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The Tenor Banjo Banjos originally were of the 5-string type (actually 3 strings and a drone played flailing style, made of gourd, skin wood and gut - see Beginnings). The Tenor Banjo did not emerge until some time after the 5-string banjo had been introduced to America and came into being a process of evolution. The banjo, by the end of the 19th century had acquired frets and could be strung with steel strings. It wasn't long before some players started removing the drone string and re-tuning the 4 long strings in different ways. When these long banjos were made in their own right, with just 4 strings, they became known as Plectrum Banjos and were generally of around 22 to 26 frets to the body. The tuning is usually CGBD but Chicago Tuning (DGBE) is also very popular as it is the same as a guitar. The long length with tuning in fifths made melody playing a challenge, and so the Tenor Banjo arose with a shorter neck (17 or 19 frets), 4 strings and tuned as a tenor - CGDA as the Mandola and Viola. The shorter scale-length banjo (17 fret) is often re-tuned to GDAE and is sometimes known as the Irish Banjo. Reported variously as originating with the Tango craze (around 1910) or the Jazz craze, the golden era of the Tenor Banjo was definitely in the 1920s and 1930s. After the war it was to be eclipsed by the guitar.
Definition of Enthalpy Enthalpy is a thermodynamic measure of the thermal energy change in a reaction. An endothermic reaction is one with a positive enthalpy change, where heat is taken in to the system as the reaction takes place. An important example of an endothermic reaction is ice melting to form water. An exothermic reaction is one with a negative enthalpy change, where the reaction will give off heat as it progresses. An important example of an exothermic reaction is combustion, where oxygen combines with a fuel and gives off carbon dioxide, water, and heat. Along with entropy, enthalpy can be used to determine whether a reaction will proceed spontaneously at a given temperature. Related Questions (10) Join Chegg Study Guided textbook solutions created by Chegg experts 24/7 Study Help Answers in a pinch from experts and subject enthusiasts all semester long Start Your Free Trial
Writing Style Study Guide based on 1 rating Updated on Aug 25, 2011 Practice exercises for this study guide can be found at: Writing Style Practice Exercises Writers think carefully not only about the words they use but also about the kind of sentences they write. Will they be long or short? Full of description or right to the point? What kind of tone does this produce? This lesson shows you how to analyze a writer's style and how style helps create meaning. You might think your best friend really knows how to dress with style. Or you might wish that you could update your wardrobe so that you could keep up with the latest style. But what does style have to do with reading and writing? Actually, understanding style is very important to reading success. Writers use different structures to organize their ideas, and they also use different styles to express those ideas. Being aware of style helps you see what writers are up to. Style is also important because it's often what makes us like or dislike certain writers or types of writing. For example, some people like stories with a lot of description and detail, while others like stories with lots of right-to-the-point action. You may not change your taste after this lesson, but you should be able to appreciate and understand all kinds of writers and styles. Before we go any further, let's define style. Style: a way of doing something—writing, speaking, dressing, and so on; the manner in which something is done. In writing, style generally consists of four elements: • sentence structure • level of description and detail • level of formality • tone Sentence Structure Think about a table for a moment. How many different ways could you put a table together? It could have four legs, or just one in the middle. It could be round, rectangular, or square—or any other shape, for that matter. It could be thick or thin. It could be made of wood, plastic, or metal. It could seat two people or twenty. In other words, the possibilities and combinations are virtually endless. The same goes for sentences. They can come in all kinds of shapes and sizes. They can be short and simple, or long and complex, with lots of ideas packed together. Writers can use mostly one kind of sentence, or they can use a range of sentence sizes and styles. Sometimes sentences will all sound the same; other times sentences will vary in word order, length, and structure. Here are examples of two very different styles. Paragraph A A team works best when it is organized. The leader should have clear goals. All team members should understand those goals. The team members should have well-defined roles. Everyone should have specific deadlines. Paragraph B The key to an effective team is organization. The team leader must have clear goals, and it's the team leader's job to make sure the team members understand those goals. But how should you meet those goals? Deciding who does what is just as important. Team success depends on everyone knowing exactly what is expected of him or her. Finally, all team members should have very specific deadlines for each job they are assigned. Notice the following differences between these two paragraphs. Paragraph A • uses simple sentences. • uses the same sentence structure (type of sentence) throughout. • does not provide transitions between sentences. • has limited word choice, simple vocabulary. Paragraph B • uses complex sentences. • has a lot of variety in sentence structure. • uses strong transitions between sentences. • has variety in word choice and a more sophisticated vocabulary. Which style do you prefer? Chances are that paragraph B sounds a lot better to your ear. Paragraph A is simple and clear, but it may sound dull because all the sentences follow the same simple pattern. They are all short, and there aren't any transitions. As a result, the paragraph sounds choppy. Paragraph B flows well. The sentences are longer and more varied. They sound more natural, because people speak in varied rhythms and in complex thoughts. Here are two more passages with different sentence structures. Paragraph A Emma stared sadly out the window of the bus. Only 50 miles outside town was the farm. She thought about the farm all the time. She remembered the breathtaking view from her bedroom window. She remembered the creaky wooden floors of the old farmhouse. She especially remembered the animals. Paragraph B Emma stared sadly out the window of the bus. Only 50 miles outside town was the farm. She thought about the farm all the time, remembering the breathtaking view from her bedroom window, the creaky wooden floors of the old farmhouse, and especially the animals. Again, we have two paragraphs that say the same thing but say it in very different styles. The second paragraph has only three sentences instead of six; it combines sentences three through six into one long sentence. But unlike the previous example, here the shorter sentences in paragraph A don't sound awkward or choppy. Instead, the repetition of "she remembered" creates a certain pleasing rhythm. This kind of purposeful repetition of a sentence pattern is called parallelism. View Full Article Add your own comment
The Challenges in Specialty Fires The February Firehouse magazine TI training article discussed some of the challenges users can face onboard aircraft or ship fires. Online, we'll examine in more detail the advantages of a TI in these environments, as well as two more challenges specific to these fires. A handheld TI can assist firefighters while they are approaching an aircraft fire, as well as while they are operating inside the aircraft. During the approach phase, firefighters can use the TI to help identify safe passage through dense smoke, avoiding large volumes of fire or dangerous debris from a crash. They can identify the exact locations of doors and windows to help them decide appropriate entry points. If there are openings in the fuselage due to the crash, firefighters can also evaluate these as potential entry points. Once inside the aircraft, firefighters can identify the location and direction of the active fire as well as any crash victims requiring rescue. In a smoke investigation, the TI can help firefighters identify areas of higher heat, leading them to track down the smoldering source of smoke. One additional challenge of aircraft fires is that aircraft are loaded with hydrocarbon fuels. Once a fire starts aggressively burning, all of the foams, plastics and jet fuel (or aviation gas) will generate tremendous amounts of heat and black smoke. This can cause problems for the TI, especially if moisture and soot build up on the lens. Firefighters need to remember that a rapidly deteriorating TI picture can be cured by quickly wiping the lens with a gloved finger. They also need to be comfortable recognizing rapidly deteriorating conditions so that they do not overextend themselves, or misinterpret a dangerous situation as just a poor thermal image. A TI can dramatically improve the effectiveness of firefighters onboard a vessel. Since obstacles and passageways are easily identified, a properly trained team will advance more quickly to the area of the fire when using a TI. This means that the firefighting team will find the fire, as well as any potential victims, faster. Despite dense smoke, hose streams can be visualized with the TI, allowing firefighters to extinguish the fire more rapidly. By extinguishing the fire faster, the threat to the ship and its personnel is reduced. Firefighters will also be able to navigate dangerous spaces more safely. Cargo ties, steam lines, electrical conduits, engine room equipment and a host of other obstacles will be visible with the TI. This can help in low-light environments, not just smoke-filled ones. Do not forget that ship spaces are small and compartments are watertight. These two features combine to cause a rapid build up of heat and dense smoke. Thick soot buildup on the TI lens can occur quickly. The naturally high humidity of a shipboard environment means that water condensation on the lens is also a likely risk. As with aircraft fires, firefighters must know how to rapidly correct a poor image caused by lens obstruction. They also must recognize potentially dangerous situations rapidly, as spaces can be small, and exit can be long and complicated. Most of us will never have to fight a fire on an aircraft or a ship. While the potential for an aircraft incident is present for almost all firefighters, the likelihood of a shipboard incident is limited to coastal and port locations. Ensure that your training for these incidents includes specific training on your TI so that your firefighters are better prepared for the unique challenges of these types of fires. Below are the complete Anchorage and Jacksonville "success stories" on how they used their TIs properly and effectively. TI a Critical Tool at Ship Fire Three Anchorage (Alaska) firefighters faced the challenge of their lives when they responded to a call in June of 2002 on the Great Land, a 790-foot roll-on/roll-off cargo ship loading in the Port of Anchorage. As they left the downtown fire station, firefighters saw a preview of the work ahead: thick black smoke pushed skyward from the port area. Prior to the fire department's arrival, the ship's crew had isolated the fire to a 150-foot by 80-foot hold four levels below deck. The hold contained 30 cars, four semi-truck trailers and six school buses. The captain of the vessel ordered CO2 discharged into the two story-high hold in an unsuccessful attempt to smother the flames. Senior Captain Jim Kenshalo acted as initial incident commander, leading a response of 16 firefighters. "First we checked the boundaries of the fire," he explained. "On the deck above the hold that was burning, the steel decking was warping from the heat. Using the TI, I could see a 30-foot circle of heat on the floor. We could also see heat on the TI from the engine control room bulkhead, but it was less intense." Capt. Kenshalo spent the next hour monitoring the situation with the TI before making the decision to enter the hold. He decided to lead a three-person hose team, taking two firefighters and one of the department's TIs with him. "The ship's crew had discharged 134 hundred-pound bottles of C02, and nothing was changing. The fire wasn't growing, but it wasn't being extinguished either, so we made a plan to enter at the lowest point of the hold," Capt. Kenshalo said. "We vented the hold for ten minutes, then entered through a hatch. It was like walking into a huge dark cave, with air blowing in behind us like a windstorm. The hold was so full of carbon that it was swirling around us? the heat was intense, and there was no visibility." Firefighter Grant Walker took the nozzle, and led the team into the hold. Capt. Kenshalo followed Walker, operating the TI and keeping in contact with the other men on the team. Firefighter Mike Wittman was third in line, and helped advance the hoseline. Every one of the 40 vehicles in the hold was secured with eight chains, two on each corner. Firefighters crawled under truck trailers and around cars, rising up to scan the room as they went. "The huge box beams of the ship's skeleton came at an angle from the overhead to the deck, so we couldn't see very far in front of us because the beams impeded our view," Capt. Kenshalo said. "We were running low on air, and our bells just started to ring when Grant saw the fire in the TI. Three of the six school buses at the very back of the hold were on fire? We put some water on the fire and followed our hoseline out. I sent a new crew in with the same thermal imager, and they had the fire out in a matter of minutes." "Without the thermal imager, we would have expended a lot of energy and resources," he continued. "That hold was very dangerous? I think we could have easily gotten lost and run out of air if we hadn't used the camera. We had six lanes of vehicles to navigate, and every step we took, we were tripping over the chains. The thermal imager showed us where the cars were and gave us the confidence that we could see the next obstacle. It took all of us to save this ship? The beacon through this hell was that damned little camera." The cause of the fire was an electrical short in one of the buses. Fire officials estimate that the thermal imager saved hundreds of thousands of dollars in ship repairs and lost revenue for Tote, the company that owns the Great Land. Ship Fire Quickly Contained in Jacksonville, Florida District Chief George Rhoden was one of the sector officers at a container ship fire on Jan. 21, 2003, where a thermal imager was instrumental in identifying the source of a fire in the ship's hold. When firefighters arrived, smoke was billowing out of the 40-foot by 40-foot opening in the deck. Chief Rhoden trained the thermal imager on the stacks of shipping containers in the hold and quickly identified the container that was burning. "Without the camera, we could see nothing," Chief Rhoden recounted. "With the camera, we saw a very bright white image that told us exactly which container was burning. We were able to direct the hoselines to the correct container to cool it down on the outside." Firefighters then made entry into the fourth level of the hold to open the container and apply water inside. The damage was confined primarily to the involved container, which was transporting Styrofoam products. Fire officials later learned that a nearby container carried used car batteries, which could have caused an explosion if the fire had spread. The incident commander declared the fire under control after 20 minutes on scene.
How to Become a Criminologist Job Duties of a Criminologist Skills or Qualities Needed to Become a Criminologist Criminologist Salaries Influential Professional Criminologista Leading Organizations for Criminologists Top Cities for Criminologist Jobs Other Careers of Interest How to become a Criminologist A well rounded education in both criminal justice and psychology is generally necessary to become a criminologist. Undergraduate study often involves criminal and constitutional law, as well as general and abnormal psychology, sociology, criminal theory, and statistics. Criminal Justice degrees are generally acquired, although some criminologists also begin with degrees in psychology or sociology. A master's degree in criminology, psychology, or sociology is often a minimum requirement in the field. Individuals with only undergraduate degrees may be able to work for some government agencies, however pay is generally low. Many criminologists obtain PhD's, and it is necessary in order to work in teaching. Graduate study in criminology generally follows the same coursework found in the criminal justice field. Areas of study include the psychology and sociology of deviant behavior, design and systems analysis, and their application to crime. What does a Criminologist do? A criminologist studies and analyzes the nature of crime and criminals. The study of criminology is a social science and the work of a criminologist is often similar to that of a psychologist or sociologist, based largely in research and teaching. Criminologists focus on the psychological makeup, behaviors, societal backgrounds, and other aspects in the lives of criminals. They also investigate where crime is concentrated within our society and reasons for variation. Criminologists often work in colleges and private universities as professors. Some work in junction with law enforcement agencies, both local and federal. Criminologists may also work in prisons or security companies. A criminologist may work within a specialty area, such as criminal investigation, crime prevention, or corrections. Some criminologists specialize in certain types of crimes or criminal behavior, or devote their work to research and profiling. Criminologists take into account psychological issues, social and environmental factors, education levels and biological aspects when researching criminals and deviant behavior.. The extensive data collection and research done be criminologists can aid law enforcement officials in tracking and capturing criminals. A criminologist may work primarily with statistics and data, while others may profile individual criminals to gain insight into the motivations and factors behind deviant behavior. Some criminologists study mainly the history and theory of criminology as opposed to current crime trends. The academic knowledge and input of the criminologist can also help to develop crime prevention strategies and determine useful rehabilitation programs. Some criminologists conduct their own research projects while teaching at colleges and universities. Criminologists may work in variety of settings including classrooms, crime scenes, medical examiner offices, courthouses, prisons, police stations, or private offices. Criminologists may use their education and training to move onto other jobs either in psychological study or law enforcement. Criminologists are sometimes confused with criminalists, or forensic science technicians. While both professions work in the field of criminology, a criminalist focuses on the physical evidence of crimes while the criminologist focuses on the environmental and psychological triggers involved in criminal behavior. Criminologists are academics who work to gain an understanding of the motivations and causal factors behind the behavior of criminals. Criminologists research a variety of issues in psychology and sociology in order to explain the nature of crime and criminals. Such investigation is undoubtedly beneficial to our culture and necessary in order to achieve a safer society. What skills or qualities do I need to become a Criminologist? A criminologist, like a psychologist, must be interested in human nature and behavior. An interest in justice and improving society are important traits in criminologists as well. Strong research and analysis skills are vital as so much of the job involves data collection and interpretation. An aptitude for math is important because statistics are crucial in the study of criminology. Teachers must have a tolerance for working with an ever changing group of students and all criminologists must have the endurance continue their education and research on an ongoing basis. Good communication skills are also important because a criminologist often works to describe the theories of criminology to students, law enforcement officials, or other professionals. How much do Criminologists make? Many criminologists work in teaching and research and are paid between $32,270 and $66,460 annually. Among teachers, professors earn the highest wages and assistant professors and lecturers earn less. Those teaching in 4-year institutions generally earn higher salaries than teachers in junior colleges. Many criminologists working for state and local governments earn between $30,000 and $55,000 per year depending on education level and experience. Who are some influential professionals in this field? Raffaele Garofalo was the first to coin the term "criminologist." He was an Italian jurist who said that the only way to understand crime fully was to study it by scientific methods. Edwin Sutherland was a sociologist who was also an extremely influential criminologist. Sutherland studied how criminals study from master criminals and learn their techniques. What are some leading organizations in this field? The American Society of Criminology is, contrary to its name, an international society for criminologists. The ASC studies ways to prevent and learn about crime, as well as discussing criminal law. What are the top cities for Criminologist jobs? The overall job outlook for criminologists is poor. New jobs in the field are dependent on public funding for crime prevention, which is often low. The majority of work for criminologists exists within colleges and universities, with the highest concentration of job opportunities in junior colleges. Sacramento, California is the top city for criminologist jobs in the United States, with Baltimore, Maryland in second place. 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Since I last wrote about the Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea virus (PEDv) outbreak in the U.S. last October, there has been a lot of stuff going on. Pigs, veterinarians, farmers, and the USDA have all been very busy. Here’s the latest. The virus that causes PED is part of the swine enteric coronavirus diseases (SECD). While PEDv was first documented in the U.S. in April 2013, another virus of the same family, called porcine delta coronavirus (PDCov), has also popped up. Both viruses cause diarrhea and associated weight loss. Both can result in significant mortality, primarily in young pigs. Since its initial outbreak over a year ago, PEDv has killed roughly 10 percent of the pigs in the U.S. — that’s an estimated seven million pigs, according to a Reuters report in early June. What’s more, officials still don’t know where it came from. While there is speculation that its origin is from China, since all strains identified from the U.S. outbreaks are closely related to a strain from China, the where and why and how of its transcontinental travel remain a mystery, something unnerving to officials whose job it is to keep foreign animal diseases, well, foreign. On June 5, 2014, the USDA issued a Federal Order. This Federal Order requires all producers, veterinarians, and diagnostic laboratories to report all new cases of PEDv and PDCoV. Secondly, this order requires hog operations to work with a veterinarian to develop a management plan to address the disease and prevent its spread in their herds. Both parts of this Federal Order are aimed at tracking the diseases and helping prevent their continual spread. As a veterinarian — and large animal veterinarians are mostly affected by this — certain diseases (e.g., diseases the government is trying to eradicate, have already been eradicated, are foreign animal diseases, or dangerous zoonotic diseases) are reportable, which means that if you see it in a patient, you call your state veterinarian and report it. This means you’re suddenly playing with the big boys. This means that now, PEDv has been elevated to Big Boy status. Sort of exciting. On June 16, the USDA announced issuance of a conditional license for a vaccine that may aid in the control of PED, making it the first of its kind. You may have noticed two things in that last sentence: the word “conditional” and the word “may.” Conditional licenses are issued sometimes when a disease threat is heavy and the need is severe. Such a vaccine has been proved to be safe, but how well it works (called its efficacy) has yet to be completely determined. There’s a possibility that a conditional vaccine may not actually work well at all and after this is proven from actual use data, it will be removed from the market. This happened fairly recently with the conditional approval of a vaccine in horses against a protozoa that causes spinal damage (a disease called equine protozoa myelitis). This was extremely disappointing in the equine veterinary world because there is a great need for such a vaccine in the U.S. Think of a conditional license as a way to get something safe on the market fast when there is a need, using real world data to gather the rest of the efficacy data. This is why the USDA’s statement on June 16 says “may aid in the control.” They don’t know yet. But they have to try something. One thing to keep in mind is that PEDv is not transmissible to humans or other animals and can’t be transmitted through eating meat from an infected animal. So we humans remain safe, at least in terms of PEDv. Watch this epidemic closely if you have an interest in the pork industry or epidemiology, as things are continuing to develop on an almost daily basis. Dr. Anna O'Brien Image: Dmitry Kalinovsky / Shutterstock
Treasure Island Herbert Nehrlich 2 (04-10-1943 / Germany) The History Of Frog Pigment A frog is green not by design, but by his own volition, it started all with Father Rhine where Grandpa did his fishing. Back then pollution was a word used only by the teachers, it's what they read and overheard on air wave science features. Each Saturday, my Opa sat down by the raging river he was a stocky man, not fat and had a touchy liver. I think they told us kids that fate had brought him this affliction I had my any rate it was a plain addiction. His tackle box contained the lure and hooks and rooster feathers, two flasks of Russian Vodka, pure a snot rag which was Heather's. He'd spend the afternoon in place and caught some on occasion, a buddy from a different race would join him, he was Asian. The Asian fellow saw him first, a frog of brownish colour, and while they stilled their urgent thirst Opa began to holler: 'This animal seems bigger then the fishes in these waters I think it is a water hen with lots of sons and daughters.' It is unclear what happened now, the frog took great exception he raised one eye beneath each brow to tender this subreption. He had, from passing fishermen heard of the Northern creatures, there was a land beyond Big Ben where publicans and preachers wore green and would not hesitate to drown their frequent sorrows, at dawn or in the evening, late to soothe their new tomorrows. The frog, surrounded as he is by water and small fishes, was not attracted to the fizz of spirits, no, his wishes had focused on the colour seen it soothed his bulging pupils, he dreamed and wanted to be green, and entertained no scruples. A boat passed on a certain day it wore the name Kilkenny, he asked if he could pay his way though didn't own a penny. He was determined so he said 'dear Sir, you are the skipper here in these waters I'll be dead snuffed out by Jack The Ripper! So in return for cabin space and passage I'll surrender one leg, in premium bouillabaisse cooked to perfection, tender.' He added ' I can grow it back, we of the lower species can manufacture what we lack from any smelly feces.' They made the deal, and landed soon on Wednesday, it was sunny, it was an early afternoon the skip was in the dunny. The frog accelerated on the deck and soon departed, mid-air into this clever con he laughed and then he farted. 'Frog leg, you stupid sailing fool I'd be the dumbest critter, so go ahead my man and drool and stay there on your shitter.' That is what happened in the past, the frog soon met a sheila, their date proceeded rather fast helped by some good Tequila. But what you probably don't know is Irish folks are lucky they read their Edgar Allan Poe and dream about Kentucky. Yet no one lacks the common sense to drink the nation's potion, it ties up all their random ends and fosters great devotion. So now you know what happened here, back there I mean, dear reader, we covered frogs and Irish beer and mentioned briefly breeder, that's it for now, well, um, I mean since frog was relocated all his descendants turned out green and also those who mated produced the Irish nation's pride with fierce and loyal kiddoes did I forget then to confide that there were countless widows.... due to the fact that only males acquired the pigmented and so attractive frog leg scales that Nature had invented and connoisseurs preferred the hue and usually ate doubles, so now you know why Opa knew and had those liver troubles. Submitted: Monday, March 01, 2010 Do you like this poem? 0 person liked. 0 person did not like. What do you think this poem is about? Read this poem in other languages This poem has not been translated into any other language yet. I would like to translate this poem » word flags What do you think this poem is about? Comments about this poem (The History Of Frog Pigment by Herbert Nehrlich 2 ) Enter the verification code : There is no comment submitted by members.. Updates New Poems 1. My Mother..., Taimane Fanene 2. Ignoring Seasons, RoseAnn V. Shawiak 3. Ephemera, Ian Nicholas McDowell 4. Seeing light in Darkness, Aziz Akrish 6. A Virtual Life, Sandra Feldman 7. Never Ending Dreams, Lilly Emery 8. My Soul's Song, Matthew Densley 9. No love, Barbara Dixion 10. Music Is Life, Ray Hansell Poem of the Day poet Geoffrey Chaucer The firste stock-father of gentleness, What man desireth gentle for to be, Must follow his trace, and all his wittes dress, Virtue to love, and vices for to flee; ...... Read complete » Trending Poems 1. 04 Tongues Made Of Glass, Shaun Shane 2. Still I Rise, Maya Angelou 3. The Road Not Taken, Robert Frost 4. Phenomenal Woman, Maya Angelou 5. I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings, Maya Angelou 6. Fire and Ice, Robert Frost 7. Dreams, Langston Hughes 8. Invictus, William Ernest Henley 9. Annabel Lee, Edgar Allan Poe 10. The Raven, Edgar Allan Poe Trending Poets [Hata Bildir]
Unconscious Mind by email icon published Freud compared himself to an archaeologist digging away layers of the human mind, and identified three separate areas of the mind. Freud (1915) described conscious mind, which consists of all the mental processes of which we are aware. For example, you may be feeling thirsty at this moment and decide to get a drink. Unconscious Mind freud unconscious mind iceberg picture So, the unconscious is not like a dust bin containing unimportant or irrelevant thoughts. Rather, it is precisely because they are so powerful that they are kept buried. Nevertheless, they exert a significant influence. Subconscious / Pre-conscious Mind The pre-conscious contains thoughts and feelings that a person is not currently aware of, but which can easily be brought to consciousness. It exists just below the level of consciousness before the unconscious mind. This is what we mean in our everyday usage of the word available memory. For example, you are presently not thinking about your mobile telephone number, but now it is mentioned you can recall it with ease. Mild emotional experiences may be in the subconscious but sometimes traumatic and powerful negative emotions are repressed and hence not available in the subconscious. Our feelings, motives and decisions are actually powerfully influenced by our past experiences, stored in the pre-conscious and instincts from the unconscious. Freud applied these three systems to his structure of the personality, or psyche – the id, ego and superego. Here the id is regarded as entirely unconscious whilst the ego and superego have conscious, preconscious, and unconscious aspect. Freud also regarded the mind to be like an iceberg, where the greatest part is hidden beneath the water or unconscious. Freud believed that the influences of the pre-conscious and unconscious reveal themselves in a variety of ways, including dreams, and in slips of the tongue, now popularly known as 'Freudian slips'. Freud (1920) gave an example of such a slip when a British Member of Parliament referred to a colleague with whom he was irritated as 'the honorable member from Hell' instead of from Hull. However, to other psychologists determined to be scientific in their approach (e.g. behaviorists) the concept of the unconscious mind has proved a source of considerable frustration because it defies objective description and is extremely difficult to objectively test or measure. Further Information Id, Ego, Superego Psychosexual Stages Defense Mechanisms How to cite this article: McLeod, S. A. (2009). Unconscious Mind. Retrieved from http://www.simplypsychology.org/unconscious-mind.html Like The Site? Follow Us! Print Friendly and PDFPrint Friendly Freud's Psyche Freud's Psyche Perhaps Freud's single most enduring and important idea was that the human psyche has more than one aspect. Freud saw the psyche structured into three parts (i.e. tripartite), the id, the ego and the super-ego, all developing at different stages in our lives. Read more »
Browse Dictionary by Letter Dictionary Suite thromboplastin a substance found in animal tissue, esp. blood platelets, that assists in blood clotting by converting prothrombin to thrombin. thrombosis an abnormal clotting of blood in the circulatory system. thrombus a blood clot that forms within and obstructs a blood vessel or cavity of the heart. throne the seat occupied by a ruler or high secular or religious official on ceremonial occasions or when holding audience. [2 definitions] throng a large crowd of people. [5 definitions] throttle a valve in a machine, esp. an automobile engine, that controls the flow of fuel, air, or the like. [5 definitions] throttleable combined form of throttle. through in one side or end and out the other. [17 definitions] throughway variant of thruway. throve a past tense of thrive. throw to send through the air with some force, esp. by a sudden straightening of the arm and wrist; hurl. [14 definitions] throwaway a freely distributed handbill or leaflet, usu. given out or left in public places. [3 definitions] throwback an instance of reversion to an earlier stage, form, or the like, esp. in biological evolution. [2 definitions] throw in the sponge (informal) to admit defeat or inability. thrown past participle of throw. throw rug see scatter rug.
Published: Sunday, April 14, 2013 Post Campus Nobo Borsho and Pahela Baishakh: The Past and the Present Mongol Shobha jatra on Pahela Baishakh. Photos: Anisur Rahman Mongol Shobha jatra on Pahela Baishakh. Photos: Anisur Rahman The Bangla Calendar (Bangla Shon) is considered to have started from the times of Shashanka, the great ruler of Gour. It is a solar calendar around which seasons and agriculture evolves. All months are named after a star or constellation except Agrahayan (the first month). Pahela Agrahayan welcomed the main harvest, the Aman Harvest and was thus celebrated as New Year’s (Nobo Borsho) for centuries as Nobanno- feast welcoming the new harvest. In Mughal times, a lunar calendar was used to collect taxes. Tax payment based on the lunar calendar was not always convenient for the majority of the payers, the peasantry, whose agricultural produce depended on the movement of the Sun. To make tax payments convenient, Akbar The Great introduced Tarikh E Elahi. Akbar’s Royal Astrologer, Fatehullah Shirazi, synchronised the lunar and the solar calendars. The name of the months remained unchanged. Baishakh was chosen as the first month of the year while Tarikh E Elahi was calculated from the year of Akbar’s ascendance to the Throne in 1556 AD. Pahela Baishakh became Nobo Borsho. On New Year’s Eve (Chaitra Shonkranti), the last day of the month of Chaitra, businesses clear their debts. On Pahela Baishakh, Nobo Borsho is welcomed on a clean slate (Hal Khata). Bangla Academy modified the Bangla Calendar (Panjika) in 1963 with Muhammad Shahidullah as the head. It was synchronised with the Gregorian Calendar. The first five months (Baishakh to Bhadra) have 31 days, and the next seven months (Ashwin to Chaitra) have 30 days. Falgun becomes 31 days in a Leap Year. From 1988, the Government started using Shahidullah’s calculations. The new Bangla Calendar formally started on Pahela Baishakh 1402 BS (April 1995). Mass popularity of Pahela Baishakh started from rural fairs. These fairs provided an outlet for traders and artisans to find a certain market to sell their products. They also attracted artistes and entertainers in music, games and fun fair. Alongside the ubiquitous Nagordola, Kite flying in Old Dhaka, bull racing in Munshiganj, and wrestling in Chittagong still attract attention at Baishakhi Melas just as much as cockfights, pigeon racing, boat racing and other time-tested entertainments. With singers and performers, Baishakhi Melas have preserved epic folk tales like Laili-Majnoor, Yusuf-Zulekha, and Randha-Krishna. However, Pahela Baishakh was waiting for its Prince and its festive food. The Prince emerged with the tune Esho He Baishakh, Esho, Esho. The feast emerged with Panta Bhat (watery rice) and Shorshe Ilish (Hilsa in Mustard Seed). Pahela Baishakh was starting to gain its own identity. In the Pakistan period, Chhayanot played a pivotal role in making Pahela Baishakh a festival of the Bengali nation. Chhayanot held the first of their many Pahela Baishakh celebrations at the Batamul of Ramna Park in 1965. The sixties were turbulent times. Tagore’s music was banned. The Ramna Batamul Baishakh celebrations brought Tagore back to where he always belonged- the heart of the Bengali nation. Esho He Baishakh and Pahela Baishakh became synonymous to each other. Chhayanot also freed songs of the Panchapandava of Bangla Gaan. By the 1980s, the Pahela Baishakh celebrations became a Carnival thanks to the Fine Arts Institute (Charukola) of Dhaka University. The Charukola Carnival needed an anthem. Feedback revitalized the colours and the spirit of Pahela Baishakh for generations to come with their timeless Mela. Dhaka’s emergence as a mega-city, growth of urbanisation in Bangladesh, and steady economic growth from the 1990s has had beneficial effects on local industries and employment creation. The deshi fashion, food, handicrafts and handmade toys industries all eagerly wait for Pahela Baishakh. The innovative mind of the Bengali is very much alive. The traditional Panta Bhat and Shorshe Ilish is still at the top. Stop and do not be surprised if a set of handmade Dug-Dugis and a Tamboura accompany the platter, and a Matir Bank to see you through in lean periods. Nobo Borsho Celebration is an ancient tradition of the people of this region. Photos: Anisur Rahman Today many Bangladeshis work, study or live outside Bangladesh. Wherever Bangladeshis have gone, they have taken with them two things: their food and their cultural expressions. It was just a matter of time that the Charukola Carnival with Esho He Baishakh and Melai Jaire would make its presence felt outside Bangladesh. Today the Pahela Baishakh Festival at Brick Lane in London is the largest open-air Asian festival of Europe. After the Notting Hill Carnival, the Pahela Baishakh Festival is the second largest street festival in the UK attracting 80K plus people from UK and Europe. Small wonder the celebration started only in 1997! What more can one say about the positive image Bangladeshis have the potential to show the World? Nobo Borsho celebration (Nobanno and Pahela Baishakh) is an ancient tradition of the peoples of this region. Through its colours, tunes and all its razzmatazz, Pahela Baishakh in modern times is a common destination where all the different colours and tunes of Bangladesh and the Bengali nation congregate together, even if it is for one day. Esho He Baishakh, Amra Melai Jaire. Shubho Nobo Borsho. (The author teaches economic theory at Jahangirnagar University).
Loosen Up! How to Stretch Your Way to Flexibility topic: Fitness, Yoga Flexibility yoga blog Phase 1: Your muscles are tight. Tight-person anatomy lesson 101. Hamstring stretch Not everyone’s hamstrings enjoy this stretch! Do any of these describe you? • You recognize that you cannot stretch as far as you did when you were playing high school sports. • You attend a yoga class with your niece and are sore for days in lots of “weird” places. • Stretching hurts. It really hurts. To understand what causes all that misery and tension, we have to understand a little basic muscle physiology. Take a breath; this can get a little “heady.” 1. Muscles are designed to contract. Yes, they actually love contracting, and they resist being told to lengthen. Your muscle cells (also called fibers) contain a special stretch receptor that receives signals from your nervous system via a motor neuron. When this signal is “ON” it tells those fibers to shorten. The fibers do what they’re told and remain in a shortened state unless that signal is turned “OFF.” There are many motor neurons assigned to each and every muscle in your body. Your brain decides how many neurons to assign to a task. Much of the time only some of the fibers within a muscle will contract because you may not need as many contracting muscle cells to lift a feather as you would a kettlebell. But sometimes, our nervous system tells certain parts of your muscles to stay stiff and contracted. This is “unconscious tension,” and regular stretching is one of the best ways to help calm down that unconscious firing. 2. Muscles lengthen too, but not on their own! So when your brain tells the motor neurons to turn off, the muscle can stop contracting and be easily pulled into a stretch by two major assistive forces: 1) the position of the body and 2) the lengthening of the surrounding muscles coupled with the seeping of the connective tissues that permit the muscle to physically elongate and lengthen. Have I lost you yet? Take a deep breath, re-read and read on. 3. Muscles are surrounded and penetrated by fascia. Our muscle fibers and tissues are surrounded by a living cobweb-like blanket called fascia. Fascia is loaded with collagen and elastin fibers that are enrobed in liquids. This fascia is not an inert tissue — it responds and gives signals to the nervous system, and also assists (or restricts) movement of the muscles that it encases. When a muscle remains shortened, these fascias also shorten and can actually lose their liquids and become dehydrated and brittle and less able to “seep” and elongate. 4. What do we feel when we feel a stretch? So when you are stretching a tight muscle, you are actually feeling two main things. 1) you may be feeling the muscle’s natural resistance to being pried open, which is the stretch receptors within the muscle attempting to remain contracted (can someone please turn off my motor neuron!). 2) You are feeling the shortened and dehydrated fascias also lengthening and releasing a bit of heat. Phase 2: You need to stretch more. Seriously, you need to stretch more. Hamstring StretchSorry to spoil the fun, but flexibility is a “use it or lose it” type of thing. When you don’t stretch, you keep your muscles in a chronically shortened state. Your muscles and fascias adapt to the way you use them, and over time, these soft tissues will start affecting the alignment of your joints. When those joints start wearing out because of inefficient movement patterns, you can develop osteoarthritis, bone spurs and other painful inflammatory responses and injuries. All because you didn’t stretch enough. Stretching isn’t just for athletes, or ballerinas, or yogis. Sitting at your desk, gardening, filing papers — these activities all involve repetitive actions that over-work some muscles while under-working others. Those over-worked muscles will benefit from stretching as they will be restored to a more functional length. Phase 3: There’s more than one way to stretch! The good news is that there are a multitude of ways to stretch those muscles and fascias. Stretching can be a fun and variety-filled activity. No really, it’s fun! Here is a “menu” of different ways to stretch your body — some familiar and some novel approaches, but all very good for your tight tissues. 1. Static stretching is still and statue-like, like you would do in yoga. 2. Dynamic stretching involves continuous motion. 3. With passive stretching, someone else stretches you. Hooray! Activities such as Thai massage are a form of stretching. Self massage with balls is a form of stretching! 4. Self-massage using balls eradicates tightness quickly by providing a “mini-stretch” that pinpoints specific knots, or trigger points, within the muscles and can provide a deep penetrating stretch into hard-to-reach places. Often called yoga balls or therapy balls, these are portable “stretchers” that can be used anywhere, anytime — even at your desk! 5. Foam rollers are another great method of stretching the larger muscles of the body. 6. Stretching can be aided by using strong elastic bands to create traction and joint movement. Phase 4: Stretching becomes a way of life. Look around at your environment to aid you in a stretch. 1. Lean back in your desk chair and arch your back with your arms reaching to the sky once every 30 minutes. 2. Walk into a stairwell and let your heels hang off a step to stretch your calves. 3. Stand in a doorway and place your palms on the sides of the door frame and step through to stretch your chest. 4. Lastly, join the “stealth club” like my friend Kelly Starret who manages to incorporate his stretching routine while at a night club! So what are you waiting for? Loosen up! 1. This is such an incredible and throughout explanation of how the muscles like to behave themselves. It is very interesting to see that we truly have many different dishes on the plate of stretching, from the static through self-care techniques all the way down to the dynamic forms of stretching. I strongly believe this is a type of article that truly need to reach very wide audience, so people (especially tight tight man) can overcome their fear of stretching, because it ”hurts”. Dagmar Khan \| May 25th, 2011 \| Comment Permalink 2. i am currently getting help- mayo fascia release, my yoga practice is spent at the moment releasing muscles from years of athletic abuse- i can’t wait to move into being able to stretch and move through yoga poses- ? dehydrate fascia, is water the best way to go. i make sure to drink lots- of water, especially with my treatments- is there anything else i should be doing?? kari \| May 25th, 2011 \| Comment Permalink 3. Releasing locked up muscles is assisted by deep conscious breathing and decreasing stress in your life. Muscles stay bound up when the mind is full of tension. Find ways to soothe yourself and pamper yourself every day. Have patience; it took years to get tight….prying your muscles “loose” will also take time. Good Luck! Jill Miller \| May 25th, 2011 \| Comment Permalink 4. This article of overstretching has hit home with me. Since I teach yoga and am demonstrating constantly, I am doing way more than I did when I took classes for myself 3-4 times a week! I get periods when my hamstrings, psoas, glutes and quads just ache – reminds me of when I used to get monthly cramps years ago! That deep, dull aching. And you are right – it is extremely difficult to find a comfortable sitting position at times. And, my sitting bones hurt, too! Do you have recommendations as to what types of leg work will offset this? Is walking good at all? How long do I need to stay away from the stretching while I do other work? Or do I just ‘barely’ stretch? I have to have those micro-tears going on…you know, I just love Yin yoga, too…makes sense…. Martie Schoener \| May 25th, 2011 \| Comment Permalink 5. Hi Martie, ah yes…..it definitely sounds like over-stretching. Walking IS a great thing to do…but I would suggest walking uphill and also walking with resistance cords around your ankles every now and again to build some more muscle. I truly urge you to cut back on stretching and add some more resistance based activities into your “practice. I promise you won’t “lose” the yoga, your body will become healthier and be able to practice sustainably for longer. I have a DVD I created that’s GREAT for strength building, it’s called Yoga Tune Up “Post Athletic Stretch” and while it does involve stretching, it also targets common weak spots in the body and helps to rebuild better muscle function: http://www.yogatuneup.com/products/quickfix-yoga-dvds Stay in touch! Jill Miller \| May 26th, 2011 \| Comment Permalink 6. I remember starting to stretch when I was around 12 or 13. I had started playing basketball and volleyball and during the 5 minute part of the practice where we stretched I felt like such an underachiever. Some of my teammates had so much more mobility than me, and since my little town had no other movement programs other than sports, I couldn’t understand how they got so bendy. Is it genetic? Did their muscles contain a different ingredient than mine? Thanks for finally answering my question in the Tune Up manual. I learned that I probably have more white cell muscle fibers, which explains a lot about the sports I excelled at and the ones I didn’t. Very cool. laurelyoga \| April 25th, 2012 \| Comment Permalink Post a Comment
Iowa Copes with Nitrate Surge in Drinking Water Wed, 06/05/2013 - 10:31am DAVID PITT, Associated Press DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — For much of last year, Iowa's most pressing agricultural problem was a drought that baked farm fields and parched crops, turning them brown and crumbly. Then the skies finally opened up, providing one of the soggiest springs on record. Des Moines Water Works CEO and general manager Bill Stowe stands in the Nitrate Removal Facility at the Water Works treatment plant, Thursday, May 16, 2013, in Des Moines, Iowa. The rain that soaked much of the upper Midwest in April helped replenish the soil parched by last year’s severe drought but rain fell so rapidly that it also washed tons of manure and fertilizer sitting on farm fields into rivers. That has boosted the nitrate level to record highs creating problems for cities like Des Moines and Cedar Rapids which draw their drinking water from the rivers. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall) "These numbers are so high that they're not only problematic from an ecological standpoint for the rivers, lakes, ponds, and reservoirs, but they become a real issue for human health," said Bob Hirsch, a research hydrologist for the U.S. Geological Survey who studies long-term changes in river water quality. Nitrate levels have soared because drought-withered corn plants didn't suck up all the nitrogen spread on fields last year. The drought was followed by Iowa's wettest April in 141 years, and that rain washed unused fertilizer into rivers, the primary source of drinking water for 45 percent of the state's population. "This is the worst we've ever seen," said Bill Stowe, manager of Des Moines Water Works, which serves about 500,000 customers in central Iowa. Both rivers are used as water sources for the Des Moines plant. In Cedar Rapids, officials have had similar problems. The Cedar River reached one of its highest recorded nitrate levels at 18.5 milligrams per liter upstream from the city's water treatment plant, city spokeswoman Megan Murphy said. The situation isn't entirely new. But it's made worse by last summer's drought and by drainage tiles that have been installed beneath many farms to channel excess water away from fields and into streams. "The speeding up of the water runoff means it's moving quickly from field to stream, which eliminates any opportunity for the system to naturally absorb anything," said Neil Dubrovsky, a U.S. Geological Survey hydrologist who studies nitrate levels. Iowa and Illinois rivers typically have some of the nation's highest nitrate levels, but other top corn states also have issues, including Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Wisconsin and the eastern portions of Kansas, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota. Nitrate levels in those states have been rising since the 1950s but leveled off in the 1980s. In the last five years, they've been climbing again as high corn prices have driven farmers to plant near-record corn acres, Hirsch said. "In essence what we're doing is subsidizing cheap food," paying for it through the high cost of cleaning up our water after it's contaminated by fertilizer, Dubrovsky said. "There is a price to pay, and the price will go up as the groundwater contamination continues because that's our alternative water supply." Groups such as the Iowa Environmental Council are pushing the state to implement more specific pollution-reduction goals and timelines, but Iowa officials defend the state's largely voluntary process. Gov. Terry Branstad said the state's 90,000 farmers have strong incentives to use the least amount of fertilizer necessary, and they don't want to see it wash away. He said the nitrate levels will drop as the weather dries out. "We constantly monitor it and see what we can learn from these incidents," said Branstad, noting he drinks tap water without concern. Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey said a regulatory approach mandated by a distant state official won't help. What works for one farmer may not for another because of land slope, soil type and other variables. He called for encouraging farmers to find their own solutions "instead of fighting agriculture and trying to have a one-size-fits-all policy." "We have a keen interest in anything we can do environmentally that withstands the economics of it," he said. "This is our business. We like to farm, but we also like to make money at it." Share this Story The password field is case sensitive.
Are Fungi The Earth's Natural Internet? Are Fungi The Earth's Natural Internet? "I believe that mycelium is the neurological network of nature. Interlacing mosaics of mycelium infuse habitats with information-sharing membranes. These membranes are aware, react to change, and collectively have the long-term health of the host environment in mind. The mycelium stays in constant molecular communication with its environment, devising diverse enzymatic and chemical responses to complex challenges." ― Paul Stamets, Mycelium Running: How Mushrooms Can Help Save the World The mycelium is the part of the mushroom you usually do not see. Most of it is found distributed throughout the soil, consisting of a mass of branching, thread-like structures (known as hyphae) which absorb nutrients and decompose organic materials. The mycelium can be exceedingly small or may form a colony of massive proportions. - Paul Stamets, Mycelium Running The mycelium has extraordinary properties suitable for bioremediation. It is capable of degrading pesticides and plastics, and has been shown to break down petroleum in a matter of weeks. This, however, is only the physio-chemical dimension of the mycelium; according to Paul Stamets, it also has information/consciousness associated properties: - Paul Stamets, Mycelium Running The notion that fungi may participate in some form of planetary interspecies communication and/or consciousness through their mycelium may seam a bit 'far out,' but consider that medicinal mushrooms have been used to expand consciousness for countless millennia. Even beyond the well-known psychedelic (literally "soul showing") properties of some species (particularly Lion's Mane) are their neuritogenic properties; that is, their ability to promote new neural cell growth and the enhancement of communication between them. The resemblance between the filamentous structures within the brain (axons; dendrites) and the fungi within the soil (mycelium) may therefore be more than accidental. Our relationship to fungi is in fact closer than most think. According to David McLaughlin, professor of plant biology at the University of Minnesota in the College of Biological Sciences, human cells are surprisingly similar to fungal cells. In a 2006 Science Daily article the topic is explored further: Could this filial bond also be why many species of fungi have such profound medicinal properties in humans? Mushrooms, and their components, have in fact been some of the most extensively studied natural medicines in existence, with a number of human clinical trials proving the anti-cancer properties. For research indicating the medicinal value of mushrooms in over 150 conditions, visit our research page on medicinal mushrooms. Also, prepare yourself for an intellectual 'trip' into the profound potential that mushrooms have to 'save the world' in Paul Stamet's inspiring video below.
