move to a single namespace for all symbols. (Later, of course, C++ added user-definiable hierarchial namespaces, which is a different kettle of fish altogether). When I first learned Scheme, I was taught that it was a Lisp-1 & thus, you couldn't use list as an formal parameter name or variable name since it was a function. I've been playing with Scheme again lately & noticing a lot of code that uses list as a formal parameter name. e.g. (define (filter pred list) What's up with that? Name bindings have LexicalScoping. So, in the example above, "list" refers to the list function when used in the global scope and to the argument passed to filter when used within the scope of the filter function. Doh! Of course. You only have a problem if you want to use the list function within the same scope. Thank you very much. I question the statement that Scheme is necessarily a Lisp-1. If Common Lisp is a Lisp-n, I would call Scheme a Lisp-(n-1) (or rather a Lisp-(1- n)). Please let me explain. In Common Lisp, there are certainly more than two namespaces by default. A given symbol can refer to a function, a variable, a class, a special operator or a macro. Of these, special operators, macros and functions share a single namespace. You could certainly create a Lisp dialect which uses three separate namespaces for them, though! Classes and variables have got their own namespaces. It doesn't stop here. If you want, you can define new namespaces quite easily. As an example, take the standard Common Lisp LOOP macro, which uses symbols that don't refer to any of the aforementioned object types. If you were to implement, say, some new kind of object system based on prototypes, you might want to create a new namespace for prototypes along the way, too, so that there can be no ambiguity between CLOS classes and prototypes. All of this is possible in Scheme, too. You can make Scheme behave largely as Common Lisp does by redefining DEFINE, for instance. Doing this wouldn't make a lot of sense, of course, but it's good to be aware of the fact that it is possible. This still doesn't change the fact that Scheme really is a Lisp-1 by default, of course. --MatthiasBenkard? CategoryLisp CategoryScheme CategoryLanguageFeature
Take the 2-minute tour × So if $X$ is a vector space, and you define a norm, $x \mapsto \\| x \\|$, on it, then the bounded subset, $V = \{ x \in X: \\|x\\| < \infty \}$ is automatically a subspace. This follows from the definition of a norm, so for all $x,y \in V, c \in \mathbb{C}$, $\\|x + c y\\| \le \\|x\\| + \\|cy\\| = \\|x\\|+ \|c\| \\|y\\| < \infty$, so $x+cy \in V$. Is this the reasoning behind the definition of a norm? share\|improve this question In a normed vector space every vector has finite norm. – Rasmus Jan 10 '11 at 7:47 Note that for your definition $V=X$. – mpiktas Jan 10 '11 at 8:14 2 Answers 2 The short version is that we use norms to help us study convergence in function spaces; this is the huge subject of functional analysis, which has applications everywhere in mathematics (PDEs, mathematical physics, probability, representation theory...). I recommend Dieudonne's History of Functional Analysis if you are really interested in the full story. share\|improve this answer This might be helpful. share\|improve this answer Your Answer
Thumbnail image of graphical abstract Graphene has unique electronic and material properties, which can lead to enhanced material performance in graphene-based devices and applications. The cover shows a multi-layered reduced graphene oxide (rGO)-deposited polymeric film for barrier polymer applications. This can be simply prepared by various common coating methods such as spin coating, spray coating, and layer-by-layer coating from GO or rGO solutions that are well-dispersed in aqueous or organic solvents. These highly packed graphene multilayer-deposited polymeric films exhibit low gas and water vapour permeability, with potential application in barrier packaging for food, and in electronic devices such as flexible displays. Byung Min Yoo et al. review the state-of-the-art research on the use of graphene. DOI: 10.1002/app.39628
The Last Patent Medicine -- John Pemberton and the Start of Coca-Cola Dan Bryan, July 31 2012 An early ad for Coca-ColaAn early ad for Coca-Cola Coca-Cola is the most famous brand in the world, and for a century has been one of the most profitable as well. In contrast to the drink's success its inventor, a certain John Pemberton, died in poverty from cancer -- his last years spent as a dissolute morphine addict. Pemberton did not create the drink's recipe from thin air. He adapted to his times and produced what was initially a patent medicine. Even the name comes from the alliteration of its main ingredients -- the coca leaf and the kola nut. While the drink has survived far longer than its contemporaries of the 1880s, it comes from a long American tradition which John Pemberton tapped into. A milieu of questionable cures The patent medicine craze reached its heights in the years after the Civil War. Its advertising kept the newspapers in business, and travelers complained of seeing entire mountains clear cut to be replaced with outlandish billboards. The ads were always meant to appeal to the lowest common denominator, and their bombastic claims assaulted the senses of America's more enlightened citizens. The content of such medicines was always questionable. Mercury, opium, and morphine were some of the more potent ingredients that turned up. Many other concoctions were little more than placebos, purported by salesmen to cure arthritis, chronic pain, and cancer. In an age when established medical practice was of questionable quality, these products filled a void in the landscape and many of them sold quite well. Winslow's Soothing Syrup AdMorphine was the key ingredient in Winslow's Soothing Syrup. In the South, a Confederate veteran named John Pemberton concocted and sold a large number of these mixtures in the years after the Civil War. While he was known to produce a higher quality product than most, his financial acumen was lacking. He drifted from one venture to another, squandering whatever profits he got ahold of on dissolute ventures, ill-advised loans, and an increasingly severe morphine habit. He probably produced no less than ten separate medicines over the course of the 1860s and 70s, constantly refining his craft with a study of chemistry and biology. Vin Mariani, a wine and cocaine elixir fit for the Pope By the 1880s, a particular elixir had gained tremendous popularity in the patent medicine market. It was a mixture of wine and cocaine called Vin Mariani. Invented in Corsica, this product arrived in America with the endorsement of luminaries such as Thomas Edison, Jules Verne, and Pope Leo XII. Ulysses Grant was said to have written his final memoirs (in frenzied fashion) with the aid of Vin Mariani in the months before he died. Vin Mariani with Pope Leo XIII Cocaine was widely praised at the time for its medicinal qualities. It was known to increase the powers of concentration, to relieve headaches, to stimulate the intellect, and to provide a boost of energy for those engaged in physical exertions. Some even believed that the drug could provide a cure for morphine addiction. The latter effect was what Pemberton hoped to achieve. Throughout the early 1880s he honed his recipe until he created "Pemberton's French Wine Coca" and began selling it in the Atlanta area. The initial response from his customers was quite positive, and Pemberton believed he had finally found his ticket to fame and financial security. An unfortunate legal turn, and the start of Coca-Cola No sooner did Pemberton create his new beverage, however, when a campaign for alcohol prohibition began to sweep across Georgia. In the election of 1885, Atlanta and Fulton counties voted on the issue and resolved to become completely dry counties the following year. Vin Mariani and its knockoffs would soon become a thing of the past. Realizing he would be back to where he started without a new recipe, Pemberton removed the wine and began mixing other substances with the coca leaves he had. Most of the drinks were far too bitter, so he added sugar. This made the consistency too thick, and he added citric acid to compensate. Carbonated water, also known for its health properties at the time, was used as a base. Finally, in 1886, Pemberton was satisfied that he had created a palatable substitute for wine coca -- a "temperance drink" as he called it. An associate named Frank Robinson coined the name "Coca-Cola" after two of the main ingredients. John PembertonJohn Pemberton Indeed, Pemberton had successfully replaced the wine and cocaine drink with a far more wholesome mixture of soda and cocaine -- just in time for prohibition to take hold in Atlanta. Initial sales and feedback were quite promising, and there was a good deal of repeat business among the locals. Pemberton's final days Unfortunately, Pemberton's business sense failed him again when it came to Coca-Cola. After a promising start he sold shares of his concern to several different people. He gradually diluted his own holdings down to almost nothing and began working on a competing product. These actions sowed the seeds of numerous legal battles and maneuvering among his successors. None of this was relevant to Pemberton himself. On August 16, 1888 he passed away from cancer. It would take the efforts of a very different man to turn Coca-Cola into a national soda drink. Related Topics Spread the Word About the Author Dan Bryan comments powered by Disqus
The Bronze Bow Quiz \| Eight Week Quiz C Elizabeth George Speare Buy The Bronze Bow Lesson Plans Name: _________________________ Period: ___________________ Multiple Choice Questions 1. When she comes to the door, how does Thacia react to Daniel? (a) She begs him to leave and never return. (b) She welcomes him and gives him a drink. (c) She takes him to a place to wait for Joel. (d) She faints. 2. What is Daniel like as he enters Capernaum? (a) He is like a child who is lost and cannot find his mother. (b) He is like a thief, hiding in the shadows. (c) He is like a young prince who belongs in the city. (d) He is like a tourist who has never been to the city before. 3. What does Daniel witness that makes him vow revenge on the Romans? (a) The destruction of his grandmother's house. (b) The burning of Ketzah. (c) The abduction of his sister. (d) The crucifixion of his father and the death of his mother. (a) If Daniel doesn't wash, his grandmother will not recognize him. (b) People will fear Daniel because he is so dirty. (c) There is no water for bathing in the village. (d) By the time they arrived, it will already be the Sabbath. 5. Why does Simon come for Daniel the morning after he arrives back in the village? (a) To help him in the blacksmith shop. (b) To hear the carpenter's son in the synagogue. (c) To go fishing. (d) To see if he is all right. Short Answer Questions 1. What is Daniel's complaint against his countrymen? 2. Of what does Rosh accuse Daniel? 3. How do Simon and Rosh differ? 4. Restless on the mountain, what does Daniel want to do? 5. Where is Daniel from? (see the answer key) This section contains 390 words (approx. 2 pages at 300 words per page) Buy The Bronze Bow Lesson Plans
