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Get the Facts on Substance Abuse Short- and Long-Term Effects of Substance Abuse Drugs work by stimulating various parts of the human body, including certain areas of the brain. The many different types and classifications of drugs produce a variety of short-term effects, but the most common ones include increased heart rate, high blood pressure, dizziness, tremors, mood changes and paranoia. In high dosages, the risk for more dangerous effects increases, and the potential for heart attack, stroke, respiratory failure and coma increase. In the long-term, substance abuse may lead to mental and physical effects that will require treatment to resolve. These effects can include: • Paranoia • Psychosis • Immune deficiencies • Organ damage Dependence, Abuse and Addiction While drug use often begins as a way to seek recreation, the addictive properties of drugs quickly turn a perceived outlet for fun into a constant need to remain high. This compulsion is uncontrollable and may interfere with a person’s everyday life. Even when the effects of drugs are damaging to a person’s body and relationships with friends, family members and coworkers, the constant need for a substance often overcomes any rational thinking. Understanding Overdoses Most people who struggle with drug addiction face the issue of tolerance buildup. After continuous use, the body becomes less and less stimulated by the drug. This may cause a person to begin using higher dosages to obtain the same high. Although the person may not feel as high, the damaging properties of the drug cause the same amount of harm. If the body receives a level of drugs that it cannot tolerate, this leads to an overdose. While some overdoses occur after continuous use, they can also happen after one single use of a drug. Signs and symptoms of a drug overdose include: • Losing consciousness • Fever or sweating • Breathing problems • Abnormal pulse • Change in skin color If any of these signs are present, or if you believe a person might be having an overdose, seek life-saving medical attention immediately. Getting Clean and Sober The decision to seek out a clean and sober lifestyle is one of the most important steps in the recovery process. Since addiction is such a widespread condition, anyone seeking help will find numerous options for treatment. These treatment options are designed to help walk a person through the steps to sobriety, which can make the transition easier. By calling 1-800-943-0566 or filling out the quick contact form, we can help guide you toward the right option for your situation. How an Intervention Works Deciding to stop using drugs may be a difficult decision for a person to make. Even if drugs are causing a disruption in a person’s life, the compulsion to abuse substances habitually often overcomes any desire to quit. In some cases, the family and friends of an addict may consider holding an intervention. During an intervention, each person needs to plead with the person to consider rehabilitation. While it is important to confront the person with the harsh realities of his or her drug use—including the negative effects the drugs have on the person’s relationships with loved ones—this confrontation should be one tackled with compassion and an understanding of the struggle of drug addiction. Methods for Drugs Withdrawal and Detoxing from Drugs Before an addict can begin a rehabilitation program, full withdrawal or detoxification may be necessary. During this process, the body adjusts to its drug-free state and rids itself of the remainder of the drug. Some detox programs use controlled amounts of medicinal drugs to help a person through this process. Rehab and Addiction Treatment Options A doctor or addiction specialist or counselor can help each individual find the right rehabilitation or treatment option. The setting is determined by individual needs, so some people may benefit from an inpatient rehab, while others may thrive by using an outpatient program. At the core, the goal is to help a former addict assimilate into a drug-free life as easily as possible. The most commonly used treatment options for addiction include: • Psychotherapy, which helps patients learn how to resist and redirect compulsions. • Support groups • Individual counseling If you want to know where to look for help for someone with a drug problem, call 1-800-943-0566 or fill out the easy contact form to learn about your options. Aftercare and Relapse Prevention Relapse is best prevented by structured cognitive-behavioral therapy. By learning about drug abuse prevention and avoid situations that may cause compulsions or cravings, a person is more likely to retain control and make the decision to not seek out or use drugs. Utilizing therapy or support groups as aftercare options can reduce the potential for relapse. Support Groups and Recovery Tools The guidance of an experienced peer can be invaluably helpful to someone going through the initial steps of sobriety. At times, an addiction can seem like a personal struggle that no one around you understands. For this reason, drug addiction support groups can help recovering addicts find comfort in their peers. Depending on the person’s location, there may be a single support group for anyone recovering from an addiction, or there may be groups tailored to those recovering from a specific drug. In addition to providing support as a group, these organizations often pair up new members with existing members who have maintained sobriety for an extended amount of time. The guidance of an experienced peer can be invaluably helpful to someone going through the initial steps of sobriety. Common Questions and Answers What are the signs of a drug problem?While anyone who uses an addictive drug may be hooked with only a few uses, drug addictions signs generally involve continued use despite a decline in health or happiness. What are the most commonly abused drugs?Cannabis products, including marijuana and hash, are the most commonly abused drugs. Prescription drugs, cocaine and hallucinogens are also popular and addictive substances. What causes addiction?The answer to this is only a theory, but scientists theorize that addiction is both a genetic trait and a learned behavior. While a person’s genes may set him or her up for the potential for addiction, exposure to drugs may be the catalyst for exposing these addictive tendencies. Need Help? Call 1-800-943-0566 About the Hotline
Fiber Optic Connectors: Small But Mighty Technology never ceases to amaze me. The invention of new products, the reinvention of old materials, products evolving to be made smaller and cheaper and better . . . it’s a fantastic thing, technology. Today we’re going to talk about fiber optic connectors, flexible and transparent fibers that are only slightly thicker than a human hair. These revolutionary fibers, made of high quality extruded glass (silica) or plastic, are able to transmit light between the two ends of the fiber. Isn’t that amazing? fiber optic connectors Fiber optic communication allows the transmission of data over very long distances at very high bandwidths, and it also has less data loss and electromagnetic interference than most other forms of communication. Over the last 30 years, there have been many advancements in fiber optic technology that have led to it being an integral component in some electronic power connectors. An optical fiber connector is connected to the ends of the optical fibers in a cable, allowing the cable to attach to other equipment. It ensures a quick connection and disconnection that is much more efficient than splicing. Over the years, about 100 different fiber optic connectors have been introduced to the marketplace. Most of these are plugs (male connectors) and they are color-coded: beige for multi-mode fiber, blue for single-mode fiber, and green for APC (angled connectors). Some of the most common fiber optic connectors include ST, SC, FC, LC, FDDI, ESCON, MT-RJ, Opti-Jack, Volition, LX-5, MU, and MT. fiber optic connectors Both the connector and the glass fiber can affect the performance of a fiber optic connector, so it’s important that every component is top-notch. Factory and field testing ensure that the shape is correct, there aren’t any blemishes, and there aren’t significant point losses or return losses. Isn’t it amazing what optical fibers can do, despite being similar in size to a human hair? Even the small can be mighty!
The 1995 Atlantic Hurricane season reference article from the English Wikipedia on 24-Apr-2004 (provided by Fixed Reference: snapshots of Wikipedia from 1995 Atlantic Hurricane season You can make a difference by sponsoring a child The 1995 Atlantic Hurricane season was one of the most active seasons in sxity-two years. There were nineteen storms, the second most on record, 1933 having the most with twenty-one. There were eleven hurricanes, the second most hurricanes in one season. Table of contents 1 Florida Pandhandle Gets Slammed 2 The Biggest Storms of the Season 3 Why was the season so BIG? 4 1995 Hurricane Season List 5 Retirement 6 See also 7 External Links Florida Pandhandle Gets Slammed 1994 started the revolution of the Florida panhandle being hit by tropical storms and hurricanes. Tropical storm Alberto hit the panhandle with 65 mph winds. Tropical Storm Beryl hit the same area with the same results. The 1995 hurricane season began with the Florida panhandle once again being a magnet for hurricanes. On June 3, Hurricane Allison hit Pensacola, Florida as a category one hurricane with 75 mph winds. Like Alberto and Beryl, it brung heavy rain and flooding to the panhandle. It became the earliest storm to go all the way to hurricane status. Allison would be used again in 2001 and would become the first tropical storm to be retired. Things slowed down a bit with Barry, Chantal, and Dean, but the season rebounded with Hurricane Erin. Erin was a bit stronger with winds of 85 mph. It first made landfall near Tampa then hit the Florida panhandle. The Biggest Storms of the Season Things would be slow down again with Felix, Gabrielle, Humberto, Iris, Jerry, and Karen. Luis wreaked havoc in the Leeward Islands killing 16 and causing nearly $2.5 billion in damage. Marilyn was also a notable storm from this season. She slammed into the Lesser Antilles with category two and three winds. Hurricane Opal The strongest storm of the season would be Opal. Hurricane Opal formed in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean on September 23. It made landfall in the Florida panhandle in the late evening hours on October 3 as a category four hurricane. However, the top story to most people in Florida was not Hurricane Opal but the verdict of The O.J. Simpson Trial. Opal killed 59 people: 13 from flooding in Guatemala, 19 in Mexico also from flooding, and nine in the United States. One was killed in Florida from a tornado. The other eight were killed from falling trees in Alabama, Georgia, and North Carolina. Opal caused $3 billion dollars in damage, making it the third costliest hurricane of the 20th century. Only Hurricane Hugo ($7 billion) andZ Hurricane Andrew ($26 billion) caused more damage. And It's Not Over Yet! Roxanne would be next big storm. A tropical depression became Tropical Storm Roxanne on October 9 and became Hurricane Roxanne in the early morning hours on the 10th. She made landfall near Tulum, a small town near Cozumel, Mexico as a category one hurricane. Roxanne resulted in 14 deaths. Five of them coming from the sinking of a petroleum-work barge with 245 people on board. There was massive damage in Mexico. The cities of Campeche and Carmen were compeletely destroyed. This area had been affected by Opal a week before and all damage could not be sorted out from Opal and Roxanne. Damage was estimated in the neighborhood of $1.5 billion. 1995 Ends With Tanya The season would end with Hurricane Tanya. Tanya formed on October 27 as a subtropical storm. It became more developed on the 28th forming a small eye. Later that day, it became a hurricane. Tanya moved west toward Bermuda, but a cold front was in the area, and the storm veered away from Bermuda. The storm was then on a north-northeast track to the Azores. It became extratropical on November 3. Why was the season so BIG? The reason for the nineteen storms forming was that we were in a strong La Nina pattern. La Nina tends to act as a hurricane steroid, forming a more than normal amount of hurricanes by warming waters in the Atlantic. There were five major hurricanes for the season, and as many as five storms existed from August 22 to September 1 (Humberto, Iris, Jerry, Karen, and Luis). The last time this occurred was 1971. A total of seven storms formed in August, a record for the month. This season also went down to the "T" named storm. Since the NHC started naming hurricanes, a season has not gotten this far in the list before or since. 1995 Hurricane Season List The World Meterological Organization retired four names in the spring of 1996: Luis, Marilyn, Opal, and Roxanne. They were replaced in 2001 by Lorenzo, Michelle, Olga, and Rebekah. See also tropical cyclone, Lists of tropical cyclone names, List of notable tropical cyclones External Links
Take the 2-minute tour × I'm looking for a lighting algorithm that produces realistic lights expressed in kelvins, from about 2500k to 6500k. What I'm confused about is how to make the lights properly interact with the colors of game objects. If a whole level is fully lit (overcast daylight) then it would seem that I should use just the color of the object. But what if I'm in a closed room with no windows, and there is an incandescent bulb shining light in the room? How would that light properly light up the objects in the room? There does not seem to be an obvious solution to the problem. And simply mixing the color of the light with the colors of the object, seems an inaccurate approach. share\|improve this question 2 Answers 2 up vote 6 down vote accepted The "color of the object", i.e. the RGB value of the texture, formally represents its reflectance spectrum, discretized by averaging it over the response curves of the three color receptors in the human eye. Thus, to get the apparent color of a point on an object's surface, you simply sum together the colors of the lights that fall on it and multiply the result with the color of the surface, doing this separately for all the three color channels. Of course, this doesn't account for the fact that real lights and real surfaces may have complicated spectra that are not fully represented by a simple RGB triplet, but in practice it works pretty well — the spectral details that are not well represented by the RGB approximation tend to also be the ones that the human eye can't distinguish. For example, let's say you have two lights A and B, with colors CA = (1.0, 1.0, 1.0) and CB = (1.2, 1.0, 0.8) and brightnesses LA = 1000 and LB = 5, which are at distances dA = 50 and dB = 4 from a point P with color CP = (0.3, 0.8, 0.2). Assuming the standard falloff of light intensity as the inverse of the squared distance, the total light intensity at the point P (assuming that both lights actually hit the point) is: Ctotal = CA LA / dA2 + CB LB / dB2 = (1.0, 1.0, 1.0) · 1000 / 502 + (1.2, 1.0, 0.8) · 5 / 42 = (1.0, 1.0, 1.0) · 0.4 + (1.2, 1.0, 0.8) · 0.3125 = (0.4, 0.4, 0.4) + (0.375, 0.3125, 0.25) = (0.775, 0.7125, 0.65) Now multiply this componentwise with the surface reflectance CP to get the apparent color of the point: Crefl = CtotalCP = (0.775 · 0.3, 0.7125 · 0.8, 0.65 · 0.2) = (0.2325, 0.57, 0.13) (If you're doing indirect illumination, this is also the color of the light reflected from the point P.) Note that, in the example above, I normalized the light colors CA and CB so that the average of their components is 1.0 and used the separate scaling factors LA and LB to represent their intensities. This is just a matter of personal preference, and you could just as well bake the intensities into the light colors if you wanted, but this way seems clearer to me. Also, for lights that are very distant and very bright, such as the sun, you'll probably want to leave out the 1/d2 term and just let the L represent the brightness of the light at the scene. Also note that, while the light intensities can (and typically will) exceed 1.0, the reflectance values should not. If they did, that would mean that the object would reflect more light than falls on it, which is obviously absurd. The reflected light intensity can also exceed 1.0; that just means that the light exceeds the maximum brightness that can be displayed on the screen. You can just clip those color values to 1.0, although you'll probably get nicer results if you render them unchanged into a HDR buffer and apply a bloom shader to the result. If the average illumination level can change a lot (e.g. if the player can move between outdoors and indoors), you'll probably also want to include a variable scaling factor to account for adaptation of the eye to the varying light levels. Also, if you're not doing true indirect illumination, you'll probably want to include an "ambient" light term (preferably with some approximate ambient occlusion factor) in your calculations to avoid your shadows being completely dark. One way is to simply let the ambient light have a fixed color (usually neutral gray) and brightness everywhere, but you could also e.g. try making the ambient light proportional to the total light level in the area, ignoring (most) shadows, or use more advanced techniques for estimating the ambient illumination. Another term you may want to include is light emission from glowing surfaces; that can simply be handled by adding it to the final result. Finally, everything I've written above only deals with diffuse reflection; specular reflection and highlights are a whole 'nother kettle of fish entirely (although the same basic physical principles still apply). share\|improve this answer When you say "simply sum together the colors of the lights that fall on it and multiply the result with the color of the surface," I'm assuming that the multiple needs to be somewhere between 0 and 1? The problem is that surface colours are stored in int RGB values, with values from 0 to 255. Should I just store colour values in linear float space all the time until displaying them? – Truncheon Dec 8 '12 at 23:13 @Truncheon: If your surface reflectance values run from 0 to 255 instead of from 0 to 1, just divide the result of the multiplication by 255. – Ilmari Karonen Dec 9 '12 at 4:32 Let's say I have three lights which light up a particular point with a value of 255 each. If I multiply that by anything from 1 to 255, I will end up with an absurdly large number. Something like 195075 (if multiplying by 255). This will clip to 255. Doesn't that seem a little extreme? There's must be a more realistic way to do this. – Truncheon Dec 9 '12 at 22:52 @Truncheon: The simple answer is, don't use clipping arithmetic for intermediate results. Do the intermediate calculations with floats (or sufficiently long integers) and only clip the final result. – Ilmari Karonen Dec 10 '12 at 9:27 A Common way to do nice lighting in 2d games are to blend the level with light shaped textures. not sure if thats what your after... share\|improve this answer Your Answer
Teens Are Breeding Grounds for Meningitis-Causing Bacteria, Literally The reason why meningitis seems to strike during the teen years may be that teens' bodies are more likely to carry a chemical that fuels the growth of the bacteria that cause meningitis, according to a new study. In the study, the researchers discovered that the bacteria species that causes meningitis, Neisseria meningitidis, contains a cluster of genes that allows it to use a compound called propionic acid for growth. Shhh! The Bag of Chips Might Be Listening Dinosaurs Were Neither Cold Nor Warm Blooded, Study Says Dinosaurs may not have been cold-blooded like modern reptiles or warm-blooded like mammals and birds -- instead, they may have dominated the planet for 135 million years with blood that ran neither hot nor cold, but was a kind of in-between that's rare nowadays, researchers say. Modern reptiles such as lizards, snakes and turtles are cold-blooded or ectothermic, meaning their body temperatures depend on their environments. It's not Harry Potter's invisibility cloak, but new findings could enable a chameleon-like style of camouflage. Researchers at the University of Michigan have devised a technique as part of a study that can change the color of a crystal structure by manipulating its particles with ultraviolet light, a process that has the potential to be used for concealment. See also: 9 Top Tech Breakthroughs of 2013 The colors of a crystal structure are based on the space between its particles. Cochlear Implant Shocks Can Help Regrow Auditory Nerves Electrical pulses delivered from a cochlear implant to the inner ear can be used to regrow auditory nerves to both enhance hearing and deliver gene therapy that could treat everything from Parkinson’s disease to depression, according to new research published today in Science Translational Medicine. “Our work has implications far beyond hearing disorders,” said study co-author Matthias Klugmann from the University of New South Wales Translational Neuroscience Facility research team. Study: It Takes Effort to Turn Creativity Into Profit Creativity and innovation are crucial to businesses' growth, new research suggests. If companies fail to integrate creativity and innovation into their business, they could be preventing themselves from reaching their full potential, according to a study from Rice University, the University of Edinburgh and Brunel University. Creativity and innovation are complex, multilevel phenomena that pan out over time and require skillful leadership to maximize their benefits, the researchers said. Report Confirms Businesses With More Women Do Better Really, companies shouldn’t need any convincing about why they should hire more women onto their staffs. The gender gap in American leadership is abysmal, diversity breeds better ideas -- you know all of this. But as you also know, executives like seeing the numbers when it comes to their business decisions. Luckily, we’ve found the stats to prove once and for all why it’s really worth hiring more women. Oldest Proof of Human Cancer Found on Skeleton in Northern Sudan An ancient indication of cancer could help the patients of today. The world's oldest evidence of the deadly disease in humans was discovered by British archaeologists in a 3,000-year-old skeleton last month, a discovery that could help researchers understand the evolution of the condition and how it was contracted in ancient times. Climate Change May Lead to Food Shortages, Civil Conflicts, Scientists Warn The effects of man-made climate change, from sea-level rise to increasingly acidic ocean waters, have already become starkly apparent throughout the world. These effects are poised to worsen dramatically in coming decades due to continued emissions of greenhouse gases from the burning of fossil fuels and deforestation, according to a major new scientific report released on Sunday. The report, which is the second installment of a three-part series of scientific updates from the U.N. Behind Wildlife Data: The Animals That Make Research Possible Wildlife research is a story often told in numbers. Among population numbers, territory sizes and incident reports, the data resulting from field work is best understood in large figures and visualizations. Sometimes, however, a rare individual animal stands out for its significant contributions to conservancy. Florida's Burmese Pythons Are Eerily Good With Directions Most snakes don't boast strong internal navigation systems, but Burmese pythons have evolved unusually accurate internal maps and compasses that guide them home from many miles away, according to a new report. Burmese pythons -- one of the largest species of snakes in the world, capable of growing more than 18 feet long -- are native to southern Asia. Astronaut Twins Are NASA's Newest Test Subjects The only set of astronaut twins are set to become test subjects in an unprecedented NASA investigation into how weightlessness impacts the human body. No, NASA isn't planning to track the Winklevoss twins on their Bitcoin-funded romp to the edge of space with Virgin Galactic. Great White Shark Just Keeps Swimming -- Into the History Books A great white shark is swimming through new, unexplored waters -- at least for her kind. She’s set to make history as the first white shark to cross the Atlantic Ocean. Named Lydia, this 14-foot-long, satellite-tagged female shark was, at time of writing, 1,000 miles from the coasts of County Cork, Ireland, and Cornwall, England. That's just above the mid-Atlantic ridge, the underwater mountain range that serves as a boundary line between the east and west Atlantic. Who Really Suffers When You Don't Share Your Ideas at Work Worried that someone at work might be stealing your good ideas? Relax. It doesn't happen as often as you think. A study in the current issue of the Academy of Management Journal discovered employees have nothing to gain from hiding their insights from co-workers, and just end up hurting themselves by doing so. The study's authors said employees should reconsider and be careful about hiding knowledge from their peers, because what goes around comes around. Scientists Can Control Flies' Minds With Laser Beams One of nature's least complex creatures could help researchers understand some of nature's most complex behaviors. Neuroscientists at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute are using thermogenetics -- a technique that controls neurons using heat -- to help understand the neural circuits responsible for complicated behavior such as courtship. The research includes triggering mating impulses in flies, Nature reports.
Take the 2-minute tour × The following code results in slow1 = 1323 ms, slow2 = 1311 ms and fast = 897 ms. How is that possible? Here: Nested or not nested if-blocks? they mention that Any modern compiler, and by that I mean anything built in the past 20 years, will compile these to the same code. let s = System.Diagnostics.Stopwatch() let mutable a = 1 for i in 0 .. 1000000000 do if i < 0 then if i < 0 then a <- 4 printfn "fast = %d" s.ElapsedMilliseconds for i in 0 .. 1000000000 do if i < 0 && i < 0 then a <- 4 printfn "slow1 = %d" s.ElapsedMilliseconds for i in 0 .. 1000000000 do if i < 0 & i < 0 then a <- 4 printfn "slow2 = %d" s.ElapsedMilliseconds share\|improve this question did you try it in release mode? – AK_ Apr 16 '13 at 12:39 Yes. Also Any CPU, X86 and X64. In debug mode both version become equally slow (3083 ms). – Oldrich Svec Apr 16 '13 at 12:45 I must say that the equally slow result makes much more "sense" then the different ones... – AK_ Apr 16 '13 at 13:05 could you add the MSIL to the question? – AK_ Apr 16 '13 at 13:06 That is likely due to the short-circuit operator, add timing for if i < 1000 & i < 1000 then – leppie Apr 16 '13 at 13:37 2 Answers 2 up vote 4 down vote accepted I've got hold of the MSIL from ildasm, which I'll post here for someone to elaborate on (no time) - it's community wiki time: Fast (just the i comparison lines as the rest are identical): //000030: if i < 1000 then IL_001f: ldloc.0 IL_0020: ldc.i4 0x3e8 IL_0025: bge.s IL_003b //000031: if i < 1000 then IL_0027: ldloc.0 IL_0028: ldc.i4 0x3e8 IL_002d: bge.s IL_0038 //000039: if i < 1000 && i < 1000 then IL_0084: ldloc.0 IL_0085: ldc.i4 0x3e8 IL_008a: bge.s IL_0097 IL_008c: ldloc.0 IL_008d: ldc.i4 0x3e8 IL_0092: clt IL_0094: nop IL_0095: br.s IL_0099 IL_0097: ldc.i4.0 IL_0098: nop IL_0099: brfalse.s IL_00a4 On a side note, C# version of the same has the same timing for both versions. One thing I noticed in the disassembly was that the F# variables were Program.i and Program.a, so I'm not sure if there's some object interference in F# that isn't there in C#. share\|improve this answer The nop shouldn't be there in an optimized build. – usr Apr 16 '13 at 17:36 @usr im not sure you're right... – AK_ Apr 16 '13 at 20:06 That is the output of a Release build with optimisation switched on (VS2012). There is no detail about optimisations, just on or off. – Phil H Apr 17 '13 at 10:18 Email from Don Syme: Yes, we've noticed the thread and recorded an issue. It’s not exactly a bug (the code executes correctly), but it would definitely be good to get equivalent perf here. share\|improve this answer Could you tell Don, that since the F# developer\ enthusiast community is still pretty small, and the F# development team seems a bunch of pretty cool guys (in compiler developers standards), we would love to get some personal attention :-) – AK_ Apr 17 '13 at 15:12 Your Answer
Up Front « Previous \| Next » Remembering El Salvador’s Peace Accord: Why Was That Peace Elusive? A painting celebrating El Salvador's bicentennial Twenty years ago, on January 16, 1992, the protagonists to El Salvador’s twelve year civil war signed a peace accord. The United Nations mediators and outside observers, gathered at the Chapultepec Castle in Mexico City, congratulated themselves for achieving this agreement. Then they went off to make peace in Bosnia. The Salvadoran government under President Cristiani and the Frente Faribundo Marti de Liberacion Nacional (FMLN) met euphoric citizens upon their return home, who welcomed the ceasefire as an indicator of a new peace. But was it for real? The Chapultepec Accords have lessons for international mediators, as well as the U.S. government, as we nudge nations towards resolving their protracted internal conflicts. This is the central focus of a Brookings Latin America Initiative event on January 19, 2012. We have learned that pursuing the end to armed conflict is distinct, and may be in conflict with strengthening democracy. In El Salvador, ending the violence became the primordial drive. We focused on demobilizing opposing forces, decommissioning weapons and creating alternative livelihoods for combatants. In this rush, General Ponce Enrile succeeded in placing 1,500 soldiers from the most disreputable battalions into the new police force; a clear violation of the UN mediated peace accords, but no one had an alternative solution. Considerable emphasis was placed on creating a new civilian police and a Police Academy, but little attention was given to the quality of the training or the pre-requisites for police cadets. An equally important democratic reform was the agreement to remove the current Supreme Court justices, whose lack of independence made them a mere tool of the president. However, when that constitutional reform took place in 1994, the justices remained bound to political patrons. More recently, the struggle over the Supreme Court's independence was demonstrated in the government’s demand that Supreme Court decisions be unanimous, thus giving the president’s favored judge a veto. Admirably, civil society’s protest and insistence on judicial decisions by majority vote won over. Second, we have come to accept that armed conflict will continue at the same time as peacemakers gather around baize tables to negotiate. Both the government and the UN mediator’s demand that the FMLN cease fighting before talks begin proved unenforceable. The only leverage that the guerilla forces had was their capacity to act militarily. Knowing this, they held onto weapons and kept their units readied for action. Meantime, President Cristiani and the FMLN comandantes entered into dialogue using the shuttle diplomacy of the UN mediator, Alvaro de Soto. Unusual at the time, the capacity to fight and to talk at the same time has become commonplace. Third, we know that allowing socio-economic issues to fall to the bottom of an agenda risks leaving them unresolved and festering. The cause of El Salvador’s war was class based and directly related to glaring disparities of wealth. This could only be resolved by providing greater opportunities to an increasingly vocal middle and working class. The problem was that the FMLN’s socialist philosophy and the government’s commitment to free market principles clashed directly. The peace talks would have collapsed had they forcefully insisted upon their respective philosophies. Therefore, pragmatism required that each side would not insist on its political goals during the negotiation, but wait until elections to propose and introduce their preferred economic platforms. Outside mediators should have understood the reason for avoiding discussion of socio-economic issues and insisted on international funding for the necessary reconstruction of the country and the training of its people for peaceful, civilian lives. Fourth, we have come to realize the limits of UN intervention and the need to restrict their presence to a brief number of years. As the Salvadorans struggled to implement the peace accords, UN officials in their white land rovers toured the country. Their purpose was admirable: collect evidence for a UN Truth Commission. However, overtime, the UN pullovers became synonymous with diminished sovereignty. Therefore, widespread cheers met the departure of UN personnel when they left in 1995. Finally, peace requires a generational change. Those who fought the war in the 1980s remained embittered. They might have agreed to the peace, but their hearts retained revenge as demonstrated by the two national and competing newspapers in El Salvador. It takes the sons and daughters of warriors to consolidate the peace. However, in El Salvador, for want of job opportunities and advancement within the country, some of the next generation turned to gang warfare, identifying with one or other mara (a name used to describe a particularly brutal type of ant). For young men and women who grew up with violence, weapons and death, continued fighting was acceptable, if not preferable. As a young 15 year old Salvadoran told me on my last visit to El Salvador, “I prefer to live like a king for a year, than to grow old in the dragged out poverty of my parents.” Had we invested in the next generation through quality education and skills training, we might have mitigated the brutal violence of inter-gang rivalry that plagues El Salvador today.
Failed Back Surgery Syndrome (FBSS) Failed Back Surgery Syndrome (FBSS) occurs as a result of spinal surgery. It is characterized by chronic leg or back pain that occurs after back surgery. FBSS can be caused by recurrent disc herniation, altered joint mobility either as a primary or side-effect of the surgery, scar tissue, post-operative pressure on a spinal nerve, joint hypermobility, or loss of condition in the spinal muscles. It can also be caused by depression, anxiety, or sleeplessness after the surgery. The causes of pain resulting from FBSS can differ. Some causes can be treated directly, such as disc herniation, but others are more difficult to handle. For chronic pain from FBSS, our doctors can use the spinal cord stimulator to relieve your pain and allow you to return to a normal active life. The cause of pain in FBSS can differ, so the symptoms will also, but some common symptoms are: • diffuse pain in legs or back • dull pain in legs or back • aching pain in legs or back • sharp pain or pricking in extremities Risk Factors • diabetes • auto-immune disease • vascular disease • smoking Diagnosis of FBSS is performed by considering a complete medical history, the onset and description of the pain, and a series of tests. Our doctor may use magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or computer tomography (CT), or fluoroscopy (live x-ray) tests to diagnose and locate the source of pain. Possible treatments for FBSS depend on the cause of pain. If the pain is because the reason for the surgery was not completely addressed, another treatment or surgery may be indicated to complete the repair of the initial problem. If the problem is a result of the surgery itself, such as scar tissue causing adhesions, adhesiolysis may be necessary to break up the scar tissue. Initial treatments can include physical therapy, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS), antidepressants, epidural steroid injections, membrane stabilizers, intercathecal morphine pump. For chronic pain that cannot be treated directly, our doctors can use the spinal cord stimulator to relieve your pain. When the pain is caused by something that cannot be repaired and will not cause further damage if left alone, the pain can be blocked by this small implantable device. The spinal cord stimulator reinterprets that pain signals before they reach your brain so that you experience a gentle tingling instead. This has proven to be very successful in relieving back pain due to FBSS. Contact Us * Required
home : index : ancient Greece : Peloponnesian War Ps.-Aristotle on the Oligarchic Coup (411) Corinthian helmet (British Museum) Among the many gems that can be found in the Corpus Aristotelicum (the collected works of Aristotle of Stagira) is one little gem that was probably not written by the great philosopher himself: the Constitution of the Athenians. As is suggested by the title, the anonymous author, who must have belonged to Aristotle's school (the Lyceum),[1] describes the historical development of the Athenian constitution and offers an in-depth analysis of its functioning in his own days, the age of Alexander the Great. The Constitution of the Athenians includes a rather technical account of the oligarchic coup that surprised Athens in 411 and was justified with the argument that the democrats were not successfully conducting the Decelean or Ionian War. The coup took place in a climate of terror, but more or less along constitutional lines. First, a law was made that lifted the ban on unconstitutional proposals. Then, powers were handed over to a group of oligarchs, called the Four Hundred, who would draft a new constitution for a moderate oligarchy, the Five Thousand. As it turned out, the Four Hundred did intend to give up power, ruled by an emergency decree, until the loss of Euboea discredited them too, and the Five Thousand came to power. So, in the next fragment, reference is made to several constitutions: 1. The intended constitution of the Four Hundred (§30) 2. The emergency decree of the Four Hundred (§31) 3. The moderate constitution of the Five Thousand Ps.-Aristotle's account contradicts, and is often contradicted by, the story in Thucydides's History of the Peloponnesian War. This makes the Constitution of the Athenians a very important source. The translation of sections 29-33 was made by F.G. Kenyon. Ancient-Warfare.com, the online home of Ancient Warfare magazine Bust of the philosopher and scientist Aristotle. Archaeological Museum, Palermo (Italy). Photo Jona Lendering. Aristotle (Archaeological Museum, Palermo) [29] So long as the fortune of the war continued even, the Athenians preserved the democracy; but after the disaster in Sicily, when the Spartans had gained the upper hand through their alliance with the king of Persia, they were compelled to abolish the democracy and establish in its place the constitution of the Four Hundred. The speech recommending this course before the vote was made by Melobius, and the motion was proposed by Pythodorus of Anaphlystus; but the real argument which persuaded the majority was the belief that the king of Persia was more likely to form an alliance with them if the constitution were on an oligarchic basis.[2] The motion of Pythodorus was to the following effect. The popular Assembly was to elect twenty persons, over forty years of age, who, in conjunction with the existing ten members of the Committee of Public Safety, after taking an oath that they would frame such measures as they thought best for the state, should then prepare proposals for the public safety. In addition, any other person might make proposals, so that of all the schemes before them the people might choose the best. Clitophon concurred with the motion of Pythodorus, but moved that the committee should also investigate the ancient laws enacted by Clisthenes when he created the democracy, in order that they might have these too before them and so be in a position to decide wisely; his suggestion being that the constitution of Clisthenes was not really democratic, but closely akin to that of Solon. When the committee was elected, their first proposal was that the Prytanes should be compelled to put to the vote any motion that was offered on behalf of the public safety. Next they abolished all indictments for illegal proposals, all impeachments and pubic prosecutions, in order that every Athenian should be free to give his counsel on the situation, if he chose; and they decreed that if any person imposed a fine on any other for his acts in this respect, or prosecuted him or summoned him before the courts, he should, on an information being laid against him, be summarily arrested and brought before the generals, who should deliver him to the Eleven to be put to death. After these preliminary measures, they drew up the constitution in the following manner. The revenues of the state were not to be spent on any purpose except the war.[3] All magistrates should serve without remuneration for the period of the war, except the nine Archons and the Prytanes for the time being, who should each receive three obols a day. The whole of the rest of the administration was to be committed, for the period of the war, to those Athenians who were most capable of serving the state personally or pecuniarily, to the number of not less than five thousand. This body was to have full powers, to the extent even of making treaties with whomsoever they willed; and ten representatives, over forty years of age, were to be elected from each tribe to draw up the list of the Five Thousand, after taking an oath on a full and perfect sacrifice. [30] These were the recommendations of the committee; and when they had been ratified, the Five Thousand elected from their own number a hundred commissioners to draw up the constitution. They, on their appointment, drew up and produced the following recommendations. • There should be a Council, holding office for a year, consisting of men over thirty years of age, serving without pay. To this body should belong the Generals, the nine Archons, the Amphictyonic Registrar (Hieromnemon), the Taxiarchs, the Hipparchs, the Phylarch, the commanders of garrisons, the Treasurers of Athena and the other gods, ten in number, the Hellenic Treasurers (Hellenotamiae), the Treasurers of the other non-sacred moneys, to the number of twenty, the ten Commissioners of Sacrifices (Hieropoei), and the ten Superintendents of the mysteries. • All these were to be appointed by the Council from a larger number of selected candidates, chosen from its members for the time being. • The other offices were all to be filled by lot, and not from the members of the Council. • The Hellenic Treasurers who actually administered the funds should not sit with the Council. • As regards the future, four Councils were to be created, of men of the age already mentioned, and one of these was to be chosen by lot to take office at once, while the others were to receive it in turn, in the order decided by the lot • For this purpose the hundred commissioners were to distribute themselves and all the rest as equally as possible into four parts, and cast lots for precedence, and the selected body should hold office for a year. They were to administer that office as seemed to them best, both with reference to the safe custody and due expenditure of the finances, and generally with regard to all other matters to the best of their ability. If they desired to take a larger number of persons into counsel, each member might call in one assistant of his own choice, subject to the same qualification of age. • The Council was to sit once every five days, unless there was any special need for more frequent sittings. • The casting of the lot for the Council was to be held by the nine Archons; votes on divisions were to be counted by five tellers chosen by lot from the members of the Council, and of these one was to be selected by lot every day to act as president. • These five persons were to cast lots for precedence between the parties wishing to appear before the Council, giving the first place to sacred matters, the second to heralds, the third to embassies, and the fourth to all other subjects; but matters concerning the war might be dealt with, on the motion of the generals, whenever there was need, without balloting. • Any member of the Council who did not enter the Council-house at the time named should be fined a drachma for each day, unless he was away on leave of absence from the Council. [31] Such was the constitution which they drew up for the time to come, but for the immediate present they devised the following scheme. • There should be a Council of Four Hundred, as in the ancient constitution, forty from each tribe, chosen out of candidates of more than thirty years of age, selected by the members of the tribes. • This Council should appoint the magistrates and draw up the form of oath which they were to take; and in all that concerned the laws, in the examination of official accounts, and in other matters generally, they might act according to their discretion. They must, however, observe the laws that might be enacted with reference to the constitution of the state, and had no power to alter them nor to pass others. • The generals should be provisionally elected from the whole body of the Five Thousand, but so soon as the Council came into existence it was to hold an examination of military equipments, and thereon elect ten persons, together with a secretary, and the persons thus elected should hold office during the coming year with full powers, and should have the right, whenever they desired it, of joining in the deliberations of the Council. • The Five thousand was also to elect a single Hipparch and ten Phylarchs; but for the future the Council was to elect these officers according to the regulations above laid down. • No office, except those of member of the Council and of general, might be held more than once, either by the first occupants or by their successors. • With reference to the future distribution of the Four Hundred into the four successive sections, the hundred commissioners must divide them whenever the time comes for the citizens to join in the Council along with the rest. [32] The hundred commissioners appointed by the Five Thousand drew up the constitution as just stated; and after it had been ratified by the people, under the presidency of Aristomachus, the existing Council, that of the year of Callias [412/411], was dissolved before it had completed its term of office. It was dissolved on the fourteenth day of the month Thargelion, and the Four Hundred entered into office on the twenty-first; whereas the regular Council, elected by lot, ought to have entered into office on the fourteenth of Scirophorion. Thus was the oligarchy established, in the archonship of Callias, just about a hundred years after the expulsion of the tyrants. The chief promoters of the revolution were Pisander, Antiphon, and Theramenes, all of them men of good birth and with high reputations for ability and judgment. When, however, this constitution had been established, the Five Thousand were only nominally selected, and the Four Hundred, together with the ten officers on whom full powers had been conferred, occupied the Council-house and really administered the government. They began by sending ambassadors to the Spartans proposing a cessation of the war on the basis of the existing positions; but as the Spartans refused to listen to them unless they would also abandon the command of the sea, they broke off the negotiations. [33] For about four months the constitution of the Four Hundred lasted, and Mnasilochus held office as Archon of their nomination for two months of the year of Theopompus, who was Archon for the remaining ten. On the loss of the naval battle of Eretria, however, and the revolt of the whole of Euboea except Oreus, the indignation of the people was greater than at any of the earlier disasters, since they drew far more supplies at this time from Euboea than from Attica itself. Accordingly, they deposed the Four Hundred and committed the management of affairs to the Five Thousand, consisting of persons possessing a military equipment. At the same time they voted that pay should not be given for any public office. The persons chiefly responsible for the revolution were Aristocrates and Theramenes, who disapproved of the action of the Four Hundred in retaining the direction of affairs entirely in their own hands, and referring nothing to the Five Thousand. During this period the constitution of the state seems to have been admirable, since it was a time of war and the franchise was in the hands of those who possessed a military equipment. [34] The people, however, in a very short time deprived the Five Thousand of their monopoly of the government.[4] Continued (the Regime of the Thirty) This is, at least, the communis opinio about the authorship of this little treatise. It should be noted, however, that there is room for doubt. For example, another treatise that was long believed to be spurious, On the cosmos, now appears to be genuine (G. Reale & A.P. Bos, Il trattato "Sul Cosmo per Alessandro" attribuito ad Aristotele (1995 Milano). It is possible that a similar reappraisal of the Constitution of the Athenians will one day take place. Note 2: According to Thucydides, this was completely wrong. The Persian king Darius II Nothus was not interested in Athens at all. Note 3: Athens was running short of cash. Abolishing the payments for attending the democratic meetings made sense. Note 4: It is not entirely clear under which circumstances this happened. However, when the year 410 started, the Athenians defeated the Spartan navy at Cyzicus. The Spartans offered peace but the Athenian popular leader Cleophon, who did not trust the Spartans after their hesitation to implement the terms of the Peace of Nicias, convinced the people that it was better to refuse. The rejection of the peace offer may have been the moment when democracy was restored. home : index : ancient Greece : Peloponnesian War
Nano-mechanical-oscillator coupled by Bose Einstein Condensates (NanoBEC) Hybrid quantum mechanical system Laser light has been successfully used to trap cold atoms or even cool the atoms to the quantum ground state (BEC) due to its nature of radiation pressure and dipole forces. Nowadays, it is also believed that it could also be used to cool a macroscopic object, such as a mechanical oscillator in a special mode to the quantum ground state using the same cooling method. The radiation pressure force has already been solely used to cool different mechanical oscillators to approach the quantum ground states using either passive or active cooling schemes. The main bottlenecks for pure optical ways are the low cooling efficiency (especially for kHz oscillators) as well as the detecting difficulties for the zero-point-fluctuations especially when the mechanical oscillator is approaching the mode ground state (Tmode~0 K). The cooling efficiency can be highly increased if one can precool the mechanical oscillator to cryogenic temperature (30 mK for example) from room temperature (273 K). In this case the mean phonon occupation number of the cantilever (i.e., assuming a 10 kHz natural frequency) can be reduced from = 108 to 1014. The detecting sensitivity can also be improved by designing a high finesse low noise interferometer. For a kHz mechanical oscillator, in order to detect the zero-point-fluctuation, the resolution of the detecting/readout system has to be improved to be in sub-pm / √Hz or even fm / √Hz regime. A better option to cool the mechanical oscillator is to use a hybrid quantum mechanical system, the working principle can be simply explained as follows (also see figure 1): a mechanical oscillator, i.e., an AFM cantilever (CL) or a membrane with a natural resonance frequency of , can used as a flexible ending mirror to form a 1D standing wave. Cold atoms (i.e., 87Rb) trapping inside the standing wave, called optical lattice, have a axial trapping frequency . The flexural movement of the cantilever i.e. due to the thermal fluctuation will modulate the standing wave, which will causes collective harmonic oscillation of the center of mass of the cold atoms trapped inside the optical lattice. The optical trap will generate a dipole restoring force to the cold atoms, and its reaction will inversely redistribute the photons in the standing wave by generating a phase lag and thus dissipate the oscillating energy of the cantilever. When resonant coupling happens, that is , energy transfer will happen between the two different mechanical systems. Hence, removing energy from the trapped atom will decrease the total energy in the coupled system and sympathetically cool the mode of the cantilever to quantum ground state with a mean phonon occupation number of . Figure 1 Figure 1. (a) The kHz mechanical oscillator i.e. an AFM cantilever (CL) can be firstly precooled by the cold finger of the dilution refrigerator at around 30 mK in order to bring down the phonon number to a few thousands. The successive cooling of cantilever mode can then be achieved by coupling the cantilever with a natural flexural frequency of , to a 1 D optical lattice inside a glass cell where cold atoms are trapped inside with a harmonic trapping frequency of due to the optical dipole force (insert: pancake microtraps for 1D optical lattice, tight trapping along symmetrical axis). The two mechanical systems are mediated by the standing wave from a cooling laser beam (purple) formed between one movable ending 'mirror' of the CL and the other fixed retroreflective ending mirror. When , the sympathetical cooling of the cantilever can be achieved by removing energy from the trapped atoms in the lattice in this strongly coupled hybrid quantum system. The damped motion of the CL can be detected using a second laser beam (light blue) through a high sensitive low noise detector (b) The standing wave (green) of light field is modulated back (brown) and forth (purple) due to the movement of the flexible cantilever, generating a harmonic potential sensed by the trapped atoms. The back action of the dipole force to the light field could inversely redistribute the photons in the reflected lattice beams and produce a phase lag to the radiation pressure used to damp out the motion of the cantilever.
NRI Reliability NRI Data Reliability NRI is a statistically-based survey that has been designed and implemented using scientific principles to assess conditions and trends in the state of our natural resources. The National Resources Inventory is conducted in cooperation with the Iowa State University Center for Survey Statistics & Methodology (CSSM). Margin of Error computations are automatically generated with most NRI data analyses using the U-CARP statistical package developed as part of a cooperative agreement with Iowa State University. A Margin of Error defines the confidence interval associated with each estimate within the report. All Margin of Error estimates are for the 95% confidence level. A confidence interval/margin of error has a convenient interpretation. Specifically, for a 95% confidence interval, the probability that the interval covers the true mean value is equal to 0.95. This means that if we draw an infinite number of samples for a specified population (e.g. cropland acres, erosion rates, etc.), and if for each sample we compute the confidence interval, then 95% of those intervals will contain the true mean. The measure "95%" represents the degree of our confidence that the interval contains the true population mean. To make this concept more concrete, consider a watershed. We want an estimate of the number of acres of cropland in this watershed. The number of acres of cropland constitutes our population. From the NRI data, suppose that we estimate the number of cropland acres to be 50,000 and the confidence interval to be (47,000-53,000). This means that the probability that the actual number of acres of cropland in the watershed de facto is between 47,000 and 53,000 is 0.95. The sample design for the 1997 NRI is designed to provide acceptable margins of error at the 95% confidence level for geographic areas based on USDA Major Land Resource Area definitions. Analyses based on smaller geographic areas may produce results with meaningless margins of error. Link to the National NRI website on Statistical Estimation that provides appropriate scientific citations.