From Jatland Wiki Jump to: navigation, search Shivi (शिवी)[1] Shibi (शिबि)[2] Sibi (सिबी) Sibia (सिबिया) [3][4]Shibia (शिबिया)[5] is a gotra of Jats. Sibia is found in Punjab and Shivi in Uttar Pradesh. [6] Dilip Singh Ahlawat has mentioned it as one of the ruling Jat clans in Central Asia. [7] Ancestry of Shivi as per Bhagavata Purana The descendants of Shiva ere called Shivi. Samrat Ushinara's son was Shivi. [8]Shivi was the name of a King and a Gana in ancient India, ruled by democratic system of administration known as ganatantra. Kshudrakas had formed a sangha with Malavas. Sibia were the people descendants of Sibi. Shivis formed a sangha with a big federation or sangha known as Jat, which is clear from Panini's shloka in grammar of Aṣṭādhyāyī. The famous Sanskrit scholar Panini of 500 BCE has mentioned in his Sanskrit grammar known as Aṣṭādhyāyī in the form of shloka as जट झट संघाते or Jata Jhata Sanghāte. This means that the terms 'Jat' and 'democratic federation' are synonymous. [9] The Shivi republic is very ancient and finds mention in Vedas. The Puranas write then as descendants of Ushinara. The Buddhist literature has also mentioned about this gana and mention that Tathagata once took birth in this gana.[9] At the time of invasion of India by Alexander the great, in 326 BCE, they were found inhabiting area in the vicinity of Malava tribes. The Greek writers have mentioned them wearing clothes similar to wild people even during the war. After some time of Alexander's war, they probably moved to Rajasthan along with Malavas. Thus they are found moveing from Punjab to Malwa and from their to Rajasthan. Their are ruins of an ancient town called 'Tamva-vati nagari' 11 miles north of Chittor. Ancient coins of Shivi people are found near this town bearng 'Majhamikaya Shivajanapadas', which means coins of 'Shiva janapada of Madhyamika'. The 'Tamvavati nagari' was called as 'Madhyamika nagari'. These coins are of the period first to second century BCE. [9] The Shokeen or Shivakhande clan According to Hukum Singh Panwar (Pauria), it may, however, be interesting to note that a Jat tribe, living in about 25 contiguous villages in Jind district of Haryana and about 5 villages in Nangloi block of Delhi , goes by its gotra name as Shivakhande or Sheokhand. of late this gotra has been Arabicised as Shokeen in Delhi villages. Yet the elders of Sheokhand Khap area take pride in the fact that they originally hail from the Dharans, whose kingdom was rather misnomered as "Gupta Empire" in Indian history. Be that as it may, one thing is plausible about the Jats of Sheokhande clan. They must be the Sivas who fought against the Bharatas on the Jamuna River in one of the ten Rigvedic wars i.e. Battle of the Ten Kings. They are identified by scholars with the Shivis[10] or the Sibis of the Usinara country in the north of Haridwar near the source of Ganges.[11] The Sivas or Sibis became known as Shivakhande or Sheokhande from and after the Shivaliks, the abode of Lord Shiva, the highest deity of the Jats. Their descent from the Shivalik hills has provided good grounds to the author of Devasamhita to expound this theory. [12] Shivi Kings The Jatakas mention about rulers of Shivi tribe. One of them was a religious and kind king named Sanjaya, who donated every thing and moved himself with his wife Madri, son Jali Kumar and daughter Krishnajina Kumari to 'Bankagiri'. The Buddhist literature 'Avadan Kalplata' writes Sanjay a Vishwamitra. These people were democratic rulers of Ganasangha type. All works were done in these ganas with the consent of clan people. [9] King Shivi (शिवि) was another great King of this tribe, powerful and generous king. Indra and Agni once tested his generosity by becoming birds when the king gave flesh from his body to fulfil his duty. Sivi or Sibi Jats Historian Bhim Singh Dahiya has provided proofs of Sivis being Jats. The first proof is of course the name itself. Sibi or Sivi, is the original name of their ancestor and Sibiya/Sibia is derivative meaning the descendants of Sibi. This clan name is only found in the Jats and in no other population group of India. These Sibia Jats are still existing. Shri Gurbax Singh Sibia, ex-minister in Punjab Cabinet was a scion of this ancient clan. The second proof is in the name of their city - Jattararur (Chittor) - which is based on the word Jatta-city of Jats. Incidentally, this is another proof of the fact that Mewar was under the Jats for very long time. Hence the names of its cities like Jaisalmer, Sikar, Sirohi, etc. The last two are names of the Jat clan also. [13] The Buddhist Sibi Jataka (No. 499) contains their history and legends, and Vesantara Jataka, is named after a son of Sibia King of Jattaraur (Chittor). Their capital in Punjab was Sibipura (Modern Shorkot) [14] Rig Veda mentions the Sibi people and Baudhayana Srauta Sutra mentions, their king, Usinara , whom Indra saved from foreign aggression. They are the Sibai of Arrian and Siboi, of Deodorus. [15] [16] Dr Pema Ram writes that after the invasion of Alexander in 326 BC, the Jats of Sindh and Punjab migrated to Rajasthan. They built tanks, wells and Bawadis near their habitations. The tribes migrated were: Shivis, Yaudheyas, Malavas, Madras etc. The Shivi tribe which came from Ravi and Beas Rivers founded towns like Sheo, Sojat, Siwana, Shergarh, Shivganj etc. This area was adjoining to Sindh and mainly inhabited by Jats. The descendants of Shivi in Rajasthan are: Seu, Shivran, Shivral, Sihot, Sinwar, Chhaba etc. [17] Distribution in Punjab Villages in Ludhiana district Notable persons 1. Jat History Dalip Singh Ahlawat/Parishisht-I, s.n. श-3 2. O.S.Tugania:Jat Samuday ke Pramukh Adhar Bindu,p.60,s.n. 2315 3. Jat History Dalip Singh Ahlawat/Parishisht-I, s.n. स-179 4. O.S.Tugania:Jat Samuday ke Pramukh Adhar Bindu,p.62,s.n. 2463 5. B S Dahiya:Jats the Ancient Rulers (A clan study), p.243, s.n.219 6. Jat History Thakur Deshraj/Chapter VIII,s.n. 350,p-586 7. Dilip Singh Ahlawat: Jat History Dalip Singh Ahlawat 8. Mahendra Singh Arya et al: Adhunik Jat Itihas, p. 280 9. 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 Thakur Deshraj, Jat Itihas, pp. 87-88. 10. Kathasaritsagar, vol.1 p. 11 11. ABORI, vol. XXIX, p. 117, fn. 9 12. Hukum Singh Panwar (Pauria):The Jats - Their Origin, Antiquity & Migrations, p. 38 13. Bhim Singh Dahiya: Jats the Ancient Rulers (A clan study), p.79 14. Epigraphica Indica, 1921, p. 16; also Panini, IV/ 2/109 15. Indica, 5, 12 16. Bhim Singh Dahiya, Jats the Ancient Rulers ( A clan study), p. 289 17. Dr Pema Ram:Rajasthan Ke Jaton Ka Itihas, ,p.14 Back to Jat Kingdoms in Ancient India/ The Ancient Jats
Operating systems Every smartphone, desktop computer and tablet uses an operating system. This is the base software which allows the computer to work. Many operating systems have standard features and assistive technology software that can make computers easier and more comfortable to use for people with disabilities. However, access features do differ from one operating system to another, in particular with built in assistive technology software such as screen readers and screen magnifiers. Operating systems for computers The most popular operating systems for computers and tablets are Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X and Google Android. Each of these have access features and assistive technology software that can assist people with disabilities. Operating systems for smartphones and tablets Apple iOS and Android are the two mobile operating systems with built in access features. iOS runs on iPhone, iPad and iPod touch and includes advanced accessibility features, making these devices accessible particularly to people who are blind or vision impaired. Android runs on a variety of devices referred to as Android smartphones or Android tablets and has some built in accessibility features. Digital media and technology: Top of page
Logo of plntcellLink to Publisher's site Plant Cell. Dec 2009; 21(12): 3718–3731. PMCID: PMC2814516 PLAZA: A Comparative Genomics Resource to Study Gene and Genome Evolution in Plants[W] The availability of complete genome sequences has significantly altered our view on the complexity of genome organization, genome evolution, gene function, and regulation in plants. Whereas large-scale cDNA sequencing projects have generated detailed information about gene catalogs expressed in different tissues or during specific developmental stages (Rudd, 2003), the application of genome sequencing combined with high-throughput expression profiling has revealed the existence of thousands of unknown expressed genes conserved within the green plant lineage (Gutierrez et al., 2004; Vandepoele and Van de Peer, 2005). The generation of high-quality complete genome sequences for the model species Arabidopsis thaliana and rice (Oryza sativa) required large international consortia and took several years before completion (Arabidopsis Genome Initiative, 2000; International Rice Genome Sequencing Project, 2005). Facilitated by whole-genome shotgun and next-generation sequencing technologies, genome information for multiple plant species is now rapidly expanding. The genomes of four eudicots, Arabidopsis, poplar (Populus trichocarpa), grapevine (Vitis vinifera), and papaya (Carica papaya), two monocots, rice and Sorghum bicolor, the moss Physcomitrella patens, and several green algae (Parker et al., 2008) have been published, and new genome initiatives will at least double the number of plant genome sequences by the end of this decade (Paterson, 2006; Pennisi, 2007). Although the genomes of some of these species provide invaluable resources as economical model systems, comparative analysis makes it possible to learn more about the different characteristics of each organism and to link phenotypic with genotypic properties. Hanada and coworkers demonstrated how the integration of expression data and multiple plant sequences combined with evolutionary conservation can greatly improve gene discovery (Hanada et al., 2007; Brady and Provart, 2009). Whereas a detailed gene catalog provides a starting point to study growth and development in model organisms, sequencing species from different taxonomic clades generates an evolutionary framework to study how changes in coding and noncoding DNA affect the evolution of genes, resulting in expression divergence and species-specific adaptations (Tanay et al., 2005; Blomme et al., 2006; Stark et al., 2007). Based on orthologous genes (i.e., genes sharing common ancestry evolved through speciation), comparative genomics provides a powerful approach to exploit mapping data, sequence information, and functional information across various species (Fulton et al., 2002). Similarly, the analysis of genes or pathways in a phylogenetic context allows scientists to better understand how complex biological processes are regulated and how morphological innovations evolve at the molecular level. For example, studying gene duplicates in poplar has revealed specific expansions in gene families related to cell wall formation covering cellulose and lignin biosynthesis genes and genes associated with disease and insect resistance (Tuskan et al., 2006). Similarly, amplifications of genes belonging to the metabolic pathways of terpenes and tannins in grapevine directly relate the diversity of wine flavors with gene content (Jaillon et al., 2007). Besides the comparative analysis of specific gene families in higher plants, comparisons with other members of the green lineage provide additional information about the evolutionary processes that have changed gene content during hundreds of millions of years. Although the genomes of, for instance, moss and green algae contain a smaller number of genes compared with flowering plants, they provide an excellent starting point to reconstruct the ancestral set of genes at different time points during plant evolution and to trace back the origin of newly acquired genes (Merchant et al., 2007; Rensing et al., 2008). Gene duplication has been extensive in plant genomes. In addition, detailed comparison of gene organization and genome structure has identified multiple whole-genome duplication (WGD) events in different land plants. From a biological point of view, the large number of small- and large-scale duplication events in flowering plants has had a great influence on the evolution of gene function and regulation. For instance, between 64 and 79% of all protein-coding genes in Arabidopsis, poplar, and rice are part of multigene families, compared with 40% for the green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. Paralogs are generally considered to evolve through nonfunctionalization (silencing of one copy), neofunctionalization (acquisition of a novel function for one copy), or subfunctionalization (partitioning of tissue-specific patterns of expression of the ancestral gene between the two copies) (Conant and Wolfe, 2008; Freeling, 2009). The impact of the large number of duplicates on the complexity, redundancy, and evolution of regulatory networks in multicellular organisms is currently far from being well understood (Chen, 2007; Rosin and Kramer, 2009). Performing evolutionary and comparative analyses to study gene families and genome organization requires a centralized plant genomics infrastructure where all information generated by different sequencing initiatives is integrated, in combination with advanced methods for data mining. Even though general formats have been developed to store and exchange gene annotation (Stein, 2001), the properties of available plant genomic data (i.e., structural annotation of protein-coding genes, RNAs, transposable elements, pseudogenes, or functional annotations through protein domains or ontologies) vary greatly between different sequencing centers, impeding comparative analyses for nonexpert users. Additionally, large-scale comparisons between multiple eukaryotic species require huge computational resources to process the large amounts of data. Here, we present PLAZA, a new online resource for plant comparative genomics (http://bioinformatics.psb.ugent.be/plaza/). We show how PLAZA provides a versatile platform for integrating published plant genomes to study gene function and genome evolution. Precomputed comparative genomics data sets cover homologous gene families, multiple sequence alignments, phylogenetic trees, intraspecies whole-genome dot plots, and genomic colinearity information between species. Multiple visualization tools that are available through a user-friendly Web interface make PLAZA an excellent starting point to translate sequence information into biological knowledge. Data Assembly The current version of PLAZA contains the nuclear and organelle genomes of nine species within the Viridiplantae kingdom: the four eudicots Arabidopsis, papaya, poplar, and grapevine, the two monocots rice and sorghum, the moss P. patens, and the unicellular green algae C. reinhardtii and Ostreococcus lucimarinus. The integration of all gene annotations provided by the different sequencing centers yielded a data set of 295,865 gene models, of which 92.6% represent protein-coding genes (Table 1). The remaining genes are classified as transposable elements, RNA, and pseudogenes (6.5, 0.6, and 0.3%, respectively). Whereas most of the genes are encoded in the nuclear genomes, a small set are from chloroplast and mitochondrial origin (0.4 and 0.2%, respectively). For all genes showing alternative splicing, the longest transcript was selected as a reference for all downstream comparative genomics analyses. Detailed gene annotation, including information about alternative splicing variants is displayed using the AnnoJ genome browser (Lister et al., 2008). Whereas genomes from model species like Arabidopsis and rice are characterized by high sequence coverage and a set of contiguous genomic sequences resembling the actual number of chromosomes, other genome sequences, such as those of P. patens and papaya, are produced by the whole-genome shotgun sequencing method and contain more than 1000 genomic scaffolds (Table 1). For poplar, grape, and sorghum, a large fraction of the genome is assembled into chromosomes, but several scaffolds that could not be anchored physically are still present in the data set. In this case, we allocated the genes that were not assigned to a chromosome in the original annotation to a virtual chromosome zero. This procedure reduces the number of pseudomolecules when applying genome evolution studies while preserving the correct proteome size (i.e., the total number of proteins per species) and the relative gene positions on the genomic scaffolds (Table 1). Table 1. Summary of the Gene Content in PLAZA Complementary to the structural annotation, we also retrieved, apart from free-text gene descriptions, functional information through Gene Ontology (GO) associations (Ashburner et al., 2000), InterPro domain annotations (Hunter et al., 2009), and Arabidopsis Reactome pathway data (Tsesmetzis et al., 2008). Whereas GO provides a controlled vocabulary to describe gene and gene product attributes (using Cellular Component, Biological Process, and Molecular Function), the InterPro database provides an annotation system in which identifiable features found in known proteins (i.e., protein families, domains, and functional sites) can be applied to new protein sequences. GO provides a set of different evidence codes that indicate the nature of the evidence that supports a particular annotation. The Arabidopsis Reactome is a curated resource for pathways where enzymatic reactions are added to genes and a set of reactions is grouped into a pathway. Apart from the basic information related to gene structure and function (e.g., genome coordinates, mRNA coding and protein sequences, protein domains, and gene description), different types of comparative genomics information are provided through a variety of Web tools. In general, these data and methods can be classified as approaches to study gene homology and genome structure within and between species. Whereas the former focuses on the organization and evolution of families covering homologous genes, the latter exploits gene colinearity, or the conservation of gene content and order, to study the evolution of plant genomes (Figure 1). Figure 1. Structure of the PLAZA Platform. Delineating Gene Families and Subfamilies As a starting point to study gene function and evolution, all protein-coding genes are stored in gene families based on sequence similarity inferred through BLAST (Altschul et al., 1997). A gene family is defined as a group of two or more homologous genes. A graph-based clustering method (Markov clustering implemented in Tribe-MCL; Enright et al., 2002) was used to delineate gene families based on BLAST protein similarities in a process that is sensitive to the density and the strength of the BLAST hits between proteins. Although this method is very well suited for clustering large sets of proteins derived from multiple species, high false-positive rates caused by the potential inclusion of spurious BLAST hits have been reported (Chen et al., 2007). Therefore, we applied a postprocessing procedure by tagging genes as outliers if they showed sequence similarity to only a minority of all family members (see Supplemental Methods 1 online). The OrthoMCL method (Li et al., 2003) was applied to build subfamilies based on the same protein similarity graph. Benchmark experiments have shown that OrthoMCL yields fewer false positives compared with the Tribe-MCL method and that, overall, it generates tighter clusters containing a smaller number of genes (Chen et al., 2007). Because OrthoMCL models orthology and in-paralogy (duplication events after dating speciation) based on a reciprocal-best hit strategy, the final protein clusters will be smaller than Tribe-MCL clusters because out-paralogs (homologs from duplication events predating speciation) will not be grouped. Therefore, from a biological point of view, subfamilies or out-paralogs can be considered as different subtypes within a large protein family. In total, 77.62% of all protein-coding genes (212,653 genes) are grouped in 14,742 multigene families, leaving 61,312 singleton genes (see Supplemental Table 1 online). Sixty-two percent of these families cover genes from multiple species, and for approximately one-fifth, multiple subfamilies were identified. Manual inspection and phylogenetic analysis of multiple families revealed that in many cases, OrthoMCL correctly identified out-paralogous groups that can be linked with distinct biological subtypes or functions (see Supplemental Methods 2 online; Hanada et al., 2008). Examples of identified subfamilies are different clathrin adaptors (Adaptor Protein complex subunits), minichromosome maintenance subunits, ATP binding GCN transporters, cullin components of SCF ubiquitin ligase complexes, replication factors, and α/β/γ tubulins (Figure 2; see Supplemental Table 2 online). Although fast-evolving genes or homologs showing only limited sequence similarity can lead to incorrect families, a similarity heat map tool was developed to explore all pairwise sequence similarities per family (Figure 2). This visualization provides an intuitive approach, complementary to the automatic protein clustering and phylogenetic trees, to explore gene homology. In addition, a BLAST interface is available that provides a flexible entry point to search for homologous genes using user-defined sequences and parameter settings. Figure 2. Gene Family Delineation Using Protein Clustering, Phylogenetic Tree Construction, and Similarity Heat Maps. Phylogenetic Inference and the Projection of Functional Annotation via Orthology Phylogenetic studies generate valuable information on the evolutionary and functional relationships between genes of different species, genomic complexity, and lineage-specific adaptations. In addition, they provide an excellent basis to infer orthology and paralogy (Koonin, 2005). Based on the gene families generated using protein clustering, a phylogenetic pipeline was applied to construct 20,781 phylogenetic trees covering ~172,000 protein-coding genes (see Supplemental Table 1 online). Bootstrapped phylogenetic trees were constructed using the maximum likelihood method PhyML (Guindon and Gascuel, 2003) based on protein multiple sequence alignments generated using MUSCLE (Edgar, 2004) (see Supplemental Methods 3 online). In order to extract biological information from all phylogenies, we applied the NOTUNG tree reconciliation method to annotate, based on parsimony and a species tree, tree nodes as duplication/speciation events together with a time estimate (Vernot et al., 2008). Detailed inspection of tree topologies revealed that, even for well-supported nodes with high bootstrap values, a high number of nodes (53 to 64%) correspond with falsely inferred duplication events (see Supplemental Figure 1 online). This problem is caused by the different rates of amino acid evolution in different species, potentially leading to incorrect evolutionary reconstructions (Hahn, 2007). Therefore, we calculated a duplication consistency score, originally developed by Ensembl (Vilella et al., 2009), to identify erroneously inferred duplication events (see Supplemental Methods 3 and Supplemental Figure 1 online). This score reports, for a duplication node, the intersection of the number of postduplication species over the union and is typically high for tree nodes denoting a real duplication event. Consequently, the reconciled phylogenetic trees provide a reliable means to identify biologically relevant duplication and speciation events (or paralogs and orthologs, respectively). In addition, the time estimates at each node make it possible to infer the age of paralogs and correlate duplications with evolutionary adaptations. Since speciation events inferred through phylogenetic tree construction provide a reliable way to identify orthologous genes, these orthology relationships can be used to transfer functional annotation between related organisms (Hubbard et al., 2005; Tsesmetzis et al., 2008; The Reference Genome Group of the Gene Ontology Consortium, 2009). We applied a stringent set of rules to identify a set of eudicot and monocot tree-based orthologous groups and used GO projection to exchange functional annotation between species (see Supplemental Methods 4 and Supplemental Figure 2 online). Whereas in the original annotation, 39% of all proteins were annotated with at least one GO term, this fraction greatly varies for different species (Table 1). Model species like Arabidopsis and rice have a large set of functionally annotated genes with GO terms supported by various experimentally derived evidence codes. By contrast, other organisms only have annotations inferred through electronic annotation (e.g., grapevine and popular) or completely lack functional annotation (e.g., papaya; see Supplemental Table 3 online). Application of GO projection using eudicot and monocot orthologous groups resulted in new or improved functional information for 36,473 genes. This projected information covers ~105,000 new annotations, of which one-fifth is supported by evidence from multiple genes. Overall, 11.8% of all genes lacking GO information in flowering plants could be annotated based on functional data of related genes/species and for ~22,000 genes (17% of protein-coding genes in angiosperms already annotated using GO) new or more specific GO terms could be assigned. For papaya, initially lacking functional GO data, 39% of all genes for which a phylogenetic tree exists have now one or more associated GO term (see Supplemental Table 3 online). To estimate the specificity of the functional annotations, we used the GO depth (i.e., the number of shortest-path-to-root steps in the GO hierarchy) as a measure for the information content for the different annotations. Distributions per species reveal that the projected annotations are as detailed as the original primary GO data and that for species initially lacking GO information, detailed GO terms can be associated to most genes (see Supplemental Table 4 online). Whereas Blast2GO, a high-throughput and automatic functional annotation tool (Gotz et al., 2008), applies sequence similarity to identify homologous genes and collect primary GO data, GO projection uses phylogenetic inference to identify orthologous genes prior to transfer of functional annotation. Both methods incorporate information from different GO evidence tags to avoid the inclusion of low-quality annotations while generating functional information for uncharacterized proteins. It is important to note that all pages and tools presenting functional annotation through the PLAZA website can be used, including either all GO data or only the primary GO annotations (i.e., excluding projected GO terms). Exploring Genome Evolution in Plants To study plant genome evolution, PLAZA provides various tools to browse genomic homology data, ranging from local synteny to gene-based colinearity views. Whereas colinearity refers to the conservation of gene content and order, synteny is more loosely defined as the conservation of similar genes over two or more genomic regions. Moreover, genome organization can be explored at different levels, making it possible to easily navigate from chromosome-based views to detailed gene-centric information for one or multiple species. Based on gene family delineation and the conservation of gene order, homologous genomic regions were detected using i-ADHoRe (Simillion et al., 2008). The i-ADHoRe algorithm combines gene content and gene order information within a statistical framework to find significant microcolinearity taking into account different types of local rearrangements (Vandepoele et al., 2002). Subsequently, these colinear regions are used to build genomic profiles that allow the identification of additional homologous segments. As a result, sets of homologous genomic segments are grouped into what is referred to as a multiplicon. The multiplication level indicates the number of homologous segments for a given genomic region. The advantage of profile searches (also known as top-down approaches) is that degenerate colinearity (or ancient duplications) can still be detected (Vandepoele et al., 2002; Simillion et al., 2004). The Synteny plot is the most basic tool to study gene-centric genomic homology. This feature shows all genes from the specified gene family with their surrounding genes, providing a less stringent criterion to study genomic homology compared with colinearity. To ensure the fast exploration of positional orthologs, gene family members have been clustered based on their flanking gene content (see Supplemental Figure 3 online). Investigating colinearity on a genome-wide scale can be done using the WGDotplot (Figure 3A). This tool can be applied to identify large-scale duplications within a genome or to study genomic rearrangements within or between species (e.g., after genome doubling or speciation, respectively). In a first view, a genome-wide plot displays inter- or intraspecies colinearity, while various features are available to zoom in to chromosome-wide plots or the underlying multiplicon gene order alignment. Intraspecies comparisons can also be visualized using circular plots that depict all duplicated blocks physically mapped on the chromosomes. Figure 3. Overview of Different Colinearity-Based Visualizations of the Genomic Region around Poplar Gene PT10G16600. All colinear gene pairs (or block duplicates) have been dated using Ks, the synonymous substitution rate (see Supplemental Methods 6 online). Ks is considered to evolve at a nearly constant neutral rate since synonymous substitutions do not alter the encoded amino acid sequence. As a consequence, these values can be used as a molecular clock for dating, although saturation (i.e., when synonymous sites have been substituted multiple times, resulting in Ks values >1) can lead to underestimation of the actual age (Smith and Smith, 1996). The average Ks for a colinear (or duplicated) block is calculated and colored accordingly in the WGDotplots (Figure 3A). Based on the Ks distributions of block paralogs, the Ks dating tool can be employed to date one or more large-scale duplication events relative to a speciation event considering multiple species. As shown in Supplemental Figure 4 online, ancient and more recent WGDs can be identified in several plants species, although varying evolutionary rates in different lineages due to, for instance, different generation times, might interfere with the accurate dating of these events (Tang et al., 2008a; Van de Peer et al., 2009). When investigating genomic homology between more than two genomes, the Skyline plot provides a rapid and flexible way to browse multiple homologous genomic segments (Figure 3B). For a region centered around a reference gene, all colinear segments (from the selected set of organisms) are determined and visualized using color-coded stacked segments. The Skyline plot offers a comprehensive view of the number of regions that are colinear in the species selected (see Supplemental Methods 5 online). Navigation buttons allow the user to scroll left and right, whereas a window size parameter setting provides a zooming function to focus either on a small region around the reference gene or on the full chromosome. Clicking on one of the regions of interest shows a more detailed view (Multiplicon view; see Figure 3C). The gene alignment algorithm maintains the original gene order but will introduce gaps to place homologous genes in the same column (if possible). Database Access, User Interface, and Documentation An advanced query system has been developed to access the different data types and research tools and to quickly retrieve relevant information. Starting from a keyword search on gene descriptions, GO terms, InterPro domains, Reactome pathways, or a gene identifier, relevant genes and gene families can be fetched. Apart from the internal PLAZA gene identifiers, the original gene names provided by the data provider are supported as well. When multiple genes are returned using the search function, the “view-associated gene families” option makes it possible to link all matching genes to their corresponding gene families, reducing the complexity of the number of returned items. When searching for genes related to a specific biological process using GO, this function makes it possible to directly identify all relevant gene families and analyze the evolution of these genes in the different species. Although for some species the functional annotation is limited, even after GO projection, mapping genes related to a specific functional category to the corresponding families makes it possible to rapidly explore functional annotations in different species through gene homology. To analyze multiple genes in batch, we have developed a Workbench where, for user-defined gene sets, different genome statistics can be calculated (Figure 1). Genes can be uploaded through a list of (internal or external) gene identifiers or based on a sequence similarity search. For example, this last option enables users to map an EST data set from a nonmodel organism to a reference genome annotation present in PLAZA. For gene sets saved by the user in the Workbench detailed information about functional annotation (InterPro and GO), associated gene families, block and tandem gene duplicates, and gene structure are provided. In addition, the GO enrichment tool allows for determination of whether a user-defined gene set is overrepresented for one or more GO terms (see the Workbench tutorial on the PLAZA documentation page). This feature makes it possible to rapidly explore functional biases present in, for example, differentially expressed genes or EST libraries. The organization of a gene set of interest (e.g., gene family homologs, genes with a specific InterPro domain, GO term, or from a Reactome pathway, a Workbench gene set) in a genome-wide context can reveal interesting information about genomic clustering. The Whole Genome Mapping tool can be used to display a selection of genes on the chromosomes (see Supplemental Figure 5 online), and additional information about the duplication type of these genes (i.e., tandem or block duplicate) is provided. Furthermore, the Whole Genome Mapping tool allows users to view the distribution of different gene types (protein-coding, RNA, pseudogene, or transposable element) per species. An extensive set of documentation pages describes the sources of all primary gene annotations, the different methods and parameters used to build all comparative genomics data, and instructions on how to use the different tools. We also provide a set of tutorials introducing the different data types and interactive research tools. An extensive glossary has been compiled that interactively is shown on all pages when hovering over specific terms. Finally, for each data type (e.g., gene family and GO term) or analysis tool, all data can be downloaded as simple tab-delimited text files. Bulk downloads covering sequence or annotation data from one or more species are available through an FTP server. Data Analysis: Dissecting Plant Gene Duplicates Using PLAZA To illustrate the applicability of PLAZA for comparative genomics studies, a combination of tools was used to characterize in detail the mode and tempo of gene duplications in plants. In the first case study, tree-based dating and GO enrichment analysis were used to analyze the gene functions of species-specific paralogs. Initially, gene duplicates were extracted from the reconciled phylogenetic trees for all organisms. To ensure the reliability of the selected duplication nodes, we only retained nodes with good bootstrap support (≥70%) and consistency scores (>0). By cross-referencing all returned genes with the colinearity information included in PLAZA, all species-specific duplicates were further divided into tandem and block duplicates. Subsequently, enriched GO terms were calculated for each of those gene sets using PLAZA's workbench. Whereas in the green alga O. lucimarinus, 45% of all species-specific duplicates are derived from a recent segmental duplication between chromosomes 13 and 21, nearly half of all Vitis-specific duplicates correspond with tandem duplications (see Supplemental Table 5 online). For many species, tandem duplications account for the largest fraction (34 to 50%) of species-specific paralogs. The GO enrichment analysis provides an efficient approach to directly relate duplication modes in different species with specific biological processes or evolutionary adaptations. Browsing the associated gene families makes it possible to explore the functions of the different genes (Figure 4). For example, the GO term “response to biotic stimulus” (GO:0009607) was enriched for the tandem duplicates of Arabidopsis, poplar, and grapevine. When focusing on the duplicated genes causing this enrichment, we observed that different gene families involved in biotic response are expanded in different species (Figure 4B). Whereas in Arabidopsis, the Avirulence-Induced Gene and anthranilate synthase family are associated with bacterial response, genes from expanded families in poplar, covering α/β hydrolases, DUF567 proteins, and proteinase inhibitors, have been reported to be involved in response to fungal infection. Quantification of fungus-host distributions based on the fungal databases from the USDA Agricultural Research Service and literature (Lucas, 1998) reveals, for different regions worldwide, 1.5 to 106 times more fungal interactions for poplar compared with Arabidopsis. These findings indicate a strong correlation between the wide distribution of poplar–fungal interactions and the adaptive expansion of specific responsive gene families. Figure 4. GO Enrichment Analysis of Species-Specific Gene Duplicates. In Chlamydomonas, both tandem and block duplicates exhibit a strong GO enrichment for the term “chromatin assembly or disassembly.” Inspection of the gene families responsible for this GO enrichment revealed that the four major types of histones (H2A, H2B, H3, and H4) are included. When analyzing other plant genomes, we observed that the histone family expansions were specific for Chlamydomonas. Detailed analysis of these genes reveals that there are 28 clusters that are composed of at least three different core histones (Figure 4C). During the S-phase of the cell cycle, large amounts of histones need to be produced to pack the newly synthesized DNA. In order to increase histone protein abundance, gene duplication, as also observed in mammalian genomes, provides a biological alternative compared with increased rates of transcription (Graves et al., 1985; Tripputi et al., 1986; Allen et al., 1991). Apart from sufficient histone proteins in rapidly dividing cells, exact quantities also are required for correct nucleosome formation. The assembly of histones occurs in a highly coordinated fashion: two H3/H4 heterodimers will first form a tetramer that binds the newly synthesized DNA and subsequently the addition of two H2A/H2B dimers completes the histone bead (Parthun et al., 1996; Grunstein, 1997). As shown in Figure 4C, the histone pairs that form dimers, which therefore should be present in equimolar amounts, occur very frequently in a divergent configuration (>95% of the histone genes occur in head-to-head pairs with their dimerization partner). This specific gene clustering suggests that bidirectional promoters guarantee equal transcription levels for the flanking genes (Fabry et al., 1995). As a second case study, we used PLAZA to study large-scale duplication events in different lineages. Counting all gene duplication events for the different organisms confirms the presence of one or more WGD in Arabidopsis, moss, and monocots (see Supplemental Table 5 online). Interestingly, when analyzing the inferred ages of the different duplication nodes using the reconciled phylogenetic trees, we observed that the number of duplication events in the ancestor of angiosperms is larger than those in the eudicot ancestor (1880 and 1146 duplication nodes, respectively). In addition, these ancestral angiosperm duplications cover a larger number of gene families compared with the eudicot duplications (1141 and 757 families, respectively). This pattern suggests that, apart from the ancient hexaploidy detectable in all sequenced eudicot plant genomes (Tang et al., 2008b), older gene duplications have also significantly contributed to the expansion of the ancestral angiosperm proteome. It is now generally accepted that, after the divergence of papaya and Arabidopsis, the latter species has undergone two rounds of WGD (Jaillon et al., 2007; Tang et al., 2008a; Van de Peer et al., 2009). PLAZA colinearity data were used to determine if levels of gene loss were different after the first (oldest) and second (youngest) WGD (also referred to as β and α, respectively). To this end, we selected multiplicons grouping four aligned Arabidopsis duplicated regions with an unduplicated outgroup region from either grape or papaya to count gene loss based on parsimony. Grapevine/papaya-Arabidopsis 1:4 alignments reveal that massive gene loss within Arabidopsis makes it very hard to link the homoeologous segments without aligning them to either grape or papaya (see Supplemental Figure 6 online) (Van de Peer et al., 2009). Manual inspection identified 26 reliable nonredundant multiplicons of which, in seven cases, the Arabidopsis segments could, based on Ks, unambiguously be grouped in two pairs that originated during the youngest duplication. All analyzed multiplicons can be visualized through the PLAZA website using a link reported in Supplemental Table 6 online. Analyzing all different patterns of gene loss using 139 ancestral loci (see Supplemental Table 6 online) revealed that 3.6 times more genes have been retained after the youngest α than after the oldest β Arabidopsis-specific WGD (31.13 and 8.63% retention, respectively). Consequently, this massive amount of gene loss masks most traces of the oldest WGD and explains why, with only the Arabidopsis genome available, the existence and timing of an older β duplication was debated (Simillion et al., 2002; Blanc et al., 2003; Bowers et al., 2003). Comparison with Other Plant Genomics Platforms The availability of online sequence databases and genome browsers provides an easy entry point for researchers to immediately investigate genome information without having to install any software. Furthermore, such services usually provide the possibility to link with an assembly of other Web-based resources (Brady and Provart, 2009). There has been a rapid growth in the number of plant genomics databases (Table 2). A major difference between these databases is the number of organisms included: whereas the Genome Cluster Database (Horan et al., 2005) and GreenPhylDB (Conte et al., 2008) only include Arabidopsis and rice, Gramene (Liang et al., 2008), PLAZA, and CoGe (Lyons and Freeling, 2008) have the most comprehensive set of species. CoGe includes, besides fully sequenced plant genomes, a large collection of viral, bacterial, fungal, and animal genomes. Comparing the data types, a noticeable trend is that most platforms focus on either gene families or genomic homology. Genome Cluster Database, GreenPhylDB, OrthologID (Chiu et al., 2006), and PlantTribes (Wall et al., 2008) all provide detailed information about gene families and phylogenetic trees but do not have any means to study genomic homology. By contrast, Plant Genome Duplication Database (Tang et al., 2008a), SynBrowse (Pan et al., 2005), and CoGe provide methods to study synteny and colinearity but do not include information about gene families. Phytozome (http://www.phytozome.net) and Gramene partially combine gene family and genome evolution data types. Whereas the former provides family-based local synteny plots, the colinearity framework in Gramene is based solely on genetic markers. Intraspecies dot plots are available in the Plant Genome Duplication Database, CoGe, and PLAZA and make it possible to investigate genes originating from WGD events. Finally, only Gramene, CoGe, and PLAZA provide a genome browser to obtain a general overview of a genomic region of interest. Table 2. Features of Plant Comparative Genomics Tools Other platforms provide data focused on specific gene functions or sequence types but are not extensively described here. Plant transcription factors can be studied using PlnTFDB (Riano-Pachon et al., 2007), AGRIS (Palaniswamy et al., 2006), and GRASSIUS (Yilmaz et al., 2009). The complementary platforms Phytome (Hartmann et al., 2006) and SPPG (Vandepoele and Van de Peer, 2005) are hybrid systems integrating gene information from genome sequencing projects with EST data for a comprehensive set of plant species. Summary and Future Prospects The PLAZA platform integrates genome information from a wide range of species within the green plant lineage and allows users to extract biological knowledge about gene functions and genome organization. Besides the availability of different comparative genomics data types, a set of interactive research tools, together with detailed documentation pages and tutorials, are accessible through a user-friendly website. Sequence similarity is used to assign protein-coding genes to homologous gene families, and phylogenetic trees allow the reliable identification of paralogs and orthologs. Through the integration of high confidence GO annotations and tree-based orthology between related plant species, we could (re-)annotate thousands of genes in multiple eudicot and monocot plants. Apart from local synteny plots that facilitate the identification of positional orthologs, gene-based colinearity is calculated between all chromosomes from all species and can be browsed using the so-called Skyline plots. The WGDotplot visualizes all duplicated segments within one genome and dating based on synonymous substitutions generates an evolutionary framework to study large-scale duplication events. In addition, PLAZA's Workbench provides an easy access point to study user-defined gene sets or to process genes derived from high-throughput experiments. Based on a sequence similarity search or a list of gene identifiers, custom gene sets can rapidly be created and detailed information about functional annotations, associated gene families, genome-wide organization, or duplication events can be extracted. Consequently, this tool opens perspectives for researchers generating EST libraries from nonmodel species as these can easily be mapped onto a model organism. PLAZA hosts a diverse set of data types as well as an extensive set of tools to explore plant genome information (see Table 2). Future efforts will be made to extend the number of available plant species and to include novel types of data to further explore gene function and regulation. Newly published plant genomes will be added on a regular basis to enlarge the evolutionary scope of PLAZA. The availability of genome information from more closely related organisms (Weigel and Mott, 2009) will make it possible to explore the similarities and differences between species at the DNA level and to identify, for example, conserved cis-regulatory elements on a genome-wide scale. In conclusion, PLAZA will be a useful toolkit to aid plant researchers in the exploration of genome information through a comprehensive Web-based research environment. Supplemental Data • Supplemental Figure 1. Phylogenetic Trees for Some Gene Families with Erroneously Identified Subfamilies. • Supplemental Figure 2. GO Projection Using Eudicot and Monocot Orthologous Groups. • Supplemental Figure 3. Synteny Plot Showing Conserved Gene Content between Different Genomic Regions Flanking Homologous Genes. • Supplemental Figure 4. Ks Dating Tool. • Supplemental Figure 5. Whole Genome Mapping Tool. • Supplemental Figure 6. The Gene Order Alignment of a Vitis Region and Four Corresponding α/β WGD Arabidopsis Regions. • Supplemental Table 1. Summary of Gene Family Content. • Supplemental Table 2. Overview of Subfamilies for 129 Large Gene Families. • Supplemental Table 3. Gene Counts before and after GO Projection per Organism. • Supplemental Table 4. GO Depth for Primary and Projected GO Annotations (Biological Process). • Supplemental Table 5. Overview of Duplication Events Inferred through Phylogenetic Trees (for Homologous Gene Families). • Supplemental Table 6. Counting Gene Loss in Arabidopsis Segment Generated by the α and β Whole-Genome Duplication. • Supplemental Methods 1. Data Retrieval and Delineation of Gene Families. • Supplemental Methods 2. Comparison of OrthoMCL Clusters with Phylogenetic Trees. • Supplemental Methods 3. Alignments and Phylogenetic Trees. • Supplemental Methods 4. Functional Annotation. • Supplemental Methods 5. Detection of Colinearity. • Supplemental Methods 6. Ks Dating. • Supplemental References. Supplementary Material [Supplemental Data] We thank Thomas Abeel, Eric Bonnet, Francis Dierick, and Stéphane Rombauts for technical assistance and Tine Blomme, Stefanie De Bodt, Jeffrey Fawcett, Elisabeth Wischnitzki, Eric Lyons, and the reviewers for helpful suggestions about the platform and tutorials. We thank Martine De Cock for help preparing the manuscript. S.P. thanks the Institute for the Promotion of Innovation by Science and Technology in Flanders for a predoctoral fellowship. K.V. is a Postdoctoral Fellow of the Research Foundation–Flanders. This work was supported by European Union EU-FP6 Food Safety and Quality Contract FOOD-CT-2006-016214. This project is funded by the Research Foundation–Flanders and the Belgian Federal Science Policy Office: IUAP P6/25 (BioMaGNet). 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Hosted by the English Department, San Francisco State University Description of the Warrener in the General Prologue and the Warrener's Prologue and Tale E. D. Schragg A WARYNER ther was, a sengle man And of complexioun ne was he wan. Ful rody both in nekkes flesh and chere, He smyled oft and cleer bothe eyen were. A thikke-herd scalpe he hadde upon his heed As bright as any cokkes comb in deed, For long and rede in colour were his heres That loos yfastned were bihinde his eres. But lest ye folyen by his mek fasoun, A cok he was, ne never a capoun. Swich heele had he liste him to go on foote; No hors he neded, cam what may his note. But natheles he rode a palfrey mare He borwed so as not to semen bare. A portreiture ay of sangwynitee He was and spak of his felicitee Bycause bifel that his ascencioun With Venus in the signe of scorpioun A frendly aspect hadde yiven him. He was ne thikke in nouther nekke or lym, Yet was his vois resounyng as a wawe, That cometh from the depe of Neptuns mawe And throndreth whan it meteth with the lond And rumbleth alwey endelong the sond, Algates shewed it a gentil herte, That noon it never made for to sterte. He was as leene as is at Oxenford A clerk that never wolde eten his bord. Ye was he leene as is a coltissh hors, But thinketh me his lenesse was no fors, For wommen soghte him alwey at the nones, Our hoostes tappesteres, and the nonnes, And also spak to him the Prioresse, Al be she coy and ful of gentilesse, For sikerly he was a digne man, Al was his cope ymade of fustian. But whan he speketh to the Bathes wyf, She hadde intresse never, by my lyf! . . . The Prologe of the Waryners Tale Whan that a silence fil withouten doute, Our hooste gan to caste his eye aboute. It liste him for to chesen oon biforn An other cherlish pilgrim tok his torn. Quod he, "Methinketh mony noon-tyde ales Touchen the qualitee of somme tales." Swich grucching fro the folk gan to aryse, Me thoughte that he moste ageyn avyse Or elles wolde he lese his governaunce By cause of al her lesing her suffraunce. "Foryeten ye," he axed everichon, "That ye have al assented, al as oon, My jugement to folwe in this caas Or elles paye al that yspended was?" Forwhy the murmure of the compaignye Ful soone gan to lessen and wanie, Forthy our hooste thoughte he moste ageyn Haven the pilgrims ful in his demeyn. "Sir Haberdasher, I chese thee," quod he. "Mostow a tale or tweye have with thee Of muchel solas ay that canstow telle." But sitthe gan dissencioun to swelle And wel nygh everich pilgrim gan to carpe And pleyne to our hoost bothe loud and sharpe. Sikerly ech was erly in his ale And wolde atones tellen of his tale. Than fynally the Prioresse spak To govern ther our hooste hadde lak, And everichones vois bicam ful low In reverence, but I ne knew how That she hadde audience, blood and bones. They lystened gentilly at the nones Soone after that she made a simple ple For pacience by hir hand. Quod she, "Yf seeme that oure Herry us ameve To pleyne on him somdel for tyrannye, To thenken that he moot yvele preve, Foryeveth me if that I contrairie. Withouten glose, I clepe it vileinye, Bycause the caas nys demonstratif, Soth for to seyn, that been we al caitif. Seyn ye that mosten we bedaffed been? Have al oure othes now foryetten we? He that foryeteth, ay may God hym seen, If breketh he now that biforn swore he. Biheeste is dette, so it seemeth me. For ech and everichoon, we mooten nedes Ful stonden by oure othes, by my bedes. And so if list our lyfly companye, And moost trewely our fair and semely hoost, Now can we doon withouten ribaudye? We goon on pilgrimage, blessed goost! May thenne I profre, ful withouten boost, Our warner for to tell the nexte tale? Cum Sancto spiritu goon we withalle." Whan noon in al the compaignye ageyn Hir humble profryng but noght coude seyn, And eek our hoost, his thankes, as he went, He nodde and haf his hondes in assent, The waryner, the gentil man he was, He shewed never nillinge in this cas. Right after that all dide his torn afferme, He wilfully accepted thanne his terme And cesed wispryng with the chapeleyne For to procede full as that hym deyne. He sat up hye in sadel, sipped meeth, And spradde his nosethirles with his breeth. If that I were to speke of his fasoun, Me semed that he were at dulcarnoun. "If lignes were conies," than seyd he, "Ful esy wolde endyting of hem be. For whan that tweye assemble on a leef, Ful shortly wolde lignes make a sheef." Than cracching somme finger on his cheke, He stint bifore he gan agayn to speke. "Of poesye," he seyde, "knowe I litel. Rewde metres make my pencel, And never moot I ryme for my conys In my conynger, ei, never onis." He smyled brode of dame Prioresse, And than contynued his lyt processe. "In my best wyse, as yow mighte suppose, Ich wil yow telle a tale now in prose." Heere bigynneth the Waryner his Tale Whilom, whan that good Kyng Arthour regned as sovereyne of all Engelond, now somme four hundred yeres ago, soght he endelong the lengthe and brede of Engelond after knyghtes for his round table at Camelot. He asked many a rude man after his lord, and semed it to somme that was Arthour's tale of Excalaber ful fantastyk. Therfor bifel hym eek that somme ne yaf him kyngly reverence. Arthour and his squyer cam by a streem that ran thurgh a grove, and therinne diden tweye knyghtes prive bataille. Whan that the black knyght with the redde cote-armure hadde quelled the quik knyght in grey and the kyng hym at his table hadde wold, the knyght seyd naught but "Noon may passe." Good Arthur moste nedes thenne debate the man and with Excalaber choppe off bothe armes and bothe legges, er that he cesed his manasinge. Fynally after ful many a mile, four worthy men answered Arthours callinge, and al were yfelaweshiped togidre. First and forward foond he Bedevere that was wys, lyk to Salamon, and coude determyne whether a womman was a wicche or nat with logik and engyn. Sithen were Lancelot the breem, Galahad the pure, and Robyn nat so the breem and pure. Therwithal was the round table bigonne. Soone, whan that the knyghtes of the round table bicam wery for to ete and drinke alday at Camelot, and wolde seken aventure lyk as knyghtes sholde, cam bifore hem an avisioun in the clowdes in the welken heigh. Goddes visage comaunded to hem the hooly greal for to seke. And aweye they wente. Prykinge her horses over hille and dale, the knyghtes and her kyng cam upon a castel, hye and derk, and from a tour at the angle of the walles ther cam a vois ful daungerous. Whan that Arthour axed after the greal, the cherlish man in the tour gan to scorne the digne men of the round table and seyde, "We have the greal withinne our walles." Arthour axed for to see it, and the cherl seyde, "I farte in your general quarter." Thanne quod Arthur, "I am Arthur, kyng of Engelonde, and we maken Goddes queste for the hooly greal. Lat us passe thurgh youre yate that we mighte see the blessed relik." But the cherl answered, "I wagge my privetee at Arthur kyng and his sely knyghtes." Ful wroth the men of the round table wente into the forest and, after wys Bedeveres devys, byldede a greet cony of wode on wheles, lyk unto the hors of Troy, and drowe it to the casteles yate. Unhappily the wightes therinne the storie als hadde yherd. Thanne the kyng and his knyghtes founden that the castel cherl hadde set her cappes and that ther was no greal, and they chose for to seke the hooly relik bi divers weyes. Robyn wente north, folwed by his mury minstrales al flouting and pleying on the cordes of her giternes and singing her litel roundel: "Boldely boold sir Robyn wente forth from Camelot. He was not affrayed to sterve, O boold sir Robyn. He was ne at all affayed For to sterve in grisly weyes, Brem, bold, bold, brem sir Robyn." Thurgh a derk wode they wente until they cam upon a geaunt with treye hedes that wolde Robyn slee, but that he hyed shortly thider. His minstrales founde newe wordes for to singe: "Whan peril rered his foule hed, Robyn torned his tayl and fledde." With freendes lyk his minstrales, never neded he foos. Galahad wente est, and in the derknesse of a ploungy night, under cracchinge boughes and busshes, thurgh loppewebbes and stinkynge drast, he travailede ful aloon. Atte laste espyede he a tour, lyk to a bekene, with a gledy light of gold attop that shynede lyk as the hooly greal. Galahad stomblede up to the greet ook door and knokked with his drasty knokeles. Sitthe softely it opened, and a beautee alle in whyt bekned hym to folwe. Withinne this queynte castel wonden many yonge wommen all ywrapped in whyte. Lyssa, that lat hym in, spak in their bihalve. "What hetestow?" Therto quod he, "Galahad the chaast." "Sir Galahad," seyde she, "wherfore thanne camestow to oure litel castel?" Quod he, "I seke the hooly greal that shyneth in your tour." "Thow hast erred," she tolde hym. "That is but our beken." He asked hir, "How bisie ye yourselven here?" "Good sir, we dwellen al aloon, al gerles bitwixe sixtene and nyntene and an half, with noon to keepe oure maydenheed sauf." "Erly moot I parte," seyde he the chaast, "for to finde the hooly greal." She preyed, "But sir, we neden disciplyne and compaignye of man, as bihoveth wightes lyk us." Thanne brast in Sir Lancelot and hente him by the shulder-boones. He gan to chastise Galahad and ladde hym thurgh the greet ook door, as Lyssa and the gerles in whyt bisoughten of bothe that they sholde abyde. Lancelot hadde ycomen wel by times. Galahad ny heded the sereynes call. Good Arthour and his sad felawes, namely Bedevere, wente west and founde an elvish man that spak of the hooly greal. He tolde of a greet travaile to a caverne in the south that hadde a fiers beeste keepynge the gate. An enchauntour with tweye rammes hornes on his heede stode faste by to leden any maner wight to the caverne. Therby cam man to the vale of peril and the brigge of deth. Thanne within a wink, the elvish man made a vanisshinge as sodeinly as he apperede. Whan that Kyng Arthour and al his boold knyghtes were agayn yfelaweshiped togidre, they wente forth to sette her claime. For tweye yeeres our knyghtes diden rome. They clustred hemselven around ful many a winter fyr, and autumpne stormes dide soken her surcotes and chiled her boones. Tweye somers founden hem withoute mirthe, and misese folwed hem wher that ever they wente. The enchauntour with the rammes hornes, ycleped Tim, dide appere in erly somer of the thridde yeer. As they approchede, he shette leytes fro his hondes, brenning busshes, shewing al his prowesse, unto he deyned for to lede the knyghtes to the caverne. He warned them and seyde, "A beest fierser than any kepeth the greales hole." Sitthe shooken al the bolde men of the round table, but forth they wente to meete her doom. The openinge was a terrible sighte with mannes boons ystrawed about. The tremblinge knyghtes helde her brethes, and Tim cryde, "The beeste appereth!" "Wher?" axed Arthour, for he espyede him noght. "Ther," seyde Tim, thanne al dide see a cony-rabbet whyt as snow wiglinge his nose in the grene gras. "A rabbet?" axed Arthour, doutyng herof. And answerede Tim, "Ei, a terrible rabbet." "What thenne," axed Robyn, "doth he gnawe your toute?" And he upsprong to dele with the dedly rabbet. Muche blood-shedinge folwede, and soone Sir Robyn lay deed bifore the hole. Heere the wyf stynteth the waryneres tale of the hooly greal The Bathes wyf than noysed with a swough, Whan that she fynally hadde had ynough. "Sir waryner," quod she, "this tale of youres Is hye fantasye wasting houres. A cony-rabet queller?" seyde the wyf. "I herde naught so fool in al my lyf. A tour bretful of girles dressed in whyte" Allas, wher lernedestow to endyte? Kyng Arthour was a greet kyng, ei, indeed. He never was so feble inwith his heed, Nor wolde he choppe off al a mannes lemes But that he wolde doon so in your dremes. A knyght up on a tour with swich a tonge, That semeth that moot his mouth been a gonge? Namore of this folye can I stande, It semeth me, I moot throwe up myn hande. If pleseth al, and most dere Prioresse, Sir waryner, I begge yow now to cesse. Gramercy, for we moot yet riden fer . . ." And forth she spak. How so, the waryner Ne herede wherof liste her to pleyne, For rouninges with lady chapeleyne. Updated 11/5/02
Patriot’s Day Posted April 18, 2010, at 6:50 p.m. Listen, my children, and give a pause for the midnight ride of William Dawes. All right, so Longfellow knew he could get a better rhyme out of “hear” and “Revere,” but the result of his famous poem from “Tales of a Wayside Inn” is that Paul Revere’s fellow rider, William Dawes, is largely unknown to most Americans. So how about three cheers for Mr. Dawes on this Patriot’s Day. The lanterns, arranged for by Revere, signaled that the British had begun a march to Lexington, Mass., in search of revolutionary leaders, particularly John Hancock and Samuel Adams. After the lanterns were hung, Messrs. Revere and Dawes set off for Lexington to warn their fellow patriots. On their way to their next stop, Concord, they were detained by the British. Mr. Dawes was able to slip away, while Mr. Revere was later more famously released on foot. It may be that the former’s skills of stealth served him well on his journey but not so well in the history books.