Waterland Quiz \| Eight Week Quiz F Buy the Waterland Lesson Plans Name: _________________________ Period: ___________________ Multiple Choice Questions 1. Who dies of the flu? (a) Ernest Atkinson. (b) Jack Parr. (c) Harry Crick. (d) Helen Crick. 2. What is the way out everybody in Price's nightmare uses except for Price? (a) The classroom window. (b) Suicide pills. (c) Turning themselves into more black dogs. (d) Covering their ears. (a) An accidental explosion in the boiler room. (b) A delivery truck rams one of the main pillars and collapses the building. (c) An overexcited mob looking for more ale. (d) A fire nobody can explain. 4. Lewis Scott, the headmaster at the school where Tom Crick teaches, thinks history should be considered part of what other field? (a) Liberal Arts. (b) Geography. (c) Civics. (d) General Studies. 5. Henry Crick, Tom's father, is obsessed with one question about Freddie's death that he repeats over and over again. What is it? (a) Why did Freddie have to die? (b) Who killed Freddie? (c) Could he have saved Freddie? (d) How did Freddie die? Short Answer Questions 1. What is the name of the Cricks' doctor? 3. What is NOT one of the names the Atkinsons give their special-occasion ales? 5. What does Ernest Atkinson, Tom's grandfather, do that marks the beginning of a long list of scandalous behavior? (see the answer key) This section contains 369 words (approx. 2 pages at 300 words per page) Buy the Waterland Lesson Plans Follow Us on Facebook
The Khazars. Tribe 13 Chapter Outlines Discussion Group Contents by Subject Research Site Map Contents in Alphabetical Order This Site The Khazars Cover Tribe 13 Order Now The Khazars. Tribe 13 Chapter Outlines To Hear a Talk giving an outline of our new book, "The Khazars. Tribe 13": (ca. 1 hour 05 minutes) Foreword by the Author 1 Introduction: 7 Opinions are divided as to who the Khazars were. The Khazars emerged from the Scythians and Agathyrsi. The Scythians had first appeared on the fringes of the Assyrian Empire in Armenia-Azerbaijan in areas to which Israelites had been exiled. The Agathyrsi were also known as Akatziri and definitely gave rise to a leading element amongst the Khazars. The Khazars first appeared as allies of Byzantium [Eastern Romans] against the Persians. In the beginning the Khazars controlled areas north and south of the Caucasus. They were allied with the Byzantines against the Arabs. The Arabs drove them northwards. Chapter 1. Beginnings 20 One of the major centers of the Khazars was at the mouth of the Volga. This had formerly been a center of the Orenburg Culture that reflected Assyrian and Persian origins and used the Aramaic language. Orenburg Culture foreshadowed the Goths who preceded the Khazars. The Khazars were also influenced by the Scythians who had been in the Don River region and from whom they in part derived. The Khazars may be divided into four main groupings: 1. Those that originated South of the Caucasus such as from the Armenian-Azerbaijan area. 2. North of the Caucasus and associated with the Huns. 3. By the Don River and linked to the Agathyrsi and Scythians. 4. By the Volga River and extending to Chorasmia to the east. Chapter 2. Armenia and Azerbaijan 43 The areas of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, etc, all had traditions that the Lost Ten Tribes had settled within their boundaries. The Khazars ruled over these regions before the Muslim Era. Armenia was linked with a northern entity of Edom, Seir, and the Land of Uz. These identifications are important for the understanding of Jewish traditions that trace part of Manasseh and Simeon to them. Exiles from the Land of Naphtali were also recalled from that region. Persians identified the Khazars as Scythians. Iyrcae are also known as White Ugrians, Turcae, and Khazars. They eventually moved to Scandinavia. Chapter 3. The Tribes of Simeon and Manasseh in the Land of Khazaria 59 The Israelite Tribe of Simeon according to the Bible in the light of Oral Tradition had gone to the Land of Seir and settled there. They were lead by Princes from the Tribe of Manasseh. The intention is to the northern polity of Edom in the area of Armenia. Jewish and Khazar traditions along with evidence from the Geography of Ptolemy confirms the presence of elements from Manasseh and Simeon amongst the Khazars. Chapter 4. The Khazars Convert to Judaism 77 Jews were persecuted by Christians and Muslims and fled to Khazaria. The Khazars converted to Judaism in stages. Date of the conversion is uncertain but around 730 CE seems to be generally accepted. The Bible protects the rights of converts. 'Moses is the messenger of God' inscribed on Khazar coin found in Sweden. Rabbinical Judaism was accepted. Conversion of the Khazars was preceded by Judaizing tendencies in the general region: In Thrace amongst the Getae; in Adiabene amongst the Scythian-Sacae; in Tanais on the Don River amongst the Royal Scythians; in Chorasmia. Chapter 5. Chorasmia-Afghanistan 96 Jews and Israelites were reported of in the east. One section of the Khazars had originated in Hara. The Afghans and others claim to be descended from the Ten Tribes. On the whole these claims are incorrect. Israelites and Jews may have been in the said areas but had left. Present-day Afghans are not on the whole of Israelite origin. Chapter 6. Chorasmia-Kwarezm 115 Choresmia (Kwarezm, Hiva, Havila) is to the east of the northern end of the Caspian Sea. It extended to the south and encompassed Hara. The Naphtalites were in this region as were the Kwalisses also known as Khabars who later moved to Hungary. Many Jews had settled here and there were also local Judaizing movements amongst the natives. Chapter 7. Chorasmia Before the Khazars 123 In the past Chorasmia had been the center of a great civilization. The Scythian Ansi (Arsacids) rulers of the Parthians came from Chorasmia; links to the Goths and Scythians and to the Sicambri of Western Europe. Scythian culture derived from the Middle East. Scythian enamel techniques from Ancient Israel and Phoenicia were passed onto the British Celts and to the Anglo-Saxons. Chapter 8. Rabbi Iben Shaprut of Spain and the Khazars 130 Moslem Spain ("al-Andalus") became a bastion for the Ummayads who were rivals of the Abbasids in the east. Hasdai Ibn Shaprut in Spain sought to communicate with the Khazars. We still have part of this correspondence. The letters are analyzed. The reply of King Joseph of Khazaria is shown to have originally referred to their Israelite origins. Chapter 9. A Record from Khazaria 137 The Schechter Text is a letter from a subject of Khazaria. It relates their tradition of being descended from the Tribe of Simeon and how their conversion came about. Chapter 10. Hsiung-nu Huns and Company 144 Khazars in the east are identified with the Kosa of Chinese records. The Kosa confederated with Hsiung-Nu allegedly forerunners of the Huns and Turks. Nephtalites move to Norway. Part of the Huns, Turks, and Alans were in the west long before the Hun Invasions. Khazars also originated in the west, i.e. by the Don River-Caucasus area. Gog and Magog may have encompassed Gok Turks and Goguryeo Empire of Korea. Western Gok Turks honored by being named Onogur meaning the "Ten Tribes". Dingling of Dan and Hesan (Hushim son of Dan) associated with Kosa-Khazars in the east. Manas (Manasseh) made a legendary hero in the area. The name of Machir of Manasseh also appropriated by the "Magyars" who were subjects of the Khazars and rebelled. The Khazars were influenced by Turkic culture. The Khazars helped Jewish refugees. Chapter 11. The Red Jews 167 Lost Ten Tribes equated with the "Red Jews" and with "Gog and Magog". Red hair considered a characteristic of Jews and of the "Red Jews". German tradition considered Ten Tribes a potential menace but the English viewed them favorably. "Red Jews" identified with the Khazars. Many Ancient Israelites had had red hair as do many Jews today as well as a significant proportion of Scots and Irish and many others in the west. Chapter 12. Tribes Associated with the Khazars 176 The Sabirs were part of the Khazars. They were also known as "Manse" i.e. Manasseh. Sabirs conquered the Akatziri (Agathyrsi) who re-emerged as the Khazars in partnership with the Sabirs. Other groups may have included the Bashkirs, Hephtalites-Naphtalites, Ugrian-Turcae. Some Bolgars (known as Tartars) associated with Khazars which led to a confusion between the two. Basils may have been remnants of the Royal Scythians. The Alans were prominent in the Khazar federation as well as making a name for themselves in Western Europe including Scotland. Chapter 13. The Khazars and Europe 189 The Khazars pursued the Chabars and Magyars to Hungary. Khazars in Hungary, Austria, and Poland. Magyars also known as Maceri after Machir of Manasseh. They took the name in honor of their Khazar overlords who came from Manasseh. Szekely Hungarians in Rumania had a script derived from a Phoenician (Ancient Hebrew) prototype that they received from the Khazars. Chapter 14. Ascribing Ancestries to the Khazars: Non-Israelite 194 Some Jewish sources said the Khazars descend from Gomer. The Karaite Firkovitch had an agenda to prove they were of non-Israelite Gentile origin. The Book of Jasher and Josippon are unreliable inventions. Claimed descent from Gomer or the Sons of Gomer does not contradict an Israelite heritage as explained in the Book of Hosea chapters one and two. Different Gentile sources traced the Khazars to Japhet, Tirash, Thubal, Gog and Magog, or Keturah and Abraham. The Khazars were also associated with Huns and Goths and with Moabites. Modern scholars identify Khazars with Scythians or Slavs or Turkic peoples. The Tats (Mountain Jews) and Scottish connections. Chapter 15. Ascribing Ancestries to the Khazars: Israelite 205 Eldad HaDani, himself a Khazar, said they came from Simeon and Manasseh. The Schecter Text, also by a Khazar, mentions an origin from Simeon. The Midrash Ten Exiles says they came from Simeon; so does the Midrash Akton de Mar Yaakov. So too, the medieval Chronicles of Jerahmeel mention Khazar origins from Judah and Simeon; from Issachar, Ephraim, Manasseh and Zebulon. The Cochin Scroll gives the Khazar origin as from Simeon and Manasseh. Historical details from the Cochin Scroll tie in with the Geography of Ptolemy that lists tribes with names of Israelite clans from Simeon and Manasseh in areas where the Scroll says they should be. Arab sources (Ibn Fadlan, Maquadasisi, Ibn Hawkal, Masudi) identify the Khazars as Jews. The Russian Chronicle and Russian folklore also identify the Khazars as Jews. The Khazars were identified in Germany with the Red Jews meaning the Lost Ten Tribes. The Khazars were located in areas where the Lost Ten Tribes had been exiled to. The Ruling House of the Khazars in Arabic was named the House of Jesse i.e. of David son of Jesse. It was the same dynasty that ruled over the Parthians and Goths. Chapter 16. The Khazars in Scandinavia 219 Early Danes fought against Khazars. Archaeological finds of Khazars in Sweden. Anglo-Saxons and company of similar origin to the Khazars. Runic Futhark Script transmitted by the Khazars. The Azerbaijan connection with Scandinavia. Asgard was linked with the Khazars. Chapter 17. Scandinavia, Scythia, and the Huns 229 Scandinavia invaded ca. 500 CE. Iyrcae identified with both Scandinavians and Khazars. Nephtalites and "Little Goths". Mass migrations to Norway and Denmark. Links to the Lost Ten Tribes. The Hun occupation of Scandinavia proven through archaeological finds and place-names. Khazars associated with Huns. The Heruli return to Sweden. Chapter 18. The As-Aesir and the Huns 246 Angles, Saxons, and Frisians from Lost Ten Tribes and from Khazar areas. The link to Odin and the Aseir who came from Scythia to Scandinavia. Khazar link to rulers of Scandinavia. Agathyrsi, Dacians, and Denmark. Scandinavian links to Scythia and Mongolia. Chapter 19. Alans, and As 257 Alans, As, and Yasses were all one. Named Alban which was also a name for Britain. Alans equated with the Khazars. Alans in Britain. Chapter 20. The Khazar Peoples 261 One description of Khazars says they were of two types: One black-haired and white skinned; the other very dark. Another account says they were red-haired, large bodied, and blue-eyed. "White Ugrian" Khazars were red-haired, pale-skinned, and green-eyed. "Cusa" (meaning Khazar) is a term still applied to red-haired men by Tartars. Alans were blond. Khazars looked like Slavs. Mongoloid-eyes suggested. Mainly of European type. Had two rulers. High standards of behavior and fairness. Not all peoples referred to as Khazars really were Khazars. Name Khazars derived from two sources; "Jeezer" ("Ay-ga-zar") and "Caesar". Place-names of Khazars named after Samaria in Israel. Chapter 21. Khazars, Varangians, and the End 272 Kinfolk of Khazars were the first to build a settlement (called Sambat) on the site of Kiev. Khazaria attacked and destroyed by enemies. Judaizing tendencies amongst descendants of Khazars. Khazar remnants amongst European Jewry. Place-names; Russia, Ukraine, Poland, Lithuania, Belorussia, Hungary, Crimea, Kurdistan. General Disappearance. Their only permanent characteristic was their Judaism. Chapter 22. The Picts of Scotland and Khazaria 281 The Agathyrsi were Khazars. A portion of the Agathyrsi moved to Scotland and merged with the Picts who were of diverse origins. Different types of Picts. Tradition said that the Agathyrsi had moved from Scythia to Scandinavia and from there to Ireland and then to Scotland. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle recalls the Picts origin from Scythia. Similar customs between Agathyrsi and Picts. Agathyrsi recalled alongside Gothic groups in German record. Scottish physical types consistent with a sojourn in Scythia. Archaeological evidence links Picts to Khazar area of Scythia. Scots and Picts considered as descended from the Son of Isaac. Picts linked with Saxons. Pict Brochs traced to Israelite "watch-towers". Aed of the Picts and of British Mythology identified with "Ad" of Arab Mythology who represented the Lost Ten Tribes of Israel and who according to these same sources went to the Isles in the West. Conclusion 301 How "The Khazars. Tribe 13" has proven that the Khazars were of Israelite Descent and the implications. Why both the Khazars and the USA may be considered Tribe 13. The USA as Manasseh and parallels with Khazaria. References 310 End-Notes to the Chapters 318 Khazars Are Coming" by Edward (Ephraim) Hirsch 370 Bibliography 375 Index 380 Khazars Cover Tribe 13 Order Now Pleased with what you read? Did you benefit from it? Brit-Am depends on contributions alongside purchases of our publications Click Here to make an offering. Click Here to view our publications. George Washington Security Cameras, Florida, USA. security cameras The Lifestyle Doctor
CogSci1 Course Page Graci CS Department SUNY Oswego Home Page Biographical Sketches Rene Descartes And his contributions to the field of cognitive science A brief overview Contributions to Cognitive Science Rene Descartes is considered by many to be the father of modern philosophy. He provided many contributions to the field of cognitive science that included a broad array of disciplines including mathematics and philosopy. He is widely recognized for his quote, "I think, therefore I am," and his manifestation of the Cartesian coordinates. His lifes work was being performed during the scientific revolution, and thus had to suppress some of his work that defended the work of Copernicus and which Galileo was being condemned by the inquistion for. Descartes changed the way rational thinkers believed then and continues to influence people now and his contributions to mathematics and philosophy provided a fundamental basis for how people view them in todays modern world Descartes most popular and powerful quote was "I think, therefore I am." This was in an attempt to explain skepticism and its relation to hypothesis, that there was an evil genius trying to deceive him. This hypothesis challenged the belief in everything, from reason itself, to the reality of the physical world, to even the most trivial of facts that we hold true everyday. This hypothesis explains that said demon tricks him into believing in a false sense of reality everyday, and no such reality truly exists. This theory, however, was later rejected. Descartes was also associated with the advent of mathematics. He is known for several of his contributions, the primary one being the Cartesian coordinates which unifies algebra and geometry in his book La Geometrie. Recently, Descartes work has been reinforced by American linguist Noah Chomsky. Chomsky applies Descartes view that central ideas must be innate to "how children quickly develop the ability to generate an infinite numbr of new, semantically correct sentences," which is part of Descartes Cartesian philosophy. Descartes devised the Cartesian coordinate system during an illness. As he lay in bed he noticed a fly flickering amongst the ceiling tiles. It was this that made him realize that he could explain where the fly was in relation to the vast array of tiles on the ceiling. Explaining where a position on a graph is is the essence of what the coordinate system does for us. Descartes was contributing to the field of cognitve science hundred of years before it was officially established.. He was a predecessor to the discipline of mathematics as seen by his coordinate system, a vital part of cognitive science, and to linguistics, as is seen by noted linguist Noah Chomsky implementing Descartes ideas into his work in his respective field. It is fair to say that Descartes is as an integral part of cognitive science as anyone, despite the fact that he didnt ever know it. Biography of Rene Descartes Rene Descartes was born March 31, 1596 in La Haye, Touraine, France. La Haye, the town he lived in is now named Descartes. He received his education at a Jesuit college in France that he enrolled in when he was eight. He studied the basic classics. This showed Descartes how much there was about and in the world that he didnt know. He received a law degree from a different university in France and continued to enlist in a military school, where he continues with his studies in mathematics, the only subject that he believed was a foundation for any basis of thinking. This began a short period of travelling after which he joined the army. He joined the army in 1620 and continued to travel for the next eight years, after which he decided to settle down. His choice of a place to settle down in was Holland, a country in which he had travelled through before. It was then he began his writings. He wrote for a number of years before moving to Sweden at the request of the Queen. After several months in the freezing climate he died in the year1649.
Saraswati River Vedic Saraswati It is clear from the vedic texts, that the Rigvedic people lived on the banks of a river called the Saraswati. The major rivers of north-west (Punjab, Sindh, Rajasthan & Gujrat) were: Saraswati, Sindhu (Indus), Shatadru (Sutlej), Vipasa (Beas), Vitasa (Jhelum), Parushni (Ravi), Asikni (Chenab), Yamuna, Drishadwati and Lavanavati. All rivers have changed their courses since Vedic times. Of these, three rivers: Saraswati, Drishadwati and Lavanavati no longer exist. There were about 300 cities (plus so many supporting towns & villages) along the banks of saraswati. It was called Saraswati-Sindhu Civilization. Saraswati: The Goddess of Knowledge It was on the banks of Saraswati, that the Vedic ashrams thrived. She was thus called the goddess of knowledge. (Remember goddess Saraswati is always portrayed with water in background, blooming lotus, white swans, and bathing elephants.). The Rig Veda praises the river as: ambitambe naditambe devitambe saraswati The best of mothers, best of rivers, best of godesses, Oh Saraswati! Course of River Saraswati In Vedic times the rivers Beas, Jhelum, Ravi & Chenab joined Sindhu, to form one channel from Himalayas to the Arabian Sea. Saraswati and her tributary rivers: Yamuna, Sutlej, Drishadvati and Lavanavati formed the other channel from Himalayas to the Arabian Sea. Saraswati was a mighty river with three sources in the Himalayas. Her bed was as vast as 10 km in some places. The river course was dotted with lakes and ponds. In the very early days, Saraswati met the Arabian Sea at the Rann of Kachh. After the level of Rann increased, she crossed the Rann to join Arabian Sea at the gulf of Khambat. Here is the proposed course of the northwestern rivers during Vedic times: The Decline The river had flowed for millennia originating from the Har-ki-dun glacier, in the Bandarpunch mass of W.Garhwal of the Himalayas flowing through Kurukshetra, Kalibangan, Ganweriwala (in Bahawalpur province, Pakistan), Rann of Kutch (close to Dholavira) and through the Nall lake into the Gulf of Khambat (close to Lothal). The river had dried up in 1500 B.C. in many stretches. The reasons for this drying up are: river capture and aandhi (sandstorms). Yamuna (erstwhile Chambal) which is a tributary of the Ganga, captured the Saraswati source at Paontasaheb (where there is a famous Sikh shrine in Punjab); thus the popular belief of Sangam at Prayag is based on groundtruth: the Yamuna captured Saraswati and took her to join Ganga at Prayag, near Allahabad. Thus, due to river capture, Saraswati was deprived of the perennial source of molten glaciers from the Himalayas. The aandhi phenomenon also accounted for the submergence of the river bed by sandstorms. As the river started drying-up, people starting migrating eastwards towards the Ganga-Yamuna doab (e.g. Alamgirpur and Kunal) and southwards towards the Godavari river, traversing the Arabian sea-coast. (Daimabad is a cognate archaeological site located on the banks of Pravara river which is a tributary of the Godavari river, near Nasik). Late Vedic Period: Tectonic movements pushed up the Aravali hills, in northern Rajasthan. This changed the drainage pattern of the Northwest drastically. Saraswati lost her major tributaries, Yamuna and Sutlej. Sutlej turned west and joined Beas-Sindhu system, and Yamuna started migrating east to join Ganga. During Mahabharat times: The volume of water flowing down the Saraswati had reduced. The waters of Saraswati did not make it upto the sea. Yamuna at this time, partly flowed westwards to meet Saraswati and partly flowed eastwards to meet Ganga. At the time of Krishna's birth Yamuna was not as mighty as it is today. Hence it must have been possible for Vasudev to cross the river, with the new born Krishna in his arms. It is described in Mahabharat, that Balaram travelled along the almost dry banks of Saraswati, and then along the banks of Yamuna, from Prabhas (Somnath) to Mathura. After Mahabharat times: Yamuna now pirated Saraswati's sources and flowed into Ganga. Because Yamuna brought the waters of Saraswati to Ganga, the Sagam is called as the Triveni Sangam of Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati. Ganga now took the importance of Saraswati and the title of goddess. Today, Ghaggar; a puny seasonal river, occupies some parts of Saraswati's dry beds. The dry vast bed called the Hakra-Nara channels lie in the western Rajasthan. Impact of Saraswati's demise on the population Saraswati had such an impact on the lives, even after her disappearence, that many rivers were later renamed after her. River Argandab (now in Afghanistan) was named Saraswati. The lower channels of the river Luni in Gujrat were also renamed as Saraswati. Another river born in the Himalayas, (one of the sources of Vedic Saraswati) but flowing down in Assam is also called Saraswati. The demise of Saraswati, was near fatal for the Saraswati civilization. The scarcity of water forced people to migrate. Saraswati - Sindhu civilization did not vanish. There was a shift of population after the economy around the Saraswati river collapsed. People moved to east to the Ganga-Yamuna plains, west, northwest and south to Godavari plains.