Usage in surgery How does it work? Some common antiseptics • ;Alcohols: Most commonly used are ethanol (60-90%), 1-propanol (60-70%) and 2-propanol/isopropanol (70-80%) or mixtures of these alcohols. They are commonly referred to as "surgical alcohol". Used to disinfect the skin before injections are given, often along with iodine (tincture of iodine) or some cationic surfactants (benzalkonium chloride 0.05 - 0.5%, chlorhexidine 0.2 - 4.0% or octenidine dihydrochloride 0.1 - 2.0%). • ;Quaternary ammonium compounds: Also known as Quats or QAC's, include the chemicals benzalkonium chloride (BAC), cetyl trimethylammonium bromide (CTMB), cetylpyridinium chloride (Cetrim, CPC) and benzethonium chloride (BZT). Benzalkonium chloride is used in some pre-operative skin disinfectants (conc. 0.05 - 0.5%) and antiseptic towels. The antimicrobial activity of Quats is inactivated by anionic surfactants, such as soaps. Related disinfectants include chlorhexidine and octenidine. • ;Iodine: Usually used in an alcoholic solution (called tincture of iodine) or as Lugol's iodine solution as a pre- and post-operative antiseptic. No longer recommended to disinfect minor wounds because it induces scar tissue formation and increases healing time. Gentle washing with mild soap and water or rinsing a scrape with sterile saline is a better practice. Novel iodine antiseptics containing povidone-iodine (an iodophor, complex of povidone, a water-soluble polymer, with triiodide anions I3-, containing about 10% of active iodine) are far better tolerated, don't affect wound healing negatively and leave a deposit of active iodine, creating the so-called "remanent," or persistent, effect. The great advantage of iodine antiseptics is the widest scope of antimicrobial activity, killing all principal pathogenes and given enough time even spores, which are considered to be the most difficult form of microorganisms to be inactivated by disinfectants and antiseptics. • ;Mercurochrome: Not recognized as safe and effective by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) due to concerns about its mercury content. Other obsolete organomercury antiseptics include bis-(phenylmercuric) monohydrogenborate (Famosept). • ;Sodium chloride: Used as a general cleanser. Also used as an antiseptic mouthwash. Only a weak antiseptic effect, due to hyperosmolality of the solution above 0.9%. • ;Sodium hypochlorite: Used in the past, diluted, neutralized and combined with potassium permanganate in the Daquin's solution. It is now used only as disinfectant. Negative effects The body produces its own antiseptics, which are a part of the chemical barriers of the immune system. The skin and respiratory tract secrete antimicrobial peptides such as the β-defensins. Enzymes such as lysozyme and phospholipase A2 in saliva, tears, and breast milk are also antiseptic. Vaginal secretions serve as a chemical barrier following menarche, when they become slightly acidic, while semen contains defensins and zinc to kill pathogens. In the stomach, gastric acid and proteases serve as powerful chemical defenses against ingested pathogens. Search another word or see Antisepticon Dictionary \| Thesaurus \|Spanish Copyright © 2014, LLC. All rights reserved. • Please Login or Sign Up to use the Recent Searches feature
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search A catenoid A catenoid is a surface in 3-dimensional Euclidean space arising by rotating a catenary curve about its directrix. Not counting the plane, it is the first minimal surface to be discovered. It was found and proved to be minimal by Leonhard Euler in 1744.[1] Early work on the subject was published also by Jean Baptiste Meusnier.[2] There are only two minimal surfaces of revolution (surfaces of revolution which are also minimal surfaces): the plane and the catenoid.[3] The catenoid may be defined by the following parametric equations: x=c \cosh \frac{v}{c} \cos u y=c \cosh \frac{v}{c} \sin u where u and v are real parameters and c is a non-zero real constant. In cylindrical coordinates: \rho =c \cosh \frac{z}{c} Where c is a real constant. A physical model of a catenoid can be formed by dipping two circles into a soap solution and slowly drawing the circles apart. The catenoid may be also defined approximately by the Stretched grid method as a facet 3D model Helicoid transformation[edit] Animation showing the deformation of a helicoid into a catenoid. Because they are members of the same associate family of surfaces, one can bend a catenoid into a portion of a helicoid without stretching. In other words, one can make a (mostly) continuous and isometric deformation of a catenoid to a portion of the helicoid such that every member of the deformation family is minimal (having a mean curvature of zero). A parametrization of such a deformation is given by the system x(u,v) = \cos \theta \,\sinh v \,\sin u + \sin \theta \,\cosh v \,\cos u y(u,v) = -\cos \theta \,\sinh v \,\cos u + \sin \theta \,\cosh v \,\sin u z(u,v) = u \cos \theta + v \sin \theta \, for (u,v) \in (-\pi, \pi] \times (-\infty, \infty), with deformation parameter -\pi < \theta \le \pi, where \theta = \pi corresponds to a right-handed helicoid, \theta = \pm \pi / 2 corresponds to a catenoid, and \theta = 0 corresponds to a left-handed helicoid. 1. ^ L. Euler, Methodus inveniendi lineas curvas maximi minimive proprietate gaudentes, 1744, in: Opera omnia I, 24 2. ^ Meusnier, J. B. "Mémoire sur la courbure des surfaces." Mém. des savans étrangers 10 (lu 1776), 477-510, 1785 3. ^ Catenoid at MathWorld External links[edit]
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search This article is about the anatomical structure. For the unit of measure, see Foot (unit). For other uses, see Foot (disambiguation). Male Right Foot 1.jpg Latin Pes Artery dorsalis pedis, medial plantar, lateral plantar Nerve medial plantar, lateral plantar, deep fibular, superficial fibular MeSH Foot TA A01.1.00.040 FMA FMA:9664 Anatomical terminology The feet of a newborn infant. The human foot and ankle is a strong and complex mechanical structure containing 26 bones, 33 joints (20 of which are actively articulated), and more than a hundred muscles, tendons, and ligaments.[1] The hindfoot is composed of the talus (or ankle bone) and the calcaneus (or heel bone). The two long bones of the lower leg, the tibia and fibula, are connected to the top of the talus to form the ankle. Connected to the talus at the subtalar joint, the calcaneus, the largest bone of the foot, is cushioned inferiorly by a layer of fat.[1] Both the midfoot and forefoot constitute the dorsum (the area facing upwards while standing) and the planum (the area facing downwards while standing). Illustration of bones in lower leg and foot. Main article: Arches of the foot The muscles acting on the foot can be classified into extrinsic muscles, those originating on the anterior or posterior aspect of the lower leg, and intrinsic muscles, originating on the dorsal (top) or plantar (base) aspects of the foot. Anterior leg muscles. Anterior group Deep and superficial layers of posterior leg muscles Posterior group Plantar aspects of foot, varying depths (superficial to deep) Central muscles of foot Clinical relevance This leaves humans more vulnerable to medical problems that are caused by poor leg and foot alignments. Also, the wearing of shoes, sneakers and boots can impede proper alignment and movement within the ankle and foot. For example, High-heeled footwear are known to throw off the natural weight balance (this can also affect the lower back). For the sake of posture, flat soles with no heels are advised. Fractures of the foot include: Main article: Pronation of the foot In anatomy, pronation is a rotational movement of the forearm (at the radioulnar joint) or foot (at the subtalar and talocalcaneonavicular joints). Pronation of the foot refers to how the body distributes weight as it cycles through the gait. During the gait cycle the foot can pronate in many different ways based on rearfoot and forefoot function. Types of pronation include neutral pronation, underpronation (supination), and overpronation. Neutral pronation An individual who neutrally pronates initially strikes the ground on the lateral side of the heel. As the individual transfers weight from the heel to the metatarsus, the foot will roll in a medial direction, such that the weight is distributed evenly across the metatarsus. In this stage of the gait, the knee will generally, but not always, track directly over the hallux. This rolling inwards motion as the foot progresses from heel to toe is the way that the body naturally absorbs shock. Neutral pronation is the most ideal, efficient type of gait when using a heel strike gait; in a forefoot strike, the body absorbs shock instead via flexation of the foot. As with a neutral pronator, an individual who overpronates initially strikes the ground on the lateral side of the heel. As the individual transfers weight from the heel to the metatarsus, however, the foot will roll too far in a medial direction, such that the weight is distributed unevenly across the metatarsus, with excessive weight borne on the hallux. In this stage of the gait, the knee will generally, but not always, track inwards. An overpronator does not absorb shock efficiently. Imagine someone jumping onto a diving board, but the board is so flimsy that when it is struck, it bends and allows the person to plunge straight down into the water instead of back into the air. Similarly, an overpronator's arches will collapse, or the ankles will roll inwards (or a combination of the two) as they cycle through the gait. An individual whose bone structure involves external rotation at the hip, knee, or ankle will be more likely to overpronate than one whose bone structure has internal rotation or central alignment. An individual who overpronates tends to wear down their running shoes on the medial (inside) side of the shoe towards the toe area.[15] When choosing a running or walking shoe, a person with overpronation can choose shoes that have good inside support—usually by strong material at the inside sole and arch of the shoe. It is usually visible. The inside support area is marked by strong greyish material to support the weight when a person lands on the outside foot and then roll onto the inside foot. Underpronation (supination) An individual who underpronates also initially strikes the ground on the lateral side of the heel. As the individual transfers weight from the heel to the metatarsus, the foot will not roll far enough in a medial direction. The weight is distributed unevenly across the metatarsus, with excessive weight borne on the fifth metatarsal, towards the lateral side of the foot. In this stage of the gait, the knee will generally, but not always, track laterally of the hallux. Like an overpronator, an underpronator does not absorb shock efficiently – but for the opposite reason. The underpronated foot is like a diving board that, instead of failing to spring someone in the air because it is too flimsy, it fails to do so because it is too rigid. There is virtually no give. An underpronator's arches or ankles don't experience much motion as they cycle through the gait. An individual whose bone structure involves internal rotation at the hip, knee, or ankle will be more likely to underpronate than one whose bone structure has external rotation or central alignment. Usually – but not always – those who are bow-legged tend to underpronate.[citation needed] An individual who underpronates tends to wear down their running shoes on the lateral (outside) side of the shoe towards the rear of the shoe in the heel area.[16] Society and culture Humans usually wear shoes or similar footwear for protection from hazards when walking outside. There are a number of contexts where it is considered inappropriate to wear shoes. Some people consider it rude to wear shoes into a house and a Māori Marae should only be entered with bare feet. A barefoot person in New York City's Central Park. Foot fetishism is the most common form of sexual fetish.[17][18] A human female left leg & foot 2014-07-31 15-50.jpg In animals See also 3. ^ Platzer 2004, p 220 4. ^ Mareb-Hoehn 2007, pp 244-45 5. ^ Platzer 2004, p 256 6. ^ Platzer 2004, p 258 7. ^ Platzer 2004, p 260 8. ^ Platzer 2004, p 262 9. ^ Platzer 2004, p 264 10. ^ Platzer 2004, p 268 11. ^ Platzer 2004, pp 270-72 12. ^ Platzer 2004, p 272 13. ^ Platzer 2004, p 274 15. ^ "Overpronation, Explained". Runner's World. 21 September 2001. Retrieved 28 December 2012. 16. ^ "Supination, Explained". Runner's World. 21 September 2001. Retrieved 28 December 2012. 17. ^ "Rex Ryan's Apparent Foot Fetish Not Necessarily Unhealthy - ABC News". 2010-12-23. Retrieved 2012-08-13. 18. ^ 19. ^ France 2008, p 537 External links
Take the 2-minute tour × I heard the phrase, “pick winners and losers” in AP Radio News (aired on March 19), relating GOP presidential candidate, Mitt Romney’s attack on President Obama’s economic policy: -Republican Presidential candidate, Mitt Romney says President Obama is wrong to pick winners and losers to try to boost the economy: “Because he has not worked in the economy, he doesn’t understand when the government picks winners, they think, and losers that the rest of the free economy shatters.”- There are many “pick winners and losers” quotes in Google search, for instance; “Aside from this disparity and the empirical evidence that suggests the ineffectiveness of such efforts, it turns out there is one more problem with picking winners and losers: sometimes the winners you pick turn out to be losers.” - www.ctnewsjunkie.com. But I find the definition of this phrase nowhere. I remember that Chinese government took 'winners first' policy once to try to make the rich richer first, then making the poor rich subsequently as if trickling its effect when they started to steer their economic policy toward the open-market. Does “the government picks winners and losers” mean to try to protect or benefit everybody, i.e. the rich and the poor equally? What does it exactly mean? share\|improve this question Romney means the government shouldn't decide in advance of the natural free-market outcome which companies will be "winners" (survive the current the economic turmoil), because once they've made that decision they'll prop up those companies with government funds. And sometimes they'll have chosen the wrong companies, which should have been allowed to fail, whereas there will be other companies (potential "losers" from the government's point of view) that should have been saved - but will fail, for lack of state support. – FumbleFingers Mar 23 '12 at 15:07 4 Answers 4 up vote 3 down vote accepted The phrase picking winners and losers refers to the fact that any set of measures a government takes - intended to help one or more companies, industries, geographical areas or population groups - implicitly puts those group(s) not selected at a relative disadvantage. So, you can interpret this as either: • any entity receiving government aid is a winner, and any other entity which doesn't receive government aid is a loser • or the government is picking entities it thinks are (or have the potential to be) winners, with the expectation that giving them direct aid will make them even more successful This is a common criticism of interventionist industrial policy, where direct state aid to favoured companies risks being a substantial mis-allocation of resources. share\|improve this answer This is a reference to the administration's choice to proceed with the economic bailout of General Motors while choosing to let Lehman Brothers et al fail- they've essentially chosen who will win (GM) and who will lose (Lehman) share\|improve this answer Just a quick comment on what you said about Chinese government's policy - they do have a policy to help many port cities to get rich first. But I don't think it's called "Winner pick losers". It doesn't make sense. It's actually called "Let some people get rich first" from Deng Xiaoping. In fact, it seems that the Chinese government is also "picking winners and losers" in order to stimulate the economy in certain areas. Now going back to your original question, the US government is doing what they can to save "winners" from falling apart, and let "losers" go to hell. So I find it's very similar to what Chinese government is doing. share\|improve this answer @Stonebird.You’re right. “Winners pick losers” isn’t appropriate to describe Deng Xiaoping’s theory - First make the rich (coastal areas) richer, and let the others (inland areas) follow them by helping each other. (一部分地區、一部分人可以先富起來，帶動和幫助其他地區、其他的人，逐步達到共同富裕). I revised the wording in the question. But I don’t think Den’s “First make the rich richer” theory is the same with ‘Pick the winner and loser,” because Den’s ultimate goal was to let the poor emulates the rich, thus let wealth penetrate through all areas with emphasis on mutual help. I’ll stop here as this goes beyond the language issue. – Yoichi Oishi Mar 23 '12 at 20:10 The point I think that the Radio is trying to make here, is that the government is not democratic. "the government picks winners and losers" doesn't seem to mean 'trying to protect or benefit everybody', but rather, 'choosing who I think is the winner with no regard to the economy' Mitt Romney thinks Obama is wrong to "pick winners and losers" because, he says, Obama "has not worked in the economy, he doesn't understand..." "Pick winners and losers" isn't any idiomatic expression in English. share\|improve this answer Your Answer
Redefining Smart How a New Understanding of the Brain Will Lead to the Creation of Truly Intelligent Machines By Jeff Hawkins with Sandra Blakeslee Times Books -- 261pp -- $25 Conventional wisdom is a red flag to Jeff "Trip" Hawkins: By defying it, he has achieved spectacular success. As the founder of two groundbreaking technology companies, Palm and Handspring, he virtually created the era of hand-held computers with the launch of the first Palm Pilot in 1996. The wealth he accumulated as a result -- over $100 million -- allowed him to follow a similar iconoclastic approach in tackling his greatest passion: the study of the brain. The result is On Intelligence: How a New Understanding of the Brain Will Lead to the Creation of Truly Intelligent Machines, written with New York Times science writer Sandra Blakeslee. The book is a manifesto for a theory based on an elegantly simple premise: that intelligence is rooted in the brain's ability to access memories rather than in its ability to process new data. Hawkins is sure to ruffle feathers in the neuroscience and artificial-intelligence fields, given that he dismisses years of research in both camps. But he says he welcomes debate -- and recognizes that he could well end up being proved wrong. Even if debunked, the book serves a valuable purpose by encouraging new ways of thinking about intelligence and efforts to build intelligent computers. Hawkins complains that thinking machines do not exist because scientists have been sidetracked. Too many subscribe to the widespread view that the brain is essentially a powerful computer, constantly processing and integrating incoming data. Many computer experts believe that thinking machines will arrive once there are processors as powerful and as integrated as human neurons. There is a problem with this brain-as-computer analogy, however: Computers are already faster than brains. A neuron can manage 200 operations per second; a modern computer can race through 1 billion per second. Processing speed doesn't matter in the brain, says Hawkins, because the basis of thought is not data manipulation but memory retention and prediction. The brain, he says, accesses previous experiences, compares them with existing circumstances, and predicts what is most likely to happen next. When a ball is thrown, for example, we know from experience where it is most likely to land and move our hands to that spot. It's a simple action, but it has proved nearly impossible to build a robot smart enough to perform it. "The brain doesn't compute the answers to problems," he says. "It retrieves the answer from memory." Intelligence, posits Hawkins, is essentially the capacity to remember and then predict patterns in the world. This so-called prediction model of intelligence has been hinted at by neuroscientists, and Hawkins includes a bibliography crediting his predecessors. But, he insists, these disparate bits and pieces have never been placed into a coherent theory. "This," he says sweepingly, "is the goal of this book." Hawkins' confidence does not spring from recent dabbling. His interest in neuroscience was first sparked in 1979, a few months after he graduated from Cornell University with a degree in electrical engineering. The September issue of Scientific American that year was devoted to the brain and included a highly influential article by Francis Crick, co-discoverer of the structure of DNA. Crick wrote that the study of the brain "is conspicuously lacking a broad framework of ideas," words that inspired Hawkins. "My lifelong desire to understand brains and build intelligent machines was brought to life." Hawkins spends much of On Intelligence explaining, in highly readable fashion, how the brain works. And unlike many much drier books on the subject, the author leavens the neuroscience with his own quirky professional history. Sometimes it's too quirky -- the book has a certain breezy, Hawkins-centric style that can be off-putting. But he seems quite serious in his goal of inspiring others to try some new thinking about intelligence. So serious, in fact, that two years ago he founded the Redwood Neuroscience Institute to promote research on memory and cognition. Perhaps a clue to his next company? Corrections and Clarifications The review of On Intelligence: How a New Understanding of the Brain Will Lead to the Creation of Truly Intelligent Machines ("Redefining smart," Books, Nov. 8) confused the book's author, Jeff Hawkins, founder of Palm and Handspring, with Trip Hawkins, game developer and co-founder of Electronic Arts and founder of 3DO. By Catherine Arnst Tim Cook's Reboot blog comments powered by Disqus
Fishie Quiz Here's the answers to our quiz. Click to return to questions page. 1) Approximately how many species of fish are there worldwide? ANSWER (B): There are approximately 27,000 known species of fish, easily making them the most diverse group of vertebrates, and scientists estimate that there are still thousands of fish species yet to be discovered! 2) What species of fish produces the most eggs? ANSWER (A): The ocean sunfish (Mola mola) produces more eggs than any other species of fish. In fact, it produces more eggs than any other vertebrate on the planet. A single female can produce up to 300 million eggs at a single spawning, each measuring about 0.05 in in diameter! Considered a delicacy in Asia, a single mola can fetch prices as high as $600 (U.S.). 3) How many different varieties of goldfish are there? ANSWER (C): 100. There are over a hundred different varieties of goldfish, classified by color, body shape, finnage and outgrowth of the eyes. Some common varieties of goldfish include the Comet, the Fantail, the Oranda, the Shubunkin, and the Black Moor. Perhaps the most popular of all aquarium fish, goldfish have been known to live up to 25 years! 4) What is the fastest fish? ANSWER (D): Sailfish. Although it is, of course, extremely difficult to measure the swimming speed of large fish in the wild, the cosmopolitan sailfish (Istiophorus platypterus) is considered by many experts to be the fastest fish in the world. It has been clocked at speeds of 68 mph. The average fish would be hard-pressed to reach 12 mph. 5) What species of fish, dubbed "Frankenfish" by the media, caused a panic among fish farmers when it began invading aquaculture farms in Florida and feeding on fish stocks? ANSWER (B): The walking catfish, also known as the magur or pla duk dam, caused a panic among fish farmers in Florida when it began invading their aquaculture farms and feeding on fish stocks. Dubbed "Frankenfish" by the media, the walking catfish breathes air and is capable of making short migrations across land. 6) What is the most poisonous fish? ANSWER (C): The most poisonous fish (to eat) is the puffer fish whose ovaries, eggs, blood, liver, intestines and skin contain a fatally poisonous toxin called tetrodotoxin. A tiny amount of this toxin is enough to kill an adult in as little as 20 minutes. The poisonous puffer fish is considered a delicacy and eaten in Japan, when prepared correctly and the poison removed. 7) In the movie Finding Nemo, what kind of fish is Nemo? ANSWER (D): In the movie Finding Nemo, Nemo is a clownfish. Due to the popularity of the movie, public demand for pet clownfish nearly tripled after its release. 8) What is the largest species of fish? ANSWER (C): Whale Shark. Reaching an average length of 45 feet and weighing up to 15 tons, the Whale Shark is generally considered the largest species of fish in the world. One specimen captured in the Gulf of Thailand in 1919 measured an incredible 59 feet! Not related to whales (which are mammals, not fish), the Whale Shark probably earned its name because of its abnormally large size as well as the fact that, like whales, it is a filter feeder, swimming with its mouth open in order to suck up plankton and small sea creatures. 9) What is the smallest species of fish? ANSWER (B): Stout infantfish. Measuring only quarter inch (about the width of a pencil), the stout infantfish holds the record for world's smallest fish. It lives around Australia's Great Barrier Reef and is thought to have a lifespan of only two months. Prior to the discovery of the stout infantfish, the dwarf goby fish was generally considered the world's smallest fish. 10) How many teeth can a shark grow during its lifetime? ANSWER (C): 50,000. When a shark loses a tooth, a new tooth grows in to replace it. In fact, below each tooth (inside the gums) are up to 7 layers of replacement teeth, just waiting to grow in. Some species of sharks have been known to shed as many as 50,000 teeth during their lifetime! Click to return to questions page.
Our moral responsibility to undocumented Central American youth (Commentary) Guatemala Immigration Overload Child Death Francisco Ramos holds up a picture of his son, whose decomposed body was found in the Texas desert, as he waits for the arrival of his son's body, in Customs, in Guatemala City, Friday, July 11, 2014. The remains of Gilberto Francisco Ramos, the 15 year old boy who died in the Rio Grande Valley of South Texas, trying to reach the United States alone, was delivered to his family on Friday. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo) Special to By Special to The Post-Standard on July 13, 2014 at 9:47 AM, updated July 18, 2014 at 11:24 AM Paul Welch is director of the Social Action Ministry at the Syracuse Catholic Diocese in Syracuse. By Paul Welch Do Americans have some moral responsibility for the thousands of Central American youths at our door? The vast and continuing flow of Central American youths should give Americans cause to ask why. Poor living conditions in their home countries would be one obvious reason. However, a deeper look at these countries' recent history is enlightening. War and violence is the overwhelming cause for the vast migrations of people. Over 2 million Iraqis fled their country after Saddam Hussein fell. Living under Saddam was horrible, but it was the violence of war that made them flee. Jordan, a country of 8 million, gave refuge to 700,000, while the U.S. took in 85,000 Iraqis. Guatemala had 10 years of democracy until 1954, when the United Fruit Company decided that the land redistribution legislation proposed by President Jacobo Arbenz Guzman was a communist. However, when asked to exchange their unused land, they contacted Secretary of State John Foster Dulles. The U.S. government sent in the CIA. President Arbenz was deposed. A right-wing government was installed. Six years later, civil war broke out. From 1960 to 1996, the conflict claimed 200,000 lives in a land of about 7 to 8 million people. One million Guatemalans became refugees during the 36-year civil war. However, they could not receive asylum in the United States, because we supported the murderous military juntas. Some stayed in Mexican refugee camps; others became undocumented immigrants in the U.S. Archbishop Jose Gerardi was the Oscar Romero of Guatemala. His tireless work on behalf of poor Guatemalans brought him into constant conflict with the military juntas of Guatemala. By 1998, his Recovery of Historical Memory project (REMHI), entitled "Nunca Mas," substantiated that 85 percent of the war's human rights violations were committed by the military. More than 1,000 individuals and military men were named in the report. Two days after "Nunca Mas" became public, a military officer with two accomplices bludgeoned Gerardi to death. This murder was an ominous sign of the violence ahead. The School of Americas (SOA) Watch displays a litany of Guatemalan military murderers on their web site. A sub group of these murderers are those who attended or graduated from SOA. In just over a decade, drug war violence replaced civil war violence. Drug-related violence has surged to "alarming and unprecedented" levels in Central America as Mexican drug cartels have shifted their operations, says a United Nations report. According to the annual report by the International Narcotics Control Board, the move "has resulted in increased levels of violence, kidnapping, bribery torture and homicide" in Central America. "The countries of the so-called 'Northern Triangle' (El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras) now (2010) have the world's highest homicide rates." The 2012 homicide statistics from just Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras show more than 15,000 deaths. "In Central America, the escalating drug-related violence involving drug trafficking organizations, transnational and local gangs and other criminal groups has reached alarming and unprecedented levels, significantly worsening security and making the sub-region one of the most violent areas in the world," the INCB report said. A Rand study commissioned by the U.S. government estimates American citizens pay $100 billion for illegal drugs annually. This is more than total U.S. expenditures on tobacco products and $17 billion less than all alcohol purchases. The same study estimates 24 million illegal drug users in the U.S. Whereas it took 14 years to repeal prohibition of alcohol, we are over 40 years fighting the futile drug war. A wide range of leaders, including conservative icons William F. Buckley and George Schultz, have advocated for a change in our drug policies. With 24 million Americans funneling tens of billions of dollars to drug lords, they have systematically corrupted all arms and levels of Central American governments. Our drug war is an undeclared war against the people of Central America. The above evidence makes the case for U.S. moral responsibility for the waves of undocumented Central American youth. Listening to what these brave children tell us, determining whether violence brought them to the U.S., and treating them with compassion are necessary. It isn't a pretty task but neither was our sordid involvement in their countries.
Bible Riots: When Christians Killed Each Other Over Religion in Public Schools By Rob Boston Originally published in Liberty: A Magazine For Religious Liberty May/June 1997 edition, this article was located in the Liberty archives at On a warm spring day more than 150 years ago George Schiffler died on a street in Philadelphia. Though history didn't record much about the 18-year-old, except that he was a "leather worker," it does tell a great deal about the circumstances surrounding his death. Young Schiffler was the first to die as rampaging mobs of Roman Catholics and Protestants shot, clubbed, and otherwise attacked one another in what was known as the "Philadelphia Bible Riots." Interestingly enough, the issue that incited the violence remains controversial even today, and that is religion in public schools. In fact, the parallels between the rhetoric of nineteenth-century America's Protestant majority and today's Religious Right are startling. As Roman Catholics and Protestants battled more than a century ago over prayer and Bible reading in public schools, Protestants relied on the same arguments uttered by modern-day TV preachers: Protestant practices in public schools were "traditional"; those who don't like the exercises could get up and leave the room; a little religion never hurt anyone; and finally, Protestants were the majority and should have the right to do whatever they wanted. Like the modern Religious Right, ultraconservative Protestant leaders of the nineteenth century insisted the United States was a "Christian nation." Only one catch: by "Christian" they really meant "Protestant." Statistically at least, the view was correct. Although Roman Catholics had lived in the country since the Colonial period, they were few in number and politically impotent. A great wave of immigration from Ireland in the 1830's and 1840's threatened to change that. Most of the Irish were Catholics fleeing the potato famine, and their arrival on these shores in large numbers caused near panic among the Protestant majority. Catholics were considered a threat; they resisted assimilation and were accused of owing their loyalty to a foreign potentate - the Roman pope. Their religion was widely misunderstood, and rumors circulated. Priests were accused of sexual depravity. Priests and nuns, it was said, had engaged in illicit affairs and killed the offspring, burying them beneath the floors of convents. As bizarre as these stories sound today, they were taken seriously by many Americans in the 1840's. Each side had extremes. In 1842 more than 50 clergy formed the American Protestant Association, a group dedicated to halting the spread of Catholicism in the United States. The Catholic Church, meanwhile, dogmatically clung to theological precepts that only widened the chasm between the two groups. The church's official stance was that separation of church and state was an erroneous principle; governments, the church maintained, had an obligation to submit to Rome. There was no salvation outside the church, and "error" - that is, other religions - had no rights that the pope was obliged to recognize. In 1843, just a year before the riots, a wave of Protestant fervor swept Philadelphia. Church leaders joined forces to bring the community back to God, which included restoring a sense of the sacred to Sunday. Philadelphia clergy joined a burgeoning national movement to suspend Sunday train travel and stop mail delivery. Philadelphia clergy also launched a special campaign to halt Sunday liquor sales. Against this backdrop tensions over religious activity in the city's public schools rose. Pennsylvania's public schools reflected generic Protestantism. The school day began with the recitation of the Lord's Prayer, readings from the King James Version of the Bible, and often group singing of Protestant hymns. In addition, the Bible was frequently used as a textbook in spelling classes and to teach other secular subjects. Bible reading occurred "without comment." The teacher simply read a set number of verses - usually 10 - without elaborating or interpreting them. Most Protestant groups found the practice acceptable, because it echoed their own theology. But Catholics - who look to church leaders to interpret the Scripture - considered the practice alien and heretical. As the Catholic population increased, the Protestant majority decided to draw a line in the sand at the public school door. In 1838 the state legislature passed a law mandating that the Bible - and by that everyone knew they meant the King James Version - be used as a public school textbook. The new law was a deliberate slap in the face to Catholics, because it was unnecessary: public schools all over the state were already relying on the King James Bible for daily instruction. Also, some textbooks had a clear anti-Catholic bias. One even referred to the pope as the anti-Christ. Catholic clergy finally began planning a protest. In 1842 Philadelphia bishop Francis Patrick Kenrick launched his first salvo. He approached the Board of School Controllers to ask that the blatantly anti-Catholic books be removed. Kenrick also requested that Catholic students be permitted to use their own Bibles - the Douay version - during morning devotionals. In response the board passed a directive instructing schools not to use books with religious content without the express permission of the board. Designed to placate Kenrick, the directive was never enforced and was widely ignored. The board apparently did not act on the bishop's request concerning Douay Bibles, either. Frustrated, Kenrick waited before trying again. This time he issued a statement asserting, "It is not consistent with the laws and the discipline of the Catholic Church for her members to unite in religious exercises with those who are not of their communion." Perhaps hoping to allay problems, the board passed a resolution declaring that "no child be required to attend or unite in the reading of the Bible in the public schools whose parents are conscientiously opposed thereto." Under the board's plan, Catholic students could leave the room before morning devotionals. Kenrick would have preferred that the devotionals be done away with, but was smart enough not to say so publicly. He accepted the board's compromise. Philadelphia's Protestant clergy, however, had other ideas. Reaction to the board vote was swift, strong, and roundly unfavorable. Many Protestants interpreted the vote as the first step toward removing religious exercises from public schools. The plan to excuse Catholic students, they claimed, was part of a Vatican plot to disrupt the religious exercises so they would have no value, and the Catholic Church would take over the schools. At that time the most virulent anti-Catholics were called nativists. A leading Philadelphia Nativist newspaper, the North American, editorialized: "For years and years the schools have been in operation, planned by Protestants, and almost wholly supported by Protestants, and now come the 'Bishop of New York' and the 'Bishop of Philadelphia' to interfere in the management of them, creating confusion within their walls and excitement without." The American Protestant Association was soon circulating a scurrilous pamphlet attacking Kenrick and the board compromise. In such a volatile situation it was only a matter of time before something would set both sides off In late February of 1844 a rumor started that a school director in the heavily Catholic north Philadelphia suburb of Kensington had ordered a teacher to suspend Bible readings. In reality the director, Hugh Clark, had merely suggested a temporary suspension of the devotionals to a principal who complained that allowing Catholic children to leave every morning was disruptive. In Clark's view the religious exercises could be resumed once a plan was worked out that allowed the Catholic students to leave peacefully. Furthermore, Clark had only suggested the plan; the final decision was the principal's. But the details of the incident were lost in the rumor mill. Another school director, Henry Moore, a strident evangelical Protestant, began whipping up hysteria. A series of rallies were quickly organized to "save the Bible." One held March 13 attracted a crowd of 3,000. As so often happens during disputes over religion in public schools, politicians were eager to cash in for whatever gain they could get. Pennsylvania's leading anti-Catholic political unit, the American Republican Party (ARP), quickly added a plank to its platform reading, "Resolved, that the Bible, without note or comment, is not sectarian - that it is the fountainhead of all morality and all good government, and should be used in our public schools as a reading book." Most "Save the Bible" rallies were organized by the ARP. Hoping to build momentum, party leaders announced they would begin organizing across Philadelphia, even in heavily Irish areas such as Kensington's Third Ward. On April 27 a group of Irish disrupted a party meeting at a private home. Angry ARP officials announced a mass rally for Ward 3 on May 3. During the afternoon of May 3, a Friday, Catholic Ward 3 residents watched ARP members erect a platform near a local school. By the 3:00 p.m. kickoff time, only about 100 ARP supporters had showed up, their ranks more than doubled by crowds of Irish - mostly young unemployed men - hanging around the neighborhood. Although the situation was tense, ARP officials decided to proceed. A party leader had barely opened his mouth before gangs of Irish men stormed the stage and began pulling it down. Party officials fled to safety, regrouping in a nearby Protestant neighborhood. Over the weekend they circulated flyers calling on ARP supporters to rally to defend their rights. The following Monday, May 6, about 3,000 people - mostly men - showed up in Ward 3. One of the first speakers was Lewis Levin. A shadowy figure, Levin was a Jew who might possibly have converted to Protestantism; the record is unclear. During his fiery talk, a downpour erupted. The crowd scattered, taking refuge in a large Irish marketplace. Levin tried to continue speaking in the marketplace, but Irish in the crowd heckled him. Soon a shoving match broke out between a young Irish man and an ARP supporter. Crowds gathered around both men. One Protestant man produced a pistol. A Catholic dared him to fire, and he did. Someone else fired back, and a melee ensued. Soon rocks, clubs, and more pistols appeared. A Catholic named Patrick Fisher, who tried to stop the fight, was shot in the face. Catholics poured out of nearby homes along Cadwalader Street and joined the fray. Other Catholics began shooting at Protestants from their homes. With no cover, Protestants started dropping. The first to be hit was George Schiffler, who died soon after. Three others also went down. Joseph Cox was seriously wounded and died three weeks later. Two others - Henry Temper and Thomas Ford - received less serious wounds. The Philadelphia Bible Riots had begun. As soon as the fighting began, some Protestants fled the area, looking for reinforcements. They rounded up 18 armed men, who marched up Cadwalader Street, stoning houses and breaking doors and windows. By the time the authorities arrived, fighting had been under way for an hour. Sheriff Morton McMichael and his officers were able to reestablish control, but McMichael knew the situation was volatile. As darkness fell, the peace remained uneasy, and the neighborhood was bathed in an eerie glow from bonfires some children had started. Sensing further trouble, McMichael asked for support from the state militia, but General George Cadwalader, the local militia commander, refused - a serious mistake. Around 10:00 that night a Protestant mob marched up Cadwalader Street and, according to a report in the Philadelphia Ledger, "commenced breaking into the houses on both sides of the street, destroying the furniture, demolishing the windows, and rendering the houses completely uninhabitable." Many Catholics fled as their houses were destroyed. The mob marched on to a nearby seminary owned by a Catholic order of nuns, the Sisters of Charity. The nuns had moved their order to Iowa some time before the riots, and the building was vacant except for a housekeeper, Mrs. Baker. As the mob surrounded the building, Baker opened the door and implored them to leave. She was hit in the face with a stone. Some Catholics who had been posted as guards outside a nearby church fired a volley of buckshot into the crowd. John Wright, identified in press reports as an "innocent bystander," fell dead. Nathan Ramsey received a serious wound and died one month later. The Protestant crowd dispersed. Sporadic gunfire was heard throughout the night, though the rioting had ceased. That evening ARP officials circulated a flyer offering a $1,000 reward for Schiffler's killers. The party also called a general meeting for Tuesday afternoon at Independence Hall. At the insistence of the Rev. John H. Gihon, the words "Let Every Man Come Prepared to Defend Himself" were added to posters advertising the event. Tuesday morning the Native American, the most extreme of the anti-Catholic newspapers, proclaimed, "Another St. Bartholomew's Day has begun in the streets of Philadelphia," comparing the events of the previous day to the mass slaughter of Huguenots in 1572 by Catholics in France. "The bloody hand of the pope," it continued, "has stretched forth to our destruction. Now we call on our fellow citizens, who regard free institutions, whether they be native or adopted, to arm. Our liberties are now to be fought for - let us not be slack in our preparations." By 3:30 a crowd of at least 3,000 had gathered for the ARP rally. The first speaker was Thomas R. Newbold, publisher of the less rabid Nativist organ the North American. Newbold called for nonviolence, but his words were soon forgotten when the next speaker, attorney Charles J. Jack, unleashed an emotionally charged tirade that whipped the crowd into a frenzy. They soon began chanting, "Let's go to Kensington!" Jack led the march. Behind him a man carried a tattered U.S. flag that had been damaged during the previous night's disturbance. Attached to it was a banner reading, "This is the FLAG that was trampled UNDERFOOT by the IRISH PAPISTS." Many Kensington Catholics, warned of the mob, had abandoned their homes, but some armed Irishmen were holed up inside others. As the Protestants entered the neighborhood, they swarmed the Hibernia Hose House, a volunteer fire brigade and Irish meeting place. Catholics opened fire; Protestants shot back. Four Protestants fell dead; at least 11 were wounded. In an effort to force the Catholic gunmen out into the streets, Protestants began setting fire to houses. The wooden frame structures went up like dry brush. One Catholic was killed. Joseph Rice, described as a bystander, was hit by a bullet fired by 17-year-old Isaac Hare. He died instantly. The new outbreak of violence convinced Gen. Cadwalader to call out the state militia. His troops arrived and stopped the shooting as fire companies began battling the blazes. The militia managed to keep the peace for the rest of the day. But the next morning, Wednesday, May 8, trouble erupted anew. Despite the presence of militia troops, gangs of Protestants were roaming Kensington by 10:00 a.m. They set fire to several houses along Cadwalader Street and also torched a Catholic-owned carpet-weaving shop. The mob then moved on to St. Michael's Catholic Church. The rector, Michael Donohoe, had been outspoken against Protestant religious exercises in public schools and knew that his life was in danger. He got out of town once the rioting started, leaving the church keys in the hands of a militia commander. A small band of militia was guarding the church. The Protestants set fires nearby to draw them away and then broke into St. Michael's, destroying the rectory, tossing Donohoe's library out into the street, and immolating the building. A fire company arrived, but the mob kept it away. When the steeple collapsed, they cheered. The fire swept to five nearby houses and destroyed them as well. The mob then moved on to the Sisters of Charity Seminary and burned it to the ground. For good measure they sacked and looted a nearby Catholic-owned grocery store. Meanwhile a second mob had gathered at St. Augustine's Catholic Church at Fourth and Vine streets. Kensington mayor John M. Scott and some neighborhood residents were guarding the church. Scott mounted the church steps and implored the crowd to go home. He was hit in the chest with a rock. With Scott out of the way, the mob stormed the church and burned it. Again the crowd held back firefighters and cheered as the steeple collapsed. Militia troops struggled to regain control. As the rioting spread closer to Philadelphia proper, the town's leading citizens demanded tougher action. State officials announced that the militia would begin to use deadly force to clear the streets. The threat worked. Kensington was briefly put under martial law, and the disturbances soon ended. Thousands attended a peace rally Thursday morning. Bishop Kenrick suspended worship on Sunday, May 12, but the day passed without incident. The Kensington riots were over. Final tally: seven dead on site with two more to die later, and at least 20 wounded. Property damage totaled $250,000, big money in the 1840's. While Kensington remained peaceful, rioting broke out again in south Philadelphia in early July, when rumors spread that Catholics were stockpiling weapons at a church in Southwark. Once again rioters clashed with the militia. During three days of disturbances 10 were killed and at least 20 wounded. Catholics received the blame. Not long after the riots a grand jury was convened to study the matter. The jury, stacked with nativists, declared that the riots were caused by the "efforts of a portion of the community to exclude the Bible from our public schools" and blamed hotheaded Irish for disrupting ARP meetings. Philadelphia was not the only city plagued by Catholic-Protestant strife during this period, although no other city had such violence. Reaction to the riots reverberated elsewhere. In New York City, nativists got wind of the Philadelphia riots and began clamoring for revenge, calling a mass rally for May 9. Alarmed, Catholic bishop John Hughes posted gangs of armed guards at New York's Catholic churches. Hughes also implored city officials to persuade New York nativists to cancel the rally. They did, and no churches were damaged in New York. But perhaps the strangest reaction occurred in St. Louis. Word of the riots reached the city accompanied by a rumor that the Inquisition had been reestablished at a local Jesuit-run medical school. Visitors to the school had apparently spotted corpses used for dissection lessons and had jumped to the grisly conclusion that they were the Inquisition's first victims. A mob surrounded the school, but an armed force of Irish drove them off. Interestingly enough, the Irish Catholics eventually got what they wanted - though it took more than a century. In 1963 the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the practice of opening the public school day with Bible reading "without comment." The case, Abington Township School District v. Schempp, was brought not by Catholics, but by a suburban Philadelphia Unitarian family, Ed and Sydney Schempp, on behalf of their 16-year-old son, Ellory. By 1963, however, many Catholics, fed up with forced Protestantism in public schools, had long ago left the system for parochial schools. Of course, religion in public schools remains as contentious today as in the 1840's, and though people aren't battling each other on the streets over the controversy, at least not yet, the same principles that incited the Philadelphia riots exist in the current debate. What lesson, then, can the nation learn from the violence? First, religion is taken so seriously that when people believe that their religious rights are being violated, they are capable of responding in ways that shock. Second, despite the claims that state-sponsored religion in public schools would be a unifying factor, history shows that it is a divisive one that quickly causes people to take sides. Third, state-promoted religion can become a club that the majority uses against an unpopular minority as a reminder of their "second-class" status, as the Protestants in Philadelphia clearly were trying to do to Catholics. Finally, the Bible riots show that mandatory religious exercises have no place in public schools, which are expected to serve children from all different religious backgrounds. No monument, of course, commemorates young George Schiffler, the hapless leather worker who was the first to die in the Bible riots. Yet the issue that left him dead on the streets is just as real now as when, more than a century ago, Christians were killing each other over religion in public schools.
Image Map The H-Word: Relationship Violence and the Racist Implications of the Mythical Pimp Poster showing women's legs and men standing under a streetlight. Text reads LOST BOYSEarlier this month the Village Voice made public the findings of a study conducted by the John Jay College of Criminal Justice, which looked to define the most vulnerable population of sex workers: underage prostitutes. According to the study, "The typical kid who is commercially exploited for sex in New York City is not a tween girl, has not been sold into sexual slavery, and is not held captive by a pimp." The study found that 45% were boys, 45% got into the business through friends, 90% were U.S. born, most serviced white, wealthy men and struck deals on the street (as opposed to the Internet). Importantly, 95% of respondents—70% of whom had sought assistance through a child service agency within the past year—said they exchanged sex for money "because it was the surest way to support themselves." According to these researchers, even the most at-risk segment of the sex worker population—underage sex workers—are going it alone, selling sex on their own volition, and perceive themselves as making a choice given their circumstances. Only 10% were involved with what the researchers labelled a "market facilitator" (aka pimp). For some, including the children met by the researchers behind the John Jay study, prostitution is a symptom of another problem that can take many forms: joblessness and poverty, lack of affordable housing, sexual abuse, mental abuse and trauma—problems more daunting than a boogeyman in a pimp hat. Yet, the myth that all sex workers are victims of traffickers or under the control of pimps still hijacks society's imagination. Sadly, this myth misunderstands not only the "victims" of prostitution but its "victimizers" as well—people who, as research reveals, are oftentimes one in the same. The origins of the word "pimp" reach back to the 17th century. It is believed to have come from the French infinitive "pimper" meaning to dress up elegantly and from the present participle "pimpant" meaning alluring in dress, or seductive. According to Slate, the term was introduced to mean, literally, "a person who arranges opportunities for sexual intercourse with a prostitute" and figuratively "a person who panders to an undesirable or immoral impulse." In Race Rebels: Culture, Politics and the Black Working Class Robin Kelley recounts the subtle and not-so-subtle but conscious acts of rebellion and resistance among a black working class, including the reclamation of the word "pimp" as a positive identity. Although African-American male culture is accredited with reclaiming the word in the 1970s, Kelley traces the celebration of the pimp to the zoot suiters and hipsters of the World War II era and the black male youth who sought alternatives to wage work and pleasure in music, clothing, and dance. Due to the unequal job market and lack of opportunities for men of color, some black men wholly rejected the work ethic of the era, favoring instead "a privilege of leisure and an emphasis on 'fast money' with little or no physical labor"—an ethic, Kelley writes, which "frequently meant increased oppression and exploitation of women, particularly black women." movie poster featuring a black man in a fur coat flanked by women called The Mack movie poster featuring a black man in a fur coat flanked by women called Willie Dynamite Another, similar poster featuring a black man in a fur coat flanked by women called Willie Dynamite According to Kelley, the connotations of sexism and exploitation in the movement obscure its oppositional potential, which are embedded, in part, in what Malcolm X deemed its "ghetto adornments"—zoot suits, flashes of wealth, and conspicuous consumption—visual protests adapted by a people struggling for economic power, and generational and ethnic identity. In the 1990s came a resurgence of the word amidst hip hop culture. The word came to represent a look and lifestyle of ease and privilege specifically available to the African American male, described as "living large." While the sexist overtones continued—the availability and exchangability of women meant one was "pimpin"—the origins of the movement remained legitimate. Pimpin' is a celebration of earning power, respect, and high social status available to young, black men. A pimp was well-appreciated and financially secure, qualities sometimes seemingly out of grasp for too many young black males. The rapper, Nelly, began to claim pimp as an acronym for "positive, intellectual, motivated person." He even created a college scholarship with the name "P.I.M.P. Juice Scholarship," a move that was met with controversy. "A pimp is a sleazy subhuman who exploits people, primarily women and girls, to enhance his own ego and coffers. He's an abusive predator," said the Chicago Tribune's Dawn Turner Trice. "You can't refashion such a misogynistic word and give it respectability." "My mother doesn't understand how the word 'pimp' could ever be a compliment," Genie Leslie recently wrote on, "but for many of us under 60, we know that pimp is often used to describe something as cool, and when applied to a person (usually a man), it means that they've got game, they're good with the ladies, they date/hook up/have sex a lot." Herman Cain depicted as a stereotypical pimpWithout historical and geopolitical context, it is, indeed, hard to see what any words mean—particularly the word "pimp," which has been re-appropriated by young, white, middle-class men to embolden their manhood without them having endured any of the discrimination and criminalization historically suffered by men of color. Co-opted in this way, the word feels like an assault to women. It becomes a part of the white lexicon, an instrument of our further misunderstanding. Genie's piece, for example, was in response to a radio show host celebrating Republican candidate Herman Cain as a "pimp." At the risk of defending Herman Cain, a cursory Internet search reveals how Cain was characterized as a pimp well before any charges of sexual harassment came to light. White America's obsession with the hat he wears and conversations over whether he is more "authentically black" than President Obama demonstrate our country's anxiety with the black male and our sad lacking of narratives describing black men in power other than with the label, pimp. Cain's anti-intellectualism and hyper-masculinization—not to mention being the former CEO of a company whose name references organized crime—make him an even more perfect target for the moniker. Sexual harassment charges only reinforce the stereotype, reaffirming what we already seek to know about black men. When we slow down to study our complex reality—particularly, when we begin acknowledging the intersectionality of race, class, gender and geopolitical location in the formation of identity, we see that "evil" and "innocence" are not so "black" and "white." In a 2010 study conducted by DePaul College of Law, researchers interviewed 25 ex-pimps in the Chicago area, giving words and faces to the "sleazy subhumans" we call pimps. Over 75 percent of respondents were nonwhite. Interestingly, 28% were female. The sample reported having survived similar household characteristics typically ascribed to sex workers, leading the researchers to name their study From Victims to Victimizers. Many of the self-identified former pimps had experienced physical abuse while growing up, including childhood sexual assault and domestic violence, and had witnessed drug and alcohol abuse in the home. Most described having grown up in neighborhoods where the sex industry was one of the only means of socioeconomic opportunities. For this reason, sex work was described by the researchers as a "family business." 68% had sold sex prior to themselves becoming a pimp. Like the children involved in the John Jay study—who reported sex work as an alternative to homelessness or to dangerous foster care or shelter situations, and who cited economic desperation caused by no sources of income for the underaged—the ex-pimps in DePaul's study cited pimping as a means for survival. One man's story, according to researchers, illustrated a typical survival scenario. Having lived in four abusive foster care situatons, at age 16 he ran away from yet another a foster home to live on the street. "We [runaways] all hung out together," he said. "When [the girls] needed someone to watch their back or hold money for them it would be me. The next thing you know I was letting them live with me. Then I got involved with setting up the dates ...and checking out the johns... It was just business. It was a way of never being broke or poor again." According to the DePaul study, many pimps believe themselves to be providing a service. According to the report, they were helping their "girls." The report says, "They were teaching [girls] not to give away their bodies for free. They were taking them from the gutter and feeding, housing, and clothing them. They were restoring power to them as well." Whereas the researchers described this as justification, concluding with a call for the end of demand of prostitution as the only solution for coercive facilitation and other abuses within the industry, I see better uses for this data. So might Emi Koyama, a social justice activist and board member of Survivor Project, a Portland-based nonprofit dedicated to addressing the needs of intersex and trans survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault. On her blog,, Emi Koyama boldly addresses the myth that all sex workers work with market facilitators, as well as the myth that pimping is necessarily equivalent to sexual enslavement. (Emi also has an article in the current issue of Bitch.) She reports:"Media often depict people as "pimps" when they are arrested or charged with crimes of facilitating or promoting prostitution, but most of these people are not actually what most of us think of as pimps. They are often friends, partners, mentors, family members, photographers, drivers, bodyguards, and others who do not control the person trading sex in any way." According to Emi, while a pimp/worker relationship may be controlling, abusive and violent, it is more useful to consider its resemblance to marriages or other romantic relationships than to assume the old captive/captor trope. Sex workers are reluctant to leave violent or abusive relationships for the same reasons other victims of domestic violence stay. While this is sometimes because of fear, more often it is because the victim receives something from the relationship that her/his network or our greater society is otherwise failing to provide them. This includes material needs such as food and housing as well as emotional needs (when the abuse is in remission) such as protection, affection, validation and support. Also, notes Emi, like other victims of abuse, sex workers do not always leave abusive relationships because they love their abusers. To quote Emi: I do not think that these relationships are unproblematic, or that violence and abuse should be tolerated just because the victims do when they can't control it. But there is a huge policy implication to recognizing agency and resilience among people who stay with their pimps instead of treating them as passive, powerless victims or "sex slaves." Efforts to unilaterally "rescue" these individuals take away their security and support, leaving them worse off than before (and still having to engage in sex trade to survive under less desirable circumstances). For some, it is a radical leap to think of sex workers as subjects that are in relationships with others. It is even more radical to begin to envision these "others" as human beings as well. When advocates are willing to do this, they will have caught up with sex workers, the population they are purporting to help. In my own experience as a researcher, I interviewed just one woman willing to say that she'd worked with a pimp. She described him first as a former boyfriend, whom she relied on for for financial guidance and protection, for which she compensated him monetarily. He was controlling, she said, and when he started to hit her she left him. "He's my ex-boyfriend now," she said. On afterthought she added, "I guess you could call him a pimp." Guess what? Subscriptions to Bitch—our award-winning, 80+ page print quarterly—are 20% off to help us reach our $25,000 funding goal by September 30. Pitch in to support feminist media: Subscribe today Subscribe to Bitch 5 comments have been made. Post a comment. So what's the H-word???? So what's the H-word???? Ho??? It's hooker, actually. You can find more of an explanation here: Kelsey Wallace, contributor Ask me about our Comments Policy! I disagree. I talk about it Interesting points Great post. No, I had never thought of prostitutes and their relationships and who their supposed "pimps" might be. As you say - friends, boyfriends, partners, etc. I also didn't realize the low stats on pimps. I wonder about the relatively small number of underage prostitutes, or any prostitutes, who say they do not have a pimp. Are the ones in abusive, trafficked, pimp-prostitute, controlled arrangements being heard? I can't imagine that they are, particularly trafficked sex workers. I also can't imagine the voices of immigrant/ESL prostitutes are being heard in these surveys and studies, and I would imagine those sex workers are more likely to be in power-imbalanced "pimp" situations. content you write is extremely interesting for me, so I can get to you to visit his blog. best wishes kedapan hopefully more advanced and successful in the work. thank you. beraktifitas di toko jual beli online, alat bantu sex dan wanita.
Ed Glaeser, everyone's favorite urban economist, loves density and (he says) local, seasonal oysters. But he also says that, as a rule, locally grown produce can shove it, because in all cases density > any other public policy goal. Glaeser argues that urban farms will lead to less dense cities, which will increase the world's carbon emissions. Here's his math: Today, about 250 million Americans live on the 60 million acres of this country that are urban — which is about four people per acre. By contrast, America uses 442 million acres for cropland and 587 million acres for pastureland, which is about 1.4 and 1.9 acres per person respectively. If we allocated just 7.2 percent of this agricultural land into metropolitan area, we would halve metropolitan area densities. But luckily for all of us who like locally sourced food besides oysters, Glaeser's argument doesn't stand up well to criticism. As Treehugger points out, no one was saying that urban farms should displace land where people could live! They're growing in popularity in places like Detroit where density is decreasing anyway. In more dense places like New York, no one's planning to raze a dense neighborhood like Murray Hill (although that might count as a public good) in order to build a farm. Farms are going up on rooftops that weren't doing much more than absorbing heat and making summer nights in the city suffocating. In fact, it seems to us like density and urban farming could complement each other. More density would free up space somewhere — either within metropolitan areas or on their edges. In a place like New York, "local food" can come from 400 miles away because it's so expensive to buy land in rich suburban areas like the Hudson Valley. If cities get more dense and attract people away from their sprawly McMansion towns, farmers could move in closer.
New research challenges association of Palestinians with pro-Nazi sympathies Historians have typically characterized Palestinians collectively as Hitler-supporters during the Nazi regime. But a German researcher has said that they were more concerned with relations with another European country. Any historical conversation in Germany over Palestine and National Socialism usually turns to one name: Grand Mufti Hajj Amin al Husseini. The Muslim leader was an anti-Semite, a passionate follower of the Nazis and moved to Germany in 1941 to collaborate with Hitler's regime. However, in a recently published study, Berlin-based historian Rene Wildangel has claimed Husseini "was simply not representative" of his countrymen during that time. "It's not a question of whether he was an anti-Semite or a collaborator -- that's relatively clear," said Wildangel. "We have to consider the things that were happening in Palestine and not just this one person." Much of the research conducted on relations between Arab nations and the Nazi regime, including a 2006 book by Klaus-Michael Mallmann and Martin Cüppers titled "The Crescent and the Swastika: The Third Reich, the Arabs, and Palestine" (Halbmond und Hakenkreuz. Das Dritte Reich, die Araber und Palästina), has reached the conclusion that only Germany's defeat in northern Africa prevented "German-Arab mass crime" against Jews. comments powered by Disqus Subscribe to our mailing list
A Parasite that Induces Love in its Host A Brazilian wasp has evolved a very peculiar mind-control power in order to reproduce: It induces love in a species of caterpillar. The wasp lays its eggs in a baby caterpillar, which grows normally as the eggs grow inside it. Eventually, larvae burst out of the caterpillar's body, and that's when things get weird. The caterpillar covers the larvae with silk, and will protect them quite violently until they are full-grown wasps (you can see that in this picture). In fact, the caterpillar refuses to eat or leave until the wasps hatch. A group of researchers observing this Brazilian insect drama in the wild say it's the first time they've been able to prove scientifically that parasites essentially mind-control their hosts to ensure the parasites' survival. According to a release from PLoS One: Inside the caterpillar host, a cruel drama takes place: the eggs of the parasitoid hatch and the larvae feed on the body fluids of the host. The caterpillar continues feeding, moving and growing like its unparasitized brothers and sisters. When the parasitoid larvae are full-grown, they emerge together through the host's skin, and start pupating nearby. Unlike many other combinations of host and parasitoid, the host remains alive but displays spectacular changes in its behaviour: it stops feeding and remains close to the parasitoid pupae. Moreover, it defends the parasitoid pupae against approaching predators with violent head-swings. The caterpillar dies soon after the adult parasitoids emerge from their pupae, so there can be no benefit whatsoever for the caterpillars . . . The research team found that, in the field, parasitoid pupae which were guarded by caterpillars suffered half as much predation as those which had no bodyguard. Hence, the behavioural changes of the host result in increased survival of the parasitoids. In other words, this caterpillar is made to love those wasps so much that it will protect them at all costs, including its own life. Now imagine if these researchers decided to figure out whether this wasp behavior mod could be ported to the human brain. A squirt of wasp juice could make you a super soldier, willing to give your life to protect whatever your "parasite" might be. Parasitoid Increases Survival of Its Pupae By Inducing Host to Fight Predators [PLoS One via Science Daily] (Thanks, Brian!)