Despite being out shined by its rowdy neighbor to the south, Canada has its own plans of conquering the lunar frontier. In an attempt to easily navigate upon the cratered surface of the Moon, a Canadian university is developing wheels for their upcoming rover that could enable to country to literally drive almost anywhere off world. This wheel sounds even better than the Lunar Tweel being designed by Michelin, as it would enable colonists to quickly traverse across the barren landscape without experiencing massive amounts of whip lash (which isn’t exactly healthy for the neck). Such technology could also be adapted for rovers upon other worlds (like Callisto and Mars), which would help encourage settlers to explore their new global homes with greater ease. While it’s great to see Canada contributing to humanities quest to conquer our star system, hopefully the nation will also consider building a human rated rocket launcher of their own (as NASA may not exactly have the funds to ferry Americans and Canadians off world in the future). Image: The 8-inch iRings wheels demonstrating compliance using a rover testbed Credit: Brad Jones / Neptec Design Group Share on Tumblr
Juggling notation From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search Juggling notation is the written depiction of concepts and practices in juggling.[1][2] Toss juggling patterns have a reputation for being "easier done than said" – while it might be easy to learn a given maneuver and demonstrate it for others, it is often much harder to communicate the idea accurately using speech or plain text. To circumvent this problem, various numeric or diagram-based notation systems have been developed to facilitate communication of patterns or tricks between jugglers, as well the investigation and discovery of new patterns. A juggling notation system (based on music notation) was first proposed by Dave Storer in 1978 and while the first juggling diagram (a ladder diagram), by Claude Shannon around 1981, was not printed till 2010, the first printed diagram and second oldest notation system were proposed by Jeff Walker in 1982.[3] Ladder diagram: 3-ball box While diagrams are the most visual and reader-friendly way to notate many juggling patterns, they rely on images, so are complicated to produce and unwieldy to share via text or speech. • Ladder diagrams - Each rung on the "ladder" represents a point in time (or "beat"). The juggled objects are represented as lines, their paths through time and between a pair of hands. • Causal diagrams - Similar to the ladder diagram but doesn't show the props held in a juggler's hands. Instead it only shows each "problem" — an incoming prop — and what the juggler should do to make space in his or her hands to catch that incoming prop. It is usually used for club passing and can be displayed or edited in some juggling software. • Mills Mess State Transition Diagrams - Mills Mess is a popular pattern in which the arms cross and uncross. Mills Mess State Transition Diagrams can be used to track these basic arm movements. Causal diagram for the <3p333:3p333> juggling passing pattern The following notation systems use only numbers and common characters. The patterns can easily be communicated by text. Most numeric systems are designed to be processed by software juggling simulators — for example, to view juggling patterns as computer animations. Main article: Siteswap Developed by mathematically inclined jugglers Bengt Magnusson and Bruce Boppo Tiemann in 1985,[1][4][5] siteswap is by far the most common juggling notation. A given juggling pattern is represented by a sequence of digits, like "333", "97531", or "744". Each digit represents the number of throws that occur by the time that same prop will be caught. For example, "333" represents a common three-ball cascade, where three props are thrown before the same prop will be caught and thrown again. Within the "531531" pattern, the prop thrown first, the '5' throw, will not be caught until five throws have been made, including itself, where it will be thrown again as a '1'. The prop thrown next, the '3', will be thrown again on the third throw afterwards, the next '3'. And the next prop is thrown with a '1' throw, which is a direct pass to the other hand and will be thrown on the very next throw as a '5'. Because the number represents the number of throws that occur before that prop will be caught, it can be also be thought to describe how high one throws the prop, or how long it remains in the air relative to the other throws, where even numbers inevitably come back to the same hand and odd numbers cross over to the other hand. The number of props in a given juggling pattern can be determined by the average of one repeating group. "633633633", therefore describes a four-prop pattern, while "414414414" describes a three-prop juggling pattern. "Vanilla" siteswap is the most basic form of siteswap and uses only a simple string of digits to describe patterns that throw only one prop at a time, alternating between hands. For slightly more complicated patterns, extra rules and syntax are added to create the following two siteswap extensions: • Synchronous Siteswap, or "Synch" Siteswap. This is used to notate patterns where both hands throw at the same time, rather than alternating left and right hands. The numbers for the two throws are combined in parentheses and separated by a comma. For example, "(4,4)(4,4)(4,4)". • Multiplex Siteswap. "Multiplex", in the world of juggling, means "more than one ball is in the hand at the time of the throw". Multiplex Siteswap allows you to notate such patterns, and also can be mixed with synchronous siteswap. A multiplex is described by a digit for each prop in the multiplex throw contained within square brackets. "23[43]23[43]" is a common four ball multiplex. Vanilla, synch, and multiplex siteswap are the "standard" forms of siteswap. Not only are they understood by jugglers, there are also many computer programs capable of animating juggling patterns entered in siteswap notation. Other extensions to siteswap have been developed for specific purposes. These are far less common than the "standard" forms of siteswap, understood by far fewer jugglers and only specialized software. • Passing siteswap - used for simple passing patterns. • Multi-Hand Notation (MHN) - Developed by Ed Carstens for use with his juggling program JugglePro, MHN can describe patterns with any number of hands and at any rhythm, but use is limited due to its being as complex as a computer programming language. • Generalized Siteswap (GS) - Developed by Ben Beever, GS places siteswap into a matrix that uses optional, additional rows to describe any desired attributes of the throws or catches within a pattern, such as timing issues (e.g. for synch patterns), number of spins (e.g. for clubs) and hand position/orientation (e.g. for backcrosses, claw catches etc.).[6] 1. ^ a b Klarreich, Erica (December 25, 2004). "New juggling tricks created by maths". New Scientist (2479). Retrieved August 29, 2009. 2. ^ Beek, Peter J.; Lewbel, Arthur (November 1995). "The Science of Juggling". Scientific American 273 (5): 92–97. doi:10.1038/scientificamerican1195-92. Retrieved August 29, 2009. 3. ^ Lewbel, Arthur (1996). "The Academic Juggler: The Invention Of Juggling Notations", Juggle.org. 4. ^ Donahue, Bill (1996-04-16). "Jugglers Now Juggle Numbers to Compute New Tricks for Ancient Art". The New York Times (The New York Times Company). Retrieved August 29, 2009. 5. ^ "Read This: The Mathematics of Juggling". Mathematical Association of America. 2003-12-03. Retrieved August 29, 2009. 6. ^ Beever, Ben (20 January 2002). "SS Ben's Guide to Juggling Patterns". The Internet Juggling Database. Retrieved 5 February 2010. External links[edit]
Around five years ago I stumbled upon a small store in Regina, Canada named “One Thousand Villages.” The store sold small objects from earrings to miniature animals. All the objects in the store were made by locals from countries all over the world. An ivory elephant caught my eye. The elephant reminded me of one I had seen as a young child in a movie, “The Secret Garden.” In the movie, Mary Lennox’s mother has an ivory elephant. I immediately picked up the elephant and decided it was what I wanted. At that time, I saw the ivory elephant as the embodiment of beauty. Now, I see the elephant in a very different light. Whenever I look at the elephant I am reminded of how approximately eight percent of all elephants (emotional, intelligent creatures) are slaughtered each year. The elephant makes me question how I see beauty. Some trinkets can appear to be precious but tell a story of greed and destruction. Recently, within the past couple of years, Americans have been talking more and more about putting a tax or a cap on the amount of carbon (not carbon-dioxide) that we emit into the environment. The word “tax” can be scary, but before panicking, you have to consider the amount of damage that the carbon, which is being made from burning fossil fuels, is doing to our environment. The huge amounts of carbon currently being released into our ecosystem from burning fossil fuels is causing holes in our ozone-layer, acid rain, climate change, and a slew of other alarming problems. If we are going to have any hope of saving our planet from global warming, we need to reduce the amount of carbon emissions that we’re releasing into our environment. There are two major ways of doing this: putting a tax on carbon, or implementing a cap-and-trade system. Let’s first start off by explaining the carbon tax proposal. A carbon tax would function as a pollution tax. It would set up a fee on the production, distribution, and use of fossil fuels. The amount of money being charged in the fee would be determined by how much carbon the fossil fuel emits when it’s burned. The more carbon, the higher the fee. Because the tax would make using dirtier fuels more expensive, it would strongly encourage people and businesses to use cleaner sources of energy more frequently and dirtier sources of energy less frequently. It could also potentially lower the amount of energy people use, make people more aware of where their energy is coming from, and its effects on the environment. The most important aspect of the carbon tax is that it would make alternative forms of energy more cost competitive with cheaper, more pollutant, harmful forms of energy (such as coal, natural gas, and oil). Also, for people who are afraid of having their taxes increased, the money raised from the carbon tax could help subsidize the taxes that they’re currently paying. The other option would be the cap-and-trade system. This is a system where the government would put a limit on how much carbon emissions each person, company, or industry would be allowed to have each month, year, etc. People using more sustainable forms of energy, such as solar, water, and wind, and not coal, oil, or natural gas. This system would also make alternative forms of energy compete more with cheaper, more pollutant forms of energy. This is because you would be able to use more of the cleaner energy each month than you would the dirtier energy. You could stretch your carbon limit further. Again, it could also still also make people more aware of where their energy is coming from and it’s effects on the planet and our lives. These two systems, if enforced correctly, could each bring forth massive benefits to the earth, people, and society. If we were to put these bills into law, however, we would need to get our legislators on board. In the past, both Democrats and Republicans have agreed with the idea that we need to do something (soon) about our carbon emissions. In the recent past, meaning around May 2014 or so, it was been rumoured that President Obama would use his executive authority to either put a tax on carbon, or enforce a cap-and-trade system in America. During his first term in office, Mr. Obama attempted to put a cap-and-trade bill through Congress, but it died in the Senate in 2010. Even Mr. Romney, Mr. Obama’s opponent in his second run for office, who is very conservative, was, at one point, a key architect of a cap-and-trade program in nine northeastern states. However, Mr. Romney later stopped supporting the cap-and-trade system. Another example of a politician who was, at one point, for the cap-and trade-system is the Republican 2008 presidential nominee, Senator John McCain of Arizona. He pledged to put into effect a nationwide cap-and-trade program. Even with all these supporters of carbon legislation, we still need more in order to get some kind of carbon legislation through Congress. As environmentally responsible Americans, it is our duty and our responsibility to get our governors, legislators, mayors, congressman, president, etc. to support carbon legislation and to try and get carbon legislation through the Senate and Congress. Dowdey, Sarah. “How Carbon Tax Works.” HowStuffWorks. HowStuffWorks.com, 1998-2014. Web. 15 Sept. 2014. Davenport, Coral. “President Said to Be Planning to Use Executive Authority on Carbon Rule.” The New York Times. The New York Times, 28 May 2014. Web. 15 Sept. 2014. “Smoke Smoking Chimney Fireplace.” Free Photo: Smoke, Smoking, Chimney, Fireplace. Pixabay, 2014. Web. 15 Sept. 2014. Home, road trips, and NYC After coming home from the summer, starting to get back into the swing of school, the inevitable approach of autumn and the ever looming “future” that requires planning I’m looking forward to going to New York for the Peoples Climate March! Returning from a 4 day camping trip with my junior class, visiting colleges and a folk school (something that started in Denmark mostly for high schoolers between high school and college- even though people of all ages can go- a school that teaches traditional arts and crafts of its culture) it’s definitely nice to get home, shower, and get pumped for my next big adventure to the big city. During our trip we visited the University of MN Duluth (http://www.d.umn.edu), the North House Folk School (http://www.northhouse.org), Northland college (http://www.northland.edu), and University of Wisconsin Stout (http://www.uwstout.edu). We camped through one beautiful full moon (many of us slept under the stars) and 2 very wet, very cold storms on the shores of Lake Superior. Every time I come back from a road trip, or any kind of travel, I find myself not knowing what to do. Do I sleep in, or count on taking a nap later? I don’t have any location to look up fun things to do in, what am I supposed to do with my time? I’ll tell you! I’ve been working with the Will Steger Foundation in Minneapolis planning a conference for and by high schoolers about sustainability, social justice and what we can do now. Youth CAN! (Climate Action Now) is in the planning process but we are excited for November 8th when this thing is going to happen! Check out our website bit.ly/youthCAN I think one big thing about coming home is having a more clear vision in your head of who you are, and what you want to become. Having come home from this college visiting trip, I was overwhelmed at first about what different colleges have to offer, financial aid, and their art and environmental programs. I think it was really helpful to visit them on consecutive days, because then you can compare the feel of the school, it’s campus, and the different ways each school likes to present their info. In the end after so many presentations about “How this University is for you” you can actually get a feel for if it is for you, or if they’re just saying that. Even though if you’re active in any university or college you could have a great time, there will be a couple that stand out. Needless to say even though all this college stuff can be boring (but also kind of exciting) I’m becoming more and more prepared to be involved in my part of the Peoples Climate March, and planning YouthCAN! In Minneapolis November 8. And also, realizing what kind of person I am, and want to be. Me and my friends taking a hike near Houghton Falls, WI. Where’s the Catch? According to the Food and Agriculture Organization, “One in five people on the planet depends on fish as the primary source of protein.” Because fish are vital as sustenance for many people, it is important to ask, what would happen if there were no more fish? Scientists and policy makers are asking this question a lot lately because scientists believe “that if current trends [i.e., overfishing] continue, world food fisheries could collapse entirely by 2050” (Overfishing, Save Our Seas). The problem of overfishing is occurring because the fish are being taken out of the ocean faster than they can reproduce. This rapid removal of fish from the oceans is due to a combination of demand, wasteful fishing methods, and the lack of will to regulate the fishing industry. While scientists, members of the commercial fishing industry, and politicians generally agree that the depletion of ocean fish is a serious problem, they have taken little action to address the issue due to the fear of backlash from those affected. Failure to act to reverse the damage currently happening may have catastrophic consequences for the entire oceanic biome and the food source vital to 20 percent of the earth’s population. Conservation through the careful use of natural resources to prevent them from being lost or wasted is challenging under any circumstances, and particularly when many people are vying for limited resources. The goal in marine conservation, as in terrestrial conservation, is “to preserve and protect diversity and ecosystem function through the preservation of species, populations, and habitats.” (Klinger). For numerous reasons, though, marine conservation is even more challenging than terrestrial conservation (Klinger). It is difficult to assess fish populations due to the vast area of the ocean, the inability of scientists to track fish through tagging, and the inaccessibility of the ocean compared to land. International food values, uncooperative fisherman, hesitant governments, and difficulty of monitoring protected areas all contribute to the struggle to establish marine protection areas (Klinger). This is particularly true in the fisheries of developing countries (Overfishing, Save Our Seas). One of the greatest challenges to those seeking the solution to overfishing is to solve the problem without disturbing fishing rights and imperiling the livelihoods of the fisherman, but action must be taken to avert disaster. Overfishing is an immediate threat to the health of our oceans, the ability of fishermen to earn a living from the sea, and the ability of people around the world to have a sufficient and steady food source. The causes of overfishing are mostly due to the techniques used to catch fish quickly and efficiently. These techniques are leading to the rapid depletion of fish in the ocean and smaller and smaller catches annually. There have been some attempts to address the issue of overfishing, including fish farming, limiting catch, and creating protected areas that are off limits to fishing. But overfishing issues have no quick solution and require a lot of people and governments to work together on solutions that are not appealing to everyone. For any or all of these ways to address overfishing to be successful, people have to agree to that overfishing is harmful to the oceans and to their occupations, and they must all work together to solve this problem. If we do not find viable solutions soon, it may be too late to save the ecosystems in the oceans and to save fish as a resource to people. A world without fish is hard to contemplate and would have significant consequences for our world. Klinger, Terrie, Dr. “Marine Conservation.” Access Science. McGraw Hill, n.d. Web. 24 Jan. 2014. <http://proxy.holton-arms.edu:2093/content/marine-conservation/757590>. “Overfishing.” Save Our Seas. Save Our Seas Foundation, n.d. Web. 8 Feb. 2014. <ttp://www.unep.org/dewa/giwa/publications/finalreport/overfishing.pdf>. Camping Morals This past month I was lucky enough to go on a camping trip with my family in Upper Michigan, near Tahquamenon Falls and Pictured Rocks. For me, camping is the best way to clear my head. Being out in nature away from all the miniature dramas that play out in daily life, I feel much better about myself as a person. Beautiful scenery, tea in the mornings and hiking in the afternoon, lots of time to read and think: all of this offers a sense of peace that doesn’t exist in the city. These weeks are what I live for, what allow me to reset and prepare myself for the year ahead where I will have to go to school and be part of society. This past camping trip I happened to be reading A Sand County Almanac in my down time, and I started thinking about camping very differently. The first thing I came to realize was that no matter how pure and sacred these moments out in nature seemed to me, they were being sold, just like anything else. Camping, along with trips to Six Flags and Disney World, is a form of recreation, which is “commonly spoken of as an economic resource” (Leopold, 167). In other words, camping is really just another form of entertainment that makes us feel a different way. Areas are advertized based on how “natural” and “secluded” they are, while at the same time they are tampered with so that as many people can come see them as possible. I experienced this on our first hike of the trip, where we spent the whole day hiking to a waterfall that was supposed to be one of the biggest and most beautiful in North America. When we got there, the area around the waterfall had been paved with concrete, and metal rails had been put up around the waterfall. There were tourists everywhere who had just parked in the nearby parking lot, and not far away there was a restaurant and a gift shop. Surely all of the people here, including my family, had come here because the guide books had boasted of the “natural beauty”, and the parking lot and paved roads had been made so as many people as possible could appreciate it. And the more people that came to see it, the more profit the park made off of the gift shop and restaurant and other convenient things for tourists to do after they had spent their allotted time appreciating nature. I have to admit it infuriated me that we had hiked miles to come to the exact same place that these other people just drove their cars right up to. We were looking at the exact same view, but I was sure that we had not gotten the same value from it. By making the outdoors easy for everyone to access, they had taken away the value we get out of being there in the first place. This brings up the question: what exactly is the value that we get out of being outdoors? Aldo Leopold brings up that “recreation is not the outdoors, but our reaction to it” (Leopold, 173). It is obvious that there is some value in outdoor recreation because it is something that is sought after by a large amount of the public. In the Wildlife in American Culture section of the Sand County Almanac, Leopold cites three main reasons why outdoor recreation adds cultural value: • There is value in any experience that stimulates awareness of history/connects us to our roots • There is value in any experience that reminds us of our dependency on the fundamental organization of the biota. (man-earth relation) • There is value in any experience where we must exercise ethical restraint. (i.e. a duck hunter who only shoots an appropriate amount of ducks.) It is voluntary adherence to ethical code, which makes us feel good about ourselves as people. Being able to drive straight to the most “scenic” parts of a trail and being able to “camp” in a large, comfortable trailer with electricity and running water may make it easier for many people to spend time outdoors, but it dilutes the first two sources of cultural value because we are distanced from the actual act of living in the wild. On the other hand, it is still important that people experience nature in any way they can, because in order to have the third source of cultural value, and ethical obligation to nature, one must first love nature. So the next question is, how do you make it so lots of people can have an outdoor recreational experience, but still help it retain its value? Aldo Leopold writes that “to promote perception is the only truly creative part of recreational engineering” (173). In other words, the only way to increase value of the experience is if people have a different mindset while outdoors. This mindset is what Aldo Leopold calls the “land ethic”, meaning that ethics should extend to “man’s relation to land and to the animals and plants which grow upon it” (203). The idea is that there would be mental and social repercussions from an unjust act against nature, the same way that there is guilt and shame from an unjust act against another person or against society. The idea is that humans have to start viewing themselves as citizens in a land community where you have to respect the other citizens, instead of as a conqueror of all the other citizens. It is a sad truth that humans can act only based on selfish motives. Currently, any environmental action campaign must be pitched based on how it will economically benefit the people. We protect animals and plants that give us some apparent emotional or economic value, but not the ones that do not have any immediate benefits. It makes me sad to think about all of this because it is true that even the joy I get out of camping is a selfish thing. I love being in nature because it makes me feel happy, and I speak out for environmental issues because it makes me feel like a good person and I would feel guilty and insufficient if I didn’t. One of our speakers at Sc3 said that the environmental movement had to instill in people the fact that nature has intrinsic value, unrelated to its value to us. Unfortunately, I don’t believe that this is a concept that humans can fully accept, because we are unable to truly care about things that are not connected to ourselves. It reminds me of the age old question: if a tree falls in a forest and there is no one there to hear it, does it make a sound? Of course the tree makes a noise: the laws of physics do not stop just because there are no humans nearby. But what this question suggests is that a human observer is what validates reality. It may make a sound, but it doesn’t matter unless there is someone there to hear it and appreciate it. This is basic human mentality, and this is why there are so few wilderness areas where humans are not allowed to build roads to go visit. We cannot accept that is has value unless we can appreciate the value for ourselves. This is why we will never protect nature and wilderness unless there is an ethical code dictating it, and it is our moral obligation to do so. Photos of my awesome campsites: photo 3 WD_0327 Untouched Country I spent the past weekend living life disconnected from all access to the internet, in the middle of Finland, so I apologies that this is late. Virrat, Finland and where I live in California are not even comparable… Finland is, as you probably know, mostly lakes, swamps, and forest. It has less of a population than the state of California. Never have I seen any litter in rural areas, or people wasting resources. It is a close community who help one another out. And instead of large corporations and monopolies, small businesses emerge. A majority of homes have no wifi or any i-devices, and kids still bike and walk to their neighborhood school with their neighbors – not to say it is an unsophisticated country; their education is ranked highest in the world. Pollution is not a problem, nor is water like in California. It’s as if Climate Change has left this perfect little country untouched. Part of the reason is the small population, but the main aspect is that the citizens simply care more for the environment. For most Finns it is pure nature (haha excuse the pun) to reuse water for plants or to properly hunt species so everything remains in balance. Instead of importing tons upon tons of produce, they use their own land for what it’s worth. For example my family pics a year’s worth of blueberries from our forest when they ripen, and saves them for the year. My grandfather also goes out to hunt – usually one elk feeds the family for the whole year. He also takes care of the forest, ensuring tree saplings can properly grow, and overpopulated animals are hunted more. The plastic bag issue has not even been brought up. Most, if not all locals reuse bags. If not for shopping, then for carrying other items or as trash bags. Nothing goes to waste. Although, understandably, all of this varies in the city, altogether Finland is the ideal balance we should strive for – environmentally and socially. I hope that Finland never changes, yet sadly it most likely will turn into a “modern” country within due time. While living life in recluse, I had a lot of time to think (I decided to make it the caption for my cover photo on FB, but that’s beside the point), and I urge you to read “Think About It” and let me know what you think about it (haha I’m full of puns today). Think about it.coverphoto We say we don’t waste, yet become complete wastrels when no one is watching. We say we leave places getter than when we got there, et most people litter more than they ever pick up. We say it’s not our fault, yet we know it is. We say it’ll all blow over, yet we all know it won’t. We say people can change, yet have you ever seen that happen? IMG_0457 IMG_0502 And remember, there is nothing wrong with being a tree-hugger :) Summer Thyme I experienced some breathtaking views this summer, from my plane ride to Australia, to my grandmother’s seaside cabin, to the luscious woods of Shepherdstown, West Virginia. However, none of those came close to the view I have outside of my bedroom window every summer morning when I wake up. From my window, our front yard garden looks like a patchwork quilt, shining a variety of shades of green in the morning dew. In the summer, time works differently for me. I don’t bother to remember which day of the week or month it is. Especially with all the time that I spent away from home this summer, it was easy to lose track. However, my garden served as a natural calendar. Though all the places I went were very exciting and I never wanted my visits to end, I looked forward to coming home to experience the transformation of the garden. Each time I came home after a week or two away, my front yard had come significantly closer to being able to be described as a jungle. At the beginning of the summer I had to be careful not to crush the little plants while weeding. When I came home from SC3, my front yard was the prime location for hide-and-seek. As we all know, plants don’t just grow up in height. To match the vertical growth in our garden we began to have growth of vegetables in our kitchen. We still have way too many tomatoes, zucchini, eggplant, and green beans than we know what to do with. (So, if you’re ever in the Boston area, stop by!) I spent one of my weeks at home largely on cooking all the food we had picked. There is nothing more satisfying than eating a meal composed solely of garden products! It also feels great to share produce with friends and family. A bursting tomato or bag full of fresh green beans is a great way to repay a favor from a neighbor or show someone that you are thinking about them. (Often times we just needed to load some of it off on people so that it didn’t go to waste!) A few times throughout the summer, we exchanged vegetables with other gardener friends who were growing different things than us. It is experiences like this that make me feel especially strongly that everyone should grow at least some of their own food, not only for the satisfaction of it but because it is practical and sustainable. With the rise of new methods of alternative urban farming (like in trucks), it is becoming more accessible to people living in any kind of area. I feel that by having this garden in our front yard, we are advertising to all passerby’s the benefits of growing food at home. We can definitely tell that people in the neighborhood notice our garden and we get many complements when we are working in it. One evening this summer, my family was sitting in the living room watching a movie and a young boy knocked on our window. He told us that he had walked by our garden earlier that day with his father and that they were wondering if they could have a tomato. It felt good to share our produce, and I felt that we might have inspired this boy to grow his own tomatoes next year. So even though my garden is not literally the most beautiful view I have seen this summer, or even the most beautiful garden, the meaning that it carries is beautiful and powerful and it is inspiring people in an area where much more emphasis needs to be put into environmental efforts. 2014-09-03 001_1 2014-09-03 002 We gave our neighbor eggplant and she made us an eggplant Parmesan! 2014-09-03 004 2014-09-03 005 2014-09-03 006 2014-09-03 007 2014-09-03 008 2014-09-03 004_1 This flower, called Celosia, is my pride and joy because I saw it at a fair and made my family order the seeds! 2014-09-03 010 Herb garden- so much pesto this summer! Herb garden- so much pesto this summer! The view from my bedroom window. The view from my bedroom window. Get every new post delivered to your Inbox. Join 8,804 other followers %d bloggers like this:
The Dead Matador Officially it’s the dog days of summer, and the National Gallery of Art a haven of experiences that are welcome in more ways than one. Edouard Manet can easily be confused with Monet, last week’s subject, because the time of their painting, their names and styles are so close. Impressionism is associated with both. Manet’s work was somewhat confrontational, and early paintings took subjects treated by artists that preceded him and reinterpreted. The roughly painted style and photographic lighting in these works was seen as specifically modern, and as a challenge to the Renaissance works Manet copied or used as source material. His work is considered ‘early modern’, partially because of the black outlining of figures, which draws attention to the surface of the picture plane and the material quality of paint. Manet tried linear effects, as opposed to Monet’s visual lighting, and they went in separate paths to the same goal of creating an impression rather than strict representation. Although his own work influenced and anticipated the Impressionist style, he resisted involvement in Impressionist exhibitions, partly because he did not wish to be seen as the representative of a group identity, and partly because he preferred to exhibit at the Salon.Eva Gonzalès was his only formal student. Manet remained aloof but still part of what was the major shift to styles that interpret rather than portray. Below is one of his most controversal paintings. ”Historian Isabelle Dervaux has described the reception this painting received when it was first exhibited at the official Paris Salon of 1874: “Visitors and critics found its subject baffling, its composition incoherent, and its execution sketchy. Caricaturists ridiculed Manet’s picture, in which only a few recognized the symbol of modernity that it has become today”.[17] (Picture courtesy of profzucker at The Railway
SC Seal Toiyabe Chapter Nevada and Eastern California PO Box 8096 Reno, NV 89507 (775) 323-3162 Chapter webguy Pages updated monthly Large areas of Southeastern Nevada are critical habitat for the Desert Tortoise (D. Ghiglieri] Groundwater Facts and Factoids Groundwater expert, Tom Meyers, was the featured speaker at workshops (2004) in Las Vegas, Reno, and Ely. Dr. Myers was sponsored by the Nevada Ad Hoc Water Network, Progressive Leadership Alliance, and the Chapter. Dr. Myers took his audience through the basics of groundwater aquifers and underground water flows explaining how rain and snow recharge an underground aquifer as well as how water in an aquifer can supply water to the surface features we all are familiar with -- springs, wetlands, lakes, and rivers. “A groundwater aquifer is similar to a full tub of water with the spigot on, but when Las Vegas starts pumping nearly as much water as nature puts in the ground, the springs will slowly dry and the people and environment of rural Nevada will suffer,” said Myers. Dr. Myers delivered the workshops to audiences ranging from 30 to 60 people. Myers has a PhD and MS in hydrology/hydrogeology from the University of Nevada, Reno and a BS in civil engineering from the University of Colorado. He is an expert on water resource development and groundwater contamination issues with more than 20 years of experience as a consultant, government planner, academic researcher, teacher and advocate for environmental responsibility. While Dr. Meyers didn't answer the question on everybody's mind "Should water from rural Nevada be imported to our cities?", he did explain what some of the risks of exporting rural groundwater are. • deep groundwater in eastern and southern Nevada, western Utah, and eastern California is found in carbonate rock formations and that water flows underground from the north to the south and southwest. (Although in Snake and Spring Valleys groundwater probably flows to the east and northeast toward the Great Salt Lake and salt flats supporting agricultural pumping in Utah's western desert) • there is a lack of scientific knowledge about the degree of negative impacts to springs, wetlands, and lakes from groundwater pumping and export. • when the effects of groundwater pumping begin to show up in springs, seeps, and wetlands, the impacts will be felt for a long time since the aquifer supplying them has already been impacted. • eastern and southern Nevada and eastern California are famous for large springs with unique fish and plants. Likewise farmers and ranchers and Native Americans rely on many large springs for much irrigation water. • pumping from the aquifer will eventually impact spring discharges. There is no free lunch and there is likewise no free water. All water underground is currently going somewhere and pumping will eventually remove enough of it to negatively affect spring discharges.
Psychology Wiki 34,140pages on this wiki Revision as of 07:39, June 24, 2007 by Dr Joe Kiff (Talk \| contribs) This article is about the physical malady. For the mental disorder, see general paresis. Paresis is a condition typified by partial loss of movement, or impaired movement. When used without qualifiers, it usually refers to the limbs, but it also can be used to describe the muscles of the eyes. Neurologists use the term paresis to describe weakness, and plegia to describe paralysis [in which all movement is lost]. Associated conditionsEdit • It frequently refers to the impairment of motion in multiple sclerosis. • It is also used to describe a form of ophthalmoplegia. • In the past, the term was most commonly used to refer to "General paresis", which was a symptom of untreated syphilis. However, due to improvements in treatment of syphilis, it is now rarely used in this context. See alsoEdit External linksEdit Around Wikia's network Random Wiki
Chegg Guided Solutions for The Engineering of Foundations 0th Edition ISBN: 9780071259408 Solutions author: Chegg 0 Stars(0 users) Problem 1-1 Define all the terms in bold contained in the chapter summary. • Step 1 of 2 Engineering science: Engineering science is a general term used to describe the elements of mathematics, physics (notably mechanics and its branches), chemistry and biology that may be used to solve engineering problems. Empirical rules: Empirical rules are rules based on experience or the observation of experiments without reference or basis on the scientific method or on theory. Experience: Experience is the accumulated knowledge of a professional or profession. It allows insights that help connect theoretical knowledge to real problems and thus to better execute. SI units: Are units that are part of the SI, an absolute system in which the basic units are the meter, the kilogram and the second. SI is not synonious with “metric”. It is almost universally used. Key SI units are as follows: S-Table 1-1 Quantity SI L(length) m M (mass) kg T(time) s F(force) Newton (N) gc = 1(m/s2) (kg/N) • Step 2 of 2 U.S. customary units: The US customary system of units is largely based on the original English system. U.S. units are based on the foot (ft) for length and pound for force. The following are key units in the US customary system: S-Table 1-2 Quantity Absolute or LMT system Gravitational or LFT system L (length) ft ft M (mass) lb lb T (time) s s F (force) poundal slug gc = 1(ft/s2) (lb/poundal) 1(ft/s2) (slug/lbf) Step-by-step solutions for this book and 2,500 others Already used by over 1 million students to study better
Sinking Of The Cheonan And The North Korea Problem By Terrell E. Arnold On July 21 Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced new sanctions against North Korea. They were aimed ostensibly at nudging North Korea to abandon its effort to become a full-fledged nuclear power. However, the sanctions flow from the North's alleged March 2010 sinking of South Korea's corvette Cheonan. While North Korean culpability in that incident is by no means certain, the country is certainly on the wrong side of conventional wisdom on the subject. Perhaps the more interesting question would be just why North Korea would want to sink a South Korean naval vessel that appears to have been exercising, but apparently was not attacking or maneuvering to attack the North. Whatever the conclusion, it is obvious that this story has two sides and that a diligent effort is being made to have only one side of the story publicized. Facing that situation, the North appears to have decided not to play. The waters of the Yellow Sea splash against the boundary between North and South Korea, actually the demarcation line that has persisted since the end of the Korean War in 1953. The boundary itself is a three mile no man's land between the two countries. While the original demarcation line was the 38th parallel, the actual line(see blue line in upper right inset of map below) runs from north of the 38th parallel in the east to south of the parallel in the west. In the map (courtesy of GlobalSecurity.org) the blue arrow points to the site of the Cheonan sinking. Note in the map that the event was in close proximity to the so called Northern Limit Line (in red) that extends westward from the demilitarized zone and out into the Yellow Sea The Northern Limit Line (NLL on map) was established in 1953. It originally was invoked to keep South Koreans out of North Korean waters. However, it has evolved to be a boundary used more by the South to prevent North Koreans from coming into South Korean territory, as apparently North Korean fisherman frequently do. From time to time a dispute arises as in 2009 when the South Korean Navy fired on a North Korean ship, allegedly for crossing the line. That vessel was damaged but not sunk, and the North Koreans demanded an apology. No apology was ever extended, even though South Korean responsibility for the attack was not denied. Small shifts in the reported position of the Cheonan would have placed it on or north of the line at the time of the incident. However, by merely denying any responsibility for the incident the North chooses not to argue the issue of Cheonan location at the time. The corvette became the mainstay of the South Korean Navy in the early 1950s when a number of US corvettes were turned over to South Korea. Running a Navy training program at US Destroyer Base San Diego, California at the time, my main task was to get the Korean crews trained to man these vessels. With the aid of a bilingual Korean Navy Lieutenant, the two of us were able to translate the corvette training manuals into Korean and facilitate basic training of the crews. The rest they learned at sea; most members of the crews were experienced sailors on other vessels. The commander of this little fleet was a wizened old sailor who spoke no English but understood and facilitated the work the Lieutenant and I were doing to help him take delivery of the ships and sail them to Korea. Corvettes were and are a lousy way to make a long sea voyage, but the vessels were good for the coastal defense missions the Koreans had to conduct, and they still dominate the South Korean navy. The Cheonan was a newer generation built in the 1980s, and it was one of 28 corvettes in service at the time of the incident. The ship count for South Korea's Navy in 2010 showed that the fleet included five or six destroyers and about the same number of frigates, but corvettes outnumbered all other vessels in the system except patrol boats. Recent reports suggest that the fleet will include more seagoing vessels as South Korea looks toward a mission to protect its role in global maritime affairs. With US help the fore and aft segments of the Cheonan have been raised. While as lifted from the sea the forward half of the Cheonan appears more or less intact, examination of those remains led the members of a joint investigative team of US, Australian, United Kingdom, and Swedish experts to conclude that the Cheonan was sunk by an explosion, the after effects of which look like the results of a torpedo blast. The charge is that the torpedo was delivered by a North Korean submarine. Since North Korea has both regular and mini subs in its fleet, that sounds plausible. However, the crew of the Cheonan reported no sighting of a submarine or of a torpedo in motion. Some observers suggest that the explosion was merely an onboard accident. A key question that has not been addressed in the voluminous reporting of the March incident is what the Cheonan was doing in the boundary waters of North and South Korea when the incident occurred. The waters in the vicinity of the Northern limit line should, in principle, be avoided by military vessels of both sides or entered only on notice. A partial answer to that question is provided by the fact that the US and South Korea conduct training exercises in that region of the Yellow Sea from time to time. And they do so over the objections of both North Korea and China. The US and South Korean angle on their recent four day exercise program is that it was designed to keep the North Koreans in their place. That appears deliberately threatening even though both the US and South Korea probably would deny such immediate intent. On the other hand, it is worth noting that any maneuvers the North Koreans might conduct in those same waters would be viewed and publicly criticized as a threat. All of that is by way of pointing out that such exercises long have been potentially accident prone. Taking the story of innocent-at least not intentionally warlike-presence in the area at face value, one can ask what might have happened had the South Korean Cheonan started a potentially threatening maneuver without noting that a North Korean naval vessel was a witness to the exercise. Or suppose that the Cheonan decided to proceed with a set of moves knowing that it had a North Korean witness? None of the scenarios presented so far account for how the Cheonan and its alleged adversary were suddenly in close proximity. Rather, they suggest that the Cheonan was mucking about in the boundary zone and may have accidentally crossed the line. Something like that happened in 2009 and, as noted above, the South opened fire. However, for the North to use this scenario it would have to admit firing a torpedo at the Cheonan and take its chances with persuading the US, South Korea or the rest of the world that it was within its rights. Given attitudes in the West toward North Korea, that would be a very hard sell. Whatever the eventual conclusion, it is obvious that this story has two sides and that a diligent effort is being made to have only one side of the story publicized. At best the North Koreans are in the position of having to prove a negative. A simple denial does not meet the US/South Korean requirement for a Code Napoleon solution: Prove you did not attack, and if you can't prove it, we will presume you did attack. The depressing effect of that outcome is that it justifies the US and South Korea spending millions of dollars and maneuvering scores of naval vessels-all actually aimed at intimidating the North Koreans. And the Cheonan explosion, whatever its origin, becomes a tool for increasing pressure on North Korea to disarm. All of that could be unnecessary if the two sides were treated as equals. However, viewed through the friendliest of optics, the situation presents a problem of double standards. The US is the world's major nuclear power and with the help of the majority of the nuclear powers it is trying to prevent a fledgling from becoming more capable. No one can object to serious efforts to limit the spread of nuclear armaments, but the hard reality question is when will this process actually become even handed? When will the major nuclear powers actually show signs themselves of promised acts in line with the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty to shed and eventually eliminate their weaponry? It may not be immediately persuasive to the lesser powers, but it would be reassuring indeed if the United States and other nuclear powers showed even small signs of intent to eliminate their own horrendous stockpiles of nuclear weapons. Donate to Rense.com Support Free And Honest Journalism At Rense.com Subscribe To RenseRadio! Enormous Online Archives, MP3s, Streaming Audio Files, Highest Quality Live Programs This Site Served by TheHostPros
Flood Info for Kids Take The Kidz Quiz Challenge Check it out image. 1. Name an event that could cause a flood. 2. What are the two types of floods which can occur? 3. What is the flat area on either side of a river called? 4. What is the name for the structure an engineer would build to protect communities from flooding? 5. Name a natural feature that protects communities from floods. Fun Activities You Can Do To Learn About Floods Visit These Great Links
Homeowners have long been aware that adding insulation makes sense. Actually, it makes "dollars and cents" -- in the form of energy savings. Extra insulation means less fuel to buy, but there are incentives beyond fighting escalating energy bills. Homeowners can also get various tax benefits and do that much-discussed "something" for the environment by reducing fossil fuel emissions. The first step is to take a look at the existing insulation in your attic. In the simplest of terms, if your attic floor is insulated but the wood beams (ceiling joists) are still visible, you probably don't have enough. The best thing to do is measure the thickness of the material in the attic. Three to six inches of insulation represents an R-value of between R-9 and R-19. That may have been adequate 20 or 30 years ago (when oil was $5 or $10 a barrel), but today R-values should range between R-25 and R-49 (8 to 15.5 inches) -- depending on climate -- for maximum energy efficiency and comfort. R-Value is a measure of how well an insulation product resists the flow of heat or cold through it. The higher the number, the better the insulating properties. Find out how much you need based on local heating and cooling costs and climate conditions at the Energy Department Web site: www1.eere.energy.gov/consumer/tips/insulation.html. Photos: 100 things to do with your kid this summer Once you've established how much insulation you'll need, all that remains are a few simple tools and the better part of a day to begin saving money. Here's a list of basic tools you'll want to have on hand: Straightedge or 2 x 4 (for scoring and/or cutting) Tape measure Utility knife Portable work light Pole or rake (to push insulation into tight spots) Work gloves Loose-fitting, long-sleeved shirt Safety glasses Dust respirator mask Finally, it's time to install. Here are a few tips to keep in mind: Use boards or sheets of plywood on top of the ceiling joist as a working platform to safely cut insulation. The platform can also prevent a nasty fall through the ceiling. Move the boards as necessary to complete a section at a time. Begin installing at the outer edge of the attic and work toward the center. If spaces between your joists are already filled, lay the new insulation in long runs perpendicular to the joists (crosswise). Use leftover pieces to fill small spaces. No stapling is required when installing insulation in an existing attic. Simply lay it into place. If joist cavities are not completely filled, fill them first with the appropriate thickness of insulation. Unfaced fiberglass insulation will not burn, but can cause heat-producing devices to overheat, which can be a fire hazard. Leave at least three inches between insulation and recessed lighting, metal chimneys, gas water heater flues and/or other heat-producing devices. Only recessed lighting fixtures rated "I.C." are designed for direct contact with insulation.