Courses: The Long 1960's (HISTB156001) Spring 2012 Class Number: 1176 The 1960s has had a powerful effect on recent US History. But what was it exactly? How long did it last? And what do we really mean when we say The Sixties? This term has become so potent and loaded for so many people from all sides of the political spectrum that its almost impossible to separate fact from fiction; myth from memory. We are all the inheritors of this intense period in American history but our inheritance is neither simple nor entirely clear. Our task this semester is to try to pull apart the meaning as well as the legend and attempt to figure out what The Sixties is (and what it isnt) and try to assess its long term impact on American society. Div: I or III; Approach: Inquiry into the Past (IP), Critical Interpretation (CI); Haverford: Social Science (SO) Enrollment Limit: 15; Freshmen Spaces: 5; Enrollment Criteria: Freshman; Sophmore; Lottery; First & Second year only; Fulfills: Class Nbr: 1176 Div: I or III; IPCI ; SO History (Web site) Taught By Ullman,Sharon R. Bryn Mawr, CARP25 Meeting Times TTH 2:15pm-3:45pm
Volcano's Deadly Warning Emergency Response Team Volcano's Deadly Warning homepage NOVA: Earlier this year you spent five weeks in Ecuador. What were you doing? Miller: In early December 2001 we started getting phone calls and e-mails from our colleagues down at the Geophysical Institute in Quito about earthquakes that were occurring under Cotopaxi volcano. Cotopaxi is a huge volcano, nearly 20,000 feet high. It's covered with massive glaciers, and it has a long and ugly history of producing eruptions with devastating lahars or mudflows that go down the valleys leading away from the volcano. By Christmastime it became clear that an intrusion was taking place. That is, molten rock or magma was moving up from some deep location under Cotopaxi into the edifice itself. As a consequence, there was an official request for a VDAP team to help our colleagues there install some additional seismic monitoring equipment and put in mudflow warning equipment around Cotopaxi. Early in January five of us left for Ecuador. We spent most of our time either in the office upgrading equipment to receive the new signals or in the field around Cotopaxi installing acoustic flow monitors. NOVA: What are those? Miller: They are telemetered stations that we put near the valley floors of volcanoes that are covered with snow and ice. They are detectors that can pick up vibrations that lahars or mudflows produce as they move down a valley. When lahars are detected, warnings can be given to people living downstream so that they can seek high ground. We installed a network of nearly a dozen of these in the drainages that head north and also west and then south from Cotopaxi. It's actually one of the most extensive mudflow monitoring networks in the world. NOVA: And how is Cotopaxi at the moment? Miller: For the time being, installing the equipment on the volcano seems to have helped it go back to sleep. It's a fitful rest, though, and there are days when additional swarms of earthquakes occur. Cotopaxi endangers more than 100,000 people, who live on valley floors that have been repeatedly swept by massive lahars from even modest-sized eruptions of the volcano. NOVA: Are there any other volcanoes that are currently in pre-eruption stage? Miller: In Ecuador, there is another volcano that has been erupting for over two and a half years now. It's called Tungurahua, and it woke up in September of 1999. VDAP has sent several teams of scientists to help instrument that volcano and to work with colleagues there. That eruption has been producing spectacular nighttime displays of incandescent magma fragments or lava blocks that are shot up out of the crater and land on the flanks of the volcano. It has produced volcanic ash columns that have risen from a few thousand meters to as much as 10,000 meters above the summit crater. The ash falls have been carried off toward the west from the volcano and have seriously damaged crops and some villages west of the volcano. Success at Pinatubo NOVA: What do you consider VDAP's greatest triumph? “About 70,000 people lived in villages that were totally destroyed a few days after they left.” Tools by the trunkload NOVA: What equipment do you bring along? Miller: We have three complete volcano observatories sitting on the shelf ready to go right now—two for international use and one for domestic use. They include three primary tools that we use to forecast volcanic eruptions. First, a telemetered volcanic seismic monitoring network to detect the earthquakes that often precede eruptions. Second, tiltmeters and electronic distance measuring equipment to monitor bulging or deformation that results from magma pushing up against the solid rock of the volcano. Finally, devices to measure sulfur dioxide and carbon dioxide. These two diagnostic gases associated with magma are fairly easy to detect. When the flux of these gases at the surface increases with time, we become concerned about magma rising close to the surface and about the increased likelihood of an eruption. (For more details on techniques and equipment, see Can We Predict Eruptions?.) NOVA: How much equipment do you bring? Miller: Lots. In September 1994, for example, we received an urgent request from the Rabaul Volcano Observatory in Papua New Guinea. An eruption was under way, and it had already destroyed most of their monitoring network, including their tiltmeters and seismometers. Within a week, we had sent a three-person team with 38 trunks of equipment. NOVA: How soon after the team left did it erupt? Miller: Four days. Actually, the big eruption occurred then. There were dangerous eruptions occurring everyday, even when that decision was made. So we try to do things in as safe a way as possible. But it's always difficult to anticipate what a volcano will do. Each is different; each has a unique plumbing system. (For more on the successful evacuation around Rabaul, see Planning for Disaster.) The future of forecasting NOVA: Ever had any close calls yourself? Back to top VDAP personnel Mudflow damage Damage from lahars, or volcanic mudflows, at Pinatubo. Installing equipment Installing volcano monitoring equipment at Mt. Pinatubo. Andy Lockhart Loading VDAP equipment Steam venting Installing tiltmeter Setting up a seismometer Volcano's Deadly Warning Web Site Content Volcanoes Talking Bernard Chouet on a seismic signal that foretells eruptions. Emergency Response Team Response Team How a crack unit of volcanologists tackles volcanic unrest abroad. Anatomy of a Volcano Anatomy of a Volcano Distinguish magma from tephra, lava from lahar, etc. Seismic Signals Seismic Signals Discover the hidden volcanic signatures that volcanologists seek. Interview conducted and edited by Peter Tyson, editor in chief of NOVA online. Note: This interview has been updated from an earlier version that appeared on NOVA's "Deadly Shadow of Vesuvius" Web site. Send feedback Image credits Support provided by For new content visit the redesigned NOVA site
Latest Kerry Emanuel Stories Hurricanes Become Less Threatening To US Coast, Based On Climate Models 2013-09-03 11:22:55 Recent studies have painted a pretty grim picture for future hurricane seasons, with more frequent and intense storms occurring in the Northeast due to a changing climate. Last year’s superstorm Hurricane Sandy was labeled as evidence of such climatic storms impacting the US Atlantic coast. Climate Changes Could Increase Hurricane Frequency This Century 2013-07-09 11:21:34 2008-05-20 15:25:00 A distinguished federal scientist has shifted his position regarding the recent increase in hurricanes in the Atlantic ocean, concluding global warming is not the underlying cause. In fact, he believes the warmer temperatures will actually lessen the number of Atlantic hurricanes as well as those making landfall. 2007-07-29 19:04:44 2007-04-17 18:55:00 2006-09-12 09:10:00 Most of the increase in ocean temperature that feeds more intense hurricanes is a result of human-induced global warming, says a study that one researcher says "closes the loop" between climate change and powerful storms like Katrina. 2005-09-27 01:10:53 By Maggie Fox, Health and Science Correspondent WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Scientists say it's not easy to tell if global warming caused hurricanes Katrina and Rita but on Monday they forecast more unpredictable weather as Earth gets hotter. 2005-09-15 13:30:00 The number of hurricanes in the most powerful categories - like Katrina and Andrew - has increased sharply over the past few decades, according to a new analysis sure to stir debate over whether global warming is worsening these deadly storms. The number of storms reaching categories 4 and 5 grew has grown to 18 per year since 1990. 2005-09-01 15:28:09 2005-07-31 12:43:39 By Patricia Reaney LONDON (Reuters) - Hurricanes have become more destructive over the past 30 years and global warming could increase their intensity in the future, an expert warned on Sunday. Word of the Day • To befool; deceive; balk; jilt. • An illusion; a trick; a cheat.