BackYard Chickens › Learning Center Articles › Hatching Eggs 101 Hatching Eggs 101 Incubation Notes, Images, Videos & Links BYC Member Interview - Sally Sunshine 21 DAYS is just a baseline for hatching eggs. See Chart below for details on the various species of fowl Cool Video Animation of Embryo Development... Expected Hatch Rate Don’t count your chickens before they are hatched, or even after for that matter! Shipped eggs have a MUCH lower hatch rate. The percent hatchability in the commercial poultry industry ranges from 78-88%. Percent Fertility is the percentage of fertile eggs of all eggs set. % Fertility = # of fertile eggs # of total eggs set Percent Hatchability is the percentage of fertile eggs which actually hatched out as live young. % Hatchability = # of eggs which hatch out # of fertile eggs CREATOR: gd-jpeg v1.0 (using IJG JPEG v80), quality = 80 Choosing an incubator Many different styles of incubators are available, most common are Styrofoam types found at most feed stores. These incubators hold more eggs and are usually less expensive, but they require more involvement in the hatching process. Egg turners are usually optional that can be added for convenience. There are also some great “hands free” incubators, commercial incubators as well as Simple Inexpensive Homemade Incubators. My husband and daughter made a “Coolerbator” it works 100% better than our store bought incubator because it has less than .5 degree variance and we have very successful hatches in it! The Coolerbator link and how to make it… Links to help you decide on an incubator……. Locate your incubator in a room in which temperature is 70 degrees, free from drafts, away from windows and direct sunlight. Did you know that the Incubating practice originated more than 2,500 years ago in Egypt and China. Methods of incubation were kept secret for a long time. In Europe attempts to use incubation are known from the 14th century. Owing to the imperfection of incubation apparatus (casks submerged in rotted manure, bakers’ ovens, and so on) and inadequate study of the conditions of incubation, it did not become common. Only since the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century, with the invention of better incubators, has incubation become widely used in Europe and the USA; since the middle of the 20th century it has been the principal method of propagating poultry. An amazingly informative article on how eggs are formed Egg defects and CORRECTIVE steps, several pages filled with detailed information Optimum Egg Quality from your Flock: Collection & Storage of Eggs Sources for eggs are to search the BYC buy sell trade section, Craigslist and eBay. Your local thread on BYC may be the best bet for local eggs! Look for your local site in the “Social section” “Where am I? Where are You!” on BYC. & The following Word File can be used when ordering shipped eggs, it is our suggestion that you copy/paste/edit to help you get the best eggs possible. Letter written by ozexpat An open letter to egg shippers.doc 27k .doc file Risks associated with hatching eggs of chickens Choose eggs that are of good size, not abnormally big or small. Do NOT set dirty, cracked, or porous eggs. Clinical studies at the University of Arkansas have shown that if your going to set a dirty egg, set the dirty egg, DO NOT SAND, WASH OR WIPE dirty eggs as hatchability decreases with these practices! Cuticula is the thin membrane that covers the whole eggshell that is made from the sticky fluid when laid which covers it and quickly dissolves due to carbondioxyde activity. This membrane can be penetrated by gasses but functions as a kind defensive mechanism to prevent the entry of bacteria. The washing and rubbing action also serves to force disease organisms through the pores of the shell. Place the eggs upright in an egg carton with the FAT, air cell end of the egg UP! Allow eggs to sit in a moderately cool, somewhat humid place for storage. Basements are great. Moderately cool means 55-65 degrees. Rotate your eggs a 3 times a day to keep the embryo from sticking. An easy way to turn all of the eggs at once is to place a thick book under one end of the carton, and later remove the book and put it under the other end of the carton, 3 times a day. Before adding eggs to the incubator always WARM eggs UP slowly to room temperature. IF THE EGGS ARE COLD Condensation can cause bacterial growth on the eggs! You can collect eggs up until 10 days or so, but after the 7th day lower hatch rates may result. Stored eggs take longer to hatch (about one hour per day of storage). It is important to ALWAYS wash your hands before handling your hatching eggs! Omphalitis, yolk sack infection is caused by a bacterium that enters through the porous egg shell and easily kills embryo's and newly hatched chicks. Unfortunately, incubation conditions are ideal for breeding bacteria as well as incubating eggs. For more information on storing eggs refer to Recommendations for hatching egg handling and storage Is it Fertile or Infertile? To check the fertility, simply break an egg in a bowl. Find the white spot on the yolk. If you do not, use a spoon to gently flip the yolk over until you find it. Bulls eye look is fertile. A link with more pics of fertile vs Non Eggs! Clears at CANDLE are not always infertile! Procedure for assessing flock fertility A link with some good pics too! Record Keeping Accurate and detailed records are very important in incubation. In addition to records of individual eggs it is important to keep records of the temperature and the humidity, so that trends in temperature and humidity may be detected early and can be corrected for next hatch. Egg Details 19k .xls file Incubating Chart 22k .xls file Here is a spreadsheet for the intense OCD hatcher there is a sample page and a workbook page ozexpatbychatchtemplate.xlsx 20k .xlsx fileI suggest you save original and then hit "save as" a new file with your name and data Egg Weights and Chick Weights Breakout of Unincubated Eggs 10-14 Day Candling Analysis Hatch Debris Analysis - Simplified Version Incubation Chart Here is a free app... The following table lists incubation requirements for various species of fowl. Incub. Period (days) Temp (F.)¹ Do not turn 18th day 25th day 25th day Muscovy Duck 31st day 25th day Guinea Fowl 25th day 21st day 25th day Bobwhite Quail 20th day Coturnix Quail 15th day 20th day 22nd day 15th day ¹ Measured at degrees F. in a forced-air incubator. For still-air incubators, add 2-3 degrees F. ² Measured as degrees F. using a wet-bulb thermometer. Use chart to convert to relative humidity. (Quail) (Muscovy) (Turkey) (yinepu's Turkey) Areas of MOST IMPORTANCE in Hatching EGGS Ventilation (Oxygen), Temperature, Humidity, Egg Turning/Positioning Ventilation is VERY important during the incubation process. While the embryo is developing, oxygen enters the egg through the shell and carbon dioxide escapes. Oxygen requirements will increases during development and during hatching. Unobstructed ventilation holes, both above and below the eggs, are essential for proper air exchange. HOWEVER New Studies (Show Dr.Bramwell Discussion) have found that a slight decrease in oxygen the first 10 days (ONLY the first 10) creates a natural higher CO2 level which will naturally build in the incubator and add a little stress to young embryos which will force the embryo to survive and grow stronger, hatch earlier, hatch larger, grow stronger, grow faster and yeild more muscle mass at 6 weeks of age. PUT THE VENT PLUGS IN FOR THE FIRST 10 DAYS ONLY and then REMOVE ALL VENT PLUGS for the rest of the hatch! NOTE: When Lockdown occurs, vent openings are frequently restricted in an attempt to boost incubator humidity. Instead of helping the chick hatch, the chick is suffocated from lack of oxygen. Never decrease ventilation openings at hatching in an attempt to increase humidity. Increase humidity by other methods. If any vent adjustments are made, they should be opened more. Try adding a dampened sponge or towel to help boost humidity during lockdown. Never trust the thermometer that comes with the incubator, always check it. The thermometer that came with my incubator was off by 5 degrees. That could mean life or death for your babies. Did you know "The yolk is orange and on its surface is a visible germinal disc; radiating from this area is the more watery white yolk, which is less dense. During turning, the yolk’s structure makes the part containing the germinal disc stay most dorsal (closest to the incubating bird) for heating" With a Forced Air Incubator (fan model) you can get the best hatch rate by keeping the temperature at 99.5º F. throughout the entire incubation period. HOWEVER, when using a Still Air incubator (no fan) at 102º F. The reason for different temperatures is that with a fan model the circulating air warms all around the egg while still air temperatures are warmer at the top of the egg than at the bottom. The temperature is measured at the level where the embryos develop (at the top of the egg). A high temperature tends to produce early hatches. A consistently cooler temperature tends to increase incubation times and produce weakened chicks. In both cases the total chicks hatched will be reduced. Prepare your incubator and run it for several days before adding eggs, to be positive you are maintaining correct incubation temperature. NOTE: It is common that when adding eggs the temperature will drop but should come back up to correct temperature within an hour or two. Don’t rest the thermometer's bulb touching the eggs or the incubator. Incorrect readings will result. Did you know that 10/13 day old embryos begin to produce excess heat in the incubator? Most large commercial incubators will spend more time cooling than heating! Why Measure eggshell temperature? Calibrate the thermometer/s you are using for your Incubator. I use 3 thermometers! You need to make sure your thermometer is reading correctly, Even one degree may cause serious problems with your hatch! A simple method without specialized instruments and knowledge is to compare your thermometer/hygrometer with other devices. CALIBRATION of thermometers: Freezing point method. Fill a glass with crushed ice. Add a LITTLE clean water until the glass is full and stir. Wait 3 minutes then insert the thermometer tip into the ice-filled glass so it’s in the water ice mixture. Wait a minute and if the thermometer reads 32 F then it’s accurate, and if it does not, it requires calibration. Boiling point method. Boil water in a pot, about 6” deep. When the water is at boiling point, place the thermometer into the water and make sure that the tip stays in the middle of the boiling pot, away from bottom and sides. Wait 30 seconds and check if the thermometer reads correctly at 212 degrees if you are at sea level or below 1,000 feet elevation. The boiling point of water varies for different elevations: sea level at 212 F, 1000 feet at 210 F, 2000 feet at 208 F, 3000 feet at 206.4 F, 5000 feet at 202.75 F, and 8,000 feet at 197.5 F. The thermometer needs calibration if the reading is incorrect. Calibrate the Digital Thermometer Adjust the nut of the digital thermometer in order to correct the temperature. This is done by simply turning the adjuster until the correct reading is reached. Digital thermometers do not require any adjustment of a screw or nut. You simply need to locate the reset button. When the freezing point or boiling point of water is achieved, simply push the button and that’s it. Some digital thermometers may require you to push hold the reset button. More information on Calibrating your thermometer/hygrometer: NOTE: Some incubators, even expensive ones may have "hot spots" or "cool spots" depending on air circulation inside the incubator. Probe thermometer & water weasel (Water Wiggler, Water Snake) found on Amazon or Ebay make for EXCELLENT internal temp guides! The perfect internal temperature of an embryo is 99.5 degrees. If you can't find a water wiggler you can make your own with ziplock filled with water folded in half and insert the probe in the center middle. Examples of thermometers and hygrometers I personally like to keep a digital one that also keeps track of “highs and lows” along with 2 incubator thermometers AND a PROBE! It depends on how scientific you plan your hatch! More Important than make/model is CALIBRATION. * * WHAT YOU CAN DO to save overheated or cold eggs! What Temperatures Kill In An Incubator? WHAT If the Power Goes Off? To understand more about embryo viability & temperatures Please refer to the following links…. Brinsea ~ Temperature Guide Temperature Chart pdf BYC What to do if the power goes out! Some other ideas to help maintain heat in your incubator and great when you turn by hand is by adding some sterilized rocks, or even several sealed jars with warm water or small ziplock baggies with warm water to fill the empty incubator spaces. A full incubator of eggs always helps maintain a steady temperature even if it’s not good for your chicken math! The Air Bubble in the Egg The average chicken egg has thousands of pores running through the shell allowing the embryo to exchange oxygen, carbon dioxide. and water. Soon after an egg is laid, a small air bubble or “air cell” forms in the large end of the egg from this water loss. Humidity levels in the incubator determine moisture evaporation during the 21 days of incubation and hatching. The air cell is crucial for the chick to break out of the egg shell at the end of the incubation period. The chick can drown if the air cell is too small or the chick may be retarded in growth if the air cell is too large. This is why maintaining the proper humidity is crucial. Slightly lower humidity levels are more likely to be less disastrous than slightly higher humidity levels. There are quite a few opinions on Humidity, but it is no set number. Humidity is NOT A SET NUMBER, you need it YES! However, you use it as a tool to "adjust" egg weight loss during incubation. We candle on days 7,10,14,18 To WATCH WEIGHT LOSS IN EVERY EGG! An EGG MUST lose approximately 13-14% of its weight during the incubation process. THIS IS YOUR GOAL!! You can monitor this by marking Air cells and also by weighing. Please refer to CANDLING section of this Article for more Air Cell info. Size of air cell on day 7, 14, and 18 of incubation I choose the easier method, keeping a close eye on air cell growth during incubation. You begin by ONLY adding a small amount of water and keep Humidity between 20%-30% and adjusting as you weigh or candle depending on moisture loss. IN SOME AREAS OF THE COUNTRY YOU MAY NOT NEED TO ADD ANY WATER! USE IT AS A TOOL FOR THE CORRECT WEIGHT LOSS IN THE EGG! So if your air cells look too large at each candle period you must add some humidity, too small air cell lower it, and if your weighing you adjust as needed. UNTIL DAY 18 LOCKDOWN, then stop turning and raise humidity to 65-70% Views of Day 18 Candle..... How Does a Hygrometer Work? Shown here is a WET Bulb Hygrometer and wick Wet bulb is exactly what it states. It is the temperature relative of the humidity in degrees. A Hygrometer Wick is placed over the stem of the thermometer and the other end of the sleeve is placed in a jar or pan in the incubator. NOTES: It’s a good idea to keep the incubator plugged into a surge protector. Use distilled water in your incubator to help prevent bacteria growth. Omphalitis, Mushy Chick Disease and Yolk Sack Infection may be caused by a bacterium that enters through the porous egg shell. Unfortunately, incubation conditions are ideal for breeding bacteria as well as incubating eggs. Brinsea sells a disinfectant, formulated to be used for cleaning eggs, incubators, safe and effective against yeasts, fungi, viruses and bacteria which can cause fatal damage to the growing embryo. Pennies can be added to water wells. Copper helps to destroy the cell walls of bacteria, thus keeping bacteria out of the incubator. Pennies before 1982 have more copper content and pure copper kills 99.9% of bacteria. Below image is a Simple waterer/suctioner out of aquarium tubing placed through side of incubator and into water wells. Use a Kids medicine syringe to add/suck water without opening or disturbing eggs. In the image below are the different sized cups I use the first 18 days of incubation INSTEAD of using the wells in the bottom of the incubator. I had a hard time getting humidity correct, so I started using different size containers and caps for water holding, I could easily remove & replace as necessary. It WORKS WELL and I can keep them clean and sanitized better and not disturb my eggs! I will remove these cups on day 18 so the chicks don’t drown in them and use the lower wells at lockdown at day 18. 2" funnel & we shoved it into a small piece of 1/4" tubing, a cleat on the inside of the unit (a wide-crown staple or cable staple would work also) to hold the tubing in place. This way you can add water to the middle of the bator without missing the water troughs and without opening the unit. see below (Thanks tlpounds) Surface area of water will increase humidity more so than depth! If you need a safe boost at lockdown just add a dampened sponge or rag. A "ShamWoW" is great as a wick and can hang from the sides or across top of incubator. The influence of high altitude on the hatching of chicken eggs. Because of increased egg shell conductance at high altitude, eggs that were layed at sea level but incubated at 3100m will loose more water than eggs layed & incubated at sea level. Also, eggs laid at 3800m have lower amounts of albumen, less water than eggs at sea level and both egg composition and weights vary as consequence of changes in elevation, eggs produced at sea level are consistently and significantly larger than eggs laid at 3810 m. The mass of the yolk decreases and the albumen increases as sea level compared to 3810. Data suggest increase in mass of eggs at sea level compared to 3810 m is due primarily to water. Setting Eggs & Turning It is likewise important to SANITIZE your incubator AND equipment before AND after use! REMINDER to see the Shipped eggs section of the article and to treat every shipped egg differently as its air cell is presented to you! Failure to turn eggs during incubation CLEARLY reduces hatchability in every scholarly study and every clinical trial. Also SEE HERE for DETAILED Scientific explanations of WHY TURNING IS IMPORTANT! Frequency of Turning, Angle of Turning, Smoothness/Gentleness of Turning Increased Deaths Sticky Chicks due to unabsorbed Albumen The effects of turning during a critical period for turning, from 3 to 7 days of incubation, were also recorded. Generally, failure to turn eggs retarded growth of the area vasculosa. Turning during the critical period stimulated the extent of growth of the area vasculosa by day 7 of incubation and of subsequent embryonic growth by day 14. Incubation at low temperature resulted both in reduced expansion of the area vasculosa and retarded embryonic growth in a pattern similar to that observed for unturned eggs. It is suggested that turning stimulates development of blood vessels in the area vasculosa via localized increases in blood pressure. We were able to demonstrate that it is critical to turn eggs for at least the first three days of incubation and better for the first seven. READ MORE HERE and HERE Only add room temperature eggs to your incubator to prevent SWEATING. Sweating/Condensation weakens the egg's natural defense mechanisms, providing an ideal environment for the growth of bacteria and penetrated through the shell pores and kill the embryo. Eggs can be laid on their sides or placed in turning tray with pointed end down/big air cell end up. For shipped eggs, please refer to SHIPPED EGGS section of this article. Mark eggs, using a pencil, with an X on one side and an O on the other. Make sure to turn the eggs at least 3 times a day, or odd number of times. Turning by hand they should always be turned an odd amount of times and move them to a different part of the tray to protect them from temperature variation. You basically roll the eggs with your fingers/palm from X to O. It is important to NOT ROLL the eggs in the same direction every time. Improper rolling can cause the chalazae that holds the yolk in place to tear. Turning the egg prevents the embryo from touching and attaching to the membrane inside the egg. The most convenient way to turn eggs is to purchase an egg turner. Take extra precautions when turning eggs during the first week of incubation. The developing embryos have delicate blood vessels that rupture easily when severely jarred or shaken, thus killing the embryo. When adding Eggs the temperature will immediately drop. DO NOT ADJUST THE THERMOSTAT, or risk accidentally cooking them. Wait 2/4 hours and if the temperature is still low, make a small adjustment, as small as you can. (Note: Small adjustments on the manual Styrofoam incubators make BIG changes!) Shipped Eggs = Change Of Plans! Shipped eggs have a MUCH lower hatch rate, even with experienced hatchers! The following Word File can be used when ordering shipped eggs, An open letter to egg shippers.doc 27k .doc file It’s always best to get local eggs to get the best hatch rate. Sources for eggs are to search the BYC buy sell trade section, Craigslist and eBay. Your local thread on BYC may be the best bet for local eggs! Look for your local site in the “Social section” “Where am I? Where are You!” on BYC. Rolls like a Carpenters Level The yolk of an egg is held in place on each end by what is called Chalaza. These are delicate cords that keep the yolk centered in the egg. When you crack open an egg, you notice a white stringy thing on the yolk, this is the Chalaza. When eggs are shipped they encounter postal handlers that toss the packages, sorting machinery, bumpy vehicle rides, temperature changes and possibly X-ray Machines! So by the time the eggs get to you they are pretty much scrambled inside. So if you are going to buy eggs and have them shipped to you, be aware that the viability drops TREMENDOUSLY. There are rare instances when they ALL arrive safely but it is always a gamble. See Egg anatomy here CONCLUSION ~ Shipped eggs If an egg has a normal intact air cell PLEASE TREAT IT AS A NORMAL EGG! For rolling, detached or disrupted air cells (cells no longer at fat end of the egg but like a bubble level on the long side, rolling or saddle shaped cells), you’ll need to change your hatch plan. These eggs need to sit and settle to room temp 12-24 hours NO TURNING, pointy end down in a Egg Carton to possibly reattach air cells. For SETTING in the incubator...... If your air cell is ROLLING end to end do not turn for 36-48 hours of the first incubation hours to help air cell re-attach and in some cases are really bad loose air cell should not be turned either, if after 48 hours and you have embryo growth and the air cell is still completely loose, do not turn another 24 hours. If air cells are saddle shaped but intact (meaning not jiggly) I put them in the turner and begin with the gentle turning or you can turn by hand in the carton by simply tilting side to side, see image below. I personally have found that any shipped egg that survives to day 18 lockdown has an awkward but re-attached air cell so I lay my eggs down for hatch. Please refer to day 18 lockdown for more information on why laying eggs for hatching after day 18 is the best way to go. REMINDER~ Never Set COLD eggs in the incubator. Below image are Eggs in A Carton with Bottoms cut out for Ventilation Below image of Turning damaged air cell Shipped Eggs, just lean to opposite side. BELOW is a short video of an Rolling Detatched Air Cell SHIPPED EGGS & Malpositions! SADDLE SHAPED AIR CELLS are very COMMON with shipped eggs! Saddle shaped is when one or both sides have a large "dip" in the air cell. A lot of times with saddle shaped cells the chick doesn’t position correct for hatching and their feet can easily get stuck behind their head and “smoosh” the chick so they can’t move, it can also force the yolk sack and everything more north in the shell.... Keep a close eye on these eggs and its VERY important to pencil mark Air cells! If you do receive a cracked egg and it’s an expensive egg you can try to hatch it, but beware of bacterial explosion and good possibility of ruining other eggs. It is possible to hatch a cracked egg by sealing the crack with candle wax/crayon wax or finger nail polish. Try to place the egg in a cup or protected place well away from other eggs. If viable to hatch, keep a close eye on where the pip mark will be in case the chick cant get through a fixed area. Sites to refer to for Candling Images and Videos Progression Though Incubation Great pics of CANDLING and good and bad eggs....... Metzer Candling : Development of a Chick: Candling Pics: Understanding the Air Cell MARKING and OBSERVING the size of the air cell is a way of checking for correct weight loss of the egg and is commonly used. However, this can be inaccurate due to the different, types, shapes, and ages of eggs. The protrusion of the embryo into the air cell also may effect observations. Again, it is the most common method for non-commercial hatchers. With experience you can adjust your humidity as needed by visual inspection of air cells. However, Weighing is the MOST accurate. If the incubation humidity is too low (very dry conditions), the air sac will be larger than normal and the humidity in the incubator should be increased to reduce the rate of water loss. If the air space is smaller than normal then the opposite applies. Track the air sac with pencil tracings when you candle, On the 7, 14 & 18th days page 28 Chicken eggs need to lose 13% moisture over 21 days, NOT day 18 lockdown. Weigh all the eggs on the first day, before you put them in the incubator and weigh again days 10, 14 & 18. Several formulas can be used to determine the rate of weight loss or overall per cent weight loss and to correct the humidity if the values are off. For accuracy, a digital scale should be used which can weigh in grams. Don't forget to subtract the weight of the container holding the eggs from the total weight when calculating the average egg weight. If you use a rack to incubate your eggs it is best to weigh the entire rack instead of each egg to get an average. If you are incubating SHIPPED eggs upright in a carton you will also weigh the entire carton so that the eggs are not disturbed. Some Explainations from cochins1088 on weighing Eggs! Eggs should lose approximately 11% - 12% of their mass at 18th day of incubation. To monitor mass loss, a person must keep track of an egg’s weight. Optimally eggs should be weighed right after they’re laid, but this isn’t always possible. When eggs are shipped, weigh them as you remove them from the package. Keep in mind that the eggs will lose some of their mass during storage. According to Aviagen, eggs lose about 0.5% of their masses per week in storage. How to Calculate Mass Loss First subtract the current weight of an egg from the original weight of the egg. This number will give you the weight loss. Then take the weight loss and divide it by the original weight of the egg. This will give you the fraction of weight that was loss. Lastly, multiply the fraction of weigh loss by 100. This will give you the percent of mass loss. For example: Original weight (50 g) - Current weight (45 g) = Weight lost (5 g) Weight lost (5 g) divided by Original weight (50 g) = Fraction of weight lost (0.1) Fraction of weight lost (0.1) multiplied by 100 = Percent of weight lost (10%) For those of you who incubate large numbers of eggs, you can weigh the trays to find the average mass of each egg. For example: If a tray weigh of eggs initially weighs 700 grams and the empty tray weighs 200 grams, than the eggs must initially weigh 500 grams. If there are 10 eggs in the tray, then each egg weighs approximately 50 grams. Let’s say that 2 eggs are removed because they were infertile. After 18 days, your tray weighs 560 grams. If you subtract the weight of the tray (200 grams), than the eggs must weigh 360 grams. There are 8 eggs in the tray, so each egg weighs approximately 45 grams. With this example, the eggs lost 10% of their mass by day 18. For formulas used to determine the weight loss please refer to Weight Loss Determinations: Note: Kitchen scales work great. The WeighMax Pocket Mini CD Digital Scale below works great if you weigh individual eggs. I pasted an egg carton cup firmly to hold the eggs. Be extremely careful not to tip your scale and crack your eggs! Always wash hands before handling eggs. The shell of an egg is thin and opaque when held near a bright light. The easiest type of egg to candle is the white shelled egg and some of the hardest eggs to candle are dark brown eggs, like the Maran eggs pictured below. You could try two or more flashlights to see into them! Candle days are 1, 7, 14 & 18th day You will need a Candler, bright light, LED flashlight or build your own Candler. Find Instructions HERE. Turn on your Candler and shut off the lights in the room so it is dark, evenings are best. Hold the flashlight/Candler like the image below and set the egg air cell/fat end down on your hand. This will prevent any light leakage from the flashlight. Your hand protects the egg from the hard surface of the light and helps more of the light to go through the egg. CAUTION: Be very careful when you handle the egg so you don't accidentally crack it or DROP it! Slowly & gently rotate the egg until you can see inside the egg. On Day 1 candling you will mark air cells and check for cracked or porous eggs. Lightly mark the air cell with a pencil. Candle quickly if the light gets hot, you will kill the embryo. On Day 1 candle you will NOT see much inside the egg but you may have a glimpse of yolk moving as you gently rotate lightly colored eggs. Chicken Embryo Development, views from the Inside AND Out. Graphic Photos* Porous Egg TINY Sappy spots possibly due to Rough Shipment of EGGS Day 11 candle funky air cells from shipped eggs. BLOOD RINGS clearly visible on light polish eggs Saddle Shaped Air cell, where it dips on two sides BLOOD RINGS clearly visible on light polish eggs Note the pictures below on day 10 The two on the right have “scrambled” contents from shipping When you Candle on day 7 there should be some light blood vessels surrounding it and you may see the embryo move. See above and below video. My favorite time to candle! Eggs that are clear should be re-candled at 10 days before tossing. If your not sure and it doesn’t smell leave it! If your egg is colored or a brown egg, it is harder to see through the shell, you may want to wait a few days and try again. Or find a better candler. You can see the large round yolk move inside the egg, this is NOT the embryo at day 7! Its just the yolk! It IS ALIVE!!!! Video below day 7 Candle candle day 7 incubator detached air cells eggs hatching spreadsheet day 7 14 18 20 21 candle pip pipping sappy leaking bad DAY 14 It will begin to look pretty dark in there! Look for movement. You should again see some good veining. THIS is a video of a CANDLE at DAY 14! Candle day 18 is to determine growth, weigh, pencil mark air cell size and dispose bad eggs. It will look pretty dark and FULL in there! You may or may not see movement on this candle. Its ok if not, don’t panic! The chick may easily be resting! See how that air cell is beginning to dip more to one side and if you lay the egg down it will roll into the hatching position. I set my eggs with lowest dip in the aircell up. This position for hatching is good so the chick is able to turn into position and I can easily see my pips too! Day 18 laying horizontal for actual hatching helps a chick hatch 1-2 hours earlier. I lay my eggs down LOWEST DIP of the AIRCELL UP! This is the normal and most likely hatching position and the chick will break through or Internally pip and externally pip in that probable area. See the image below with the x, x being lowest dip in air cell and probably pip area/s. 700700I I Stop turning, Remove Turner and Raise Humidity to 62-65% NOTE: It is now known that the different embryos communicate with each other by a series of clicking sounds, the rate of clicking being the important feature. Ensuring the eggs on the hatching trays are in contact with each other facilitates the synchronization of hatching where the eggs are incubated in a modern machine. This assists in reducing the time between when the first and last chicks hatch. After Day 18 candle you will “LOCK DOWN” your eggs. Lower the temperature see suggest temps below and increase the humidity the last three days. STOP turning and the incubator stays closed, for the next three days while the chicks hatch! If you’re having a hard time with humidity it is OK to open quickly to boost, add warm water or increase the size of the pan or add a wet sponge. NEVER ADJUST HUMIDITY BY cutting back airflow. VENTILATION is EXTREMELY important at this stage! Researchers have found that lowering temperatures will prolong incubation, HOWEVER it is favourable to do so at the end of incubation. Day 19 & 20 Temp Min 98.0 Max 98.5 Day 21 Temp Min 97 Max 98.0 for more information please refer here: on what that chick is doing in that egg at this time! Development of motor patterns in avian embryos: hatching behavior Serama, Day 19 Draw down, very close internal pipping another Serama Day 19 drawn down and very close to internal pip if its not already pipped (shipped initially loose air cell, set after 12 hours and turned upright in the cabinet cooler incubator right from set) Silky embryo in position for hatch and with internal pip (NOTE: NO EXTERNAL YET!) Note: It’s not necessary but I like to place a piece of foam grip drawer mat on the wire bottom of incubator on day on day 18 lockdown. A cloth, crinoline, or paper towels could work as well. This protects the navel, the place where the abdomen closes after surrounding the remains of the yolk, from injury. It also makes cleaning the incubator easier. NO the wire on the incubator bottom should not injure or effect your chicks after they hatch. Dollar store baskets are great to keep hatching chicks separated by breed. Prepare everything you need for them once they have hatched. Now is the time to do final checks on brooder, heat lamp and feed. See bottom of article for links on chick care. Click on the link below for Brooder Ideas! Rocking Egg Video! Eggs can rock for several days before hatcing, but how exciting it is! Understanding The Hatching Process Between the 15th and 16th days, the chick orients itself so that its head is near the air cell at the large end of the egg. Not long before the chick is ready to attempt to make its way out of the shell its neck acquires a double bend so that its beak is under its right wing and pointed toward the air cell. 21 DAYS is just a baseline for hatching eggs. Many chicks can take 23 - 25 days! Some pip internally and fully hatch in hours while others will be 24 hours or more. Egg movement! Eggs can “Rock n Roll” days before they are due to hatch! The initiation of hatch occurs partially from the increased carbon dioxide level in the egg. This process causes the embryo to begin twitching it's muscles allowing the inner shell membrane to be punctured by the egg tooth. The chick then begins breathing the air in the air cell. Using its egg tooth, it pecks at the shell thousands of times and after a few hours the chick pips a small hole through the shell and begins to breathe air directly from the outside. After the chick has made a hole in the shell, it stops pipping for 8+ hours sometimes up to 24 hours and rests. During this time, it is acclimating its lungs. 700 700 In regards to opening and closing the bator to remove already hatch chicks; It is important to remember that chicks can go 3 days without food/water. It is better to wait for the remaining chicks to hatch to insure reducing the impact to unhatched pipping eggs. But my new chick is running around in the bator knocking eggs around! MONDAY 5 PM noticed external pip hole slightly larger but chick is NOT zipping! missed the last quick zipping! Silky on the left, two CCL hatched at the same time! THIS CHICK TOOK WELL OVER 24 hours to hatch! and absolutely normal! Hatching egg shrink wrapped air cells incubator incubation Oh NO! It is common to lose about 1-2% of the chicks due to deformities and malpositions. Deformities occur during embryo development, while malpositions occur the last week of incubation. Malpositioned embryos are unable to pip the eggshell and escape due to improper positioning within the egg. The chicks can have difficulty positioning for pipping, absorbing the yolk sac, or changing from embryo to chick breathing air. The majority of malpositioned embryos that have died in the shell probably resulted from exhaustion and/or lack of oxygen. One GOOD thing to remember is that SOME malpositions are Lethal and some are not! Occasionally, malpositioned chicks will hatch unassisted but the hatch does need to be monitored closely to ensure that the chick is not becoming stressed, or stuck. Often as a result of the position in the shell they have been unable to absorb all of the yolk. Please refer to Navel SECTION BELOW. Common reasons of Malpositions are: Eggs are set with small end up. Advancing breeder hen age and shell quality problems. Egg turning frequency and angle are not adequate. Inadequate % humidity loss of eggs in the setter. Inadequate air cell development, improper temperature and humidity regulation, and insufficient ventilation in the incubator or hatcher. Imbalanced feeds, elevated levels of mycotoxins, and vitamin and mineral deficiencies. Lower than recommended temperatures in the last stage of incubation. Normal hatching position and the six recognised malpositions Images: CLICK here.... When to assist? Assisting a chick should be your LAST RESORT BEFORE you try to assist a chick! Step By Step Guide to Assisted Hatching: She HATCHED! But what's with her butt? If there is slight bleeding at the navel use corn starch or a dab of cold water to stop the bleeding. You can also swab the umbilicus area with a 1% solution of Betadine and place the chick back in the bator to dry. If you do see this and the chick is already out of the shell dangling with this, use a clean sterile scissors to cut through them, DO NOT PULL as you can harm the chick’s navel! But only the cords! Please see HOW TO TREAT & PREVENT yolk sack infections!! click on in the link below Mushy Chick Disease aka yolk sack infection & omphalitis Below is a photo of a "Duck in a Cup" waiting for its yolk sack to finish up! 3 Essential Chick Care Tips (pasting up and Cord info) YES this CHICK MADE IT through with proper Care! And this one MADE IT! Say Hello to "Yolk" Yolk, a WONDERFUL Story of a Chick that stopped pipping midway and ended up having a yolk sack rupture and a bunch of other issues! It is well worth a read and "Rock" has all the footage to boot! 700 700 Links for additional information What Went Wrong During Incubation Why break out and analyse hatch debris? Procedure for breaking out hatch debris Common MalPositions IMAGES HOW to Analyze Possible causes of Hatch Debris Embryo Mortality High Humidity ~ cause read page 36 Trouble Shooting Failures with Egg Incubation Hatchability Problem Analysis Troubleshootting Incubation This is also a great pdf with pics: paste link in browser search: Eggtopsy: What happened to my egg? "Shrink wrap" vs. "Sticky chick"? Signs of Deficiency in the Embryo • Chick yield (the weight of the chick at hatch as a percentage of egg setting weight) is a simple method of checking whether hatch timing and incubation parameters are correct. New Chick Care Links and Info How to Spot Problems of Newly Hatched Chicks Reasons for chick malformations GROW GEL / FEED Newly hatched chick! WHY I always add little soda caps full of grow gel when my first chick is fluffed in the incubator. Does it do anything? I thought they had the yolk! Read PAGE 6 "The development of the gastrointestinal system is stunted under fasting conditions, and this may be related to the retarded utilization of the yolk (Dibner, 1999)" DIP THE BEAK OF THE CHICK IN THE WATER BEFORE YOU TURN IT LOOSE in the brooder. A taste of water right away helps them to find more water soon. If your chicks are at all stressed, add about 3 tablespoons of brown or table sugar to each quart of water for extra energy. Most baby bird loss is caused because the bird doesn't start to eat or drink. Never let your bird run out of water. Homemade Electrolyte Recipe for weak/ill chicks 2 C. Water 2 TBL. Brown Sugar, honey or molasses 1/2 tsp Salt 1/2 tsp. Baking Soda Mix until all dry ingredients dissolve & Keep refrigerated You could also use electrolyte drinks Gatorade or Pedialyte, or 3 drops of POLYVISOL (liquid childrens A-B-D vitamins) Slowly drip along inner edge of lower beak. How To Raise Baby Chicks Raising your chicks Dont forget to have Sav-A-Chick™ Electrolyte and Vitamin Supplement on hand! AND ITS CHEAP at TSC its Balanced electrolytes supplement for newly hatched and adult chickens, ducks, turkeys, and other domestic poultry. Fortified with vitamins A, D3, E, C, K, B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B9 and B12. Convenient, single-use packets each mix into one gallon of drinking water. Use during hot weather or other stress to support optimal hydration and bird health. JUST IN CASE you have a weak bird! OR You can add sugar to the water in the first couple of days. Free eBook: The My Pet Chicken Guide to Chicken Care WRY NECK / Torticollis Wry neck is a condition in which the baby chicks head or hangs it sideways or tilts backwards, causing it to be off balance and fall over. Sometimes chicks can be weak and fall over but if its tilting of head back is causing toppling its typically wry/crooked neck. Torticollis is a symptom from different illnesses. Marek's disease, a possible vitamin deficiency in magnesium, vitamin E, thiamine, avian encephalomyelitis or listeriosis, food poisoning/botulism, heavy metal/lead toxicity, Fungal aspergillosis, ear infections, and head injuries with some vulted skull breeds. Vitamin Deficiency-Induced Neurological Diseases of Poultry AWESOME links here! : Vitamin E with Selenium, Water Soluble Multi Vitamins plyvisol NO IRON, Probiotics & Electrolytes, Prednisone,Bayer Brand Baby Aspirin MASSAGE, Vit B, Vit E, Selenium help them get out of their twist! Vitamin Deficiencies in Backyard Chicks and Chickens Chick in a babyfood container to help "bring legs" together Curled Toes Understanding Splayed Legs and incubation distress that easily leads to splayed legs This condition has been associated with high humidity during incubation, but the results of our research indicate that higher temperature conditions during the last phase of embryo development may have a bigger impact. Splayed legs are also observed when newly hatched chicks are placed on slippery floors. Culling ~ Small Animal Euthanasia at Home How to cull chicks How to Dispatch a Chicken. Medicine Chart for Chickens & other Poultry Sexing Chicks Learn CPR: Save A Bird’s Life CPR can save a bird’s life in the correct circumstances, so learn how to perform CPR on your bird with these tips. SmallScale Poultry Flocks Resources a PDF Filled with Informative links to EVERYTHING POULTRY! A few Cool Videos! THIS is a video of a CANDLE at DAY 10! Day 13 Duck Candle below Pip to chick! Welcome Splash Silkie, Halo! Air Cell detatched Air Cell detatched Everyone is MORE than WELCOME to come join the Incubation thread with us! you can find us here... Just pop in and say hello and what your plans are in the bator! Experienced Hatchers also needed to help out with the growing demand for help with incubating! Its not just for shipped eggs! Its awesome, most check daily and are there to help and support! Disclaimer: Please note this information is offered as friendly advice only and, whilst I have made every effort to ensure it is accurate, I can not be held responsible if it proves not to be useful in your case! Sally Sunshine profile picture Sally Sunshine Hatching 101 ~ Guide to ASSISTED Hatching ~ CoolerBATOR Mushy Chick Disease ~ Duckling Care HAWKS OH MY! ~ Processing Support Group ~ MY Chickens ~ "Nasty Chicken Butt" ~ Pallet Hinkel Haus PINTEREST Chickens ~ Getting the FLOCK out of here! ~ Diary Incubation Thread ~ CHICK LIGHT BOX A little fun compliments of my friend Oz! My new Avy Created by my friend cochins1088 from BYC, How cool is that! Comments (35) thanks for all the info hope we end up getting to meet up one day can't wait to see if any of my silkies or frizzles make it Beautiful chickens and Thanks for all the info Its fun and sad but it does help all of us . Hey SS, I especially like the section on helping (or not helping) a chick to hatch. Very good reference! Thanks SUMI for the thumbs up on the Article/Notes! Glad my notes can help others too! Oh my, you are so smart for putting all of this together! I wish I had done something similar when I did so much research. Thank you for taking the time to do this and sharing! It should help so many on there. :) Way to go!!! Best reference material that I have seen on hatching and incubating. Great job and thanks for putting it all together and sharing. YES! Thank you so much! Awesome thread! thanks for the info! This is great !!!....thank you so much Thank you Sally.You have always been helpful and have saved thousand of chicks :) Keep it up we want more from you. Thumbs up.... Thankyou for publishing such great information for those who are new to the incubation/hatching. Great resource. Thank you! Wow great article and thanks for all your hard work with so much information. Superb information, you did a LOT of research putting this stuff together....the best I have ever seen. Good JOB!! If anyone has any question imaginable it can be answered in the links, etc awesome, love internet! I'm a beginner, and this is chock full of good stuff!! Thank you sooo much! Amazing thread! On behalf of newbies and experienced hatching peeps, I say Thank You Sally Sunshine. Wonderful Post!!! Hydrometer Calibration Place the salt in the bottle cap (or other small container).Dampen the salt with water. Do not put so much in that the salt gets "sloppy". You want a damp pile of salt in the bottle cap.Place both the hygrometer and the bottle cap full of damp salt in the ziploc bag and seal it well. (It is important not to let air on or out while the test is going on.)Keep it like this for over 8 hours.After 8 hours in the damp salt environment, the actual humidity inside the bag will be 75%. Compare it to your hygrometer, your hygrometer should also read 75%. If not, you will then know exactly how far off your hygrometer is. If it's off, note the amount and direction that it actually reads and be sure to add or subtract that amount when reading the hygrometer. If the hygrometer has a control to adjust it (either the needle or the display), you can set the hygrometer to 75% immediately after the test. BackYard Chickens › Learning Center Articles › Hatching Eggs 101
<meta http-equiv="refresh" content="1; url=/nojavascript/"> The Behavior of Gases \| CK-12 Foundation Skip Navigation Chapter 14: The Behavior of Gases Created by: CK-12 0 0 0 Brightly colored hot air balloons take flight. How do they work? Air is a mixture of many gases, primarily nitrogen and oxygen. When any gas is heated, its molecules gain kinetic energy and push harder against the inside walls of their container. The density of the gas also decreases because of the spreading out of the gas molecules. The hot air balloon expands and the heated air causes it to rise since the hot air is less dense than the cooler air outside the balloon. While in flight, the balloon operator keeps the air in the balloon hot by occasionally blasting the air with a large burner. In this chapter, you will learn all about the properties of gases and the mathematical relationships between the pressure, volume, temperature, and amount of a gas. Opening image copyright Bob Orsillo, 2012. www.shutterstock.com. Used under license from Shutterstock.com. Chapter Outline Chapter Summary Image Attributions Difficulty Level: At Grade Date Created: Aug 02, 2012 Last Modified: Apr 29, 2014 Files can only be attached to the latest version of None Please wait... Please wait... Image Detail Sizes: Medium \| Original ShareThis Copy and Paste Original text
Skip to main content 1. Life 2. Education & Schools 3. Education Policies Alternatives to Medicating yourToddler with ADHD See also A recent shocking New York Times article titled “Thousands of Toddlers are medicated for ADHD” tells us that thousands of toddler in every U.S. state are being given drugs such as Adderall and Ritalin when they show symptoms of ADHD. As the article points out when children that young are being medicated there are obviously parents and daycare providers that require more training in techniques to work with children with ADHD. There are many factors that contribute to a small child’s behavior that are external to that child. The first is a schedule in which the same things happen at the same time everyday. This way the child knows what to expect and when to expect it and their anxiety is lessoned. Secondly, children require at least 8 hours sleep and feel the best when they get 9 hours sleep. Establishing a standard bedtime and a standard bedtime routine can make a huge difference in your child’s behavior. Finally, children require patience, love and acceptance. If demands are made on children to do things they are not ready for or to do too many things too quickly they will respond by acting out. Schools need to use appropriate pedagogical techniques when developing curriculum and parents need to let the child tell them what they would like to do or provide age appropriate activities. If you have established a routine, provided a nurturing home and made sure that your child is getting at least 8 hours sleep and your child is still having behavior issues seek professional help from a child psychologist at Centers like The Growth Opportunity Center in Southampton, Pa.
Google's latest Doodle is dramatic depiction of St George TODAY'S Google Doodle is an atmospheric illustration of the dragon-slaying Saint George. Google Doodle, St George's Day, Saint George, England, ChristianityThis watercolour rendition of Saint George facing the dragon hides the Google logo[GOOGLE] To celebrate St George's Day, the homepage for Google's UK site has changed to a moody watercolour of a knight facing up to a dragon. The Google logo can faintly be seen amid the swirls of muted fog in the background. While St George's Day is the national day of England, the patron saint is actually of Middle Eastern origin and celebrated by Christian churches across Europe and North Africa. St George's Day has been celebrated as a feast day in England as far back as the 15th Century As such, he's also the patron saint of many countries including Greece, Portugal, Egypt and Ukraine. He gained cultural significance in England when his emblem, St George's Cross, was used in Richard I's Holy Crusades in the 12th Century, and has remained the flag of England. St George's Day has been celebrated as a feast day in England since the 15th Century, at which time it shared a level of significance with Christmas. However, the event's popularity waned over the centuries as England united with Scotland and it became increasingly apparent that the saint had no formal connection to England. Saint George, England, Christianity, history, Medieval, dragon, St George's CrossA mural of Saint George from an Orthadox church in Salt, Jordan [GETTY] The cultural image of Saint George slaying a dragon comes from Medieval legends of his past (initially invented by a French bishop), when tales of knights became a storytelling mainstay. This better-known myth, The Golden Legend, involves Saint George travelling across marshland in Libya to a city that was continually menaced by a dragon. The townspeople fed the dragon sheep to keep it placated and when that no longer worked, they started to elect human sacrifices. For one of these sacrifices, the king's daughter was selected but Saint George arrived in the nick of time to intervene and save her life. He faced down the dragon on horseback and managed to wound the beast but instead of landing the final blow, he decided to tame it and brought his prize back to the city. Very little is known about the actual Saint George as his history has drowned in centuries of myth but we do know that he served in the Roman army in the 3rd Century when he fought against Rome's persecution of Christians. He remained true to his faith, even after being captured and tortured (he was eventually beheaded), making him a martyr. Religious texts claim that Christ himself healed George's wounds during his torture and lightning and earthquakes struck when he was due to be executed. Celebrating St George's Day today people traditionally consume English food and drink. Banners of St George's cross – a red cross on a white background – are hung and displays of Morris dancing are staged. Pubs festooned with as many England flags as possible have become a common sight on St George's Day, though there is a perceived overlap between patriotism and nationalism. Indeed, a survey carried out in 2010 found that two-thirds of English people did not publicly celebrate St George's Day for fear of being branded racist. In a more historically accurate celebration of English culture, April 23 is also the birthday (and death date) of William Shakespeare. The world famous playwright and poet is celebrated every year in his hometown of Stratford upon Avon. The Globe Theatre in London is currently holding events to celebrate Shakespeare's 450th anniversary.