Take the 2-minute tour × If cancer is fundamentally a genetic disease, how might an environmental factor such as smoking cause cancer? share\|improve this question Cancer is fundamentally a disease of genetics(it involves genes and genetic damage), but it's not a genetic disease in the way you might be thinking (strictly heritable). You cannot inherit cancer the way you inherit Huntington's. You can inherit an increased risk of cancer, though. Once you are born your genes are not fixed in stone forever. They can be changed with carcinogens or other processes. – Jeremy Kemball Jun 25 at 15:10 2 Answers 2 Because cigarette smoke contains many carcinogens. Carcinogens can cause cancer by directly affecting the genome. Wikipedia has a list of those present in cigarette smoke, which includes classics such as lead, benzene, and formaldehyde, not to mention radioactive polonium. share\|improve this answer There are carcinogens in smoke but they've not been shown to be the cause of cancer in smokers. Note that some smokers never develop cancer or heart disease; some have lived more than 100 years. Just because something is classified as a carcinogen doesn't mean it causes cancer in everyone and doesn't mean a given exposure to a particular carcinogen has any effect at all. All smoking does is increase one's risk of developing cancer. That it increases risk is not a fact but the association between smoking and cancer is significant, statistically. (This means it meets certain mathematical criteria and is, therefore, not mere opinion). Chromosomal replication is not perfect and a healthy cell can replicate only a limited number of times. Cancer is characterized (in part) by a loss of this control. When DNA mutates in a way that results in the loss of this control an otherwise-healthy cell (now a mutation) results. Smoking increases cell turnover and the increased turnover increases the likelihood this type of mutation will occur. You can think of skin cancers in the same way. This is the reason an exposure resulting in a color change (sunburn, tanning including that from a tanning booth) increases the risk of skin cancer. Over a typical lifetime we develop a handful of cancerous tumors. They're killed by our immune system. Symptoms of malignant cancer develop when the immune system hasn't been effective. share\|improve this answer The fact that not everyone who smokes develop cancer does not rule out that those carcinogens be (amongst) the causes of cancer in those people who do. – nico Nov 3 '13 at 15:03 Just out of interest - how could it ever be shown that the carcinogens in cigarette smoke caused a specific case of cancer? My feeling is that this is impossible, and that the chain of potential causation from smoking>carcinogens>increased risk of lung cancer is as good as we can get. – Alan Boyd Nov 3 '13 at 15:18 Your Answer
Executive order From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia - View original article Jump to: navigation, search Not to be confused with Presidential proclamation. United States Presidents issue executive orders to help officers and agencies of the executive branch manage the operations within the federal government itself. Executive orders have the full force of law[1] when they take authority from a power granted directly to the Executive by the Constitution, or are made in pursuance of certain Acts of Congress that explicitly delegate to the President some degree of discretionary power (delegated legislation). Like statutes or regulations promulgated by government agencies, executive orders are subject to judicial review, and may be struck down if deemed by the courts to be unsupported by statute or the Constitution. Major policy initiatives usually require approval by the legislative branch, but executive orders have significant influence over the internal affairs of government, deciding how and to what degree laws will be enforced, dealing with emergencies, waging war, and in general fine policy choices in the implementation of broad statutes. Basis in United States Constitution[edit] There is no constitutional provision nor statute that explicitly permits executive orders. The term "executive power" Article II, Section 1, Clause 1 of the Constitution, refers to the title of President as the executive. He is instructed therein by the declaration "take Care that the Laws be faithfully executed" made in Article II, Section 3, Clause 5, else he faces impeachment. Most executive orders use these Constitutional reasonings as the authorization allowing for their issuance to be justified as part of the President's sworn duties,[2] the intent being to help direct officers of the U.S. Executive carry out their delegated duties as well as the normal operations of the federal government: the consequence of failing to comply possibly being the removal from office.[3] An executive order of the President must find support in the Constitution, either in a clause granting the President specific power, or by a delegation of power by Congress to the President. [4] The Office of the Federal Register is responsible for assigning the Executive order a sequential number after receipt of the signed original from the White House and printing the text of the Executive order in the daily Federal Register and Title 3 of the Code of Federal Regulations.[5] Other types of orders issued by "the Executive" are generally classified simply as administrative orders rather than Executive Orders.[6] These are typically the following: Presidential directives are considered a form of executive order issued by the President of the United States with the advice and consent of a major agency or department found within the Executive branch of government.[7] Some types of Directives are the following: History and use[edit] Starting with E.O. number[10] George Washington8n/a John Adams1n/a Thomas Jefferson4n/a James Madison1n/a James Monroe1n/a John Quincy Adams3n/a Andrew Jackson12n/a Martin van Buren10n/a William Henry Harrison0n/a John Tyler17n/a James K. Polk18n/a Zachary Taylor5n/a Millard Fillmore12n/a Franklin Pierce35n/a James Buchanan16n/a Abraham Lincoln48 Andrew Johnson79 Ulysses S. Grant217 Rutherford B. Hayes92 James Garfield6 Chester Arthur96 Grover Cleveland (first term)113 Benjamin Harrison143 Grover Cleveland (second term)140 William McKinley185 Theodore Roosevelt1,081 William Howard Taft724 Woodrow Wilson1,803 Warren G. Harding522 Calvin Coolidge1,203 Herbert Hoover9685075 Franklin D. Roosevelt3,5226071 Harry S. Truman9079538 Dwight D. Eisenhower48410432 John F. Kennedy21410914 Lyndon B. Johnson32511128 Richard Nixon34611452 Gerald R. Ford16911798 Jimmy Carter32011967 Ronald Reagan38112287 George H.W. Bush16612668 Bill Clinton36412834 George W. Bush29113198 Barack Obama (as of 2014-03-20)17513489 Critics have accused presidents of abusing executive orders, of using them to make laws without Congressional approval, and of moving existing laws away from their original mandates.[12] Large policy changes with wide-ranging effects have been effected through executive order, including the integration of the armed forces under Harry Truman and the desegregation of public schools under Dwight D. Eisenhower. One extreme example of an executive order is Executive Order 9066, where Franklin D. Roosevelt delegated military authority to remove any or all people (used to target specifically Japanese Americans and German Americans) in a military zone. The authority delegated to General John L. DeWitt subsequently paved the way for all Japanese-Americans on the West Coast to be sent to internment camps for the duration of World War II. Legal conflicts[edit] As of 1999, U.S. courts have overturned only two executive orders: the aforementioned Truman order and a 1995 order issued by President Clinton that attempted to prevent the federal government from contracting with organizations that had strike-breakers on the payroll.[14] Congress has the power to overturn an executive order by passing legislation in conflict with it. Congress can also refuse to provide funding necessary to carry out certain policy measures contained with the order or to legitimize policy mechanisms. In the former, the president retains the power to veto such a decision; however, the Congress may override a veto with a two-thirds majority to end an executive order. It has been argued that a Congressional override of an executive order is a nearly impossible event due to the supermajority vote required and the fact that such a vote leaves individual lawmakers very vulnerable to political criticism.[15] State governors' executive orders[edit] Presidential proclamation[edit] See also[edit] 2. ^ SCOTUS, Mississippi v. Johnson, 71 U.S. 475 (1866), The Supreme Court's decision held that the President has two kinds of task to perform: ministerial and discretionary. EOs help facilitate the execution of the Executive's ministerial duties. 8. ^ http://www.archives.gov/federal-register/executive-orders/obama.html. Missing or empty \|title= (help) 9. ^ http://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/executive-orders. Missing or empty \|title= (help) 10. ^ a b Gerhard Peters (2013-06-13). "The American Presidency Project / Executive Orders". Retrieved 2013-11-01. 13. ^ "Executive Order 13489 of January 21, 2009 — Presidential Records". Retrieved 2009-01-22. , Federal Register publication page and date: 74 F.R. 4669, January 26, 2009. Further reading[edit] External links[edit]
Interminority racism in the United States of America From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (Redirected from Interminority racism) Jump to: navigation, search Interminority racism is prejudice or discrimination between social minority groups. This article strictly addresses interminority racism as it exists in the United States of America. Racial hierarchy in the United States[edit] By the last quarter of the 18th century, US' colonies were dominated by an English majority. [1] The melting pot[edit] "They must cast off the European skin never to resume it. They must look forward to their prosperity rather than backwards to their ancestors."[2] The Anglo majority was challenged in the 18th century by European immigrants.[1] The exact term "melting pot" came into general usage in 1908, after the premiere of the play The Melting Pot by Israel Zangwill. [3] The 19th century[edit] Between 1790 and 1962 the United States' politics used a racial hierarchy to determine citizenship. Despite that most of these regulations have been dismissed, racial hierarchy in association with political and social power continues today.[3] Model minority[edit] There are racial minorities that have experienced more success than others. Asian Americans as model minorities[edit] Current US policy advocates a multiculturalist discourse to acknowledge multiracial difference. Multiculturalist theorists like Claire Jean Kim criticizes that this contemporary policy because it still refuses to acknowledge the interminority inequalities and antagonisms generated by this new diversity.[4] Another expert on the subject is Angela Davis: Examples of interminority racism in the U.S.[edit] 1. 1992 Los Angeles Riots 2. Crown Heights Riot 3. There has been a long-running racial tension between African Americans and Mexican Americans.[5][6] There have been several significant riots in California prisons where Mexican American and African American inmates have targeted each other particularly, based on racial reasons.[7][8][8] There have been reports of racially motivated attacks against African Americans who have moved into neighborhoods occupied mostly by Mexican Americans, and vice versa.[9][10] Note: There are not many publicly known manifestations of interminority racism. That does not mean that there is not prejudice between groups. Interminority racism is best understood at a personal level, but there are few stories in literature that depict this phenomenon. The Color of Fear[edit] this section is not so much about interminority rascism as it is about the movie, The Color of Fear. Shouldn't it be separated? The Color of Fear, a film by Lee Mun Wah is material that provides a well thought out discourse for interminority racism on a personal level. Lee invited eight men to a cottage to spend the weekend while they engaged in an intellectual, dramatic and emotional discussion about race. The first half of the film is centered mostly around white racism: mostly of the institutionalized fashion. The second half deals with the issue of interminority racism.[11] David Lee, a Chinese American expresses his anxiety towards African Americans. He has been taught through school and media that African Americans are killers, lazy, unintelligent, and are to blame for their own victimization. The eight men discussed the negative role of media. It was also proposed that Asian Americans take their cues from White Americans. Yutaka Matsumato, a Japanese American brought up an example from his own life in which he felt fear in the presence of a couple of African Americans at a bus stop. He explained how his mind reacted; that he conjured multiple outcomes of this situation upon approaching the bus stop. But he soon realized that they were just leaving work, on their way home, just like him.[12] Victor Lewis, an African American expressed a resentment for the Asian American model minority. He views himself as an intelligent person and he blames white supremacy for using Asian Americans to put blacks down, as in the Los Angeles Riots.[12] Roberto Alamanzán, a Mexican American brings up the notion that lighter skin equals a more American person. Loren, an African American, adds that slaves who were of lighter skin were used as house slaves. They ponder whether that notion still lingers in today's racism. Roberto says light skin babies are much more cooed over than darker babies among Latinos. Victor supposes that there were times his lighter complexion sometimes would dictate him as a "nice" African American. [12] The point was earlier raised that interminority racism may not be called racism as it is not between a dominant group and a subordinate group. This too is addressed in "The Color of Fear." There was no clear answer in the end. Gordon, a White American, does not consider interminority prejudice and discrimination as racist and that in the US only Whites can be racist. However, more important than correct definition is realizing that interminority racism and white racism are different. Victor, an African American led a part of discussion addressing this difference. White racism pushes the subordinate down and the dominant up. It was adhered to in the end, that interminority racism may be called racism because it exists in a white racist context. Victor says interminority racism pushes both of us down, and you (White Americans) up.[12]
Take the 2-minute tour × Where does the expression "beat around the bush" come from? share\|improve this question 2 Answers 2 up vote 8 down vote accepted Beat around the bush (meaning "discuss a matter without coming to the point") has been first used in 1570s; its sense has shifted from "make preliminary motions" to "avoid, evade." See also beat the bushes, which is a way to rouse birds so that they fly into the net which others are holding. [Reference: Etymonline and the New Oxford American Dictionary.] share\|improve this answer It means the expression came from a hunting technique, isn´t it? – Inti Soto Feb 26 '11 at 15:52 But what is the root of the expression? Does it come from gardening, where the gardener would just pat the bush without cutting it, etc...?? – Joshua Robison Feb 26 '11 at 15:52 @Joshua Robison: It comes from hunting. – kiamlaluno Feb 26 '11 at 15:53 To get birds to fly up so they can be shot, hunters sometimes employ beaters who hit the roosts with sticks. Beating the ground around the bush would also work (presumably), but would be slow and a waste of labour. share\|improve this answer Your Answer
The known unknowns – the outstanding 49 questions in Earth sciences (Part I) 5 Sep The Northern Hemisphere (Credit: Maximilian Reuter, The Northern Hemisphere (Credit: Maximilian Reuter, via Science is about asking questions, as much as it is about finding answers. Most of the time spent by scientists doing research is used to constrain and clarify what exactly is unknown – what does not yet form part of the consensus among the scientific community. Researchers all over the globe are working tirelessly to answer the unresolved questions about the inner workings of our planet, but inevitably new answers only lead to new questions. What are the main questions that will keep Earth scientists busy for many years to come? Daniel Garcia-Castellanos (working at the Spanish National Research Council [CSIC] in Barcelona), through online collaboration with other colleagues, has put together a list of the top 49 questions which provide a fully referenced account of the main current scientific questions, disputes and challenges in the geosciences, with special emphasis on the solid Earth. Nevertheless, 49 is a big number, so we’ve split the questions into more manageable sections. What follows is a series of five posts over the next few weeks, detailing key research questions in specific areas. This series should be your one-stop shop and quick-reference guide of the current hot topics in geosciences. If you are a budding investigator, let it serve as inspiration for the direction you want your research to take and, if you are an established scientist, let it reignite your passion for the subject. For everyone else, marvel at everything we’ve yet to learn. If you think there are other questions that should be added to the list, we’d love to hear from you! Make sure you add your suggestions in the comments section. We start the series with the fundamental question: How did it all begin? The Early Earth and the Solar System New, exciting hypotheses about the early stages of our planet have been driven by advances in our understating of the geochemistry of meteorites, amongst other findings. As per usual, the answers are outnumbered by our numerous knowledge gaps: 1. How did the Earth and other planets form? Were planets formed in situ or in orbits different from their present ones? What determined the different deep layering of the solar planets? (McKinnon, 2012, Science – on Mercury) 2. How did the Moon form? Was there ever a collision of the Earth with another planet (Theia), which might have given birth to our satellite? (Canup, 2013, Science) There is compelling evidence, such as measures of a shorter duration of the Earth’s rotation and lunar month in the past, pointing to a Moon much closer to Earth during the early stages of the Solar System. (Williams, 1991, CSPG Spec. Pubs.) The Moon. (Credit: Konstantinos Kourtidis, via The Moon (Credit: Konstantinos Kourtidis, distributed via 3. How hot is the inside of the planet and how did this temperature evolve? How did Earth’s internal temperature decay since it formed by accretion of stony meteorites known as chondrites? How abundant are radiogenic elements in the Earth’s interior and to what extent are they a source of internal heat? Did a “faint young sun” ever warm a “snowball Earth”? (WiredMarty et al., 2013, Science) 4. Why do plate tectonics occur only on Earth? (Martin et al., 2008, Phys. Edu.) How did the planet cool down before the mantle convection lead to plate tectonics? Was the Earth’s crust formed during the early stages of its evolution or is it the result of a gradual distillation of the mantle that continues today along with crustal recycling? Is the crust still growing or does its recycling compensate for crust formation at mid-ocean ridges and other volcanic areas? Plate tectonic map (Source: Wikimedia Commons, Credit: NASA) 5. How inherent to planetary evolution is the development of life conditions? Earth-like planets are now known to be abundant in our galaxy (two out of three stars may have one [for example, Cassan et al., 2012, Nature]), but how many of them develop widespread durable water chemistry? (Zimmer, 2005, ScienceElkins-Tanton, 2013, Nature) How much of our water is supplied by comets or asteroids; when and how did it reach the Earth? [Greene, 2013, Smithsonian Mag.] Water Drops. (Credit: Jacqueline Isabella Gisen, via Water drops (Credit: Jacqueline Isabella Gisen, via Whilst this is likely not an exhaustive list of the questions we have about how our planet came to be and its early development, it no doubt highlights the frontiers of our current understanding. Next time we explore the Earth’s deep interior. Direct study of samples can only be achieved for the top 12km of the Earth’s crust, so what lies beneath? By Laura Roberts Artal, EGU Communications Officer, based on the article previously posted on RetosTerricolas by Daniel Garcia Castellanos, researcher at ICTJA-CSIC, Barcelona Shape the scientific programme at the EGU 2015 General Assembly 4 Sep Time is running out, so if you have a great idea for a conference session but haven’t quite put it into practice: now’s your chance! Until this time next week (12th September) you can submit your session ideas and take part in organising the scientific programme for the EGU General Assembly in 2015. What you need to do: 1. Take a look at the sessions that have already been suggested within the Programme Group tab in the website - where does your idea fit in? 2. Suggest a convenor for the session and provide a short description, outlining what the session will cover 3. Suggest modifications to the skeleton programme 4. Submit your ideas! You can make session suggestions and find out more on the EGU 2015 website. Outside the conference centre during EGU 2014 Outside the conference centre during EGU 2014 GeoCinema Online: Our changing Climate 3 Sep Welcome to the third instalment of Geocinema! The focus this week is on climate change and how it impacts on local communities. Sit back, relax and make sure you’ve got a big bucket of popcorn on the go, as this post features a selection of short documentaries as well as trailers of feature length films. Documenting the effects of the warming conditions on the surface of our planet is the primary focus of many researchers but understanding how these changes directly affect communities is just as important. The two are intrinsically linked and the films this week highlight just to what extent this is true. Thin Ice In this feature film, a global community of researchers, from the University of Oxford and the Victoria University of Wellington, race to understand the science behind global warming and our planet’s changing climate. Find detailed information of the project here. High Mountain Glacial Watershed Program How are communities in mountainous regions affected by significant watershed? In the film, scientist try to find a way to better manage these events. The wisdom to Survive What are the challenges of adapting to an ever changing climate? The film explores how we can adjusts to living in the wake of this significant challenge through talking to leaders in the realms of science, economics and spirituality. Glacial Balance Humans have depended on supplies of water since the dawn of mankind. Ever changing weather patterns means supplies of water are shifting and communities are having to relocate to access fresh provisions. Glacial Balance takes us on a journey from Colombia to Argentina, getting to know those who are affected by melting glacial reserves in the Andes. Enjoyed the series so far? There are more films you can catch up on here and here. We will explore further facets of our ever changing planet in the next instalment of GeoCinema, stay tuned to the blog for more posts! Thin Ice: Keith Suez, High Mountain Glacial Watershed Program : Daniel Byers, The Wisdom to Survive: Gwendolyn Alston, Glacial Balance: Ethan Steinman, Imaggeo on Mondays: A massive slump 1 Sep One of the regions that has experienced most warming over the second half of the 20th century is the Potter Peninsula on King George Island in Antartica. It is here that Marc Oliva and his collaborators are studying what the effects of the warming conditions on the geomorphological processes prevailing in these environments. “Permafrost is present almost down to sea level in the South Shetland Islands, in Maritime Antarctica” says Marc, “in some recent deglaciated environments in this archipelago, the presence of permafrost favours very active paraglacial processes”. Permafrost is defined as the ground that remains frozen for periods longer than two consecutive years and constitutes a key component of the Cryosphere. However, it is not fully understood how it reacts to climate variability. In this sense, there is an on-going effort to improve our knowledge on these topics by carrying out long–term monitoring of permafrost, as well as of geomorphological processes, in order to better understand the response of the terrestrial ecosystems to recent warming trends. This weeks’ Imaggeo on Mondays picture shows a massive slump and the exposed permafrost in the shoreline of a lake in Potter Peninsula (King George Island, Maritime Antarctica). Following the deglaciation of this ice-free area paraglacial processes are very active transferring unconsolidated sediments down-slope to the lake. Slump-permafrost, Potter Peninsula, Antarctica. (Credit: Marc Oliva via Get every new post on this blog delivered to your Inbox. Join other followers:
Oct 05, 2009 Ball-and-stick image of hypothetical metallic crystal cells composed of one lithium, or Li, atom and six hydrogen, or H, atoms. The lithium-hydrogen compound is predicted to form under approximately 1 million atmospheres, which is one-fourth the amount of pressure required to metalize pure hydrogen. The pressure at sea level is one atmosphere and the pressure at the center of the Earth is around 3.5 million atmospheres. Li atoms are green and H atoms are white. Credit: Eva Zurek, Department of Chemistry, State University of New York at Buffalo In a paper published this week in the online edition of the , a team of scientists from Cornell University and the State University of New York at Stony Brook announce a theoretical study that predicts the metallization of hydrogen-rich mixtures at significantly lower pressures. By adding small amounts of to hydrogen, the study calculates that the resulting system may be metalized at around one-fourth the pressure required to metalize pure hydrogen. Funding for the project was provided by the National Science Foundation. Hydrogen and lithium are the first and third lightest elements in the universe, respectively. Under the temperature and pressures found on Earth, hydrogen is a gas and lithium is a metal. In , the atoms are robustly bonded together in pairs and each hydrogen atom contributes one electron to the bonding. In chemistry shorthand, hydrogen is called H2. Hydrogen and lithium normally react with each other to form a stable compound. This lithium-hydrogen compound, or LiH, is not metallic. Metallic hydrogen is thought to be present in the interiors of planets like Jupiter and Saturn because of the intense gravitational forces and pressures that are found there. Ball-and-stick image of predicted metallic lithium-hydrogen crystal cells made of one lithium, or Li, atom and two hydrogen, or H, atoms. Li atoms are green, hydrogen pairs are white, and negatively charged H atoms are mauve. Credit: Eva Zurek, Department of Chemistry, State University of New York at Buffalo On Earth, researchers have tried to pry loose hydrogen's electron by squeezing it between the facets of a diamond anvil cell under pressures up to 3.4 million atmospheres. The pressure at sea level is one atmosphere. The pressure at the center of the Earth is around 3.5 million atmospheres. Scientists have not been successful with this method of steady pressures. They have been, however, with shock-wave methods. To get around hydrogen's decidedly fixed stance of not becoming a metal under currently accessible laboratory pressures, the research team used sophisticated computer programs. The programs theoretically calculate if hydrogen can be metalized by combining a lithium atom with varying numbers of hydrogen atoms. The programs also compute if metallic hydrogen can be made under pressures achievable in a laboratory. The lithium and hydrogen combinations predicted by the study currently do not exist on Earth. One of the combinations predicted by the team contains one lithium atom for every six hydrogen atoms or LiH6. The complex calculations predict that in the hypothetical compound the Li atom is triggered to release its lone outer electron, which is then distributed over the three H2 molecules. Under pressure, the hypothetical reaction forms a stable and metallic hydrogen compound. "The stable and metallic LiH6 compound is predicted to form around 1 million atmospheres, which is around 25 percent of the pressure required to metalize hydrogen by itself," said Eva Zurek, lead author of the paper and an assistant professor of chemistry at The State University of New York, Buffalo. "Interestingly, between approximately 1 and 1.6 million atmospheres, all the LiH combinations studied were stable or metastable and all were metallic," said Roald Hoffmann, co-author, recipient of the 1981 Nobel Prize in chemistry and Cornell's Frank H.T. Rhodes Professor of Humane Letters, Emeritus. Another one of the hypothetical compounds studied by the team was composed of one lithium atom and two or LiH2. "The theoretical study opens the exciting possibility that non-traditional combinations of light elements under high pressure can produce metallic hydrogen under experimentally accessible pressures and lead to the discovery of new materials and new states of matter," said Daryl Hess, a program director in the NSF Division of Materials Research. "Once again, these researchers have taken chemistry to a new frontier," said Carol Bessel, a program director in the NSF Division of Chemistry. "They have described, through their theories and calculations, molecules that test our fundamental assumptions about atoms, molecules and structures. In doing so, they challenge the experimentalists to make what they have imagined in their minds a reality to be held in the hand." The team members believe the information gleaned from the study suggests that one may combine large amounts of hydrogen with other elements. The information may also some day assist with the design of a metallic hydrogen-based superconductor. "We have already been in touch with laboratory experimentalists about how LiH6 might be fabricated, starting perhaps with very finely divided forms of the common LiH compound along with extra hydrogen," said Neil W. Ashcroft, co-author, and Cornell's Horace White Professor of Physics, Emeritus. Provided by National Science Foundation Explore further: CERN and the American Physical Society announce partnership for open access add to favorites email to friend print save as pdf Related Stories On the path to metallic hydrogen Aug 03, 2009 Researchers discover hydrogen can form multicenter bonds Dec 04, 2006 Recommended for you Quantum mechanics to charge your laptop? 10 hours ago User comments : 5 Adjust slider to filter visible comments by rank Display comments: newest first 1 / 5 (2) Oct 05, 2009 We should squeeze electrons instead of atoms, if we're looking for superconductivity. not rated yet Oct 05, 2009 What does "stable" mean? Does it mean that LiH6 is stable once the pressure is reduced to normal? not rated yet Oct 05, 2009 Nice, but not Hydrogen. The compound is LiH6, not H or H2. Sorry. Try again. Oct 05, 2009 This comment has been removed by a moderator. not rated yet Oct 06, 2009 Dirk, stable means that the compound doesn't form and fall apart again - there is some sort of binding and interaction as in a molecule or a piece of metal. The article indicates that it should decompose at lower pressures: There is a theory for metallic hydrogen being stable at normal pressures once formed. Google metastable metallic hydrogen. Example of an article: But if it could exist, you would think that it should have been found somewhere, although lack of physical evidence might just mean that none of it has made it to Earth in places where we can look. (from sources like nova) 5 / 5 (1) Oct 08, 2009 Interesting. The "breakthrough from left field" needed has just occured to me. Stop trying to raise the temperature of the superconductors, and start researching how to improve the low-temperature efficiency of Peltier Junction materials. A commercial superconducting cable that consists of a decent and effective mid-temperature superconductor material with its surface entirely coated with multi-layer Peltier Junctions, a vacuum insulation layer and a flexible metal outer shield vacuum tube. The inner surface of the shield tube is coated with a high quality IR absorber and microscopic bi-metal whiskers which, if they reach near the threshold temp of the superconductor material will bend down and conduct some of the current from conductor to sheath, causing the Peltier Junction material to power up, pump some heat up to a high enough temp that it radiates across the vacuum and deposits on the sheath tube. Sure, still some issues, but interesting.
Aug 03, 2010 Although it's widely known that cancers use glucose, a simple sugar, to fuel their growth, this is the first time a link has been shown between and cancer proliferation, said Dr. Anthony Heaney, an associate professor of medicine and neurosurgery, a Jonsson Cancer Center researcher and senior author of the study. In his study, Heaney and his team took pancreatic tumors from patients and cultured and grew the in Petri dishes. They then added glucose to one set of cells and fructose to another. Using mass spectrometry, they were able to follow the carbon-labeled sugars in the cells to determine what exactly they were being used for and how. Provided by University of California - Los Angeles 5 /5 (17 votes) Related Stories Missing link between fructose, insulin resistance found Mar 03, 2009 Fructose metabolism more complicated than was thought Dec 09, 2008 Scientists say consumers confused about sugars Jun 08, 2009 Recommended for you User comments : 15 Adjust slider to filter visible comments by rank Display comments: newest first 4.4 / 5 (7) Aug 03, 2010 "As in anti-smoking campaigns..." WTF??? This crap causes cancer and diabetes. It isn't advertised like cigarettes, it's an ingredient put anonymously into half the food Americans eat, including pop, spaghetti sauce, BBQ sauce, salad dressing, cereal and ketchup! 4 / 5 (5) Aug 03, 2010 The only effective way to avoid HFCS is to stay away from nearly all processed foods. This stuff is in everything! 4.2 / 5 (6) Aug 03, 2010 The mantra from the food industry for so long was the fructose is just another form of sugar and no different in terms of metabolism. Clearly we all need to cut all refined sugars from our diets where we can. But HFCS more and more seems to be one bad actor. And children get exposed to it everywhere. This makes me crazy! 3 / 5 (2) Aug 03, 2010 And children get exposed to it everywhere. This makes me crazy! 5 / 5 (3) Aug 03, 2010 @ sstrit: It's possible, albeit difficult, to avoid it almost entirely. Then again, between all my food allergies and sugar sensitivity I'm avoiding most processed food anyway... This needs to be spread everywhere. HFCS is bad for you, worse than pure cane sugar, and yet the corn industry, which gets tens of millions in federal subsidies, is spending money on ad campaigns which outright lie to the American people. It's sickening. 3.7 / 5 (6) Aug 03, 2010 @fionn: The same corn industry which demonized coconut oil as being an unhealthy saturated fat- causing a major switch to omega-6 laden corn oil and hydrogenated fats! 2.3 / 5 (6) Aug 03, 2010 As is so often the case (unfortunately), the title of this article and the substance of the text present two different messages. I read the title thinking researchers had found a "smoking gun" as to the cause of pancreatic cancer. But they only say that pancreatic cancer cells can use fructose just like they use glucose. There doesn't seem to be any indication that such an ability causes pancreatic cancer to be more prevalent, or more agressive. If we all removed HFCS from our diets, the cancer cells could just use glucose to grow. I think previous commenters have made an inferential leap in determining this study implicates HFCS as causing pancreatic cancer, or making it worse. 2.6 / 5 (5) Aug 03, 2010 To add to my previous comment, who's to say people haven't merely substituted HFCS for refined sucrose over the past several decades? If that is the case, and HFCS was removed from the market, people would likely switch back to sucrose as a sweetener, thereby providing cancer cells with plenty of glucose, instead of fructose, to fuel their growth. Pancreatic cancer rates would be unaffected. 4 / 5 (2) Aug 03, 2010 The anti-smoking campaigns haven't been all that effective. In the states, smoking rates have basically been stable for the last six to seven years. As a pay-as-you-go methodology I'm not opposed to taxing proven health damaging food or consumer items to compensate for medical care and research - if only the politicians would leave it alone. Once they see money they can't help but seal it for unintended purposes. I consider consumption taxes on unhealthy lifestyles to be the most fair way to compensate for private choices that adversely effect the public. 4.7 / 5 (3) Aug 03, 2010 I am wondering if there is any danger from eating a lot of fruit. The main natural sweetener in fruit is fructose, and it worries me that eating something which I had always considered very healthy may have adverse side effects. Anyone care to comment on the relative quantities of fructose from fruit vs HFCS? Is there a danger here? 5 / 5 (5) Aug 03, 2010 Parsec, this article only states that fructose helps the cancer cells multiply does not cause cancer. Fruits are very important to your health. If you ever develop cancer, you should obviously talk to your doctor about this study in determining a diet for yourself. As long as you're healthy though, you should definitely continue eating fruit, some of which are high in antioxidants which help prevent cancer. 5 / 5 (1) Aug 04, 2010 In answer to your question, my comment isn't based on expert knowledge, but I would assume that deriving fructose from whole foods, ie fruit, would not be a problem in a 'normal' diet as it would be bound to natural fiber found in fruits and would thus be released more slowly into the blood stream. Also, the concentrations would be far lower compared to additives in processed foods. 3 / 5 (2) Aug 04, 2010 Half of fruit sugar and half of table sugar is fructose. Less than half of HFCS is fructose. In fruit, only about one half of the fructose is free fructose, the rest is in sucrose. Honey and maple syrup have a lot of free fructose. The disgestion rate of sucrose is limited by the supply of the sucrase enzyme, but the fructose is eventually digested nonetheless. The difference with fruit is that there are benefits, so it is a trade-off between the damage caused by fructose (elevation of triglycerides, fatty liver, elevation of blood pressure, increase in ectopic fat storage, interference with leptin appetite suppressing hormone, increase in small dense LDL particles, accelerated cancer growth) and the anti-oxidants and other phytochemicals shown to benefit the health. not rated yet Aug 05, 2010 Legislative incentives built the huge corporate corn production system, and only legislation can change the focus of the incentive to development of a smarter, healthier food culture. Corn didn't get to be what it is purely through "free market" processes. 3 / 5 (2) Aug 08, 2010 You can't legislate behavior, that is a time tested axiom as far as I'm concerned. Education however has an amazing effect. An absolutely terrific diet plan has evolved to modern forms and is available on any government website. Unfortunately almost no one reads things at random so it's luck to even know about this. Why food education and personal health are not taught in schools I will never know. Except for a few feeble attempts in my early school days I have never seen it involved in any school system anywhere in the world. Outside the school system I've seen nice attempts by NGOs to reach villagers but it's a slow process and does not necessarily transfer to the children since it's directed at the parents. I think it's time this enter formally through education at an early age.
What about beans, lentils and soya? If I had to run a poll asking people whether they thought beans and lentils were good for your health, I believe most people would respond, “Yes, they are”. I used to think so too, but after delving into the science and literature I have changed my opinion. I am going to try to explain it to you as simply as I can without losing too much of the convincing scientific evidence (which can get a tad complex at times). OK, lets start by listing the foods that are classified as legumes: • lentils, • beans, • peanuts, • soy beans and • chickpeas. Reasons for avoiding them: Legumes in large amounts can lead to nutritional deficiencies. This is due to the phytic acid contained in these foods. Phytic acid binds to nutrients in the food such as calcium, magnesium, zinc and iron, which prevents you from absorbing them. This can lead to osteoporosis, anemia and fatigue.fish farting This is a real problem if you are eating mainly legumes instead of nutrient dense animal proteins and vegetables. They can cause unpleasant digestive problems. This is due to a type of carbohydrate called galaco-ligosaccharides. These cabohydrate molecules are not absorbed properly in the small intestine and then end up in the large intestine, where they act as a food source to the bacteria that live there . The bacteria then digest these molecules which can cause symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) such as abdominal bloating , excess flatulence, abdominal pain, nausea, diarrhoea or constipation. Are you having one of those “aha” moments with this one? Legumes damage your intestinal wall. This damage (leaky gut syndrome) is caused by a protein in legumes called lectins. Your body struggles to digest these lectin proteins and they end up being transported intact through the intestinal lining and into your blood stream. The result is a damaged gut lining which then also lets through other proteins (which it is not supposed to do). These large and undigested proteins are easily mistaken by your body as being foreign invaders like bacteria, viruses or parasites. Our immune system then attacks these foreign proteins and makes antibodies against them. This can then lead to autoimmune diseases such as Type 1 diabetes, MS, Celiac, Rheumatoid arthritis and Lupus. This process can also cause allergies to other normally harmless foods such as chicken, beef and apples. Other problems associated with leaky gut are infertility, autism, depression, schizophrenia, vitiligo ( where a person loses pigmentation on their skin) and some forms of cancer such as Non-hodgkin’s lymphoma. Legumes can cause weight gain and metabolic issues such as insulin resistance. This is true especially for those people who are carb sensitive. Legumes are high in carbohydrates and eating these foods frequently and in large amounts will quickly push your blood sugar and insulin levels up and lead to fat storage in your cells. So if you are a vegetarian/vegan who consumes legumes instead of animal protein and you are steadily putting on weight and can’t understand why, then this may be the reason. Peanuts contain a yucky carcinogenic mold. Like other legumes, peanuts are problematic because they contain lectins and phytic acid, but peanuts also contain aflotoxins which is a carcinogen. Aflotoxins are produced by a mold that grows on peanuts (and corn by the way). This mold thrives on crops stored in warm, humid places and is impossible to eliminate completely. Research has linked long-term consumption of aflotoxins with risk for diseases like cancer and hepatitis B. Children are particularly affected by aflatoxin exposure, which can lead to stunted growth and delayed development. Maybe now is the time to switch to almond or macadamia nut butter! Consumption of soya can lead to hormonal imbalances in the body. These hormonal imbalances are caused by phytoestrogens in the soy bean. Men can develop breasts and fat deposits on the hips.Women can suffer from impaired fertility and menstrual problems. Phytoestrogens have also been linked to breast cancer and disruption of normal thyroid function. Soy contains the highest levels of phytic acid of any grain or legume. They also contain high levels of aluminium which is toxic to the nervous system and kidneys and recent studies suggest a link between soy consumption and kidney stones. At this point I would say, rather eat a juicy 100% beef burger (sans the bun) than a vegetarian-friendly pseudo burger patty made from TVP (texturised vegetable protein made from soya). Ditch the soya milk lattes and opt for a bulletproof coffee instead. If after reading this, you still want to include legumes in your diet, then I would just encourage you to look into soaking, sprouting, long cooking and fermenting your legumes. These traditional methods of preparation and cooking won’t turn lentils or beans into a magical health food, but they can help reduce their more dangerous aspects. If you have chosen to eliminate all animal protein such as meat, fish and eggs from your diet and are replacing it with legumes as a staple part of your diet because you believe it is the “healthier” alternative , then I encourage you to fully research your decision before you potentially make yourself sick. I don’t believe that indulging occasionally in some creamy humus or beans in your soup would be too problematic for most people but everyone’s tolerance levels are different, so keep that in mind. If you don’t feel so good afterwards then avoid them next time. I hope you have been able to take in all of the above – I know it is quite a lot to digest! About Nicky Perks Posted on May 14, 2013, in Primal 101 and tagged , , , , . Bookmark the permalink. 4 Comments. 1. Boy! that is good news, because I dislike all 3 2. Hey! I’ve been talking about you and your blog… :-) Gave a workshop yesterday where we used your blog as a discussion topic.. it’s perfect, and beautiful! 3. Questios answered, thank you. Leave a Reply WordPress.com Logo Twitter picture Facebook photo Google+ photo Connecting to %s Get every new post delivered to your Inbox. Join 773 other followers %d bloggers like this:
Are All Scars Equal? Moira Nadal's picture Moira Nadal Web Paper 2 Biology 103 Fall 2006 Are All Scars Equal? We usually do not take the time to think about scars. We may admire a distinctive one from time-to-time or try to cover up ones on our faces. We see that they are different shapes and sizes but do not always give thought as to why that it so. I never paid much attention to scars until I recently acquired one, much darker and more pronounced than any others on my body. I then wondered, apart from being much older, why were the others lighter, and either long and thin or puckered. If they are all scars why do those look like that and this new one is dark, red, sensitive and protrudes? So what are scars and why are they all different? Scars can be a reflection of the wound that created them. They will show the shape of the tear into the skin. Their shape can be determined by "...the size, depth, and location of the wound; the age of the person; heredity; and skin characteristics."[1] They form because the skin has to repair the damage caused. "The skin sent a bunch of collagen...- tough, white protein fibers that act like bridges - to reconnect the broken tissue."[2] Because the skin covers the area as quickly as possible, the new tissue looks different from the normal tissue that surrounds it. This noticeable disparity, is what we identify as a scar. "It can take up to 24 months for a scar to develop and mature to its stable form and appearance."[5] After they have matured, some scars are pink, or just a little lighter or darker than one’s normal skin tone. Others are much more dark, even red due to "An increased number of blood vessels... that prompts the discoloration."[5]. Not only do scars some in different shapes and colors but also "...can take the form of a sunken recess in the skin, which has a pitted appearance. These are caused when underlying structures supporting the skin, such as fat or muscle, are lost."[4] Those that are not pitted can either lay flat or protrude as a result of too much tissue build-up. One’s tendency to scar and even what kind of scar can depend on several factors. You racial background has an effect on the thickness of your skin. The location of the injury on your body. Also, the severity of the damage done will determine how your body will heal and scar. "... certain people tend to get scars more easily, and scars are more likely to form after wounds on certain parts of the body."[2] As you could probably guess by looking at people around you, the knees and elbows are the most likely to scar. There are three basic kinds of scars: Atrophic, Hypertrophic, and Keloid. "Atrophic scars are depressed and cause a valley or hole in the skin."[5] These are often caused by diseases such as chicken pox or acne. "Hypertrophic scars are elevated and will subside with time."[5] These are very common and can result from basic injuries like cuts, scrapes, and minor surgeries. "Keloids are actually non-malignant tumors formed by scar tissue that exceeds the boundaries of an original incision or injury. Keloidal scars are elevated, expansive and continue to grow."[5] These need to be watched because sometimes they have negative side effects. Because even though they may normalize in a few years’ time, they could continue to grow and "...become binding, limiting mobility. They may cause cosmetic changes...."[3] The new tissue formed when you body heals (the scar itself) is more susceptible to sun damage from ultraviolet rays. When one has a heart attack, the heart tissue scars. Since this is not as strong and healthy as the surrounding tissue, it can sometimes lead to heart failure. Since the over-growth of some scars becomes cancerous growth "any malignant growth or tumor caused by abnormal and uncontrolled cell division"[6] they may need to be removed. However, some keloid scars re-grow to where they were removed. Depending on where scars form, they can "...cause restricted movement of muscles, joints, and tendons." [1] Scars that form on the face or other very visible areas can become a source of embarrassment and lead to mental health issues. For those who have scars as a result of a very traumatic injury, illness or accident, have these as painful daily reminders. Even though scars are not something that we would normally pay much attention to, they can tell a lot about a person, and their life. So take a look at the scars on your body, what kind are they? Do you know how you got them? What do they tell about you? Post new comment
Click photo to enlarge CORRECTS TO WARSAW UPRISING - In this photo taken Tuesday, July 8, 2014, Kazimierz Mikos, 84, shows buildings in Sienna street in Warsaw, Poland, where in the 1944 Warsaw Uprising he had his insurgent lodgings. As a 14-year-old boy Mikos was a guard and messenger in Warsaw?s struggle against the occupying Nazi Germans. He will be among hundreds of fighters attending the ceremonies of the 70th anniversary of the ill-fated struggle that led to the destruction of some 30 percent of the city?s substance and the loss of some 200,000 lives. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski) The hopes ended tragically. Mikos said he sometimes also thinks that Warsaw's ruin was an excessive price to pay. He remembers the suffering of the people and he bemoans the ruin of a city of classical beauty, with Parisian-styled buildings and charming star-shaped squares. After the war, the city was rebuilt in a heavy, communist architectural style, with recent additions of Western-style glass-and-metal skyscrapers. "No, it was not worth it," he said. "Warsaw was the jewel of the North. It was a city with character, with style. It was an exceptional place. Today, it is just like any other city in the world." Still, he feels the rebellion was unavoidable. The people of Warsaw were ready for sacrifice after years of brutal subjugation and mass killings. Hitler wanted Warsaw destroyed anyway, he says. The city would have eventually suffered in battles between the Germans and the Soviets. Mikos recently walked with an AP reporter down Sienna Street, in the city center where insurgents had their headquarters and where some of the gray buildings survived the war. He pointed to gateways where he stood guard and took cover during bombings, and to an iron-barred balcony where a caged parrot once shrieked "Alarm, Alarm," giving a scare to everyone in the street. He believes his level-headedness saved some lives. On one occasion, a younger boy reached out to take Mikos' hand grenade. In the scuffle, the securing pin came loose and fell. Everyone panicked, but Mikos said: "Find the pin, I'm holding the lever." The pin was put back in place, preventing an explosion. The worst part was that there was no water, which the Germans had cut off. Wells were dug and the fighters had priority of access. But regular hygiene was impossible. The insurgents mainly ate soup made of beans or barley found in German storage, won in house-to-house battles. The residents soon stopped offering the fighters their own supplies, too hungry themselves to spare anything. The brutality and the devastating power of that struggle, he said, "surpassed the imagination of ... anyone who knows about armies and fighting." "It was decided that the city must be defended. It was unavoidable."