University of Vermont University Communications Variations on a Gene Scientists around the world who study malaria and the parasites that cause it will breathe a collective sigh of relief this month when they read UVM senior Katie St. Denis' research paper. It goes a long way toward substantiating a commonly held -- yet unproven -- belief about how to distinguish malaria parasite species. Researchers have been operating on an assumption that one gene in the DNA of these parasites can be used as a marker for species identification; that is, if the gene, cytochrome b, varies from one parasite to another, you're looking at two different species of parasites. While some research has generated data for parasites that infect humans with malaria, no comparative data existed on parasites that infect non-human hosts. St. Denis' paper documenting her results, co-authored with biology professor and adviser Joseph Schall, is now in press with the Journal of Parasitology, one of the field's three journals of record. The supposition about how to determine species in malaria parasites began in Schall's lab more than a decade ago. "Ten to 15 years ago, we found a gene that evolves very slowly in parasites (the cytochrome b gene)," explains Schall, "so people have said a tiny change, a tiny difference in that gene means that you have a different species of malaria parasite." This idea has led to the categorization of many thousands of bird malaria parasite species -- all based on variations in the cytochrome b gene. Although some scientists have built careers on this common sense understanding about species identification, no one had yet done the legwork in the lab to test its veracity for non-human malaria parasites. Enter St. Denis. She'd made herself known as a bit of a trouble-maker in Schall's spring semester 2009 class, by sitting in the front row and relentlessly asking impertinent, difficult questions. When it was time to choose an adviser for her McNair Scholars Program summer research project, she was hesitant to approach Schall, not knowing what he really thought of her. What she didn't know was that Schall saw her curiosity as one of the necessary ingredients of an excellent scientist and found her an ideal candidate to work on this very problem: is cytochrome b a useful marker of species differentiation? Throughout that summer, she'd prove that she also possesses the other two ingredients of Schall's recipe: academic honesty, or a willingness to "let nature tell you what it's going to tell you," and a strong work ethic. St. Denis spent 40-hour work weeks in the lab, extracting and isolating the DNA of plasmodium mexicanum, a malaria parasite that infects the western fence lizard. On her second attempt, St. Denis designed a successful primer to amplify the cytochrome b gene, a feat that Schall says takes a certain level of artistry. The samples were sent to a Cornell laboratory for sequencing, and St. Denis moved from the lab bench to the computer to use a program to analyze the results. "She's learning all the standard techniques that any lab in the world doing molecular genetics uses," Schall says. What, exactly, did she find? "We found that there is absolutely no variation, not even variation that would indicate silent mutation," St. Denis explains. "We would have expected to see a few nucleotide changes in an area where there may have been a silent mutation because that doesn't make any difference to the function of the gene, but we didn't even see any of those for all 200 samples, both segments of the gene." For now, cytochrome b holds onto its species differentiating characteristic for malaria parasites. "I don't think this has necessarily solved the issue," St. Denis says, showing off that academic honesty Schall describes, "but I do think that it's putting another piece of the puzzle together, helping us understand whether or not this is a useful way to determine a species of malaria parasite and how it co-evolves with its host." "Every person who works with malaria parasites will want to know this information," Schall says. "No matter where they are in the world, no matter what species they work with, they'll want to know how much variation has been found in one species. It's only the third species it's been done for. The other two were in humans. It's a really nice result for a one-summer project from somebody who was a beginner when she started." Although this project is concluded and its paper is in press, St. Denis isn't finished with her research in Schall's lab. Having secured an APLE (Academic Programs for Learning and Engagement) award, St. Denis continues her work with plasmodium mexicanum, this time analyzing data that spans 32 years, asking how rapidly evolutionary change happens in a non-human malaria parasite population that is free from drug treatments. See the above video to learn more. Read the transcript of the video.
Issue 25 Insects Spring 2007 Being There Leland de la Durantaye Patrick Lakey, Heidegger: Hut, Todtnauberg, Black Forest, Germany, I, 2005. Martin Heidegger was born in the small town of Messkirch on the edge of the Black Forest in 1889, a few months after Nietzsche rushed across the Piazza Carlo Alberto in Turin, threw his arms around a cab-horse, and never came out of the embrace. This conjuncture was to be an important one for the young Heidegger; he saw a line of continuity in the idea that he came into the world as Nietzsche’s reason left it. Heidegger would go on to compare philosophical communication as speaking from mountain top to mountain top, and Nietzsche, in his Alpine seclusion, was, for him, the nearest peak. As had been the case for Nietzsche growing up in a different corner of provincial Germany, it didn’t take long for Heidegger and those around him to recognize his brilliance. He excelled in all areas, from math to Greek, theology to physics, and the choice was open to him. His staunchly Catholic family favored theology; he chose philosophy. When he completed his studies, he moved to the picturesque university town of Freiburg im Breisgau in a different part of the Black Forest to work with Edmund Husserl, the founder of a new school of philosophy: phenomenology. Husserl felt that it did not suffice to examine the abstractions and to trace the contours of the conceptual systems of such thinkers as Leibniz and Hegel. For him, a philosopher worthy of the name needed to examine more closely how one arrived at such abstractions through how one experienced individual phenomena. And how one arrived at ideas and conceptual systems was through the thousand affects and attitudes that condition them, which meant that the phenomenologist needed to go, in his words, “back to the things themselves.”  As Husserl’s assistant, Heidegger grew famous the old-fashioned way: by talking. His lectures drew ever larger and more passionate crowds, and word of mouth soon carried his fame beyond the confines of the Black Forest. Intellectuals throughout Germany began to speak of “a hidden philosopher-king,” the successor of earlier princes of the mind such as Kant and Nietzsche. Word even reached Kant’s former home in Königsberg on the farthest side of Germany (in the part of East Prussia that is today Russia), where the eighteen-year old wunderkind Hannah Arendt was finishing high school. A short while later, she traveled to the Black Forest and began to study with him. They fell in love.  Despite a truly remarkable depth and breadth of knowledge, neither then nor later did Heidegger have the speech or the mannerisms of high European cultivation. He walked, talked, and dressed like someone from the Black Forest, Germany’s closest equivalent to the Ozarks. Too intelligent not to make a virtue of necessity, Heidegger cultivated a quaint and bucolic image, wearing to his lectures a traditional outfit that his more metropolitan students dubbed “the ontological suit.” What seemed to them, at first sight, faintly ridiculous grew less so as they listened to the brilliant young professor with the hypnotizing dark eyes speak about philosophy’s furthest origins—and its bright future.  Then as now, publication was required for academic advancement, and so, at the insistence of Husserl and others, Heidegger began to plan a work that would secure his position. In 1922, his wife Elfriede had inherited a modest sum, and to avoid the galloping inflation of the period she invested it in a secluded retreat for her philosopher-husband and their growing family. She found a small plot of hillside land in the higher reaches of the Black Forest rendered inexpensive because a stream cut through it, making it too marshy for farming. She had a small hut, twenty by twenty-three feet, built into a hillside there, commanding a beautiful view of the valley below and the Alps rising in the distance. Soon thereafter, her husband began, at last, to write.  Heidegger knew what he wanted to write about, but he did not yet know how. He felt that he had stumbled upon something monumental, the metaphysical equivalent of a corpse in the cellar. It seemed to him that philosophy had lost something which it desperately needed back. This thing was as simple to sense as it was hard to express: “being.” Inclined towards fundamental questions, he asked himself: What did we mean when we speak of “being”? The answer seemed, at first sight, self-evident. Being was all this—everything around us, everything in which we live and breathe and of which we are a part: being is the being that all beings in one mysterious manner or another share. For most philosophers, this was both true and not a philosophical question—and here was where Heidegger saw his task lying. For him, the largest question that philosophy might ask was this: what do we mean when we speak of a being common to all modes and forms of individual beings? And he saw Western philosophy as having gone astray in that it had ceased to ask this question. Philosophy’s first and most fundamental problem—the true task of metaphysics—had fallen into neglect. He recalled that Aristotle said that philosophy was born of wonder. Heidegger located “the wonder of wonders” in the idea “that being is.” This wonder, and the question that lay at philosophy’s origin and its heart, had, however, been abandoned—or, in his words, it had been “forgotten.” His goal would be to remind his age—but he had not yet figured out how.  For his special task, Heidegger soon realized that he needed special tools. He saw that the terms and concepts employed by traditional metaphysical inquiry were little suited to the task at hand and would break under the strain of what he envisioned. And so he retreated to the Black Forest, and on long walks along its wooded paths, in glades and clearings, skiing down its slopes, and in long hours poring over books in his hut, he patiently crafted a special language for his unusual task. One thing was immediately apparent: it wasn’t pretty. German played a role in this. For him, “the forgetting of being,” as he called it, began early: with the translation of Greek texts into Latin. Things did not get any better with the translations from Latin into the burgeoning Romance languages. But German, in its rugged seclusion, had been spared and, what is more, possessed what he saw as an elective affinity with Western philosophy’s native language, Greek. (When once asked about the status of English as a philosophical language, he curtly responded that it had ceased being one in 1066.) Though German offered special advantages in its similarity to Greek, this was not enough, and Heidegger began employing a German like no other. More classical philosophers such as Ernst Cassirer and the young Walter Benjamin were at a loss as to what he was talking about—but they knew they didn’t like it. Adorno dismissed it as “ontological jargon,” and no less a stylistic master than Adorno’s friend Thomas Mann asked in shocked disbelief upon first reading Heidegger: “Should not such writing be subject to punishment?” A psychologist visiting one of Heidegger’s seminars had a more common reaction: “It was as if a man from Mars had come across a group of earthlings and was trying to communicate with them.”  But while everyone remarked the strangeness of Heidegger’s language, not everyone rejected it, and figures as diverse as Karl Jaspers, Werner Heisenberg, Ernst Jünger, Hans-Georg Gadamer, Maurice Blanchot, Jacques Lacan, Pierre Klossowski, and René Char found in it an intensity of expression without compare. For his own part, Heidegger was perfectly aware of the strangeness of what he was saying. In a lecture from 1925, he told his students, “If I am forced to employ here cumbersome and unattractive expressions, this is no mere whim on my part and stems from no special fondness for having my own terminology. Instead, it responds to the constraint placed upon language by the phenomena themselves.” Heidegger saw himself as renewing Husserl’s phenomenology, following the things of the world back to a distant—and thereby strange—origin.  Like his manner and his dress, Heidegger’s new philosophical language bore unabashed signs of its origins. He began Being and Time by apologizing for “the severity and strangeness of my expressions,” and it soon became clear to the book’s readers that these were not the severe or strange expressions of classical metaphysics, not technical-sounding formulations like Kant’s “thing-in-itself” or Hegel’s “sublation” but a new—and strangely sylvan—language. His preferred metaphorical register was that of the area around his hut: of forests and paths, of peaks and valleys, of dwellings and clearings, calls of nature and authentic connectedness with one’s environment. What seemed to most shape his language was the space before which I now, dirty and disoriented, stood.  Several days earlier I had been in Freiburg, clean and well-oriented. Our business in Freiburg done, my wife and I cut across the Black Forest to France (to Strasbourg) and on the way back visited family living in the heart of the Black Forest. Contrary to my expectations, the Black Forest is not black, though it is dark. Eighteenth-century logging removed a great many of the deciduous trees and their lighter greens, leaving the more robust firs and pines to dominate—and darken—the landscape. Also contrary to my expectations, it is hilly, and even, in High Black Forest, mountainous. We visited the ruins of a family of robber barons who controlled from a mighty peak one of the main passageways through the forest; we followed the winding swath of destruction cut by a recent tornado (“Lothar”); we tried to accustom ourselves to the local dialect; and we climbed to mountain peaks from which you can see the Vosges rising on the far side of the valley of the Rhine, as well as the Swiss Alps rising majestically in the hazy distance. After visiting a particularly breathtaking final peak, we began to make our way home, stopping by the side of the road to look at a waterfall. As my wife and her cousin moved towards the waterfall, I stood rooted by a small sign. It pointed towards “Todtnauberg.”   