Jump to Content or Main Navigation Paul D. Coverdell World Wise Schools Paul D. Coverdell World Wise Schools Examining What Sharing Really Means Lesson 1 for "The Senegalese Miracle" Africa, Senegal Grades 6-8, Grades 9-12 Cross-Cultural Understanding, Language Arts & Literature, Social Studies & Geography Students examine the remarkable degree of sharing that the author encounters upon arrival in Africa. About the Story "The Senegalese Miracle" describes Kaldi's arrival in Senegal and her first encounter with the local population. After deplaning and boarding a bus, the new Peace Corps Volunteers have occasion to encounter a Senegalese man and his family who offer them oranges and explain the "Senegalese miracle," a phenomenon entailing hospitality and generosity. The story gives students another view of themes raised by Mike Tidwell in "Sharing in Africa," and makes an excellent companion piece. About the Setting Because Senegal was a French colony, French is the official language in the country, but many local languages are also spoken. Like many of its West African neighbors, Senegal, which has a population of 9.2 million, ranks among the least developed countries in the world. Under its new industrial policy, the government is attempting to stimulate the economy through the reduction of bureaucracy and the privatization of state industries. Progress is being made, but many factors still hinder the country's development. Desertification continues to affect agricultural production. Roughly 70 percent of the population is engaged in agriculture, but agriculture contributes less than 25 percent of the country's gross domestic product. At present, many Senegalese do not have access to basic health care. To address these needs, Peace Corps Volunteers, more than 2,500 of whom have served in Senegal since 1963, focus their efforts in the areas of agriculture, business development, environment, and health. For further information about Senegal, visit the country-information section of the Peace Corps website at www.peacecorps.gov. • To reflect on the enduring understanding, "Attitudes toward sharing differ among different cultures." • Apprenti:: [uh-PRON-tee] French for apprentices to the bus or truck driver, who collect the fares and assist passengers with luggage • Baobab: [BAY-uh-bab] A tree indigenous to semi-arid parts of Africa, which develops an enormously thick trunk and has a life span of perhaps a thousand years • Ignoble: not grand • Swale: a depression in the land • Boubou:: [BOO-boo] A long, flowing robe that is traditional clothing in Senegal • Proffer: To offer; give • N'est-ce pas?: [ness PAH?] French expression for "Isn't that so?" Many Senegalese speak French because Senegal was a French colony. • Wiry: Thin, lean, sinewy • "The Senegalese Miracle" by Leita Kaldi (see link above) • Map of Senegal (see link above) 1. Show students a map of Senegal and, using information from the introduction, provide information about the author and the setting. Point out that Americans can join the Peace Corps at any stage in their lives, not only in the early stages of their careers. 2. Have students read the story. Ask them to note the sentences or lines they liked the most while reading. When students have finished reading, ask them to describe in their journals the lines they highlighted, and why. Then have students respond in their journals to the following prompts: • What do you think the author wanted her readers to be thinking about? • What is Kaldi's most important point? 3. Have students share their journal responses with a partner. Then conduct a class discussion about their responses, and also about the more literal questions that follow. Remind students to cite evidence from the text to support their answers: • What are Kaldi's first impressions of Africa? How does she feel about being there? • What opportunity does the tire blowout give her? • Describe the people she meets while her group is waiting for the flat tire to be fixed. How do they greet her? • What thoughts does this story bring to mind about generosity? About hospitality? 4. If students have read "Sharing in Africa," ask them what connections they find between Kaldi's description of her first day in Senegal and Tidwell's description of life in the chiefdom of Kalambayi. • Refer students to Tidwell's statement in "Sharing in Africa": "It was truly overwhelming, all this giving. The Kalambayans were some of the poorest people anywhere in the world, and yet they were by far the most generous I had ever met. Indeed, each time I thought I had been offered everything they had to share, something new was laid at my feet." • Have students compare the customs Tidwell describes in what was then Zaire with Kaldi's description of the customs in Senegal: "Like most Africans," Kaldi's brief host explained in elegant French, "we are poor, but we believe in sharing. Whatever I have never belongs to me alone, but to my family and all my brothers and sisters who have less." Then ask the class • Why the poorest of people might be among the most generous. • How American culture compares with the cultures in the author's region of Senegal and in Kalambayi, in regard to sharing. • Why people in different cultures might have different attitudes toward sharing. 5. Read aloud the last paragraph of the story. Ask students to describe "the Senegalese miracle." What is the nature of that miracle? 6. Point out to students that, since this was Kaldi's story, she could have ended it any way she wanted. Ask them why they think she made the decision to end the story with the phrase: "Where I was coming from, that would be a miracle in itself." 7. Journal Activity. For homework, ask students to respond in their journals to the following questions: • In general, how would you describe the attitude in the United States toward strangers? • Describe a time when you were a stranger in a place or situation. How were you treated? • Describe a time when you observed someone else who was a stranger in a new place or situation. How was that person treated? • In what ways does your school welcome strangers and make them feel at home? What more could students do to help? What could you do to help? 8. Optional Activity. Have students write a brief narrative, about the length of Kaldi's story, titled "The American Miracle." In it, students should focus on an aspect of their own culture that seems, on careful reflection, to be remarkable. If students have difficulty getting started, suggest they think about some of the organizations they know about in their culture; or some of the basic necessities of life, such as fresh water, they can almost count on being available; or remarkable individuals they know or know about. Frameworks & Standards Enduring Understandings • Attitudes toward sharing vary among different cultures. • People offer hospitality in many ways, depending on the culture. Essential Questions • What value does our culture place on sharing? (Consider money, food, shelter, material goods.) • How do we know when we've shared enough? • How does our school or community treat new arrivals? What kind of hospitality do we show? • How can I help to make new people in my school or community feel at home? English Standards: 2, 3, 6 Social Studies Standards: I, IV National Geography Standards: 10, 11, 13 For more information on the standards in Uncommon Journeys, see the Appendix (pdf—160 KB, linked above). 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Related Searches existed from United States withdrawal from the United Nations The United States of America has been a member-state of the United Nations since its inception as a supranational entity in 1945. Since the 1990s, amidst the high unpopularity of the UN within the United States, there has been a growing movement for United States withdrawal from the United Nations. Notable proponents, such as Congressman John Duncan of Tennessee, State Congressman Don Bush of Utah, Congressman Ron Paul of Texas, Congressman Terry Everett of Alabama, and Congressman Samuel Johnson of Texas (all of whom co-sponsored or supported HR 1146 and HR 7) claim that the United Nations subverts American sovereignty, and claim that many programs by the supranational entity have violated the Constitution, such as the implementation of the International Court of Justice and the Law of the Sea Treaty, both of which the United States does not currently endorse. Opposition to the United Nations and its predecessor, the League of Nations, has existed from the time of formation. The John Birch Society, an anti-communist group founded in 1958, was opposed to US involvement from the society's beginning. From an early date they had bumper stickers with the slogan "Get the U.S. out of the U.N. and the U.N. out of the U.S.!" Another withdrawal advocate at the time was the National Review, which once editorialized that the UN should be "liquidated". Alongside legitimate grievances, some groups have resorted to conspiracy theories about the UN. The militia movement is noted for disseminating claims that the UN is a supranational world government with plans to take over the United States, the evidence being mysterious black helicopters and coded markings on the back of highway signs that foreign militaries could use during a military occupation. Public opinion According to popular polling organization Rasmussen Reports, in the year 2004 a minority of 44% of United States Citizens had a favorable view of the United Nations. This number continued to decline steadily, and two years later in 2006 that number had fallen to 31%. As of 2006 slightly over 1/4th (26% as of 2006) of Americans say "the U.S. should not be involved" with the United Nations, with a moderate majority of 57% still supporting remaining a member. (The 2006 poll was of 1000 adults.) Some ranking leaders of the United Nations have suggested that the United States government has been projecting a negative image of the UN, although this allegation is denied by the US. The popularity of the United Nations in the United States continues to decline to this day. Few observers expect the "U.S. out of U.N. (a pun on the initials for the United States and the pronoun "us") movement to result in the US actually withdrawing for the foreseeable future. The appointment of John R. Bolton, who had been a vocal critic of the United Nations, as US Ambassador in July 2005 was generally viewed as an indication that the George W. Bush administration was skeptical of the merits of the UN. Some Controversy occurred in 1992 when US Army medic Michael New protested the United Nations by refusing to wear the UN insignia on his uniform during a peacekeeping mission to Macedonia. Michael New faced a court martial and was subsequently discharged for his disobedience to his commanding officer; to this day he still has the belief that he was correct to refuse service under the United Nations. In 1997 legislation H.R.1146 was introduced in the United States House of Representatives under the label "American Sovereignty Restoration Act". In addition to withdrawal, the bill also proposed expelling the United Nations Headquarters from its territory within the City of New York and no longer providing the large plurality of funds which the US contributes to the UN annually. The bill was met with minimal support. Further legislation has been suggested, although none has been organized in the form of a comprehensive bill. H.R.1146 has been introduced annually by the same congressmen since 1997, most recently in 2007. On January 19, 1995 another separate legislation labeled "The National Security Revitalization Act" was introduced by Congressman Don Bush It was similar in form to bill H.R. 1146, although it had far more provisions such as a reaffirmation of the US support for NATO, and was therefore not exclusively a withdrawal bill. Representative Bush claimed "I had about 25 legislators that signed up for it and there was a lot of other support. The leadership in the House kept it from coming out on the floor." Unilateralism has had a long history in the United States. In his famous and influential Farewell Address, George Washington, the first President of the United States, warned that the United States should "steer clear of permanent alliances with any portion of the foreign world". Many years later, this approach was labeled as Isolationism, but some historians of American diplomacy have long argued that "isolationism" is a misnomer, and that American foreign policy, beginning with Washington, has traditionally been driven by unilateralism. Recent works that have made this argument include Walter A. McDougall's Promised Land, Crusader State (1997) and John Lewis Gaddis's Surprise, Security, and the American Experience (2004). Advocates of American unilateralism argue that other countries should not have "veto power" over matters of U.S. national security. Presidential Candidate John Kerry received heavy political heat after saying, during a presidential debate, that American national security actions must pass a "global test". This was interpreted by Kerry opponents as a proposal to submit American foreign policy to approval by other countries. Proponents of American unilateralism generally believe that a multilateral institution, such as the United Nations, is morally suspect because, they argue, it treats non-democratic, and even despotic, regimes as being as legitimate as democratic countries, and withdrawing from the United Nations would be a symbolic move at further distancing the United States from foreign control. Arguments for withdrawal The relevance of the UN in the modern world is questioned by its critics, to which it is seen as nonproductive, morally and practically. This in part stems from a desire to ensure that sovereignty stays with national bodies, and not be yielded to any sort of extranational organization. Another possible reason for this dissent is its use as a negotiation tactic; by threatening to walk out, the US is voicing its displeasure and putting pressure on the UN to address US concerns and interests. Yet another motivation is dismay at the perceived failure of the UN to fulfill its goals in such areas as peacekeeping and human rights. Arguments against withdrawal Opponents of withdrawal cite that leaving the United Nations at this point in time would only serve to decrease the sphere of American influence and Pax Americana around the globe. They argue that the United Nations can be salvaged and reformed, and that leaving would cause more problems than it would solve. They often also argue that the purpose and power of the UN is frequently misunderstood, and that the subversion of sovereignty cited by critics does not actually exist, as the UN can only infringe on national sovereignty in limited circumstances that practically speaking can never be imposed on veto members of the Security Council such as the United States. See also External links Search another word or see existed fromon Dictionary \| Thesaurus \|Spanish Copyright © 2014, LLC. All rights reserved. • Please Login or Sign Up to use the Recent Searches feature
Anti-insulin antibody test The anti-insulin antibody test checks to see if your body has produced antibodies against insulin. How the test is performed A blood sample is needed. For information on how this is usually done, see: Venipuncture How to prepare for the test No special preparation is necessary. How the test will feel Why the test is performed This test may be performed if you have or are at risk for type 1 diabetes . It also may be done if you appear to have an allergic response to insulin, or if insulin no longer seems to control your diabetes. Normal Values Normally, there are no antibodies against insulin in your blood. What abnormal results mean If you have IgG and IgM antibodies against insulin, your body reacts as if the insulin is foreign. This may make insulin less effective, or not effective at all. The antibodies can also change the amount of time it takes insulin to work, putting you at risk for low blood sugar. This means that the insulin cannot move glucose from the bloodstream into the cells. As a result, increased levels of insulin are needed to have the same effect, which is called insulin resistance. If the test shows high levels of IgE antibody against insulin, your body has developed an allergic response to the medication. This could put you at risk for skin reactions, or more severe reactions. Other medications, such as antihistamines or low-dose injectable steroids, may help to lessen the reaction. If reactions have been severe, an in-hospital procedure called desensitization may be necessary. What the risks are • Excessive bleeding • Fainting or feeling lightheaded • Hematoma (blood accumulating under the skin) Eisenbarth GS, Buse JB. Type 1 Diabetes mellitus. In: Melmed S. . 12th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2011.
Children's, Intermediate and Advanced Online English Dictionary & Thesaurus Dictionary Suite Multi-word Results big stick political or military power, displayed or implied to intimidate or gain cooperation from potential adversaries, esp. as a foreign policy (often prec. by the). gear stick the British word for the lever used to change gears in a car, truck, or other motor vehicle. Gear stick has the same meaning as gearshift. green-stick fracture a type of fracture to which children are esp. vulnerable, in which a long bone breaks only partway through. joss stick a stick of incense that the Chinese burn in honor of a joss. orange stick a slender stick with one rounded and one pointed end that is used in manicuring, originally made of orangewood. pogo stick a single stilt set on a strong spring, with footrests on either side on which a person stands to bounce along. shooting stick a portable device consisting of a seat mounted on one end of a canelike stick with a spike at the other end, used esp. by spectators at golf tournaments and the like. stick by to remain loyal to. stick figure a conventional, rudimentary representation of a human figure drawn using a single straight line for the torso, straight lines for the limbs, and a circle for the head. stick in one's craw to be unacceptable or intolerable. stick one's neck out to take risks; expose oneself to criticism or harm. stick out to stand out; to be easily seen. stick shift a manually operated automobile gearshift; manual transmission. stick to to persist in or persevere at. [3 definitions] stick to one's guns to stand firm in the face of opposition or attack. stick up (informal) to rob, esp. by threatening with a gun. stick-in-the-mud (informal) one who rejects or resists changes in activity or thinking. stick-to-itiveness (informal) unremitting perseverance or persistence. swagger stick a short stick or cane sometimes carried by military officers.
Waves of Dispute Over Extent of Gulf Oil Plume Sheen of oil found on the surface of the Gulf of Mexico Sheen of oil found on the surface of the Gulf of Mexico TAMPA (2010-06-01) - The head of BP recently said there's no evidence oil has been found below the surface of the Gulf of Mexico. But that's being contradicted by researchers from several universities, including USF. How much oil is in the Gulf? And how deep does it go? Well, that depends on who you ask. Tony Hayward, CEO of BP, says oil is only on the Gulf's surface and samples from company scientists say there's no evidence oil has sunk below the waves. Researchers at several universities - including USF's College of Marine Science - have reported layers of oil are reaching deep under water. James Cowan, a marine scientist from Lousiana State University, told the Associated Press his reaction to BP's comments. "To me, I just don't think that Mr. Hayward has spent much time looking for it," Cowan said. "And I certainly don't think he wants to find it, because it would make cleanup efforts much more complicated if there is oil suspended at depth." And at least one congressman is questioning BP's claims. Massachusetts Democrat Edward Markey has sent a letter to Hayward, asking for documents to back up his claims. Markey says the government and researchers need to have unfettered access to all the company's data on the underwater plumes. Also, a group of academicians will meet Wednesday for the first time in St. Petersburg to discuss their reaction to the Gulf oil spill. It's called the Oil Spill Academic Task Force. It's made up of scientists from throughout the state's university system - as well as private colleges. It was created by the Florida Board of Governors, which oversees public universities, to coordinate research on the Gulf oil spill. The universities have been in the forefront of research in to the extent of the oil spill, it's possible trajectory and how deep the oil can be found. They rely on data from automated underwater gliders, as well as the research vessels based in St. Petersburg. One of the researchers expected to attend has some practical experience in the area. Phil Mundy heads a major aquatic reseach facility in Alaska and has served on an advisory committee set up in the wake of the Exxon Valdez spill. The magnitude of that spill has since been surpassed by the BP oil rig collapse. Geo Visitors Map
GMA: Alternative Medicine Use Rising Meditation, which centers around breathing and focusing the mind, is used to make people feel less anxious and more in control. It is supposed to balance a person’s physical, emotional and mental states, and it may be used as an aid in treating stress and pain management. It is also used as part of an overall treatment for other conditions, including hypertension and heart disease. Mind/Body Medicine recognizes the profound interconnection of mind and body, using methods such as meditation, imagery and biofeedback to impact health, based on the concept that mood, attitude and belief can affect virtually every chronic illness. For instance, fear, cynicism and a sense of hopelessness and helplessness can have a detrimental effect on health, while courage, a sense of humor and hopefulness can be beneficial. Osteopathy is a form of physical medicine that helps restore the structural balance of the musculoskeletal system. It combines joint manipulation, physical therapy, and postural re-education to treat spinal and joint difficulties, arthritis, digestive disorders, menstrual problems and chronic pain. Qigong is an ancient exercise practiced by more than 200 million people in China every day. It combines movement, meditation and breath regulation to enhance of the flow of vital energy in the body, improve blood circulation and enhance immune function. Yoga is among the oldest known systems of health, based on the concept that if the mind is chronically restless and agitated, the health of the body will suffer. It uses physical postures, breathing exercises and meditation practices to reduce stress, lower blood pressure, regulate heart rate and even retard the aging process. • 1 • \| • 2 • \| • 3 Join the Discussion blog comments powered by Disqus You Might Also Like...
Birmingham City Council Chinese Health: Diet The Chinese diet is generally regarded as a healthy one. The Chinese are very concerned about eating habits which are seen as an important factor affecting health. There is a Chinese proverb "Illness starts from what goes into one's mouth while trouble starts from what comes out of it." A typical Chinese diet, which includes a lot of vegetables, fish and seafood but very little sugar or dessert, is proved to be healthy. Besides stir fry and deep fry, the Chinese use a wide variety of cooking methods: steam, boil, stew, roast, bake, and generally avoid excessive greasy food. The majority of Chinese are not vegetarian. Some are vegetarian because of personal choice and some because of their religion. Many Buddhist believers do not refrain from eating meat, except on special occasions such as the first and fifteenth day of each month according to the Lunar calendar, the birthday of Guan Yin (the main immortal they worship) and so on. There are several Chinese concepts of healthy eating habits. The most basic one is the balance of yin (feminine) and yang (masculine). Failure to maintain this balance is the root to many illnesses: excessive yin leads to weakness and excessive yang to restlessness manifested in inflammation and ulcers. Yin food includes fruits and vegetables whilst yang food includes meat. The concept of yin and yang encompasses other dichotomous concepts of liang (cold) and (hot), run (soothing) and zao (irritating), xu (weakening) and bu (strengthening), qing (clearing) and du (contaminating,) etc. Only Chinese herbal doctors and specialised books will be able to give an exhaustive list of foods falling into each concept mentioned above. However, it is a fact that the Chinese pay attention to what they eat. Healing by eating (following an appropriate diet) is very popular and widely accepted by the Chinese. Occasionally they prepare a soup of special ingredients to maintain the balance of yin and yang. Diet is a particular concern for people who have fallen ill. It is not uncommon to see Chinese patients refusing, to take meals from the hospital and their families bringing in food especially prepared for them.
Sunday, March 09, 2014 Narrative Milestones Capture Hearts & Minds Narrative milestones can be your secret to presentations that capture the hearts and minds of your audience for both technical and creative writing. Have you ever listened to a presentation or a story and lost interest because it's just a jumble of information? Did you get the sense that the forest was being lost for the trees? Or, even though the presentation was well organized and the skeleton / structure clearly visible, your mind still wandered off, utterly bored? Chances are, the presentation was missing narrative milestones, which are critical in the telling of any kind of story, whether in creative writing, or in business presentations such as project summaries, training, sales, and investor conference calls. What is a narrative milestone? It is a temporal or topical "marker" within the text. How is a milestone different than a subheading or a chapter title? A narrative milestone is a trigger and a marker and it marks not just the passage and unfolding of information but also the sparking of emotional connection which keeps the reader engaged. What is it good for? It helps the reader or the listener develop categories or patterns for the creation of schema (or schemata) that will search as a framework for organizing information. It also helps the reader stay "hooked" or engaged in the text. Where are milestones most effective in a narrative? There should be a milestone at the beginning of the text. It does not have to be the same as a topic sentence, but should definitely communicate how/why a listener should care about what is being said. Then, there should be milestones at regular intervals within your text. If you're presenting it verbally or via video conference, include a mini-milestone every 30 to 45 seconds, and a major one every 2 minutes. What are the characteristics of an effective milestone? An effective milestone is a great "hook" and combines conveys important facts while sparking an emotional connection. Are milestones simply factual? No. A milestone can trigger emotions, and so are effective rhetorically in utilizing both pathos (emotions) and logos (logic/facts). Thus milestones can be effective in a persuasive, emotionally compelling document or presentation. Narrative milestones will help you avoid that terrible sense that no one is listening to your presentation, or, worse, after reading it, they had absolutely no recall of the facts, nor did they have any sort of emotional response. Building in narrative milestones can help you create a very effective presentation or story, and you can convince your audience to actually remember and care about it. (also posted this blog entry in LinkedIn). Blog Archive
Answers FAQ Reviewed by Mary Nettleman, MD, MS Take the HIV-AIDS Quiz First! Before reading this FAQ, challenge yourself and Test your Knowledge! Q:HIV/AIDS is considered a cancerous disease. True or False? A:False. HIV/AIDS is considered an infectious disease. With AIDS, the body becomes vulnerable to life-threatening conditions, diseases, infections, and cancers. back to top ↑ Q:What is HIV an abbreviation for? A:HIV is an abbreviation for human immunodeficiency virus. back to top ↑ Q:Nearly 33 million in the U.S. are living with HIV. True or False? A:Approximately 1.1 million Americans are among the 33 million people worldwide now living with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. back to top ↑ Q:No one knows how long it takes for HIV to cause AIDS. True or False? A:True. It's true. No one really knows how long it takes HIV to cause AIDS. Times vary greatly from person to person, and it depends on many factors, including a person's health status and their health-related behaviors. back to top ↑ Q:HIV is believed to have originated from insects in Brazil. True or False? A:False. Researchers believe that HIV was introduced into the human population when hunters became exposed to infected blood of chimpanzees in Africa. back to top ↑ Q:HIV can be transmitted through urine. True or False? A:False. There is little evidence to show that HIV can be transmitted through urine. The most common ways in which HIV is spreading throughout the world include sexual contact, sharing needles, and by transmission from infected mothers to their newborns during pregnancy, labor (the delivery process), or breastfeeding. back to top ↑ Q:About one-fourth of all people with HIV/AIDS are? A:Over the age of 50. Almost one-fourth of all people with HIV/AIDS in this country are age 50 and older. Doctors are finding HIV more often than ever before in older people and because improved treatments are helping people with the disease live longer. back to top ↑ Q:HIV infection destroys a type of white blood cell in the body. A:True. HIV destroys the body's CD4 cells (a type of white blood cell) that fight infection. The count for CD4 cells helps determine the strength of an immune system, indicates the stage of HIV disease, guides treatment, and predicts how HIV may progress. High CD4 counts can reduce complications of HIV disease and extend life. back to top ↑ Q:A viral load test determines if HIV has been transmitted to another person. True or False? A:False. A viral load test measures how much human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is in the blood. back to top ↑ Q:AIDS is the third stage of HIV. True or False? A:True. HIV progresses in three stages: Stage 1: There is little evidence of harm. Stage 2: CD4 cells start to fall. Stage 3: HIV has advanced and is now called AIDS back to top ↑ Q:People can prevent HIV and AIDS by getting a vaccine. True or False? A:False. There is no HIV vaccine. HIV is a very small virus that has the ability to create minor variations that evade the body's immunologic defenses, which makes it difficult to make an effective vaccine. The mutations also allow HIV to become resistant to medications. back to top ↑ Q:What are people with HIV and AIDS are largely prone to? A:Opportunistic infections. Many people with HIV and AIDS are prone to infections that take advantage of weak immune systems. These are called "opportunistic infections." Examples of opportunistic infections include pelvic inflammatory disease, bacterial vaginosis, candidiasis (thrush), cytomegalovirus (CMV), herpes simplex viruses, malaria, and tuberculosis (TB). back to top ↑ Q:Darkening of the skin is a characteristic, AIDS-related physical change. True or False? A:False. Darkening of the skin (hyperpigmentation) is not a characteristic, AIDS-related physical change. Some AIDS-related changes are: Lipodystrophy, which is also fat redistribution. Loss of fat under the skin (subcutaneous fat), and Wasting syndrome, which is considered an AIDS-defining condition. back to top ↑ © 1996-2014 MedicineNet, Inc. All rights reserved. Source quiz on MedicineNet
Lebel Model 1886 rifle From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search Lebel Model 1886 rifle Fusil Modèle 1886/M93 Model 1886 Lebel rifle.jpg Lebel M1886 Type Bolt-action rifle Place of origin France France Service history In service 1887–1940 Used by See Users Wars Boxer Rebellion French colonial expeditions Monegasque Revolution First World War Franco-Turkish War Polish–Soviet War Spanish Civil War Second World War Algerian War (limited) Production history Designer Team led by gen. Tramond (Gras, Lebel, Vieille, Bonnet, Desaleux, Close, Verdin). Designed 1885 Manufacturer French State manufactures (Chatellerault, Saint-Etienne and Tulle) Produced 1887–1920 Number built 2,880,000 Weight 4.41 kg (9.7 lb) (loaded with 10 rounds) 4.18 kg (9.2 lb) Length 130 cm (51.2 in) Barrel length 80 cm (31.5 in) Cartridge 8×50mmR Lebel Caliber 8mm 4 grooves, right to left twist Action Bolt-action Muzzle velocity 610 to 700 m/s (2,000 to 2,300 ft/s) Effective firing range 400 m (438 yards) (individual targets) Maximum firing range 1,800 m (1,644 yards) (volley fire at massed area targets) Feed system 8 round tube magazine The Lebel Model 1886 rifle (French: Fusil Modèle 1886 dit "Fusil Lebel") is also known as the "Fusil Mle 1886 M93", after a bolt modification was added in 1893. It is an 8 mm bolt action infantry rifle that entered service in the French Army in April 1887. It is a repeating rifle that can hold eight rounds in its forestock tube magazine plus one round in the chamber. The Lebel rifle had the distinction of being the first military firearm to use smokeless powder ammunition. The new gunpowder, "Poudre B", was nitrocellulose-based and had been invented in 1884 by French chemist Paul Vieille. Lt. Colonel Nicolas Lebel contributed a flat nosed 8 mm full metal jacket bullet ("Balle M", or "Balle Lebel") inspired from the first full metal jacket rifle bullets that had just been invented in 1882 by a Lt. Colonel (then Captain) Eduard Rubin (Swiss Army). Twelve years later, in 1898, a solid brass pointed (spitzer) and boat-tail bullet called "Balle D" was retained for all 8mm Lebel ammunition. Each case was protected against accidental percussion inside the tube magazine by a primer cover and by a circular groove around the primer cup which caught the tip of the following pointed bullet. Featuring an oversized bolt with front locking lugs and a massive receiver, the Lebel rifle was a durable design capable of long range performance. In spite of early obsolete features, such as its tube magazine and the shape of 8mm Lebel rimmed ammunition, the Lebel rifle remained the basic weapon of French line infantry during World War I (1914–1918). Altogether, two million eight hundred and eighty thousand (2,880,000) Lebel rifles were produced by the three French State factories between April 1887 and May 1920. Operation, features, and accessories[edit] In operation, the bolt is turned up to the vertical position until the two opposed front locking lugs are released from the receiver. At the end of the bolt's opening phase, a ramp on the receiver bridge forces the bolt to the rear thus providing leveraged extraction of the fired case. The rifle is fitted with a two-piece wood stock, and features a spring-loaded tubular magazine in the forend. Taking aim at intermediate distances is done with a ramp sight graduated between 400 and 800 meters. The ladder rear sight is adjustable from 850 to 2,400 meters. Flipping forward that ladder sight reveals the commonly used fixed combat sight up to 400 meters. No rifle safety existed on the Lebel. The Mle 1886 rifle had a 10-round capacity (eight in the forend tube magazine, one in the transporter, and one in the chamber). The Lebel rifle features a magazine cutoff on the right side of the receiver. When activated it prevents feeding cartridges from the magazine. The Mle 1886 Lebel rifle was issued with a long needle-like quadrangular épée bayonet, the Épée-Baïonnette Modèle 1886, with a length of 52 cm. (20 in.). With its X-shaped cross section, the épée bayonet was optimized for thrusting, designed to readily penetrate thick clothing and leather. The bayonet was dubbed Rosalie by French soldiers who were issued it during World War I. An effective stabbing/thrusting weapon, the Mle 1886 bayonet was frequently cut down by individual soldiers and ordnance sections into a stiletto-type thrusting knife (Poignard de tranchée) for use in trench warfare. Origins and development[edit] Historically, the Mle 1886 Lebel rifle was the first military firearm to use smokeless powder ammunition. This new gunpowder, made of stabilized nitrocellulose, was called "Poudre B" ("Powder B") and had just been invented in 1884 by Paul Vieille(1854-1934). "Poudre B" was three times as powerful as black powder, for the same weight, and left virtually no residues of combustion. At about the same time, in 1882, a captain (later colonel) Eduard Rubin (1846–1920) (Swiss Army) had invented the first full-metal-jacket (FMJ) rifle bullets. Wrapping a protective copper jacket around the lead core of a bullet was also a transformative event in firearm history: from now on bullets could be fired at very high velocities without melting inside a rifle's barrel. Eduard Rubin was soon followed by Hebler, also in Switzerland, who successfully created the first steel jacketed rifle bullets. Shortly thereafter, in January 1886, the French War Minister, general Boulanger, requested the urgent application of these technical breakthroughs to the design of a new infantry rifle. He appointed general Tramond in charge of the project which had to be completed within one year. Firstly the 11mm Gras cartridge case was redesigned into an 8mm case, a transformation carried out by colonel Gras and lt-colonel Desaleux. The repeating mechanism, derived from the French Mle 1884 Gras-Kropatschek repeating rifle, was implemented by Albert Close and Louis Verdin at the Chatellerault arsenal. The bolt's two opposed front locking lugs, inspired from the two rear locking lugs on the bolt of the earlier Swiss Vetterli rifle, were designed by colonel Bonnet. The 8mm flat nosed full metal jacket "Balle M" bullet was suggested by general Tramond and designed by Lt. colonel Nicolas Lebel after whom the rifle (and the calibre) are named. However Lt-colonel Lebel did not lead the team responsible for creating the new rifle. He amicably protested during his lifetime that general Tramond and colonel Gras were the two superior officers who jointly deserved that credit. Nevertheless his name, which only designated the "Balle M" bullet as the "Balle Lebel", informally stuck to the entire weapon. The 8mm Lebel ammunition, developed in 1886, the first smokeless gunpowder cartridge to be made and adopted by any country. This round features the solid brass boat-tailed "Balle D" bullet introduced in 1901. The Lebel followed the bolt action 11mm Mle 1874 Gras and the Mle 1878 French Naval Kropatschek rifle designed by an Austrian, Alfred von Kropatschek, and shared the latter's tubular magazine in the fore-end. Two transitional repeating infantry bolt action rifles, still chambered for the 11mm Gras black-powder cartridge, followed the Mle 1878 rifle: the Mle 1884 and the Mle 1885 rifles. The latter had a two-piece stock and a massive steel receiver and closely resembles the Mle 1886 Lebel. Over 20,000 Mle 1884 rifles had already been issued when the decision to adopt the Mle 1886 Lebel rifle was taken. In 1893, an improved version of the M1886 Lebel was designated Fusil Mle 1886 M (modifié) 93. The most useful improvement was a modification of the bolt head so it would divert away from the shooter's face any hot gases escaping from a ruptured cartridge case. The firing pin and its rear knob had already been modified in 1887 while the stacking rod remained unchanged. Lastly, the fixation of the rear sight onto the barrel was substantially improved during that 1893 modification. (See: Claude Lombard, 1987) Lebel rifle breech portion. Schematic. Image #3 and #4 The Lebel rifle was manufactured by three government arsenals: Châtellerault, St-Etienne and Tulle. It featured a two-piece stock and a massive receiver designed to withstand the higher pressures developed by the new smokeless powder-based cartridges. Between 1935 and 1940, a carbine-length (17.7 inch barrel) version of the Lebel was issued to mounted colonial troops in North Africa. This short carbine version of the Lebel, called the Mle 1886 M93-R35, was assembled in large numbers (about 50,000) at Manufacture d'Armes de Tulle (MAT), beginning in 1935. It used all of the Lebel's parts except for a newly manufactured shorter barrel of carbine length. Since the new carbine's tube magazine had to be shortened as well, its magazine capacity was only three rounds. The total number of Lebel rifles produced between April 1887 and May 1920, when their manufacturing ceased altogether, exceeds 2.8 million guns. The Châtellerault arsenal alone produced 906,760 Lebel rifles at the average rate of 900 rifles/day. The machinery used for the production of Lebel barrels was purchased from the British firm of Greenwood and Batley. Specialized machinery was also procured in the USA. All Lebel parts are fully interchangeable regardless of place and time of manufacture. All the Lebel's parts, including the stock and forearm, bear the same serial number (with the rare exception of some minor parts replaced at the "MAT" facility). Otherwise, receiver serial numbers beginning by the letters R, S, T, RS, RT, ST, and TS are indicative of Lebel rifles manufactured before and including 1898, and fall into the "antiques" category defined by the ATF. The year etched on the upper right side of the barrel, close to the receiver, only identifies the age of installation of the barrel now currently in place. The date on the barrel may well be younger than the date of manufacture of the overall rifle. The explanation is that many Lebel rifles returned from the battlefield with worn out barrels were retrofitted with factory new updated barrels at "Manufacture d'Armes de Tulle" ("MAT"), between 1914 and the late 1930s. Competitors and successors[edit] Upon its introduction, the Lebel rifle proved to be vastly superior to the Mauser M-71/84, the German army's repeater replacement of the single-shot Dreyse needle gun. France finished its rearmament program with the Lebel in 1889, just 18 months after the Second Reich had completed its rifle replacement program with 780,000 M-71/84s. The new French rifle alarmed Bismarck. Tests at Spandau in the winter of 1887-1888 found that the Lebel could fire 43 rounds of smokeless powder ammunition per minute compared to just 26 of black-powder ammunition for the M-71/84. The inferiority of the Mauser M71/84 and its 11mm black-powder ammunition was one reason why Bismarck opposed going to war with France that winter, despite being pressed by the War Minister Waldersee (another reason was that the new French De Bange field artillery, now equipped with breech loaders after the lessons of the 1870 war, both outnumbered and outperformed the Krupp C64 field guns in their rate of fire).[1] The Mle 1886 rifle proved to be a sturdy and serviceable weapon, but one which became rapidly outdated by advances in military rifle and ammunition designs. As early as 1888, the German Army’s Rifle Testing Commission had introduced in response a completely new turnbolt magazine rifle with a spring-loaded box magazine: the Gewehr 88 "Commission" rifle. Above all else, it had been designed around the first ever rimless military cartridge using the new smokeless powder ammunition: the 7.92×57mm Mauser cartridge. The early Gewehr 88 was followed 10 years later by the highly successful Gewehr 98 Mauser rifle which still fired the same cartridge but with ballistic improvements. In response to being left behind by Germany's Mauser rifle, the French military decided in 1909 to replace the Lebel and its rimmed cartridge by more advanced designs. Consequently, while the bolt action Berthier rifle was first issued in 1907 as a stop-gap to arm colonial troops, the French defense ministry was planning to leapfrog other military forces with an advanced semi-automatic infantry rifle. This new weapon was the Meunier rifle, also known as the Fusil A6, which chambered a more powerful 7×59mm rimless cartridge. It was adopted in 1912 after an extensive competitive process. However its manufacture, which was to begin in 1913, was suspended because of the imminent risk of war with Germany. Instead, and during World War I, the French Army chose the easier and less expensive solution of adopting a gas-operated semi-automatic rifle which incorporated some Lebel parts: the Fusil Mle 1917 RSC, once again in 8mm Lebel caliber. It was manufactured in large numbers (85,000) during 1918 and issued to select soldiers in line infantry regiments. However, the Mle 1917 RSC was criticized by infantrymen as being too heavy, too long, and too difficult to maintain in the trenches. Furthermore, it also needed a special five-round clip to operate. In the end, the aged M1886 Lebel and variants of the Berthier rifle remained in service until the Armistice of November 11, 1918 and beyond. The 8mm Lebel cartridge[edit] When it first appeared, the Lebel's 8×50R smokeless ammunition allied to its longer range and flatter trajectory brought a revolution in infantry armament. A soldier equipped with a Lebel could outrange troops carrying rifles chambered for black-powder, large-caliber lead-bullet ammunition. Using smokeless powder, he could remain virtually invisible to an enemy at longer ranges, yet locate an enemy at any range by the smoke from their rifles. He could also carry more cartridges for the same overall weight. In the M1886 Lebel rifle, the early 231 gr (15 g) jacketed flat-nosed, lead-cored Balle M flat-nose bullet had an extreme range[2] of 3,500 yards and a muzzle velocity of 2,000 ft/s (610 m/s), with an effective range[3] of approximately 438 yards (401 m). A new 197 gr (12.8 g) solid brass(90%copper-10% zinc) pointed (spitzer) and boat-tail bullet ("Balle D") was adopted for the Lebel rifle in 1898 and placed in generalized service after 1901 - historically the very first boat-tailed plus spitzer rifle bullet to be invented and then widely manufactured. Lt-colonel Desaleux's own "Balle D" provided a flatter trajectory and increased the extreme range of the Mle 1886 rifle to about 4,000 yards and its maximum effective wounding distance (when fired indirectly at massed area targets) to 1,800 yards. More importantly, the realistic effective range of the 8mm Lebel was increased (due to the bullet's flatter trajectory) to approximately 457 yards (418 m) using open sights. The altered ballistic trajectory of the new cartridge necessitated a replacement of the Lebel's rear sights. Firstly, in order to avoid accidental percussion of sharply pointed Balle D ammunition inside the Lebel's tubular magazine, a circular groove was formed on each case head, around the primer pocket, in order to receive the pointed bullet tip of the cartridge that followed. Secondly, the Berdan primer on each French-made military Balle D round is also protected against accidental percussion by a thick, convex primer cover which was crimped in after 1912. This latest round was called "Balle D a.m.", a word standing for "Balle D amorcage modifie" (modified primer). This disposition provided in effect a safer double primer cup.[4] This less sensitive primer plus the circular groove etched around the primer cup, both typical of French-made 8mm Lebel military ammunitions, completely eliminated the risk of accidental percussion inside the tube magazine. However recently manufactured 8mm Lebel ammunition made for today's commercial marketplace does not provide these two essential safety features which were universal on the old French-made military "Balle D" and "Balle N" pointed bullet ammunitions. Therefore the placement of modern 8mm Lebel commercial ammunitions with pointed bullets inside a Lebel rifle's tube magazine is potentially dangerous and must be avoided. The last type of Lebel military issue ammunition to be introduced was the Cartouche Mle 1932N, using a cupro-nickel, silver-colored, jacketed spitzer boat-tailed lead-cored bullet which was only suitable for Lebel and Berthier rifles marked "N" on top of the receiver and barrel. This 8mm Lebel heavier Balle "N" ammunition had originally been designed to increase the range of the Hotchkiss machine gun. Its manufacturing ceased in France during the late 1960s. 8mm Lebel ammunition was powerful for its time. It ranked slightly higher in muzzle energy than .303 British and slightly lower than the German 7.92×57mm Mauser cartridge. The chief negative characteristic of 8mm Lebel ammunition was the geometry of its rimmed bottlenecked case. This adversely affected the magazine capacity and functioning of firearms, particularly in automatic weapons such as the Chauchat machine rifle. The Lebel cartridge's heavily-tapered case shape and substantial rim forced weapon designers to resort to magazines with extreme curvatures as for the Chauchat machine rifle. In contrast, rimless straight-wall cartridges such as the .30-06 Springfield and the 8x57mm Mauser could easily be loaded in straight vertical magazines. The M1886 in service[edit] Following the adoption of the Lebel rifle by the French Army, most other nations switched to small-bore infantry rifles using smokeless ammunition. Germany and Austria adopted new 8mm infantry rifles in 1888; Italy and Russia in 1891; and the U.S. in 1892 with the Krag rifle. The British upgraded their .303 Lee-Metford with smokeless cartridges in 1895, resulting in the .303 Lee-Enfield. In the early years of the twentieth century, the Lebel rifle was sold in the French overseas colonies for the protection of civilians or for hunting purposes. Brand new military-issue 1886 and 1886–93 Lebels could be purchased by authorized civilians and were featured in catalogs of the French mail-order firm Manufrance printed until 1939. A sporting version of the Lebel called the "Lebel-Africain" was also offered for sale by Manufrance during the pre-World War II years. It featured a shorter barrel, a turned-down bolt handle and a slimmer, better finished stock. However, it was not competitive as a hunting weapon when compared to the bolt action Mauser and Mannlicher-Schoenauer hunting rifles that became widely available for sporting purposes, beginning in the early 1900s. World War I usage[edit] The Lebel rifle was a hard-hitting and solidly built weapon with a reputation for reliability in adverse environments including those of trench warfare. The Lebel rifle was quite accurate up to 300 yards and still deadly at three times that distance, thanks to the spitzer and boat tail "Balle D" bullet. Nevertheless, the Lebel rifle was not without its flaws: • The slow-to-reload tube magazine was the Lebel's worst handicap when compared to other military rifles of that period. • The Lebel's diminutive sights were too low and too small, thus difficult to align and furthermore unprotected against shocks. • The lack of a wooden handguard on top of the barrel led to burned hands after prolonged firings. Nevertheless, the Lebel rifle was preferred by French infantrymen over the M1907-15 Berthier rifle with its limited three-round magazine capacity. The difference was the Lebel's larger magazine capacity in an emergency (8 rounds plus an extra round in the transporter). In the words of David Fortier (in "Standard Catalog of Military Rifles", 2003): "The rifle shoulders nicely and is comfortable with a 13.5" length of pull. Align the hard to see sights and squeeze. When the hammer drops the Lebel slaps hard on both ends. The bolt handle is a bit out of reach due to its forward placement, but the action is fairly smooth and easy to run from the shoulder. You just have to give it a bit of a tug at the end to snap the shell carrier up ... With quality ammunition and a good bore these rifles are capable of fine accuracy. ... A rugged and reliable design, the Lebel soldiered on far longer than it should have." During World War I (1914-1918), the Lebel remained the standard rifle of French infantry whereas the Berthier rifle - a lengthened version of the Berthier carbine - featuring a Mannlicher-style 3-round magazine was issued to colonial troops, to allied contingents in the French army and to the French Foreign Legion. Regarding the latter however, it demanded and obtained in 1920 to be re-equipped with the Lebel rifle. The Lebel rifle could also be used with a removable VB (Viven-Bessieres) rifle grenade launcher. While the Lebel rifle was quite effective at up to 300 meters with the standard Balle D boat-tail bullet ammunition, accuracy at longer distances was impaired by the existing open sights. Consequently, adjustable telescopic sights (the APX Mle 1916 and APX Mle 1917 models) were issued in numbers during WW-1 for the Lebel rifle, beginning in late 1916. Post-World War I use[edit] Because of several negative factors during the late 1920s and 1930s — including the depressed economy, reduced war budgets under the Popular Front government and neglect at high army levels, notably so by then War Minister Marshall Philippe Pétain — the French Army was slow to modernize its infantry weapons. For instance, industrial mass production of the bolt-action MAS-36 rifle was initiated too late (in 1937) although the prototype of the MAS-36 rifle had been approved by 1929. As a result, insufficient numbers of MAS-36 rifles were available when World War II broke out in September 1939. Furthermore, a thoroughly tested semi-automatic rifle was ready to be mass produced by 1938. But , due to the Nazi occupation of France during WW-2, five more years had to pass before this effective gas-operated weapon(the MAS-1938/39) could be issued as the MAS-44 , MAS-49 and MAS 1949-56 series. Another result of all these delays is that Lebel rifles — many of which had since been shortened into a carbine-length version, the "Mle 1886 M93R35" — were still in the hands of second line troops at the outbreak of World War II. Near the end of World War II in 1944, the German Wehrmacht had issued some captured M1886 Lebel rifles, given the German identification code Gewehr 301(f), to some of their occupation troops in France, but in limited numbers. Some ten years later, during the Algerian War, Lebel rifles were issued to the local civilian populations for self-defense. Functional Lebel rifles have been brought back in recent years from the mountains of Afghanistan. Military users[edit] See also[edit] 1. ^ Eric Dorn Brose (2004). The Kaiser's Army: The Politics of Military Technology in Germany During the Machine Age, 1870-1918. Oxford University Press. pp. 47–50. ISBN 978-0-19-517945-3. 2. ^ The extreme range is the maximum distance a bullet will carry when fired from any small arm, normally, this is accomplished by firing the weapon at a 45-degree angle. 3. ^ The effective range of any infantry rifle is typically the range at which a soldier of average ability and schooled in a particular weapon's operation may be reasonably expected to consistently hit the chest area of a man-size target. 4. ^ Huon, 1988. 6. ^ W. Darrin Weaver (2005). Desperate Measures: The Last-Ditch Weapons of the Nazi Volkssturm. Collector Grade Publications. p. 60. ISBN 0889353727. • French autoloading rifles. 1898–1979 (Proud promise), by Jean Huon, 1995, Collector Grade Publications. ISBN 0-88935-186-4. This volume (in English) contains a highly detailed technical "Introduction" chapter describing the Lebel rifle and its ammunition. This volume primarily describes all French semi-automatic rifles since 1898, notably the Mle 1917 and Mle 1918 semi-automatic rifles, the Meunier (A6) rifle as well as the MAS 38-39 to MAS49 and 49/56 series. • La Manufacture Nationale d'Armes de Châtellerault (1819–1968), by Claude Lombard, 1987, Editor: Librairie Brissaud, 162 Grand Rue, Poitiers, 86000, France, ISBN 2-902170-55-6. This large illustrated volume (in French) contains the detailed technical history and production statistics for the Lebel rifle as well as detailed technical accounts on the Chassepot, Gras, Kropatschek and Berthier weapons and how they came to be designed and manufactured. This is regarded as the fundamental research volume on the subject. The author is a retired armament engineer who spent most of his career at Châtellerault and had full access to all the archives and the prototypes. • Military rifle and machine gun cartridges, Jean Huon, 1988, Ironside International Publishers, Alexandria, Virginia, ISBN 0-935554-05-X. This volume (in English) provides a detailed description of all the types of 8mm Lebel ammunition, including Balle M, Balle D (a.m.) and Balle N. The 7x59mm Meunier cartridge (for the semi-automatic A6 Meunier rifle) is also illustrated and described in detail. • Standard Catalog of Military Firearms, Ned Schwing, 2003, Krause Publications, ISBN 0-87349-525-X. Contains an informative and detailed page dedicated to the Lebel rifle (by David Fortier). • Bolt Action Rifles, Frank de Haas and Wayne Van Zwoll, 2003, Krause Publications, ISBN 0-87349-660-4. An illustrated chapter in this volume reviews in depth the Lebel and Berthier rifles (and carbines). • France's Wonderful Rifle; Great Performances of the New Small Arm for Infantry, New York Times, October 15, 1889, page 3. • Le Tir Sportif au Fusil Reglementaire, Bruce Malingue, 2006, Crepin-Leblond, ISBN 2-7030-0265-3, (P.332-334: "Fusil Lebel". The author is justifiably critical of the Lebel's sights) External links[edit] Preceded by Fusil Gras Modèle 1874 French Army rifle Succeeded by Berthier rifle MAS-36 rifle
Wednesday, April 27, 2011 100 Animated Feature Films Tuesday, April 26, 2011 No Thanks I will not be getting one of these tattoos. (link via Boing Boing) The Elements of a Scene: Objective and Motive This is the third in a series analyzing a scene from The Grapes of Wrath. For this entry, I want to talk about the concepts of objective and motive. These two things are the motor behind every actor in every scene. An objective is a concrete thing that a character wants to accomplish. The motive is the reason the objective is important. The objective is the what and the motive is the why. The example I always give my students is that if the classroom is on fire, our objective is to get out the door. Our motive is to stay alive. In the scene above, Pa Joad's objective is to buy bread. His motive is the well-being of his family members. That same motive is what causes him to ask about the candy and then to purchase some for this children. The waitress's objective is to sit down next to the truck driver and hear a dirty joke. Her motive is pleasure. The cook's objective is to cook whatever is ordered. His motive is to earn a living so that he can survive. The truck drivers' objective is to eat. Their motive is to keep going so that they can also earn a living and survive. It's important to understand that a single motive can lead to a variety of objectives. If a character is motivated by the desire to get rich, the character could get a gun and rob people, study hard and become a brain surgeon, marry somebody rich, or buy lottery tickets. Each of these objectives might satisfy the character's motive, but we would judge the character differently based on his or her objective. Someone who works hard and benefits others, such as a brain surgeon, is more admirable than someone who robs people or takes no action beyond buying lottery tickets. As F. Scott Fitzgerald said, "action is character," meaning that what characters do to satisfy their motives determines who they are. I often refer to Abraham Maslow's hierarchy of needs as a good tool regarding motive. If you're writing a character or trying to understand a character that you're performing, the hierarchy is a way of determining a motivation. Those items lower on the pyramid have to be in place before a person can worry about things higher on it. In addition, the things lower on the pyramid are common to every person alive, regardless of location or circumstances. It's one of the reasons that Chaplin's tramp character was so popular with audiences; anyone could understand his need for food, shelter, security (from the police), and love. The Grapes of Wrath is dominated by the lower three rungs of the pyramid. The family has been evicted from their farm and they have to struggle to find food and shelter. They are victimized by police and by big agriculture and all these things are a threat to the survival of the family. Their motive is to stay alive and together. Their objective is to get to California, where they hope they will find work to allow them to do that. Monday, April 25, 2011 Preview Trailer - The Cobbler and the Thief Documentary I've written before about Kevin Schreck, a student at Bard College in upstate New York. He's working on a documentary on the making of Richard Williams' The Cobbler and the Thief and he used Kickstarter in order to finance the project. It's now complete for his course and the preview trailer is above. Kevin will continue to refine the film. As I am an investor ($25), I'll be receiving a DVD when it is finished and will be reviewing it here. (I recognize Greg Duffell at 1:33 in the trailer, but not the other interview subjects. If you know who they are, please identify them in the comments.) Friday, April 22, 2011 Animation Art Auction Pinocchio concept art by Gustav Tenggren Milt Kahl thumbnails from The Rescuers Back in the '90s, animation art was all the rage. Sotheby's and Christie's both staged multiple auctions that featured animation art from the 1930s to the present. Animation art is no longer as prominent for a variety of reasons. The current economy doesn't leave people with a lot of extra money to spend but probably more important is the fact that digital films don't generate much art on paper or canvas. The art that is created, being digital, is not one of a kind. It can be copied endlessly with no loss of quality, which destroys the whole concept of owning an original. Profiles in History will be having an auction featuring much animation art on May 14. Even if you're not in a position to buy, you might be interested in a copy of the catalog, which can be downloaded for free. Hans Perk has been talking about some of this art and publishing better reproductions than are in the catalog. You can see his posts here. Besides Disney art, the auction also features work from Warner Bros, Fleischer, MGM, Lantz, Mintz, Iwerks, Hanna-Barbera, UPA and Bill Melendez. In addition to drawings, cels and background paintings, there are also posters, maquettes, autographs and correspondence. The back of the catalog contains various memorabilia from live action films but starting at page 325 is material from The Nightmare Before Christmas, James and the Giant Peach and The Corpse Bride. The animation portion of this is a very nice collection and the equivalent of many animation art books that cost significant amounts of money. Grab your free copy while you can. Friday, April 15, 2011 The Elements of a Scene: Personality This is the second in a series analyzing the elements in a scene from The Grapes of Wrath. For this entry, I want to talk about personality and how it affects the scene's action. The act of buying a loaf of bread is not particularly dramatic; it's not the kind of scene that performers fight to do. Yet, we learn an awful lot about Pa Joad, played by Russell Simpson, through his attempt. First, he is polite. While his conversation is with a waitress, not a profession high on the social scale, he always ends his sentences with "Ma'am." He never raises his voice to her, even when she doesn't cooperate. He is also persistent. While the waitress keeps throwing roadblocks in his way, he doesn't give up. He explains the reasons for his actions and provides as much detail as is necessary to move things forward. While he is quiet and deferential, he is also proud. When the waitress tries to get 15 cents out of him for the loaf and he can't afford it, he asks her to cut off 10 cents worth. When Bert, the fry cook, tells him to take the whole thing, Pa raises his voice for the only time in the scene. "No sir! We only want 10 cents worth." While he is poor and struggling, he doesn't want charity. He wants to pay his way. The last thing to say about Pa Joad is that he is altruistic. He is not buying the bread for himself, but for his mother-in-law, who has no teeth. Later in the scene, though we know he's counting every penny, he spends a penny on his children. While he has spent considerable effort in the diner, none of it has been on his own behalf. The waitress is a very interesting character. She knows the truck drivers by name and sits next to Bill. Her question, "Heard any good etchings lately, Bill?" requires some explanation. In the early 20th century, if a man invited a woman up to see his etchings, it was an invitation for sex. In this scene, screenwriter Nunnally Johnson has used the audience's familiarity with the use of the word "etchings" to have the waitress ask the truck driver if he's heard any dirty jokes lately. The construction is clumsy, though; how can anybody "hear" etchings? Johnson couldn't have her ask about dirty jokes directly as the censors in the Hays office would have cut the line. By using a euphemism, Johnson could count on the adults in the audience picking up the meaning without saying anything explicit that the censors could object to. The line is important as it marks the waitress as somewhat vulgar and low class.The audience doesn't have high expectations of her and her subsequent actions confirm the audience's opinion. When Pa Joad makes his request, she has multiple reasons why she can't give him what he wants. When Bert says to give Pa the bread, she objects to Bert, too, saying that they'll run out before the bread truck comes. When she gets up to go get the bread around 1:01 in the clip, she is clearly not happy. When she returns with the bread, she's still trying to get full price for it. She is stubborn and clearly doesn't care about Pa Joad's problems. Only at 1:38 in the clip, after Pa and Bert have tussled, does the waitress give in. Interestingly, she says, "Bert says to take it." She won't take responsibility for what's happening. She only takes ownership of a charitable act when Pa inquires about the candy. When she's called on it by the the truck driver, her response is a surly, "What's it to you?" She doesn't want to appear soft. Only after the truck drivers don't take their change, does she warm to the idea of people helping others. The truck drivers say nothing while Pa Joad is present. However, director John Ford does keep them in the action. The truck driver near the cash register swallows uncomfortably when he looks at the children's poor attire and their hungry stares at the candy. The drivers exchange knowing looks when the waitress says that the candies are two for a penny. Bill calls the waitress on her charity in an accusing manner, but the drivers are clearly sympathetic to Pa Joad's plight as they endorse the waitress's actions by leaving extra money. Imagine this scene if these personalities were different. If Pa Joad became frustrated and started yelling, I doubt that the truck drivers would sit passively during the confrontation. If the waitress responded sympathetically to the information about the old lady with no teeth, Pa Joad would have gotten the bread a lot sooner. Given the waitress's attraction to Bill, what would have happened if Pa Joad flattered the waitress and flirted with her? Would she warm up to him or be repulsed by him? How would the scene play out if the fry cook agreed with the waitress that they couldn't spare the bread? How would everyone react if the children were bratty and made demands for the candy, rather than looking at it silently? If you change the personality of any of these characters, you have a different scene. The actions that occur are the direct result of the characters' personalities. If you're in story or in animation, you've got to know who the characters are if you're going to have a scene that makes sense. Addendum: For contrast, here's another diner scene with an uncooperative waitress. It's from Five Easy Pieces. Jack Nicholson is as persistent as Pa Joad, but as you'll see, not nearly as polite. These two clips are good examples of the term "character driven." The personalities of the characters determine the outcomes of the scenes. Sunday, April 10, 2011 The Elements of a Scene: Setting I'm going to do something different for several entries. What's above is a scene from The Grapes of Wrath, based on the novel by John Steinbeck, screenplay by Nunnally Johnson and directed by John Ford. The scene is only 3 minutes long and not central to the plot of the film. However, it is like a one act play that has all the necessary elements for drama. I became aware as an animator that a good performance depends very much on the script. Good actors with a bad script are fighting an uphill battle. There are many elements that have to be present in order for a performance to work. I eventually composed a list of these elements that can be summarized with the clumsy acronym spomcorbass, and I want to examine this scene in light of these elements. They are: In the past, I didn't pay much attention to setting, but I've come to realize how critical it is. Too many animated films use setting as the basis for the background visuals, but ignore its other aspects. Setting is not only time and place, important though they are, it is also a social hierarchy and the expectations of the characters. Setting isn't merely a geographical location, it is a cultural context as well. The above scene is set in a roadside diner off Route 66 in New Mexico. Based on the waitress's familiarity with the truck drivers, they are regulars. This scene is all about food and money, and practically every shot has a signboard in the background advertising something to eat and its price. In animation terms, the layouts never let us forget where we are or what the scene is about. Culture is both invisible and arbitrary. It is invisible to those living within a culture as it is simply the way things are done. It's what's considered normal. However, as soon as a person confronts a different culture, the arbitrariness becomes apparent. There is more than one way for people to organize their lives. While I'll talk about business in a later post, everybody, with the exception of Pa Joad and his children, is behaving in way consistent with the cultural nature of a roadside diner. The waitress is clearing tables, the cook is cooking and the truck drivers are eating. The invisible expectation is that the customers will only order what's on the menu and that they will pay the stated price. Pa Joad can't fit the culture's expectation of how to behave in a restaurant for economic reasons. He needs groceries, not a prepared item, and he can't afford to pay for the whole item. While this is a working class establishment, his request clearly marks him as someone beneath them. His request breaks the accepted pattern of behaviour associated with the setting, which creates the conflict that drives the scene. While the scene is not central to the plot, it is central to the film's theme. What's more important, the system or the people within it? If people are suffering, shouldn't the system change? In this scene, there are hints that people can support each other in spite of the system, something that's developed later in the film. Saturday, April 02, 2011 Sheridan Alumni Event The Sheridan Alumni Association is holding a reception and screening on Wednesday, April 6 at the TIFF Bell Lightbox, 350 King Street West in Toronto. There is a reception with food and drink starting at 6 p.m, followed by a screening of The Best of the Ottawa International Animation Festival 2010 and Sheridan student films that have won awards from the Toronto International Film Festival. That screening starts at 7 p.m. Tickets for the event can be purchased at the Lightbox or online for $20. You have to RSVP in advance for the reception, and details for that can be found on this page.