Brain Pickings Rabid: A Cultural History of the World’s Most Diabolical Virus How a tiny cluster of genes and proteins gave rise to zombie and vampire mythology. Our understanding of what it means to be human hinges on an understanding of consciousness and, perhaps more than anything, a sense of control over or, at the very least, access to it. But what happens when a microscopic particle enters the body, takes hold of the mind, and gnaws away that access to our own consciousness? Is what remains “human”? In Rabid: A Cultural History of the World’s Most Diabolical Virus (public library), Wired senior editor Bill Wasik and veterinarian Monica Murphy, a husband-and-wife duo, trace the fascinating history of the ubiquitous and menacing virus that shaped everything from the Holy Crusades to modern zombie and vampire pop-culture mythology. Wasik and Murphy write: Such is the paralyzing fear of rabies, in fact, that when Louis Pasteur was developing the very vaccine to fight the menace and had to extract the virus from the jaws of madly growling infected dogs, he and his two collaborators kept a loaded gun ready — not just for the dog, but for any researcher who got bitten and infected. Mary Cressac, the niece of Pasteur’s collaborator Emile Roux, recalls: At the beginning of each session a loaded revolver was placed within their reach. If a terrible accident were to happen to one of them, the more courageous of the two others would put a bullet in his head. And yet, more than two centuries after Pasteur successfully pioneered the rabies vaccine, 55,000 people die from rabies globally each year. Curiously, the greatest risk of rabies for humans in the developed world today comes from bats, which can bite you in your sleep without awaking you. Once the virus has progressed, the two most common symptoms in humans are hydrophobia — a deathly, irrational fear of water — and hypersexuality, which causes some patients to experience hourly involuntary orgasms. Though certainly not for the squeamish, Rabid offers an illuminating, terrifying, yet strangely entertaining chronicle of this tiny cluster of proteins and genes that has the power to challenge and, ultimately, alter our very conception of what it means to be human. Donating = Loving Share on Tumblr
Modeling a NURBS head (General Concept Tutorial) Report this File Sep 06, 2005 Readership Level: Maya Versions: irix, linux, mac, windows Figure 7-4 The first three curves against a template. The second and third ones begin to define the side of the nose and gradually turn away from the first one. Their farthest points from the first curve is at the back of the head. Some software packages let you rebuild curves so that they have matching points. This means that you do not have to worry about drawing each curve with the same amount of points. Once you finish drawing all the curves, then simply select the rebuild curves option and select uniform for rebuild type. Be sure to specify approximately thirty points for the number of spans. It is usually a good idea to loft the curves as you continue to draw or duplicate and move them (Figure 7-5). Figure 7-5 Editing the curves on the partial loft against a templated three dimensional head. This will give you a general idea of how it will turn out and hopefully avoid unpleasant surprises. If your software has a history option like MayaTM, SumatraTM, or RhinocerosTM you can move the second curve's points to deform the mesh surface until you are satisfied with the results. If you are using a three dimensional head to model from, try templating it and use the X-ray Shade Option for the lofted section. This will let you see the relationship of the loft to the template as you deform the original curve. Another useful tool in MayaTM is the Layer Editor. You can use it to keep the curves and the three dimensional head in separate layers which in turn can be hidden and/or templated. When you are finished refining the curves, you can delete the temporary lofted section, leaving only the splines. Resume drawing/copying and moving points on the new duplicated curves. Around curves three and four, you will most likely have to shape the wings around the nostrils. Many 3-D artists consider this part to be one of the most difficult sections of the face. This is especially true when trying to form the hollow at the corner of the wings. Some artists prefer to model that section separately and then use a fillet blend to join it to the rest of the nose. If you prefer to keep the entire nose as a part of the overall mesh, then shape the hollow at the wings by keeping two of the adjoining curves close together at this point. Remember to loft parts of the curves and make corrections accordingly. As you continue drawing/duplicating and moving curves check the spans in the U and V surface direction. The connecting spans can be seen after lofting sections. They should flow smoothly without any severe angles. You can usually spot areas that will cause you problems later on. These will be ones were the curves lack that gentle turn. Figure 7-6 illustrates the head when almost all the curves except the ones for the jaw have been drawn. Figure 7-6 Edit the points so that the curves in both the U and V directions flow smoothly. When you start to shape the curves of the cheeks, the number of points that you needed for facial detail start to accumulate in a smaller area. This often increases the likelihood that the surface becomes more bumpy. The side of the face leading to the under surface of the jaw can be one of the more difficult areas to form. This process of creating curves and correcting surfaces is one of the more tedious aspects of modeling a head. The extra time that you spend on this will save you a great amount of labor after the final loft. Figure 7-7 shows all the curves for half the head. Figure 7-7 The finished half face. Note the directions of the U and Vcurves. The placement of points on each curve will determine the success of your connecting lines. Once you finish making all the curves for half of the face, then loft the entire set. At this point, it would be a good idea to tweak the original curves with history on to smooth out any bumps on the mesh. Duplicating and Mirroring the Curves When you are satisfied with the curves and the placement of their points, then select all of them, except for the middle ones, and duplicate them. While the copied curves are still selected, mirror them so that they are located on the other side of the face (Figure 7-8). Starting with the top middle curve select each of them in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction. Loft all of these with the close option on. Figure 7-8 Curves are duplicated and mirrored for the other half. Write a Comment
If 8x + 5x + 2x + 4x = 114, then 5x + 3 = a. 12 b. 25 c. 33 d. 47 e. 86 In the fall of 2009, 8,274 recent high school graduates who were first-time college students entered the state's community college system. Most incoming freshmen take the Accuplacer test to determine whether they need remedial classes in reading, writing or math. It's not a pass or fail exam. Accuplacer takes a snapshot of ability and then recommends the appropriate level of course work. It has proven to be a largely accurate measure. Just over half of that fall 2009 freshmen group needed at least one remedial class, which is a slight improvement over previous years. The cost to the state was $19 million, not including the $6.7 million in tuition paid by students. The more remediation a student needs, the less likely he or she is to graduate, particularly with a four-year degree. This is just another way to say the $26 million doesn't come near the actual cost of having so many students enter college unprepared. The campus with the highest percentage of first-time freshmen enrolled in remedial classes was the Community College of Denver. Of the 946 students, nearly 69 percent were taking at least one remedial class. Most needed help in math. Almost 300 needed help in all three core subjects: math, reading and writing. "Writing a best seller had earned the author a sum of money and had freed him from the necessity of selling his pen for the political purposes of others." Rewrite, beginning with: "The author was not obliged . . ." The new sentence will include: a. consequently he earned b. because he had earned c. by earning d. as a means of earning. Overall, about half of CCD's 8,485 students were enrolled in remedial courses in 2009-10. I'm most interested in the recent high school graduates who, theoretically, just spent 12, 13, 14 years learning to read, write and do math. "We don't deal in should'ves here," Nancy Story, dean of the college's Center for Educational Advancement, tells me. "We just want to know where you are." About 8,500 Accuplacer tests were given last year at the center, says CCD Testing Center director Ramzi Munder. A few years back, Munder looked at a group of about 2,000 students who took the Accuplacer at the center and teased out those who were college-ready. This group would include a wide range of students, not just recent high school graduates. "What do you think the percentage was?" he asks. "Ten percent," I guess. "Two percent," he says. "This is a big job, and it's really hard," he says. "I'm a math teacher, and I have students who will say, 'But, sir, I was in algebra II in high school, and I made A's. ' " I can feel hackles rising across the ranks of high school teachers everywhere, so touchy this subject is. But Munder recognizes the problem for what it is: systemic. "Everyone has to take some accountability," Munder says. "Most people collect "Star Wars" toys for sentimental reasons. Some people collect them strictly to make money." What is the relationship between the two sentences? a. Cause and effect b. Contrast c. Repetition d. Statement and example. Of course, I had to take the Accuplacer. I wanted a sense of this diagnostic tool but also of the level of ability that is considered remedial. I've included a few study problems in math, writing and reading here. The first problem on my test was similar to that beginning this column. I had to keep from laughing out loud. The last time I took algebra was in 1983, and I got a D. The problems ratchet up and down in difficulty, depending upon correct and incorrect responses. Three to four levels of remediation exist for every core subject. The most basic math level covers addition, subtraction, fraction conversions, ratios, essentially elementary-school math. Student ability is further tested by instructors, who give their own assessments during the first week of class. I receive my results immediately. I'm remedial-math bound, slotting into intermediate algebra, here called Math 090. I'd have to complete this and one more remedial class to reach college-level math. I'm good to go in reading and writing, and if I hadn't been, I would have written today about the cute puppy with a missing leg down the street. This is just one stop on the remedial-ed pipeline. It is, in terms of the overwhelming number and need, not unlike an emergency room. Diagnose. Stabilize. But the view from this vantage point is not all that different from anywhere else along the pipeline. What you see are well-intentioned, hardworking people fully aware of the problem. What you see is a landscape dotted by players who are always changing — your principals, your superintendents, your college presidents. What you see is the way in which the landscape itself shifts. Initiatives barely taking root only to be supplanted. Politics influencing philosophy influencing programs. A system combatting its own inconsistencies. Houses built on quicksand. The results are not surprising. C, B, B
Fordham University The Jesuit University of New York Back to UNICEF Collaboration What is Social Budgeting? What is Social Budgeting? While there is no single definition, the term social budgeting is the process by which society’s goals and priorities, as well as the rights of the entire population—including those that could be facing social exclusion and discrimination—are better reflected throughout the budgeting process. Often, those with least voice include poor households and children, women, and socially excluded groups and communities (e.g. indigenous people). The Budget The budget is one of the main instruments of the public sector to achieve society’s goals. Broadly defined, it is a representation of society’s preferences and priorities. Government agents and representatives, often in conjunction with civic groups and organizations, make decisions on how government funds should be used. However, the process of arriving at a budget often involves difficult political decisions regarding how resources should be raised and allocated across various competing uses. In addition, budgets are the product of a repetitive budget cycle process, which covers formulation, analysis, execution, tracking and performance evaluation. Any meaningful analysis of the budget should focus on this entire process, rather than just on the actual allocations. The latter may or may not be carried out, nor result in the expected policy impact initially envisioned. A variety of malfunctions, including government failures, could occur on various points of the budget cycle, and it is partly because of this that society’s goals are not achieved, frustrating the advancement of children’s and women’s rights and improvements in human development outcomes. Budget Stakeholders There are many different stakeholders in the budgeting process. Government stakeholders include congress-people, ministers, heads of state, parliamentarians, and agency bodies. Civic stakeholders include myriad civic groups and organizations as well as individual voters and constituents. Business stakeholders include businesses that might profit from specific allocations of funding or proposed projects. Each of these stakeholders has a different perspective on how they would like to see government resouces allocated. Conflict can often arise out of conflicting priorities. However, as different agencies and stakeholders engage in intentional social budgeting work, there appear to be a few common goals shared across these initiatives. These include making budgets more responsive to the needs as well as promoting the rights of all sectors of society including those with the weakest voice, notably the poor and other potentially excluded groups; and making the budgeting process much more transparent, and thus contributing to the efficiency and accountability of the public sector. tumblr site counter Site \| Directories Submit Search Request
Flowers in the Midwest High temperatures and humidity can typically stop a bloom in its tracks, but not the heat-tolerant bloomers listed here. Flowers that thrive and prosper in the Midwest have the qualities of withstanding extreme heat and humidity without dropping a single bloom. With long humid summers, these tough blooms will keep your garden looking bright and vibrant. Also called the summer snapdragon, angelonia is a common annual flower found growing in the Midwest. Its plethora of constant blooms grows in a wide range of colors including purple, white, pink and blue. These flowers can grow up to four feet in height and are drought tolerant, perfect for the hot Midwest conditions. Angelonia flowers prefer well-drained soil. These lovely bloomers also make for a gorgeous fresh-cut flower to add to a summer bouquet. Angelonias provide a constant burst of color to your garden due to their ability to reproduce many blooms over a growing season. Also known as the fan flower, the scaevlola has a fan-like appearance and the ability to grow quickly while producing many blooms. The scaevola's ability to withstand dry and hot temperatures makes it a Midwest favorite. Scaevlola bloom colors include pink, purple and blue. These fragrant blooms are often used in hanging planters and garden pots where they have the ability to grow up to three feet in height. They also have few problems, making them an ideal bloom for outdoor landscapes. This trailing flower creeps and weaves around the flower garden, creating a billowing bed of blooms. The color varieties are vast, including white, pink, blue, purple and lavender. Verbena loves climbing over rocks and beds, and cascading down hanging baskets. It requires little maintenance, once established, and provides a constant burst of color throughout the summer. When the typical Midwest temperatures reach into the triple digits, these hardy bloomers won't flinch. In fact, they don't need to be watered often and can withstand high droughts. Verbenas do love to be deadheaded; simply cut of the dying or dead bloom and you'll have a fresh new bloom pop up in no time. Keywords: midwest flowers, drought-tolerant flowers, heat-tolerant flowers About this Author
Privately Owned Definition of 'Privately Owned' A company that is not publicly traded on a securities exchange. The majority of companies are privately owned, usually by either one individual or by a small group of individuals. Although offering securities for sale to the public can be a good way to obtain large amounts of financing, public ownership requires considerable effort to ensure compliance with securities regulations. Public ownership is generally impractical for small and medium-sized business. Investopedia explains 'Privately Owned' For a variety of reasons, ownership stakes in privately owned companies are often much more difficult to sell or transfer. Securities laws place higher restrictions on selling private ownership stakes, since dealing in these securities is often much more complex. For instance, accounting records may be inaccurate, unaudited, and/or not in compliance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles. Filed Under: comments powered by Disqus Hot Definitions 1. Debit Spread 2. Odious Debt 3. Takeover 4. Harvest Strategy 5. Stop-Limit Order 6. Pareto Principle Trading Center
A- A A+ Communicating With Your Child's School relationship-with-teacher-mother-on-phone If you have a child who is receiving special education services, you're more than likely to be very involved with your child's school and teacher—including planning, reviewing, and assessing your child's educational program. Over time, you will learn a lot about the special education process and how to communicate and negotiate on your child's behalf. While your knowledge, skill, and confidence will naturally increase, there are some specific communication skills that can help you be most successful in developing and maintaining a strong partnership with your child's school. We hope these "Steps to Success" will be particularly helpful to parents who are new to the special education process. Getting Started First, understand that your role as a parent is unique. No one knows and loves your child the way that you do. You are the expert on your child. And, while you may not have all the answers, you want your child to be successful in school and in life. Your passion, as a parent, can help you communicate brilliantly, and sometimes, it can overtake you. Step 1: Be mindful of your emotional pressure gauge as you work with your child's school. If you expect to have difficulty when meeting with school personnel, your mind and body will be primed for battle. How can you communicate successfully if you are on the verge of overflowing in anguish and outrage? Don't let your mind go there. Keep thoughts of past (or present) problems at school, worst fears, and other negatives from creeping into your mind. Focus positively on your goals and the view that the school wants to do their best for your child. Keep telling yourself that you and your child will succeed. Step 2: Prioritize and plan. What's the most important thing that needs to be accomplished for your child? Make a list of the issues, questions, and possible solutions. Rank them. Decide if there are any you can pass on and which one(s) must be addressed. Plan how you are willing to give and take in order to achieve the higher goal. Map out what you need to say and practice, if that helps: • "What's most important for Jordan right now is... • "We really need to focus on..." Referring to these few notes, with key phrases jotted down, can help keep you and the meeting on track. Step 3: Actively listen to understand the other person's perspective. If you don't understand what someone is saying, tell him or her. Be direct: • "I just don't understand what you are saying. Can you explain it in a different way or give me some examples?" • "Is there something you can show me, in writing, so I can fully understand?" Keep asking and wait for responses until you do fully understand. Resist any temptation to answer your own questions or put words into someone else's mouth. Step 4: Clarify your statements if you see a puzzled expression on someone's face and ask for clarification in return. Paraphrase, or restate so that you and others are clear in your understanding. To be understood: • "I must not be explaining this clearly, what I'm trying to say is..." • "Here's a copy of...Let's look at this together. It shows that..." So that you understand: • "It sounds like you're saying..." • "Is that written down anywhere so I can read it?" Often, the process of clarifying one's understanding provides an opportunity to clear up a misconception or correct misinformation that could be critical to finding a satisfactory solution for your child. So, don't overlook the value of this technique. Step 5: Have options in mind and offer them for discussion, as needed. As a parent, you're in a good position to present alternative solutions that might not occur to those who work for the school system. • (Along the lines of the old adage, "Sometimes you just can't see the forest for all the trees."): • "Let's do some brainstorming on possibilities and see what we can come up with. How about..?" And, if you've done some research, information gathering, or obtained any formal recommendations: • "Here's a recommendation from...that has proven successful for other students. We should seriously consider this for Janey." • "Let's try this for 8 weeks and see how it goes." It's also important to make sure that the focus stays on your child and meeting his or her needs. Sometimes, words like the following can help tighten everyone's focus: • "Jordan's dad and I just haven't seen the kind of progress that Jordan needs to make. What other options can we consider for him?" • 1 • 2 Tags: id-ld
Definición de extract en inglés: Saltos de línea: ex\|tract Pronunciación: /ɪkˈstrakt , ɛk-/ [with object] 1Remove or take out, especially by effort or force: the fossils are extracted from the chalk Más ejemplos en oraciones Más ejemplos en oraciones 1.2Obtain (something such as money or information) from someone unwilling to give it: I won’t let you go without trying to extract a promise from you Más ejemplos en oraciones wrest, exact, wring, screw, squeeze, milk, force, coerce, obtain by force, obtain by threat(s), extort, blackmail someone for, worm something out of someone North American & Australian informal put the bite on someone for archaic rack 1.3Select (a passage from a text, film, or piece of music) for quotation, performance, or reproduction: the table is extracted from the report Más ejemplos en oraciones excerpt, select, choose, reproduce, repeat, copy, quote, cite, cull, take, abstract 1.4Derive (an idea) from a body of information: there are few attempts to extract generalities about the nature of the disciplines Más ejemplos en oraciones • Nicola Corboy extracts ideas from each of the six modules. derive, develop, evolve, deduce, infer, conclude, gather, elicit, obtain, get, take, gain, acquire, procure, attain, glean formal educe 2 Mathematics Calculate (a root of a number): early computers had an instruction to extract a square root Más ejemplos en oraciones Pronunciación: /ˈɛkstrakt Volver al principio 1A short passage taken from a text, film, or piece of music: an extract from a historical film Más ejemplos en oraciones excerpt, passage, abstract, citation, selection, quotation, cutting, clipping, snippet, fragment, piece (excerpts) rare analects 2A preparation containing the active ingredient of a substance in concentrated form: natural plant extracts [mass noun]: a shampoo with extract of camomile Más ejemplos en oraciones decoction, distillation, distillate, abstraction, concentrate, essence, juice, solution, tincture, elixir, quintessence Pronunciación: /-ˈbɪlɪti/ Más ejemplos en oraciones Más ejemplos en oraciones Definición de extract en: Obtener más de Oxford Dictionaries Subscribirse para eliminar anuncios y acceder a los recursos premium Palabra del día fioritura Pronunciación: fɪˌɔːrɪˈt(j)ʊərə an embellishment of a melody...
Custom Search Nephthys in splendour Nephthys, Sister of Isis, Mistress of the House by Caroline Seawright Updated: November 29, 2012 nbhwt egg determinative The Egyptian name of this goddess was Nebt-het (Neb-hut, Neb-hwt, Nebt-hut, Nebthet) which means "Mistress of the House": The goddess Nephthys on the Coffin of Tuthmosis IX -- Wallis Budge, E.A. 1904, Gods of the Egyptians: Part 2, p. 254 However, the word 'mansion' in Nephthys' name may be read as 'temple' or 'enclosure': ...these are hieroglyphs representing her name. There is a Hw.t sign which means "enclosure/mansion/temple" and there is a nb sign meaning "lord". Together with the single absence of the feminine .t ending they spell nb.t-Hw.t "lady of the enclosure". There is also a town in Upper Egypt which is called Hw.t though its fuller name is Hw.t-sSS.t, meaning "enclosure of the sistrum" ... this city, the metropolis of the 7th Upper Egyptian nome, was associated with Nephthys since she was considered literally from her name to be the "lady of Hu" ... with a name like nb.t-Hw.t "lady of the enclosure", Nephthys does not seem to be the real name of the goddess. -- Geoff Graham (1997), Ancient Egyptian Language Discussion List In either case, be she a goddess of an area of the sky, a mansion, or a temple enclosure, the hieroglyphs which make up her name were actually her title rather than a personal name. What the personal name of Nephthys actually was is up for speculation. Nephthys Keeling on the Sign for Gold Despite being the wife of Set, this goddess was seen as a loyal sister to her other siblings, helping Isis to gather Osiris' scattered limbs (after Set cut him into pieces), and helping her yo revive the dead god. Nephthys thus became associated with the dead, becoming a friend of the deceased. She offered guidance to the newly dead, and comfort to the family of the one who died. Along with Hapy - the baboon headed Son of Horus - Nephthys was the goddess who guarded the lungs in their canopic jar on the north cardinal point. -- The Book of the Dead, The Texts in the Funeral Chapter Nephthys was depicted as a goddess with the hieroglyph of her name (a basket and a house on top of each other) on her head, though she was also sometimes given wings or the form of a bird (the kite), making her a solar deity, as well as a goddess of the dead. In the later period, she became the mother of Anubis, with Osiris as the father. As comforter, Nephthys stood at the birth-bed to offer comfort and help with the birth of new born children - Isis was seen as the midwife. The two sisters were often together, only being able to be told apart by the hieroglyph on their heads. Also, like her sister, Nephthys was thought to have great magical powers - she was the Mighty One of Words of Power. Nephthys as a Kite from Nefertari's Tomb - notice the detail! Yet, originally, where Isis was visible, birth, growth, development and vigour, Nephthys was invisible, death, decay, diminution and immobility. Nephthys was the darkness to Isis' light. Isis was the day, her twin sister the night. -- Wallis Budge, E.A. 1900, Egyptian Religion, p. 106 Melilot Flowers One of the reasons, during the later period of Egyptian history, given as to why Set and Osiris hate each other was because of Nephthys, Set's sister-wife. The goddess Nephthys was barren (she represented the desert, as did Set), and she hit on the plan of disguising herself as Isis and seducing Osiris. Getting Osiris drunk, Nephthys took Osiris to her bed, and the two had drunken sex together. Osiris dropped his garland of melilot flowers in the act of passion. Set found the adulterous goddess and the flowers, and knowing to whom the flowers belonged, he began to plan Osiris' death. The child of this union was thought to be Anubis, god of mummification. -- John Gardner Wilkinson (1841), Manners and Customs of the Ancient Egyptions, p. 334 The goddess Nephthys with Seti I Among her titles, the goddess Nephthys was known as the Lady of the Body (of the Gods), the Dweller within Senu, Lady of Heaven, Mistress of the Gods, the Great Goddess, Lady of Life, and Lady of Joy. Her major centres of worships were Senu, Hebet, (Behbit), Per-mert, Re-nefert, Het-sekhem, Het-Khas, Ta-kehset, and Diospolites. Her principal sanctuary was at Iunu (On, Heliopolis). However, despite this there were no cult temples dedicated to the goddess Nephthys until the Ptolemaic period. Further Information about Nephthys Video of Nephthys A video filled with images of the goddess Nephthys (and other deities), by Egyptahotep: © Caroline 'Kunoichi' Seawright 2001 - present Or contact me on Twitter: comments powered by Disqus
Different Types of Beer Beer is one of the world’s oldest prepared beverages. Most historians think that the first fermented beverages came about around the time people started farming grain, roughly 12,000 years ago. Archaeologists studying the Sumerians in the Mesopotamia area have found evidence of beer production dating back to 5,000 B.C. We also know that the Egyptians drank plenty of beer. These ancient brews probably tasted a lot different than what we’re used to today, and were flavored with all sorts of unusual ingredients. More modern-style beer came about during the Middle Ages, when Christian monks and other brewers started adding hops to their brews. To this day, the basic ingredients of any beer are water, a starch source, hops, and yeast. Water used to make beerMineral content and hardness or softness varies by region; certain varieties of beer have developed a bit of regional character from this. Dublin’s hard water is great for making stout like Guinness. The soft water in the Plzen (Pilsen) Region in the Czech Republic is especially suitable for making Pilsner. Beer StarchProvides fuel for fermentation and contributes to final strength and flavor; malting the grain (soaking it, then kiln drying) starts a chemical process that changes its starches into fermentable sugars. Adjusting the roasting time and temperature produces different colors; darker malt makes for a darker beer. Most beer uses barley malt, but wheat, rice, oats, and rye may be used depending on the variety. Mass-produced beers may use corn, rice, or sugar as a secondary, or adjunct, starch source to save costs and mellow the final flavor profile. Beer HopsProvide bitterness that helps balance out the sweetness of the malt. Floral, citrus, and herbal aromas come from the hops, plus their acidity level helps preserve the beer longer. The India Pale Ale (IPA) variety got its name back in the 1800s when British brewers added more hops to their ales to help preserve the beer during the long sea voyage to India. Beer YeastCauses fermentation to take place by metabolizing the sugars; alcohol and carbon dioxide are the byproducts of the yeast’s process. Yeast also impacts the taste. Ales use a type of yeast that ferment at the top of the fermentation vessel, at a higher temperature than a lager (between 60 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit). The types of yeast used in ales produce byproducts called esters, which help contribute to the “flowery” or “fruity” aroma common to many varieties of ale. Lagers are brewed with bottom-fermenting yeasts that work at lower temperatures, usually 40 degrees Fahrenheit or lower. Lagers are often stored at these cool temperatures for a period of time after brewing to fully mature. In fact, the word lager comes from the German word lagern which means “to store”. Lager yeast doesn’t result in as many byproducts when compared to ale, which allows different flavors and aromas to develop. Lagers typically have a smoother taste than ales. Serving Temperature Bartender dispensing beer from a tap A good rule of thumb is the higher the alcohol content, the warmer the beer should be served at. Beer that’s served too cold won’t release enough carbonation, limiting the aroma and flavors. Plus it will numb the drinker’s palate to the point where they won’t be able to taste it properly... unless that is what you’re going for with a particular brew! The size and shape of the beer glass has an impact on the beer’s head, which in turn has a strong influence on the flavor and aroma. Not to mention it helps with the presentation. Check out our beer glass guide for more details! Now that we’ve hit some of the basics, check out the charts below to learn a bit more about some different types of beer! Variety Characteristics Examples Serving Temp. Glassware American Pale Ale Good balance of malt and hops. Much regional variation due to use of local ingredients. American versions hoppier, British more malty. Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, Dale’s Pale Ale, Stone Pale Ale 40-45 Pint glass, mug India Pale Ale (IPA) More hops, big herbal or citrus flavor, high bitterness compared to pale ale. Often a slightly higher alcohol content than a pale ale. “English” style often has a lower alcohol content than an “American” style. American: Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA, Lagunitas IPA, Sierra Nevada Torpedo Extra IPA; English: Goose Island India Pale Ale, Shipyard IPA, Samuel Smith’s India Ale 40-45 Pint glass Pint glass, mug Double / Imperial IPA An IPA on “steroids”; more robust, malty, higher alcohol content, higher hop levels. Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA, Stone Ruination IPA, Bell’s Hopslam Ale 50-55 Snifter glass Snifter, Tulip, Oversized wine glass Barleywine Very strong, lively with an intensely fruity or hoppy note; can be thick with a very high alcohol content. English styles often more balanced between malt and hops. Can be cellared and aged like wine. Sierra Nevada Bigfoot Barleywine Style Ale, Great Divide Old Ruffian Barley Wine, Boston Beer Company (Samuel Adams) Griffin’s Bow 50-55 Pint glass Pint glass, Snifter Porter Dark, complex due to heavily roasted or smoked malts. Flavors range from sweet to hoppy, often with notes of chocolate or even coffee depending on what else is added. Some porters may be barrel aged. Samuel Smith’s The Famous Taddy Porter, Fuller’s London Porter, Founders Porter 50-55 Beer Mug Pint glass, mug Stout Sweet, carmel, or chocolate aromas. Dark roasted, unmalted barley. Many variations including oatmeal stouts, cream, dry. Smooth and creamy, often served on nitro. Guiness Extra Stout, Murphy’s Irish Stout, Samuel Smith’s Oatmeal Stout, Rogue Ales Chocolate Stout 45-50 Beer Mug Pint glass, mug Belgian Dubbel Rich, malty with a spicy or dark fruity note. Chimay Premiere, Blue Moon Winter Abbey Ale, Flying Fish Abbey Dubbel 45-50 Goblet glass Goblet Witbier Pale and cloudy due to being unfiltered and high level of wheat. Often spiced with a crisp tanginess and high carbonation level. Blue Moon Belgian White, Hoegaarden Original White Ale, Shock Top Belgian White 45-50 Pilsner Glass Pint glass, pilsner glass, mug Hefeweizen Another wheat style whose yeast produces a distincive banana and clove flavor, with a spicy, fruity note. Franziskaner Hefe-Weisse, Troegs DreamWeaver Wheat, Paulaner Heve-Weissbier Naturtrub 45-50 Weizen Glass Weizen Glass Kolsch Very pale color, light bodied, with medium to high hoppiness. Somewhat dry and grape-like flavors common as well. Samuel Adams East-West Kolsch, Goose Island Summertime, Harpoon Summer Beer 40-45 Stange glass Stange Variety Characteristics Examples Serving Temp. Glassware American Adjunct Light bodied, pale, fizzy. Low bitterness and alcohol content. Made popular by large American breweries post-prohibition. Budweiser, Miller High Life, Coors, Rolling Rock Extra Pale, Molson Canadian 35-40 Pint glass, Pilsner glass American Amber/Red Usually a bit more malt and flavor than the lighter styles. Yuengling Traditional Lager, George Killian’s Irish Red, Budweiser Black Crown 40-45 Pint glass, pilsner glass, mug Light Lager Low malt flavor, light and dry body, often a lighter version of a brewery’s premium lager. Generally the least amount of flavor of any type of beer. Bud Light, Coors Light, Miller Light 40-45 Pilsner Glass Pilsner glass Czech Pilsner Clear, light golden color. Hoppy, smooth, crisp. Pilsner Urquell, Samuel Adams Noble Pils, Sierra Nevada Summerfest Lager 40-45 Flute glass Flute, pilsner glass German Pilsner Light straw or golden color, hoppy, dense head, with a spicy, herbal, or floral flavor. Beck’s, Carlsberg, Victory Prima Pils 40-45 Pilsner Glass Flute, pilsner glass Euro Pale Lager Hoppy, with moderate bitterness with a malty body and sweet. Stella Artois, Heinekin, Harp Lager, Grolsch 40-45 Pilsner Glass Pilsner glass Marzen/Oktoberfest full-bodied, rich, with a toasted flavor, often dark copper in color. Samuel Adams Octoberest, Spaten Oktoberfestbier Ur-Marzen, Paulaner Oktoberfest-Marzen 45-50 Pint glass Pint glass, mug Vienna Lager Subtle hops, with a crispness and lasting sweet flavor. Samuel Adams Boston Lager, Negra Modelo, Dos Equis Amber Lager 40-45 Flute glass Flute, Pilsner glass, mug Related resources: Beer Clean Beer Glass How to Become a Certified Cicerone Beer Dispenser Installation and Maintenance
An artist’s conception of Mars before and after terraforming Daein Ballard/Wikimedia The case for protecting Mars Mars is a perennial topic of the spaceflight community. Our closest sister planet, Venus, is a hellish world whose surface we would be incapable of surviving on. The Red Planet, by contrast, is a relatively benign environment that humans could live on more easily. Nasa has always placed a human mission to Mars at roughly 20 or 30 years in the future. And now there are new agents looking to get to the Red Planet within that timeframe. The recently announced Inspiration Mars Foundation wants to send a man and woman to fly by Mars just five years from now. SpaceX's Elon Musk has stated again and again that he wants to retire on Mars and make the price of a trip there affordable for middle-income adventurers. More radically, the non-profit organisation Mars One wants to send four people on a one-way trip to start a colony in 2023. Though frozen and dry, Mars was once a warm, wet planet that could have hosted life. Even today, bacteria could be living deep in some crevice where water may still flow. For this reason, missions to Mars have been the most highly scrutinised for potential contaminants. Probes that have landed on the Martian surface are required to be baked for long hours in an effort to kill any hitchhiking microbes looking to cross interplanetary space. All Soviet and US missions have followed such guidelines and future plans will have to take them into account. "When SpaceX is talking about landing an empty Dragon space capsule on Mars in 2018, they'd have the same restrictions as a landed scientific mission," said Margaret Race. "When Mars One talks about a one-way mission with humans, the legal issues are big, and it only brings out more ethical issues." Each person is their own biological ecosystem, carrying roughly 10 trillion bacteria and fungi in our guts and on our skin. No one knows what would happen if one of these species should escape from a future astronaut and set up a new life on Mars. Race said the chances of such an event happening are very small. But they exist. Regardless of whether Mars has its own indigenous life, contaminating the planet with Earth bacteria would destroy its potential as a scientific testing ground. If no life ever arose on Mars, researchers want to know what was the cause. And if there was a second genesis, the scientific value of an entirely separate biosphere is incalculable. "Nobody wants to be the first person to make Mars uninteresting for future generations of scientists," said John Rummel, who was Nasa's planetary protection officer from 1987 to 1993 and 1998 to 2006 and is now an adviser for Mars One. Rummel added that the nonprofit is developing guidelines to avoid contamination that future explorers can follow. Mars colonists would likely have the biggest incentive to find out whether the planet has life, he pointed out. "It could be great if we could drill down to a subsurface aquifer for water," he said. "But if there's Mars life in the aquifer, you want to know about if before you start drinking it. Similarly, you don't want to contaminate it with Earth organisms." Given the conservative nature of scientific inquiry, it might take a very long time to figure out whether or not Mars currently has life. Nasa's Curiosity rover is only looking for potential signs that the planet could have once been habitable and its 2020 rover won't be looking for signs of current life. Future missions would have to carefully scrape and explore every Martian corner and conduct test after test before we would be certain that nothing's there. "The questions are all about how long do you take, how many precursor missions do you do," said Mark Lupisella. "At some point, it begins to become burdensome, and what are we to do if Nasa doesn't go to Mars for 100 years?" The concern of spaceflight advocates is that Mars is a potential home for humanity. Should some terrible tragedy befall Earth -- an eradicating asteroid strike or horrific war -- colonies on Mars could represent a backup. So Martian life might be a question of human survival versus microbial survival. Mars colonisation advocate Robert Zubrin has stated that giving up a potential home for the sake of bacteria is absurd. In contrast, there is writer and astronomer Carl Sagan, who wrote in his seminal book Cosmos that "if there is life on Mars, I believe we should do nothing with Mars. Mars then belongs to the Martians, even if the Martians are only microbes. The existence of an independent biology on a nearby planet is a treasure beyond assessing, and the preservation of that life must, I think, supersede any other possible use of Mars." Our future exploration efforts will have to determine how we handle such dilemmas. On the up side, Mars isn't going anywhere and there is plenty of time for consideration and deliberation. Even if we took 100 years, as Lupisella suggests, the odds of anything catastrophic occurring in this time are thankfully small. "A hundred years is not actually that bad -- really just a few generations," said Lupisella. "People are going to be living longer so these could start to be problems affecting one lifetime." If colonisation is in the cards for the Red Planet, our descendants will have to deal with one final issue: to terraform Mars or not. Terraforming is the process of making a planet more Earth-like, in the case of Mars, heating it up, perhaps by introducing greenhouse gases or a more suitable atmosphere. Even without native Martian life, there is a question of whether we have the right to remake a planet in any way we see fit. Making Mars habitable to us would also destroy much of the world as it is. Water would submerge rock formations, eroding and erasing some important scientific information. Perhaps the most detailed treatment of this subject can be found in the science-fiction trilogy Red Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson. In the books, the human colonists of Mars split into anti- and pro-terraforming factions, the Reds and the Greens, that argue the ethics of changing the planet. Though the pro-terraformers are ultimately victorious, the losing side is treated with equal validity and the outcome has a touch of bittersweetness. Latest on wired.co.uk
Reverse Word Search Lookup Dictionary Suite brass (often pl.) a wind instrument usu. made of brass, such as a trumpet or horn. [3/6 definitions] brass band a musical group or band composed mostly of brass instruments. brassware collectively, items made of brass. brassy1 made of, decorated with, or resembling brass. [2/4 definitions] braze1 to make out of brass. [2 definitions] brazen made of or resembling brass. [1/3 definitions] brazier1 one who makes brass objects. cornet a brass wind instrument resembling a compact trumpet. [1/2 definitions] euphonium a brass wind instrument similar to a tuba but higher in pitch and mellower in tone. horn a musical instrument constructed usu. out of brass or other metal, and played with the mouth. [1/6 definitions] saxhorn any of a group of valved brass wind instruments, varying in range from soprano to bass, that are played esp. in bands. ska a form of Jamaican dance music that blends folk music and calypso with New Orleans rhythm and blues and is characterized by the use of saxophones and brass, a shuffling tempo, and syncopation.
The Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli Niccolo Machiavelli’s ‘The Prince’ is one of the most arguably books about politics. Machiavelli, once as an assistant Secretary to the State of the Republic of Florence, witnesses some tricks played by politicians or rulers, which are satirically written in this book. The political behaviour of fifteen century is very much re-echoing on our modern politics today particularly in India. Machiavelli gives advice to those heads of state on a variety of matters- including advantages and disadvantages, regarding on how to gain power on a newly annexed state, how to deal with internal rebellions, how to make alliances and how to maintain a strong military. “Machiavelli is not seeking in The Prince to give specific advice for the present situation, but the book is vibrant, nevertheless, with the conviction that advice is needed and that he is the one to give it.”1 Machiavelli’s views regarding human nature and morality on political spheres are disclosed on this book but not manifested themselves explicitly. For the good of the State or for the maintenance of the State or for securing power of the State, the appearance of virtue is more important than true morality, which may be seen as a accountability. He gives some specific historical contexts about the disunity of Italy, hopping that Lorenzo de Medici, to whom the book is dedicated, can restore Italy’s honor and pride. The secret principle played by rulers or politicians in order to secure power and to serve their selfish interests, not to serve society in general, is disclosed by Machiavelli. But many critiques say that his advices to princes are devilish and which are indeed inspired by devil. The Prince was condemned by the Pope on its viewpoints. ‘Machiavellian’ is now commonly used to describe the process of being cunning, ruthless, treachery in the pursuit of power and this diabolic ‘old nick’ is identified with Machiavelli. The Prince is rather confusing whether Machiavelli is trying to advice to princes, or to gain favour from the prince to get back his old office, or to criticize the political scenario both in the Church and the state, or to disclose the secrecy of politics or to take revenge. But the conclusion chapter gives us clearer notion of his lofty goal- unification of Italy, which is the silver thread running throughout the book. Is Machiavelli really a diabolic as he is often portrayed? Is his ultimate purpose justified? I am very interested to know about Machiavelli’s works particularly ‘The Prince’ which I studied a bit during my graduation. But most of all I am very curious to know, why is this book - ‘The Prince’ considered as inspired by devil? The question of a diabolic figure to Machiavelli, who ventilates the secrecy of politics and who ironically criticizes the political system and the politics in the church of that time in Italy, inspires me to choose this book. The writings of Machiavelli have come across to me as something pertaining to modern political situation as it was in the sixteen century, where the appearance of morality or virtue was considered more important than the true morality. Hence I began to look for some of his classical works. My primary interest is to study and to analyze critically the political book - ‘The Prince’. Biography and the context of the book The Prince’ is one of the greatest works of the Italian political writer and philosopher Niccolo Machiavelli. He was born in 3 May 1469 from the old Florentine nobility. His youth was concurrent with greatness of Florence under of the guidance of Lorenzo de Medici, whose grandson he dedicated -‘The Prince’. He was appointed Secretary and Second Chancellor to the Florentine Republic. During his fifteen years of office, he traveled far and wide of Europe witnessing different kinds of governments, eye-witnessed the papal election and many incredible events. The downfall of Florentine led to unemployed man. Machiavelli's best known works are Discorsi Sopra La Prima Deca Di Tito Livio (1531, Discourses on the First Ten Books of Titus Livius) The Mandrake (1528) a satirical play and Il Principe (1532, The Prince. From 1521 to 1525, Machiavelli was employed as a historiographer. Niccolo Machiavelli died in Florence on June 21, 1527. Italy was not a unified country, when Niccolo Machiavelli wrote The Prince, in the sixteenth century. There was often foreign invasion took place in Italy. The political situation was practiced immorally both in the state and the Church, which had great impact in Machiavelli's life. He, though served for the past fifteen years as a counselor and diplomat for the former rulers of Florence, was not happy with the situation. He wrote this book partly to win a favour of the prince for some personal gain from the book and also reveal the secrecy of politics. Machiavelli describes the different types of states, arguing that all states are either republic or principalities. The principality can be divided into two namely – new principalities which are either completely new or new appendages to existing states. A prince can acquire new principalities by fortune or ability. Machiavelli leaves out any discussion of republic, “since he discussed them at length on another accession.”2. Machiavelli comprehensively describes maintaining a new composite principality is more difficult than maintaining a hereditary state due to familiarity with the prince and love for the ruling family. In a new principality, people have great hope that a new ruler would be better than the old one. If a new prince is not able to fulfill people’s expectation of improvement, they may take up arms against him. “Upon this, one has to remark that men ought either to be well treated or crush, because they can avenge themselves of lighter injuries of more serious ones they cannot; therefore the injury that is to be done to a man ought to be of such a kind that one does not stand in fear of revenge.”3 A prince must keep control of his subjects and protect from any foreign invasion. The prince must always act to solve problems before problems fully manifest themselves. To solve any problem a prince must be prowess in every field. There are two ways to govern principality. This first is a prince and appointed ministers who help in governing the state. The second way is a prince and his hereditary nobles, who have subjects of their own. The former is better, since he is the only ruler in the country, though it is hard to maintain control of that. It is easier to conquer a country ruled by the nobles than by a man because the corrupted nobles will corrupt his subjects and it is no possible to kill all the nobles. Their hatred, revenge etc. will ever remain through. Studying the history, a prince uses ministers maintaining power in a long run. A prince must have a lofty goal and learn from the ruler s of the past. Rulers who rely on prowess instead of fortune are generally more forceful in holding power over states because they a prince who foresees with his ability can overcome difficulties. “That is why all armed prophets have conquered and unarmed prophets have come to grief. Besides what I have said already, the populace is by nature fickle; it is easy to persuade them of something, but difficult to confirm them in that persuasion. Therefore one should rightly arrange matters so that when they no longer believe they can be made to believe by force.”4 A prince, who comes to power by criminal acts and wishes to be successful, must only use cruelty in the first sense like Agathocles and them laying a string foundation like Cesare Borgia. In this way, his subjects will eventually forget the violence and cruelty and thus he wins dominion but not glory. A prince can rule directly or through magistrates, but usually a diplomatic prince rules directly. Some cruelty is necessary. The prince should always aim to keep a strong army to maintain defense and fortification from every attack. To do so, he must convince the people that the hardships are only temporary and thus creating feelings of patriotism for the states’ defense. “The nature of man is such that people consider themselves put under an obligation as much by the benefits they confer as by those they receive.”5 The principalities, Machiavelli says satirically that, where the Church is governing, require either unusual good fortune or prowess. The rulers of these states are much safer because no one is there to overthrow their authority in favour of one another. “So these principalities alone care secure and happy. But as they are sustained by higher powers which the human mind cannot comprehend… They are exalted and maintained by God.”6 Machiavelli invites us to look at how the Church has obtained her great temporal power by different popes by using force of arms and other means. “The main foundation of every state, new state as well as ancient or composite ones, are good laws and good arms; and because you cannot have good laws without good arms, and where there are good arms, good laws inevitably flow, I shall not discuss laws but give my attention to arms.”7 The easiest way to lose a state is by neglecting the art of war, geography, history and the action of great leaders and he must prepare rigorously during peacetime for war time. “A prince, therefore, should have no other objective or thought, nor acquire skill in anything, except war, its organization, and its discipline. The art of war is all that is expected of a ruler; and it is so useful that besides enabling hereditary princes to maintain that rule it frequently enables ordinary citizens to become rulers.”8 A prince, who is crafty, cunning and able to treat others, is usually successful. There are two ways of fighting- by law and by force. A prince must be a master of deception. Men love virtue, but so long as a prince appears to act virtuously, men will believe in his virtue. Moreover men judge by appearance and results. He should worry about two things- internal revolt from his subjects and external threats from foreign powers. Having a strong army and good allies with other states can solve this problem. He must build a good relation with the rank of the military. For internal issues he must subtly divide the opposition. People will admire if you institutionalize a public grand display of reward and punishment of deeds of the citizens. The relation of ministers is a critical task. Wise and loyal ministers contribute to the image of a wise prince. He must have an ability to understand things and build a confident relationship with them. He must avoid flattering ministers who lay their eggs of conspiracy in the blanket of opposition. He must seek advice but take decision by self. The bad luck has fallen on Italy. To succeed, Lorenzo must create a national army. A prince best defense is his own courage. If he succeeds to bring unity he would receive unending glory. “Nor can one express the love with which he would be received in all those scourging, with what thirst for revenge, with what stubborn faith, with what devotion, with what teas. What door would be closed to him? Who would refuse obedience to him? What envy would hinder him? What Italian could refuse him homage? To all of this barbarous dominion sinks.” 9 Critical analysis: The Prince is filled with the renaissance spirit and ideas. Machiavelli seems trying to separate - Philosophy from Politics, Ethic from Politics, and Religion from Politics. The earlier philosophers studied all of them as one discipline- philosophy. The prince is a book on direct response to the disunity and decay of the Florentine governmental system caused by foreign domination. Using The Prince as a manual, Machiavelli instructs Medici on how to acquire and maintain power and for a necessity to reunite Italy. Yet it is rather confusing, whether Machiavelli tries to give advice to princes, or to disclose the secrecy of politics, or to win favor from the prince to regain is old office, or to criticize the political scenario both in the state and the Church, or to separate politics from others disciplines. He loves the state more than the republic yet his “dismissed from office when the Medici returned, he was a lost man, continuing to follow political affairs at large with fascinated attention, continually denied the chance to participate in them himself. His loss was gain: he poured out his resentment in his books and the advice he was lunging to give the politicians went down on paper.”10 When Medici did not give him the office, he wrote a letter to Luigi Guicciardini- “It no longer charms me to read of the ancient world, nor to discuss the contemporary one … If you want to write anything about your love, do so, and discuss other things with those who value them more, and understand them better, because they have brought me nothing but loss.”11 He says that he has not joy of study history not present state. He loses his faith mankind as a whole saying “I have not one of those who fill their friends with vain hopes.” 12 The Prince reflects Machiavelli's fifteen years of experience in the chancery service of the Florentine Government. During his office times are the years of war or of an uneasy peace that is scarcely distinct form war. He has seen and experienced the immoral practices in politics. “Machiavelli does not simply endorse the use of bad faith in care of necessity– the lie that diverts the killer from his victim – but as a natural part of statecraft.”13 He has witnessed on succession of many princes and even the election of papacy which has lots of malpractices – immorality. He thus ironically praises the Church. There is no doubt that there are some malpractices in the Church’s politics too. Beside that he probably wants to separate politics fromthe Church as he wants to separate politics from philosophy can be seen, which the spirit of Renaissance is. Machiavelli says in politics real morality will not work but the appearance of morality. Besides that, he gives different ways and means to acquire power and position in the state politics. Due to this devilish way of advice to princes and notion on men, Machiavelli is criticized to the extreme that his name becomes a synonym of evil. But if you examine carefully, Machiavelli is not really advice a prince but revealing the secrecy of politics. Rulers of that time or even rulers of today practice different ways of malpractices to acquire power and reputation. He, being witnessed and experienced during his office time on how politicians procure political power through immoral conduct, says about the very nature of politics and its behaviour. Machiavelli says that it is men nature that they are ungrateful, fickle, deceptive, etc. Here Machiavelli is talking about the nature of politicians but not to general human nature. Looking at our modern political scenario, the present politicians follow the advice of Machiavelli. The sixteen century politics of Italy re-echoes in the present political scenario. Machiavelli presents the political reality as it was at that time in Italy; above all, being experienced in this matter, he knows in and out about politics, and thus he discloses the secrecy of politics. Machiavelli has got great concern for the unification of Italy. To strengthen and to bring unification, Italy needs a strong national army. He, therefore, advices a prince that he (prince) must not have other objective, no other thought, nor to take up any profession, but of war, its method and its discipline, which are the only art expected of a ruler. Machiavelli concerns for the state is a national army for, “it is unreasonable to expect that an armed man should obey one who is unarmed, or that an unarmed man should remained safe and secure when his servants are armed,”14 He has seen that the invasion has transformed Florence from a first-rate Italian power into a second-rate power under the domination of Spain. We must read The Prince without having any prejudice before reading. This book declares that a republic is the ideal form of government, not a state governed by the authority of a prince. And yet, we must note that Machiavelli never says anywhere in The Prince that he likes the notion of government by princes. He merely states that if a country is going to be governed by a prince, particularly a new prince, he has some advice as to how that prince should rule if he wishes to be great and powerful. In other words, Machiavelli’s book is absolutely practical and not at all idealistic. Leaving aside what government is the best in an ideal world, Machiavelli seems to try to imagine how such a ruler might achieve success. This book after all is dedicated to Lorenzo to help him be the best prince he can be. The Prince has a very practical and very specific goal in mind- Unification of Italy. The prince is full of historical references, yet the final chapters place the book give a lofty dreams of Machiavelli to unify Italy. And it is rather a satirical one describing the nature of political situation of that time. We have got a similar situation in our modern political spheres particularly in India. “Machiavelli was not seeking in The Prince to give specific advice for the present situation, but the book is vibrant, nevertheless, with the conviction that advice is needed and that he is the one to give it.”15 Machiavelli is glaringly conscious of the weakness and shame of Italy during those years of division between Italians and foreigners. He does not blame on rulers about her fall. He says that a prince must learn from history to bring unification of Italy. And so the sole purpose of writing this book, The Prince, is for the unification of Italy. This idea of unifications can be seen throughout the novel. Moreover, the final chapters give us some insight into the mind of the author and his motives for writing the book. They suggest that Machiavelli is not diabolic as he is often portrayed. Machiavelli, Niccolo. The Prince, tran. George Bull. New York, Penguin Books, 1961. Machiavelli, Niccolo. The Prince, tran. W.K. Marriott London, J.M Dent and Sons Ltd, 1964. Desbruslais, Cyril. A Survey of the History of Western Philosophy – Ancient, Medival, And Modern Periods, Jnana-Deepa Vidyapeeth, Pune, 1979. Hale, J. R. Machiavelli and Renaissance Italy. Harmondsworth: A Pelican book, 1972.