I first heard of the Black Forest in high school, having overheard a friend of my mother’s who taught philosophy say that Being and Time was “the smartest and worst book” he had ever read. Being the adolescent I was, this was appealing, and I soon got my hands on the book. On the first page I read:  Dedicated to Edmund Husserl in friendship and admiration. Todtnauberg in Baden, Black Forest  April 8th 1926.  Given the absurd comprehensiveness of the title, it seemed to me fitting that it had been written in what did not sound like a real place. I knew next to no German, but enough to recognize the word for death, Tod, in the name of the town. Todtnauberg. Death-something-something-mountain, I said to myself. Death Mountain in the Black Forest! I was intrigued, but soon lost my way in the “strange and severe” words of the first chapters and gave up, appropriately enough, in a section entitled “The Task of the Destruction of Ontology.” As I stood with the waterfall sounding in the distance, I recalled the smart, bad book, the strange names, and was as transfixed by the little signpost as if it indicated that nineteen kilometers down the road was an entrance to the underworld.   We were soon on our way. Todtnauberg proved to be tucked away in a lovely and largely untouched valley. Because of the small and steep roads and the almost total absence of signs, it took us far longer than we had expected to reach it—and when we did, there was little to reach. There was no center to speak of, and virtually no stores, and so we drove up and down steep and narrow roads, some paved and some not, asking if people knew where Martin Heidegger’s hut was and reaping a variety of befuddled “No’s.” At last we saw an elderly woman in well-worn hiking boots walking a large dog, and when we asked our question, she responded brightly, “Martin Heidegger Rundweg, of course,” and gestured to the valley’s crest a few kilometers away. After a few wrong turns and a steep final ascent, we at last saw a small wooden arrow with the words Martin Heidegger Rundweg carved into it. A few hundred yards away was a sign with a photo of the aging Heidegger, looking frankly smug, and a short text with the incipit: “Wer gross denkt, muss gross irren”: “He who will think greatly, must err greatly.” I thought this was funny. A few hours later, I found it less so.  Heidegger never finished Being and Time, but this did nothing to limit its success. He published a first installment, and this was enough to secure his growing fame and make his career. He learned many lessons from this first and unfinished treatise, and in the works to follow chose the smaller scales of lectures and essays. The first sign we had seen told us that the Martin Heidegger Rundweg was precisely 6.4 kilometers long and had five informational points like the first one. Rundweg means a circular path, and finding it on the sign seemed perfectly normal, but when we failed to reach the next information point the expected 0.4 kilometers later, the word began to play upon our minds. Heidegger had been fascinated by paths and circles, and often invoked “the hermeneutic circle.” If you wanted to talk about the origin of the work of art, as he did, how would you begin? You began with the artist, for the artist creates the work of art and is thereby its origin. But is an artist who does not create, or no longer creates, works of art still an artist? Is it not, rather, that the work of art is the origin of the artist? The answer to these questions are all, yes and no—or, seen from a different angle, involve “the hermeneutic circle.” Heidegger wrote about situations where “what is at issue is not avoiding the hermeneutic circle, it is in entering it in the right way.” Circular forms of reasoning could not be everywhere and always shunned—and nothing was gained by trying to avoid them. Everything instead depended “on how one entered the circle.” My wife and I had entered the circle of the Martin Heidegger Rundweg at the beginning and were enjoying the tree-lined peaceful walk bathed in afternoon sun, with its intermittent glimpses through the trees of the valley below and the mountain tops in the distance. But the trail markers that had been accompanying us seemed to have disappeared. Our goal—the information point that the first panel told us would be called “Heidegger’s Hut: Why the Hut is Not a Museum”—was nowhere to be found.  Photo Frédéric Le Mercier. In philosophy, as with the martial arts, a little bit of knowledge is a dangerous thing. My little bit of knowledge about Heidegger’s philosophy told me that Heidegger’s final collection of essays bore the modest title Wegmarken. Wegmarken means “Path-Markers,” and was a simple enough title for a collection of essays. But when it came out, it reminded his readers of his most influential collection of essays and lectures published eighteen years earlier: Holzwege. Holzwege proved a disarmingly difficult title to translate, or even understand: Holz means “wood,” and wege means “paths.” Thus: “Paths in the Forest”—but Holzwege are not just any paths. They are paths made not for the forest but the trees; paths for finding and carrying wood (back to your hut), not for getting from point A to B. And when you are on one, you are, proverbially, on the wrong path. They are thus a special kind of Rundweg. And they can be dangerous if you do not recognize them for what they are, as sooner or later it gets dark and the animals come out. The French translated Heidegger’s book as “Paths That Lead Nowhere”; in a sign of Anglo-Saxon sobriety and pragmatism, the English translation is Basic Writings. Heidegger’s title had everything to do with what he called the “forgetting of being” and what he felt led to our dominant modes of reasoning, with their focus on instrumental value and immediate results. He had no problem with such reasoning so long as it was kept within limits, but pointed out that the instrumental reasoning useful for building cities or waging wars was not the reasoning that philosophy set out to study and practice. One of the things that he most energetically opposed was what he saw as the hyper-rationalization of means and ends in modern times and went so far as to suggest that the dropping of the atomic bombs in Japan and the organization of Nazi death camps were the indirect but nevertheless real results of an unreflective dependence on instrumental reasoning (one of the very few points on which he was to agree with Adorno). It seems that Heidegger collected his philosophical writings under the heading of Holzwege not because they were meant to lead people astray, but because he wanted his readers to think of philosophy not merely as a means to an end, as a way of getting from point A to point B, but as an activity cultivating something of which our alienated age was perilously close to losing sight. This seemed to me a fine thing to think and write about, but I felt that we were, at the moment, in need of some very instrumental reasoning.  Half an hour later, we had found no further Wegmarken, no new information point, and suspected we had inadvertently left the Rundweg and forked onto a Holzweg. It was time for a decision. We were expected back at the head of the trail by my wife’s cousin waiting at the car with her infant child. Because we had already been gone too long, we decided to err separately. My wife, not having had any adolescent experiences with Heidegger and having known from earliest youth that the Black Forest was a real place, would go back. I would jog ahead, “take a little look at my hut,” and run back.   The forest grew more dense, and a canopy of fir trees darkened the trail. A kilometer or so further down I at last found the long-awaited information point. The sign was laying on its back in the underbrush a few feet back from the trail. I couldn’t see where it had been removed from, maybe a few feet away, maybe a mile. Maybe Lothar had deposited it here, I wondered. I forked and reforked, went off the trail and returned to it, climbed to the valley’s peak to get a better look, and returned. The only figures I saw were miniscule ones in the distance. I combed the far peak for signs of my wife but found none. I had passed the point of no return.   At a steady jog, I kept on the trail as it curved around the valley’s rim. The evening light grew more and more beautiful. And then I saw it! But it wasn’t it, it was a different hut. Not far I found a new sign, this one firmly fixed in the ground. It was called “Martin Heidegger Rundweg: Thinker to Thinker: Guests,” and listed some of the great minds who had visited Heidegger in his hut. One name stood out.  On the night of 9 November 1938, Reichskristallnacht, when ninety-one Jews were killed, hundreds seriously injured, about twenty-five thousand rounded up and later sent to concentration camps, and more than 175 synagogues and seventy-five hundred Jewish business burned, gutted, or otherwise demolished by government-incited mobs, eighteen-year-old Paul Celan’s train from Romania to France passed through one of Berlin’s principal stations. He went unnoticed and unharmed, but in his native Czernowitz (then Romania and today part of the Ukraine) his parents were soon interned and, a few years later, killed. He survived in a labor camp (his first job was destroying books) until the Soviets liberated Czernowitz. He worked as a male nurse in a psychiatric clinic not unlike the ones he would himself later visit, and composed his first great poem, “Death-Fugue.” Its now-iconic refrain notes that “Death is a master from Germany.” Although Celan had a remarkable array of languages at his disposal (French, English, Yiddish, Romanian, Russian, and German), he chose German, offering the chillingly laconic justification: “Muttersprache, Mördersprache,” “mother tongue, murder’s tongue.”   Celan continued his hauntingly beautiful explorations of the German language, leading Adorno to retract his declaration that writing poetry after Auschwitz was not possible. In July 1966, Celan, since grown famous, gave a reading in Freiburg. He had long been an admirer of Heidegger’s writings on poetry, just as Heidegger had long been an admirer of his poetry. Celan accepted Heidegger’s invitation and was driven from Freiburg into the heights of the Black Forest for a meeting at the hut. Celan took a drink from the wooden well outside with the star above it, wrote a few lines in the guestbook, and the two men went for a walk. Heidegger marveled at Celan’s knowledge of the natural world—flowers, plants, trees, animals—and it was the healing powers of this natural world with which Celan began a poem he wrote a week later about his visit. “Todtnauberg,” begins, “Arnica and eyebright,” the first a flower to treat bruises, the other for pained eyes. But the flora of the poem changes as the poet thinks of the book he signed. “Whose name did it record/ before mine—?” he asks.  As virtually all who came in contact with him stressed, Heidegger’s intentions were not easy to fathom. In 1933, Heidegger joined the Nazi party, restricted contact with his Jewish mentor, Husserl, as well as with his Jewish love, Arendt, and his many Jewish students. He was appointed rector of Freiburg University in 1933 and during his inauguration speech announced that, “the Führer is himself and alone the present and future German reality and its law.” This was at once shocking and confusing for many present. One of Heidegger’s Jewish students, Karl Löwith, remarked that many present at the speech were unsure as to whether they should “go home and study the pre-Socratics or to join the SA.” After the war, most of those who had known Heidegger, like those who came to know him later, did not know how to understand his political engagement. He stepped down as rector nine months after taking up the title, and by 1934 had ceased to play a leading role amongst Nazi intellectuals. But he also never left the party and wore a Swastika in his lapel even when abroad—including a visit to Löwith’s apartment in Rome a few years later. Some compared him to Plato in Syracuse, the philosopher a prisoner to the tyrant; some suggested that his naiveté was still greater and that, like Thales, he had been staring so intently up at the philosophical sky that he fell into a political well. And others saw his choice as a cunning one—and, still worse, in line with his philosophy and its stress on authenticity and connection to the land. Years later, Elfriede Jelinek was to write a play called Totenauberg (changing the title of Heidegger’s second home from death to the dead) mercilessly attacking Heidegger and his attachment to a murderous Heimat.  In 1933, Heidegger had held a Nazi indoctrination session in his hut, and it was doubtless with a shiver of awareness that Celan recalled this as he asked himself who had signed the book before him. In characteristically subtle fashion, he evoked a nearby symbol in his own entry: “In the hut’s book, glancing towards the well’s star, in the hope of a word to come,” followed by his signature. The stress on the star was a stress on the stars Jews like himself had been made to wear, and which in so many cases meant their death. Much disturbed by the experience, Celan returned to this well and its star in the poem he wrote a week later, evoking, as well, “a thinker’s/ word/ to come,/ in the heart”—or, in other words, what so many awaited from Heidegger. That word Celan hoped would come—a word of acknowledgement and apology for his role in the Nazi party—never did and, ever more depressed by so much he recalled from his past and saw in his present, Celan drowned himself in the Seine in 1970.  