Project Hawaii in the Classroom Teach cloud-enabled mobile computing. In partnership with universities around the world, Project Hawaii enables students to develop inventive cloud-enhanced mobile applications. Students at participating universities can use Windows Phone for accessing a set of innovative cloud services and Windows Azure for computation and data storage. Interested in using Project Hawaii in your teaching? Send us your proposal. Faculty Resources Find curriculum resources, to use in your classroom. Courtesy Prof. Rajesh Balan, Singapore Management University Mobile and Pervasive Technology and Applications: Definitions and Technology Soup Understand the basic definitions and technology of mobile and pervasive computing. Understand the various terms used in mobile technology and have a sense of what they mean and how they are applied. Mobile and Pervasive Technology and Applications: Location and Context Understand the challenges associated with location detection. Represent location information on a global map and find location of other people. Get an insight into the issues of privacy and security associated with location sharing. Related Research Papers Courtesy Prof. Nilanjan Banerjee, University of Arkansas Why and What of Mobile and Pervasive Computing? Where am I: Localization? How do I get data over the air: Mobile and Wireless Networking? Using Resources in the cloud: Cloud Computing in Mobile Systems and applications Damn! Why does my phone die when I need it most? Energy Management?
Destabilization was obvious: a brief history of Iraq Studying Iraq’s modern history for a few days and reading books such as Patrick Cockburn’s Muqtada, it seems obvious that the W. Bush Administration either intended to destabilize—i.e incite civil war in—Iraq or at the very least considered chaos as an acceptable side effect to the toppling of Saddam Hussein and the Baath Party. It’s no secret CIA studies had concluded that a major outbreak of sectarian violence would follow a regime-changing invasion. It’s also been a stated neocon goal in regard to the defense of Israel. The volatile cross-identification of tens of millions of Middle Easterners—tensions based on religion, region and race, not to mention family bloodline and political party—and the traditions of violence in Iraq have been U.S. news since the Iranian Revolution and the subsequent Iran-Iraq War. The Baath party (Arab nationalists) and its early de facto leader Saddam Hussein, a secular Sunni, had ruled Iraq for two generations by 2003. In a society such as Iraq where one either rules or is oppressed, leaving a power vacuum is a recipe for bloodshed—then add a dollop of Islamic martyrdom and stir with unpopular Western forces. The complexity of hatred that America has either witnessed or directly fostered upon the fragmented country for 40-odd years might have tipped off U.S. warmongers (who had taken a day to study Iraqi history) that civil war was likely to erupt. (In the 1970s, Saddam himself recognized that Iraq’s sectarian rivalries and tribal and religious divisions had to be quashed with a combination of violent repression and rapid modernization.) Saddam engaged in ethnic cleansing, brutally silenced dissent, murdered countless allies in paranoid fits and instigated an unpopular eight-year war where hundreds of thousands were killed. It certainly wasn’t a hard sell for the Bush Administration to paint Saddam Hussein as the tyrant whose removal would be a cure-all and allow the U.S. to be “welcomed as liberators.” (This war argument was, of course, supplemental to the WMD hoax that Donald Rumsfeld et al force-fed the American public and Congress.) But, again, a cursory study of Iraq in the second half of the 20th century reveals that the “liberators” prediction was absurd and that anything other than civil war could not have been realistically presumed (at very least in the short term). Here are some warning signs about the largest and most clearly defined potential insurgent group, the Shiites. 1) Without a doubt, studious Shiite Muslims live through their history and pay very close attention to it (chess is still forbidden because Yazid, the Umayyad leader who beat up on Muslims from 680 to 683, was playing it during the Battle of Kerbala). Shiite Muslims, a 70-plus percent majority in Iraq, remember that the U.S. supported secular Saddam and the Baath party, indirectly or directly, from 1963 to 1991. 2) The Shia themselves are separated into several factions along philosophical, familial and economic lines, e.g.: Quietism practicing Marji’iyyah clerics; political parties like al-Dawa and the Islamic Supreme Council in Iraq [ISCI]; millions of poor in what is now Baghdad’s Sadr City. Saddam’s atrocities and the Iran-Iraq war in particular—pitting Shiite against Shiite—resulted in further division (Iran’s Shia theocracy also has a lot to do with the lack of Shia unity). 3) Adding U.S. insult to Shia injury: After Saddam’s army was humiliated by U.S. forces in 1991, George H.W. Bush said it was time for the Iraqi’s to overthrow him themselves. When Shiites rose up and rebelled against the Iraqi president, they assumed they would have U.S. military backing. But the U.S. left, and Saddam crushed the violent Shia uprising with, of course, extreme prejudice. Even if the Shia had misinterpreted H.W.’s dedication, how could the second Bush Administration—a direct descendant not just in name, but in cabinet too, of the offending previous president—assume that Shiites in general would welcome U.S. forces as liberators? Nearly the exact same administration betrayed them to the tune of about 100,000 dead. Did the Bush Department of Defense (DOD) anticipate the reaction of the divided Shiites—not to mention desperate Arab nationalists and Sunnis, nihilistic al-Qaeda and the emboldened Kurds—to be a unified front once the Americans stepped in to smooth the post-Saddam path? Did the DOD experts expect to only deal with Sunni vs. Shia (both of which only serve as an umbrella for a variety of subset insurgencies)? Did they care? The U.S.’s 2003 invasion exacerbated Shia schisms, illustrated by Muqtada al-Sadr’s Mehdi Army (now the Sadrists) and its disconnect from both the Shia religious authority (grand ayatollahs such as the current leader al-Sistani) and the Shia politicos. This should not have been a surprise to the administration’s Iraq experts, but they underestimated this Shia insurgency by thinking not many would follow the nonclerical Muqtada—even though his twice-martyred family is a descendant of Muhammad’s cousin Imam Ali (the figure at the heart of the Shia/Sunni split in the 7th century). The Sadrists, probably one of the easiest threats to be predicted, became arguably the most violent and frustrating force the U.S. occupiers had to deal with from 2004 to 2007. Muqtada al-Sadr still refuses to deal with U.S. now and is certainly not beholden to Shiite prime minister Nur al-Maliki. Muqtada, in exile in Iran, has even recently met with al-Maliki’s rival Ayad Allawi (the Shia ex-Baathist the U.S. installed as prime minister in 2004). More than six months after the Iraqi elections in March, a government has not been formed. It’s good that the civil war is over. It is too bad nobody won. As there are countless players and organizations to reference, the following timeline skews toward Sadrist ascendance and U.S.-influenced events. (It’s important to note that the holiest Shia cities, Najaf and Kerbala, are in Iraq near Baghdad, not in Shia-ruled Iran) 1958 – General (later president) Qassim overthrows the Hashemite Monarchy. In general, secularism, nationalism and even communism are superior to Islam or religion as a governing force at this time. Late 50s – Muhammad Baqir al-Sadr (Muqtada al-Sadr’s cousin and father-in-law), descendant from a line of respected Shia clerics going back to the 7th Imam and Muhammad himself, helps found and lead Shia political activism and the Dawa party. The practiced doctrine of Quietism (separating Islam from politics and the state) had led most Shia cleric elders (i.e. Marji’iyyah, ayatollahs) away from seeking direct political power, even though they were the majority. Sunnis, on the other hand, traditionally did not separate Islam from the state. Many Marji’iyyah saw Baqir al-Sadr and Dawa’s political aspirations as dangerous because they would draw attention. 1959 – The mainly Sunni Baath party (Arab nationalists) and Saddam Hussein in particular try to assassinate the communist leaning President Qassim. The U.S., under the Truman Doctrine auspices of containment, begins to back the Baath party. Early 60s – 1) Saddam, a student of Stalin, helps create the Baathist secret police. 2) Baqir al-Sadr rallies the urban poor Shia (in what would become Sadr City), providing services and promoting his Dawa party—even drawing many Marji’iyyah to tentatively ally with him. Feb. 1963 – The Baathists stage a military coup encouraged by the U.S. It is seen as “anti-Shia” by the majority of Iraqis. The U.S. sees the party as an enemy of communism. However, despite Qassim’s death, the Baathists cannot hold on to power. 1967 – The Shah of Iran, a U.S. ally installed by the CIA in a 1953 coup, declares himself a Persian King of Kings, expanding his powers and becoming more repressive and unpopular with Shiites, students and intellectuals. 1968 – The Baathists finally seize control of Iraq. Saddam is made vice chairman of the Revolutionary Command Council, head of security forces. 1974-76 – Saddam consolidates his de facto leadership of Iraq. He has seized Iraq’s oil interests and marched the fractious nation into modernization. After a tentative peace with the northern Iraq Kurds, Saddam sacks the region and deports hundreds in his bid to take over oil interests in Kirkuk (and foster Arabization). Saddam becomes General of Iraq’s armed forces. 1978 – In a fateful move, the Shah of Iran asks Saddam (now vice president) to kick exiled Iranian Grand Ayatollah Khomeini out of Najaf, Iraq. Khomeini, who had been speaking out against the Shah (and against Shia Quietism) for years, moves near Paris where mass media outlets allow him to address the millions of disenfranchised Shiites in Iran much more easily than from Najaf. Khomeini has been reinterpreting Shiite religious authority to not only dove-tail with political power, but to in fact supplant it (Knomeinism). 1978-79 – 1) During the Iranian Revolution, the Shah is deposed and Khomeini assumes supreme leadership. 2) Saddam becomes official president of Iraq and immediately has 22 “disloyal” Baathist party members executed. 3) Al-Dawa and Baqir al-Sadr, tolerated by Saddam to keep the Shia majority in check for the last decade, support the revolution. 1980 – Saddam, to avoid the Shah’s fate, cracks down on Shia militants and sees fit to execute the man whom Shiites see as Iraq’s Khomeini. Grand Ayatollah Baqir al-Sadr and his sister are murdered. He becomes the Sadrist’s first martyr. Many Dawa members flee to Iran, including future Iraqi prime minister Nur al-Maliki. 1981-1988 – Iraq goes to war against Iran. Despite being supported by U.S. money and arms (Special envoy Donald Rumseld visits Baghdad to make sure Saddam knows where on his side), the war is a bloody stalemate à la WWI’s trench warfare. Iraqi Shiites are forced to kill their religious brothers in Iran. Captured Iraq Shiite soldiers (betrayers of the faith) are treated far worse than Sunni or secular Arab prisoners. 1987 – Saddam begins a genocidal campaign against the Kurds, using chemical weapons and killing at least 50,000. 1991 – Khomeini has died and the Iran-Iraq War is over. Saddam invades Kuwait for oil control. When the U.S. responds, Saddam’s prized military deserts him. 1992 – With the hopes that the U.S. military will help finish the job, a Shiite rebellion explodes with Baathist’s murdered throughout the south. Grand Ayatollah Muhammad Muhammad Sadeq al-Sadr (cousin to first martyr Baqir al-Sadr, and father to Muqtada) takes control of the many young militant Shia poor in Sadr City, Baghdad (then called Rebellion Township). Grand Ayatollah al-Sistani, the most powerful Shia cleric in Iraq today, encourages the uprising with much more subtlety. Both the U.S. and Iran do nothing to support the uprising, leading to further Shiite rifts after Saddam crushes the rebellion. However, the ghetto of Rebellion Township was so Shia- entrenched that Saddam could only contain the area, not control it nor kill Sadeq al-Sadr. In fact, soon after the uprising, Saddam believes he is shrewd by making Sadeq al-Sadr the Marji’ al-Taqlid, the Shiite religious leader of Iraq to appease the Shia after massacring their people. 1998 – After years of targeted U.S. bombings and harsh sanctions (leading countless Iraqi’s to die), Saddam still refuses to comply with U.N. disarmament terms. War with Iraq is discussed but unpopular with the American public. President Bill Clinton signs the Iraq Liberation Act, calling for regime change. 1999 – Openly critical of Saddam while gaining support of millions of Shia poor throughout the 90s, Sadeq al-Sadr and his two eldest sons are finally assassinated. Just as his cousin Baqir al-Sadr did when he became an official target of Saddam in 1980, Sadeq donned the white death shroud before he was killed. He became the second martyr. 2003 – 1) Saddam and his Baathists are quickly eliminated by Coalition forces. The U.S.-run Coalition Provisional Authority’s Iraq Governing Council (IGC) is set up with Paul Bremer as viceroy and Shia ex-Baathist Ayad Allawi as interim prime minister. 2) Muqtada al-Sadr consolidates control of the almost 2 million Shia in Sadr City, providing basic services through his Sadr Bureau and arming his Mehdi Army (he, of course, runs the newspaper Hawza). Muqtada, hero to the Sadrists, opposes the U.S. occupation and speaks to the illegitimacy of the Iraqi Governing Council. He declares a shadow government and is at odds with both the leading Shia cleric, al-Sistani, often seen as the representative of the middle class and wealthy Shitte elite, and the Coalition’s Shia IRC “stooge” Ayad Allawi. Leave a Reply You are commenting using your account. Log Out / Change ) Twitter picture Facebook photo Google+ photo Connecting to %s Get every new post delivered to your Inbox. %d bloggers like this:
Eureka Springs A Former Spa Town in the Ozarks Where the Victorian Era Lives On Mystical things have always happened in Eureka Springs, Arkansas. Dozens of natural mineral springs emerge from the steep limestone hills of the town that’s known as America’s little Switzerland. “People find something very special here,” says June Westphal, one of the founders of the Eureka Springs Historical Museum and the town’s unofficial historian. “Being a native, I know. I feel it, too.” Today Eureka Springs reportedly has the largest collection of unspoiled Victorian houses in the central United States. The local Osage Indians called the springs healing waters and allowed Cherokees and Delawares to partake of them when they were ill. It was considered a sacred place. In 1854 Dr. Alvah Jackson was hunting in the area with a son who suffered from a painful eye condition. The doctor bathed his eyes in the springs for days, and they were healed. He then bottled the water and sold it as Dr. Jackson’s Eye Water. By 1879 about 20 families were living at the springs in tents or log cabins. They called the town Eureka, meaning “I have found it!” “People started coming from Chicago, St. Louis, New York, Vermont, the Carolinas and Texas,” Westphal says. They thought the waters could cure paralysis, diabetes, asthma, insomnia, dropsy, rheumatism, gout and stomach problems. “They were ill and badly needed help, so their families brought them here.” It wasn’t easy. The nearest railroad station was in Pierce City, Missouri. From there it was a nine-hour stagecoach ride across the mountains. But they kept coming. A railroad link was built in 1882. By 1884, 16,000 people crowded into the town. They couldn’t build houses fast enough. Several local sawmills provided boards and ornate millwork for houses in a style known as Eureka Victorian, which encompasses Queen Anne, Stick, Gothic Revival, Craftsman and Neoclassical. Porches were decorated with turned spindles, roofs sported curvy corbels, and shingles were arranged in fish-scale patterns. Today Eureka Springs reportedly has the largest collection of unspoiled Victorian houses in the central United States. In 1970 the historic district was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The houses are painted in bright pink, green, yellow and blue, with contrasting trims, to create a picturesque effect. Eureka Springs has been called a stair-step town, because its houses are stacked, one behind the other, on 20 steep hills. After the wood structures downtown had burned for the third time, many of the hotels, shops, churches and municipal buildings were reconstructed with local limestone or brick. According to one account, some 60,000 cubic yards of limestone was used to make walls and buildings like the Renaissance Revival courthouse, the 1901 Palace Hotel and Bath House, the 1928 auditorium and the Basin Park Hotel, a seven-story landmark dating from 1905. Ironically, the grandest house in town, a pink-and-blue Queen Anne-style mansion, was built not in Eureka Springs but in Carthage, Missouri, 90 miles away. The 12,000-square-foot house has turrets, balconies, verandas, two sets of porches and gigantic circular windows. The base is faced with hand-chiseled sandstone; the structural support is Carthage marble. It took 18 months to disassemble, move and reassemble the house. What adds to the town’s appeal is that its residents care about it. Mayor Katherine Harrison and her husband, Lawrence, just spent the last three years gutting, rebuilding and restoring an 1881 wood-frame house that had been condemned. It was a massive undertaking. They recycled the original heart-pine floors to make window frames and kitchen cabinets, installed new plaster walls and wood floors and rebuilt four terraces in the front and six in back. Eureka Springs has a population of 2,300 and welcomes a million visitors a year. There are more than 50 hotels and motels and more than 40 bed-and-breakfasts, some of which, like The 1881 Crescent Cottage Inn, are more elegant and comfortable than the hotels. Visitors enjoy the Victorian architecture, the flower-filled parks, the fine restaurants, the many music festivals (folk, jazz, gospel, country, blues, classical, spiritual) and the shops. There are 27 antiques shops. Mary Ellen Sheard, of Crystal Gardens Antiques, has one of the best. She sells walnut furniture and Arkansas striped Niloak clay vases from the early 1900s. Sow’s Ear Antiques is known for local artwork from the 1880s, Blue Ridge pottery, vintage linens and the furniture that proprietor Susan Krotz makes with recycled wood. Castle Antiques at Inspiration Point has vintage painted pine cupboards, benches and harvest tables, old wood rifle shell boxes and antique croquet sets. Owners Dwight and Wanda Kertzman call the early pieces “primitives.” Collectors shop for art glass, pottery, jewelry and stone lithographs in fine galleries like Zarks, Satori Arts and Quicksilver. Last June actors Billy Bob Thornton and Lisa Blount were in town shooting a movie called Chrystal, and he reportedly announced that he wanted to buy a house. The town sells itself.
The Ins and Outs of Medical Profession Career Options for MDs: Medical schools recognize that many people have other interests in addition to medicine. To that end, medical schools offer a number of combined degree programs, upon completion of which you can get MD degree plus a Ph.D (Doctor in Philosophy) or JD (Juris Doctor/Doctor of Law) or MPH (Master in Public Health) among others. Links: Other career options for doctors: MD/PhD, MD/JD, MD/MPH Programs How do you become a medical doctor (MD)? To become a doctor in the United States, you generally must graduate from a 4-year college or university. Alternatively, there are a few programs that combine college and medical school–more about them later. After you graduate from a 4-year college or university with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) or Bachelor of Science (BS) degree, you go to Medical School, where you’re trained to be a doctor. Medical school is also 4-years long. When you graduate from medical school, you get your MD (Doctor of Medicine) degree. If you want to be a generalist physician/family physician/primary-care physician you need to spend 2-3 years after medical school in an “apprenticeship”which is known as residency. If you want to specialize in some area of medicine, for example if you want to be a surgeon, urologist, cardiologist or oncologist, your residency will be longer, anywhere from 3-8 years depending on the medical specialty you choose to pursue. Admission to medical school is highly competitive. To be eligible for admission to medical school, you must in general have taken a number of specific courses while in college (if you have already graduated–you can join a post-baccalaureate program at an accredited college/university). You must also take a Medical School Admissions Test (MCAT). Your grade point average (GPA), MCAT scores, recommendations, extracurricular activities, your state of residence, and other achievements each play a significant role in medical school admissions. Once you are accepted into a medical school in the US, the medical school is four years long. The first two years are basically spend attending classes–studying basic biomedical sciences that underpin the science of medicine. After the second year in medical school, medical students take an exam called USMLE Step 1, which covers all basic sciences material that is taught in the first two years of medical school. Passing USMLE Step 1 is a requirement for progression to years 3 and 4.. The last two years of medical school are spend both taking classes and on rotations in hospitals, where you learn medicine by doing it and from observation of other doctors. Somewhere at this point one must pass USMLE Step 2, which covers clinical knowledge. Successful performance on USMLE Step 2 is required in order for one to be board certified and to be able to practice the art and science of medicine.. After four years at medical school, you graduate with MD in medicine but you still cannot practice medicine. You must spend anywhere from 2 to 8 years more in residency, depending on medical specialty or subspecialty you want to pursue. In general, family physicians spend about 2 years in residency. Specialists such as cardiologists, surgeons, radiologists, urologists spend more. Then if you want to sub-specialize as in cardio-thoracic surgery or something as complex, you must spend more years in training. During your residency you must pass USMLE Step 3 in order to be state-certified for practice of medicine. USMLE Step 3 covers clinical thinking and clinical management. After all this adventures in medical education, you’re free to experiment on your unsuspecting patients (they even come to you!). The required “pre-med” classes are as follows: • A year of freshman Chemistry along with the appropriate laboratory courses • A year of Organic Chemistry along with laboratory courses • A year of Biology along with laboratory courses • A year of Physics along with laboratory courses • A year of English • A year of Calculus or other advanced Math, including Statistics In addition, many schools require a certain number of credits in non-science classes. Less common are the schools that have more specific requirements such as coursework in Behavioral Sciences (Psychology), Philosophy, etc. Consult particular medical schools (or look at their web sites) to find out the specifics. Medical schools also require that you take Medical School Admissions Test (MCAT) before you apply. This is a half-day examination that tests your knowledge in three areas: Verbal Reasoning (Reading Comprehension), Physical Sciences (Chemistry and Physics), Biological Sciences (Organic Chemistry and Biology). In addition there is a Writing Sample section consisting of two essay questions that tests your expository writing . Neither the English section nor the essays require any prior knowledge. The pre-med requirements listed above in general cover most of the material on MCAT and serve to prepare you for MCAT. So if you do well in these, you’ll have easier time on MCAT. The Verbal, Physical and Biological Sciences sections of the MCAT are all-multiple choice and each section is graded on a scale of 1-15. The maximum score you can get on all three sections therefore is 45. In general few people get above 34 combined, so theoretically 11.5 should get you into top schools. Anything 10 and above in each section (for a total of 30) is a very competitive score. Average scores less than 9 per section (for a combined score of less than 27) makes your life much harder and even though people do get in–the odds are against you. There are of course exceptions to this rule of the thumb and other factors such as GPA, extracurriculars, Nobel prizes, etc play role in admissions. Before taking MCAT, do take timed practice MCAT exams to test how well you do. Do not take the real MCAT for practice!!! If you do less well than you want on a practice exam by all means spend all the time you need studying and improving your knowledge and score on mock MCAT before going for the real thing. Reapplying for medical school ten times does not look all that good–besides medical schools know that you’re reapplying..
Join The Next Introductory Class Counting Your Blessings: How Gratitude Improves Your Health Print Email a Friend By Bruce Campbell Gratitude has long been extolled by religion and in recent years, has drawn attention through books such as The Simple Abundance Journal of Gratitude. Now, thanks to new research, there is scientific evidence that gratitude produces health benefits. Emmons' book reports on several studies. In the first, he and his colleagues divided participants into three groups, each of which made weekly entries in a journal. One group wrote five things they were grateful for. Another group described five daily hassles and a control group listed five events that had affected them in some way. Those in the gratitude group felt better about their lives overall, were more optimistic about the future, and reported fewer health problems than the other participants. Results from a second study suggested that daily writing led to a greater increase in gratitude than weekly practice. In a related study, researchers at the University of Connecticut found that gratitude can have a protective effect against heart attacks. Studying people who had experienced one heart attack, the researchers found that those patients who saw benefits and gains from their heart attack, such as becoming more appreciative of life, experienced a lower risk of having another heart attack. The research on gratitude challenges the idea of a "set point" for happiness, a belief that, just as our body has a set point for weight, each person may have a genetically-determined level of happiness. The set point concept is supported by research that shows that people return to a characteristic level of happiness a short time after both unusually good and unusually bad events. But the research on gratitude suggests that people can move their set point upward to some degree, enough to have a measurable effect on both their outlook and their health. Summarizing the findings from studies to date, Emmons says that those who practice grateful thinking "reap emotional, physical and interpersonal benefits." People who regularly keep a gratitude journal report fewer illness symptoms, feel better about their lives as a whole, and are more optimistic about the future. Emmons conclusion is that gratitude is a choice, one possible response to our life experiences. Getting Started 1) Keep a Daily Gratitude Journal This is probably the most effective strategy for increasing your level of gratitude. Set aside time daily to record several things that you are grateful for. (Typically, people list three to five.) You can write when you get up or at the end of the day. Pick a time that you will consistently have available. You can use a book like the Journal of Gratitude or write on loose-leaf paper or a notebook. The important thing is to establish the daily practice of paying attention to gratitude-inspiring events and to write them down. In Emmons' words, the act of writing "allows you to see the meaning of events going on around you and create meaning in your own life." For an example of the use of a gratitude journal, see Joan Buchman's article The Healing Power of Gratitude. 2) Use Visual Reminders Two obstacles to being grateful are forgetfulness and lack of awareness. You can counter them by giving yourself visual cues that trigger thoughts of gratitude. Emmons says he puts Post-It notes listing his blessings in many places, including on his refrigerator, mirrors and the steering wheel of his car. Another strategy is to set a pager, computer or PDA to signal you at random times during the day and to use the signal to pause and count blessings. 3) Have a Gratitude Partner Social support encourages healthy behaviors, because we often lack the discipline to do things on our own. Just as you may be more likely to exercise if you have an exercise partner or participate in a class, you may be able to maintain the discipline of gratitude more easily if you have a partner with whom to share gratitude lists and to discuss the effects of gratitude in your life. Emmons says, "If we hang out with ungrateful people, we will ‘catch' one set of emotions; if we choose to associate with more grateful individuals, the influence will be in another direction. Find a grateful person and spend more time with him or her." 4) Make a Public Commitment We feel accountable when we make commitments to others. In our self-help course, we have people set weekly goals for themselves. The fact that the goal is made publicly to a group, makes it more likely that people will follow through. For a discussion of how to achieve short-term goals, see the chapter on goals and targets in our course text, available in the Online Books section of the Library. 5) Change Your Self-Talk We all carry on an inner dialogue with ourselves that is often called "self-talk." When this inner conversation is negative, our mood is usually low. Research has shown that we can change our mood by changing the tone of the things we say to ourselves. For an introduction to this approach, called cognitive therapy, and a description of a three-step process to change your self-talk, see the article "Taming Stressful Thoughts" (reference below). Related Articles Related Website • Gratefulness.org A website with articles, message boards, a newsletter and other resources
File APIs for Java Developers The moose likes Servlets and the fly likes How does web server locates the path Big Moose Saloon Register / Login JavaRanch » Java Forums » Java » Servlets Bookmark "How does web server locates the path" Watch "How does web server locates the path" New topic How does web server locates the path Gaurav Chikara Ranch Hand Joined: Jun 09, 2000 Posts: 410 I am trying to craete a web server using TCP Sockets but I am not been able to figure out as how the web server locates the requested file name and where it locates it Here is my sample code public class FileServer { static int port = 34; ServerSocket serverSocket = new ServerSocket(port); Socket socket; System.out.println( "Starting server on port " + port ); socket = serverSocket.accept(); HttpRequest httpRequest = new HttpRequest(socket); // Thread thread = new Thread(httpRequest); // thread.start(); InputStream in = socket.getInputStream(); DataInputStream din = new DataInputStream(new BufferedInputStream(in)); ArrayList arList = new ArrayList(); String requestLine = br.readLine(); StringTokenizer stringTokenizer = new StringTokenizer(requestLine); String method = stringTokenizer.nextToken(); String fileName = stringTokenizer.nextToken(); // file = "."+file; String parentName = System.getProperty("user.dir"); File file = new File(fileName); PrintStream out = new PrintStream(new BufferedOutputStream(socket.getOutputStream())); System.out.println("hello doctor"); FileInputStream fin = new FileInputStream(file); System.out.println("reached here"); catch(FileNotFoundException ex) { System.out.println("Not Found"); out.print( "HTTP/1.0 404 Not Found\r\n" ); out.print( "Content-length: 9\r\n" ); out.print( "\r\n" ); out.print( "not found" ); }//outer while where my FileServer class is in directory the requested file "default.html" is in even though i try tp put it in the directory the program is still not able to locate the file can any one tell how to rectify this situation Thankx in advance SCJP,SCWCD,SCBCD<br />If Opportunity doesn't knock then build the door William Brogden Author and all-around good cowpoke Joined: Mar 22, 2000 Posts: 12783 It appears that you are not using a path when creating file - thus it would only work if the fileName was in the "current" directory. Gaurav Chikara Ranch Hand Joined: Jun 09, 2000 Posts: 410 hI WILLIAM Thnkx for reply But my question was how server decides that all files in a directory (say home directory) will be considered by it as its root directory eg. http://servername/File1.html so i want to know in which directory server will prefer File1.html directory to be accessible by it I agree. Here's the link: subject: How does web server locates the path
Women crucial in drought battle This summer's drought in Kenya has unexpectedly improved equality in male- dominated pastoral tribes. Kitangwa Mataio has just become the proud owner of a camel. Until now, she has owned nothing but the clothes on her back. In the culture of the pastoral Masai people, who straddle the Kenya-Tanzania border around the famous landscapes of the Serengeti, ownership is the realm of men. But that's beginning to change, and the impetus is the drought that has plagued Masai grazing lands - and much of the Horn of Africa - since 1998. Recommended: Could you pass a US citizenship test? As the exalted status of Masai men weakens because the drought is killing their cattle, various aid agencies are now trying to empower the tribe's women by helping them raise camels, among other things. It is a move that could transform this highly patriarchal society, as most women are illiterate and lack marketable skills. "We are trying to use the opportunity of the drought to bring some changes in the community," says Imke van der Honing, manager of the Semi-Arid Rural Development Program (SARDEP) in Kajiado district, an area south of the capital, Nairobi, populated almost entirely by Masai. The moves have a dual purpose: Not only do they help women, but they also help mitigate the effects of the drought. Shallow wells are being dug and hand pumps installed to shorten women's walking distances for fetching water, a task that can take hours every day. The more water sources tapped now, the higher the odds of surviving a future drought. A camel-ownership project ensures that even though the men have left with their cows in search of pasture, women and children have access to milk, which is integral to the Masai diet. Camels continue producing milk with minimal water - crucial if another drought hits. Local committees established to monitor relief distribution are being made up of at least 50 percent women and must be chaired by a woman to ensure food gets to children rather than to healthier men. Although this drought has yet to cause severe malnutrition in this part of Kenya, it's certainly having an impact. Rainfall has been so poor - 10 percent of normal in the past rainy season - that herders have even ventured to posh Nairobi suburbs to let their animals graze on the grassy lawns. According to Andrew Aho of Outpost Centers Inc., an American aid agency working in Kajiado, a major factor in avoiding a calamity was substantial aid from the United States. "The US is pumping tons and tons in, and we haven't gotten one bag from Europe," he says. Here in Toroko, the water level in the traditional well has dropped so low that Masai men have to form a three-person vertical chain to pass it to the surface. School enrollment is dropping - despite free lunch programs - because young boys are migrating with the cattle or because parents can't afford the fees imposed in government schools. Cattle now fetch one-eighth the market price they attracted before the drought. The drought has not particularly damaged Kenya's agricultural areas; it's the pastoralist ones that are being devastated. And here in the herding Kajiado district, it is the Masai, the predominant population, who are suffering most. Farther away in northern Kenya, primarily pastoral communities like the Turkana, Samburu, and Somali tribes are also reeling from low rainfall. "We have never seen such a hard time as this," says Martin Takule, a Masai cattle herder. According to the Kajiado district administration, the last time drought was this bad here was 1962. The camel-ownership project, aimed at ensuring adequate nutrition during future crises - directly aids and is sustained by - women. The project, which began in July, provides five camels each to groups of 20 women on the condition that the first calf from each animal be given to the project for distribution to other women. A camel - which sells for about $250 here - produces five quarts of milk per day in the dry season and up to 2-1/2 gallons when it's raining. Cows cannot compare to camels, says Mrs. Mataio, who belongs to one of the women's groups. "Their [camels'] milk can be sold at a higher price, and that money can go to pay school fees," she says, surrounded by her fellow camel owners, each adorned with colorful beads on her head, ears, and neck. "The other women's groups, the ones that don't have camels, are crying out for assistance so they also can get camels." Some Masai men have already returned from migrations without cattle. "They are just sitting at home waiting for the relief food," says Mataio. "They don't have education or any other work." About two dozen such men stand across the dusty road from the food-distribution site. One of the men, Tumbo ole Matindi, is waiting for one of his two wives to receive her monthly ration from the UN World Food Program: 15 pounds of corn, three pounds of lentils, and about a pint of cooking oil per person. Nearly all of his 100-odd cattle died, he says. "I took them to Tanzania in search of pasture. I came back with three." Mr. Matindi says that all he had for breakfast today was black coffee, purchased with money earned from selling a goat, which currently earns about $7. "I don't have any food in my home other than relief food," he says. Masai men will be forced to face further losses, according to Mr. Van der Honing, who predicts the pace of cattle deaths will soon pick up. He expects only 30 percent of the cattle in Kajiado district to survive beyond this year, even if the next rains - due in November - are plentiful, making the animals more susceptible to disease. More than half of Kajiado district's 400,000 people now receive emergency food rations. Donors, says Mr. Aho, have been slow to pledge aid to Kenya, wary of past misappropriations. In September, the World Food Program was forced to reduce recipients' monthly rations to two-thirds of what they believe is needed because of a lack of food. Last year, battered by corruption charges, the government agreed to hand distribution over to the UN World Food Program. But, "I think the system's getting better," says Aho. "I honestly believe 100 percent of the food aid is getting through to the people who need it." (c) Copyright 2000. The Christian Science Publishing Society Share this story:
Adverbs and Adverbs of Frequency Document Sample Adverbs and Adverbs of Frequency Powered By Docstoc Adverbs and Adverbs of Frequency An adverb can modify a verb, adjective, or another adverb. The ones we will study answer one of these questions about the verb in the sentence: When did they leave? They left last week. How did they travel from here to Tallahassee? They traveled by car. How does he drive? He drives safely sometimes. Sometimes he drives Formation of Adverbs 1. Most adverbs are formed by adding -ly to the adjective.  loud = loudly  careless = carlessly  safe = safely 2. Adjectives that end in consonant + y change the "y" to "i" and add -ly for the adverb  lazy = lazily  crazy = crazily  angry = angrily 3. Adjectives that end in -ic add -ally for the adverb form.  pessimistic = pessimistically  optimistic = optimistically  enthusiastic = enthusiastically Irregular Adverbs 1. These irregular adverbs have the same form as adjectives and adverbs. adjective adverb adjective adverb fast fast early early hard hard late late 2. The adjective form for "good" is "well", but sometimes "well" can be used as an adjective that means "healthy." Example: John had the flu last week, but today he is well (healthy). 3. The word "not" and words that tell time and place are also adverbs.  today  soon  there  not  here  tomorrow  early Exercise 1 Instructions: Write the correct ADVERB form of these adjectives. 1. enthusiastic 2. good 3. late 4. early 5. beautiful 6. hard 7. slow 8. specific 9. bad 10. dangerous 11. crazy 12. angry Placement of adverbs Adverbs in Negative Sentences and Questions In a question, adverbs cannot go between the auxiliary verb and the subject. In a negative sentence adverbs cannot go between the auxiliary and "not". Correct: Incorrect: Did you give it to him secretly?  Did you give secretly it to him?  No, I did secretly not give it to him. No, I did not give it to him secretly. In a negative sentences and in questions, adverbs are usually NOT at the beginning of the sentence. Correct: Incorrect:  Does she speak quickly?  Quickly does she speak?  No, she doesn't speak quickly.  No, quickly she does not speak. Exercise 2: Instructions: Rewrite the sentences using the adverb in parentheses. 1. She sang the song. (quietly) 2. Does she speak German? (very well) 3. They finished that project. (quickly) 4. Will you answer this question? (carefully) 5. He sent her a box of chocolates. (secretly) 6. They drew the plans for their new home. (enthusiastically) 7. She doesn't speak English. (badly) Exercise 3: Instructions: Circle the adverbs. 1. Sometimes I like to study with music on, but today I cannot. I need to concentrate carefully because I have a midterm exam in English on Friday. 2. Leave quickly. The the tornado is coming this way and we need to find shelter 3. He teaches very well, but he speaks very loudly in the classroom. I usually come out of class with a headache. I think I will buy some earplugs today, and I will always take them to his class. 4. The neighbors are having another party. They always play their music too loudly and we cannot sleep. I think we should go over there and tell them to keep the music down. They are not thinking of their neighbors. 5. Tomorrow I will not arrive late to class. I will come early because my brother is taking me, and he always drives fast. Exercise 4: Instructions: Circle the error and correct the sentence. 1. He returned quickly her book to her. 2. She did quietly not leave the room. 2. The secretary did accurately not type the letter. 3. We closed carefully the doors and windows and early went to bed. Adverbs of Frequency Some of the more common adverbs of frequency include the following:  100% of the time = always  85% of the time = almost always,  45% of the time = usually, generally, frequently, often  30% of the time = sometimes, occasionally  10% of the time = seldom, rarely, hardly ever, almost never  0% of the time = never, not ever EVER: to ask a question about frequency. It means "at any time." Adverbs of frequency tell HOW OFTEN an action is repeated. They are commonly used with present or past tense. Use "ever" to ask a question.  I usually do my homework in the library.  I never do my homework in the living room.  She seldom went to parties alone. Using adverbs of frequency When someone asks you a question such as "Do you EVER forget to make your bed?", you can answer using an adverb of frequency:  Yes, I occasionally forget to make my bed" OR  Yes, I sometimes do. OR  No, I never do. However, if someone asks "HOW OFTEN" an action occurs, you should include an expression of time in your answer -- not simply an adverb of frequency. Example: How often do you go to the bank? I (usually) go to the bank once a month. Exercise 1: Circle the adverbs of frequency in the following sentence. 1. John usually gets good grades because he always studies before an exam. 2. Charlie rarely wakes up early in the morning. He is often late to work, and his boss is frequently upset with him. 3. Professor Mitchell's class is never boring. He always finds ways to keep the students interested in the day's lessons. Placement of adverbs of frequency Frequency adverbs are placed ... BEFORE the main verb unless the verb is BE. I always study in the library when I have an exam. AFTER the verb "Be". I am always tired after classes. Rule: Never put an adverb between the main verb and its object. Wrong: I give almost always the dog a bath on Saturday. Correct: I almost always give the dog a bath on Saturday. Exercise 2: Rewrite the sentence using the adverb in parentheses. 1. Danny is late to work. (almost never) 2. I study every weeknight during the semester. (always) 3. I have time to go to parties and visit friends. (rarely) 4. My sister calls me at night. (seldom) 5. I am sick. (hardly ever) 6. They are early to class. (usually) 7. Yoshi and Rhonda swim in the lake by their house. (occasionally) Adverbs of frequency in questions Rule: In questions, put the adverb of frequency after the subject.  Do you always sit in the same seat?  Do you ever sit in the same seat?  Is Jim never going to stop talking?  Is Jim ever going to stop talking? Exercise 3: Rewrite the sentence using the adverb in parentheses. 1. Do you have a vacation? (ever) 2. When do you go to bed? (generally) 3. How often does he call you? (usually) 4. Did you travel during vacations when you lived in your country? (sometimes) Short answers Rule: In a short answer, put the frequency adverb between the subject and the verb for ALL verbs.  Do you ever go hiking? Yes, I sometimes do.  Is your father ever sick? Yes, he occasionally is. Exercise 4: Answer the question (short answer) using the adverb in parentheses. 1. Do you ever go to the store on Saturday? (yes -- frequently) 2. Is he ever tired in the evening? (yes -- sometimes) 3. Do you ever have a vacation? (yes -- occasionally) 4. Do they ever visit you? (no---never) Negative frequency adverbs Rule: The frequency adverbs "seldom", "rarely", and "never" are negative words. This means that you do not need the auxiliary "do" when you use them in a negative sentences. With "not + ever" use the auxiliary "do" I almost never enjoy bus I don't enjoy bus trips. I don't ever enjoy bus trips I don't leave my books in I seldom leave my books in I don't ever leave my books in class. class. class. I do not fail exams in that I rarely fail exams in that I do not ever fail exams in class. class. that class. The negative frequency adverbs (seldom, rarely, never, hardly ever, almost never, and never) as well as "always" are always placed before the main verb unless the verb is BE. (They are placed AFTER the verb "Be".) Their position is inflexible. Correct Wrong John is late always. John is always late. John always is late. He does it never well. He never does it well. Never he does it well. I work hard seldom. I seldom work hard. I work seldom hard. Exercise 5: Where can you put the adverb in this sentence? Indicate location with an "X." 1. I ask questions in that professor's class. (Never) 2. An impolite person interrupts others while they are speaking. (always) 3. Bad drivers signal when they are going to turn. (rarely) 4. It is cold in the spring in Miami. (seldom) Exercise 6: Answer the question using the adverb in parentheses. 1. Do you ever travel during your vacations? (hardly ever) (not ever) 2. Are your parents moving to New York? (not ever) 3. Do you ever catch the flu in winter? 4. Do you ever enjoy traveling for business reasons. (almost never) (not ever) Exercise 7: Rewrite the sentence using the NEW adverb in parentheses. 1. I never celebrate Arbor Day. (not + ever) 2. Do you celebrate Arbor Day. (not + ever) 3. Do you celebrate Arbor Day. (ever) 4. Do you celebrate Thanksgiving in your country? (not + ever) 5. Does your professor call on your in class? (ever) 6. I go to the library after this class. (never) 7. I have vacations. (negative with "ever") 8. I have vacations. (rarely) Flexible adverbs Frequency adverbs that mean the same as "sometimes" or "often" (usually, often, frequently, generally, sometimes, occasionally) are flexible in their position. In addition to the middle of the sentence (see the rules you learned above), they may also be at the beginning or the end of the sentence.  Generally elections are held in September.  Elections are generally held in September.  Elections are held in September generally . Flexible adverbs in negative sentences These flexible adverbs of frequency are also flexible in negative sentences. They may go in front of the negative verb or after it.  My husband usually doesn't feed the dogs early.  My husband doesn't usually feed the dogs early. Exercise 8: Put "X" in the sentence to indicate 4 possible locations for these adverbs. 1. He doesn't argue with his boss. (generally) 2. School begins after Labor Day. (usually) 3. The mail comes in the morning. (sometimes) Exercise 9: Unscramble these sentences. 1. I morning to listen news the in never the . 2. wears rarely Michelle to jeans class 3. you Don't ever wear to work suits ? 4. speaks never to Zach strangers. 5. travel summers usually abroad in They the . 6. eat low-fat frequently We yogurt dessert for . 7. The early comes almost always mail in the afternoon. 8. am Yes, frequently I . 9. never No, do I not. 10. am No, never not I . 11. Do ever take you to school the bus? 12. I to work ever with don't my go father. 13. believes She rarely what sees she television on . Exercise 10: Triad activity Instructions: Sit with two other students. Each of you picks one of the questions from below (it is OK to pick the same one). Interview each other and write the answers about your classmate as they talk about their activities. When you are finished, share your answers with another group of 3 students or with the class. 1. What are some of the things you always do, sometimes do, and never do on Friday 2. What are some of the things you always do, sometimes do, and never do when you are on vacation? 3. What are some of the things you always do, sometimes do, and never do when you use the computers in the ESL labs? Websites for more practice On these practice quizzes, choose the correct form: one word is an adjective, the other an adverb. See the answer after you select. 1. Adjective or Adverb Adjective or Adverb 2. Adjective or Adverb 2 3. Adjective or Adverb 4. Adverbs or Adjectives
Characteristics of a good fuel, Biology (1) It should have high "calorific value" or heat content. (2) It should have "moderate ignition temperature". (lgnition temperature is the minimum temperature at which it stars burning). The fuel having low ignition temperature catches fire easily and it is difficult to store or transport. High ignition temperature causes difficulties in combustion of fuel i.e. large amount of heat energy is requires. (3) It should have "low moisture content" since it reduce the heat value. (note : it takes away appreciable amount of the liberated heat in the form of latent heat of vaporization. It increases the transport costs. Surface moisture causes difficulty in handling of solid fuel. Anyway, presence of 5-10% moisture is desirables as it produces a uniform fuel bed and less fly ash). (4) It should have 'low ash or non combustible matter'. (Note: high percentage of ash is undesirable as it does not contribute to the calorific value Ash i.e., Non-combustible matter causes reduction in heat value, increase the cost of storage and disposal, increase the cost of fuel and also causes environmental problems. In furnace grate, the ash may restrict the passage of air and lower the rate of combustion. (5) It should have "harmless products on combustion". (I.e. it should not liberate harmful gases like SO2, CO, H2S, PH3 etc.) (6) It should have "moderate velocity of combustion". (Note: if velocity of combustion is slow, high temperature required cannot be attained. If velocity of combustion is high, major part of energy will be radiated to atmosphere.) (7) Fuel should be readily available at low cost. (8) Storage cost should be low. (9) Size of fuel should be uniform in case of a solid fuel. (10) Storage and transportation should be easy. (11) It should not burn with long smoky flame and combustion should be controlled. Posted Date: 7/12/2012 4:15:26 AM \| Location : United States Related Discussions:- Characteristics of a good fuel, Assignment Help, Ask Question on Characteristics of a good fuel, Get Answer, Expert's Help, Characteristics of a good fuel Discussions Write discussion on Characteristics of a good fuel Your posts are moderated Related Questions How does the presence of exoskeleton explain the general small size of arthropods? As they have exoskeleton and periodic ecdysis, the growth of arthropods is limited to avoid t Ur o l it h i a s i s The presence of calculi (urolith) in the urinary system is termed as urolithiasis, and the disease is characterized by distension of bladder and Q. Explain Diseases of pericardium? Pericardium is the sac covering the heart. Pericardium consists of two layers-the visceral pericardium (epicardium) and the parietal pericar Byproducts of low digestibility and low nitrogen Straws, husks, pods and haulms are the byproducts of this category. Very often the nitrogen content in these byproducts is so l Prevention You as nurse needs to ensure that iron supplementation is given to children who are at risk for iron deficiency. Iron supplementation should start between 4 and Q. Illustrate the Methods to evaluate osseointegration? The criteria of success in implant dentistry remains complex. The vast majority of clinical reports noting success and f An impermeable membrane separates one liter of a 0.01 M glucose solution in water in the left compartment from one liter of a 0.1 M glucose solution in water in the right compartme Determine How to Calculate the Amount of Nitrogen? The amount of nitrogen can be calculated for this value using the equation: 1000 ml of 1N H 2 SO 4 = 1000 ml of 1N NH 3 Water is an essential commodity for survival of life on these plants. The circulation of water and moisture between living organism, atmosphere and earth is called as water cycle
1.3 Error messages Different error messages can appear while compiling a file: Something looks suspect. If you are requesting something out of the ordinary then you will understand the message, and can ignore it. However, warnings usually indicate that something is wrong with the input file. Something is definitely wrong. The current processing step (parsing, interpreting, or formatting) will be finished, but the next step will be skipped. Fatal error Something is definitely wrong, and LilyPond cannot continue. This happens rarely. The most usual cause is misinstalled fonts. Scheme error Errors that occur while executing Scheme code are caught by the Scheme interpreter. If running with the verbose option (‘-V’ or ‘--verbose’) then a call trace of the offending function call is printed. Programming error There was some internal inconsistency. These error messages are intended to help the programmers and debuggers. Usually, they can be ignored. Sometimes, they come in such big quantities that they obscure other output. Aborted (core dumped) This signals a serious programming error that caused the program to crash. Such errors are considered critical. If you stumble on one, send a bug-report. If warnings and errors can be linked to some part of the input file, then error messages have the following form filename:lineno:columnno: message offending input line A line-break is inserted in the offending line to indicate the column where the error was found. For example, test.ly:2:19: error: not a duration: 5 { c'4 e' 5 g' } These locations are LilyPond’s best guess about where the warning or error occurred, but (by their very nature) warnings and errors occur when something unexpected happens. If you can’t see an error in the indicated line of your input file, try checking one or two lines above the indicated position. More information about errors is given in Common errors. About automatic language selection. LilyPond — Usage v2.18.2 (stable-branch).
you are viewing a single comment's thread. view the rest of the comments → [–]Rookwood 5 points6 points (2 children) This small study is very interesting and relevant. It tested how the nervous systems of self-described morning people and night owls changed throughout the day. Key points: • Brain activity was highest in the morning for morning people and decreased as the day went on. Just the opposite for night owls, it was lowest in the morning, peaking around 9pm. • Both groups had increased muscle reflex response as the day went on. • Night owls were able to exert more muscle force as the day went on, however, morning people showed no change and were able to exert the same amount of force regardless of time of day. [–]jesusapproves 0 points1 point (1 child) I'm curious about the last bullet. Is there any information in the study about whether or not the overall maximum force exerted by the night owl would exceed the consistent force of a morning person? What I am essentially trying to determine is if there would be a good reason to look further into this on the grounds that a night person would have been a "protector". Saving up strength, and then being more capable of feats of strength at night to protect the group in smaller numbers (or attack rival tribes in the cover of darkness). Just a curiosity. I can't do anything with the information, but something I enjoy doing is thinking of possible experiments that can be done. [–]Aserapha 0 points1 point (0 children) regarding your question, This isn't my area of expertise but I'll paraphrase what I have read on the topic; for both night owls and morning people, the bodies ability to utilize its chemical reserves related to muscle contraction peaks in the afternoon. but that is just the muscle aspect, the brain has to tell the muscle move, and that is where the difference comes in between night owls and morning people. for morning people the brains ability to incite muscle response peaks mid morning and decreases as the day goes on (weaker signal) so even though the body is more capable of excerting more strength, the signal from the brain is proportionally less intense, creating no net change in exerted muscle force for night owls however, the brains ability to induce muscle response peaks later in the evening, which combined with the greater chemical capacity to utilize muscle strength allows them to exert greater force as the day goes on -hope that helps.