641pages on this wiki Some of this article needs to be modified to engineer's point-of-view. The word technologist is sometimes used instead of engineers synonymously as it derives from the prefix Techno- and (from the Classical Greek word for "word") the suffix -logist, hence, someone who studies technology. However, in some Latin countries, technologist is a somewhat lower certification at a level between technician and engineer. In many countries, Technologists are synonymous with applied scientists or engineers. Other countries have a clear distinction defined in law, where only individuals who have graduated an accredited curriculum in technology, and have a significant amount of work experience in their field, may become certified. History Edit Canada Edit In Canada, the Applied Science Technologist (AScT) designation and C.E.T. designation (a.k.a. Certified Engineering Technologist) was created in the 1960s with the goal to effectively bridge the gap between the highly theoretical nature of engineering degrees and the strictly practical approach of technician programs. 2 or 3-year technology programs are traditionally delivered by community colleges and technical institutes which have been accredited by the Canadian Technology Accredidation Board and the Canadian Council of Technicians and Technologists. Certification of engineering technologistsEdit Educational component Edit In general, a engineering technologist has a broad range of applied science and applied mathematics training. A technologist will also have the fundamentals of engineering related to a particular specialty or area of focus as their major. An engineering technologist is expected to have had some coursework in ethics. In the United States of America, Technologist certification requires a bachelor's degree in an engineering technology program accredited by the Technology Accreditation Commission of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (TAC/ABET). Work experience component Edit A certified engineering technologist must apprentice for a term, usually two years, before being able to apply for certification through a local governing body. In that time the technologist must have completed tasks which directly apply to their area of study. In Canada, technology program certification is done through the Canadian Technology Accreditation Board (CTAB), often in conjunction with provincial associations that are affiliated with the Canadian Council of Technicians and Technologists. Graduated technologists are certified by their provincial bodies. In simplest terms an technologist can perform most of the functions of an engineer or scientist and is usually working as part of a team with them. In some jurisdictions a technologist may even be able to sign and take responsibility for engineering work. See also Edit External links Edit Around Wikia's network Random Wiki
News Release Archive: News Release 668 of 954 August 19, 1998 12:00 AM (EDT) News Release Number: STScI-1998-26 Distant Heavyweight Galaxy Cluster Clobbers Dense-Universe Theory The full news release story: Distant Heavyweight Galaxy Cluster Clobbers Dense-Universe TheoryView this image A Space Telescope Science Institute astronomer has found the equivalent of the proverbial 900-pound gorilla in deep space. The "gorilla" is an extremely massive cluster of galaxies - the weight of several thousand of our Milky Ways - that existed when the universe was half its present age. Paradoxically, the unexpected discovery of this ancient, heavyweight cluster is one of the strongest pieces of evidence yet that we live in a lightweight universe, one that doesn't have enough bulk to provide the gravity necessary to halt the expansion of space. Using X-ray satellites and ground-based telescopes to probe the remote regions of space, Institute astronomer Megan Donahue discovered MS1054-0321, a hefty galaxy cluster containing thousands of galaxies and many trillions of stars. The cluster is 8 billion light-years from Earth. Besides being one of the heaviest clusters, it is also one of the hottest on record. The temperature of its intergalactic gas measures 300 million degrees Fahrenheit. Donahue's observations of this heavyweight cluster, along with her analysis of four other less distant but nearly as massive clusters, suggests that the early universe was a busy construction zone that has now slowed its activity, as expected of a low-density universe. Unearthing such a well-defined cluster at a time when the universe was so young was a surprise to Donahue, who reported her results in the Aug. 1 issue of the Astrophysical Journal. "When I first began studying this massive cluster, I expected to see lots of cool lumps, based on conventional theories of cluster evolution, which hold that clusters grow over long periods of time," Donahue said. "Instead, I found a huge, hot, well-structured cluster of galaxies." "If clusters have indeed been growing all along, we're looking back to a time where there shouldn't have been any massive clusters at all, and we're finding some. Our conclusion is that clusters of galaxies have slowed their growth rate significantly over the last 5 billion years or so, and that slower growth rate implies that the universe isn't dense enough to stop expanding," Donahue said. Added co-investigator Mark Voit, also an Institute astronomer: "I estimate that the odds of finding such a massive cluster so far in the past, given the standard picture of a dense universe, are about 1 in 100,000." In this traditional view of the universe, space holds just enough matter to be on the cusp of expanding forever or collapsing under its own weight into a reverse Big Bang. If this theory is true, then finding such a massive cluster so early in time is extremely unlikely, Donahue said. In a dense universe, clusters of galaxies grow continuously, getting more massive with every epoch. Therefore, astronomers expect to find fewer massive clusters in the past — if clusters have been growing continuously all along. The growth rate of clusters depends on how much matter is in space. A small change in the density of the universe creates a huge variation in the growth rate of clusters. Donahue selected MS1054-0321 because it is the most distant cluster in the Einstein Extended Medium Sensitivity Survey, a catalogue of the brightest galaxy clusters at far-flung distances. Several members of Donahue's team compiled the survey from observations made by the Einstein Observatory, an orbiting satellite, from 1978 to 1981. The cluster's distance and an independent estimate of its mass were confirmed by team member Isabella Gioia using the ground-based Canada-France-Hawaii telescope in Hawaii. Donahue also calculated the total amount of matter in the cluster by analyzing its X-ray emissions. Those observations were made in 1995 and 1996 by two orbiting observatories, the Advanced Satellite for Cosmology and Astrophysics (ASCA), jointly operated by Japan and the U.S., and the Roentgen Satellite, known as Rosat, operated by the U.S., Germany, and the United Kingdom. The emissions show that the space between the galaxies in the cluster is filled with a huge amount of extremely hot gas. This gas should have dissipated into space long ago, like steam escaping from a hot kettle. Instead, the gravitational pull of an immense amount of mass has contained this hot gas within the cluster. Because the amount of visible mass isn't enough to confine the gas within the cluster, Donahue reasoned, there must be plenty of invisible, "dark matter" around. Dark matter, many astronomers believe, constitutes most of the material in space. Knowing how much matter is necessary to keep the cluster together enabled Donahue to calculate its total mass. Based on her calculations, the cluster has an estimated mass of 1 quadrillion suns. Most of it, however, is in the form of dark matter, which is up to 10 times the mass of the normal material. Donahue's results support a growing consensus among astronomers that the universe will expand forever. Earlier this year, several teams of astronomers announced similar results using different methods, including measuring the expansion rate of the universe and the sizes and distances to remote galaxies. The astronomer's next step is to sample the cluster's visible light with the Hubble Space Telescope's Wide Field and Planetary Camera 2. With Hubble's sharp eyes, Donahue hopes to classify the types of galaxies in the cluster, pinpoint the concentration of star birth, and study how the cluster neighborhood may have affected the lives and past histories of the galaxies dwelling within. By pure coincidence, in 1996 the Hubble telescope captured the light of an exploding star, supernova 1996CL, in this distant cluster of galaxies. At the time the Hubble pictures were taken, 1996CL was the most distant supernova known. Members of the Supernova Cosmology Project, led by Saul Perlmutter of Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory in California, used the 1996CL data to demonstrate that the Hubble telescope is capable of imaging distant supernovae and their host galaxies even halfway across the universe. Such distant supernovae are so far away that they are used to measure the acceleration or deceleration of the expansion rate of the universe, the goal of Perlmutter's Supernova Project. Donahue's main collaborators are Isabella Gioia of the University of Hawaii, John Stocke of the University of Colorado, John Hughes of Rutgers University, and Mark Voit of the Space Telescope Science Institute. Donna Weaver/Ray Villard Space Telescope Science Institute, Baltimore, MD (Phone: 410/338-4493 or 410/338-4514) Megan Donahue Space Telescope Science Institute, Baltimore, MD (Phone: 410-338-4701)
Browse All Theses & Dissertations • Submissions (Articles, Chapters, and other finished products) Deborah Evans Parker (Creator) The University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG ) Web Site: http://library.uncg.edu/ C.P. Gause Abstract: a "The underlying motives of school choice emerged as major courses of action to offer parents opportunities for education in the free market enterprise and to limit the racial desegregation of public schools. This policy became known as "freedom of choice." Historically, parental choice of schools was the option of parents who could afford the tuition of private or parochial schools. The first options for public school choice appeared during the 1960's. Today, magnet schools are the most popular form of school choice. Montessori schools have become a well-liked preference of magnet school options. Fifteen years ago, there were approximately 50 public Montessori schools in the United States. Today, there are between 250 and 300 public Montessori schools. While research has been accumulating on why parents choose a particular type of school (parochial, private, magnet, charter, or local public school) far less is known about why parents choose a particular curriculum. The purpose of this dissertation is to explore how parents navigate school choice decisions and why they choose Montessori schools over other available options. This dissertation further examines if parents' educational choices correspond to their reasons for selecting Montessori schooling and the impact family income and ethnicity have on their preference for Montessori. The methodology of this study utilized a mixed methods research medium. The mixed methods approach blended two different research strategies, qualitative and quantitative. Recognizing the overlap between qualitative and quantitative research methods, the data from self-report surveys were supplemented with semi-structured interviews. Three hundred surveys were distributed to the parents of the Montessori school and interviews were held with ten parents of the same school. Of the original 300 surveys, 132 were returned and comprised my final sample. The quantitative findings indicate that parents who choose the Montessori school use a range of strategies to gain relevant information and are astute in choosing a school that is congruent with their particular values and aspirations. The qualitative findings illustrate why the Montessori curriculum has become so popular. Responses are remarkably similar across income and ethnicity."--Abstract from author supplied metadata. Additional Information Language: English Date: 2007 Montessori, curriculum, motives, school, choice, racial desegregation, public schools School choice--United States--Sociological aspects Montessori method of education--United States--Sociological aspects
Name of Activity Introduction to Motors Author STOMP Keywords motor, wire, batter, pulley, connection, electricity, axle, band, primary colors Subject Simple Machines Grade Level K, 1, 2, 3 Time 1 Hour Total Lesson Objectives: - To familiarize students with the LEGO motor, wire, and battery pack and how they function Brief Description In this activity, students will learn to connect the LEGO motor, wire, and battery. Students will use the spinning motor to make a piece of art work that they created. If students have made pulley walls, they will attach their motors to the pulley wall as well. Materials Needed: - LEGO Simple Machine Kits. - ‘Color Circles’ Worksheet. - Extra batteries or battery packs. - Scissors. - Tape. - Markers, crayons, or colored pencils in primary colors. - Color wheel to explain mixing of primary colors. Preparation and Set Up: - Arrange students in pairs. - Distribute ‘color wheel’ worksheets. - Distribute markers, crayons, or colored pencils. - Check that battery packs are working. Necessary Background N/A 1. Introduce the new pieces. 1. Explain that these pieces use electricity and have moving parts. This means that the students will have to be EXTRA CAREFUL and if the pieces are not used properly they will be taken away. 1. Motors and things attached to motors should NEVER touch people. 2. Motors should be run at your seat or on the floor. You should NEVER walk around with your motor. 2. Introduce the new pieces. 3. Show students how to connect the pieces. Talk about electricity and how it travels through the wire from the battery pack to the motor and that this is why the metal pieces must be connected for the motor to work properly. 2. Introduce the challenge by talking about primary colors and what happens when you mix two primary colors. Demonstrate what a color wheel is and how two primary colors produce the color between them. 3. Show students how to color and cut out the circles on their ‘color circles’ worksheet. 4. Have students color one wheel with two primary colors and the other wheel whatever the students want. 5. Tape the color circles to a pulley wheel and attach the wheel to a motor that is hooked to a battery pack. 6. Let the students explore what happens when their color circles spin. 7. Have students attach their pulley walls consisting of 4 pulley wheels to their motor using an axle extender. 8. Show students how they can attach 4 color wheels to the same wall and how they will all spin at once. Extensions or Modifications: - Allow students to do extra color designs on the ‘Color Circle’ worksheet (print out extras). Sample Image 1 Tagged with → Share → Leave a Reply Switch to our mobile site
Take the 2-minute tour × I was just wondering if it was possible to have a variable case using the keyboard? So the cases can be any choice from a to z and its completely variable eg: only choices a),b) and c) appear in one condition bur in another a),b),c),d) and e) might appear. Assume they all call the same function but input a different argument. char choice; int i; // This increments from char 'a' onward to 'b', 'c', 'd', etc. char character = 'a'; cout << static_cast<char>(character + i) << ") list of choices" << endl; cin >> choice; switch(choice) { // Same incremental principal to achieve variable cases char character = 'a'; character = (static_cast<char>(character + i) ); case character: carryOutJob(argumentDependantOnCharacter); If I run code similar to this I get errors that look a little something like this: : error: ‘character’ cannot appear in a constant-expression : error: jump to case label [-fpermissive] : error: crosses initialization of ‘char character’ : error: expected ‘;’ before ‘}’ token Error 1 share\|improve this question No, the case labels must be known at compile-time. – chris Oct 14 '12 at 0:20 I don’t see why this code would need a switch in the first place. Just write it without it, and without the for loop. carryOutJob(argumentDependentOnChoice) – Konrad Rudolph Oct 14 '12 at 0:27 2 Answers 2 up vote 1 down vote accepted C++ rule say case expression must be constant, so compiler can create code for it at compile time, and beside that if you are checking one character at a time why you don't use if? share\|improve this answer yea a for loop + if and else statements even ended up being shorter code. I thought it would result in a bizillion lines more so I wanted to avoid it... Cheers @BigBoss – Rhett Oct 14 '12 at 4:36 Also, as far as I know in c++ you can't have the switch statement case labels be strings. I tried this a while ago for a school assignment and ran into a tremendous amount of trouble. share\|improve this answer Your Answer
OLED power! New screens are solar panels, too We sure enjoy the OLED (organic light-emitting diode) screens, since their impressive efficiency means they consume less power than other types of displays, not to mention their potential to make the screens flexible. They work on the principle of electroluminescence — the process of turning electricity into light — and some clever researchers at Cornell University have created OLEDs that can also do the opposite: turn light into electricity. Associate professor George Malliaras led a team to build OLEDs that generate a voltage when exposed to bright light. This seems like the perfect way to build a solar-powered cell phone, notwithstanding the fact that we usually keep phones in our dark pockets and purses when not in use, recharging them during the sunlightless night. But building the new OLEDs into windows would be pretty cool — absorbing energy by day, serving as your TV when the sun goes down. Malliaras's team still needs to improve the efficiency of their creations, but manufacturers aren't exactly tripping over each other to roll out bigger OLED displays anyway. I think he's got time. Scenta, via Electro-Plankton
News Stories 'Lost world' discovered in Australian rain-forest Scientists have discovered a mini eco-system full of strange creatures in a remote territory of Australia. The 'lost world', as scientists are calling it, is believed to have remained undisturbed for millions of years. The discovery was made by Dr. Conrad Hoskin, of James Cook University, and Dr. Tim Laman, from Harvard University, who led a four-day expedition to the Cape Melville area of Australia, a region that he had been aware of for a decade but had previously only viewed from above. Their destination was a remote place situated on top of a high plateau measuring 1.8miles (2.9km) by 1.8 miles, and forms part of a larger range of mountains which extends for about nine miles (14.4km) and is around 3 miles (4.8km) across. The secret forest sits atop a gigantic pile of massive boulders and is totally inaccessible; the team were only able to reach it via helicopter. Dr. Hoskin said that their first impression of the new world was a magical combination of "incredible rainforest, good earth and clear, flowing streams". The lush paradise began to reveal its mysteries on the second day, when three brand new species of reptile were discovered: a "bizarre-looking" leaf-tailed gecko, a boulder-dwelling frog, and a golden-coloured skink that hunts insects by leaping boldly from rock to rock, unlike its mainstream relatives back in civilisation who have evolved to hide away in leaf litter, presumably to avoid detection from man and other predators. "We're talking about animals that are ancient — they would have been around in the rainforest of Gondwana... rainforest that's been there for all time," said Dr Hoskin. "I was just walking around along the ridge line and there was this small lizard, a skink, that was something completely new," he said. The next gift from the rainforest arrived later that day in the form of "beautiful blotched frogs with orange in their legs", as Dr. Hoskin described them. Initial observations revealed that the new frog -christened the "Blotched Boulder-Frog" - does not need to live near water, but instead lays its eggs in moist rock cavities during the rainy season, where its tadpoles grow into tiny froglets before hatching. A new type of reptile was hailed to be the most exciting discovery for the team, however: "Coming back by night, we saw an incredible leaf-tailed gecko. This thing was mind-blowing, completely bizarre. It's really big, around eight inches with long spindly legs and huge eyes." Dr. Hoskin believes that its odd appearance has evolved to allow it to see in dark crevices and navigate easily around the rocky terrain. Patrick Couper, Curator of Reptiles and Frogs at the Queensland Museum, and collaborator on the gecko’s description, shared the team's enthusiasm for the new creature, commenting that the Cape Melville Leaf-tailed Gecko was the "strangest new species to come across my desk in 26 years working as a professional herpetologist". “That this gecko was hidden away in a small patch of rainforest on top of Cape Melville is truly remarkable. What makes it even more remarkable is that two other totally new vertebrates were found at the same time,” he said. Dr. Hoskin's team plan to return to the area for a longer period, as in the four days they were there it was only possible to explore a fraction of the 'lost world', and he believes that it may yield even more exciting finds, such as birds, mammals and plants. "If anything's likely to harbour something amazing, it would be there. If we find a mammal that would be incredible," he said."We think in Australia that we know what's out there pretty well. But to be able to walk into a new mountain range and find several new animals immediately shows that there must be very many more out there." One can't help but wonder what the future now holds for the tiny paradise, and whether its discovery has introduced a risk from external influences, maybe harmful bacteria, into the delicately preserved eco-system which has remained perfectly balanced for millions of years. Man's impact of man on the rest of the planet has not generally been a positive one in natural terms but, in the interests of 'science', researchers must inevitably return to classify and observe the new discoveries. It is very exciting to think that there may be many other, as yet undiscovered, species living a secret existence in the far corners of the earth. In the words of Tim Laman: "There's still a big world out there to explore." Unknown Country endeavours to bring you important news from the edge of this world, and beyond. Subscribe today and become part of our unique and wonderful community! • Image Credit: • Morguefile It will be no time before we fuck this up too. I hope it's not just 'good eatin' ahead.' We've got to do better than that. Wait'll they run into the lost species of dinosaurs up there. It will be 'good eatin ahead' all-right! First error, giving out the location, even if approximate! Surely after decimating an appalling number of species and true wilderness here in Oz, we should be fiercely protecting what remains, especially something as unique as this. If we fail this time, then we bloody well do not deserve to live here. Let's hope that reason, this time, prevails.
Get Posts by E-mail Curmudgeon has taught math and science for thirty years and runs the Math Arguments 180 blog, an indispensable source of interesting prompts and questions. Here are three images he’s posted in the last month: In nine classes out of ten, you’ll find a teacher ask her students to calculate the area of those shapes. Maybe Curmudgeon would ask his/her students to calculate their area also. That’s a fine question. But Curmudgeon does an excellent job developing the question of calculating area by first asking: • What is an easy question we could ask about the shape? A medium difficulty question? A hard question? • What is the best way to find the area of the shape? • What combinations of addition or subtraction of figures could you use to find the area? Each question develops the next question. Earlier questions are informal and amorphous. Later questions are formal and well-defined. They all develop the main question of calculating area. They all make it easier for students to answer the main question of calculating area and they make that main question more interesting also. This technique runs back to my workshop participant’s advice that “you can always add but you can’t subtract.” Once you tell your students your question, you can’t ask “What questions do you have?” Once you tell students what information matters, you can’t ask them “What information matters here?” Once you tell them to calculate area, it becomes very difficult to ask them, “What shapes combined to make this shape?” Tomorrow: Why Graphing Stories does a pretty lousy job of developing the question. Preparation: If the main question is “sketch this real world relationship,” what are ways we could develop that question? In his book Why Students Don’t Like School, Daniel Willingham writes: One way to view schoolwork is as a series of answers. We want students to know Boyle’s law, or three causes of the U.S. Civil War, or why Poe’s raven kept saying, “Nevermore.” Sometimes I think that we, as teachers, are so eager to get to the answers that we do not devote sufficient time to developing the question. But as the information in this chapter indicates, it’s the question that piques people’s interest. Being told an answer doesn’t do anything for you. Developing a question is distinct from posing a question. Lately, I try to assume that every question I pose is more precise, more abstract, more instrumental, and less relational than it had to be initially, that I could have done a better job developing that question. If I do a good job developing a question, my students and I take a little longer to reach it but we reach it with a greater ability to answer it and more interest in that answer. Over the next few days, I’d like to offer an example of someone doing a good job developing the question and somebody else missing the mark. I’ll be the one who misses the mark with my Graphing Stories lesson. Math Curmudgeon will be the one who gets it right. After those entries, I’ll encourage us all to make a couple of resolutions for the future. 2014 Aug 13. Daniel Willingham weighs in: Practice may not always be fun, but it can be purposeful. Some of my favorite tasks lately contain purposeful practice. For instance, Dandy Candies tells students they’re going to package up 24 cubical candy boxes. It asks them, “Which of four packages uses the least amount of packaging? Which uses the least amount of ribbon?” This is the usual house style. Concrete imagery. No abstraction. Contrasting cases. Predictions. Students make their guesses. Then they get the dimensions from the video. They calculate surface area and ribbon length. (Ribbon length is a little bit more interesting than perimeter but not by a lot.) They validate their predictions with their calculations. But then we ask them to find out if another package dimension will use even less material. So now the students have to think systematically, tabling out their work so they don’t waste effort finding the surface area of a lot of different prisms. Contrast that against a worksheet like this, which is practice also, though rather less purposeful: Where else have you seen purposeful practice? I’d look to: BTW. Given any number of cubical candies, what is the best way to minimize packaging? Can you prove it? I can handle real number side lengths but when you restrict the sides to integers, my mind explodes a little. A workshop participant gave this algorithm. I have no reason to believe it works. I also have no reason to believe it doesn’t work. • Take the cube root of the volume. • Floor that to the nearest integer factor. • Square root the remainder factor. • Floor that to the nearest integer factor. • With the remainder factor, you have three factors now. • The smallest of all three factors is your height. • The other two are your length and width. Doesn’t matter which. Note to self: test this against a bunch of cases. Find a counterexample where it falls apart. The Chinese Room James Greeno: This is a pretty perfect parable. Featured Comment Joel Patterson, talking to commenters who’d send this parable along to their students’ parents: I like this parable. Before you condense it, and give it to all your parents, consider whether those parents have science/engineering backgrounds. It’s a pretty complicated picture to envision. I think S/E people would grasp it (if they haven’t heard of it already) and would get your point. But if the parents have less of an S/E background, the complicated parable is likely to bore them and not convey your point. Have an explanation at hand that is more like the guitar players who can improvise, not just repeat the 5 songs they’ve memorized. Or cooks who can put together a soup without the recipe because they know which spices and foods have good flavors together. Previously: [Makeover] These Tragic “Write An Expression” Problems tl;dr. I made another digital math lesson in collaboration with Christopher Danielson and our friends at Desmos. It’s called Central Park and you should check out the Walkthrough. Here are two large problems with the transition from arithmetic to algebra: Variables don’t make sense to students. We give students variable expressions like the exponential one above, which they had no hand in developing, and ask them to evaluate the expression with a number. The student says, “Ohhh-kay,” and might do it but she doesn’t know what pianos have to do with exponential equations nor does she know where any of those parameters came from. She may regard the whole experience as one of those nonsensical rites of school math which she’ll forget about as soon as she’s legally allowed. Variables don’t seem powerful to students. In school, using variables is harder than using arithmetic. But what does that difficulty buy us, except a grade and our teacher’s approval? Meanwhile, in the world, variables are responsible for anything powerful you have ever done with a computer. Students should experience some of that power. One solution. Our attempt at solving both of those problems is Central Park. It proceeds in three phases. We ask the students to drag parking lines into a lot to make four even spaces. Students have no trouble stepping over this bar. We are making sure the main task makes sense. We transition to calculation by asking the students “What measurements would you need to figure out the exact space between the dividers?” This question prepares them to use the numbers we give them next. Now they use arithmetic to calculate the space width for a given lot. They do that three times, which means they get a sense of the parts of their arithmetic that change (the width of the lot, the width of the parking lines) and those that don’t (dividing by the four lots). This will be very helpful as we take the next big leap. We give students numbers and variables. They can calculate the space width arithmetically again but it’ll only work for one lot. When they make the leap to variable equations, it works for all of them. It works for sixteen lots at once. Variables should make sense and make students powerful. That’s our motto for Central Park. 2014 Jul 28. Here is Christopher Danielson’s post about Central Park on the Desmos blog. Featured Comment Grant Wiggins: In thinking further about your complaint about “Write an expression” I think what is also going on in this app is a NEEDED slowing down of the learning process. The text (and too many teachers) are quick to jump to algorithms before the students understands their nature and value. Look how long it takes to get to the concept of an appropriate expression in the app: you build to it slowly and carefully. I think this is at the heart of the kind of induction needed for genuine understanding, where the learner is helped, by scaffolding, to draw thoughtful and evidence-based conclusions; test them in a transfer setting; and learn from the feedback – i.e. the essence of what we argue understanding is in UbD. Kevin Hall: One reason I like this activity so much is that it hits the sweet spot where “What can you do with it?” and “What does it mean?” overlap. « Prev - Next »
Space News space history and artifacts articles space history discussion forums worldwide astronaut appearances selected space history documents related space history websites arrow advertisements Columbia's Arlington February 1, 2004 — The nearly 84,000 pieces of Space Shuttle Columbia debris recovered after the orbiter was lost one year ago today, now reside on the 16th floor of the building where Columbia was readied for launch. On Friday, NASA invited reporters to the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, to view the repository inside the Vehicle Assembly Building. "We think of this as the Arlington National Cemetery for Columbia," said Space Shuttle Launch Director Michael Leinbach. "This is Columbia's final resting place." The media tour was in advance of the room being closed to all but reseachers and a select group of employees. "It's not a museum," said Scott Thurston, NASA's leader for the Columbia Preservation Team. "We kind of think of it as more of a library. It's a place of learning." The 7,000 square foot room, converted from engineering office space, is divided into two major areas. At the front are the larger, more recognizable pieces, including frames to the cockpit windows, remnants of the crew hatch, and the support skeleton of the vertical stabilizer "tail". Also on display are the reconstructed leading edge panels from Columbia's left wing and the orbiter's data recorder. "I think it's fair to say that the pieces that are out are the ones that helped us most in the investigation," Leinbach said. "But it was not intended that way." Further into the repository, behind a room-wide banner signed by Columbia's STS-107 launch team, are rows of large boxes, each filled with debris that comprises the majority of the 84,147 pounds recovered. Each piece is individually numbered and catalogued, with manifests attached to each box. The debris is also visually indexed within a computer database. "We know exactly where each piece of Columbia is," Leinbach said. "We could probably retrieve any piece of Columbia we wanted to in a couple of hours." Absent from the main repository are the contents of the crew compartment. The cabin's remains are in a separate access-restricted room located nearby, controlled by the Astronaut Office. All of Columbia's debris, including the crew compartment is available by request for study. As of Friday, NASA had received approximately 20 research proposals, most from universities, though requests may be made by anyone. "It's a fitting end for [Columbia]," said Leinbach. "She will be used forever in study. So while her mission in space is over, her mission to the betterment of spacecraft designers is just now beginning." The frames of Columbia's crew cockpit windows. The cabin hatch (left) and Spacehab tunnel (right). The left and right sides of the vertical stablizer. RCS thrusters (left) and the OEX data recorder (right). Leading edge panels (left) and computer parts (right) Main (left) and nose (right) landing gear. Tiles (left) including one found farthest west (right) Rows of storage boxes (left) and their contents (right) Various fuel tanks (left) and Columbia's nose (right) Debris found, from the large (left) to the small (right) back to collectSPACE © 1999-2014 collectSPACE.com All rights reserved. Questions? E-mail [email protected] Feedback: Messages
Quota sampling Quota sampling is a type of non-probability sampling technique. Non-probability sampling focuses on sampling techniques that are based on the judgement of the researcher [see our article Non-probability sampling to learn more about non-probability sampling]. This article explains (a) what quota sampling is, (b) how to create a quota sample, and (c) the advantages and disadvantages (limitations) of quota sampling. Quota sampling explained Imagine that a researcher wants to understand more about the career goals of students at the University of Bath. Let's say that the university has roughly 10,000 students. These 10,000 students are our population (N). In order to understand more about this population, we only need to examine a sample (n) of students, not the whole population of 10,000 students. Furthermore, sometimes we are interested in particular strata (groups) within the population. Therefore, the quota sample involves dividing the population into two or more strata (groups). These strata are expressed as H. For example, imagine we were interested in comparing the differences in career goals between male and female students at the University of Bath. If this was the case, we would want to ensure that the sample we selected had a proportional number of male and female students relative to the population. Therefore, the total number of male and female students included in our quota would only be equal if 5,000 students from the university were male and the other 5,000 students were female. Since this is unlikely to be the case, the number of units that should be selected for each stratum (that is, the number of male and female students selected) will vary. We explain how this is achieved in the next section: Creating a quota sample. Creating a quota sample To create a quota sample, there are three steps: (a) choosing the relevant stratification and dividing the population accordingly; (b) calculating a quota for each stratum; and (c) continuing to invite cases until the quota for each stratum is met. Choose the relevant stratification and divide the population accordingly If we wanted to look at the differences in male and female students, this would mean choosing gender as the stratification, but it could similarly involve choosing students from different subjects (e.g., social sciences, medicine, engineering, education, etc.), year groups, or some other variable(s). Calculate a quota for each stratum The number of cases that should be included in each stratum will vary depending on the make-up of each stratum within the population. If we were to examine the differences in male and female students, for example, the number of students from each group that we would include in the sample would be based on the proportion of male and female students amongst the 10,000 university students. For example, if there were 6,000 male students (60% of the total) and 4,000 female students (40% of the total), our sample would need to be made up of 60% males and 40% females. If our desired sample size was 100 students, this would mean our sample should include 60 male students and 40 female students. Continue to invite cases until the quota for each stratum is met Once you have selected the number of cases you need in each stratum, you simply need to keep inviting participants to take part in your research until each of these quotas are filled. Sampling as part of your dissertation? Read our guide... Advantages and disadvantages (limitations) of quota sampling Advantages of quota sampling Quota sampling is particularly useful when you are unable to obtain a probability sample, but you are still trying to create a sample that is as representative as possible of the population being studied. In this respect, it is the non-probability based equivalent of the stratified random sample. Unlike probability sampling techniques, especially stratified random sampling, quota sampling is much quicker and easier to carry out because it does not require a sampling frame and the strict use of random sampling techniques. This makes it popular in undergraduate and master's level dissertations where there is a need to divide the population being studied into strata (groups). The quota sample improves the representation of particular strata (groups) within the population, as well as ensuring that these strata are not over-represented. For example, it would ensure that we have sufficient male students taking part in the research (60% of our sample size of 100; hence, 60 male students). It would also make sure we did not have more than 60 male students, which would result in an over-representation of male students in our research. The use of a quota sample, which leads to the stratification of a sample (e.g., male and female students), allows us to more easily compare these groups (strata). Disadvantages of quota sampling In quota sampling, the sample has not been chosen using random selection, which makes it impossible to determine the possible sampling error. Indeed, it is possible that the selection of units to be included in the sample will be based on ease of access and cost considerations, resulting in sampling bias. It also means that it is not possible to make statistical inferences from the sample to the population. This can lead to problems of generalisation. It must be possible to clearly divide the population into strata; that is, each unit from the population must only belong to one stratum. In our example, this would be fairly simple, since our strata are male and female students. Clearly, a student could only be classified as either male or female. No student could fit into both categories (ignoring transgender issues). Furthermore, imagine extending the sampling requirements such that we were also interested in how career goals changed depending on whether a student was an undergraduate or graduate. Since the strata must be mutually exclusive, this means that we would need to sample four strata from the population: undergraduate males, undergraduate females, graduate males, and graduate females. This will increase overall sample size required for the research, which can increase costs and time to carry out the research.
Wednesday, July 25, 2012 Edible Fire Safety Tutorial for Kids and Scouts With the recent drought and wildfires in this country, teaching kids fire safety is even more important than ever. Edible fire safety lesson for Scouts What you'll need: • mini marshmallows and/or cheerios • pretzels • potato sticks • red hots, hot tamales or other candy • candy corn • cups • plates 1. Pull back your hair. 2. Create a safety circle outside your "fire circle." (Make sure the area is clear around your plate.) 3. Fill a "water bucket" (a cup) and keep nearby. 5. Create an A-frame of "logs" with your pretzels. 6. Make a teepee of "tinder" (potato sticks). 8. Add your "kindling" (short pretzels or Chinese noodles). 9. Candy corn will show it's burning brighter. (optional) Follow Robbie @'s board Girl Scout Camp on Pinterest. 1 comment: tisanjosh said... That tutorial would be helpful for their life. Such fire safety training Held in London by Medway safety com ltd.
【Fujitsu】 FACOMα (Alpha) This was a computer from Fujitsu specifically designed for high-speed processing of the Lisp language. In the early 1980s, there was active research and development on artificial intelligence throughout the world. The α (Alpha) computer -- designed specifically for high-speed processing of the Lisp language -- was developed in 1982 as a symbol of artificial research by Fujitsu's Research Laboratories. It was later commercialized in 1985 as the FACOM (Alpha) (announced in July 1974). At the time, most dedicated processors for the Lisp language were the stand-alone type, but the FACOM α(Alpha) focused on higher performance, and had an attachment (back-end) configuration so it could be connected to a minicomputer or general-purpose computer. This machine had the following features: 1. It was comprised of a CPU for performing Lisp processing, 4-8MB of main memory, and an SVP (Service Processor) for performing microprogram loading and diagnostics. 2. It was connected with a host computer via a general-purpose channel (BMC: Block Multiplexor Channel), and the FACOM α (Alpha) was equipped with an adapter for that purpose. 3. The FACOM α(Alpha) was equipped with the following capabilities: 　An interpreter, compiler, standard functions, garbage collector and other Lisp language processing 　Function processing for converting character strings sent from the host to Lisp objects and vice versa 　The ability for a maximum of 8 users to operate the machine at the same time Higher 4. performance by implementing a hardware stack (performance was about 6 times better than general-purpose computers) The FACOM α(Alpha) was used not only for artificial intelligence research, but also for practical systems -- such as a blast furnace diagnostic expert system for steelworks. However, only about 30 units of the FACOM α(Alpha) were shipped, and it was not successful as a business. The improvement of performance in general-purpose processors was remarkable, and very little priority was placed on the development of dedicated computers (which take time to develop). No successor α(Alpha) was developed. FACOM α (Alpha)Commercial Version of the "α (Alpha)" Lisp Machine
The Eight Golden Rules of Dialog Design These rules are due to Ben Schneiderman 1. Strive for Consistency 2. Enable Frequent Users to use shortcuts 3. Offer Informative Feedback 4. Design Dialogs to yield closure 5. Offer simple error handling 6. Permit easy reversal of actions 7. Support internal locus of control 8. Reduce Short term memory load Return to GUI home page. Last Changed: 1995
Advertisement Upgrade to remove ads Respiratory Shock Trauma to the respiratory tract (trachea, lungs) that causes a reduction of oxygen and carbon dioxide exchange. Body cells cannot receive enough oxygen. Neurogenic Shock Injury or trauma to the nervous system (spinal cord, brain). Nerve impulse to blood vessels impaired, blood vessels remain dilated and blood pressure decreases. Cardiogenic Shock Myocardial Infarction with damage to heart muscle; heart unable to pump effectively. Inadequate cardiac output. Body cells do not receive enough oxygen. Hemorrhagic Shock Severe bleeding or loss of body fluid from trauma, burns, surgery, or dehydration from severe nausea and vomiting. Blood pressure decreases, thus blood flow is reduced to cells, tissue, and organs. Anaphylactic Shock Results from reaction to substance to which patient is hypersensitive or allergic (allergen extracts, bee sting, medication, food). Outpouring of histamine results in dilation of blood vessels throughout the body. Metabolic Shock Body's homeostasis impaired; acid-base balance disturbed (diabetic coma or insulin shock); body fluids unbalanced. Psychogenic Shock Shock caused by overwhelming emotional factors. Sudden dilation of blood vessels results in fainting because of lack of blood supply to the brain. Septic Shock An acute infection, usually systemic, that overwhelms the body (toxic shock symdrome). Poisonous substances accumulate in bloodstream and blood pressure decreases, impairing blood flow to cells, tissues, and organs. Please allow access to your computer’s microphone to use Voice Recording. Having trouble? Click here for help. We can’t access your microphone! Reload the page to try again! Press Cmd-0 to reset your zoom Press Ctrl-0 to reset your zoom Please upgrade Flash or install Chrome to use Voice Recording. For more help, see our troubleshooting page. Your microphone is muted For help fixing this issue, see this FAQ. Star this term You can study starred terms together NEW! Voice Recording Create Set
Forgot your password? Earth Government NASA The Almighty Buck United States Science US Climate Satellite Capabilities In Jeopardy 127 Posted by Soulskill from the potent-potables dept. An anonymous reader writes with this excerpt from Wired: "The United States is in danger of losing its ability to monitor key climate variables from satellites, according to a new Government Accountability Office report. The country's Earth-observing satellite program has been underfunded for a decade, and the impact of the lack of funds is finally hitting home. The GAO report found that capabilities originally slated for two new Earth-monitoring programs, NPOESS and GOES-R, run by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Department of Defense, have been cut, and adequate plans to replace them do not exist. Meanwhile, up until six months ago, NASA had 15 functional Earth-sensing satellites. Two of them went down in the past year, and of the remaining 13, 12 are past their design lifetimes. Only seven may be functional by 2016, said Waleed Abdalati, a longtime NASA satellite scientist now teaching at the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Studies at the University of Colorado at Boulder. Taken together, American scientists will soon find themselves without the ability to monitor changes to key Earth systems at a time when such measurements could help determine the paths of the world's energy and transportation systems." US Climate Satellite Capabilities In Jeopardy Comments Filter: • by hedwards (940851) on Saturday June 05, 2010 @10:01AM (#32468442) And where exactly does the White House get these facts? This isn't like the Bush administration which could just make things up, because quite frankly a lot of idiots out there buy into it and the press gives him a largely free pass. • Re:Let's collaborate (Score:5, Informative) by wiredlogic (135348) on Saturday June 05, 2010 @10:15AM (#32468504) The US is too large to receive adequate coverage from across the Atlantic and Pacific. Japan has had its own problems with an imagery gap and was using GOES-9 [wikipedia.org] on loan from us until a few years ago. Geosynchronous satellites can't easily be repositioned as it wastes fuel that is needed for basic stationkeeping. • Historical Record... (Score:4, Informative) by Lunatrik (1136121) on Saturday June 05, 2010 @10:20AM (#32468530) One thing that is frequently overlooked is the importance of comparable satellites through time for long-term environmental monitoring. This makes collaboration with other countries /sensors challenging, as to say Landsat ETM data's ~30m (for example) is comparable to SPOT data's ~10m (again, for example) is quite a stretch. Common tools for taking care of these differences are fraught with problems, and worse still many people don't care about or just ignore these problems during analysis.... • Re:Outsourced (Score:5, Informative) by idontgno (624372) on Saturday June 05, 2010 @10:33AM (#32468586) Journal Because where the satellite is has a large impact on the data. There are really only two classes of orbit for Earth-observation satellite platforms: geostationary and low-earth polar. In the summary, GOES-R is the US follow-on geostationary, and NPOESS is the US follow-on polar orbiter. Geostationary satellites provide continuous coverage but somewhat low resolution, and coverage of the same hemisphere of the Earth at all times. Because satellite observations at the limb of the visible hemisphere is low-quality (low incident angle with the Earth's surface, long slant path through the atmosphere, etc.), you really can't just have two geos for the entire world. You need at least four, at 90 degree offsets, and more if you can afford it. The US operates two: GOES-11 and GOES-12, out over the eastern Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean respectively. There are more, operated by other nations, and we do share data with them. We even coordinate operations: When the Japanese Meteorological Agency had its on-station geosat (GMS-5) fail and its replacement failed to reach orbit after launch, the US reactivated the retired Pacific geo GOES-9, shifted its orbit to cover GMS-5's slot, and leased it to the Japanese. (Leased, of course, because (A) you need to cover the additional costs of operating another satellite, and (B) why walk away from profit?) So, what's the point of that little discussion? If the US loses both of current active geostationaries, someone else (another nation) would have to shift an existing spacecraft over to cover it and lease it to us. That's a bit bigger than "sharing the data", which, as I point out, we already do. And that's also only a temporary state of affairs, since no one will ever shift over their primary on-station geostationary. It'd have to be a spare, and probably not a future spare, but a deactivated retired spacecraft, and therefore very very temporary. That's geostationary spacecraft. In summary, the US needs to have 2 spacecraft stationed at 135 degrees West and 104 degrees West, and no one else will be providing them on any terms and with any permanence we'd need in order to rely on them. Polar-orbiters? Kind of a similar situation. A polar-orbiting earth-observing spacecraft orbits at about 100 miles up and an orbital inclination of about 80 degrees. (A 90 degree orbital inclination passes over both poles; a 0 degree inclination parallels the equator.) That orbital path allows the spacecraft to look down at Earth in a track that eventually (approximately every 30 hours) covers the entire surface of the Earth. But that's a long time between looks at a particular spot on Earth. The low orbit provides wonderful resolution: each pixel in the imagery of one of the next-generation polar orbiters can be as small as 400 meters. For meteorology and climate observation, that's fantastic. But very low frequency. So you need multiple spacecraft to provide adequate temporal resolution (each pixel is newer than 24 hours). Also, different spacecraft can look at any given point on Earth at different local times (i.e., one spacecraft sees Albuquerque at about 6 AM local time, the next sees it at around 2:30 PM.) This matters because time-of-day variation and sun zenith angle matter at the resolutions and sensitivities of the instruments in question. No one but the US operates polar orbiters in the polar slots that the US currently occupies, so no one can provide the data for us to use. • Re:Let's collaborate (Score:2, Informative) by etresoft (698962) on Saturday June 05, 2010 @10:46AM (#32468640) I wonder if we could work more closely with Europe and Japan so together we'd get all the data we need without having to foot the whole bill. We already do that. One of the key instruments on NASA's Terra satellite is Japan's ASTER. Terra is on year 11 of a 5 year mission. But Japan's funding in this area is much smaller than that of the US. • Re:You are blind (Score:5, Informative) by JoshuaZ (1134087) on Saturday June 05, 2010 @10:46AM (#32468642) Homepage While many of your points are correct and the person you are replying to is a bit of an ass, let's not forget that these cuts occurred under Bush. See for example http://news.mongabay.com/2007/0502-aaas.html [mongabay.com]. Part of the logic here seemed to almost be "I don't believe that climate change is a problem or is occurring and if I cut your funding you won't be able to show that it is bad." Or something very close to that. This particular problem really can be blamed on the Bush admin. • Re:National Security (Score:4, Informative) by idontgno (624372) on Saturday June 05, 2010 @10:47AM (#32468654) Journal Or does the defense department have their own weather satellite network? That's a good question. It's wrapped up in this story. The short answer is that yes, DoD has its own weather satellite network for the polar orbiting capability. It's called DMSP [wikipedia.org], and it's the granddaddy of polar orbiter weather satellites. Spacecraft from that program are still flying, but no new ones are being acquired. After the current and on-orbit spares are gone, that's probably it. As part of a Clinton-administration order, all US weather satellite operations and acquisition activities were "converged" into a single agency. DoD lost its ability to independently acquire military weather sats, or begin development of new ones. The joint Earth observation satellite program now includes NOAA, NASA, and the DoD, and they have a limited budget and somewhat conflicting goals. But the practical effect is that everyone has to contribute to, and use when they become available, the next-generation EO satellites the article was talking about. To replace DMSP birds, the DoD is depending on NPOESS, since that's the next-gen polar orbiter. • by etresoft (698962) on Saturday June 05, 2010 @10:52AM (#32468682) It is even harder than that. Resolution isn't important for science - spectral bands are. Landsat ETM+ has 8 bands, while SPOT has 4. The MODIS instrument alone on NASA's Terra and Aqua spacecraft has 36 bands. ASTER has 15 bands just for infrared. • Re:So? (Score:5, Informative) by idontgno (624372) on Saturday June 05, 2010 @10:58AM (#32468702) Journal I think the climate angle of this story is being overplayed. Makes sense, really; that's the sexy hot topic in the big-brain set, and a great way to sell if you're selling satellites. But these aren't just climate change "OMG Evil CO2" satellites. These are operational meteorological satellites. If you like decent weather forecasts and value the ability to track hurricanes and typhoons (and other assorted tropical storm phenomena), you care about these spacecraft. Satellite meteorology has revolutionized severe weather handling and medium-range weather forecasting for the last 40 years. Let's not quit now because Al Gore has painted the cross of Climate Change on the sides of these spacecraft. • by Lunatrik (1136121) on Saturday June 05, 2010 @10:58AM (#32468706) "Resolution isn't important for science" Spatial resolution is very important in my field (Land Use/Cover analysis), mostly due to Modifiable Areal Unit (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Modifiable_areal_unit_problem) / Ecological Fallacy (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecological_fallacy) issues. That being said, I do agree Spectral resolution is very important as well, and a difference I shouldn't have omitted in my original post. Even radiometric and temporal resolution matters when you get down to it. • Re:Yup (Score:5, Informative) by 99BottlesOfBeerInMyF (813746) on Saturday June 05, 2010 @11:30AM (#32468832) Secondly, another reason is the number of people who live and work on farms. If you didn't subsidise, all of those people would be out of work. I think you're missing the distinction. A lot of us are in favor of subsidizing small farmers in order to have a secure supply of food grown in our nation. The thing is, it used to be primarily small farms and a small portion of large agricultural operations. But large farming operations have driven the population you mention out of business and mostly out of work. 25% of the US lived and worked on farms in the 30's when the subsidies were first implemented. Now it's less than 2% of our population, with the majority of those subsidies going to huge corporate farms. In fact, a study a few years ago showed 73% of the subsidies are disproportionately paid to the 10% of farming production that makes up the largest, corporate farms. We not only subsidize larger farms more, but vastly more in proportion to what they make, underwriting their ability to drive out small farms and lower overall rates of employment. But simply saying "corporate welfare" is a bit too general and doesn't help understand the underlying issues. "Corporate Welfare" is a term used to describe bills and funding that move cash from tax dollars into the pockets of large corporations. It primarily happens because those corporations use their money to buy influence over the political system to create or modify laws in their favor. This is a pretty clear cut case of corporate welfare. • Re:National Security (Score:1, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday June 05, 2010 @02:06PM (#32469842) That was changed earlier this year - the NPOESS was terminated and DoD and NASA/NOAA are now on separate development paths. DoD will be responsible for the morning polar satellites while NASA/NOAA will develop satellites for the mid-afternoon orbits. The United States will continue to rely on the European Metop satellites for weather data in the morning orbit. • Re:You are blind (Score:2, Informative) by pankajmay (1559865) on Saturday June 05, 2010 @07:24PM (#32471760) What part of the health care reform bill will save thousands of lives? Do you even know what the bill does? Have you read any of it? Even a summary? All the bill does is give more money to insurance corporations, force people to buy health insurance who didn't before, and tax the middle class. That's it. There's no magic spells in it to save lives. You've swallowed the partisan bullcrap hook, line, and sinker. Ok, I think you are going a little overboard in trying to prove your point. The health care bill though may be not as dramatic, is a significant step. Here are some of the things it does, that did not happen before: 1. Cover pre-existing medical condition. 2. Cover a child with pre-existing condition. 3. The insurance companies are not allowed to rescind their coverage if you develop a serious illness 4. Customers of all insurance plans will ow have a right to appeal any denial of coverage - not possible before for everyone. 5. No lifetime cap on coverage by the insurance companies. 6. Health insurance shopping exchange. Look, I get your argument for not buying into partisan arguments, but do not deny things that were actually achieved. It is true that Republicans did not want all those changes above and are actively working to weaken them. Democratic processes work via consensus and it is true that to a certain extent they are all tainted. However, passage of this health care bill would not have happened without this president. Somehow I feel that it is people who have gotten so sick of all this partisan muck that allow the party of bigotry (GOP) to actually advance ahead with senseless arguments - because this party targets people's emotions in a misleading way to garner its support. This does not mean that democrats are in the white -- but currently what we really need in this country is a little more logic, and a lot less rhetoric. And much of this implies that people who have gotten sick must make their voice heard.