I stood before the well with the star above it that Celan wove into his haunting poem and looked at the closed window of Heidegger’s study. In 1934, Heidegger turned down the most prestigious teaching post in Germany, the Chair of Philosophy at the University of Berlin. A radio address later that year entitled “Why I Remain in the Provinces” begins, “On the steep slope of a wide mountain valley in the southern Black Forest at an elevation of 1,150 meters, there stands a small ski hut.” It evokes how “on deep winter nights when a wild, pounding snowstorm rages outside and veils everything,” that “this is the perfect time for philosophy. The questions become simple and essential.” The answer as to why he remained in the provinces was that it was there that he could best follow his philosophical calling. Heidegger often stressed that his life was of little interest—and all the less for philosophy. His lecture course on Aristotle began, “Aristotle was born, worked, and died,” thus giving all the biographical information he thought relevant and moving on to the philosophy. He saw himself in similar terms—as a vehicle for ideas, and his phenomenological hut represented the point from which he could best experience the things of his world.   Many visitors to the hut, like Celan, are known and documented. But there is one figure about whom there is some uncertainty, and yet who nevertheless saw its advantages and its shortcomings better than anyone else. Hannah Arendt and Heidegger spoke of the life of the mind, exchanged volumes of Thomas Mann’s The Magic Mountain; they met secretly and passionately. There is every reason to believe that the love was mutual and real, and yet Heidegger chose to remain with his wife and family. Being and Time, written directly after their separation, proceeds by analyzing the affects that condition our experience of the world, such as fear and anxiety. He offers magisterial analyses of a range of these affects, but one is conspicuously missing: love. Years later, Arendt was as shocked and disappointed as the rest of Heidegger’s former friends, but she chose to contact him all the same. For a Festschrift on his eightieth birthday, she wrote “the storm that blows through Heidegger’s work—like the one which blows across centuries against it from Plato’s works—does not stem from this century.” And from her first book—on the idea of love in St. Augustine—to her last, she chose a much different path. While her public remarks were full of praise, her private ones were less so. After the war, Arendt, since married, returned to Germany and spent an uneasy afternoon with her former love and his resolutely anti-Semitic wife Elfriede. What she wrote of her experience was in her diary and was not published until after her death. This was not a diary entry like others she wrote: it was an animal fable called “Heidegger the Fox.” It begins, “Heidegger says proudly: ‘People say Heidegger is a fox.’ This is the true story of Heidegger the fox.” She continued:  There was once a fox who was so utterly without cunning that he not only constantly fell into traps but could not even distinguish a trap from what was not a trap.… After this fox had spent his entire youth in other people’s traps … he decided to completely withdraw from the fox world, and began to build a den [Fuchsbau]. … He built himself a trap as a den, sat down in it, pretended it was a normal den (not out of cunning, but because he had always taken the traps of others for their dens). … This trap was only big enough for him. … Nobody could fall into his trap, because he was sitting in it himself.… If one wanted to visit him in the den where he was at home, one had to go into his trap. Of course everybody could walk right out of it, except him. … The fox living in the trap said proudly: so many fall into my trap; I have become the best of all foxes. And there was even something true in that: nobody knows the trap business [das Fallenwesen] better than he who has been sitting in a trap all his life.  Arendt begins by pointing to Heidegger’s pride: others saw him as clever and cunning (as “a fox”) and this flattered him. The fable depicts his problem as that of weakness turned into a strength and that strength then turned against itself. His ability to discern logical inconsistencies and metaphysical mystifications, his suspicions about freezing the constant flow of life, thought, and being into the too-rigid forms of concepts and systems left him, like Nietzsche, without a home under the stormy skies of unending change. In the most famous book on political power, Machiavelli notes that “it is necessary to be a fox so as to recognize traps.” Heidegger was a fox and recognized traps, but, having isolated and denounced so many homes as traps, as limitations to thought, he found himself in a difficult position when it came time to seek a refuge for himself, and, so the story goes, when he set about to build himself a home he built himself a trap.   I stood, bathed in sweat, mud-bespattered with the sun deepening into a rich orange glow. I wondered about the healing plants Celan pointed out to the philosopher and the word he longed for but never received, about the possibility that the hut was not perfect for philosophy, but a perfect trap, about the idea that if one wants to think greatly, one must risk erring greatly, and about love. Just then, I saw a flash of color on the trail above me. I bid the llamas a silent farewell, sprang over the electrical fence, and left the hut in peace. This article is published as part of Cabinet's contribution to documenta 12 magazines, a collective worldwide editorial project linking over seventy print and online periodicals, as well as other media. See for more information on documenta 12 and this project. Leland de la Durantaye is assistant professor in the Department of English and American Literature and Language at Harvard University. In addition to his scholarly work, he has written for the Boston Globe, Harvard Review, Rain Taxi, Bookforum, and the Village Voice. His book, Style is Matter: The Moral Art of Vladimir Nabokov, is forthcoming from Cornell University Press in July 2007.
Question by Andrea33 (29) How do you sort by dates in excel? I need to sort dates in excel. Answer by john11 (617) You can treat the dates just like regular numbers. Highlight the grouping, right click on the highlighted items, and pick sort. Answer by Quual (161) The standard excel sort function works just fine when sorting dates. For example we have the following data column A B 1 01/03/2010 item1 row 2 01/07/2010 item2 3 01/04/2010 item2 Highlight cells A1 to B3. Under the data menu select sort In the first 'sort by' box select Column A Click Ok Answer by Rajamal (121) If so the easiest way to convert them to proper dates is to : Select the dates (assuming a single column) and go data>text to columns > next> next and specify and import date format of date on the third screen and specify dmy from the drop down, then click finish. Reply by PickwellFarms (0): This worked perfectly - very many thanks. pf - uk add a comment Answer by anbu (5968) Either change to the formates of your dates to YY/MM/DD and then sort then change back or set up a mule column. Answer by DreamScaper (354) Highlight the group of cells that contain the date and all the information you want tied to it, right click, go to sort, and custom sort. Sort by the columns or rows that have the dates you are wanting to sort. Select a secondary sort if wanted, otherwise it will sort by date. Answer by technogeek (6640) Every date, when used in excel, has been assigned a number that the program recognizes them by. It's a simple sort, because the program cannot mistake dates, no matter which format you use. Just highlight your data, go to 'data - sort', and choose which column the dates are in. Answer by Kit (558) If you're using 2007 or 2010 Microsoft Office, select the entire range of cells to sort. Click Home tab, under Editing group, click Sort & Filter button. On the menu, Click Custom Sort... make sure that "My data has headers" check box, is checked. Under the Sort by: list box, select the Date field or column you want to use. Answer by worker63 (55) When you enter the dates into the spread sheet you have to format the cells according to the date format you follow. Then select the datas you want to sort. On the tool bar you have the alphabet A followed by a Up arrow or down arrow symbol by selecting it you can sort ascending or descending Answer by saveriorocca (71) Select all the data that you require to be sorted. Then go to the "Data" menu and select "Sort... ". In the "sort by" drop down, select the column of dates and then choose "Ascending" to sort so that January is first or select "Descending" to get December first. Then press OK and the data will be sorted. Answer by murali680 (559) If we want to sort by date in excel, format should be in the following stage such as DD/MM/YY. Otherwise use mule column, we can short the data in excel. Answer by tamarawilhite (17883) Highlight the column that contains the dates, or select the date range by highlighting the row of cells. Select "Data" from the tool bar, then "Sort". Now you can select the sort criteria as "ascending" or "Descending". You can also choose whether or not the first row is to be worted by whether or not it is a header row. You have 50 words left!
Insects are a cheap and easy source of protein, for you or your animals. Share me on Social Networks Share me on Social Networks There’s no shortage of insects in the world, which makes for a very reliable food source. While most people in the western world have an aversion towards making a meal of insects, they can provide protein and essential vitamins on a fraction of the resources of larger animals. Wax worms One of the insects most commonly used by humans are bees. In this case, we don’t consume the bee for meat or give it to our animals, but rather farm the wonderful honey that they make. If you’re interested in more information about bees, you can take a look at our how-tos on building your own bee hive, bait hive and wax melter. For the purpose of this article, it’s the wax worms that we’re more interested in. These bugs often live in symbiosis with bees, eating the comb that bees make. When in balance, they do not harm the hive, and can in fact serve as cleaners. However, when the health of the hive is compromised, the population of the wax worms can increase too much and become detrimental. You can help the bees by harvesting the out of control wax worms. We haven’t yet had a problem with them in our hives, so we don’t speak from experience, but it is said that of all insects, the wax worm is the most delicious. It makes sense; all they eat is wax and honey. What’s not to like? Mealworms are the larvae of the darkling beetle, and they are a very easy insect to raise in a small space. There are three main stages in development: adult beetles, larvae (worms), and pupae. The three should be kept apart to avoid the adult beetles eating any of the helpless pupae. Things like temperature and moisture can affect each stage, but to get an idea of the time scale, here is a breakdown of their life cycle: • A Darkling beetle reaches maturity just a few days after it has emerged from its cocoon. During the 2 to 3-month life span, a female can lay hundreds, if not thousands, of eggs. Wheat bran, a byproduct of wheat production, is typically used as the feed, but animal manures, especially dry ones from herbivores like rabbits or guinea pigs, can be included at a 1:1 ratio. They also need a bit of vegetable matter, like carrot peels, potatoes, or squash for water. They are highly efficient at converting feed into protein, with a FCR of 2:1 . This is an insect that we have started to farm properly. With the right set-up, using a few square feet of floor space, you can create a tower that puts out a few of pounds of worms each week. They are a great supplement for omnivores like poultry or pigs. We have tamed many baby birds using these little treats. However, they are also very good for humans to eat. We eat them on occasion, and they are really tasty. They have a slightly nutty flavor (like pecan), and the texture is crunchy, subtle, and much better than some other insects. For our own use, we put a bunch in a bag in the freezer for about 15 minutes, and we then fry them quickly with a dash of butter and garlic. There are people all around the world that eat grasshoppers, and some that consider them a delicacy. They are high in protein, plentiful and easy to harvest. If you don’t think about what you’re eating, they’re not bad. Grasshoppers are a plague where we live, and thus very plentiful. We therefore don’t have to expend any time and infrastructure in farming them. We will often catch a bunch in season, freeze them, and give them to the poultry in winter. Please not that there are many types of grasshoppers, some of which are poisonous. If your chickens and guineas won’t touch a particular kind, you shouldn’t either. We have eaten grasshoppers on several occasions. The best time to catch them is in the evening, when they climb high in plants to roost. Try to get younger ones, not big females that have already laid their eggs. 1. Put your catch into clean water. This will not only kill them, but also empty their digestive tract. 2. Discard the water and pat them dry with a paper towel. 3. Fry them in some butter, chili and garlic. 4. Remove the legs and eat the bodies. They’re not as good as mealworms, but they’re not too bad. It’s the more the texture than the taste (which is of garlic and chili) that you can get hung up on. Something we haven’t yet tried, but intend to, is grubs. Whenever we dig through our compost piles, we always find these huge, nasty looking grubs. They are similar to maggots in appearance, but much bigger and fatter. We’re not a hundred percent sure, but we think they are the larva of either June/ Japenese or Rhinoceros beetles. They are said to be good to eat, and the main reason that we haven’t yet partaken of this culinary delight is that our chickens would get very upset with us. Whenever we are turning a compost pile that the chickens don’t have access to, they gather around, outside the fence. They look at you with their beady little eyes and somehow compel you to throw them the treats. It’s perhaps shameful to admit how easily we are manipulated by our birds, but we do get their eggs, so fair’s fair. One day we’ll keep the grubs and give them a try for ourselves. The great thing about our experiments with eating bugs is that our kids don’t balk at trying them. They are too young to have any preconceptions about eating insects, and just judge it on their natural merits. You never know what kind of world they will be inheriting, but having a reliable source of protein that is cheap and easy to farm or harvest (even in a drought) can’t be a bad thing. Food Web: Concept - Raising Food the Right Way Start Your Food Web! Food Production with a Soul Cheaper, safer, healthier food Grab Yours Now!