Geiger Counters Do you need advice on how to select the best Geiger tube for your application? How do I select a Geiger counter for a particular application? The type of Geiger counter to be purchased will depend on the radiation to be detected. The application will involve the detection of either Alpha, beta, gamma or X radiation. For the detection of Alpha particles a thin end window Geiger tube is required like the ZP1401. This type of radiation is stopped very easily so the window should be no more than 1.5mg/cm2in thickness, other wise the detection efficiency will be too low. Beta particles also need an end window tube which can be 2/3mg/cm2. The exception is high energy betas above 2.5MeV which can be detected by thin side wall tubes. However the thickness of the metal wall of the tube should ideally be no more than 30/40mg/cm2. Gamma rays are high energy rays so the tube thickness is not important. All tubes will detect gamma radiation. The two main gamma ray emission energies are 633KeV (Cs137) and 1.33MeV (Co60). X-Rays are low energy gamma rays and again end window tubes are normally used as the typical X-Ray emission energy is around 20-30keV. You can also use an X-Ray proportional counter like the ZP1600 series. How does the radiation dose level affect my selection? As a rule of thumb the higher the dose rate level the less volume you need inside the Geiger counter tube. The larger the volume of gas in the tube the more sensitive it will be and hence as the radiation increases the quicker the Geiger will go into saturation. Once the Geiger saturates it becomes non linear and is no longer useful as a measuring device, so it is always important to consider very carefully the dose rate range over which you need to use the device to always ensure it is in the unsaturated state no matter what the dose rate. Very high dose rates will require a small volume tube like the ZP1300 for example. If I am trying to detect the radiation from various isotopes how can I compensate for the different energy levels? This can be done by a method called "energy compensation" of the Geiger. A shield normally made of plastic and metal can be placed around the tube to flatten the response of the Geiger tube over a wide energy band. Energy compensation is a technique used on many small tubes used in hand held pocket dosimeters for example so irrespective of the isotope being used the reading can be correct over a guaranteed energy range to within a specified tolerance ( +/- 15% is typical). How can I power my Geiger tube? Most current day Geiger tubes have an halogen quenching agent for the gas and this means the typical operating voltage of the Geiger will be around 400 -600 volts. Because of the low current consumption the tubes actually require very little power. Typical power supplies are small high voltage blocks although they can also be easily driven from fairly basic laboratory power supplies. Are there any special requirements in mounting Geiger tubes? Most Geiger tubes have two connections only one for cathode and one for the anode so the electrical connection is very simple. However when mounting the Geiger it is important not to let the Geiger connection become too hot ( i.e.: don't linger with the soldering iron for too long) as many of the tubes have fragile glass to metal seals which can crack if heat is applied for any length of time. It is often a good idea to sit the tube on a soft material particular if they are used in portable equipment as this will help to absorb any shock and vibration in transit and also take stress off the connections. Why is the glass components of all Geiger tubes painted black? The reason is to prevent the Geiger tubes from being light sensitive. The sun is an excellent radiation emitter and as such if a Geiger is used externally as a probe for example with no case protection the Geiger would be light sensitive if the glass was not paint black. This is not an important issue if the Geiger is fully enclosed in a light tight box. In these applications unpainted Geiger's can be used. What are the typical applications for Geiger tubes? The main application areas are as follows:- Radiation detection equipment for nuclear power installations or military or civil use. Industrial non contact gauging applications. (Liquid level and density gauges). Educational aids for the teaching of radiation and its detection. If you wish to download a copy of this article, click here... This article has been kindly supplied by: ALRAD
Written by Moose Print this Topics: Driving, Speeding Friday, 20 August 2010 image for Congress Should Consider 35 mph National Speed Limit Law Gasoline prices have increased greatly over the last several years. High fuel prices have focused attention on conservation. Congress previously used a national speed limit as an approach to conserve fuel when, in 1974, it legislated a national 55 mile per hour (mph) speed limit to reduce gasoline consumption in response to the 1973 Arab oil embargo. In 1987, Congress allowed states to raise the maximum speed limit to 65 mph on rural interstate routes. In 1995, the 55 mph speed limit was repealed. Recently, Congress expressed interest in obtaining information on using a national speed limit to reduce fuel consumption. In response to the request, we reviewed existing literature and consulted knowledgeable stakeholders on the following: (1) What is the relationship between speed and the fuel economy of vehicles? (2) How might reducing the speed limit affect fuel use? For a vehicle traveling at high speed, reducing its speed increases fuel economy. In general, at speeds over approximately 35 mph, if a vehicle reduces its speed by 5 mph, its fuel economy can increase by about 5 to 10 percent, because of reduced air resistance (drag). Optimal speed for fuel economy for individual vehicles ranges widely, but is generally between 30 and 40 mph, depending on a vehicle's characteristics. In general, over the last 2 decades, fuel economy gains resulting from advances in automotive technologies have largely been offset by increases in vehicle weight, performance, and accessory loads. Lowering speed limits reduces total fuel consumption. According to data relating to the national speed limit enacted in 1974, the estimated fuel savings resulting from the 55 mph national speed limit ranged from 0.2 to 3 percent of annual gasoline consumption. Since the affect of speed on fuel consumption is exponential, extrapolating the fuel savings demonstrated in 1974, we can expect fuel consumption savings would be 20 to 30 percent if a national speed limit of 35 mph was implemented by Congress. According to DOE's 2008 estimate, a national speed limit of 35 mph could yield possible savings of 1,750,000 to 2,750,000 barrels of oil per day. With oil prices between $50 and $100 per barrel, this translates into a savings of $87,500,000 to $275,000,000 per day. Our recommendation is that Congress immediately pass a national speed limit of 35 mph. Additional savings would occur if the speed limit was reduced to 15 mph. GAO-09-153R http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-09-153R Print this Mailing List Get Spoof News in your email inbox! What's 4 plus 1? 3 5 24 1 Go to top
Health knowledge made personal Join this community! › Share page: Search posts: Binge Drinking Dangers Posted Dec 02 2009 8:50am What is binge drinking? In the U.S., the most current definition is alcohol consumption of 5 drinks for men or 4 drinks for women over two hours. It may be a sign of alcohol abuse or dependence. (If you think you or someone you know has a problem with alcohol abuse, please click here to see the shocking criteria used by doctors and psychiatrists to detect an alcohol problem. You won’t believe it!) Binge college drinking is very common. In general, the most common age for binge drinking are young adults from 18-29 years old. 45% of college students report binge drinking at least once a week. Research has shown that binge drinking damages the part of the brain involved with attention and working memory (Crego and colleagues). In a survey by the CDC who gathered data in 2004 from 14 states, they found the highest prevalence in 18-35 year olds. They also found that binge drinking was more common in white males with incomes over $50,000 in that age group. The prevalence of alcoholism binge drinking among men was three times the prevalence found in women. Why is someone’s drinking pattern even matter? Binge drinking has a number of risks. For example, it carries the life threatening risk of alcohol poisoning which happens when someone consumes too much too fast (alcohol poisoning symptoms include confusion, vomiting, seizures, inability to be woken up, blue-tinged skin, irregular breathing, and low body temperature). Other increased risk includes “risky sex” (which may result in pregnancy or acquiring a sexually transmitted disease or even being date raped), a higher incidence of high blood pressure, heart attacks, being engaged in a physical fight, exposing a fetus to alcohol resulting in fetal alcohol syndrome, or suicide. Bottom line: The effects from alcohol from binge drinking may cause more damage than drinking less over a long period of time. It has a negative effect on attention and working memory. Binge drinking affects your phyiscal health in negative ways. It may even lead to life threatening consequences. If you are a binge drinker, you may need help for alcohol abuse or alcohol dependence. Post a comment Write a comment:
Who was the first athlete to be on the Wheaties box? In 1934, Lou Gehrig became the world's first real person to appear on a Wheaties box. More Info: A native of New York City and attendee of Columbia University, Gehrig signed with the Yankees in 1923. He set several major league records during his career, including the most career grand slams (23), a record that stood for 75 years before Alex Rodriguez broke it in 2013, and most consecutive games played (2,130), a record that stood for 56 years and was long considered unbreakable until surpassed by Cal Ripken, Jr. in 1995. Gehrig's streak ended in 1939 after he was stricken with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a disorder now commonly referred to as Lou Gehrig's Disease in North America, which forced him to retire at age 36 and claimed his life two years later. The pathos of his farewell from baseball was capped off by his iconic "Luckiest Man on the Face of the Earth" speech at the original Yankee Stadium. Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization which constitutes one of the four major professional sports leagues in North America. MLB teams play in the American League (AL) and National League (NL), which operated as separate legal entities from 1901 and 1876 respectively. In 2000, the leagues merged into a single organization led by the Commissioner of Baseball. The organization oversees minor-league baseball leagues, which operate about 240 teams affiliated with the major-league clubs. With the International Baseball Federation, the league also manages the international World Baseball Classic tournament. Baseball's first professional team was founded in Cincinnati in 1869. The first few decades of professional baseball were characterized by rivalries between leagues and by players who often jumped from one team or league to another. The period before 1920 in baseball was known as the dead-ball era; players rarely hit home runs during this time. Baseball survived a game-throwing incident known as the Black Sox Scandal in the 1919 World Series. Baseball rose in popularity in the 1920s. The game survived potential downturns during the Great Depression and World War II. Shortly after the war, baseball's color barrier was broken by Jackie Robinson. The Reverend Robert Eugene 'Bob' Richards (born February 20, 1926), nicknamed the "Vaulting Vicar" or the "Pole Vaulting Parson" in his competitive days, was a versatile athlete who made three US Olympic Teams in two events. He competed in the 1948, 1952, and 1956 Summer Olympics as a pole vaulter, and as a decathlete in 1956. Sports first athlete Related Websites: Terms of service \| About
Before the introduction of the pressurized fuselage, a mechanic had the capability of designing and implementing a repair for just about any part of the airframe. Wooden ribs, steel tubes and the early monocoque aluminum skins — if they were broken, they could be repaired. As aircraft got faster and flew higher, cracking became a serious issue. Primary structure patches grew larger and uglier, and often required repetitive inspection and replacement. Patches on control surfaces required rebalancing to prevent possibly catastrophic results from flutter or vibration. Recognizing the need for tighter control of the repair process and to keep the aircraft within the original certification parameters, the major/minor classification rule was adopted by regulatory agencies worldwide. Repairs or alterations that meet the definition of “major” would require approved data and regulatory agency involvement, essentially providing engineering oversight of the repair process to ensure the aircraft is returned to an airworthy condition. For the maintenance technician, the major repair adds complexity, time and effort to the repair task. Once discovered, damage or cracking must be addressed immediately, and if it is found to require major repair, approved data are required. As maintenance technicians, we like to think that we can do anything, but approving data is out of reach. This privilege is withheld by the FAA and can be delegated to Designated Engineering Representatives (DERs) or the recently created Organization Designation Authorization (ODA) Unit Members. In many countries, the role of the maintenance technician is described as an engineer or maintenance engineer. So why not have maintenance technicians approve data? Well, in the eyes of the FAA, an engineer has more specific scientific knowledge. Even though the laws of physics and chemistry have not changed, the way they have been applied to aircraft design has. Aircraft skins are relatively thinner than they were years ago, and aerodynamic forces have increased. Addressing a crack with a simple patch may not be sufficient to prevent further cracking. A worst-case scenario is that the patch will induce unwanted stiffness that leads to further damage that becomes undetectable because it is hidden. This is where structural engineers who have scientific knowledge of loads, stresses and material strength are crucial to developing an airworthy repair scheme. On Aug. 15, 1985, a Japan Airlines Boeing 747 departed Tokyo for Osaka with 509 passengers and 15 crew onboard. About 12 min. after departure, upon reaching cruising altitude, the aft pressure bulkhead failed with an explosive decompression that severed the vertical stabilizer and all hydraulic lines to the tail. The aircraft began to oscillate out of control and crashed into a mountainous region outside of Tokyo. All but four people onboard perished. During the investigation, it was discovered that back in 1978, the aircraft was involved in a tail strike. The pressure bulkhead was repaired, but instead of using a single patch with a double row of rivets, the repair team elected to use two patches with a single row of rivets. Analysis by Boeing engineers on the investigation team calculated that this repair had a fatigue life of 10,000 cycles. On the day of the accident, the patches had completed more than 12,000. While many technicians question the need for approved data, it is clearly stated in the regulations that this is necessary. To help the busy maintenance manager and senior technician navigate the world of major repair design and approval, we spoke with experts to explain how DERs (and ODA Unit Members) can help keep your aircraft safe and airworthy. Major Until Proven Minor The Role of the DER Engineers who can create approved data are known as Designated Engineering Representatives or the recently created designation of Organization Designation Authorization (ODA) Unit Member. There are many different specialties such as electrical, propulsion and flight test, but those who specialize in structural design and repairs are trained and skilled in creating structurally sound repair schemes. Where the OEM provides you with an approved repair scheme and analysis, they need to provide you with an FAA Form 8110-3 (or 8100-1 from ODA), signed by a properly qualified engineer. While dealing directly with the OEM simplifies the process, it is not always an option for older or out-of-production aircraft. When you hire a consultant DER, however, it is up to you to ensure that the person is properly qualified. To verify a DER's status, you can visit the FAA's website at: The repair approval process begins with the damage assessment. While the damage may at first appear obvious, the mechanism of the damage may cause hidden distress. A trained and experienced engineer can assist with determining if a deeper inspection is required. “When you find damage, you want to know if the damage is isolated to the immediate area, or if the load has traveled farther away from the impact site,” said Steve Crawford, of Crawford Aviation Services Inc. Crawford, CEO of the Bella Vista, Ark.-based company, has over 36 years of experience supporting structural repairs and modifications. “As an example, is it really just the tip of the horizontal stabilizer that incurred damage from the hangar door while under tug power, or did the load travel all the way into the horizontal stabilizer front spar, where it intersects with the pitch trim actuator screw jack? An experienced engineer can recommend further inspection or disassembly, which will become part of the repair drawing,” he added. In addition to assessment, the repair design needs to take into consideration possible changes to Chapter 5 Inspection Intervals of the AMM, Instructions for Continued Airworthiness. “When the aircraft was certified, crack growth and propagation studies were performed by the OEM, and a repair patch may change the load characteristics, which could add or revise the existing inspection program,” Crawford added. Design considerations for repairs need to address possible effects on aerodynamic performance and flutter, even weight and balance. Most maintenance technicians may not have the expertise to make that determination. “A good DER will be able to determine the certification basis of the aircraft and design both a thorough damage assessment inspection, repair and address any possible Chapter 5 Inspection Interval impact,” Crawford added. During the assessment, be sure to take note of anything that looks unusual. Document it and communicate it, because it may be important to detect hidden damage. This is especially important for damage to composite structures because they may not deform the way a metal structure does. Even though aircraft structures are well understood, increasing concerns over continued airworthiness have driven the minor repair almost into retirement. Any type of damage needs to be thoroughly investigated and classified. If your OEM or service center has a mechanism to provide you with an approved repair scheme, by all means use it. Hire a consultant DER that is properly qualified and experienced on your aircraft. An improperly designed and installed repair can have both safety and long-term value repercussions. Although it may take longer to execute, take the time to have a thorough assessment performed and an approved repair scheme developed by a qualified engineer. BCA
In a local bar, a customer slides an empty beer mug down the counter for a refill. The height of the counter is 1.32 m. The mug slides off the counter and strikes the floor 1.20 m from the base of the counter. With what velocity did the mug leave the counter? in m/s What was the direction of the mug's velocity just before it hit the floor? in degrees (below the horizontal) Best answer: Answers (1)
Celebrating Mehregan, The Persian "Nature" Festival of Autumn Mehregan, The Persian Festival of Autumn Mehr was a goddess and symbol of a religious belief in Indo-Iranian culture associated with the creation of the world. Many from Iran look to their roots of this nature-based celebration with preparations already starting next month. The Mehregan Festival or the Persian Festival of Autumn is an ancient Persian fest which is dedicated to Mehr (or Mithra/Mitra), the goddess and symbol of light, friendship, faith, love and kindness. It is celebrated each year at the beginning of Autumn on the 16th of Mehr in the 7th month. This year October 8. But in some regions, it is celebrated earlier, like in September in the United States. And like in some religions, such as Christmas, preparations can start early. In ancient Iran, there were two great national festivals that both were celebrated when the length of day and night were equal (solstice). The first is exactly in the beginning of spring (summer solstice), which is called Nowruz. This festival is still the greatest national festival of Iran, despite it being an Islamic state, and is celebrated widely in the first day of spring with special ceremonies. It is also the first day of Iranian calendar and the day that the nature is alive again after winter. Nowruz is on March 21. Both Mehregan and Nowruz, derived from the Zoroastrian religion, rejoice nature and that’s why we think it’s the perfect holiday to “celebrate” on Green Prophet. We’re still in the heat of summer, but Mehregan is the winter solstice. On this day the ancient Persians and many nationals that were in cultural or political contact with Persians celebrated the festival with music, special dances, and by giving gifts to each other. In both Nowruz and Mehregan the families gather some signs and symbols of the revival of the nature and the gifts of god on a cloth and spent the fest around it. During Mehregan, Iranians used a burgundy-colored cloth and put some flowers on it, which were called the “ever-lasting flower” and around this flower was adorned with other flowers. Today we do not know much about this flower. According to some researchers, it might be a flower that bud several months of the year. The tradition of putting meaningful signs on a tablecloth is still continued during Nowruz, but Mehregan was paid less attention during the past millennium. After the Arab invasion to Iran and the change of the religion from Zoroastrianism to Islam, many cultural traditions survived and some were weakened. Mehregan is one of those that hardly survived and our knowledge about it its related history is scarce. The Time of Mehregan Fest As mentioned before, today Mehregan is celebrated on 8th of October. This day has been a day for the fest for the last 2,000 years. There is evidence that shows before this time, in the age of the Achaemenid Dynasty, the exact day was on the first day of autumn –– the 1st of of Mehr or the 23rd of September. Later, the date changed to October 8. Why mention this? In the Zoroastrian calendar each day of the month had a special name and some of them were similar to the names of the months. The 16th day of the month of Mehr was called Mehr. This day was called the Mehr-day of the Mehr-month. So if someone heard this, it was clear which day of the year is mentioned. The system of the festival of Persia in the age of Zoroastrianism was that every day, which had a similar day name and month name, was a day for happiness and celebration. Therefore, the Mehr-day of the Mehr-month or the 16thof Mehr became a national fest and gradually take the place of the first day of autumn. The Origins of Mehregan Mehr was a goddess and symbol of a religious belief in Indo-Iranian culture, which was associated with the creation of the world. This religion is called Mithraism in Mitraism, which was the religion of Iranians before Zoroaster in the 6th century BC. In fact mitra or mithra are the Old Persian forms of modern Mehr. The time of beginning of this religion is not known, but it was the main religion of Iranians up to 6th century B.C. Mithraism has also an undeniable share in Zoroastrianism. Avesta the religious book of the Zoroastrians has a part called Mehr-Yasht, which is a poetic worship of this great Persian goddess. This phenomenon was combined with respect to sun as a sign of Mitra. In 3rd and 4th century AD Mithraism spread through the Roman Empire through the Hellenic World. In many parts of Europe like Britain, Spain, Germany, and lands near Danube, Mithraism was the official religion. When Constantine accepted Christianity, Mithraism was forgotten but its impact on Christianity still exist. Many Christian notions which are now believed by Christians are dervived from Mithraism. For example, Christmas Day is the same day as the birth day of Mehr (Mitra). Also the day Sunday is believed to be derived from Mehr or the Sun. Today in modern Persian language the word Mehr has the meanings of sun, kindness and love. Mehregan Fest in Modern-Day Iranian Culture In the past 200 years the attention of Iranians to Mehregan Fest has declined. But in the recent decades because of political and cultural transformations, people are interested in the ancient Persian values. Many people, especially in countries outside Iran celebrate this fest. Some of these celebrations are held every year in Orange County in California and Munich, Germany. :: “Mitrakana Festival, Mehregan Festival” by Reza Moradi Ghiasabadi (in Persian) More on green Iran: The Windcatchers of Yadz Iran Creates Biofuel from Algae Iran and Qatar Align to Help the Environment Above image via Parsarts One thought on “Celebrating Mehregan, The Persian "Nature" Festival of Autumn 1. Sara Just a slight clarification… the solstices of winter and summer are and the shortest and longest days of the year respectively, not to be confused with equinoxes that are the first day of spring and fall. Mehregan and Nowruz are celebrated on the fall and spring equinoxes (respectively), when there is an equal length of day and night. Leave a Reply
Audi e-fuel Passes Engine Tests “Our test shows that as well as electric driving on renewable electricity, there are other concepts that permit long-distance, low-emission driving,” commented Reiner Mangold, head of Sustainable Product Development at Audi. Audi explained the engineers were first and foremost interested in mixture preparation and the synthetic fuels’ combustion characteristics. To investigate these, they simulated the conditions inside an engine in a pressure chamber at up to 218 psi (15 bar) and temperatures of 660 degrees F (350 degrees C). A special camera recorded how the fuel behaves during the injection process to monitor optimal combustion. The glass engine was another test station. This test setup reveals what happens inside the cylinders. A small window made of quartz glass allows for the observation of the fuel’s behavior in the cylinder and how it interacts with the airflow in the combustion chamber. During each of up to 3,000 revolutions per minute in the research engine, a tiny amount of fuel shoots into the glass cylinder, is compressed and ignited, and the exhaust gas is then expelled. Audi added these e-fuels do not contain any olefines or aromatic hydrocarbons; as a result, the synthetic fuels assure a more effective mixture preparation process, cleaner combustion and lower emissions. The next task for Audi’s engineers is to optimize the production process for e-ethanol and e-diesel. This will allow these new fuels to be ready for the market. Audi operates a research facility in Hobbs (New Mexico, United States) for the production of e-ethanol and e-diesel in partnership with Joule. Audi said at this facility, microorganisms use water (brackish, salt or wastewater), sunlight and carbon dioxide to produce high-purity fuels. The e-gas project in Werlte, Germany, is another component of Audi’s extensive e-fuels strategy. Audi said it demonstrates how large amounts of green power can be stored efficiently and independently of location by transforming it into methane gas and storing it in the natural gas network.
The Shorpy Archive Join and Share Social Shorpy Syndicate content Syndicate content Syndicate content Daily e-mail updates: Member Photos Photos submitted by Shorpy members. Colorized Photos Colorized photos submitted by members. About the Photos Dial D for Danger: 1919 Dial D for Danger: 1919 Public Address System re: Phonograph circuit For making a transcription of whatever they are getting via the telephone circuit. Note that it has an 'output potentiometer.' As Dave hinted previously, 1919 was a few years ahead of regular broadcast radio (although not some experimental stations) but perhaps this was so audio from entertainment or political events could be sent cross-continent and preserved or distributed. Having that 700 volt plate voltage (if that's indeed the case) still puzzles me. Something in the range of 150 to 200 volts is more like it for 'normal' amplification circuits. There surely would not be a vacuum tube circuit with 700 volts on the plate circuits unless it was producing several hundred watts of output. If not an exciter stage for a broadcast transmitter, then next most likely would be a massive public address system. Were there public gatherings back in that era where they'd commonly need such power AND this telephone equipment? Perhaps political conventions? I am very intrigued by this device. Phonograph circuit So why is there a "Phonograph cct"? Danger: Yes! Watch out for the carbon tetrachloride fire extinguisher; it's poisonous. Knife switches and quarter-inch jacks The vacuum tubes in the amplifiers probably had 700 volts on their plate circuits. Details, details Shocking, isn't it? The latest equipment Of course it wouldn't be complete without a cuspidor. Essential equipment "Leave your message at the tone"? But seriously, an odd device, with "speaker and long lines cct" (circuit), "phonograph input" and "700 volt fuse" markings. I hope someone can explain the function of this setup. Perhaps used to feed a radio station live "remote" broadcasts over telephone lines and the high voltage & power amplifiers are used to drive the transmitter? [Not in 1919! - Dave] Under the Capitol?
Lesson Plans Put the VT to work in your classroom Analyzing the Language of Presidential Debates Lesson Question: How can a presidential candidate's linguistic patterns in a debate further reveal his or her political agenda? Applicable Grades: Lesson Overview: In this lesson, students will analyze an excerpt from a 1960 debate between presidential candidates Richard Nixon and John F. Kennedy. Then, students will watch or read a debate between current presidential or vice-presidential candidates and reflect on how their verbal patterns may relate to their overall political positions as well. Length of Lesson: One hour to one hour and a half Instructional Objectives: Students will: • evaluate word choice and linguistic patterns in a historic presidential debate • watch or read a debate between current presidential or vice-presidential candidates • analyze word choice and linguistic patterns in a self-selected debate transcript excerpt • student notebooks • white board • computers with Internet access • "Analyzing a Candidate's Verbal Patterns" [click here to download] • copies of "Excerpt from the Second Kennedy-Nixon Presidential Debate (October 7, 1960)" [click here to download] Reading and analyzing an excerpt from a historic presidential debate: • Explain to students that in anticipation of the upcoming presidential and vice-presidential debates they will be analyzing an excerpt from a historic 1960 debate between Richard Nixon and John F. Kennedy — one of the first televised debates between presidential candidates. • Distribute copies of the October 7, 1960 debate excerpt between Nixon and Kennedy [click here to download], and have students follow these directions: "Carefully read both Nixon's and Kennedy's responses to debate panelist Harold R. Levy's question to Vice President Nixon on the topic of 'party labels.' As you are reading, try to make note of how Nixon and Kennedy emphasize particular words and phrases in their responses. Underline those words and phrases that stand out to you. Which words or phrases do the candidates tend to repeat? What words or phrases are familiar or unfamiliar to you? What other verbal patterns do you detect in these candidates' responses?" Exploring repetition as a means of emphasis: • Elicit students' comments about any language patterns they detected in Nixon's and Kennedy's responses to Levy's question, and list any specific words or phrases that they underlined on the board. Steer students to pay close attention to the candidates' usage of the word "party." Why do students think that Kennedy uses the word "party" four more times than Nixon, even though Nixon's response is twice as long as Kennedy's response? • Display the Visual Thesaurus word map for the word "party" on the white board and have students identify which definition of "party" is relevant to the debate responses (i.e., "an organization to gain political power"). You could also then click on this definition for "party" to reveal the multitude of political parties that exist or have existed beyond the Democratic and Republican parties (e.g., the Black Panthers, the Know-Nothing Party, the Free Soil Party, etc.). • Establish that repetition is a common form of emphasis and that Nixon's reluctance to use the word "party" may be related to his greater point: that a candidate should be judged as an individual, rather than as a mere representative of a party. Investigating the term "free world" with the help of the VT: • Call attention to Nixon's usage of the term "free world" and his repeated stance that the 1960 election race between himself and Kennedy would determine "leadership for the whole free world." • Display the Visual Thesaurus word map for the term "Free World" and reveal that Nixon was referring to "anti-Communist countries" by using this phrase. • Explain to students that Nixon and Kennedy were candidates vying for presidency during the Cold War, the post-WWII "cold" conflict between Western allies (headed by the U.S.) and Communist countries in the East (led by the Soviet Union). • If students are curious to learn more about this period in history, they could investigate the terms "cold war" and "Communist" by using the VT, or by using on-line reference site such as The Cold War Museum or the CNN "Perspectives" series on the Cold War. Analyzing language usage in a contemporary debate: • Assign students the task of watching a recording of a debate. The 2008 presidential and vice-presidential debates are available for viewing on websites such as the New York Times and MSNBC. • Ideally, students could watch one of the debates in its entirety and then examine a transcript of the debate after viewing. (Debate transcripts are available in newspapers and on on-line news sites, such as the New York Times.) • Have students use the "Analyzing a Candidate's Verbal Patterns" sheet [click here to download] to record their general reactions to the debate. Who do they think "won" the debate? Why? How did each candidate try to convince viewers of his or her point of view? In general, what verbal or rhetorical patterns did each candidate use in an effort to reinforce their points? • Direct students to choose a particular question posed by a debate moderator or panelist and to more closely examine each candidate's responses to this question. Have students write the question on the "Analyzing a Candidate's Verbal Patterns" sheet [click here to download] and then supply brief summaries of candidates' responses to the question. For example, Kennedy's response to Levy's question could be summarized as: "Party does matter, and a candidate's party affiliation can tell voters a lot about what a candidate stands for." • Have students next examine how candidates used specific words and phrases in their responses. Which words or phrases did candidates repeat or emphasize and why? Direct students to choose at least one of these words or phrases to investigate by using the Visual Thesaurus. Holding a roundtable analysis of a debate: • Rearrange students' desks so that there is a central "roundtable" of students' desks in the center of the room. • The students in the center of the room should act as debate analysts who are discussing the pros and cons of each candidate's debate performances, much like the political analysts who are featured immediately following a televised debate. • Begin the discussion by having a roundtable participant read excerpts from his or her comments on the "Analyzing a Candidate's Verbal Patterns." Then, other roundtable participants can either agree or disagree with the original commentator's viewpoint. Students who are observing the discussion can also interject comments or questions during the discussion. Try to encourage a lively discussion that seeks to answer the central question: "How do candidates' word choices reflect their greater points or political positions?" Extending the Lesson: • By using the Commission on Presidential Debates web site (www.debates.org), students could compare and contrast transcripts of historic debates with more contemporary debates and draw some conclusions about how political language and rhetoric has changed throughout recent American history. • Students could also read a few of the debate transcripts on www.debates.org and then decide who "won" each debate, based on clarity, eloquence and logic. Did the debate "winners" go on to win their elections? Students could create charts to display their opinions and findings. • Assess each student's analysis of the Nixon-Kennedy debate excerpt by reading their responses to the warm-up questions. • Assess each student's analysis of a contemporary debate by determining if the student's opinions about the debate performances have been adequately supported by examples of verbal patterns that they identified in the debate transcript. Educational Standards: Standard 20. Understands the roles of political parties, campaigns, elections, and associations and groups in American politics Level III (Grade: 6-8) 2. Knows the various kinds of elections (e.g., primary and general, local and state, congressional, presidential, recall) 3. Understands the ways in which individuals can participate in political parties, campaigns, and elections Level IV (Grade: 9-12) 6. Understands the significance of campaigns and elections in the American political system, and knows current criticisms of campaigns and proposals for their reform United States History Standard 27. Understands how the Cold War and conflicts in Korea and Vietnam influenced domestic and international politics Level III (Grades 7-8) 1. Understands major events in U.S. foreign policy during the early Cold War period (e.g., the origins of the Cold War and the advent of nuclear politics, U.S. response to the Chinese Revolution, causes of the Korean War and resulting international tensions, the implementation of the U.S. containment policy, the circumstances that led to the Marshall Plan and its accomplishments) 2. Understands the differences between the foreign policies of Kennedy and Johnson (e.g., changes in U.S. foreign policy toward the Soviet Union and the reasons for these changes, changing foreign policy toward Latin America, the Kennedy administration's Cuban policy) Level IV (Grades 9-12) 4. Understands factors that contributed to the development of the Cold War (e.g., the mutual suspicions and divisions fragmenting the Grand Alliance at the end of World War II, U.S. support for "self-determination" and the U.S.S.R's desire for security in Eastern Europe, the practice of "atomic diplomacy") Language Arts Level III (Grades 6-8) Level IV (Grades 9-12) Level III (Grade: 6-8) Level IV (Grade: 9-12) Rate this article: Click here to read more articles from Lesson Plans. Do you have a comment? Share it with the Visual Thesaurus community. Your comments: Sign in to post a comment! We're sorry, you must be a subscriber to comment. Click here to subscribe today. Already a subscriber? Click here to login.
Is It Ripe Yet? Knowing when to pick vegetables for peak taste and texture is a skill many gardeners develop after years of trial and error. Generally, however, vegetables fall into two categories. EggplantPick-early, pick-often. Some vegetables deteriorate noticeably if they are left in the garden too long. For these veggies, the best bet is to pick them young and succulent. For example, most snap beans should be picked at the width of a pencil or thinner. If you see bumps from seeds on the bean pod, it has probably gone too long. Later in the summer, leave some of those pods on the vine until frost and save the seed for next year. Cucumbers also need regular picking so they do not get big and seedy. Harvest them depending on your planned use. For pickles, about 4 inches long is a good length. If you plan to eat them fresh, let them get bigger. The early-and-often rule also applies to summer squash and, of course, zucchini. No one wants to eat a squash the size of a baseball bat. Check them everyday or at the most every other day to avoid zucchini monsters. Other vegetables that taste better after an early harvest are broccoli (the flower buds should be closed), eggplant, most greens (start harvesting when the leaves are 4 inches tall on the outside), and radishes. Wait for it. Some vegetables give more clear indications of when they are ready to harvest. With onions, for example, the tops will fall over, letting the gardener know it is time to dig. Most guides recommend that new potatoes be harvested when the plants flower, but for mature spuds wait until the plant turns brown. Melons tend to fall right off the vine when ripe, and you want to catch them just before that moment. Muskmelons give off a rich aroma that says, “I’m ripe.” Color and feel should be your guide for tomatoes. You want them to reach the correct color for the variety you’ve planted and be slightly soft. Generally, ripe tomatoes come off the vine with barely a tug. Root vegetables, such as beets, carrots and parsnips, can be harvested at whatever size you like. And, parsnips and carrots often develop a sweeter flavor if left in the ground after a frost. Winter squash needs to stay on the vine so it can reach its full color and have a skin that is so tough that it is difficult to puncture with your fingernail. Only then, should the squash be cut from the vine (with a stem on it) and allowed to mature in a cool, dry place.
Wednesday, May 18, 2011 Sola Scriptura and the Authorship of the Gospels In recent years, liberal Biblical scholars have trotted out all sorts of novel theories about the authorship of the Gospels. For example, there have been claims that the Gospel of Luke was written by a woman, despite his use of the masculine in referring to himself in Luke 1:3 (it's masculine in the Greek, not the English). The "evidence" for this, by the way, is that Luke focuses a lot on Mary and the other women accompanying Christ. Using that same evidence, I can prove that Pope John Paul II was really a woman. Most of these theories are quite silly and can be waved away. But it got me thinking: is there any reason why an Evangelical would accept that the four Gospels were actually written by Matthew, Mark, Luke and John? After all, none of the four Gospels state who their author is. The closest we get is John's Gospel, in John 19:35, But that only establishes that the Gospel is based upon John's eyewitness testimony. It doesn't necessarily prove that St. John wrote it himself, or whether this was a disciple of John recording his oral testimony. In fact, the authorship of the Fourth Gospel is the most hotly debated point. Likewise, from Luke 1:3-4 and Acts 1:1-2, we can see that the same man authored both, and wrote them for "Theophilus." The Church Fathers on the Authorship of the Gospels So taking the Bible alone, we can't say who wrote the Gospels. Looking at the writings of the Early Church Fathers, however, we can. St. Irenaeus of Lyons addressed the issue of the authorship of the Gospels in Against Heresies in 180 A.D. From Book III, Chapter 1: In about 207 or 208 A.D., Tertullian wrote that the Gospels were all written by Apostles (in the case of Matthew and John), or students of the Apostles (in the case of Mark and Luke). From Book IV, Chapter 2 of Against Marcion: In Book III, Chapter 24 of Eusebius's Church History (written in the early 300s, and based in large part on much earlier sources), we hear: Likewise, he cites Luke as the author of Acts in Book II, Chapter 11 and elsewhere. Can Evangelicals Rely on These Accounts? There are plenty more sources as well, but the point is clear. The early Christians were quite adamant that Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John were the Gospel writers. But here's why that's tricky for Evangelicals. In Book II, Chapter 15, Eusebius explains that Mark was a follower of Peter's from his time in Rome. And St. Irenaeus says that Matthew wrote his Gospel "while Peter and Paul were preaching at Rome, and laying the foundations of the Church." But Evangelicals often deny that Peter was ever in Rome, and almost universally reject the theory that the Church has its foundations in Rome. After all, conceding that the Church is (a) Petrine, and (b) Roman goes a long way towards establishing the papacy. So instead, a rather large Evangelical camp treats the Early Church Fathers with suspicion (and sometimes, as outright frauds and heretics), precisely because they're so Catholic. For example, here's Dave Hunt and T.A. McMahon explaining why you shouldn't spend your time worrying about what the Church Fathers say, and here's John Piper claiming that the Church from 100 A.D. onwards is unreliable, so "We are in a better position today to know Jesus Christ than anyone who lived from AD 100 to 300." And that doesn't even count the folks like Ed Stevens, who claims that all the true Christians were raptured in 70 A.D. So to the extent Evangelicals reject the Church Fathers, they're cutting of the branch on which they're sitting. Without the Fathers, you can't say who wrote the Gospels, or whether the Gospels were considered orthodox by the early Christians, or whether they were considered inspired Scripture. Almost everything we know about the Bible comes to us from the Fathers. Of course, I'm not suggesting you have to think that each of the Fathers is 100% right on everything (nobody takes that position, as they occasionally disagree). Nor am I saying that it's particularly important to the Faith who wrote the Gospels -- I'm just using it as an example of something almost all Evangelicals believe about the Bible, but which they're not getting from the Bible itself. My point is simply this: without the Church Fathers, there's no particular reason to trust that we have the correct Books of the Bible, and no particular way to know anything helpful about who wrote those Books, such as whether the writers were honest and orthodox. 1. Do Catholics know about the authorship of the Gospels either? I see the Fathers taught it, but in 1955, the Roman Pontifical Biblical Commission granted complete freedom to Roman Catholics to believe Matthew did, or did not, write Matthew. (see, e.g. R. Brown, The Birth of the Messiah (1993, pp. 45-46)) 2. As I understand it, everyone, Catholic or Protestant, can believe or disbelieve the Fathers on this issue. This isn't an infallible teaching, and it's apparently not part of the Deposit of Faith. My point was simply that if one chooses to believe that Matthew, Mark, Luke and John wrote the Gospels (as nearly all Evangelicals do), they seem to do so on the basis of the Church Fathers alone. Scripture's silent on it. This isn't some per se refutation of sola Scriptura (I've addressed those elsewhere). It's just a way of trying to show that Christians of all stripes are much more indebted to the Church Fathers than we sometimes realize. The general Evangelical interpretation of sola Scriptura belittles the Church Fathers -- they're just unreliable Christians who didn't know as much about Jesus as we do today (Piper)... if they're even Christians at all (Stevens). We shouldn't bother paying attention to them (Hunt). These low views of the Fathers fly in the face of the cold fact that we rely to a large degree upon the honesty and accuracy of the Church Fathers in our understanding of Scripture. 3. Interesting. The weird thing about Piper is how schizophrenic he is about the early church. He denigrates the Fathers as you note, but also praises the "creeds", saying: “One surprising fact that I did not expect to find was that the heretics protested most loudly over the non-scriptural language of the orthodox creed. They pointed out that the phrases, ‘of one essence with the Father,’ and ‘one substance with the Father’ were not in the Bible. The heretics demanded ‘no creed but the Bible’ precisely so that they could use biblical language to evade biblical truth. For example, they would happily call Christ ‘Son of God,’ and then argue that, like all sons, he must have had a beginning. So to my surprise one form of the doctrine of the ‘sufficiency of Scripture’ was used to undermine Scripture’s truth. “There are many today who would demand ‘no creed but the Bible’ the same way the Arians did. But we should learn from history that biblical language is not enough when it comes to defending the meaning of biblical language. R.P.C. Hanson explained the process like this: ‘Theologians of the Christian Church were slowly driven to a realization that the deepest questions which face Christianity cannot be answered in purely biblical language, because the questions are about the meaning of biblical language itself’” And, he can't be talking about just the average layman when he says we are in a better position to understand Christianity, because there is no record of what the average layman thought. The "temptation" is to read the Fathers who are responsible for "the orthodox creed" that he finds so important. So he is making a strangely stark separation between the creeds and the men who wrote them. 4. This is a very important subject to talk about, Joe! Thanks! Great quotes from the Fathers, too. One 'technicality' to point out is that a Protestant doesn't need to know Matthew wrote Matthew to consider the book inspired and thus Scripture. However, the moment they say they accept is as Scripture because it was written by an Apostle, in this case Matthew, they've fallen into a logical pitfall. But all Protestants know that to 'set the authorship boat out to sea' they've just paved the way for Liberal Protestantism to arise and start casting all kinds of doubts and judgements on the Books. For example, this is where the liberal push to introduce the "Q Source" hypothesis comes from. Since, they say, Matthew likely didn't write Matthew, the Gospel of Matthew was a 2nd-3rd generation document that is a compilation of stories from Mark and some unknown source "Q", and thus Matthew is a man-made account of whatever these next generation Christians thought "cool enough" to include, likely even some myths about Jesus in order to prove a point! This is why it's important to argue that Tradition teaches the actual men Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John were the authors. This is not a 'little-t' tradition, especially considering it would entail the claim the Church got it wrong this whole time as to just who wrote the book they claim was written by that very individual. It's not something to take lightly. 5. I wouldn't go quite so far as nick does, that strikes me as creeping infallibility. But he reminds me that I heard Tim Keller base the NT Canon on the books' authorship (as a run around the Church, I suppose). Joe's post shows why that fails. And without that lt the church, where can you base their inspiration? 6. The authorship of the Gospels would fall, at the very least, under the Infallibility of the Ordinary and Universal Magisterium: in other words, it's a teaching that's infallible in virtue of the fact it's been taught everywhere and passed down throughout history (e.g. "A reading of the Gospel ACCORDING TO ST MATTHEW"). The moment people start going around saying "We don't really know who wrote Matthew" opens the door to asking: Ok, what else have you mistakenly gone around trumpeting as fact that is actually false? 7. Nick and Robert, I've enjoyed these comments a lot. On the specific point of contention, I think Robert is correct: (1) See Jon Anthony's reference above to the Vatican's willingness to permit Catholics to believe or not believe that Matthew wrote the Gospel of Matthew. If the Church openly permits Christians to take either view, it's necessarily not an issue which has been infallibly defined. Neither Scripture nor the Church forces a single view on this issue. (2) As for saying "the Gospel ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW" in Mass, there are a few points to note. Most likely, this is understood to be an identifier. Even skeptics who reject Matthew's authorship of his Gospel tend to call it the Gospel of Matthew, because otherwise, it's almost impossible to figure out which Book one's talking about. (3) It's possible for the Gospel to be according to Matthew without Matthew being the one who did the writing. For example, some people claim that John's disciples compiled his orally-transmitted eyewitness testimony into a Book upon his death. That'd still be the Gospel according to John, without John ever lifting a pen. "Bible Christian" Protestantism has spawned the error that the Gospel must be transmitted in writing -- the Gospel teaches otherwise (Rom. 10:14). (4) It's possible for something said by the Church to be wrong. She makes this clear Herself when She demarcates specific areas as infallible. So in the off-chance She (a) did intend to say that Matthew wrote his Gospel, and (b) was wrong about this, it would still be a relatively minor problem. (5) The reason that this isn't more troubling is the very reason you cited in your initial comment, Nick. It's possible for the Gospel not to have been written by Matthew, but still be infallible. As Catholics, we believe these four Gospels because we trust the Holy Spirit working through the Church, rather than because we trust four sinful men. That's true regardless of who wrote the four Gospels. As both of you noted, Protestantism has had to develop work-arounds to the Church's role in assembling Scripture -- that's why the authorship debate is of much larger consequence on that side of the Tiber. (6) Finally, let me just be clear, I believe Matthew, Mark, Luke and John actually wrote their Gospels. I trust that the Church Fathers are almost certainly right about this -- the references to things like a Hebrew version of Matthew's Gospel (which we've never seen) suggests that modern scholars and skeptics are working on wildly incomplete evidence compared to what the Fathers had. Which is all the more reason that Piper's claim above is silly. 8. Hi Joe, I'd like to see the official Church document that says Catholics are free to choose on this issue, I've not seen such a thing. If anything, I'd think if they did, it would be akin to Pius XII 'permission' (not right or rule) to look into evolution (which some falsely took as an approved or endorsed approach). In looking this up on NewAdvent, it says the Biblical Commission says the Apostle Matthew did write Matthew (see the very end of this article, under the heading "Appendix"). I would say that point #2 doesn't work, because this isn't just an 'idenfier', it has meaning. Otherwise we might as well just number the Gospels, or call it Pseudo-Matthew. Making it a mere identifier can be a slippery slope to "de-humanizing" the Faith, going from a deposit handed down by tangible faces to a blur of of crowd. This also contradicts the details in the Gospels when the author speaks in the first person. That said, I agree with your #3 in that I see nothing wrong with suggesting the Apostle Matthew had the Gospel written by a companion under his care. After all, Paul openly admits he didn't write Romans, he merely dictated it to a trusted scribe. But I think this starts to break down if this extends out many generations since the writing takes on a more impersonal character the further removed from eye witness accounts you go. I'm not sure I understand your point #4. It seems to violate the very notion of Universal and Ordinary Magisterium, as well as Unanimous Consent of the Fathers. What you would have is a teaching professed and proclaimed throughout history all of the sudden overturned. That's not "relatively minor", rather it merely prompts the follow up: "What else has the Church been wrong about this whole time?" Point #5 is simply the most watered down approach a Protestant can take, and it fails once someone appeals to it as an authority on the basis it was written by an Apostle. The only place that really works is with a book like Hebrews, where there is no Universal Consent Testimony (at least not that I know of). 9. In the Introduction of each book of the New Testament speaks about how each came to pass. There is no need to debate where it came from. Just read your Catholic bible!!! 10. Nick, let me bone up on this to make sure I'm not totally wrong on this issue. I'll get back to you soon-ish. 11. Distinguishing clearly between the author and the actual writer or amanuensis of a text, as both Joe and Nick allude to, will help to clarify the Church’s teaching on this matter. The Church has confirmed with ordinary infallibility (viz., in ecumenical councils) that the human authors of the Gospels, including the Gospel of Matthew, are Apostles (see Conc. Trident., Sess. IV (Denzinger 783) & Dei Verbum, 18). The Pontifical Biblical Commission, moreover, in the document Nick cites, has stated with the Pope’s approval (exercise of ordinary, non-infallible Magisterial authority) that St. Matthew is the human author (“auctor”) of the Gospel attributed to him (AAS, 3 (1911), as reprinted in Enchiridion biblicum, 383). The Church has not, however, made an official claim concerning the identity of the actual writer or scribe of the original copy of each of the Gospels, including St. Matthew’s. Nick’s summary of the Biblical Commission’s answer as stating that the Evangelist “wrote” his Gospel is imprecise. The question submitted to the Commission did not concern the actual writer: “affirmari certo posit et debeat Mattheum…Evangelii sub eius nomine..esse auctorem? Resp.: Affirmative.” Of course, the authors, both human and divine, and not of the actual writer or scribe, determine the content of the text. The fact that the Church does not and probably cannot identity of the actual writer with certainty is of little consequence. Your conclusion, Joe, that St. Irenaeus’ comment about Sts. Peter and Paul’s “laying the foundations of the church” refers to their laying the foundations of the Universal Church may be unwarranted. The Patristic writers often meant particular or local churches, to use modern terminology, when writing about “the church” with reference to specific areas. The Universal Church, moreover, only has its “foundations” in Rome in a specific sense, namely, in the sense that the Vicar of Christ’s See is there. It does not have its foundations in Rome in the sense that the Church was first established in there; and this latter sense of foundation, i.e., of actual establishment or organization, seems to be the one meant by St. Irenaeus. This latter sense would only be true in respect to the local Roman church. We would, in any case, have to examine the passage, preferably in the original language, to determine the actual meaning. Your observation, however, about some Protestants’ denial of the presence of Peter in Rome, let alone his martyrdom there, remains correct. 12. Peregrinus, Thanks! That clarified things quite a bit. You might be right about Irenaeus' comment about Peter and Paul. My reason for finding it significant wasn't just that he said that they laid the foundations of "the Church" at Rome. I know that could be a reference to either the local or global Church. What I found significant was the context. In the immediate context, Irenaeus is explaining what Matthew is doing by putting in relation to the activities of Peter and Paul in Rome. Matthew's operating out of the Holy Land, so this seems topsy-turvy if Roman primacy isn't true. In a broader context, two chapters later, in Book III, Chapter 3, Irenaeus measures Apostolic succession through the See of Rome to show the validity of the global Catholic Church. So in both the immediate and broader context, I read it as a reference to the capital-c Church, but I know it can definitely be read either way. Great comment. God bless! 13. Hi Peregrinus, I'm not sure what you're saying regarding St Matthew writing the Gospel of Matthew, with the Church apparently clarifying he did. Are you saying that St Matthew the Apostle could have had a scribe? If so, that issue never seems to be addressed anywhere definitively by the Church nor an actual 'problem'. The Gospel account is still 'first hand'. 14. I did a study on this subject, pulling every verse I could find on whether Jesus died for 'all' or for 'many' and I came up with half for all and half for many and a few that could be taken either way. I ended up with this. Jesus died for all of the many and Jesus died for many of the all. Either way you put it, not one drop of Jesus blood was wasted. 15. Related question: What is your take on the Mike Licona/Norm Geisler embroglio?