Compass Points more ... Compass Points The directions on the magnetic compass. The 4 main points are North, South, East and West (going clockwise they are NESW). Halfway between each of these is North-East, South-East, South-West and North-West. And in between all of those are: NNE (north-north-east), ENE (east-north-east), ESE (east-south-east), SSE (south-south-east), SSW (south-south-west), WSW (west-south-west), WNW (west-north-west), NNW (north-north-west) Example: in the morning there was a strong North wind, but later it swung around to the North-East See: Compass
Yom Kippur Katan A fast day associated with the new moon. Print this page Print this page There is a pre‑Safed reference to people fasting on the eve of Rosh Chodesh, since Rosh Chodesh is a minor festival on which no fasting is allowed. The waning and waxing of the moon became associated with the fate of Israel, which is compared in the Talmud to the moon. In the Kabbalah these ideas were interpreted so as to convey the mystery of the exile of the Shekhinah [God's presence], brought about by the sins of Israel. According to the doctrine of the Sefirot [a kabbalistic notion of the divine emanations], the sun represents Tiferet and the moon MaIkhut, the Shekhinah, hence the mythically charged notion that the exile of the Shekhinah from Her Spouse, the disharmony in the Sefirotic realm, is caused by Israel's sinfulness, and harmony above will only be fully restored when Israel repents. Everything in the great cosmic drama is leading up to the coming of the Messiah. With the advent of the Messiah the exile of the "holy moon," the Shekhinah, will be ended. The new moon is welcomed as evidence of the future redemption of the Shekhinah from Her exile but, on the day before, Yom Kippur Katan, there has to be prayer, fasting, and supplication in order to find atonement for the sins committed during the previous month and thus hasten the redemption. Please consider making a donation today. Rabbi Louis Jacobs
Definición de secede en inglés: Silabificación: se·cede Pronunciación: /səˈsēd [no object] Withdraw formally from membership in a federal union, an alliance, or a political or religious organization: the kingdom of Belgium seceded from the Netherlands in 1830 Más ejemplos en oraciones • What was Abraham Lincoln's answer to Southerners who voted democratically to secede? • In 1991, Germany gave Croatia and Slovenia the green light to secede from the Yugoslav federation; civil war soon followed. withdraw from, break away from, break with, separate (oneself) from, leave, split with, split off from, disaffiliate from, resign from, pull out of informal quit early 18th century: from Latin secedere, from se- 'apart' + cedere 'go'. Más ejemplos en oraciones • Thus the centrifugal tendency of seceders' nationalism was crucial. • On its disruption in 1884 he became head of the seceders, who organized themselves as the Socialist League, and was to lecture and write for the cause with great energy. • Over the centuries, schisms occurred in which the seceders switched allegiance to Rome, forming the Uniate churches. Obtener más de Oxford Dictionaries Subscribirse para eliminar anuncios y acceder a los recursos premium Palabra del día impudicity Pronunciación: ˌɪmpjʊˈdɪsɪti lack of modesty
Arsia Mons Flank 2543 of 3939 Arsia Mons Flank April 16, 2007 This Martian image shows glacier-like flow in a depression in the flanks of Arsia Mons. Arsia Mons is one of the large Martian volcanoes that sits near the equator on the Tharsis Rise. Downslope is towards the top left of the image, and flow is in this direction. It is interesting to note that the depression being viewed is not directly radial from the volcano's peak, but rather oriented approximately 45 degrees away from radial, along the flanks of the volcano. The pitted texture of the material suggests that sublimation is occurring or has occurred. Sublimation is when a substance, such as water ice, goes directly from a solid state to a gaseous state without going through an intermediate liquid phase. The surface temperature and pressure on Mars are such that water in ice-rich material can easily sublimate leaving behind a depression where the volatiles were removed. It is possible that the flow features in this image are relict glaciers. The flow lobes and surface lineations are similar to those found on glaciers on Earth. The merging of the lobes seen in the bottom of the image and the subimage (approximately 3.2 km across) implies that multiple walls are shedding material. It's possible that the flanks of Arsia Mons contain ice-rich material possibly deposited during a different obliquity (tilt of Mars' spin axis) or climate regime. Observation Geometry Image PSP_002922_1725 was taken by the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera onboard the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter spacecraft on 12-Mar-2007. The complete image is centered at -7.3 degrees latitude, 236.2 degrees East longitude. The range to the target site was 276.7 km (172.9 miles). At this distance the image scale is 27.7 cm/pixel (with 1 x 1 binning) so objects ~83 cm across are resolved. The image shown here has been map-projected to 25 cm/pixel and north is up. The image was taken at a local Mars time of 03:49 PM and the scene is illuminated from the west with a solar incidence angle of 57 degrees, thus the sun was about 33 degrees above the horizon. At a solar longitude of 198.7 degrees, the season on Mars is Northern Autumn. comments powered by Disqus
Global warming worst case = Only slight misery increase Peasants wouldn't be revolting, they'd be in clover Secure remote control for conventional and virtual desktops The peasants aren't revolting - they've never had it so good According to conventional wisdom, though, the world's teeming poor - who spend most of their small incomes on getting enough to eat - would be hit hard. This would lead to widespread famines, misery, possible mass migrations and wars and plagues etc: the disaster scenario as offered by warming alarmists. Not so much, according to Lobell's colleagues, analysing the consequences of this high-end-of-what-could-happen temperature rise. Many people would indeed be hit hard in the Third World: the urban poor, and those in "semi-arid" nations like Zambia or Malawi where crop yields would be hit extra hard. But small farmers in other nations, a group which accounts for very large numbers of people, would be very happy: rising food prices would lift them out of their hardscrabble existences and make them comparatively well-off. Across the 15 developing nations modelled, the misery would slightly outweigh the prosperity: but overall the poverty rate would increase by only 3 per cent in the almost-worst-case +1.5°C scenario. The same effect would act in reverse, however, supposing the IPCC dice come up double six rather than snake-eyes, and temperatures climb only 0.5°C. This would see crop yields actually rise and food prices dropping, which in theory would be excellent news for the world's poor. But the small farmers would be hit hard, taking a lot of the edge off the good news: poverty rates among self-employed farmers in Thailand, for instance, would soar by 60 per cent. Improvements to the lot of the non-farming poor would be relatively modest in the high-yield scenario, according to the FSE. Poor non-farmer Thais would see "a slight drop in poverty", and even in semi-arid Africa the townsmen would only see a 5 per cent misery drop. All in all, from what the researchers say, the likeliest result is that no disasters can be expected. Even if the worst predictions come true, overall the world's poorest will still be only slightly worse off than they are now and the various catastrophes foretold would seem unlikely. There's more detail from Stanford here for those interested. ® Secure remote control for conventional and virtual desktops More from The Register next story Musk charging nearly half as much as Boeing for crew trips Boffins say they've got Lithium batteries the wrong way around Thought that last dinosaur was BIG? This one's bloody ENORMOUS Weighed several adult elephants, contend boffins Europe prepares to INVADE comet: Rosetta landing site chosen No word yet on whether backup site is labelled 'K' India's MOM Mars mission makes final course correction Mangalyaan probe will feel the burn of orbital insertion on September 24th Cracked it - Vulture 2 power podule fires servos for 4 HOURS Pixhawk avionics juice issue sorted, onwards to Spaceport America City hidden beneath England's Stonehenge had HUMAN ABATTOIR. And a pub Boozed-up ancients drank beer before tearing corpses apart Probe prepares to make first landing on fast-moving rock prev story Providing a secure and efficient Helpdesk Saudi Petroleum chooses Tegile storage solution Security and trust: The backbone of doing business over the internet Reg Reader Research: SaaS based Email and Office Productivity Tools Security for virtualized datacentres
Clean Break: Clean energy tech thriving despite glitches Clean energy technology isn't perfect, but it's still doing fine, despite what critics say. Renewable energy sources could help India prevent blackouts like the one that left this Kolkata barber clipping his customer's hair by candlelight this week. There was a clever headline in the satirical newspaper The Onion earlier this week that wouldn’t be so humorous if it wasn’t true. “300 Million Without Electricity In India After Restoration Of Power Grid,” the headline read. The article was referring to the massive power outage across India Tuesday that cut electricity to 670 million citizens, the equivalent of two Americas going dark. Without question, it was the largest blackout in world history. What was so witty about the headline was how it drew attention to another problem too often overlooked in India. Even when the existing power grid is working fine, there are still 300 million people in that country lacking access to electricity, meaning no basic necessities like refrigeration, lighting, or the appliances we westerners take for granted. Considering India has the world’s worst air pollution, as researchers at Yale and Columbia universities concluded earlier this year, The Onion’s blackout story carries two important messages: One, the third of India without electricity could benefit tremendously from community-level investments in solar, wind and other non-polluting energy sources; second, the two-thirds who are connected to the grid will now be urging their local and national governments to modernize India’s electricity system. That usually means cleaning it up, making it smarter and more reliable, and investing in clean technologies — from Canada, perhaps — that make it more robust and efficient. There are some commentators out there who like to point to very specific events as evidence that the clean energy and technology boom has gone bust. They point to the exaggerated Solyndra “scandal,” which saw the bankruptcy of the solar manufacturing start-up after it received — and had already burned through — funding that was secured via a $535 million (U.S.) loan guarantee from the U.S. Department of Energy. It makes for great politics, but the reality is that companies do sometimes fail and the public does often have flesh in the game. It’s not unique to clean energy. The loan guarantee program, after all, was designed for high-risk bets. Looked at objectively, the program has actually outperformed expectations. Solyndra and a handful of others are falling stars in a galaxy of promise. But Solyndra is just the start. Clean energy skeptics point to company closures and the collapse of many solar, wind and other cleantech-themed stocks. They cite how U.S. government stimulus spending for clean energy projects is coming to an end. They flag how several jurisdictions in Europe, which is dealing with unrelated economic problems, are reducing subsidies for renewable energy projects. The green dream is dead — or dying. It’s the message you get when listening to those, mostly living in a North American bubble, who doubted the vision in the first place. This cacophony ignores the incredible needs of countries like India, which is already among the top spenders in the world on clean-energy projects, having spent $10.2 billion on renewable energy in 2011. As the blackout suggests, the need to accelerate that spending has grown more urgent. Japan, meanwhile, is embracing renewable energy in a big way in the aftermath of the nuclear disaster at Fukushima. It just launched its own feed-in-tariff program —similar to the one in Ontario —aimed at aggressively spurring solar, wind and geothermal development to help reduce the country’s dependence on nuclear power. Bloomberg New Energy Finance reported this month that global investment in clean energy surged to $57 billion in the second quarter of 2012, up 24 per cent from the first quarter and carried largely by a stunning 92 per cent spending increase out of China. Investment is still down year-over- year —2011 wasn’t a great year generally, right? —but it’s on the upswing in 2012, hardly the sign of collapse. That boost from China is expected to continue, particularly in solar. As part of its 12th five-year economic plan, released in 2011, China originally expected to increase solar installations 20-fold by 2020. Last month it decided to draw forward that target to 2015, when it hopes to have 21 gigawatts of solar power capacity in place —enough to supply all of Ontario on a sunny spring day. Why is China moving in this direction? Economically, it carries long-term strategic importance. But China’s citizens are also growing fed up with unbearable air, water and soil pollution, so much so that there is a rise in violent protests breaking out across the country. The reason why clean energy isn’t a fad or a bursting bubble is that global problems such as climate change, pollution, poverty, food scarcity, crumbling legacy infrastructure, and access to clean water aren’t going away anytime soon. Renewable energy and other clean technologies may not be the only solution, but they are a big and growing part of it. Will nuclear help out? Maybe, but don’t count on it. Jeff Immelt, chief executive of General Electric, a big supplier of nuclear technology, told the Financial Times this week that it’s “really hard” these days to justify the cost of nuclear. “I think some combination of gas, and either wind or solar ... that’s where we see most countries around the world going.” Ontario may want to reconsider plans for new nukes at Darlington. Fact is, renewable energy costs are falling fast, and that’s part of the reason there are layoffs, profit warnings, bankruptcies and falling share prices in the industry. Subsidies are supposed to gradually fade away, something the fossil fuel industry hasn’t learned after 100 years of handouts. There was oversupply in clean energy equipment. Weak companies are struggling and some are failing. Those intent on surviving figure out how to innovate, adjust, enter new geographic markets and come out stronger – the cycle is not unique to clean energy. “Any emerging market will experience growth problems and will have winners and losers. And the losers’ problems do not necessarily indicate the absence of a long-term market,” says Craig Tighe, a partner with global law firm DLA Piper. “Were that the case, the loss of Palm and Handspring would mean that the smart phone market is not sustainable, which is manifestly not the case.” Growth in clean energy is happening. What’s changing is the pace of that growth and the players who get to benefit. There’s no bubble bursting here. More on • U.S. household wealth hits record high U.S. household wealth hits record high • Microsoft firing 2,100 workers today Microsoft firing 2,100 workers today
(navigation image) Search: Advanced Search Anonymous User (login or join us) See other formats Full text of "The Cambridge Natural History" II MAMMALS OF ARCTIC REGION 81 that "but little reliance can be placed on them as a means of transit; besides, here again, two individuals, or a pregnant female, would be required to effect a settlement on a foreign shore. The existence of oceanic islands is often urged as a proof of this inability to cross tracts of sea; even those which are com- paratively near an extensive continent, such as, for example, Fernando IsToronha in the Atlantic, are destitute of mammals (except, indeed, the ubiquitous Mouse, which is believed to have been carried there, often in company with the equally widely- spread Hat, in ships). This argument, however, is not so conclusive as might appear ; it doubtless is in the case of far-distant islands. But the size of the islands has to be taken into account. ITor there are islands, such as the Galapagos, or, to take a less con- tested instance, some of the islands of the Malagasy Archipelago, undoubtedly continental, which have an exceedingly reduced number of mammals. An area of a certain size seems to be a The converse of this is in many cases easy to show, that is, the wide range of animals when there are no marine barriers to stop their spreading. John Hunter, the celebrated anatomist and surgeon (not often quoted, however, as an authority upon geographical distribution), observes: " It is a curious circum- stance in the natural history of animals to find most of the northern animals the same both on the continent of America and what is called the Old World, while those of the warmer parts of both continents are not so. Thus we find the bear, fox, wolf, elk, reindeer, ptarmigan, etc., in the northern parts of both. . . . The reason why the same animals are to be found in the northern parts is the nearness of the two continents. They are so near as to be within the power of accident to bring the animals, especially the large ones, from one continent to the other either on the ice or even by water. But the continents diverging from each other southward, so as to be at a very considerable distance from each other even beyond the flight of birds, is the reason why the quadrupeds are not the same." There is no doubt, in fact, that the ocean is the most in- superable of all barriers to the dispersal of mammals. In a less degree mountain ranges and deserts are also barriera The Desert of Sahara is a striking instance to the point; it separates two exceedingly different faunas^ VOL. x G
#include <ctime> struct tm localtime( const time_t time ); The function localtime() converts calendar time time into local time. The struct that is returned is statically allocated, and should not be deleted. For example, the following code uses several of the time-related functions to display the current time: time_t theTime; time( &theTime ); // get the calendar time tm *t = localtime( &theTime ); // convert to local cout << "The time is: " << asctime(t); The above code might display this output: The time is: Fri Oct 17 08:54:41 2008 Related Topics: asctime, ctime, difftime, gmtime, strftime, time
The Problem of Emptiness Premise 1: Our genes seek to reproduce themselves. Premise 2: Our emotions and desires are part of our biology, which is a manifestation of our genes. Contention 1, based on premise 1 and premise 2: Our emotions and desires are a tool of our genes to facilitate reproduction of genetic data. Corollary 1 to Contention 1: People who feel happiness and pleasure follow the instructions of their genes. Corollary 2 to Contention 1: There is no great goal or meaning to our emotions. There is just emptiness. Corollary 3 to Contention 1: Everything humans do and feel begin and end in reproduction. Corollary 4 to contention 1: Love is just a tool of reproduction. Corollary 5 to contention 1: There is no higher meaning (or any meaning for life). Corollary 6 to contention 1: We exist due to reproduction and reproduction makes us exist. Corollary 7 to contention 1: We and our ‘souls’ are just biological machines. Corollary 8 to contention 1: The question, ‘how can I get laid?’ is the essential question of an organism. Corollary 9 to contention 1: There is nothing true to be comforted by, only lies can comfort. Corollary 10 to contention 1: Things like viewing death of an innocent person cause us much distress since they represent loss of genes. Corollary 11 to contention 1: Not only there is no god, there is also no proof of innate value to human life. Discussion: There is no higher goal to life and even the modern hedonism (i.e. do what makes you happy) is servitude, since our emotions are just a tool used by our genes to manipulate our behavior. Not only god is dead; love is dead too. Understanding of our world and ourselves comes at a great price which only lies can truly comfort. About these ads This entry was posted in Uncategorized. Bookmark the permalink. 7 Responses to The Problem of Emptiness 1. hbeeva says: My hands are made for grabbing, killing and general surviving. And yet I play Chopin. Of course there is no higher meaning, existing outside of our lives. But if you want, you can have higher meaning and act on it. It will make for a life quite unlike the one predicted by the Selfish Gene Hypothesis. For further musings: my favorite text, Askitiki by Nikos Kazantzakis. 2. Rum says: No human being has ever lived their lives AS IF this were a true proposition. Nor can one. So I ask, can it be true? 3. MrKlms says: Seems like a mixture of Freud and Anti-theism really. Maybe even a bit of Buddhism thrown in for good measure. A Purple Pill if you would. I would say, Fail. 4. Pingback: Lightning Round – 2013/02/13 « Free Northerner 5. freebird says: Big thumbs up and a triple Aye plus. For the tribe! 6. Silas Reinagel says: Do you have any support for Premise 2? Does it not entail an a priori assumption of phyicalism? Leave a Reply You are commenting using your account. Log Out / Change ) Twitter picture Facebook photo Google+ photo Connecting to %s
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search For the spider genus , see Cethegus (spider). Cethegus is the cognomen of a Roman patrician family of the Cornelian gens. Like the younger Cato its members kept up the old Roman fashion of dispensing with the tunic and leaving the arms bare (Horace, Ars Poetica, 50; Lucan, Pharsalia, ii. 543). The following individuals are of some importance: • Marcus Cornelius Cethegus, curule aedile, 213 BC. In 211 BC, as praetor, he had charge of Apulia; later, he was sent to Sicily, where he proved a successful administrator. In 209 BC he was censor, and in 204 BC consul. In 203 BC he was proconsul in Upper Italy, where, in conjunction with the praetor P. Quintilius Varus, he gained a hard-won victory over Mago Barca, Hannibal's brother, in Insubrian territory, and obliged him to leave Italy. He died in 196 BC. He had a great reputation as an orator, and is characterized by Ennius as the quintessence of persuasiveness (suadae medulla). Horace (Ars Poet. 50; Epistles, ii.2.117) calls him an authority on the use of Latin words. Other ancient sources: Livy xxv.2, 41, xxvii.II, xxix.ii, xxx.18. • Gaius Cornelius Cethegus, the boldest and most dangerous of Catiline's associates. Like many other youthful profligates, he joined the conspiracy in the hope of getting his debts cancelled. When Catiline left Rome in 63 BC, after Cicero's first speech, Cethegus remained behind as leader of the conspirators with Lentulus Sura. He himself undertook to murder Cicero and other prominent men, but was hampered by the dilatoriness of Sura, whose age and rank entitled him to the chief consideration. The discovery of arms in Cethegus's house, and of the letter which he had given to the ambassadors of the Allobroges, who had been invited to cooperate, led to his arrest. He was condemned to death, and executed, with Sura and others, on the night of 5 December. Ancient sources: Sallust, Catilina, 46-55; Cicero, In Cat. iii.5-i; Appian, Bell. Civ. ii.2-5.
Switch to Desktop Site 'Green' Bananas: Unique Program Saves Rain Forests Conservationists and farmers set standards that may revolutionize the industry About these ads AMERICANS love them. In fact, people in the United States enjoy on average 27 pounds of bananas per person each year. But if people care about tropical rain forests, caution some environmentalists, they would forego their favorite fruit. Planted often on lands cleared of primary lowland forest, banana farms have traditionally demanded high levels of chemical pesticides and fertilizers and are known to generate mountains of plastic and organic waste. So what's a concerned banana lover to do? Buy "green" bananas, advises the Rainforest Alliance - "ECO-O.K." certified green, that is, guaranteed grown in an environmentally responsible manner. In 1991, the Rainforest Alliance, an international nonprofit organization that works to conserve tropical rain forests around the world, joined with the Costa Rican Fundacion Ambio (Environment Foundation) to launch the ECO-O.K. Banana Project. Concerned about disappearing rain forests, but convinced that boycotting tropical agricultural commodities was not a reasonable solution, the alliance set out to develop a program to promote forest conservation without destroying local farming economies. Nearly five years later, the project seems to be working. According to project manager Elizabeth Skinner, ECO-O.K. staff members have worked to certify more than 30 banana farms (a total of more than 20,500 acres) in Costa Rica and Hawaii, including a large percentage of those owned by the world's largest banana grower, Chiquita Brands. Though the other two major international growers, Del Monte and Dole, have so far chosen not to get involved with the project (they say their own labels are the only symbols of quality needed), they and other smaller growers are making improvements in their operations - improvements that they say meet or exceed the standards set by the alliance. With more attention given to environmentally conscious growing methods, some say the ECO-O.K. project is already revolutionizing the industry. Not only is ECO-O.K. being praised among environmentalists for its innovative, market-driven approach to conservation, it is also gaining respect in the business world. Page: 1 \| 2 \| 3
Friday, 31 August 2012 CNC drilling machine - testing everything This is one of the most exciting blog posts for a while. After working on the CNC drilling machine as part of the BuildBrighton £50 CNC challenge for a few weeks, we're actually at the point of putting software, hardware, nc drill parsing and motor controller all together and actually trying to cut a PCB. Actually, we don't have the drill part running yet - but this test shows actual movement, and we've used a laser dot in place of a drill head. But it shows a (sort-of) working CNC machine.... Instead of jumping in at the deep end and trying to draw a complex PCB (the printed pattern on the paper) we started off with a simple square. But as you can see from the video, we deliberately drew (and mounted) the square on an angle, to simulate mounting a PCB on the cutting bed on a wonky angle. The software takes care of the rotation and follows the dots. The first few seconds of the video show the machine being calibrated - the software prompts you to place the cutting head over a hole, record this location, then move the head to a second hole. This is what you see as the head travels diagonally across the board at the start (and the slight delay in the finer movement is us changing some parameters on the PC to reduce the jog step size). The software then works out the cutting path (in this case, a simple down-across-up type pattern) and sets the motors spinning! It's interesting to note that the cutting head doesn't necessarily follow the "lines" between the dots (if the dots were on the corners of a square for example), since it is a point-to-point machine, rather than a line follower. We'll try to demonstrate this more clearly in a later post. But for now, sit back and enjoy our first CNC test. It's not bad. It's not perfect - we need to take out any backlash in the gears (the motors themselves have quite a bit of "slop" on the spindle because of the internal gearing) to get greater accuracy but as an initial test - and particularly the handling of skewed boards - we're quite pleased with progress so far! Next time we hope to actually cut (or maybe just draw felt-pen dots on) something.....
Language isolate From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search A language isolate is a language that does not have another language related to it. Many languages are related to other languages, because they both come from an older language, and are similar to other languages. These groups that are similar are called language families. Most languages belong to a language family, but some are not related to other languages. These languages are called language isolates. Some language isolates are Basque, Japanese, Ainu and Zuni.
Difference Between Similar Terms and Objects Difference Between Gallstones and Kidney Stones GallstonesÂ vs Kidney stones Have you ever had that excruciating and inexplicable abdominal pain? If you had and its recurring almost every time then you might just need to see your doctor immediately. It is because pains like that might be caused by kidney stones or gallstones and if left untreated would cause you dearly (not only monetary wisely). SO how do you differentiate the each from the other? How worse can it possible get? What are the treatments involved? Here are the answers for the frequently asked questions regarding kidney stones and gallstones. But you just might want to know that kidney stones form almost instantly as gallstones form. The two are intertwined. They often occur together because of the anatomical position of the human body’s kidney and gall bladder. The two are naturally positioned very close to each other. Gallstones are caused by a lot of factors. These factors include: wrong diet, toxicity, liver malfunction, chemical disturbance, bile stasis (or gall bladder stagnation). When there’s stasis of bile, the gall bladder absorbs liquid more than its normal capacity. As a result, the bile becomes very concentrated and cholesterol will start to crystallize. As soon as its done with that process, the crystals would gradually form into bigger gall stones. Hence, the excruciating pain on your abdomen or back. Sometimes, symptoms also include vomiting, nausea, and a shoot of pain right under the right arm. According to Chinese belief though, gallstones could cause pain in the neck, head and the shoulders. This is because gallstones block the energy passageway that would often result to a person’s lethargic movement, tight and tense feeling, and would also often lead to hypoglycemia. It also most likely that more women suffer from having gallstones than men because of pregnancy and childbirth. Treatment for gallstones may include surgery (if the pain is chronic) and other medications that will dissolve the stone. Kidney stones are small or large hard mass that are formed when some substances of the urine crystallizes. It forms because of a lot of contributing factors that include birth control pills and blockage of the urinary track caused by forming gallstones. The function of the kidney is commonly associated with the healthy growth of bones. That is why osteoporosis is juts one of the many symptoms of having bad kidney stones. Other symptoms would include lower back pain, blood in urine, knee pain, very weak bones, hair loss, and ear infections. Treatments may vary according to the size of the stone. If it’s a large kidney stone, then surgery may be required. But if its smaller, then the body can naturally flush it out even without medical help. Both inconveniences could best be avoided if you avoid unsafe foods and drinks and drugs. Foods that were included in the must-avoid food list are: chocolates, strawberry, spinach, sweet potatoes, celery, and other foods. You should also remember to fill up your tank with tons of glasses of water everyday. Just ask your director about great options on how to treat or avoid kidney stones and gallstones. Both gallstones and kidney stones occur or form almost at the same time because of the anatomical position of the kidney and the gall bladder. Gallstones are caused by crystallization of cholesterol while kidney stones begin to form when some substances in the urine crystallizes. Gallstones and kidney stones formation could best be avoided by watching what you take inside your body. Search DifferenceBetween.net : Custom Search Loading ... Loading ... See more about : Leave a Response Protected by Copyscape Plagiarism Finder
Skip to main content 1. News 2. Science & Space Olfactory receptor in skin discovered that promotes healing See also Human skin has been shown to contain a specific olfactory receptor that is activated by the odor of sandalwood and produces a chain of reactions that promotes the healing of wounds. Dr. Hanns Hatt from Ruhr University Bochum in Bochum, Germany and colleagues from Germany and Britain are the first to show a defined response of one of the many olfactory receptors found in human skin. The research was reported in the July 7, 2014, edition of the Journal of Investigative Dermatology. The human nose contains 350 different types of smell receptors. The same receptors with the same structure have been found in multiple organs of the human body. The exact function of the olfactory receptors that exist in organs other than the nose has been a mystery. The researchers found an olfactory receptor called olfactory receptor, family 2, subfamily AT, member 4 (OR2AT4) in the outermost layer of the human skin. OR2AT4 was found to become active when exposed to synthetic sandalwood scent. Sandalwood scent is a common component of incense. Activation of the OR2AT4 receptor by sandalwood scent produces a cascade of chemical events that caused the migration of more skin cells to the surface of the skin. This reaction is similar to the body’s normal reaction to wounds and is considered to have the potential for improved wound healing and cosmetic surgery. The researches plan a more extensive examination of olfactory receptors in human skin that may have cosmetic or therapeutic potential. This research is the first demonstration of a cellular effect produced by a smell that is not produced in the nose. Aromatherapy has been hailed as a curative for physical, emotional, and mental diseases but no physical evidence that supports this claim has been available until now. Perhaps the most interesting aspect of this discovery is that the skin is the organ through which aroma therapy has been proven to have a clinically significant effect instead of the nose.
We are so excited to announce our new Hawaiian Language Course. What an interesting native language. Here are a few fun facts: 1. Does Hawai’i actually have two official languages? Yes, English and Hawaiian. 2. When did Hawai’i officially become a state? Hawaii became the 50th state on August 21, 1959. 3. Which culture brought Hawa’i the ukulele? It was Portuguese laborers who brought the ukulele to the islands in 1879. 4. Where did the hula skirt come from? It was introduced from Micronesia by laborers from the Gilbert Islands in the early 19th century. More traditionally, Hawaiians used their own native materials such as long, shiny, flat ti leaves threaded together in a similar fashion. How did you do on the quiz? We learned a lot when researching for this language course and thought you might too. ;-) How can you use Hawaiian? Whether you’re chatting with professional surfers or learning how to Hula on the island of Maui, your conversational Hawaiian skills will help you connect with new experiences at every turn. Hawaiian is a Polynesian language and was developed on the “Big Island” of Hawai’i. Before having any Western contact, Hawaiian was not a written language; it was developed by American Protestant missionaries. One of the unique qualities in the Hawaiian languages is that words only end in vowels and must always be immediately accompanied by a consonant. From coconut drinks to crystal blue water, your knowledge of Hawaii will provide you with an experience of a lifetime. Have you ever traveled or wanted to travel to Hawai’i? Please share! Tagged with → Share → 5 Responses to Announcing our new Hawaiian Language Course • You weren’t alone! We were having issues with images but the problem should be resolved now. If you’re still running into issues with image viewing, let us know! We want you to see our pretty pictures! :) 2. [...] wife and I recently had the privilege of traveling to our 50th state, Hawaiʻi. While every state in the contiguous United States offers its own unique slant on what makes our [...] 3. elise says: How do you get the activation code for the Mango App to access the Hawaiian language course? My computer is also not letting me put in my card number for my library thank you in advance! 4. Rachel Reardon says: Hey, Elise! We’re excited that you’re interested in learning Hawaiian! And we’ll get you up and running ASAP. Shoot us over an email or give us a call and we’ll help you troubleshoot. [email protected] or 877.626.4611 Leave a Reply
HomeLibraryNutrientsOmega-3 Fatty Acids Omega-3 Fats Show Promise for Maintaining Mental Health By Greg Arnold, DC, CSCS, January 9, 2011, abstracted from “Dietary Supplementation with the Omega-3 Fatty Acid Docosahexaenoic Acid in Traumatic Brain Injury?” in Neurosurgery online According to the Centers for Disease Control, 1.7 million people sustain a traumatic brain injury (TBI). Of these, 52,000 will die and 275,000 are hospitalized. It is a contributing factor to nearly one-third (30.5%) of all injury-related deaths in the United States. About 75% of TBIs that occur each year are concussions or other forms of mild TBI, with traumatic brain injury costs an estimated $60 billion each year (1). Now a new study in mice (2) suggests that DHA, an omega-3 fat found in the brain, may help maintain mental health after traumatic brain injury. In the study, 4 groups of 16 adult male rats weighing between 300-400 grams were given either DHA (3, 12, 40 mg/kg of bodyweight) or no supplementation for 30 days before being subjected to an impact acceleration traumatic brain injury. DHA supplementation was stopped 1 day before the induced injury. The researchers then obtained brain tissue samples to measure for levels of a protein called APP, which is a marker for brain injury damage (3). They also measured levels of CD68, a marker of white blood cell activity (4), and caspase-3, a marker of cell death (5). Finally, the mice completed a water maze (6) to assess overall brain function. The researchers found that DHA “significantly decreased” APP levels in a dose-related manner compared to the control group. Specifically, while those in the control group averaged APP levels of 37,442 axons per mm3, those in the 4 mg/kg/bw DHA group had 63% lower APP levels (13,995), those in the 12 mg/kg/bw group had 89% lower APP levels (4186), and those in the 40 mg/kg/bw group had 93% lower levels (2,827) (p = 0.05). When looking at the CD68 levels, the 40 mg/kg group had 70% lower levels (2.1 vs. 7.1 cells per high-power field), the 12 mg/kg group had 31% lower levels (4.9 vs. 7.1) and the 3 mg/kg group had 27% lower levels (5.2 vs. 7.1). For caspase-3 levels, the 40 mg/kg group showed 80% lower levels (1.2 vs. 6.1 cells per high-power field), with the 12 mg/kg group showing 21% lower levels (4.8 vs. 6.1) and the 3 mg/kg group showing 31% lower levels (4.2 vs. 6.1). For the Morris Water Maze, the 40 mg/kg group took 71% less time to complete the maze (31 vs. 107 seconds) while the 12 mg/kg group took 11% less time (96 vs. 107 sec) and the 3 mg/kg group took 7% less time (99 vs. 107 sec). The results led the researchers to conclude that “The potential for DHA to provide prophylactic benefit to the brain against traumatic injury appears promising and requires further investigation.” Greg Arnold is a Chiropractic Physician practicing in Danville, CA. You can contact Dr. Arnold directly by emailing him at [email protected] or visiting his web site at www.PitchingDoc.com 1. “Injury and Prevention Control” - http://www.cdc.gov/traumaticbraininjury/statistics.html 2. Mills JD. Dietary Supplementation With the Omega-3 Fatty Acid Docosahexaenoic Acid in Traumatic Brain Injury? Neurosurgery 68:474–481, 2011 DOI: 10.1227/NEU.0b013e3181ff692b 3. “APP” - http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/gene/APP 4. ‘The "classical" macrophage marker CD68 is strongly expressed in primary human fibroblasts’ - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16888915?dopt=AbstractPlus 5. “Emerging roles of caspase-3 in apoptosis” - http://www.nature.com/cdd/journal/v6/n2/abs/4400476a.html 6. “Morris Water Maze” - http://www.watermaze.org/
religious trance Hypnosis is often thought to be a wakeful state of focused attention and heightened suggestibility, with diminished peripheral awareness. According to the American Psychological Association's Division 30, hypnosis may bring about "...changes in subjective experience, alterations in perception, sensation, emotion, thought or behavior. The hypnotic state may also facilitate change in the body: it has been successfully used as a treatment for irritable bowel syndrome, as an alternative to chemical anaesthesia, and it has been studied as a way to soothe skin ailments. Skeptics point out the difficulty distinguishing between hypnosis and the placebo effect, proposing that the state called hypnosis is Self-hypnosis is popularly used by people who want to quit smoking and reduce stress, while stage hypnosis can be used to persuade people to perform unusual public feats. Franz Mesmer in the 1700's believed that there was a magnetic fluid that surrounds the body. He experimented with magnets to influence this field and so cause healing. He later found that the same effects could be created by waving the hands in front of someone's face. Although his theories were later discredited, the effects he was able to achieve with subjects may shed light on modern day hypnosis. Franz Mesmer is where the word mesmerize originated. The word 'hypnosis' itself is the invention of 19th century Scottish physician James Braid. Uses of hypnosis Hypnosis has been studied in many clinical situations with varying degrees of success. It has been used as a painkiller, an adjunct to weight loss, a treatment of skin disease, and a way to soothe anxious surgical patients. It has also been used as part of psychological therapy, a method of habit control, a way to relax, and a tool to enhance sports performance. Physical applications A large number of clinical studies show that hypnosis can reduce the pain experienced by people undergoing burn-wound debridement, bone marrow aspirations, and childbirth. The International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis found that hypnosis relieved the pain of 75% of 933 subjects participating in 27 different experiments. In 1996, the National Institutes of Health declared hypnosis effective in reducing pain from cancer and other chronic conditions. Nausea and other symptoms related to incurable diseases may also be controlled with hypnosis. For example, research done at the Mt. Sinai School of Medicine studied two groups of patients facing surgery for breast cancer. The group that received hypnosis reported less pain, nausea, and anxiety post-surgery. There was a cost benefit as well: the average hypnosis patient reduced the cost of treatment by an average of $772.00. Hypnodermatology is the practice of treating skin diseases with hypnosis: this therapy has performed well in studies treating warts, psoriasis, and atopic dermatitis. Hypnosis may be useful as an adjunct therapy for weight loss. A 1996 meta-analysis studying the effectiveness of hypnosis combined with cognitive-behavioral therapy found that people using both treatments lost more weight than people using CBT alone. Psychotherapeutic applications Self-hypnosis (sometimes called autosuggestion) happens when a person hypnotizes himself or herself. The technique is often used to increase motivation for a diet, quit smoking, or reduce stress. People who practice self-hypnosis sometimes require assistance to enter trance; some people use devices known as mind machines to assist in the process, while others use hypnotic recordings. Self-hypnosis is said to be a skill one can improve as time goes by, and can help reduce stage fright, promote relaxation, and enhance physical well-being. Hypnotherapy is the use of hypnosis in psychotherapy. It is used by licensed physicians, psychologists, and in stand-alone environments. Physicians and psychiatrists may use hypnosis to help treat depression, anxiety, eating disorders, sleep disorders, and posttraumatic stress disorder. Certified hypnotherapists who are not physicians or psychologists often do treatments for smoking cessation and weight loss. (Success rates vary: a meta-study researching hypnosis as a quit-smoking tool found it had a 20 to 30 percent success rate, similar to many other quit-smoking methods, while a 2007 study of patients hospitalized for cardiac and pulmonary ailments found that smokers who used hypnosis to quit smoking doubled their chances of success.) In a July 2001 article for Scientific American titled "The Truth and the Hype of Hypnosis", Michael Nash wrote that "...using hypnosis, scientists have temporarily created hallucinations, compulsions, certain types of memory loss, false memories, and delusions in the laboratory so that these phenomena can be studied in a controlled environment." Controversy surrounds the use of hypnotherapy to retrieve repressed or past-life memories. The American Medical Association and the American Psychological Association have cautioned against the use of repressed memory therapy in cases of alleged childhood trauma, stating that "it is impossible, without other corroborative evidence, to distinguish a true memory from a false one." Past life regression, meanwhile, is often viewed with skepticism. Other uses Stage hypnotism is a form of entertainment for crowds. Due to stage hypnotists' showmanship, many people believe hypnosis is a sort of mind control. However, the real power of stage hypnosis comes from people granting hypnotists the ability to take over their critical thinking. The desire to be the center of attention, having an excuse to violate their own inner fear suppressors and the pressure to please are thought to convince subjects to 'play along'. Influencing crowds through common longings and yearnings by a demagogue is called "mass hypnosis." "Religious trance" can be brought about through music and dance. Post-hypnotic suggestion can be used to change people's behavior outside of the trance state. One author wrote that "a person can act, some time later, on a suggestion seeded during the hypnotic session...A hypnotherapist told one of his patients, who was also a friend: 'When I touch you on the finger you will immediately be hypnotized.' Fourteen years later, at a dinner party, he touched him deliberately on the finger and his head fell back against the chair. Social constructionism Social constructionism and role-playing theory of hypnosis suggests that individuals are playing a role and that really there is no such thing as hypnosis. A relationship is built depending on how much rapport has been established between the "hypnotist" and the subject (see Hawthorne effect, Pygmalion effect, and placebo effect). Some psychologists, such as Robert Baker and Graham Wagstaff, claim that what we call hypnosis is actually a form of learned social behaviour, a complex hybrid of social compliance, relaxation, and suggestibility that can account for many esoteric behavioral manifestations. Nicholas Spanos states, "hypnotic procedures influence behaviour indirectly by altering subjects' motivations, expectations and interpretations." Pierre Janet originally developed the idea of dissociation of consciousness as a result of his work with hysterical patients. He believed that hypnosis was an example of dissociation, whereby areas of an individual's behavioural control are split off from ordinary awareness. Hypnosis would remove some control from the conscious mind, and the individual would respond with autonomic, reflexive behaviour. Weitzenhoffer describes hypnosis via this theory as "dissociation of awareness from the majority of sensory and even strictly neural events taking place. Anna Gosline says in a article: Conditioned process Ivan Pavlov believed that hypnosis was a "partial sleep". He observed that the various degrees of hypnosis did not significantly differ physiologically from the waking state and hypnosis depended on insignificant changes of environmental stimuli. Pavlov also suggested that lower-brain-stem mechanisms were involved in hypnotic conditioning. Currently a more popular "hyper-suggestibility theory" states that the subject focuses attention by responding to the hypnotist's suggestion. As attention is focussed and magnified, the hypnotist's words are gradually accepted, without the subject conducting any conscious censorship of what is being said. This is not unlike the athlete listening to the coach's last pieces of advice minutes before an important sport event; concentration filters out all that is unimportant, and magnifies what is said about what really matters to the subject. An approach loosely based on Information theory uses a brain-as-computer model. In adaptive systems, a system may use feedback to increase the signal-to-noise ratio, which may converge towards a steady state. Increasing the signal-to-noise ratio enables messages to be more clearly received from a source. The hypnotist's object is to use techniques to reduce the interference and increase the receptability of specific messages (suggestions). Systems theory, in this context, may be regarded as an extension of James Braid's original conceptualization of hypnosis as involving a process of enhancing or depressing the activity of the nervous system. Systems theory considers the nervous system's organization into interacting subsystems. Hypnotic phenomena thus involve not only increased or decreased activity of particular subsystems, but also their interaction. A central phenomenon in this regard is that of feedback loops, familiar to systems theory, which suggest a mechanism for creating the more extreme hypnotic phenomena. See also External links Search another word or see religious tranceon Dictionary \| Thesaurus \|Spanish Copyright © 2014, LLC. All rights reserved. • Please Login or Sign Up to use the Recent Searches feature
How are farmers keeping rivers clean? Last updated 05:01 25/08/2014 Peter Kemp UNDER COVER: Peter Kemp, head of Massey University's Institute of Agriculture and Environment, stands in front of a cow shelter on No. 4 Dairy Farm on the university's agricultural experiment station in Palmerston North. Relevant offers Dairy farmer's really milking her dream job Why are farmers not using the latest technologies? Raw deal for rural Kiwis wanting to be switched on Water tax will raise prices - irrigators Farm technology is the Silicon Valley of NZ Rustling must be stopped – but how? Common sense required when you see stock on roads Terminated workers could do with an extra week Restructure rips heart out of agriculture's scientific effort Is NZ missing the genetic revolution? OPINION: Too many environmental advocates are ignoring the impressive effort and big money being put into effluent management research and infrastructure in the wake of the Fish and Game New Zealand's ''Dirty Dairying'' campaign. The campaign made water quality the top priority environmental issue in New Zealand. It was a wake-up call for the farming industry, but let's be honest, changes in attitude always take time, especially when they require spending your own money. If you consider farmers slow to change, reflect on how long it has taken ratepayers in many towns to accept paying higher rates for sewerage systems that don't pollute the local rivers. So what have farmers, with strong support from regional councils and the wider industry, done to help clean up waterways? They have fenced off waterways, implemented sustainable nutrient management plans, upgraded their effluent systems, established wetlands, planted trees and supported research through the levy they pay. The Garrett family, who dairy farm 1200 cows on a 440ha block near Lake Ellesmere in Canterbury, provide a great example of the big money being pumped into environmental sustainability. They were recently awarded the Diana Isaac Cup for their native tree plantings along Boggy Creek that improved the health and clarity of the waterway. They have seen production increase 40 per cent and nitrogen leaching drop from 16-18 kilograms loss to groundwater per hectare to 6-8 kilograms since constructing a free stall barn two years ago to house 900 cows during winter and applying effleuent over the farm, instead of bought-in fertiliser. In most areas, nitrate leaching into waterways is the most difficult water quality problem to solve. The impact of urine from livestock is the main issue. The nitrogren concentration in cow urine is too high for pasture to use. Each urination applies approximately 800 kilograms of nitrogen per hectare to the pasture patch it creates. Some of that nitrogen moves through the soil as nitrate. In soils with artificial drainage systems, this nitrate is conducted directly to streams and rivers. In free draining soils, the nitrate moves downwards and enters the water table and then into the waterways. These processes are called leaching and can take place over a few hours or decades. So how might research help with this long term and important problem? We are seeing rapid technological innovation in hyperspectral soil mapping, filters, pumps and robotics that will provide farmers with even better tools for preventing nutrients leaving the farm in the future. The the continued funding of this research is critical in order to develop future farm systems that further decrease nutrient loss and faecal microbe pollution. There are currently four large scale farm system experiments being conducted across Waikato, Manawatu, Canterbury and South Otago, funded by the Pastoral 21 consortium of farming and research organisations. The key objective is to decrease nitrate leaching while improving profitability. Ad Feedback Dairy NZ's Scott Farm in Hamilton is focused on milk production, Canterbury's Lincoln University, farming systems and stocking rates, South Otago's Telford Farms Dairy Unit, winter crop feeding and indoor wintering, while Massey University is researching free stall cow barns, grazing and effluent management systems. Cows at Massey’s agricultural experiment station are being grazed for the minimum time required to obtain their daily feed intake and are then moved to a cow shelter. Dung and urine is captured in the cow shelter, stored in a pond and then applied to the pasture at a rate low enough for pasture to use the nitrogen. Early results have shown the system decreases nitrate leaching by as much as 50 per cent and provides an extra 130 kilograms per hectare of nitrogen for pasture growth that otherwise would have been lost from the farm. The problem is, this infrastructure doesn’t come cheap. A cow shelter costs about $5000 per cow and a modern effluent system costs around $1000 per cow. However, research is also being conducted into whether the cost is covered by the increased pasture and milk production. Farmers are now spending large sums of money managing nutrient losses from their farms and also supporting research on environmentally sustainable farm systems. So yes, farmers were too slow to recognise it was time to change their farming systems but they are changing. * Peter Kemp is head of Massey University's Institute of Agriculture and Environment. - Stuff Special offers Featured Promotions Sponsored Content
• Good to Eat: Riddles of Food and Culture by Marvin Harris Drawing from his research on a wide range of ancient and modern societies, the author offers theories of the effects of regulations governing comestibles in various cultures, and that "good to eat" translates as "good to sell" in profit-conscious countries like the U.S. Whereas "good to eat" translates as "good for class stability" in class-driven countries of both bygone and modern eras. This is not a book for the queasy of stomach but it reinforces that how we arrive at thinking something is good to eat is not as conscious or as 'sensible' as we would like to think. • Catching Fire: How Cooking Made Us Human by Richard Wrangham A well-argued and considered treatise on why cooking, and not carnivory, is likely responsible for brain development in earlier human species. Biological anthropologist Wrangham estimates that 1.8 million years ago, our ancestors began cooking and it resulted in physiological changes: our jaws, teeth and gastrointestinal system shrank and our brains expanded. We have become so fit for purpose that humans are the only living species that are not built to thrive on 100% raw food diets today. Wrangham's observations on division of labor to allow for dependable calorie intake in hunter/gatherer societies suggest that the sharing of food in human species had specific survival value.