Dec. 27, 2013 The Rockettes by John Updike Now when those girls, all thirty-six, go to make their silky line, they do it slow, so slow and with a smile—they know we love it, we the audience. Our breaths suck in with a gasp you hear as their legs in casual unison wave this way then, and that, and their top hats tilt in one direction, and their sharp feet twinkle like a starry row as the pace picks up, and the lazy legs (thirty-six, thirty-six, what a sex to be limber and white and slender and fat all at once, all at once!) that seemed so calm go higher, higher in the wonderful kicks, like the teeth of a beast we have dreamed and are dreaming, like the feathers all velvet together of a violent contracting that pulls us in, then lets us go, that pulls us in, then lets us go; they smile because they know we know they know we know. "The Rockettes" by John Updike from Collected Poems: 1953-1993. © Alfred A. Knopf, 1993. Reprinted with permission. (buy now) It was on this day in 1831 that Charles Darwin (books by this author) set sail from England on the HMS Beagle, beginning the journey that would take him to the Galapagos Islands and inspire his theory of evolution. His father wanted him to be a clergyman, but Darwin always cared more about collecting beetles than he did about theology. He took a biology class in college, and his teacher recommended him for the spot on an upcoming voyage to South America. His father was furious, but Darwin went anyway. He returned to England in the fall of 1836 and never traveled beyond Great Britain again. He spent years thinking about what he'd seen during his voyage on the Beagle, and eventually he developed the theory of evolution in the mid-1840s. But he was terrified to publish it, for fear of offending people's religious beliefs. He said, "It is like confessing to a murder." Finally, in 1859, he published On the Origin of Species, which forever changed the way people thought about living things and their beginnings. Charles Darwin wrote: "Probably all organic beings which have ever lived on this earth have descended from some one primordial form, into which life was first breathed. There is grandeur in this view of life that [...] from so simple a beginning endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been, and are being evolved." It's the birthday of the man credited with proving that disease is caused by germs: Louis Pasteur born in Dole, France (1822). He was a scientist who specialized in the properties of acids. One day, a local distillery owner asked him to figure out why the fermentation of beet sugar into alcohol sometimes failed. At the time, people knew about the existence of microbes, but most scientists thought they were insignificant oddities. By studying the process of fermentation under a microscope, Pasteur discovered that the process is a result of microbes digesting their food. And he found that fermentation failed when another type of microorganism interfered with the process. Pasteur became one of the first scientists to grow cultures of bacteria and study their effects on nature. He began to theorize that microbes might be responsible for all kinds of things, from spoiled wine and milk to the decomposition of dead animals. He showed that milk and wine could be preserved for longer periods simply by heating them just enough to kill off the microbes. The process became known as pasteurization, and it revolutionized the food industry. He went on to develop the first vaccines for anthrax, cholera, and rabies. He is now regarded as the father of bacteriology. It's because of him that our mothers started teaching us to wash our hands before dinner. Louis Pasteur said, "Science knows no country, because knowledge belongs to humanity, and is the torch which illuminates the world." Today is the birthday of German astronomer Johannes Kepler, born in Weil der Stadt, Württemberg (1571), who intended to become a theologian but then read Copernicus's Six Books Concerning the Revolutions of the Heavenly Orbs, in which Copernicus posits that the planets revolve around the Sun, not the Earth. Kepler saw Copernicus's theory as evidence of a divine blueprint for the universe, and set out to prove the theories through scientific observation. He wrote a defense of Copernicus called The Cosmographic Mystery (1596) and over his lifetime, Kepler came up with three laws of planetary motion. He published two of them in New Astronomy (1609), stating first, that the planets travel in elliptical orbits around the Sun; and second, that an imaginary line joining the planet and the Sun would sweep out equal areas during equal periods of time — in other words, the planet moves faster during the portion of its orbit that is closest to the Sun. His final law, published in Harmonies of the World (1619), describes the mathematical relationship between the distance of a planet from the Sun and the length of the planet's orbital period. Kepler was also the father of modern optics. He had poor vision himself, as a result of a childhood case of smallpox. He explained the mechanics of vision in the eye, and developed lenses to correct nearsightedness and farsightedness. He also explained how both eyes work together to produce depth perception. Radio City Music Hall opened on this date in 1932. John D. Rockefeller Jr. had originally planned to build a new Metropolitan Opera House on some land he owned in Midtown Manhattan, but the stock market crash of 1929 put an end to that plan. He decided to build a block of buildings anyway, which he called "Rockefeller Center." The cornerstone of the center was a vast Art Deco theater that offered lavish entertainment at reasonable prices. Radio City Music Hall boasted the largest indoor theater in the world; its marquee spanned an entire city block. The stage was equipped to produce water effects like fountains and rain showers, and fog could even be piped in from a ConEd utility plant nearby. One New York critic wrote, "It has been said of the new Music Hall that it needs no performers." Opening night was not a big success. Crowds turned out for the high-class variety show featuring Ray Bolger and Martha Graham, but individual acts were lost in the cavernous space, and it got bad reviews. Radio City was better suited to big, splashy spectacles. Two weeks after the opening, impresario Roxy Rothafel staged a movie premiere — Frank Capra's The Bitter Tea of General Yen — coupled with a stage spectacular, and started the Radio City tradition of movies combined with stage shows. That tradition continued until 1979. The Christmas Spectacular is another Radio City tradition that has endured. The first Christmas Spectacular was staged December 21, 1933, a year after the theater opened. It was a 30-minute production that was paired with a movie feature. In 1979, the show was expanded to 90 minutes, and since that time it stands on its own, incorporating 3-D movies and, of course, the precision legs of the Radio City Rockettes. • “Writing is my dharma.” —Raja Rao The Writer's Almanac on Facebook The Writer's Almanac on Twitter An interview with Jeffrey Harrison at The Writer's Almanac Bookshelf Current Faves - Learn more about poets featured frequently on the show O, What a Luxury
Narwhal, Monodon monoceros Narwhal, Monodon monoceros. The narwhal, Monodon monoceros, is a small whale that reaches a maximum length of 5 m. It has a more limited distribution than the beluga, being restricted to the eastern Arctic in the vicinity of Baffin, Devon, and Ellesmere Islands. Adult males have a long, spirally twisted tusk, which projects through their upper lip and is hollow for most of its length. Although these tusks may reach a length of 3 m, their function was long uncertain. However, as they occur only in males, they are probably used to establish dominance in the social hierarchy and as a visual display of strength. Roughly every one in three tusks are broken and most adult males bear scars on their heads from fighting. Narwhals are gregarious, sometimes congregating in herds of more than 1000 animals which are so noisy they can be heard several kilometres away. These herds are usually segregated by age and sex. The narwhal often dives as deep as 400 m as it forages on squid, shrimp, polar cod, and other fish. Young are born in June and July and in the autumn large groups form, which overwinter in polynyas. Recent estimates suggest that there are approximately 30,000 narwhals in the wild. Canadian Inuit have long valued the narwhal and hunted it for its tusk and thick skin, which is traditionally eaten raw as a delicacy. Commercial whalers targeted this species in the 17th century and sold the tusks to China and Japan, where they were used in traditional medicine because of their association with the fabled unicorn.
Birth of the Cocktail Explore the history of Manhattan, from colonialism through prohibition and the rise of the neo-speakeasy in the 21st century by learning about America's greatest culinary contribution: the cocktail. Architecture of New York How did Midtown come to be the pulsing center of New York City during the first half of the 20th century? Join an architectural historian, preservationist, or practicing architect for Context's expert-led walking tour of the 42nd Street corridor to explore such iconic structures as the Ford Foundation, Chrysler Building, Grand Central Terminal and New York Public Library. Urban History Explore three centuries of residential, industrial and commercial history, architecture and urban renewal with an urban planner, historian or architect in the Meatpacking District and along the continually expanding opened High Line park. Family Tour: Adventures in Modern Art How do artists respond to and interpret the changing world around them? Led by an art historian or practicing artist and museum educator, our family tour of the Museum of Modern Art will explore works by such artists as Pablo Picasso, Jackson Pollock and Andy Warhol to learn how artists challenged what art could be about and look like over the course of the 20th century. ← Previous 1 3 4 ← Previous 1 3 4

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