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search Endodeoxyribonuclease is an endonuclease ribonuclease. Restriction enzymes are a type of endodeoxyribonuclease. It is a restriction enzyme that chews up DNA at its ends. This is why DNA is not linear. For example, during Transduction in bacterial cells, bacteriophage DNA is inserted in a bacterial cell. The DNA from the bacteriophage immediately circularizes in order to avoid getting "chewed up" by endodeoxyribonuclease at their ends. More examples: Deoxyribonuclease I, Deoxyribonuclease II, Deoxyribonuclease IV, UvrABC endonuclease External links[edit]
Pali Rao/istockphoto If you live in a house, chances are that you use light bulbs. Light bulbs have been around for ages, but for some reason, they haven't changed much until recently. Compact fluorescent bulbs and LED lights are the wave of the future. And we can only hope that science continues to make improvements on our bulby light-filled friend. You don't have to wait around for science to advance to increase the energy-efficiency of your light bulbs. You simply have to clean them. By removing dust and grease from your light bulbs, you can increase their light output by 20%. That's 20% more light for the same amount of energy. Have you ever found yourself turning on a table lamp to increase the light on a once adequately bright room? That's a sure sign of dusty and neglected bulbs. A good rule of thumb is to clean the light bulb, the fixture and/or the lampshades about once a month. How to Clean Light Bulbs To clean a light bulb, wait until the light bulb is cool and wipe it down with a lint free cloth. Be careful with bulbs. Broken CFLs contain mercury. If that' s not reason to be careful, I don't know what is.
Psychology Wiki Night vision 34,140pages on this wiki Revision as of 10:00, October 8, 2006 by Lifeartist (Talk \| contribs) Night vision is the ability to see, whether through biological or technological means, in a dark environment. Most instances, whether biological or technological, use a combination of two approaches: enhanced spectral range, and enhanced intensity range. Enhanced spectral range Enhanced intensity range Enhanced intensity range is simply the ability to see with very small quantities of light. Although the human visual system can, in theory, detect single photons under ideal conditions, the neurological noise filters limit sensitivity to a few tens of photons, even in ideal conditions [1]. Some animals have evolved better night vision through the use of a larger optical aperture, improved retina composition that can detect weaker light over a larger spectral range, more photoefficient optics in the eye, and improved neurological filtering which is more tolerant of noise. Enhanced intensity range is achieved via technological means through the use of an image intensifier, gain multiplication CCD, or other very low-noise and high-sensitivity array of photodetectors. Biological night vision In biological night vision, molecules of rhodopsin in the rods of the eye undergo a change in shape as light is absorbed by them. The peak rhodopsin build-up time for optimal night vision in humans is 30 minutes. Rhodopsin in the human rods is insensitive to the longer red wavelengths of light, so many people use red light to preserve night vision as it will not deplete the eye's rhodopsin stores in the rods and instead is viewed by the cones. Some animals, such as cats, dogs, and deer, have a structure called the tapetum in the back of the eye that reflects light for even better night vision than humans, in which only 10% of the light that enters the eye falls on photosensitive parts of the retina. Their night vision likely falls between a Generation 1 and Generation 2 image intensifier. Night glasses Thermal vision Far infrared, or thermal, sensing is generally not considered night vision because it is constructed with mechanisms substantially different from the methods used to sense visible light. It is possible to construct an imaging device with microwave energy, sound, or any other signal that is reflected or radiated by objects and can be focused and sensed, but these are also not generally considered night-vision. Some organisms have the ability to sense far infrared energy which we perceive as heat. This is prevalent in some snakes such as pit vipers and boas. However, this is not actual "vision", but more of a system of thermosensitive pits in the face that can detect the amount of heat and the distance to the heat source. There is still some debate as to what degree this information is perceived as "feeling" heat, and to what degree it is processed as an image by the snake's brain. Since these sense structures lack imaging optics for focus, the spatial resolution of such sensing is necessarily very poor. Cadillac introduced a far-infrared night vision as an option on the 2000 Deville. It sold well initially, but sales fell and the option was dropped early in the 2005 model year. Toyota Motor Company's Lexus marque was next with a night vision system in their LX470 SUV. The 2007 BMW 5 Series will also offer night vision as an option. See Thermographic camera. Image intensifier Main article: image intensifier The image intensifier is a vacuum-tube based device that amplifies visible light from an image so that a dimly lit scene can be viewed by a camera or by eye. Night vision goggles Main article: night vision goggles Night vision goggles typically use an image intensifier to convert weak light from the visible and near-infrared spectrum to visible light. Most night vision goggles display a green image, because the peak sensitivity of human color vision is around 530 nm. See also External links es:Visión nocturna fr:Nyctalopie he:ראיית לילה id:Penglihatan malamnl:Nachtzichtapparatuurno:Nattsyn pt:Visão noturna Around Wikia's network Random Wiki
Advertisement Upgrade to remove ads The genetically determined natural unfolding course of growth Normative Approach Measures of behavior are taken on large numbers of individuals, and age-related averages are computed to represent typical development. Psychoanyalytic Perspective Emphasizes the role of unconscious conflicts in determining behavior and personality (Freud). Pscyhosexual Theory Emphasizes that how parents manage their child's sexual and aggressive drives in the first few years is crucial for healthy personality development. Psychosocial Theory Erickson sees 8 stages of development characterized by psychological conflicts that must be resolved for healthy development to occur. An approach to psychology that emphasizes observable measurable behavior. Behavior Modification Cognitive-Developmental Theory Children actively construct knowledge as they manipulate and explore their world. Piaget's theory (stage) 0-2 years. Child interacts with environment by reflex response. Reflexes are replaced by purposeful movement. Child is self centered & recognizes people, both familiar and not familiar. 2-7 years, lacks operations (reversible mental processes); exhibits egocentric thinking; lacks concept of conservations; uses symbols (such as words or mental images) to solve simple problems or to talk about things that are not present. Concrete Operational Piaget's third stage of cognitive development; 7-11 yrs; replaces intuitive reasoning with logical reasoning in concrete situations; can see things in another perspective; develop ability to empathize; principle of conservation seen. Formal Operational Piaget's fourth and final stage of cognitive development, from age 11 and beyond, when the individual begins to think more rationally and systematically about abstract concepts and hypothetical events. Thought is abstract and hypothetical. Logical thought. Hypothetico-deductive reasoning. Idealism (understand love and justice). Imaginary audience (others are evaluating as much as you evaluate yourself). Information Processing An approach that views the human mind as a symbol-manipulating system through which information flows and that regards cognitive development as a continuous process. Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience It brings together researchers from psychology, biology, neuroscience, and medicine to study the relationship between changes in the brain and the developing person's cognitive processing and behavior patterns. Sensitive Period An approach concerned with the adaptive, or survival, value of behavior and its evolutionary history. Evolutionary Developmental Psychology It seeks to understand the adaptive value of specieswide cognitive, emotional, and social competencies as those competencies change with age. Sociocultural Theory It focuses on how culture is transmitted to the next generation. According to Vygotsky, social interaction is necessary for children to acquire the ways of thinking and behaving that make up a community's culture. Ecological Systems Theory It views the person as developing within a complex system of relationships affected by multiple levels of the surrounding environment. In ecological systems theory, the innermost level of the environment, consisting of activities and interaction patterns in the child's immediate surroundings. The middle sphere of the ecological model, which encompasses the connections among settings that include the child and how these connections influence the child. (home, school, neighborhood, and childcare) In ecological theory, this is involved when experiences in another social setting - in which the individual does not have an active role - influence what the individual experiences in an immediate context. Outermost level of bronfenbernner's model that is not a specific context but consists of cultural values, laws, customs, and resources. In ecological systems theory, temporal changes in environments, which produce new conditions that affect development. These changes can be imposed externally or arise from within the organism, since people select, modify, and create many of their own settings and experiences. Dynamic System Perspective The child's mind, body, and physical and social worlds form an integrated system that guides mastery of new skills. The system is constantly in motion. Naturalistic Observations Observing and recording behavior in naturally occuring situations without trying to manipulate and control the situation. Structured Observation Investigator sets up a lab situation that evoke the behavior of interest so that every particpant has equal opportuniity to display response. Clinical Interview An interview method in which the researcher uses a flexible, conversational style to probe for the participant's point of view. Structured Interviews Each participant is asked the same set of questions in the same way. Case Study Research method that involves an intensive investigation of one or more participants A qualitative technique that is directed toward understanding a culture or a distinct social group through participant observation. Correlational Design Correlation Coefficient A number that describes how two measures, or variables, are associated with one another. Experimental Design Permits inferences about cause and effect because researchers use an evenhanded procedure to assign people to two or more treatment conditions. Independent Variable Variable that is changed in an experiment. Dependent Variable Variable that is measured in an experiment. Random Assignment Longitudinal Design A research design in which the same people are studied or tested repeatedly over time. Cohorts Effects Longitudinal studies examine that development of cohorts - children born at the same time who are influences by particular popular cultural and historical conditions. Results based on one cohort may not apply to all children developing at other times. Cross-Sectional Design Comparing groups of participants of differing age at a single point in time. Sequential Designs Conduct several similar cross-sectional or longitudinal studies at varying times. Microgenetic Design An adaptions of the longitudinal approach, presents children with a novel task and follows their mastery over a series of closely spaced sessions. Researcher observe how change occurs. The physical appearence or visible traits of an organism. The genetic makeup, or combination of alleles. Rodlike structures in the cell nucleus that store and transmit genetic information. Chromosomes are make this chemical substance. A segment of DNA along the length of the chromosome. THe process of DNA duplicating itself. Sex cells. (Cell division that produces reproductive cells in sexually reproducing organisms, Crossing Over The interchange of sections between pairing homologous chromosomes during the prophase of meiosis. Any chromosome that is not a sex chromosome. Sex Chromosomes One of the 23 pairs of chromosomes in the human, contains genes that will determine the sex of the individual. Alternative forms of a gene for each variation of a trait of an organism. Having two identical alleles for a trait. An organism that has two different alleles for a trait. Dominant Recessive Inheritance A pattern of inheritance in which, under heterozygous conditions, the influence of only one allele is apparent. Modifier Genes Genes that can enhance or dilute the effects of other genes. Incomplete Dominance One allele is not completely dominant over the other allele. X Linked Inheritance A pattern of inheritance in which a recessive gene is carried on the X chromosome, so that males are more likely to be affected. Genomic Imprinting Alleles are imprinted, or chemically marked, so that one pair member (either the mother's or father's) is activated, regardless of its makeup. A sudden but permanent change in a segment of DNA. Polygenic Inheritance A pattern in which many genes all influence a single trait. Genetic Counseling Prenatal Diagnostic Methods Medical procedures that permit detection of developmental problems before birth. Mutually supporting each other's parenting behaviors. Socioeconomic Class Factors that affect include educational level, employment stability, wages, marital status, household income, household size, citizenship, access to healthcare. Subgroups within a larger culture that have unique values, ideas, and attitudes. Extended-Family Households A household in which one of more adult relatives live with the family unit. Individualistic Societies People think of themselves as separate entities and are largely concerned with their own personal needs. Collectivist Societies People define themselves as part of a group and stress group goals over individual goals. Behavioral Genetics Field of study devoted to discovering the genetic bases for personality characteristics. Heritability Estimates Measure the extent to which individual differences in complex traits in a specific population are due to genetic factors. Kinship Studies Compare the characteristics of family members. Range Reaction Each person's unique, genetically determined response to a range of environmental conditions. The tendency of heredity to restrict the development of some characteristics to just one or a few outcomes, Genetic-Environments Correlation Our Genes influence the environments to which we are exposed. The tendency to actively choose environments that complement our heredity. Stage of early development in mammals that consists of a hollow ball of cells. Embryonic Disk A small cluster of cells on the inside of the blastocyst, from which the new organism will develop. Outermost membranous sac enclosing the embryo. Organ in placental mammals through which nutrients, oxygen, carbon dioxide, and wastes are exchanged between embryo and mother. Umbilical Cord Thin innermost membranous sac enclosing the developing embryo. Amniotic Fluid The serous fluid in which the embryo is suspended inside the amnion. Neural Tube A tube of ectodermal tissue in the embryo from which the brain and spinal cord develop. A white cheese-like protective material that covers the skin of a fetus. Downy hair on face or limbs. Age of Viability The age at which a baby can survive in the event of a premature birth. Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) A consequence of prenatal alcohol exposure that causes multiple problems, notably brain damage. Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) Partial Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (p-FAS) Characterized by 2 of the 3 facial abnormalities & brain injury, again evident in a least 3 areas of impaired functioning. Mothers of children with p-FAS generally drank alcohol in smaller quantities and children's defects vary with the timing & length of alcohol exposure Alcholol-Related Neurodevelopmental Disorder (ARND) Three mental functioning are impaired, despite typical physical growth and absence of facial abnormalities (from alcohol). Rh Factor Incompatibility When the mother is Rh-negative (lacks the Rh blood protein) and the father is Rh-positive (has the protein), the baby may inherit the father's Rh -positive blood type. If even a little of a fetus's Rh-positive blood crosses the placenta into the Rh-negative mother's bloodstream, she begins to form antibodies to the foreign Rh protein. If these enter the fetus's system, they destroy red blood cells, reducing the oxygen sypply to organs and tissues. Dilation and Effacement of the Cervix A process where the cervix begins to thin forming a clear channel from the uterus into the birth canal. Frequency and strength of contractions are at their peak and the cervix opens completely. Apgar Scale Evaluates infant on heart rate, respiratory condition, muscle tone, reflex irritability, and color Fetal Monitors Electronic instruments that track the baby's heart rate during labor. Induced Labor A labor started artificially by breaking the amnion and giving the mother a hormone that stimulates contractions. Cesarean Delivery The delivery of a fetus by surgical incision through the abdominal wall and uterus. Breech Position A position of the baby in the uterus that would cause the buttocks or feet to be delivered first. Deprivation of oxygen. Preterm Infants Infants born three weeks or more before the pregnancy has reached its full term. Small Fordate Infants Babies below their expected weight. States of Arousal Degrees of sleep and wakefulness. Rapid-Eye Movement (REM) Sleep An "irregular" sleep state in which brain wave activity is similar to that of the waking state; eyes dart beneath the lids; heart rate, blood pressure, and breathing are uneven; and slight body movements occur. Non-Rapid-Eye Movement (NREM) Sleep A "regular" sleep state in which the body is almost motionless and heart rate, breathing, and brain wave activity are slow and regular. Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Completely unexpected and unexplained death of an apparently well, or virtually well, infant. The most common cause of death between the second week and first year of life (crib death). Visual Acuity Sharpness of vision for either distance or near. Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale (NBAS) Evaluates the newborn's reflexes, state changes, responsiveness to physical and social stimuli, and other reactions. Cephalocaudal Trend An organized pattern of physical growth and motor control that proceeds from head to tail. Proximodistal Trend The center-outward direction of motor development. Skeletal Age A measure of physical maturation based on the child's level of skeletal development. Special growth centers in the bones at the ends. A soft, membrane-covered space between the bones at the front and the back of a newborn's skull. Cells in the nervous system that communicate with one another to perform information-processing tasks. Chemical messengers that traverse the synaptic gaps between neurons. Synaptic Pruning A process whereby the synaptic connections in the brain that are frequently used are preserved, and those that are not are lost. Glial Cells Cells in the nervous system that are not neurons but that support, nourish, and protect neurons. Cerebral Cortex The fabric of interconnecting cells that blankets the brain hemispheres; the brain's center for information processing and control. Prefrontal Cortex A region of the frontal lobes, especially prominent in humans, important for attention, working memory, decision making, appropriate social behavior, and personality Localization of function on either the right or left sides of the brain. Brain Plasticity The brain's capacity for modification, as evident in brain reorganization following damage and in experiments on the effects of experience on brain development. Experience-Expectant Brain Growth The young brains rapidly developing organization, which depends on ordinary experiences - opportunities to see and touch objects, to hear language and other sounds, and to move about and explore the environment. Experience Dependent Brain Growth Growth Faltering When child has below average hight weight of circumference. Classical Conditioning Unconditioned Stimulus Naturally and automatically—triggers a response. Unconditioned Response An automatic response to a particular natural stimulus, such as salivation to meat. Conditioned Stimulus An originally irrelevant stimulus that, after association with an unconditioned stimulus, comes to trigger a conditioned response. Conditioned Response Operant Conditioning Any event that strengthens the behavior it follows. Any event that weakens the behavior it follows. A new stimulus causes responsiveness to return to a high level. Learning through copying the actions of someone else. Mirror Neurons Neurons that are activated by performing an action or be seeing another person perform the same. Dynamic Systems Theory of Motor Development Mastery of motor skills involves acquiring increasingly complex systems of action. when motor skills work as a system, separate abilities blend together, each cooperating with others to produce more effective ways of exploring and controlling the environment. Statistical Learning Capacity Analyzing the speech stream for patterns- regularly occurring sequences of sounds-they acquire a stock of speech structures for which they will later learn meanings, long before they start to talk around age 12 months. Contrast Sensitivity The ability to detect differences in light and dark areas in a visual pattern. Sensorimotor Stage Mental representations of categories of objects, events, and people. See More 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! 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• download the printable pdf file Football (or soccer) is the world's most popular team sport. Football is played between two teams of 11 players who compete to get a ball into their opponent's goal. While it sounds simple, this task often proves very difficult, with most games' scores in the lower single digits. The goalkeepers are the only players allowed to touch the ball with their hands, while the other 10 players primarily use their feet to control, dribble and pass the ball. Every player has a vital role to play in either moving the ball up the field to create and score goals or preventing the opposition from scoring. Although some variety of the game has existed throughout history, football as we know it originated in England in 1863. In 1904, FIFA was formed in Paris. The organisation currently has 208 members. A football player needs a combination of explosive acceleration, agility, muscular endurance and lower-body strength. Training should be a mix of aerobic and anaerobic activities, as well as cross training such as swimming and cycling. Where to play football Because football requires little equipment, it can be played in any wide open space such as a backyard or park. It is relatively easy to learn and accessible by people of all ages. To find a team to play with, contact your local community centre or football club.
An interview with two experts: What were the major obstacles to women's progress in recent years? Tinker: It's important to understand the difference between modernization and development. Uncontrolled modernization in many countries has spelled increased hardship for large portions of the population. Modernization has produced the feminization of poverty. Development is what one is trying to do instead of misplaced modernization. Walker: Women are a crucial cog and have to be seen as such. But they're seen as peripheral and will be while governments are predominantly male. This is not a criticism of men, it's a criticism of a system. There are many men who are aware of the dangers of this system. Is there any particular area of concern today where you feel the factoring-in of women's roles would make an important difference? Tinker: The famine in Africa is certainly an example. Everybody understands that 80 percent of Africa's food is grown by women, but none of the development programs take this fact and deal with it. They are all still acting as if small farmers were men. The most immediate need is for women agricultural development workers. This would force agricultural establishments in each country to deal with the issue of who the farmers really are: women. Then the important question will be, how do we get this information mainstreamed into national and international development programs? What do you see as the major signs of progress for women in the developing world? Walker: There has been an awakening to the idea that the whole question of women in development isn't just a women's concern. It's the major concern for development. Without women's expertise and involvement, a country suffers. We're not talking a women's issue, we're talking a nation's issue, a world issue. At last, awareness of this is taking hold. Tinker: There's no question that women are beginning to have the floor, that they're slowly moving up in status. There are some material improvements, and tremendous psychological improvements. There has been a real change in the way women view themselves and in the way they are viewed by men. You can see it. We needed statistical ammunition, and now we have it -- though we still need more. But women will find friends in the mainstream. We have to convince the hard-headed economists, the bankers, and the planners. What do you feel are the most serious impending threats to progress in developing countries? Walker: I think militarization and the threat of nuclear war are the greatest dangers. Women in developing countries are increasingly aware of how these issues play a part in their lives. All this is part of the whole patriarchal system taken to extremes. It can be translated into military repression or the power of people in decisionmaking positions, which before you know it becomes nuclear priorities. Recommended: Could you pass a US citizenship test? These things effect women enormously, as they effect everyone. But women are not involved in the decisions on these issues. They have a lack of funds, a lack of power. Of course the patriarchal system plays a part in how far women can go in the power struggle. I see enormous possibilities of crisis, and whether it's a military, a nuclear, or an economonic crisis, they're all part of the same thing. I feel a definite sense of urgency to see more women in decision-making posts that effect the livelihood -- and the future -- of the whole world. Where do you see the women of the developing world in the year 2025? Tinker: I would like to think that the understanding and insights of third world women into their own positions and roles -- particularly their importance in the family and in society -- would wash over into the feminist movements in the US and Europe, which have become too individualistic. I hope Western feminism will evolve. Arguing that men are ``not so awful after all'' is the beginning of this change. But by using men as a measure for themselves, women set themselves up to be second-class. We have to make our own measure. I don't believe in saying women are better, but it's very clear we're different. As long as we want what men have, we're going to be second-class. Walker: I have to be positive. I have to be optimistic. I have to believe that many of the things that are holding back development, leaving women out, will no longer be there, and that many of the major crises of our time will be dealt with by both men and women -- that together they will work from a more balanced perspective. Share this story:
NEWTON, Ask A Scientist! Name: Angel W. Status: educator Age: 30s Location: N/A Country: N/A Date: 12/7/2004 Why does sunrise always looks so much different than the sunset? I am not sure they do look different everywhere. But one definite difference is: - at sunset, your area has been warming all day - at sunrise, your area has been cooling all night. If you are on a coast with prevailing wind from the water, I suppose the cooler morning is more likely to be dulled by fog or clouds. Do not forget that your personal impression of the appearance of the scene might depend a bit on whether you are experiencing warm or cold. I think the top of the atmosphere swells upwards during the day and then subsides again each night, because at night the sun has stopped sizzling our beloved ozone and ionosphere with UV and solar particles. On quiet nights perhaps there is a little less wind and turbulence near the ground, kicking up new dust. Either of these might make it easier to see dark or deep blue night sky with stars on one side of you, and sunrise lighter blue sky on the other, at the same time. In comparison I tend to think the sunset sky leans towards whitish overhead and reddish horizon; if true that means more light-scattering and absorption is happening at sunset, and we can start to search for the proper reasons why. I just realized: I am on the West coast. For me, sunrise is always over land, sunset over sea. Consider your own geography. It is likely to make some differences. Jim Swenson Click here to return to the Physics Archives Educational Programs Building 360 9700 S. Cass Ave. Argonne, Illinois 60439-4845, USA Update: June 2012 Weclome To Newton Argonne National Laboratory
Previous DemocratizerNext Democratizer John Wanamaker Born: 1838, Philadelphia, PA Died: 1922, Philadelphia, PA Did You Know? Before Wanamaker invented the price tag, most buying was done by haggling. A devout Christian, he believed that if everyone was equal before God, then everyone should be equal before price. Department Store Wanamaker's legendary department stores were palaces of consumption that turned shopping into an event for ordinary people. Truth in Advertising Born in Philadelphia in 1838, John Wanamaker pioneered the concept of the department store. In 1861 Wanamaker and his brother-in-law, Nathan Brown, opened Oak Hall, a men's clothing store. In 1876, intending to open a central market like London's Royal Exchange or Paris' Les Halles, he converted an abandoned Pennsylvania Railroad depot into a multipurpose clothing and specialties store called Wanamaker's. Catering to an upscale market, he promised all-wool clothing and quality goods with a money-back-guarantee. In 1874, he printed the first-ever, copyrighted store advertisement. When people discovered that its promises were true, business boomed. The concept of truth in advertising earned him the public's trust, which he never lost. The Experience of Shopping Riding the tide of his store's success, Wanamaker expanded his inventory and manufactured his own house brands. He also made some less conventional improvements to his store that would change the American experience of shopping. He opened an in-store restaurant in 1876, installed electric lights in 1878, and added elevators in 1889. To keep turnover high and prices low, he created February "Opportunity Sales," July "Midsummer Sales" and in January 1878 the first "White Sale." While committed to keeping costs low, Wanamaker also sought out style and quality, sending ten buyers to Europe each year. A Palace of Consumption Wanamaker's department store was a palace of consumption that made shopping itself an event for ordinary people. Trumpeted as "the largest space in the world devoted to retail selling on a single floor," the store featured 129 circular counters that ringed a central gas-lit tent for the demonstration of women's ballroom fashions. In 1896, he bought the A.T. Stewart Cast Iron Palace in New York and in 1902 connected it with a "bridge of progress" to the 16-story building next door. In 1911 Wanamaker expanded the Philadelphia store, featuring a 150-foot-high Grand Court with the world's second largest organ and a great eagle from the 1903 St. Louis World's Fair, which became a popular landmark and meeting spot. A Legacy of Trust A deeply religious man, Wanamaker refused to advertise on Sundays and for many years served as superintendent of the Bethany Presbyterian Sunday School. From 1870-83, he was president of the YMCA and in 1889 was appointed Postmaster General by President Benjamin Harrison. He died on December 12, 1922. Previous DemocratizerNext Democratizer
« Another difference between Republicans and Democrats \| Main \| A traitor to his class? » One chart refutes three myths about US foreign trade. Paul Krugman refutes the myth that US prosperity after WWII resulted from the destruction of our competitors by drawing on the BEA database that generated the following chart. The chart depicts data that also contradict two other myths that pollute conventional wisdom about foreign trade. First the chart and then the myths. Myth #1: The US economy boomed after WWII because the rest of the world was in ruins. To the contrary, the chart shows that, except for the war and Marshall Plan years, there was no US export boom until about 1973. Krugman points out that our competitor nations were also our customer nations, and when they couldn’t produce after WWII they couldn’t buy from us either. Myth #2: The Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act caused the Great Depression, or at least made it much longer and deeper. This act, signed into law June 17, 1930, was intended to protect American jobs and farmers from import competition by increasing tariffs from historic lows of about 5% to an average of about 25%, levels more characteristic of the 19th Century. Other nations retaliated by raising their tariff rates. Imports and exports both declined, but how much of those declines were caused by the tariff war, and were they a major factor contributing to the Great Depression? In recessions, imports and exports decline even without changes in tariff rates, an effect that is obvious in the chart for the 1982 and 1991 recessions and the current Great Recession. The chart and database show that exports declined 39% from 5.7% of GDP in 1929 to 3.5% in 1933, the worst year of the Great Depression, while imports declined 37% from 5.4% to 3.4%. However, foreign trade was the smallest part of the US economy in those days, and the largest domestic sectors and the economy as a whole declined even more. Total GDP declined 46% from 1929 to 1933, and the two largest components of GDP, personal consumption and domestic private investment, declined by 41% and 90%, respectively. (The fourth component of GDP, government spending, fortunately declined only 10%.) If raising tariffs caused immediate foreign trade decreases, then reversing the tariff changes should quickly increase foreign trade by about the same amount, right? Roosevelt promptly began making bi-lateral tariff reduction deals under authority of the Reciprocal Trade Agreements Act of 1934 and average rates were reduced to pre-Smoot-Hawley levels by 1947 when GATT was adopted. See graph here. Can we see the effects on foreign trade? Nope. In contrast to these dramatic tariff changes, the chart shows that imports grew very modestly from 3.4% of GDP in 1933 to just 4.3% in 1951. After that the value of imports as a portion of GDP was stable through 1965 before rising to 6.0% in 1972 (just before the Arab Oil Embargo). One could reasonably say, as many did at the time, that raising tariffs in 1930 was wrong-headed because it was unlikely to ameliorate the Great Depression (and apparently did not ameliorate it). But there’s nothing in the data to suggest the tariff increases made things a great deal worse either, is there? I submit that the only significant ill effect of Smoot-Hawley was to dissipate the political energy that might otherwise have been directed at doing something useful for the economy in 1930, instead of waiting three more years for Roosevelt and Keynes. Myth #3: If the US government just stays out of the way, foreign trade will balance itself out and share the benefits among all nations. According to the chart, the last year the US did not have a trade deficit was 1975, and the average deficit in the 34 years since has been 2.36% of GDP. In the last ten years, the average deficit has been 4.25%. This is important because net exports add to our GDP, and net imports subtract from GDP—that’s not theory or conjecture but in fact how GDP is defined. When we run a chronic trade deficit, we are restricting the growth of our domestic economy—and restricting the growth of wages and salaries that would be earned by Americans if they were producing the goods and services here instead of importing them. The benefits of having an export-based economy are going to other nations, many of whom pursue aggressive mercantilist policies intended to shift into their domestic economies growth and employment that would otherwise occur in the US and other nations. In 2009, ten nations accounted for 89.6% of the US trade deficit. They were China (45.3%), Mexico (9.5%), Japan (8.9%), Germany (5.6%), Ireland (4.1%), Canada (4%), Venezuela (3.7%), Nigeria (3.1%), Italy (2.8%), Malaysia (2.6%). (Source.) Of these, at least China and Japan overtly engage in currency manipulation and buy-local policies to maintain their advantages. They are, in effect, imposing economic sanctions on us and their other trading partners. This also serves the bottom lines of some powerful US-based interests; for them, a trade deficit is a feature, not a bug. The long-term persistence of our chronic trade deficit shows that it is not a random and transient departure from equilibrium, and it won’t change without policy changes in our federal government. PrintView Printer Friendly Version EmailEmail Article to Friend
Standard view Full view of . Save to My Library Look up keyword Like this 0 of . Results for: No results containing your search query P. 1 MC0080 _ Analysis and Design of Algorithms Set û 1 MC0080 _ Analysis and Design of Algorithms Set û 1 Ratings: (0)\|Views: 734 \|Likes: Published by rohit143rko MAY 2011 MCA 4th Semester solved Assignments Set-1. MC0079 Computer Based Optimization Methods. More info: Categories:Topics, Art & Design Published by: rohit143rko on Nov 23, 2011 Copyright:Attribution Non-commercial Read on Scribd mobile: iPhone, iPad and Android. download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd See more See less Semester 4 MC0080 Analysis and Design of AlgorithmsAssignment Set 1 Roll No. MAY 2011Master of Computer Application (MCA) Semester 4MC0080 Analysis and Design of Algorithms 4 Credits (Book ID: B0891)Assignment Set 1 (60 Marks)Answer the following: 6 10 = 6 Explain the structure of Fibonacci heaps ?Ans 1: A Fibonacci heap is a collection of trees satisfying the minimum-heap property, that is, the key of achild is always greater than or equal to the key of the parent. This implies that the minimum key isalways at the root of one of the trees. Compared with binomial heaps, the structure of a Fibonacciheap is more flexible. The trees do not have a prescribed shape and in the extreme case the heapcan have every element in a separate tree. This flexibility allows some operations to be executed in a"lazy" manner, postponing the work for later operations. For example merging heaps is done simplyby concatenating the two lists of trees, and operation decrease key sometimes cuts a node from itsparent and forms a new tree.However at some point some order needs to be introduced to the heap to achieve the desiredrunning time. In particular, degrees of nodes (here degree means the number of children) are keptquite low: every node has degree at most is at least + 2 , where is the th Fibonacci number. This is achieved by the rule that wecan cut at most one child of each non-root node. When a second child is cut, the node itself needs tobe cut from its parent and becomes the root of a new tree (see Proof of degree bounds, below). Thenumber of trees is decreased in the operation delete minimum , where trees are linked together.As a result of a relaxed structure, some operations can take a long time while others are done veryquickly. In the amortized running time analysis we pretend that very fast operations take a little bitlonger than they actually do. This additional time is then later subtracted from the actual runningtime of slow operations. The amount of time saved for later use is measured at any given momentby a potential function. The potential of a Fibonacci heap is given by Potential = + 2 is the number of trees in the Fibonacci heap, and is the number of marked nodes. A nodeis marked if at least one of its children was cut since this node was made a child of another node (allroots are unmarked). Semester 4 MC0080 Analysis and Design of AlgorithmsAssignment Set 1 Roll No. 2Thus, the root of each tree in a heap has one unit of time stored. This unit of time can be used laterto link this tree with another tree at amortized time 0. Also, each marked node has two units of timestored. One can be used to cut the node from its parent. If this happens, the node becomes a rootand the second unit of time will remain stored in it as in any other root. 2. What do you mean by reduction, NP-Complete and NP hard problem?Ans 2:Reduction Formally, NP-completeness is defined in terms of "reduction" which is just a complicated way of saying one problem is easier than another.We say that A is easier than B, and write A < B, if we can write down an algorithm for solving A thatuses a small number of calls to a subroutine for B (with everything outside the subroutine calls beingfast, polynomial time). There are several minor variations of this definition depending on thedetailed meaning of "small" -- it may be a polynomial number of calls, a fixed constant number, or just one call.Then if A < B, and B is in P, so is A: we can write down a polynomial algorithm for A by expanding thesubroutine calls to use the fast algorithm for B.So "easier" in this context means that if one problem can be solved in polynomial time, so can theother. It is possible for the algorithms for A to be slower than those for B, even though A < B.As an example, consider the Hamiltonian cycle problem. Does a given graph have a cycle visitingeach vertex exactly once? Here's a solution, using longest path as a subroutine: for each edge (u,v) of Gif there is a simple path of length n-1 from u to vreturn yes // path + edge form a cyclereturn no This algorithm makes m calls to a longest path subroutine, and does O(m) work outside thosesubroutine calls, so it shows that Hamiltonian cycle < longest path. (It doesn't show that Hamiltoniancycle is in P, because we don't know how to solve the longest path subproblems quickly.)As a second example, consider a polynomial time problem such as the minimum spanning tree. Thenfor every other problem B, B < minimum spanning tree, since there is a fast algorithm for minimumspanning trees using a subroutine for B. (We don't actually have to call the subroutine, or we can callit and ignore its results.) What is NP? NP is the set of all decision problems (question with yes-or-no answer) for which the 'yes'-answerscan be verified in polynomial time (O(n^k) where n is the problem size, and k is a constant) by adeterministic Turing machine.Polynomial time is sometimes used as the definition o .A decision problem is NP-complete if: Definition of NP-completeness is in NP, andEvery problem in NP isreducibleto in polynomial time. Semester 4 MC0080 Analysis and Design of AlgorithmsAssignment Set 1 Roll No. 3Can be shown to be in NP by demonstrating that a candidate solution to can be verified inpolynomial time.A problem is reducible to if there is a polynomial-time many-one reduction, adeterministicalgorithmwhich transforms any instance into an instance , such that the answer to is if and only if the answer to is . To prove that an NP problem is in fact an NP-completeproblem it is sufficient to show that an already known NP-complete problem reduces to .Note that a problem satisfying condition 2 is said to beNP-hard,whether or not it satisfiescondition1.A consequence of this definition is that if we had a polynomial time algorithm (on aUTM,or anyotherTuring-equivalentabstract machine)for , we could solve all problems in NP in polynomial time. What is NP-Hard? NP-Hard are problems that are at least as hard as the hardest problems in NP. Note that NP-Complete problems are also NP-hard. However not all NP-hard problems are NP (or even a decisionproblem), despite having 'NP' as a prefix. That is the NP in NP-hard does not mean 'non-deterministicpolynomial time'. Yes this is confusing but its usage is entrenched and unlikely to change. 3. Explain the concept of bubble sort and also write the algorithm for bubblesort.Ans 3 : Bubble Sort The Bubble Sort algorithm for sorting of n numbers, represented by an array A [1..n] ,proceeds by scanning the array from left to right. At each stage, compares adjacent pairs of numbers at positions A [i +1] and whenever a pair of adjacent numbers is found tobe out of order, then the positions of the numbers are exchanged. The algorithm repeatsthe process for numbers at positions A [i + 1] A [i + 2] Thus in the first pass after scanning once all the numbers in the given list, the largestnumber will reach its destination, but other numbers in the array, may not be in order. Ineach subsequent pass, one more number reaches its destination. In the following, in each line, pairs of adjacent numbers, shown in bold, are compared. Andif the pair of numbers are not found in proper order, then the positions of these numbersare exchanged.The list to be sorted has n = 6 as shown in the first row below: Activity (8) You've already reviewed this. Edit your review. 1 thousand reads 1 hundred reads piggymiggy liked this Amit Sharma liked this Manish Kumar liked this Sneha Latha liked this Namita Kumari liked this rohit143rko added this note I hope this would help you folks to complete your Assignments. Please feel free to provide your valuable suggestions and comments. So, that I would try to make it more better for you guys in future Assignments. You're Reading a Free Preview
View Single Post Old September 15 2012, 02:06 AM #126 Re: Envisioning the world of 2100 newtype_alpha wrote: View Post Mars wrote: View Post newtype_alpha wrote: View Post An atomic fission powered ion drive is feasible, an antimatter engine less so, warp drive is fantasy, so the only starships we will build will be slow one that take thousands of years to arrive at their destination, I think one could be built this century, we need to develop artificial wombs and AI technology to make this happen. I think it would be easier than developing reliable suspended animation, it is easier to preserve single fertilized egg cells invitro than a whole human body. egg cells are stored that way now But none of these are PRACTICAL, not on the timescales you're talking about, or for the applications you're describing. In essence the sentient AI is the least impractical thing on the ship mainly because it actually serves a (somewhat) well-defined purpose at the destination. That same AI would be entirely unnecessary for a voyage that lasts five thousand years, however. So tell me why can't you run a nuclear reactor for 5000 years? I hear nuclear fuel isn't that bulky, so I'm sure a 5000 year supply of Uranium could be stored aboard the ship, the ion drive would be needed only to bring the ship up to crusing speed, crusing speed would be about 0.1% of the speed of light to get to Alpha Centauri in 5000 years, that is 300 km/sec. If the starship accelerates at 1 mm per second squared, it would take 9.51 years to reach 300 km/sec, and another 9.51 years to slow down from it leaving about 4980 years of cruising, all the nuclear reactor would be used for then is sustaining the L5 habitat for all the plants and animals to be brought on the trip. There would be many generations of plants and animals in the interior hab, such that their would be an ancient forest growing in it by the time the ship arrived at its destination. The AI's job would be to sustain that ecosystem for the entire length of the voyage. Mars is offline Reply With Quote
From Bird Beaks Come Bird Beats Nature often takes a backseat to modern sounds of progress. How much does nature, specifically birdsong, parallel and influence human creation of music? With the sounds of machines, industry, and other man-made noises, are we drowning out valuable inspiration for human imagination and artistic prospects? While there may not be concrete answers to these questions, biologists and musicologists are currently studying the similarities between animal song and human music to better understand the relationship between the natural and man made noises. Many biologists and musicologists debate the influences and importance of birdsong in the development of human music. However, by analyzing the similarities between birdsong and human music, it is possible to better understand the relationship between man, his environment, and other species. There are many similarities between music and birdsong. Birdsong may be comparable to human musical compositions because birdsongs may include “rhythmic variations, pitch relationships, permutations, and combinations of notes” analogous to those used by human composers (Atema 52). Birds may also make music through the use of “instruments,” such as pounding on objects or possessing specialized feather structures (Atema 52). By understanding the similarities between birdsong and human music, it may be possible to experience similar emotions when hearing birds as when listening to man-made music. According to Angier, human emotional response to music may be deeply embedded in the brain (Angier). If humans exhibit instinctual emotional responses to man-made music, perhaps deep connections with birdsong are possible Birdsong may also be comparable to human language, as it is used as a form of communication between birds. The difference between language and music lies in the meaning. While language is generally used to convey a true or false meaning, musical meaning is more ambiguous (Fitch 31). Similar to the way developing humans use “baby-talk” or experiment with different vocal sounds, birds also experience a developmental stage characterized by vocal experimentation (Fitch 35). Depending on the definition of “song,” birdsong may or may not be considered a complex form of music, instead of a form of language used for communication. Fitch makes the distinction that “song” must be complex and must be developed through “vocal learning” from the environment (Fitch 35). By this definition, both birdsong and human music are unique in their complexity and creation. However, according to Fitch, birdsong and human musical ability evolved concurrently, but separately (Fitch 36). Christian religious beliefs also point to similarities between music and birdsong. Pagan beliefs sprouted the Christian notion that humans learned music from the birds. For example, the dove was seen as the messenger of God (Head 12). Additionally, Christian religion identified the birth of music from the Fall as Eve mimicked the songs of the birds out of jealousy (Head 9). However, later notions challenged the concept of nature-spurred music and instead posited that music was instinctual to man (Head 17). By dismissing the implications of birdsong, eighteenth century thinkers paved the way for modern alienation from nature because birdsong became an entity outside the definition of art that humans could not understand (Head 19). Likewise, studies, such as Araya-Salas’ study of the harmonic structure of birdsong, further isolate human music from animal or natural music by rejecting birdsong because it does not “conform to the harmonic rules of human music” (Araya-Salas 7). Alienation from nature creates a society that is deaf to the sounds of its environment. By ignoring the surrounding environment, humans ignore their impact on the surrounding ecosystem by creating noise that drowns out the environment. In drowning out environmental sounds, humans impede mating and communication between animals and harm the natural processes of the earth, perhaps changing them irrevocably (Tingley). Additionally, the ability to listen to surroundings enables people to become better listeners and to understand themselves, their environments, and others around them on a deeper level. Without the ability to listen, people could not communicate effectively or live the most productive lives possible. Ultimately, listening to nature creates a cascade of positive affects upon the individual and upon society as a whole. Studying birdsong may be the first building block in the larger prospects of mankind. While it is necessary to study environmental soundscapes as a whole to understand the affects of ambient noises and the interactions of different sounds within an environment, it is important to analyze birdsong by itself because of the stylistic parallels between human music. If people examine the music-making abilities of alternate species of animals, such as birds, it increases the possibility of revealing the meanings behind songs. Once song meaning can be discerned, the notion of a universal music that could be understood and enjoyed by multiple species concurrently becomes a possibility. Annotated Bibliography Angier, Natalie. “Sonata for Humans, Birds, and Humpback Whales.” The New York Times. 9 Jan. 2001. Web. Natalie Angier is a science journalist for the New York Times who does not possess any direct experience evaluating the relationship between animal and humans sounds. Based on the various terms used throughout the article, Angier’s article is intended for musicians, composers, or other people with musical backgrounds. Matthew Head would agree with Angier about the musical affects on the mind-body relationship, but Head also considers the possible spiritual influences on music and how this relates to birds, the mind, and the body. By studying the connections between music and the body, parallels can then be made between music and nature. Araya-Salas, M. (2012), Is birdsong music?. Significance, 9: 4–7. doi: 10.1111/j.1740-9713.2012.00613.x Araya-Salas is a biologist with extensive experience studying bird species in tropical and temperate climates, but may be less qualified to provide musical analyses. This article is a simplified explanation of Araya-Salas’ research experiment testing the harmonic intervals of nightingale wrens, essentially translated for the everyday reader. Araya-Salas posits that the songs of the nightingale wren are not music because they do not exhibit specific elements of human music. While Araya-Salas only makes this claim about a single species of bird, the authors of “The Music of Nature and the Nature of Music” would probably disagree with Araya-Salas’ claim. Perhaps the musicality of birdsong depends on the definition of “music” being studied. Atema, Jelle, et al. “The Music of Nature and the Nature of Music.” Science 291.5501 (2001): 52. General OneFile. Web. The various authors of “The Music of Nature and the Nature of Music” include a biology professor, a keyboardist, a soundscape ecologist, an environmentalist, and an expert on birdsong, who are all very qualified to collectively evaluate the relationships between human and bird sound. This article was published in Science Magazine and geared toward the everyday reader. Araya-Salas would challenge Jelle, et al claims that birdsong is parallel to human music. Jelle, et al provide many examples of the musicality of birdsong and posit the possibility of universal music. Fitch, W. T. (2005), The Evolution of Music in Comparative Perspective. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1060: 29–49. doi: 10.1196/annals.1360.004;jsessionid=E6A556FFCEC405A4F507649E37E1B40E.d02t03?v=1&t=he67url4&s=532e03e24b7dc922e52e9cf6c08f03a3a28d6d92. Fitch is of the University of St. Andrews School of Psychology in Scotland and is primarily concerned with affects of music on behavior and the brain. This article is an academic journal on the evolution of music. Fitch’s article is more scientific in nature and would conflict with some of the religious and speculative notions of development of human music from birdsong in Head’s article. Fitch describes the parallels of birdsong development to human development of language and identifies the purpose behind specific types of birdsong. Head, Matthew. “Birdsong and the Origins of Music.” Journal of the Royal Musical Association, Vol. 122, No. 1 (1997), pp. 1-23. Web. Matthew Head has extensively studied music at Yale and Oxford and current works as a reader in musicology, giving him ample knowledge of the nuances of sound. This article looks at music from an academic, and historical angle. Angier would connect Head’s concepts of the biological origin of music with her own claims that human’s have a musical center in the brain. Head chronicles the possible influences of birdsong on human development of music and explains the objections to those theories. Tingley, Kim. “Whisper of the Wild.” The New York Times. 15 Mar. 2012. Web. Tingley is an online columnist for OnEarth Magazine, and while she does not necessarily present ample knowledge of the topic of her article, she provides first hand accounts from her interviewees. The article is geared toward the everyday reader, with audio tracks available to supplement the article. Tingley and Atema would agree about the importance of studying soundscapes as a whole to understand ecosystems. The concept of noise pollution drowning out natural sounds provides evidence for human ignorance of the elements of birdsong.
Roadway Lighting Luminaire Code NA Roadway Lighting Luminaire Codes for North America Determining the lamp type and wattage of luminaires (and particularly roadway luminaires) in North America is fairly simple. Each luminaire includes a small rectangular sticker that indicates type of lamp and wattage. This sticker is to assist those responsible for replacing the burnt out lamps. To purchase and view the full document, click here "Roadway and Area Lighting Equipment - High Intensity Discharge and Low Pressure Sodium Lamps in Luminaires - Field Identification" NEMA/ANSI C136.15-2009. For a less formal reference, Wikipedia offers the article "History of street lighting in the United States" and makes reference to the luminaire identification system. Identifying Color and Lamp Type Yellow = High Pressure Sodium Tan = Low Pressure Sodium Blue = Mercury Vapor Red = Metal Halide Identifying Wattage In general, there is a two digit number placed on the sticker. You can easily identify the number by simply adding a "0" after the original two digits. For example, if a lamp says "10" the wattage is 100. Exceptions include 13, 17, 21, 87 which all have a "5" instead of a "0." If a lamp states it is "X1" then it is a lamp of 1000 lumens.
Cambridge Dictionaries online Cambridge Dictionaries online The most popular online dictionary and thesaurus for learners of English English definition of “smooth” adjective uk /smuːð/ us smooth adjective (REGULAR) B1 having a surface or consisting of a substance that is perfectly regular and has no holes, lumps, or areas that rise or fall suddenly: a smooth surface/texture/consistency This custard is deliciously smooth and creamy. Mix together the butter and sugar until smooth. The road ahead was flat and smooth. This cream will help to keep your skin smooth.Straight, even and level smooth adjective (NOT INTERRUPTED) C2 happening without any sudden changes, interruption, or difficulty: We had a very smooth flight with no turbulence at all. The car's improved suspension gives a much smoother ride than earlier models. An efficient transport system is vital to the smooth running of a country's economy.Continuous and permanentEfficient and effective smooth adjective (TASTING PLEASANT) having a pleasant flavour that is not sour or bitter: This coffee is incredibly smooth and rich.Pleasant to eat or drinkWines and winemaking smooth adjective (NOT SINCERE) very polite, confident, and able to persuade people, but in a way that is not sincere: The foreign minister is so smooth that many of his colleagues distrust him. In job interviews, the successful candidates tend to be the smooth talkers who know exactly how to make the right impression.Affected and insincereTalkative and eloquent noun [U] uk /ˈsmuːð.nəs/ us The wine possesses a smoothness and balanced depth that is rare. I just love the smoothness of silk.Straight, even and levelPleasant to eat or drinkWines and winemakingContinuous and permanent verb uk /smuːð/ us smooth verb (MAKE FLAT) [I or T] to move your hands across something in order to make it flat: He straightened his tie nervously and smoothed (down) his hair.Making things more or less smooth or straight smooth verb (REMOVE PROBLEMS) [T] to remove difficulties and make something easier to do or achieve: We encourage parents to help smooth their children's way through school. We must do more to smooth the country's path to democratic reform.Making things betterBecoming better smooth verb (RUB) [T + adv/prep] to cover the surface of something with a liquid or cream, using gentle rubbing movements: Pour some oil into the palm of your hand and then smooth it over your arms and neck.Making things more or less smooth or straightScratching and rubbing (Definition of smooth from the Cambridge Advanced Learners Dictionary & Thesaurus © Cambridge University Press) What is the pronunciation of smooth? Add Cambridge dictionaries to your browser to your website Definitions of “smooth” in other dictionaries Word of the Day beer mat Word of the Day Read our blog about how the English language behaves. Learn More New Words Learn More
weather image Check out your forecast print this Print email this Email small textmedium textlarge text Saturday, June 1, 2013 Today in History - Saturday, June 1, 2013 Today is Saturday, June 1, the 152nd day of 2013. There are 213 days left in the year. Today's Highlight in History: On June 1, 1813, the mortally wounded commander of the USS Chesapeake, Capt. James Lawrence, gave the order, "Don't give up the ship" during a losing battle with the British frigate HMS Shannon in the War of 1812. On this date: In 1533, Anne Boleyn, the second wife of King Henry VIII, was crowned as Queen Consort of England. In 1792, Kentucky became the 15th state of the union. In 1796, Tennessee became the 16th state. In 1862, Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee assumed command of the Army of Northern Virginia during the Civil War. In 1868, James Buchanan, the 15th president of the United States, died near Lancaster, Pa., at age 77. In 1915, the T.S. Eliot poem "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock" was first published in "Poetry: A Magazine of Verse" in Chicago. In 1933, in a bizarre scene captured by news photographers, Lya Graf, a female circus dwarf, sat in the lap of financier J.P. Morgan Jr. during a recess of a Senate hearing on the stock market crash of 1929. In 1943, a civilian flight from Portugal to England was shot down by the Germans during World War II, killing all 17 people aboard, including actor Leslie Howard. In 1958, Charles de Gaulle became premier of France, marking the beginning of the end of the Fourth Republic. In 1967, the Beatles album "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" was released. In 1968, author-lecturer Helen Keller, who earned a college degree despite being blind and deaf almost all of her life, died in Westport, Conn., at age 87. In 1980, Cable News Network made its debut. Ten years ago: Leaders of the world's seven wealthiest nations and Russia pledged billions of dollars to fight AIDS and hunger on the opening day of their summit in Evian, France. Five years ago: Hillary Rodham Clinton won a lopsided, but largely symbolic, victory in Puerto Rico's presidential primary. Fire ripped through a back lot at Universal Studios. At least eight people suffocated at an overcrowded stadium in Monrovia during a soccer match between host Liberia and Gambia. NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander took its first practice scoop of Martian soil. Fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent died in Paris at age 71. One year ago: A judge in Sanford, Fla., revoked the bond of the neighborhood watch volunteer charged with murdering Trayvon Martin and ordered him returned to jail within 48 hours, saying George Zimmerman and his wife had misled the court about how much money they had available when his bond was set at $150,000. The U.N.'s top human rights body voted overwhelmingly to condemn Syria over the slaughter of more than 100 civilians; Syria's most important ally and protector, Russia, voted against the measure by the U.N. Human Rights Council in Geneva. Johan Santana pitched the first no-hitter in New York Mets history in an 8-0 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals. Today's Birthdays: Actor Richard Erdman is 88. Singer Pat Boone is 79. Actor-writer-director Peter Masterson is 79. Actor Morgan Freeman is 76. Actor Rene Auberjonois is 73. Opera singer Frederica von Stade is 68. Actor Brian Cox is 67. Rock musician Ronnie Wood is 66. Actor Jonathan Pryce is 66. Actor Powers Boothe is 65. Actress Gemma Craven is 63. Blues-rock musician Tom Principato is 61. Country singer Ronnie Dunn is 60. Actress Lisa Hartman Black is 57. Singer-musician Alan Wilder is 54. Rock musician Simon Gallup (The Cure) is 53. Country musician Richard Comeaux (River Road) is 52. Actor-comedian Mark Curry is 52. Actor-singer Jason Donovan is 45. Actress Teri Polo is 44. Basketball player-turned-coach Tony Bennett is 44. Actor Rick Gomez is 41. Model-actress Heidi Klum is 40. Singer Alanis Morissette is 39. Actress Sarah Wayne Callies is 36. TV personality Damien Fahey is 33. Pop singer-songwriter Brandi Carlile is 32. Actor Johnny Pemberton is 32. Tennis player Justine Henin is 31. Actor Taylor Handley is 29. Actress Willow Shields (Film: "The Hunger Games") is 13. Thought for Today: "Patience! Patience! Patience is the invention of dullards and sluggards. In a well-regulated world there should be no need of such a thing as patience." — Grace King, American author (1852-1932).