Battle of the Teutoburg Forest From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (Redirected from Varian disaster) Jump to: navigation, search Battle of the Teutoburg Forest Part of the Roman-Germanic wars Epitaph des Marcus Caelius.JPG Date circa September, 9 C.E. Location Osnabrück County, Lower Saxony Result Decisive Germanic victory. Roman Empire's strategic withdrawal from Magna Germania. Germanic tribes Roman Empire Commanders and leaders Arminius Publius Quinctilius Varus 3 alae; 6 auxiliary cohorts. Casualties and losses Unknown. 16,000 [2] to 20,000 dead [3] Some others enslaved. Map showing the defeat of Varus in the Teutoburg Forest. The Battle of the Teutoburg Forest (German: Schlacht im Teutoburger Wald, Hermannsschlacht or Varusschlacht), described as clades Variana (the Varian disaster) by Roman historians, took place in Teutoburg Forest in 9 CE, when an alliance of Germanic tribes led by Arminius of the Cherusci ambushed and decisively destroyed three Roman legions and their auxiliaries, led by Publius Quinctilius Varus. Invasions of Drusus I in 12–8 BCE The Roman force was led by Publius Quinctilius Varus, a noble from a patrician family[4] who was related to the Imperial family,[5] and was an experienced administrative official. He was assigned to consolidate the new province of Germania in the autumn of 6 CE.[4] Earlier that year, before Varus was commander on the Rhine, Legatus Gaius Sentius Saturninus[6][7] and Consul Legatus Marcus Aemilius Lepidus led a massive army of 65,000 heavy infantry legionaries, 10,000–20,000 cavalrymen, archers, 10,000–20,000 civilians (13 legions and their entourage, totalling around 100,000 men) in an offensive operation against Maroboduus,[4][8] the king of the Marcomanni, who were a tribe of the Suebi. Following their defeat at the hands of Drusus I in 9 BCE, they had fled into the territory of the Boii, from which they formed an alliance with the Hermunduri, Quadi, Semnones, Lugians, Zumi, Butones, Mugilones, Sibini and Langobards.[9] In 4 CE, Tiberius entered Germania and subjugated the Cananefates in Germania Inferior, the Chatti near the upper Weser River, and the Bructeri south of the Teutoburg Forest, before leading his army across the Weser. However, in 6 CE a rebellion broke out in the province of Illyricum. Led by Bato the Daesitiate,[10] Bato the Breucian,[11] Pinnes of Pannonia,[12] and elements of the Marcomanni, it was known as the Bellum Batonianum, and it lasted nearly 4 years. Tiberius was forced to stop his campaign against Maroboduus and recognise him as king[13] so that he could then send his eight legions (VIII Augustan, XV Apollonian, XX Victorious Valerian, XXI Predator, XIII Twin, XIV Twin, XVI Gallic and an unknown unit[14]) to crush the rebellion in the Balkans. Varus' name and deeds were well known beyond the empire because of his ruthlessness and crucifixion of insurgents. While he was feared by the people, he was highly respected by the Roman senate. On the Rhine, he was in command of the XVII, XVIII, and XIX legions. These had previously been led by General Gaius Sentius Saturninus, who had been sent back to Rome after being awarded an ornamenta triumphalia.[15] The other 2 legions in the winter-quarters of the army at castrum Moguntiacum[16] were led by Varus' nephew, Lucius Nonius Asprenas[14] and perhaps Lucius Arruntius. Following the attacks of Drusus I in 11–9 BCE, Varus' opponent, Arminius, along with his brother Flavus,[17][18] had been sent to Rome as tribute by their father, Segimerus the Conqueror,[19][20] chieftain of the noblest house in the tribe of the Cherusci. Arminius then spent his youth in Rome as a hostage, where he had received a military education, and even been given the rank of Equestrian. During Arminius' absence, Segimerus was declared a coward by the other Germanic chieftains, because he had submitted to Roman rule, a crime punishable by death under Germanic law. Between 11 BCE and 4 CE, the hostility and suspicion between the Germanic tribes deepened. Trade and political accords between the warlords deteriorated. Tacitus wrote that the Chatti were hostile, and subjugated the Cherusci, but were themselves "pacified" between 4 and 6 CE.[21] Velleius Paterculus also reported that in the years 1–4 CE, there was unrest in Germania.[22] After his return from Rome, Arminius became a trusted advisor to Varus,[23] but in secret he forged an alliance of Germanic tribes that had traditionally been enemies. These included the Cherusci,[4] Marsi,[4] Chatti,[4] Bructeri,[4] Chauci, Sicambri, and remaining elements of the Suebi, who had been defeated by Caesar in the Battle of Vosges. Using the collective outrage over Varus' tyrannous insolence and wanton cruelty to the conquered,[16] Arminius was able to unite the disorganized tribes who had submitted in sullen hatred to the Roman dominion, and maintain said alliance until the most opportune moment to strike.[24] The Teutoburg Forest on a foggy and rainy day. Varus decided to quell this uprising immediately, expediting his response by taking a detour through territory that was unfamiliar to the Romans. Arminius, who accompanied him, directed him along a route that would facilitate an ambush.[8] Another Cheruscan nobleman, Segestes, brother of Segimerus and unwilling father in law to Arminius,[20][25] warned Varus the night before the Roman forces departed, allegedly suggesting that Varus should apprehend Arminius, along with other Germanic leaders whom he identified as participants in the planned uprising. His warning, however, was dismissed as stemming from the personal feud between Segestes and Arminius. Arminius then left under the pretext of drumming up Germanic forces to support the Roman campaign. Once free from prying eyes, he immediately led his troops in a series of attacks on the surrounding Roman garrisons. Recent archaeological finds place the battle at Kalkriese Hill in Osnabrück county, Lower Saxony.[4] On the basis of Roman accounts, the Romans were marching northwest from what is now the city of Detmold, passing east of Osnabrück after camping in the area, prior to the attack. Autumn in Teutoburg Forest Roman casualties have been estimated at 15,000–20,000 dead, and many of the officers were said to have taken their own lives by falling on their swords in the approved manner.[23] Tacitus wrote that many officers were sacrificed by the Germanic forces as part of their indigenous religious ceremonies, cooked in pots and their bones used for rituals.[28] Others were ransomed, and some common soldiers appear to have been enslaved. Germanic warriors storm the field, Varusschlacht, 1909 Roman retaliation[edit] Germanicus' campaign against the Germans[edit] With his main objectives reached and winter approaching, Germanicus ordered his army back to their winter camps, with the fleet incurring some damage from a storm in the North Sea.[37] After a few more raids across the Rhine, which resulted in the recovery of two of the three legions' eagles lost in 9 CE,[38] Tiberius ordered the Roman forces to halt and withdraw across the Rhine. Germanicus was recalled to Rome and informed by Tiberius that he would be given a triumph and reassigned to a new command.[39][40][41] Later campaigns[edit] Impact on Roman expansion[edit] Further information: Limes Germanicus § Augustus Germanic situation circa 50 CE Site of the battle[edit] Further information: Kalkriese Lower Saxony Bergland The archeological site at Kalkriese hill Schleuderblei (Sling ammo) found by Major Tony Clunn in Summer 1988, sparked new excavations[47] The Roman ceremonial face mask found at Kalkriese Alternative theories on the battle's location[edit] Peter Oppitz argues for a site in Paderborn. Based on a reinterpretation of Tacitus, Paterculus and Florus' writings, and a new analysis of Dio Cassius' writings, he proposes that an ambush took place in Varus' summer camp during a peaceful meeting between the Roman commanders and the Germans.[50] Portrayal in fiction[edit] The battle and its aftermath feature in both the novel and television series I, Claudius. In the novel, Cassius Chaerea is portrayed as one of the few Roman survivors. In 2009 the historico-fictional novel Arminius; a German romance by English historic novelist Lorna Pearson was published. This covers events from the approach to the battle until Arminius' death 12 years later, using subsequent German myth from Siegfried to the Thousand-Year Reich as a filter. Die Sendung mit der Maus, a re-enactment for children's television using Playmobil toys to represent the Roman legions[52] German nationalism[edit] Main article: Hermannsdenkmal The Hermannsdenkmal circa 1900 In Germany, where since the end of World War II there has been a strong aversion to celebrating the nation's militaristic past, widespread celebration of the battle's 2,000th anniversary was avoided.[53] Paintings of the 19th century[edit] Ancient sources[edit] 21st century[edit] • Ancient Warfare special "The Varian Disaster", June 2009 (essays by various authors, including Clunn and Murdoch) • Wilm Brepohl, Neue Überlegungen zur Varusschlacht. Aschendorff, Münster 2004, ISBN 3-402-03502-2 (German) (Reconsidering the Varus Battle.) • Tony Clunn, The Quest for the Lost Roman Legions, Savas Beatie LLC, Spellmount, 2005, 371 pp. ISBN 978-0-9544190-0-4 Combination of the account of the discovery and his theory about the course of the battle, recounted in fictional style. • Boris Dreyer, Arminius und der Untergang des Varus. Warum die Germanen keine Römer wurden. Klett-Cotta, Stuttgart 2009, ISBN 978-3-608-94510-2 (German) (Arminius and the downfall of Varus. Why the Teutons did not become Romans.) • Joachim Harnecker, Arminius, Varus und das Schlachtfeld von Kalkriese. Eine Einführung in die archäologischen Arbeiten und ihre Ergebnisse. 2nd ed. Rasch, Bramsche 2002 ISBN 3-934005-40-3 (German) (Arminius, Varus and the battlefield of Kalkriese. An introduction to the archaeological work and its results.) • Ralf Günter Jahn, Der Römisch-Germanische Krieg (9–16 n. Chr.). Dissertation, Bonn 2001 (German) (The Roman-Germanic war (9–16 CE).) • Johann-Sebastian Kühlborn, "Auf dem Marsch in die Germania Magna. Roms Krieg gegen die Germanen". In: Martin Müller, Hans-Joahim Schalles und Norbert Zieling (Eds.), Colonia Ulpia Traiana. Xanten und sein Umland in römischer Zeit. Zabern, Mainz 2008, ISBN 978-3-8053-3953-7, S. 67–91. (German) ("On the march into Germania Magna. Rome's war against the Germanic tribes".) • Fabian Link, Die Zeitdetektive. Die Falle im Teutoburger Wald: Ein Krimi aus der Römerzeit. Ravensburger, 2010, ISBN 978-3-473-34535-9. (German) (The time detectives. The events in the Teutoburg Forest: a crime story of Roman times.) (youth fiction) • Ralf-Peter Märtin, Die Varusschlacht. Rom und die Germanen. S. Fischer Verlag, Frankfurt am Main 2008, ISBN 978-3-10-050612-2 (German) (The Varus Battle. Rome and the Germanic tribes.) • Günther Moosbauer, Die Varusschlacht. Beck'sche Reihe, Verlag C. H. Beck Wissen, München 2009, ISBN 978-3-406-56257-0 (German) (The Varus Battle.) • Adrian Murdoch, Rome's Greatest Defeat: Massacre in the Teutoburg Forest. Sutton Publishing, Stroud, 2006, ISBN 0-7509-4015-8 (review) Account of the battle, "eastern approach" to Kalkriese • Paweł Rochala, Las Teutoburski 9 rok n.e. (Polish) Bellona, Warszawa, 2005. • Michael Sommer, Die Arminiusschlacht. Spurensuche im Teutoburger Wald. Stuttgart 2009 (German) (The Arminius Battle. Search for traces in the Teutoburg Forest.) • Dieter Timpe, Römisch-germanische Begegnung in der späten Republik und frühen Kaiserzeit. Voraussetzungen – Konfrontationen – Wirkungen. Gesammelte Studien. Saur, München & Leipzig, 2006, ISBN 3-598-77845-7 (German) (Roman-Germanic encounter in the late Republic and early Empire. Conditions – Confrontations – Effects. Collected Studies.) • Peter S. Wells, The Battle That Stopped Rome: Emperor Augustus, Arminius, and the Slaughter of the Legions in the Teutoburg Forest, W.W. Norton & Company, New York, NY 2003, ISBN 0-393-02028-2 Strong on archaeology; controversial[citation needed] "Florus"-based theory. • Peter Oppitz, Das Geheimnis der Varusschlacht. Zadara-Verlag, 2006, ISBN 3-00-019973-X (German) (The mystery of the Varus Battle.) Paderborn would have been the site of the battle. • Rainer Wiegels (ed.), Die Varusschlacht. Wendepunkt der Geschichte? Theiss, Stuttgart 2007, ISBN 978-3-8062-1760-5 (German) (The Varus Battle. Turning point of history?) • Reinhard Wolters, Die Römer in Germanien. 5th ed. Verlag C.H. Beck, München 2006, ISBN 3-406-44736-8 (German) (The Romans in Germania.) • Reinhard Wolters, Die Schlacht im Teutoburger Wald. Arminius, Varus und das römische Germanien. München 2008, ISBN 978-3-406-57674-4 (German) (The Battle of the Teutoburg Forest. Arminius, Varus and Roman Germania.) 20th century[edit] 19th century[edit] See also[edit] 1. ^ "Marcus Caelius". September 2010. 5. ^ Tacitus, Annals, IV.66 6. ^ Velleius 2,195. 7. ^ Velleius 2,109. 8. ^ a b c "Legio XVII". September 2010. 14. ^ a b "Legio V Alaudae". September 2010. 15. ^ Velleius 2,105. 17. ^ Tacitus Annals, II.9 18. ^ Tacitus, Annals, XI.16 19. ^ Velleius 2,118. 22. ^ Velleius Paterculus 2, 104,2 25. ^ Tacitus, Annals, I.71 27. ^ Marcus Velleius Paterculus, Compendium of Roman History, II. 119. 28. ^ Tacitus, Annals, I.61 29. ^ The Fort the Romans Held, published on 2009/05/10. 30. ^ Velleius 2,119,5. 31. ^ Tacitus, Annals, I.50 32. ^ Tacitus, Annals, I.51 34. ^ Tacitus, Annals, I.56 35. ^ Tacitus, Annals, I.57 36. ^ Tacitus, Annals, II.25 37. ^ Tacitus, The Annals 2.24 39. ^ Tacitus, Annals, II.26 41. ^ Tacitus: [1] Annals: Book 2 {Chapter 32} 42. ^ Tacitus, Annals, XII.27 44. ^ Cassius Dio 56.18 46. ^ Germania, UNRV History 48. ^ Archaeologia Polona. Polska Akademia Nauk. 1998. p. 244. Retrieved 18 November 2012. "At the time, the location of the battle, the Cheruscan tribal seat, even Arminius' real name were unknown. The Teutoburg Forest, called the Osning Forest throughout the Middle Ages, was renamed after Tacitus' account" 49. ^ Smithsonian, p 81. 50. ^ Das Geheimnis der Varuschlacht, Kelkheim, Germany: Zagara-Verlag, 2006 (German) 51. ^ The Hermann Battle, Schloßfilm. 53. ^ David Crossland, "Battle of the Teutoburg Forest: Germany Recalls Myth That Created the Nation", Der Spiegel 28 August 2009. External links[edit]
The Museum of Hoaxes hoax archive hoax archive hoax archive hoax archive hoax archive The Gross Things Found in Food Scam Upton Sinclair's 1906 novel The Jungle exposed the dark secrets of the meat-packing industry. Readers were shocked to learn that the sausages they bought at stores often contained undesirable ingredients such as rats, human fingers, and garbage shoveled off the floor. The public outcry the book provoked indirectly led to the creation of the Food and Drug Administration, which regulates the food industry. However, the public is still sensitive about the idea of unpleasant foreign objects ending up in commercially prepared food. Such public sensitivity has created an opportunity for scam artists. The scam is to pretend to find something gross lurking in food served at a restaurant (or in commercially prepared food in general), and then to demand monetary damages from the company that prepared the meal. This scam is given plausibility by the fact that restaurant patrons and supermarket shoppers occasionally legitimately do find unsavory items in their food. The gross things most often found by hoaxers are rodents, human body parts, and condoms. The Finger in Wendy’s Chili Hoax, 2005 Fried Baby Foot, 2004 In July 2004, a Durham, North Carolina family found what appeared to be a breaded, fried baby foot in a box of Banquet-brand chicken pieces bought at a local supermarket. But in this case, the family weren't pulling a scam. They legitimately found the object in the food. But thankfully, it wasn't a baby foot. The police identified the object as a piece of dough that a prankster at the Batesville chicken processing plant had carefully shaped to resemble a foot. Even toes and toenails had been sculpted. Then the faux foot had been breaded and fried. ConAgra, owner of the plant, said it had taken action to make sure nothing like that ever happened again. Soup Mouse, 2004 Carla Patterson and her son were eating at a Cracker Barrel restaurant in May 2004 when she claimed to find a dead mouse in her bowl of vegetable soup. She immediately began screaming, prompting many of the other restaurant patrons to leave. While it investigated the incident, Cracker Barrel stopped serving vegetable soup at all 497 of its restaurants nationwide. But police found that the mouse had died from a skull fracture, not from drowning in soup, and concluded that Patterson had placed the mouse in the soup herself in an attempt to extort money from the restaurant. She was sentenced to a year in jail. More… The Coors Mouse, 1988 Florida resident James Harvey claimed that while drinking a can of Coors beer he "felt something against my mouth." He peered inside the can and saw feet and a tail. There was a dead mouse in his beer. Coors offered him $1500 if he would allow them to examine the rodent. Harvey refused, seeking $35,000 instead. But when health officials examined the mouse, they concluded it had died only a week before, although the beer had been canned three months prior. Also, the mouse had abrasions on its side, from being shoved into the can. Harvey was sentenced to 18 months in a work-release program for extortion and tampering. [FOAFtale News, June 1989] Hoax Archive Categories
Parashat Ki Tavo Love Is Not The Opposite Of Hate; Law Is Law is essential to Judaism, establishing an external set of moral guidelines. Print this page Print this page Human beings never seem able to express all their hatred for each other. Men and women war against each other; blacks and whites, gay and straight, liberals and conservatives, city-folk and suburbanites--there is no end to stereotypes, hostility and mistrust. In response to this propensity to hate, Nobel laureate Elie Weisel organized an international conference on hate in Oslo, Norway. The glittering list of invited participants included four presidents, and 70 writers, scientists and academics. The two questions which shaped their deliberations were, "Why do people hate?" and "Why do people band together to express hatred?" Although the speeches were beautiful and the resolutions were firm, the entire event was fairly predictable, except for their primary conclusion, which seems so at odds with common sense. Ask anyone what the opposite of hate is, and they will tell you it's love. But the consensus of these most accomplished, powerful and thoughtful people was that, "Only the belief in and execution of the law can defeat hatred." In other words, the opposite of hate is law. The Prime Minister of Norway even bolstered that claim by quoting from the statesman/philosopher Edmund Burke (18th century England) that, "When bad men combine, the good must associate, else they will fall one by one." While this insight might be news to the largely-Christian west, it merely confirms the age-old conviction of Judaism that law is the indispensable expression of love and decency. A people abandons law at the peril of their own character, justice and survival. The Need for Law Our Torah portion understands that need for law, for mitzvot, insisting that, "The Lord your God commands you this day to observe these laws and rules; observe them faithfully with all your heart and soul." Why is law essential to Judaism? Without clear standards of communal behavior and individual rectitude, each person is forced to fall back on their own sense of right and wrong. Without external guidelines, that sense can all too easily become simply a way to excuse ones own predilections and to overlook one's own weakness. Halakhah (Jewish Law) provides a "second opinion," integrating the claims of conscience with the will of God and the wisdom of the sages. In addition to establishing a context for moral decision, halakhah also allows for communal cohesion. Without a binding structure for maintaining consensus, Judaism rapidly dissolves into a combination of nostalgia, good intentions and contemporary politics. No longer able to hold together a people, each individual fashions their own faith out of the inherited remains of the past, and then everybody calls their own hodgepodge, "Judaism." Please consider making a donation today. Rabbi Bradley Artson
Caltech engineers developing MEMS robots to position electrodes in the brain As the electrodes are driven into the tissue, the software starts taking sample recordings to detect spikes of electrical activity at the electrode tip. When the software detects spikes, it moves forward in small increments and tracks how the signals change. After determining whether the signal has improved or gotten worse, the algorithm moves the electrode to a new position and does more recording and comparing, driving the electrode in further if necessary until it finds the best signal. If the signal wanes, the algorithm will automatically adjust the electrode position to improve the signal. Contact us: Erico Guizzo New York, N.Y. Senior Writer Evan Ackerman Berkeley, Calif. Jason Falconer Angelica Lim Tokyo, Japan Newsletter Sign Up
Pedro Fernández de Quirós The topic Pedro Fernandez de Quiros is discussed in the following articles: Banks Islands • TITLE: Banks Islands (islands, Vanuatu) in northern Vanuatu, southwestern Pacific Ocean. The group includes the islands of Vanua Lava, Santa Maria (Gaua), Mota, and Mota Lava, as well as numerous islets. The Portuguese navigator Pedro Fernández de Quirós was the first European visitor, in 1606; the islands were mapped in 1793 by Capt. William Bligh of the British navy and were named by him for his patron, the... Espiritu Santo • TITLE: Espiritu Santo (island, Vanuatu) ...rises to 6,165 feet (1,879 metres), the highest point in Vanuatu. The island is heavily wooded and has broad fertile, well-watered valleys. The island was sighted in 1606 by the Portuguese navigator Pedro Fernández de Quirós, who, believing he had discovered the terra australis incognita (Latin: “unknown southern land”) that he was... New Hebrides • TITLE: Australia SECTION: The Spanish ...Mendaña hoped that he had found the great southern land and that Spain would colonize there. In 1595 Mendaña sailed again but failed to rediscover the Solomons. One of his officers was Pedro Fernández de Quirós, a man of the Counter-Reformation who wanted Roman Catholicism to prevail in the southland, the existence of which he was certain. Quirós won the... • TITLE: European exploration SECTION: Westward voyages to the Pacific Some voyages—for example, those of Álvaro de Mendaña de Neira, the Spanish explorer, in 1567 and 1568; Mendaña and the Portuguese navigator Pedro Fernández de Quirós in 1595; Quirós and another Portuguese explorer, Luis de Torres, in 1606—had, among other motives, the purpose of finding the great southern continent. Quirós was sure... Pacific Islands • TITLE: Pacific Islands (region, Pacific Ocean) SECTION: The 16th and 17th centuries they established a galley trade between Manila, in the Philippines, and Acapulco, in western Mexico. The next major Spanish explorations were made by Álvaro de Mendaña de Neira and Pedro Fernández de Quirós. In 1567 the former set out from Peru to discover the great southern continent that was believed to exist in the South Pacific. He reached the Solomons but...
How Apple Opened Up... …and Made a Fortune Apple's first hit, the Apple II, takes off in large part due to the spreadsheet program VisiCalc. In the 1980s, thousands of programs such as Aldus' Pagemaker, for desktop publishing, make the Mac a hit. Microsoft's focus on compatibility lures hordes of PC and software makers to support Windows. After Windows 95 sets off a PC boom, many software shops give up on the Mac altogether. Apple's new iPod music player launches as a closed device that excludes non-Apple software. Apple exerts total control of the catalog and price of music on the iTunes Music Store and refuses to let purchased songs work on non-Apple devices. Apple introduces the iPhone—with an iPod-like plan to say what users and software developers can do with it. Other than an on-board browser to let users access the Web, Apple expects customers mostly to use a few apps created with marquee partners. After developers lobby to be able to write their own iPhone apps, Jobs opens an App Store. Apple is overrun with submission requests from developers that want to sell to the millions of iPhone customers. Within two months 100 million apps have been downloaded. Apple streamlines developer requirements, speeding approval of thousands of apps every week. To promote sales, it runs "There's an App for That" TV ads and enhances technology so developers can sell songs, game upgrades, and such from within an app. The iPad era begins. Rather than control distribution of music, newspapers, and other content through iTunes, Apple lets developers create apps to make money as they see fit. In June, Apple will launch iAd, a way advertisers can create ads to run within apps. Best LBO Ever blog comments powered by Disqus
AMERICANS may no longer fret about being showered with nuclear-tipped ballistic missiles, but the idea that an atom bomb might enter their country in a shipping container or on the back of a lorry is still one that keeps the security services awake at night. They may sleep more easily, though, if an idea being developed by Michael Staib of the Florida Institute of Technology, in Melbourne, and his colleagues comes to fruition. Mr Staib is using naturally generated subatomic particles called muons to look inside places where such bombs, or the nuclear explosives needed to make them, may have been hidden by smugglers. At first sight this seems crazy. The muons in question drizzle down from the atmosphere at the rate of only one per square centimetre a minute. But, as Mr Staib told a meeting in Atlanta of the American Physical Society on April 2nd, this is enough for a practical muon scanner. Muons are like electrons, though heavier and unstable. They are produced when cosmic rays (fast-moving atomic nuclei from space) hit the atmosphere. The reason they might be useful for detecting nuclear explosives is that they are scattered more by heavy atomic nuclei, such as those of uranium and plutonium, than by lighter ones—even including relatively heavy elements such as lead. Clever electronics can tell the difference. Someone wanting to smuggle uranium or plutonium might shield their contraband from detection by a Geiger counter using lead. But that would be no shield against detection by muons. The original idea, dreamed up in 2003 at the Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico, was to use detectors called drift tubes to track muons through a cargo. Decision Sciences, a company spun out of that effort in 2005, has been refining this approach since then. It says it will install a container-size demonstration unit in a port in the Bahamas this summer, though it will not reveal any technical details. Drift tubes, however, are unwieldy. They may also be unable to pick out smaller lumps of contraband. Mr Staib and his colleagues think they can do better. They have been working with another type of detector, called a gas electron multiplier (GEM). GEMs are a tenth of the size of drift tubes, and consist of perforated foil embedded in a thin plate filled with gas. As a muon passes through, it dislodges electrons from the gas, leaving a trail which the electronics can discern. Mr Staib's prototype can see a piece of uranium 4cm across hidden in a parcel 30cm on each side—too small, still, to be of serious use, but a hundredfold improvement on an initial effort two years ago. On top of that, it has detectors on the sides as well as above and below. This means it can locate a suspicious item precisely within a given volume of space. The next step is to build a cubic-metre-sized system. Marcus Hohlmann, Mr Staib's boss, expects this to take less than three years and to cost about $300,000. Scaling up beyond that is just a matter of building bigger detectors and tweaking the software to cope with more muons. The team at Los Alamos originally put the cost of scanning all the lorries coming into the United States at $1 billion a year. That sounds a lot. But it would be only 0.14% of America's defence budget.
German warplanes cross the sky. Explosions flash. Shell-shocked villagers stagger out of their damaged homes and begin to grieve. “Before,” says Ernest Hemingway in his flat Midwestern accent, “death came when you were old or sick. But now it comes to all this village. High in the sky and shining silver, it comes to all who have no place to run, no place to hide.” The scene is from the 1937 film The Spanish Earth, an important visual document of the Spanish Civil War and a rare record of the famous writer’s voice. Hemingway went to Spain in the spring of 1937 to report on the war for the North American Newspaper Alliance (NANA), but spent a good deal of time working on the film. Before leaving America, he and a group of artists that included Archibald MacLeish, John Dos Passos and Lillian Hellman banded together to form Contemporary Historians, Inc., to produce a film to raise awareness and money for the Spanish Republican cause. The group came up with $18,000 in production money–$5,000 of it from Hemingway–and hired the Dutch documentary filmmaker Joris Ivens, a passionate leftist, to make the movie. MacLeish and Ivens drafted a short outline for the story, with a theme of agrarian reform. It was MacLeish who came up with the title. The film, as they envisioned it, would tell the story of Spain’s revolutionary struggle through the experience of a single village. To do that, Ivens planned to stage a number of scenes. When he and cameraman John Fernhout (known as “Ferno”) arrived in Spain they decided to focus on the tiny hamlet of Fuentedueña de Tajo, southeast of Madrid, but they soon realized it would be impossible to set up elaborate historical re-enactments in a country at war. They kept the theme of agrarian struggle as a counterpoint to the war. When Dos Passos arrived in Fuentedueña, he encouraged that approach. “Our Dutch director,” wrote Dos Passos, “did agree with me that, instead of making the film purely a blood and guts picture we ought to find something being built for the future amid all the misery and massacre.” That changed when Hemingway arrived. The friendship between the two writers was disintegrating at the time, so they didn’t work together on the project. It was agreed upon in advance that Hemingway would write the commentary for the film, but while in Spain he also helped Ivens and Fernhout navigate the dangers of the war zone. “Hemingway was a great help to the film crew,” writes Hans Schoots in Living Dangerously: A Biography of Joris Ivens. “With a flask of whisky and raw onions in his pockets, he lugged equipment and arranged transport. Ivens generally wore battle dress and a black beret. Hemingway went as far as a beret but otherwise stuck to civvies. Although he rarely wore glasses, he almost never took them off in Spain, clear evidence of the seriousness of their task.” In “Night Before Battle,” a short story based partially on his experience making the movie, Hemingway describes what it’s like filming in a place where the glint from your camera lens draws fire from enemy snipers: The Western front at Casa de Campo on the outskirts of Madrid was just a few minutes’ walk from the Florida Hotel, where the filmmakers were staying. Any doubt about whether the passage from “Night Before Battle” is autobiographical are dispelled in the following excerpt from one of Hemingway’s NANA dispatches, quoted by Schoots: There were tense moments when Hemingway handed in his first draft of the commentary. Ivens felt it was too verbose, and asked him to make some cuts. Hemingway didn’t like being told to shorten his work, but he eventually agreed. There was more tension when MacLeish asked Orson Welles to deliver the narration. Even though Hemingway had already shortened it, Welles thought the commentary was too long, and he told him so. “Arriving at the studio,” Welles said in a 1964 interview with Cahiers du Cinema, “I came upon Hemingway, who was in the process of drinking a bottle of whiskey; I had been handed a set of lines that were too long, dull, had nothing to do with his style, which is always so concise and so economical. There were lines as pompous and complicated as this: ‘Here are the faces of men who are close to death,’ and this was to be read at a moment when one saw faces on the screen that were so much more eloquent. I said to him, ‘Mr. Hemingway, it would be better if one saw the faces all alone, without commentary.’” Hemingway growled at him in the dark studio, according to Welles, and said, “You effeminate boys of the theatre, what do you know about real war?” Welles continues the story: Well, taking the bull by the horns, I began to make effeminate gestures and I said to him, “Mister Hemingway, how strong you are and how big you are!” That enraged him and he picked up a chair; I picked up another and, right there, in front of the images of the Spanish Civil War, as they marched across the screen, we had a terrible scuffle. It was something marvelous: two guys like us in front of these images representing people in the act of struggling and dying…We ended up toasting each other over a bottle of whisky. Skeptics have questioned the truthfulness of Welles’s account, suggesting that he may have been trying to compensate for his own moment of humiliation, which followed soon after the recording session. MacLeish and Ivens liked Welles’s performance, but Hellman and several other members of the Contemporary Historians group didn’t. They thought Welles had been too theatrical, and suggested Hemingway read the narration himself. The director eventually agreed. “When Ivens informed Welles that his own recording was going to be junked,” writes Lynn, “Welles was miffed, especially since he had waived his right to a fee.” In a late 1970s interview quoted by Lawrence French at Wellesnet, Ivens stood by the decision, saying of Hemingway, “his commentary sounded like that of a sensitive reporter who has been on the spot and wants to tell you about it–a feeling that no other voice could communicate. The lack of a professional commentator’s smoothness helped you to believe intensely in the experiences on the screen.” On July 8, 1937, Ivens, Hemingway and Martha Gellhorn, a journalist who had been with Hemingway in Spain and who would later become his wife, traveled to the White House to show the film to President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. The visit had been arranged by Gellhorn, who was a friend of First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt. A few days later Hemingway and Ivens traveled to Los Angeles to show the film to Hollywood moguls and movie stars. F. Scott Fitzgerald attended the screening, and the party afterward. It was the last time Hemingway and Fitzgerald saw each other. When Hemingway was back on the East Coast, Fitzgerald sent him a telegram: “THE PICTURE WAS BEYOND PRAISE AND SO WAS YOUR ATTITUDE.” The press reviews for The Spanish Earth tended to be a bit more equivocal. Some felt the film descended into out-and-out propaganda, to which Ivens later replied, “on issues of life and death, democracy or fascism, the true artist cannot be objective.” But the writer of a 1938 article in Time magazine saw the film in a positive light: Not since the silent French film, The Passion of Joan of Arc, has such dramatic use been made of the human face. As face after face looks out from the screen the picture becomes a sort of portfolio of portraits of the human soul in the presence of disaster and distress. There are the earnest faces of speakers at meetings and in the village talking war, exhorting the defense. There are faces of old women moving from their homes in Madrid for safety’s sake, staring at a bleak, uncertain future, faces in terror after a bombing, faces of men going into battle and the faces of men who will never return from battle, faces full of grief and determination and fear. Ernest Hemingway looks through binoculars as Joris Ivens stands next to him while filming a battle from the balcony of a ruined house in Madrid, April 1937. (Photo © John Fernhout/Nederlands Fotomuseum. Used by permission.) by \| Permalink \| Comments (0) \|
Palo Alto History. Com The Barron Mansion Fire: Red-Hot Resentment As the City of Palo Alto grew during the 1940s, ‘50s, and ‘60s, it began to annex the land to its south. The hotel area along old Highway 101 (now El Camino Real) and the neighborhoods south of Oregon Avenue became new Palo Alto acquisitions. But countrified Barron Park continued to hold out, voting down annexation a half dozen times during these years. Eventually Palo Alto took so much land nearby that it produced the cartographic oddity of Barron Park as a literal island of resistance to Palo Alto City Hall. Why was Barron Park so set against becoming a Palo Alto neighborhood? Much of the animosity dated back to 1936 when an enormous fire burned down the largest house in Barron Park and the Palo Alto Fire Department refused to help. The Barron Mansion in Barron Park had been the pride of the neighborhood for many years. Originally constructed in 1857 on Mayfield Farm, it had served as a mansion for Sarah Wallis, one of the most prominent suffragettes in California. In 1878 it was sold to Edward Barron, the mining company executive. He added its famed octagonal fourth-floor cupola, as well as an enormous two storied west wing. The house also had two dining rooms, a billiards room, a two-story back wing for servants and a wide central staircase that welcomed visitors into the interior of the Victorian mansion. By 1936, the 26 room building had begun a new life as the Interdale School for Boys. But in the late afternoon of November 29th, 1936, a fire began in one of the towers of the 80 year-old wooden house that would change Barron Park forever. While the cause of the blaze has long remained a mystery, electrical wiring was the likely culprit. Writer Joaquin Vienna first saw smoke pouring out of an upper-floor window while driving down the interstate. He turned into the estate, ran into the building and called the fire into three local fire departments. Soon, fire crews from Redwood City, Menlo Park, San Mateo, County headquarters, and Moffett Naval Air Station were all racing toward the burning mansion. But it would be the reaction of the nearby Palo Alto Fire Department which would linger in the memories of Barron Park residents for decades. Upon strict orders from the City Council, Palo Alto firefighters were not allowed to cross into other cities to fight fires because they might not be covered by insurance. Although the nearest station to the fire was less than a mile away in Palo Alto, the fire crew there would only bring their trucks up to the end of the city line. Stopping at the border, 100 feet south of Wilton Avenue and El Camino Real, the Palo Alto firemen watched and waited. Meanwhile, Menlo Park and Redwood City crews, having to travel 7 to 9 miles further through Sunday traffic, crossed over the borders and finally reached the locale. By the time they did, they found a ferocious raging fire that had begun to eat up the wooden structure. Menlo Park Chief Thomas Cuff took charge, but there was little the firefighters could do at that point, but try to save nearby houses. Furthermore, they could not locate a fire hydrant. Eventually they tore down fences and used a nearby recreational swimming pool in what would be an unsuccessful attempt to save the house. During the futile battle, two county firemen nearly plunged into the burning building when they lost their footing on a ledge while directing a stream of water. No one was hurt in the fire, but despite the valiant efforts of the various fire departments, the mansion was totally lost. In the days following the fire, heavy criticism was laid on the Palo Alto department and bad feelings continued to linger for years. Typical were the statements of one older resident speaking to Barron Park historian Douglas Graham in recent years, “They only were there to keep the fire from spreading into Palo Alto --- they didn't give a damn what happened in Barron Park" Barron Park gas station owner Joe Weiler agreed, “Unfortunately and I hate to say this, Palo Alto was called and they didn't respond. They did come to the end of the city limits with one of their units...and just sat there. They wouldn't answer the call because they wouldn't go out of their district in those days. A lot of people were very upset at Palo Alto and still are today---the older people…still remember some of these things [as well as] the children of these people who have heard their parents talk about it." Such resentment had a big effect on Barron Park’s future. When the annexation debate was raised in 1947, there was still a great deal of resentment from Barron Park residents toward Palo Alto. Despite support for annexation from the School Board and City Staff, Barron Parkers voted 338 to 261 to remain separate from Palo Alto. By 1949, Barron Park had formed their own volunteer fire department and did not become a part of Palo Alto until newer, younger residents approved in 1975. [] Our Reader's Memories: Be the First! Send Us Your Memory! The Barron Mansion before the fire. (PAHA) The walls forming the garage at this house at 3878 Magnolia are the same walls that formed the pool that fire fighters used to fight the fire. The current site of the old Barron Mansion, including the stone rememberance.
Cite This Page To Go Horton Hatches the Egg Horton Hatches the Egg by Dr. Seuss The Seasons and the Weather Symbolism, Imagery, Allegory Horton gets a beating from the seasons when he's in the jungle. Just like everything else in the book, they seem to be attacking him. In fact, time passes slowly and rhythmically: "And soon it was Autumn" (62), "And then came the winter" (63), "And then came the springtime" (74). Dun dun dun. Dun dun dun is right. The foreboding imagery, including rain, thunder and lightning, blowing leaves, and even "snow and sleet!" (63) foreshadows Horton's mean ol' friends, the sneaky hunters, and the nasty circus crowds. When Horton reaches the U.S., all talk of weather and seasons comes to a halt. What's that all about? Is it because Horton is outside his natural habitat? Next Page: War Allegory Previous Page: Quotes Need help with College?
Facebook Twitter YouTube RSS You are here Space Station Required No Evasive Maneuvers in 2013 Despite Growing Debris Threat ISS had a record four avoidance maneuvers moves in 2012. Credit: NASA photo PARIS — The international space station required no collision-avoidance maneuvers in 2013, after a record four such moves in 2012, despite a growing orbital-debris population intersecting its orbit, according to NASA data compiled from the U.S. Space Surveillance Network (SSN) of ground- and space-based sensors. NASA said the relatively quiet year from a debris-threat perspective reflects “the chaotic nature of the [debris] population,” which has forced the station to fire its engines to avoid a debris threat on 16 occasions in the 15 years it has been in orbit. In addition to these 16 collision-avoidance maneuvers, one attempted maneuver failed and three others were never undertaken because the debris-proximity warnings came too late. In these three latter instances, the station crew was forced to retreat to the docked Soyuz spacecraft to be ready for an emergency undocking. Collision avoidance means spending costly fuel to move a facility that is as big as a football or soccer field and weighs some 420,500 kilograms. Maneuver orders are given if there is a greater than one-in-10,000 chance of a debris strike. SSN data show that the amount of debris that passes through the station’s orbit of 415-420 kilometers in altitude has increased by 60 percent since the first station module was launched in November 1998. But that figure, now more than 800 objects with a mass ranging from less than a kilogram to more than 1,000 kilograms, includes only those objects that have been identified and cataloged by the SSN. The network has recorded some 5,000 other objects intersecting the station orbit that are awaiting entry into the master catalog. Follow Peter on Twitter: @pbdes Article Comments The probabilistic threshold of concern is so low and the orbits of truly threatening objects are so imprecisely known that no maneuvers at all may ever have been necessary. The probability that there would have been no collision at any time is orders of magnitude larger than the probability that there would have been a collision. One can never prove why something did not happen. It is very, very unlikely that anything we did made any difference. An abundance of caution is wise when lives are at stake, but recognize that it is an abundance of caution, not a necessity. Over time the ISS has been moved to higher altitude, diminishing the risk. Our orbit determination techniques and collision avoidance processes have been refined as well. That there were no maneuvers means many things, but it has little to do with the actual debris environment. Thresholds of concern change, energy management might be more important to sustain the ISS orbit rather than address a smaller risk. There are political. engineering, and other considerations. Colliding with something is far down the list of things that might jeopardize the ISS. Add comment Log in or register to post comments Career Center
Saturday, June 7, 2014 D-Day, 70 years later On June 6, 1944, Allied forces stormed the beaches of Normandy in an attempt to liberate Europe from Nazi occupation. "D-Day", as this invasion was known, was one of the most decisive and innovative battles not only of World War II, but of western civilization. Those involved could not have known then that victory would eventually be won; for them, it was the bottom of the ninth inning, and they were coming up to bat with a toothpick. But victory would be won, and many paid the ultimate price to do so. Sadly, World War II is slipping out of living memory. Let us honor the brave soldiers who participated in what is modern history's greatest military gamble.
Church Hill Tunnel east tunnel portal inside the tunnel railroad track the wall, with Random for scale A lone brick fell from the arched ceiling, crashing onto one of the ten railroad flatcars stopped in the tunnel below. "Watch out, she's a-comin' in!" shouted the fireman in the locomotive. At that moment in 1925, a Richmond legend was born... in a hail of falling brick and dirt from the tunnel ceiling, and an explosion of steam, smoke and scalding water from the locomotive. The Church Hill Tunnel was built between 1871 and 1873, at a cost of 1.1 million dollars, several cave-ins, and over a dozen lives. The Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad needed to improve rail access to Richmond from the east, and a tunnel through Church Hill seemed like the best idea. At roughly 4000 feet long, this tunnel was at its completion one of the longest in the country. Passenger and freight cars ran through the tunnel until 1902, when the opening of the elevated railroad viaduct along the James River rendered the tunnel obsolete. C&O officials reportedly rejoiced when the tunnel was officially closed. The celebrations didn't last long, for in 1925 C&O found itself in an uncomfortable situation. The railroad viaduct was at capacity, and they needed to run more trains through the city. The only option, unfortunately, was to re-open the Church Hill Tunnel. Before this could happen, engineers decided that the tunnel needed to be inspected and cleaned, with the brickwork reinforced and drainage ditches dug along the tunnel walls. Unfortunately, the drainage ditches along the tunnel walls weakened the bottom of the arch, and without horizontal supports to brace the tunnel walls, the weight of the hillside above proved too much. The ceiling caved in on a work train that had come to a stop just inside the western entrance of the tunnel. The engineer was killed instantly, along with two black workmen. The fireman escaped, but later died of his injuries. Most of the workmen escaped out the eastern end of the tunnel - many had to crawl under the flatcars to keep from being crushed by the falling debris. The body of the engineer was later recovered by tunneling downward from Jefferson Park, but it was decided that the expense of removing the train or the rest of the bodies from the hillside would be too great. The tunnel was soon filled in and sealed up. In 1998, reporter Mark Holmberg found a small hole in one of the walls blocking off the tunnel (it's since been sealed up, of course). His exploration and the resulting newspaper article makes for possibly the finest piece of journalism ever published in the Richmond Times-Dispatch. This excellent article is available in the newspaper archives for a small fee. Random and I made our own trip to the Church Hill Tunnel in late 2005. The western entrance is sealed up at the surface, but to our surprise, at the other entrance the tunnel went approximately 150 yards into the hillside before the eastern wall was encountered. It was very wet (waist-deep water), and interestingly, some of the railroad tracks and ties were still in place on the tunnel floor. It was awesome to be inside such a legendary tunnel... but at the same time terrifying, knowing as much as we did about its history.
May 8, 2012 7:54 PM by Andy Koen Local start up aims to harness wave energy Atargis Energy Corporation was founded in 2010 by Air Force Academy aeronautics professor Dr. Stefan Siegel, Ph.D. The company is currently building a 1/10th scale prototype in their facility on Janitell Road for testing at tested at the Hydromechanics Laboratory at Texas A&M University next month. "The vision is to really produce electricity at the utility scale and feed that electricity to the power grid to communities in the vicinity of the ocean shore," Siegel said. Dr. Siegel says a single generator can produce five megawatts of electricity, enough to power a community roughly the size of Falcon. The generators would also create electricity at a similar cost per kilowatt hour as non-renewable sources like oil, gas and coal. So, why would an aeronautics professor start a wave energy company in a land locked state? Siegel says the science is virtually the same. "Water and air are basically just fluids," he explained. "The same laws of motion and physics apply to both of them." Using a 1/300th scale model, Siegel demonstrated that the same forces that create lift under an airplane wing are also at work spinning the blades of his generator with passing ocean waves. As for the location, Siegel says the design of the machine is such that a large manufacturing plant isn't necessary. Instead, the various components can easily be mass produced by existing manufacturers. The generators would then be assembled at shipyards near the coasts before installation. Another unique attribute of the design is that it operates completely submerged, protected from heavy winds and storms on the surface of the water. "If you go below the water surface you already don't have the impact of the wind, if you go down a little bit further, you're actually losing the impact of the wave as well and that is how our device survives storms," Siegel explains. Atargis plans to build quarter-scale and full-size prototypes for ocean testing in the next two years. They hope to begin selling them in 2015. Related Stories • Story Photo A 1/300th scale wave energy generator model • Story Photo Dr. Stefan Siegel stands beside a 1/10th scale prototype wave energy generator • Story Thumbnail • Story Thumbnail »Topics in this article Most Popular Top Videos 1 2 3 4

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