Placing Pixels 1x1 1 import tkinter 3 root = tkinter.Tk() 5 def pixel(image, pos, color): 6 """Place pixel at pos=(x,y) on image, with color=(r,g,b).""" 7 r,g,b = color 8 x,y = pos 9 image.put("#%02x%02x%02x" % (r,g,b), (y, x)) 11 photo = tkinter.PhotoImage(width=32, height=32) 13 pixel(photo, (16,16), (255,0,0)) # One lone pixel in the middle... 15 label = tkinter.Label(root, image=photo) 16 label.grid() 17 root.mainloop() Fill Many Pixels at Once 1 import tkinter 3 root = tkinter.Tk() 5 def fill(image, color): 6 """Fill image with a color=(r,b,g).""" 7 r,g,b = color 8 width = image.width() 9 height = image.height() 10 hexcode = "#%02x%02x%02x" % (r,g,b) 11 horizontal_line = "{" + " ".join([hexcode]width) + "}" 12 image.put(" ".join([horizontal_line]height)) 14 photo = tkinter.PhotoImage(width=32, height=32) 16 fill(photo, (255,0,0)) # Fill with red... 18 label = tkinter.Label(root, image=photo) 19 label.grid() 20 root.mainloop() Disappearing PhotoImage Something that seems to bite every new Tkinter programmer at least once: you've loaded a PhotoImage, applied it to a Button, Label, or other widget, and nothing shows up - because you referenced the image only via a local variable, so it went out of scope and got deleted before the widget ever appeared. 1 import tkinter 3 root = tkinter.Tk() 5 def create_button_with_scoped_image(): 6 img = tkinter.PhotoImage(file="icons.gif") # reference PhotoImage in local variable 7 button = tkinter.Button(root, image=img) 8 button.grid() 10 create_button_with_scoped_image() # PROBLEM: the button will be blank 12 tkinter.mainloop() The usual solution is to store a reference to the image as an attribute of the widget that is to display it. 1 def create_button_with_scoped_image(): 2 img = tkinter.PhotoImage(file="icons.gif") 3 button = tkinter.Button(root, image=img) 4 button.img = img # store a reference to the image as an attribute of the widget 5 button.grid() 7 create_button_with_scoped_image() # WORKS: the button will have an image on it You might just call this a bug in Tkinter, but the reality isn't quite that simple... Tk images are not first-class objects: when you apply one to a widget, you do not in any sense "pass a reference to" the image. 1 img = tkinter.PhotoImage(file="icons.gif") 2 print(img) # -> "pyimage1" 3 button = tkinter.Button(root, image=img) # the tkinter Button remembers "pyimage1", not img Instead, you just pass a name, which Tk looks up in an internal table of defined images (from which images can only be deleted manually). From Tkinter, passing a PhotoImage as a parameter actually only sends the str() of the image object to the Tcl side: this is just a string, the randomly-generated name assigned when the object was created. "No reference to the image itself" means "no reference counting" means "no way for the Python side to be notified when the image is truly no longer used". If Tkinter didn't delete images when no Python reference to them existed, they would be unavoidable memory leaks. Tkinter could automatically store a reference to the image object itself when one is passed as a parameter to a widget method, but this would actually be worse in some cases. Consider that the image could become unused without the Python side being aware of it: for example, if an image is inserted in a Text widget, but the user later deletes the text containing it. An automatically-generated reference would make the image object leak in this case. The only workable improvement I can think of is for PhotoImage.__del__ to only immediately delete the image if Tk's image inuse command showed them to currently be unused. Otherwise, the image name would be added to a list of orphaned images; periodically (via after()?), Tkinter would scan this list for images that are no longer inuse and delete them then. Possible problem: if an image was inserted in a Text widget and was later deleted, but the deletion is still in the widget's undo stack, does the image count as inuse? Copy a SubImage Another problem with PhotoImages: the wrapper for their copy() method is botched. It allows no parameters, so all you can do with an image is make an exact copy of it, which isn't terribly useful. It doesn't appear that this can be fixed in a backwards-compatible way, since what functionality copy() does have is exactly backwards to Tk: Tkinter's copy is a method of the source image (automatically creating the destination image for you), while Tk's copy is a subcommand of the destination image (allowing you to create it yourself with whatever options are appropriate). Fortunately, it's pretty easy to make a direct Tcl call to do image operations that Tkinter doesn't support. For example, here's a simple rectangular subimage extractor: 1 def subimage(src, l, t, r, b): 2 dst = PhotoImage() 3, 'copy', src, '-from', l, t, r, b, '-to', 0, 0) 4 return dst If you want to do much with images beyond loading and displaying them, Tk and Tkinter can't help you very much. Consider PIL (PythonImagingLibrary): it can perform whatever image operations you need (rotate, warp, scale with better quality than Tk, etc.), then copy to a ImageTk object which can then be used just like a Tkinter image object. Unfortunately, PIL isn't as commonly included in Python distributions as Tkinter is. See Also tkinter: PhotoImage (last edited 2014-02-27 02:53:56 by sam)
Jepson Flora Project: Jepson Interchange Jepson Interchange (more information) ©Copyright 1993 by the Regents of the University of California Lawrence R. Heckard, Family Coordinator Annual to shrubs, generally glandular, some green root-parasites Stem generally round Fruit: capsule, generally ± ovoid, loculicidal or septicidal Seed: coat sculpture often characteristic Key to genera by Elizabeth Chase Neese & Margriet Wetherwax. David M. Thompson Annual to shrub, glabrous to hairy Stem generally erect Leaves opposite, generally ± sessile, generally toothed or generally entire, reddish or generally green Inflorescence: raceme, bracted, or flowers generally 2 per axil Flower sometimes cleistogamous; calyx generally green, lobes 5, generally << tube, equal or not, generally uppermost largest; corolla generally deciduous, white to red, maroon, purple, gold or yellow, limb width measured at widest point looking into flower, lower lip base sometimes swollen, ± closing mouth, tube-throat floor generally with 2 longitudinal folds; pollen chambers spreading; placentas 2, axile or parietal; stigma lobes generally leaf-like, generally included Fruit generally ovoid to fusiform, generally upcurved if elongate, generally ± fragile, loculicidal near tip (sometimes hard, indehiscent); chambers 1–2 Seeds many, generally < 1 mm, ovoid, yellowish to dark brown Species in genus: ± 100 species: w North America, Chile, eastern Asia, s Africa, New Zealand, Australia Etymology: (Latin: little mime or comic actor, from face-like corolla limb of some) Reference: [Grant 1924 Ann Missouri Bot Gard 11:99–388] M. lewisii Pursh Perennial, rhizomed, hairy Stem 25–80 cm Leaf 20–70 mm, oblong to elliptic, generally clasping stem, palmately 3–5-veined Flower: pedicel generally 30–70 mm; calyx 15–25 mm, hairy, lobes equal, 4–6 mm, acute; corolla lavender to purple, tube-throat 30–50 mm, lips spreading; placentas axile Fruit 13–14 mm Chromosomes: n=8 Ecology: Streambanks, seeps Elevation: 1200–3100 m. Bioregional distribution: High Cascade Range, Sierra Nevada Distribution outside California: to w Canada, Montana, Wyoming, Utah Horticultural information: IRR or WET, DRN: 1, 2, 3, 7, 14, 18, 19, 20, 21 &SUN: 4, 5, 6, 15, 16, 17; DFCLT. previous taxon \| next taxon bioregional map for MIMULUS%20lewisii being generated Retrieve Jepson Interchange Index to Plant Names entry for Mimulus lewisii Retrieve dichotomous key for Mimulus Overlay Consortium of California Herbaria specimen data by county on this map Return to the Jepson Interchange main page Return to treatment index page University & Jepson Herbaria Home Page \| General Information \| University Herbarium \| Jepson Herbarium \| Visiting the Herbaria \| On-line Resources \| Research \| Education \| Related Sites Copyright © by the Regents of the University of California
Help Wikitravel grow by contributing to an article! Learn how. Etosha National Park From Wikitravel Africa : Southern Africa : Namibia : Northern Namibia : Etosha National Park Jump to: navigation, search Zebras in Etosha National Park Etosha National Park [1] is the 2nd largest of Namibia's game reserves (after Namib-Naukluft National Park , Africa's largest and the worlds 4th largest nature reserve). It spans 20,000km² in Northern Namibia. The park surrounds the Etosha salt pan, which attracts animals, particularly in the drier winter months, because it is a source of water in a very dry land. Its name means "big white place", referring to the Etosha Salt Pan. All facilities inside the park are run by Namibia Wildlife Resorts [2], a company owned by the Namibian Government. Namuntoni: The waterhole in the camp first came to notice of Europeans as the place where travelers John Anderson and Francis Galton camped at the time that they discovered the Etosha Pan in 1851. From 1897 Namutoni served as a control post during the "rinderpest" epidemic. When the epidemic abated it remained a frontier post which supervised trade with Owamboland. Etosha National Park Flora and fauna[edit] Wildlife that can be seen here include: Rhinos, Lions, Zebra, Giraffes, Gemsbok, Springbok, Wildebeest, Elephants, and Jackals. Get in[edit] To visit Etosha, one needs a vehicle. Visitors are not permitted to wander around the park (except in the enclosed camping/hotel areas) on foot. The B1 (from either Oshakati or Tsumeb) brings you to the park's eastern gate at Namutoni. The C38, from Outjo bring you to the park's southern gate. There are also several safari companies operating from Windhoek and Swakopmund which offer tours of varying length in Etosha. Safari companies are also allowed to enter the western part of the park which is closed to private visitors. Get around[edit] As mentioned above, you need a vehicle to get around the park. The roads are all well-graded gravel, so there is no need to have a four-wheel drive. Since the dust generated by traffic is damaging to the environment, the speed limit is 60 km/h (37 mph). Be careful when driving on gravel roads especially when braking as there is very little traction available and one can skid very easily. Remember to fuel up in advance as the fueling stations are only at the camps and distances in Namibia are deceptive. See[edit][add listing] • Animals! Throughout the park, particularly at watering holes, of which there are many. • Rest Camp watering holes At all three rest camps, there is are watering holes just outside the perimeter fence. At night they are lit with flood lights and visitors can sit and watch as the animals come down to drink, flirt and occasionally fight well into the night. They are ideal places to wander down to with a sundowner after getting back from a days game spotting. Visitors are not allowed out of the rest camps after sunset so the waters holes can provide the opportunity to continue watching the animals after dark. Do[edit][add listing] What else to do then see the wildlife! From every hotel there are possibilities to do a game drive, be sure to bring your binoculars as some animals (like lions or cheetahs) can only be watched when distance is kept. Also when close to animals be very quiet, most animals will be scared by the slightest noise. The best time to easily see a lot of wildlife is in the afternoon around 15:30, beware however that most hotels and lodges close their gates at 6 in the evening. When you want to visit the park after the gates are closed you will need a special guide to accompany you. Buy[edit][add listing] A good map that has all the water holes that tells you where to see the animals you may want to see Eat[edit][add listing] Drink[edit][add listing] Sleep[edit][add listing] All three camps have been renovated currently. From November 2007 prices will go up extremely; a room for two persons in Namutoni is 150 N$ per person and night today, from then on it will be 1200 N$ per person and night, but including breakfast and dinner. Prices for campsites will doubled in most cases. There are three designated rest camps for visitors, enclosed by walls and fences. All three having camping and more permanent accommodation, petrol stations, pools and shops for those things you forgot. The gates for camps open at sunrise and close at sunset. You are not allowed outside of a camp during night. Bush camping is not permitted. All three camps have waterholes with floodlights. • Namutoni - At the east gate of the park. This is on the site of an old German fort which was burned down many years ago in a raid by the Ovambo people from the north. Today the fort is a hotel. There is also a shop where you can buy food and basic supplies. • Halali - South of the pan and situated about half way between the other two rest camps. This has the most impressive floodlit water hole with a viewing platform - you can walk down after setting up camp and sit here at sunset, drink a sundowner and watch the animals come down to drink. • Okaukuejo - At the south entrance to the park. There are small huts available, as well as a restaurant and pool. Be sure to have a look at the waterhole around midnight, you can often see rhinos even during wet season. This has the best layout among all the camps and the best waterhole for sitting down and watching animals. Stay safe[edit] Stay in your car; wild animals can be dangerous. There are plenty of picnic spots around the park where one can alight from your vehicle, but these are not all fenced so be on the lookout for animals. At night, jackals may walk around your campsite, they will usually flee when they see you but be careful, some jackals cary rabies. Although all campsites are fenced, do not sleep outside, especially not on the benches surrounding the waterholes. The fence is not high there and not really an obstacle for a lion. Etosha is in the malaria zone, so take appropriate precautions. Get out[edit] North-east of Etosha the Caprivi Strip offers more game parks and is en route to the Victoria Falls. Destination Docents In other languages
How Hypoglycemia Can Affect Your Weight How Hypoglycemia Can Affect Your Weight Hypoglycemia is a serious condition that is heavily associated with diabetes and other related health problems. It is characterized as a deficiency of blood sugar. When your blood sugar level drops, a wide range of different negative effects can take place, including loss of consciousness, seizures, irritability and much more. Left untreated, hypoglycemia can even be fatal. Hypoglycemia affects a lot of different parts of your body, among them certain systems that may affect your weight as well. Because of the various different types of responses that people can have to hypoglycemia, it's difficult to predict exactly what the result will be in terms of your weight, but it's common for weight to fluctuate, either up or down by significant or smaller amounts, as a result of this condition. Hypoglycemia and Weight Loss More common than weight gain as a result of hypoglycemia is weight loss. This is due to your body not being able to adequately process all of the food that comes into it. Additionally, those with lowered blood sugar levels will have a variety of tendencies to eat less and ingest fewer calories. When fewer calories come into a body, the total weight generally drops, provided that the calorie expenditure remains roughly the same. Hypoglycemia can lead to sudden bumps in weight loss as well, as it frequently causes patients to lose a good portion of water weight from their bodies. If you find yourself urinating much more frequently than normal, you may be suffering from hypoglycemia or a related condition. Hypoglycemia and Weight Gain It's also relatively common to see people with hypoglycemia gain weight. This may be due to a slowing of the metabolism, which causes additional portions of the food that is ingested to be stored as fat in various parts of the body. It can also be due to an increased water intake, as the people who feel the need to urinate more frequently as a result of lowered blood sugar levels oftentimes overcompensate by drinking a great deal more water. Hypoglycemia and Exercise For those trying to achieve a total loss of weight through a diet or an exercise program, it's crucial to keep in mind whether hypoglycemia may be a risk. Exercise can trigger hypoglycemia and cause a number of potentially severe problems. If you are hypoglycemic, check in with your doctor first before you begin any exercise program. It's also generally best to avoid rigorous or prolonged exercise if you have this condition. If you do continue to exercise, you'll need to carefully monitor your blood sugar levels both during and after the workout, and then adjust as necessary with the help of insulin injections or sugar pills as well. Though hypoglycemia is a serious condition that can pose a lot of problems if left untreated or if dealt with improperly, it's also possible to continue to live a very healthy, normal life with this condition. It will simply require a bit more diligence in order to remain stable.
Edward Dailey Dale Dailey Edward Dailey Much of the life of Edward Dailey of Bedford, Pennsylvania remains to be discovered, but enough information exists to sketch a portion of his adult life. No record of his birth has been found, but one unverified record lists the year to be 1768. The earliest record of Edward lists him on the 1789 property tax rolls in Bedford Township, Bedford County, Pennsylvania. During this period, Bedford County stood near the edge of the settled frontier, so it is unlikely that Edward was born in the immediate area. Based upon migration patterns, it is more likely he was born somewhere east or south of Bedford. Many of the original settlers in the region were descended from a group of immigrants known as the Scotch Irish. On his wife’s side, they included the Davidson, Thompson, and McElvain families. The Dailey surname is probably also of Scotch Irish. The variety of spellings of his last name in public records (Dailey, Daily, Daly, Dayley, etc.) indicates Edward probably could not read or write. An early Bedford County history reports Edward in 1798 with 150 acres, a log house, and log barn. Possibly significant, the property was adjacent to one owned by Samuel Davidson, his father-in-law. There is no record of Edward’s occupation, but his father-in-law owned a tanyard and two of Edward’s sons became tanners. Based upon the increasing number of horses and cows that were recorded on the tax roles, Edward’s fortunes seem to have improved until 1806 and then went into decline. He continued to appear on the tax roles in the township until around 1811 when ownership of his property apparently was transferred to his oldest son, Samuel. In August and September, 1814 notices by Edward appeared in a local paper reported that “stray sheep came to the plantation of the subscriber.” He may have continued to live on the property despite his tax problems. A month later in October, 1814, there is another notice in the same paper listing an auction of all the personal property of Edward: horses, cows, sheep, hogs, corn, household goods, etc. The notice indicates the seller is Edward Dailey, not the estate of Edward Dailey. By 1816, the property taxes for the “Dailey Place” are being paid by the estate of Edward’s father-in-law, Samuel Davidson. The property is eventually sold in 1818 as part of the estate. Within the Bedford community, Edward’s standing also rose during the 1790s and then fell. The Pennsylvania military archives record that Edward served in the Bedford County militia in 1792, 1793, and 1796. In 1796, he was elected to the rank of captain by his comrades. But starting in 1797, Bedford County court records indicate a series of legal problems for Edward. He and another man acting as supervisors of highways were charged with “neglect of duty.” In 1804, a case was brought by the Commonwealth against Edward Dailey involving “Assault and Battery of Mathias Zimmers.” The history of Edward’s family follows a similar pattern. He married Eleanor Davidson, the daughter of Samuel Davidson, a prosperous community leader in Bedford. Based upon the birth of their first child and the age of the mother, the probable date of their marriage must have been around 1787. Between around 1788 and 1802, the couple had five children who lived to adulthood: Samuel, Mary, John, Magery, and William Thompson. Census records indicate a total of six children in the household, so a child must have died during childhood or the family may have taken in an extra child. Unexpectedly, the 1810 census for Bedford Township records Eleanor Dailey (Elenor Dayley) as the head of household with the six children. There is no record of a divorce. By the 1820 census, Eleanor had moved her family to Fairfield County in central Ohio. Still later, in 1821, she married a widower, John Parrot in Fairfield County, Ohio. Summarizing what we know of Edward Dailey: While still a young man, he secured a farm and married into a well-to-do family in Bedford, Pennsylvania. Between 1789 and 1810, he prospered and was a respected citizen in the frontier town. But around 1810, his fortunes declined on all fronts. He was separated from his wife and she, in turn, had moved to Ohio. By 1814, Edward had lost his property to back taxes and had had two adverse encounters with the local courts. One wonders whether there was some, catastrophic event at the heart of all his problems? The last record of Edward in 1814 indicates he was still alive, but all his possessions were up for sale. At this point, his trail disappears. 26 February 2003 Dale Dailey 2707 E. Howe Road DeWitt, MI 48820 [contact link] Write a comment People in this story Tags for this story
Skip to main content 1. Life 2. Family & Parenting 3. Family Gardening with children Most children love to get their hands dirty. Why not take that natural inclination this spring and turn it toward gardening? You don’t need a lot of space, or even a garden. You can effectively grow many vegetables in containers. Reserve a container or a portion of garden for each child. You can take the opportunity to point out how plants need sunlight and water, but don’t belabor the point home. Children have a natural curiosity and learn best when they’re having fun. One fun project, and a way to get your children to eat more vegetables, is to grow a salad in your garden. In Fresno, it’s too late in the year to start lettuce, but you can plant cucumber, tomatoes, peppers and almost anything else you like in a salad. Prepare the soil by removing any weeds, digging it up, adding compost and raking it smooth, or simply fill up the container. Let your child help pick out the seeds or seedlings. For seeds, radishes sprout and mature quickly. Carrots and green onions are also good choices. A new cultivar of carrot from Burpee, Organic Carrot--Kaleidoscope Mix, has purple, yellow red and orange carrots. For a long term project, plant pumpkins for a Halloween harvest, your children will love to grow their own jack o’ lanterns. Lawn and Garden has a pumpkin, Lumina, that is white when it matures. Children love to plant the vegetables, they’ll enjoy watering them this summer, and maybe, just maybe, when the vegetables mature, they’ll love eating them too. • NL Gervasio 4 years ago I don't have children, but I can't wait to start gardening again! Great article.
Personal tools GHC optimisations From HaskellWiki Revision as of 15:43, 11 August 2007 by MathematicalOrchid (Talk \| contribs) Jump to: navigation, search 1 Introduction This page collects together information about the optimisations that GHC does and does not perform. • GHC experts: Please check that the info in this page is correct. • Everybody else: Feel free to add questions! 2 General optimisations 2.1 Common subexpression elimination First of all, common subexpression elemination (CSE) means that if an expression appears in several places, the code is rearranged so that the value of that expression is computed only once. For example: foo x = (bar x) * (bar x) might be transformed into foo x = let x' = bar x in x' * x' thus, the function is only called once. (And if is a particularly expensive function, this might save quite a lot of work.) GHC doesn't actually perform CSE as often as you might expect. The trouble is, performing CSE can affect the strictness/lazyness of the program. So GHC does do CSE, but only in specific circumstances --- see the GHC manual. (Section??) Long story short: "If you care about CSE, do it by hand." 2.2 Inlining Inlining is where a function call is replaced by that function's definition. For example, the standard function can be defined as map f [] = [] map f (x:xs) = f x : map f xs Now if you write something like foo = map bar it's possible that the compiler might inline the definition of , yielding something like foo [] = [] foo (x:xs) = bar x : foo xs which is (hopefully!) faster, because it doesn't involve a call to the function any more, it just does the work directly. (This might also expose new optimisations opportunities; works for any types, whereas probably works for only one type.) So, that's what inlining is. By default, GHC will inline things if they are 'small enough'. Every time you inline a function, you are in a sense making a (customised) copy of that function. Do too much of this and the compiled program will be enormous. So it's only worth it for 'small' functions. (How does GHC determine 'small'? Isn't there a switch that adjusts this?) 2.3 Strictness analysis Haskell is a lazy language. Calculations are notionally not performed until their results are 'needed'. However, if the result definitely will be needed, it's a waste of time and effort to save up the expression and execute it later; more efficient to just execute it right now. Strictness analysis is a process by which GHC attempts to determine, at compile-time, which data definitely will 'always be needed'. GHC can then build code to just calculate such data, rather than the normal (higher overhead) process for storing up the calculation and executing it later. Unfortunately, looking at a program and saying "will this data be needed?" is a bit like looking at a program and saying "this program will never halt" --- see The Halting Problem. (Good link?) But GHC does its best, and can give big speedups in some cases. 3 Execution Model In order to understand how to write efficient code, and what GHC does with your code to optimise it, it helps to know a bit about what your compiled code looks like and how it works. 3.1 Graph reduction To a first approximation, at any moment your program is a 'graph' of objects in memory. ('Graph' in the graph theory sense --- nodes connected by arcs.) Some of the objects are 'data' --- booleans, integers, strings, lists, etc. Some of those objects are functions (because Haskell lets you pass functions around like data). And some of these are thunks --- unevaluated expressions (because Haskell only evaluates expressions 'as needed'). The program starts off with a single node representing the unevaluated call to , and proceeds to execute from there. Each time a thunk is executed, the result (whatever it is) overwrites the thunk data. (It's possible that the result of evaluating a thunk is a new thunk of course.) 3.2 About STG GHC compiles to the spineless tagness G-machine (STG). This is a notional graph reduction machine (i.e., a virtual machine that performs graph reductions as described above). 'G-machine' because it does graph reduction. 'Spineless' because it can't stand up to bullies. 'Tagless' because the graph nodes don't have 'tags' on them to say what they are. Instead of tags, the nodes have access pointers. If the node is a thunk, its pointer points to the code to evaluate the thunk and return the real result. Otherwise the pointer points to some 'do-nothing' code. So to access any type of node, you just do an indirect jump on this pointer; no case analysis is necessary. (Gosh I hope I got that lot right!) Internally, GHC uses a kind of 'machine code' that runs on this non-existent G-machine. It does a number of optimisations on that representation, before finally compiling it into real machine code (possibly via C using GCC). 3.3 STG optimisations There are a number of optimisations done at the STG level. These mainly involve trying to avoid unnecessary steps. For example, avoid creating a thunk which immediately creates another thunk when executed; make it evaluate all the way down to a final result in one go. (If we 'need' the thunk's value, we're going to evaluate all the way down anyway, so let's leave out the overhead...) 3.4 Primitive data types Haskell-98 provides some standard types such as , etc. GHC defines these as 'boxed' versions of GHC-specific 'unboxed' types: -- From GHC.Exts: data Int = I# Int# data Word = W# Word# data Double = D# Double# -- etc. is a GHC-specific internal type representing, literally, a plain ordinary bundle of 32 or 64 bits inside the computer somewhere. (Depending on whether it's a 32 or 64-bit architecture.) In particular, a is strict, whereas a 3.5 Algebraic data types (I'm not sure about the basic memory layout. Somebody fill in the general case?) There are a few special cases: 3.5.1 Types with 1 constructor If a function puts a bunch of things into a type value, and the caller immediately takes the things out of the bunch again, GHC will try to eliminate the bundle type all together. (Or is that just for tuples?) 3.5.2 Constructors with no fields Booleans are a good example: data Bool = False \| True GHC will construct a single object in memory representing , and another representing . All values are thus pointers to one or the other of these objects. (And hence, consume either 32 or 64 bits.)
Definición de chatter en inglés: Saltos de línea: chat\|ter Pronunciación: /ˈtʃatə [no object] 1Talk informally about unimportant matters: she was chattering about her holiday Más ejemplos en oraciones • There were a couple of students outside, playing a quick game, or chattering before school started, and she couched down, and watched them. • The door into the lobby opened again, the sound of voices chattering excitedly. • Water falls were alive with the crashing of water on rock, rivers trickled, birds sang, people chattered, lava boiled and fires crackled. 1.1(Of a bird, monkey, or machine) make a series of short, quick high-pitched sounds: parrots chattered in the sunlight Más ejemplos en oraciones • Around her, birds chattered happily to each other, and the early morning sounds of traffic could be faintly heard in the distance. • The monkey chattered fearfully and quickly jumped back into the midst of the tree leaves. • In the marshland may the fish and birds chatter. 1.2(Of a person’s teeth) click repeatedly together from cold or fear: his teeth were chattering Más ejemplos en oraciones • Her teeth chattered together and her face was pale from the cold. • His teeth chattered together so violently that he feared they would break. • In summer, we went swimming in the Barrow every day, and swam until we were blue with the cold, our teeth chattering as we practised for competitions. [mass noun] Volver al principio 1Informal talk: he was full of inconsequential but amusing chatter Más ejemplos en oraciones • She'd kept up an almost incessant stream of chatter and commentary during the whole of the train ride from London, and then in the taxi to the dock. • A similar need to divert the audience at every instant seems to motivate the film's incessant stream of chatter. • No matter what he did, he couldn't block the incessant chatter. 1.1Electronic or radio communication, especially between individuals being monitored by a government agency as a result of suspected involvement in terrorist activity or espionage: officials refused to comment on a news report that the patrols were resumed due to increased Internet chatter Más ejemplos en oraciones • Intelligence officials are now trying to determine who is the next target, and are sifting through chatter in search of a genuine threat. • We have no imminent threat. We have a lot of chatter out there, but no imminent threat of a biological or chemical attack. • At a maritime industry meeting in Southern California, the FBI warned of increased terrorist chatter. 2A series of short, quick high-pitched sounds: the starlings' constant chatter Más ejemplos en oraciones • This shape is musical: along with typing in a nickname of her choice, each chatter is attributed a sound. • I awoke in the real dead of night to the sounds of muffled chatter and hurried movements both in front and behind. • The silence (other than the constant chatter of the television) is deadly. 2.1Undesirable vibration in a mechanism: the wipers should operate without chatter Más ejemplos en oraciones • The direct-drive AC spindle eliminates the use of gears or belts to drive the spindle and reduces vibration and chatter. Middle English: imitative. the chattering classes British derogatory Intellectual or artistic people considered as a social group given to the expression of liberal opinions: the politically correct voice of the chattering classes Más ejemplos en oraciones • The west Midlands campaign, limited so far to the Birmingham elite and chattering classes, has been partly fuelled by a sense that north Wales is doing well out of devolution. • But maybe class is not an issue for them because they are both now so firmly part of that powerful caste, the chattering classes. • This preoccupation with what the neighbours think is a classic example of the middle class morality that the chattering classes claim to despise. Más ejemplos en oraciones • My nose is going to be red and sniffly and my eyes are going to be watery and my teeth are going to be chattery and I won't be numb at all. • It amazes me every time I come to stay here how loud and chattery the birds are. • Besides, he looked kind of odd in a room full of chattery people. Definición de chatter en: Obtener más de Oxford Dictionaries Subscribirse para eliminar anuncios y acceder a los recursos premium Palabra del día impudicity Pronunciación: ˌɪmpjʊˈdɪsɪti lack of modesty
Definición de terminator en inglés: Saltos de línea: ter¦min\|ator Pronunciación: /ˈtəːmɪneɪtə 1A person or thing that terminates something. Más ejemplos en oraciones • Techniques intended to monitor foetal health became terminators of the female foetus. • In the end, I chose an electronic insect terminator, and I am not unhappy! • The public is given a fearful impression with images of Frankenstein foods, killer tomatoes, and terminator seeds. 1.1 Biochemistry A sequence of polynucleotides that causes transcription to end and the newly synthesized nucleic acid to be released from the template molecule. Más ejemplos en oraciones • If transcription through such DNA regions is impeded by means of a transcription terminator or by shutting off the promoter, hyperrecombination is abolished. • The upstream rRNA transcription terminator and a hairpin structure downstream of recD, which might work as a transcription terminator, are shown. • In wild-type chromosomes, these proteins are confined to the heterochromatic DNA sequences either by terminator sequences or by proximally directed initiators. 2 Astronomy The dividing line between the light and dark part of a planetary body. Más ejemplos en oraciones • The terminator of the planet was visible at it's edge, and some artificial light brightened the thickening dusk on the night side. • Anyone standing on the surface of the moon would see the sun gradually rise as the terminator passes them and the area goes from dark to light. • Looking along the line separating the bright and dark halves (the terminator line), at you can make out a decently prominent crater near the top of the lower quarter. Definición de terminator en: Obtener más de Oxford Dictionaries Subscribirse para eliminar anuncios y acceder a los recursos premium Palabra del día impudicity Pronunciación: ˌɪmpjʊˈdɪsɪti lack of modesty
Moon riven by colossal cracks GRAIL mission's twin spacecraft reveal thin crust, no cheese Secure remote control for conventional and virtual desktops Ebb and Flow, the twin spacecraft that comprise NASA's Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) mission, have created a gravity map and other analyses of the moon, and Lunar boffins have used the results to assert that our sole natural satellite is riven by deep cracks. Maria Zuber of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology explained the utility of a gravity map to NASA, saying "When we see a notable change in the gravity field, we can sync up this change with surface topography features such as craters, rilles or mountains." The map therefore “reveals an abundance of features never before seen in detail, such as tectonic structures, volcanic landforms, basin rings, crater central peaks and numerous simple, bowl-shaped craters.” Zuber says the map also “reveals evidence for fracturing of the interior extending to the deep crust and possibly the mantle.” That crust, says Mark Wieczorek, a GRAIL co-investigator at the Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris, has an “average thickness of the moon's crust is between 21 and 27 miles (34 and 43 kilometers), which is about 6 to 12 miles (10 to 20 kilometers) thinner than previously thought.” GRAIL's Gravity Field of the Moon The gravity field of the moon as measured by NASA's GRAIL mission. Units are milliGalileos where 1 Galileo is 1 centimeter per second squared. Reds correspond to areas of higher local gravity, and blues correspond to mass deficits which create areas of lower local gravity. Image credit: NASA/ARC/MIT Wieczorek added that "With this crustal thickness, the bulk composition of the moon is similar to that of Earth. This supports models where the moon is derived from Earth materials that were ejected during a giant impact event early in solar system history." The new map shows what NASA describes as “tectonic structures, volcanic landforms, basin rings, crater central peaks and numerous simple, bowl-shaped craters,” all revealed for the first time. The new details about the Moon are fully-explained in three Science papers and were detailed at the meeting of the American Geophysical Union in San Francisco yesterday. The revelations are the result of the main phase of the GRAIL mission, which saw the moon bathed in X-rays to collect the data. That phase has now ended and the twin probes may be granted an extended mission, but the mission design says “Following the Science Phase (or extended mission phase), a 5-day decommissioning period is planned, after which the spacecraft will impact the lunar surface in ~40 days.” It would be poetic if the probes fell into the cracks it discovered. ® Secure remote control for conventional and virtual desktops More from The Register next story 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 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 Archaeologists and robots on hunt for more Antikythera pieces How much of the world's oldest computer can they find? 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
look up any word, like smh: 1 definition by Master T verb- Full spelling of "pwn" an internet term (which has migrated in some cases to real life) referencing humiliating defeat. Such defeats usually come due to a lack of skill of the pwn'd when challenging the pwn'er. The use of the word references the fact The one who was pawned was so utterly humiliated by the pawner that the pawned belongs to the pawner from now on. The Pawner however, esteems them of no worth and instead chooses to sell them off. Thus the defeated has been "pwn'ed" j00 s\|_\|xx0\|2. \| PWN j00. How did the test go? I was Pawned by Master T January 09, 2005
A Rifle Fit for a Sultan Turkish Hunting Set / 1732-33 / Acquired by Henry Walters, 1903 One of the most dazzling objects at the Walters is an eighteenth-century bejeweled rifle set. The set includes the rifle, a dagger, a pen case, a penholder and reed pen, a cleaner, and a spoon. The entire set is decorated with diamond, rubies, and emeralds. A monogram (inscribed in diamonds; shown below) records that the set was made in 1732 and 1733 in the royal workshops of the Ottoman ruler Mahmud I. When Henry Walters purchased the set in 1903, it came with a story, recorded by its owner, Robert S. Pardo. He wrote that the sultan, Ghazi Mahmoud Kahn I, commissioned a hunting rifle with which he could kill an animal without firing, and which he could use while hunting to sign an edict or decree. One after another, gunsmiths presented the sultan with rifles they believed would meet his conditions. None satisfied the sultan who broke each rifle, leaving the gunsmiths in disgrace. Finally, one man presented his rifle for the sultan’s inspection. When he heard the order given to break the rifle to pieces, the gunsmith asked the sultan to examine the gun more closely. The sultan asked how he could kill an animal without firing the rifle, and how he could sign an edict with the rifle. The gunsmith showed him the hidden compartment containing an equally ornate dagger and pen case. That is the legend of how this rifle set, covered in gem-stones, and filled with hidden compartments came to be. The gunmaker's initials set in diamonds. The gunmaker’s initials set in diamonds. This story was discovered while researching the rifle set. Conservators have found nothing concrete to support the tale, and many reasons to doubt its veracity. True or false, every item in the collection tells a story. Curators and conservators work to piece it together, examining each item’s history, composition, and necessary treatment. They unearth countless stories, fit together jigsaw puzzles of broken pieces, remove centuries of dirt and tarnish, and so much more. Using a range of techniques, technologies, and sciences, they study and repair items so they can continue to be enjoyed and explored for generations to come. Each object presents its own unique challenges. The rifle set alone has many. It contains nearly 4,000 gem-stones. Prior to being bequeathed to the museum, many of those gems had fallen out of their settings, but recently two silver panels covered in diamonds were discovered and reattached to their original place on the rifle. Just like the other 35,000 objects in the Walters’ collection, the rifle set requires ongoing attention. X-ray images have revealed an additional hidden compartment in the rifle which was sealed long ago. What’s inside? What was it used for? Only further research can answer those questions. And for that we’ll need your help! Conservation at the Walters costs more than $1 million each year. But with a collection of more than 35,000 objects, that is less than $50 for each work of art. You can preserve these treasures for generations to come. Please make your gift today
About the SA Blog Network But Not Simpler But Not Simpler Thinking way too hard about science and pop-culture But Not Simpler Home Smaug Breathes Fire Like A Bloated Bombardier Beetle With Flinted Teeth Email PrintPrint Credit: Warner Bros First, a dragon needs fuel. This aspect of dragon fire is the easiest to imagine. In fact, you are probably producing dragon fuel as you read this sentence. Methane—a highly flammable gas that is produced naturally by bacteria in the gut—is constantly bubbling up in your stomach as microbes munch on your food. With a large stomach or even a separate organ to house this gas, a dragon could easily eat enough food to produce a large amount of methane. A barrel with hypergolic fuel for loading into the MESSENGER spaceprobe in background. In other words, potential dragon fuel. The next step in fire breathing is the spark. Dragons are basically our pipe-dreams of what birds would be if they still looked liked ancient dinosaurs but followed evolution’s flight plan. Dragons’ similarities with birds (themselves in fact dinosaurs) could provide the last critical link to flame flinging. With multiple stomachs aiding digestion, birds—and by extension, dragons—could evolve a specialized sack for storing either methane or combustible chemicals. Birds also eat stones and rocks to break up tough material in these stomachs, so Smaug munching on minerals isn’t that far-fetched either. Click to Enlarge. Credit: Warner Bros Image Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures, NASA Previous: Nerds and Words: Week 52 More But Not Simpler Next: Nerds and Words: Week 1 Rights & Permissions Comments 5 Comments Add Comment 1. 1. David_Bressan 1:21 pm 01/2/2014 Methane, with a specifc density of 0.5 if air assumed 1, or even better Hydrogen (0.06), stored in specific tissue-sacks would also decrease the density of the animal, making it easier for the dragon to fly (or float) For the spark would best work crushing flint & pyrite, now I didn´t know, but there is actually one single organism that is able to synthesize this last mineral – Crysomallon squamiferum – a mollusc that creates scales (like a dragon !) of it Link to this 2. 2. Nobilis 1:23 pm 01/2/2014 If the fuel were hydrogen gas (as postulated in “The Flight of Dragons” by Peter Dickinson) it would facilitate both flying and fire-breathing. Reduce the weight by a significant amount, and the inverse-square/inverse-cube problem that makes flight problematic for large animals is less of a problem. Link to this 3. 3. hkraznodar 2:22 pm 01/6/2014 The drawback would be that as the dragon breathed fire it would lose buoyancy. Why did you have to go and mention the disgusting corruption of a classic novel by the idiot director of Starship Troopers? That director is clearly only semi-literate and completely failed to understand most of the social commentary. How he extrapolated soldiers in power armor firing tactical nukes into a mass combat WWI style with machine guns is beyond me. What happened to the Skinnies and why did the bugs suddenly become non-technical? Where did the psychic spasmo come from? Where in the movie did the admission that humans started the war go? Never mention that foul corruption of true genius again please! Link to this 4. 4. steamboat28 12:57 am 01/10/2014 I was planning on saying something super-scientific here, but now I just want to watch “Flight of Dragons” again. Link to this 5. 5. bobt89432 5:54 am 01/15/2014 Science blows my mind, I teach about care fire extinguishers and the science of it always interests me Link to this Add a Comment More from Scientific American Scientific American Back To School Back to School Sale! 12 Digital Issues + 4 Years of Archive Access just $19.99 Order Now > Email this Article
Wednesday, September 17, 2014 Day 17: Defining Success and Rectangles What is the purpose of education? What does success look like? "I really feel like I learned something today." Tuesday, September 16, 2014 Day 16: Nose to the Grindstone After the conversation that I had with the geometry students yesterday, I had been thinking about the amount and type of practice that I've been having them do. While I think it's fair to have my class be a different style than what they are used to, I think it would be beneficial for me to offer a transition to the unfamiliar territory. After reading the letters that I asked them to write this weekend, It's obvious that they are much more comfortable with working through lots of practice problems. Clearly, this is not true for everyone, but many expressed this concern. So today, I gave them some options. I printed out several worksheets with practice problems from the current chapter. They could work on those if they wanted the practice. They could continue working in the guided notes, if they chose. They could work on revising their assessments from Friday. I also told them that, if they chose to do so, they could waste their time. As long as they weren't stopping others from learning, they could spend the time as they wished. I explained that I am trying to move them in the direction of self-directed learning and being responsible for their own education. Since they are still 13 and 14, I don't expect that they will always make good, mature decisions, (especially because in my 30's I rarely do that myself) but I believe that there are lessons to be learned from failure and making bad choices. These jive turkeys made bad choices today... And so I gave them those options and let them go. The geometry kids, with a 10% error, all worked very hard on the assignment of their choice. I made myself available for those who had questions, or simply wished to talk things out. I was able to circulate and watch their efforts, talking to them as more of a peer than an authoritative figure. THIS is how relationships get built. And yet... As I sat there, casually hanging out, waiting for students to engage me as they saw fit, I couldn't help but think that I wasn't teaching. While I know that this is not true, the part of my mind that is a product of a direct instruction education was telling me that I needed to get up and address the group. I needed to be conveying wisdom or standing over kids while they work, like teachers do on TV. I wonder what an observer would think if they walked into my room and saw me hanging out at a student desk. As much as I want to claim that I know (or at least think) that what I'm doing is in the best educational interests of my students, I wonder what a parent would think. What would an administrator think? Why should I care? If I believe in what I'm doing, why do I care what other people think? How long do I have to teach before I am truly confident in my work? Overthinking is exhausting... Monday, September 15, 2014 Day 15: Communicating Philosophy This is my 4th year teaching 8th grade, my 6th year teaching in my current district, my 8th year as a classroom teacher and my 10th year working in some capacity in education. I'm not sure how to teach. I'm not even sure what my style is... In previous years, I would lecture and consistently utilize "I do, we do, you do" strategies. Last year, I did much more project based activities, interspersed with lecture and group work. This year, I have found that I'm giving the kids problems to work on, talking to the group very little and allowing them to work on their own or in small groups while I walk around and answer questions or guide them back on track. I think there is value in all of these. I know which one I prefer to use, but I'm not sure that it's the best for my students. In reality, I'm sure the answer is "a balanced mixture of all three approaches is most beneficial." I like lecturing, but I don't want to be a lecturer. I love watching the kids solve problems at their own pace, but something deeply engrained in me makes me very uncomfortable with that. I find myself constantly asking myself "is this actually teaching?" So this is what I believe: I feel that it is NOT the job of the teacher to simply share knowledge. A teacher should be more than a textbook or a video. "Christ! All he does is shows videos all day!" goes the conversation in the faculty room. Then we return to our classes and talk at our students for 45 minutes straight. But we hold equal contempt for teachers who hand out worksheets and then sit at their desks for the whole period. I feel that it is my job as a teacher to collaborate on learning with my students, helping them to explore their interests and become better critical thinkers. What I have been trying to do has been to minimize the amount of time I spend talking and maximize the amount of time they spend working. Some of that work has been grinding through problems, but most has been abstract, critical and reflective. I am having them do writing and thinking about their process. This shift in what they are used to receiving from a math class has split my students into three camps, that I can tell. 1) The first is those students who are used to lecturing from their teachers. These kids feel that if I'm not in front of the class, telling them how to do a problem, that I'm not teaching. They take the time that I give in class for them to work on practice problems as free time. I don't blame them or think that they are lazy because of this. I recognize that in the past, they have been conditioned to think that when the teacher stops talking, the class is over. They feel that doing the problems is a task for homework and, when given time to work on something in class, frequently respond with "I'm going to do it tonight." They have very little experience with efficient use of class time for independent or group work. For the most part, my pre-algebra students fall into this category. 2) Other students are used to grinding through worksheets and practice problems. These kids have great ability to work independently and, given textbook or worksheet problems, will solve them efficiently and happily. They are comfortable with assignments that read "do these 50 problems." For the most part, they prefer the type of teaching style that is "I do, we do, you do." They excel in situations where they are asked to recreate methods and strategies that have been shown to them. They take comfort in formulas and prescribed plans of action. For the most part, my geometry students fit into this category. 3) The third group is much smaller. These are students who preferred either lecture or worksheets, but received the other. This group wants to talk about the problems, discuss what they know and then practice independently. From these students, I frequently hear "alright, I want to try it on my own." Perhaps it is misguided of me, but I would like this third group to grow. I know that my students are going to face such a variety of challenges in the coming years and, really, for the rest of their lives. They will not always have situations that are ideal to their learning styles or preferences. But that doesn't mean that they CAN'T learn that way. We had a VERY long (both periods) discussion about the geometry quiz on Friday. Their homework over the weekend was to write me a letter about the class, telling me what they've learned, what they like and what they don't. The results were...interesting. The students came in distressed that they had not aced the test on Friday. Much of what we discussed is in the preceding paragraphs. I tried to address their concerns and explain my view point and teaching style. They expressed the sentiment that the world cares about grades, and so should they. My counterpoint was that they should care about the learning, the knowledge and the skills. My claim was that if they master those, the grades will happen on their own and they will have the ability to build upon them. We had many disagreements about educational philosophy and I hope that they felt as though I heard them. I tried very hard to express my sympathy for their points of view and to explain that my own. I expect that we will have many such discussions over the course of the year. I know that I am different from any teacher that they have had before and, most likely, ever will again. I know that my teaching style doesn't work for everyone, so I'm trying to develop alternatives for those who need or want it. Bree Murray introduced me to the format of the Recycle Assignment where students are able to correct their mistakes and talk about why they made their initial mistakes. I gave this to the geometry students and expressed that, since I care about the learning and they care about the grades, I would give them the chance to earn better grades by demonstrating knowledge and reflection. They seemed amenable to the process and I have faith in them. There will be growing pains. No, not these... I just hope no one cuts my legs off to keep those pains at bay... I'm so tired, but my skin looks amazing!!! It was a long and exhausting day, but a good one. Friday, September 12, 2014 Day 14: Technological Integration Me: "What's the first question we ask?" Students: "'What am I looking for?'" Me: "And what are we looking for?" S: "How big the staples are." S: "How long the strip is." S: "How much it weighs." So the students took the tests. I had them printed on blue cardstock cause it's purdy! Me: "Did you get all of them right?" S: "Yeah." Me: "Good! Then work on those." SMPs are sinking in! Thursday, September 11, 2014 Day 13: Classroom Cardio After the success of the whiteboarding activity in pre-algebra yesterday, I decided to try another variation today. Last night, I went to Home Depot and bought two 4x8 pieces of 1/8 panelboard and asked the kind gentleman in that department if he would cut them for me. I ended up with four 2x2 whiteboards and twelve 1.5x2 whiteboards. (all units in feet) Those, added to the whiteboards that I bought last year, the ones I found in my classroom 4 years ago and the one so very kindly donated by Stephanie Reilly and Jen Silverman last year, brings my total to a whole bunch. Yesterday, I barely had enough for each group to have one, but now, I have enough for each kid to have one and various sizes of each, ranging from Personal Pan to Big Daddy, to mix my pizza chain references. After reciting the Pledge to Improved Mathematics and our #Estimation180 warm-up, I handed out 12 word problems and told them to get to work. But there was a catch: They would only get credit for the problems on which I signed-off. How would they get my coveted signature? They had to show me how the obtained the answer. They could work in groups or individually. They could use the whiteboards or not. They could start on whichever problem they chose and work at whatever pace they wanted. When they finished a problem and wanted it checked off, they would call me over and we would talk about it. If I liked what I saw in terms of work, explanation, picture, whatever, I would put a smiley face and my initials next to the problem. If I didn't have the time to get to them, I told them to keep the work somewhere, grab another board and work on another problem until I made my way to their workspace. They did an incredibly good job with this assignment! They sectioned themselves into groups of 2, 3 and 4, spread throughout the room, snatched up whiteboards and got to work! I spent 70 minutes running between the groups asking probing questions and making them explain the work that I saw. They were eager to show me what they did and explain their efforts! Along with the activity yesterday, I may have hit on a way to get them working consistently! At no point did I have to tell kids to get back on task because those who were off didn't get their papers signed and then had a ton of homework. This group was VERY small. Several young women spent the first 15 minutes organizing lipstick and finding the best combinations for the day. I left them alone and devoted my attention to the ones who were working. After the initial grooming session, those girls got to work as well. Great questions were being asked and there was always someone to help. I barely noticed that it was 85 degrees in the room and that I had sweat through my pockets! The kids thought I had peed on myself, which I thought was flattering, but silly. My only real problem was that, since I was requiring that I sign every problem before they got credit, I had to be everywhere. I needed more me. This activity might be better with a co-teacher or an aide, but I'm still going to do it again, even if I'm alone. Also, I made several mistakes in the math and reading the problems since I was coaching on 12 different items at once. I tried my best to go back and correct it, but I know some slipped through. It also helped me to see which students were really struggling with the concepts of translating words to numbers. My absolute favorite part was that I was able to compliment students on their mathematical, problem solving and group choosing abilities. Genuine praise that doesn't feel forced is vital. I think that today went a LONG way to building relationships with my pre-algebra students. The geometry class is very...energetic. I like how enthusiastic they are about answering questions, but coming right out of lunch, it's hard to get them back in the mode of learning productively. I keep reminding myself that this is a different group of students from last year, but that's just not sinking in. I have to treat them differently because they have different needs and different dynamics. Wednesday, September 10, 2014 Day 12: Showing Vulnerability Several factors of frustration built up this morning before the students even came into the building. There were a few that were school related and a few that weren't. The end result was that I was already irritated and short-tempered by the time my homeroom got into my class. This has happened before, so why was today different? For whatever reason, it was just too much to swallow. Normally, I'm able to force it to the back of my mind and be present for my students, but no matter how I tried, I couldn't separate them from my frustration. I responded to several students in ways that were not how I wanted. They used to tell teachers that you shouldn't smile until after Thanksgiving. I suppose this was to establish the seriousness of education, or remind students that you are the authority in the room. I don't believe this. I believe firmly that relationships are what build education. Students will work for a teacher they like, even in a class that they hate. I want my students to learn from me and they won't learn as much as they could if they hate or fear me. So I talked to them about it. I told them that for reasons unrelated to them, I wasn't feeling great. I was annoyed and irritated, but it was by no means anything that they had done. "I am feeling off today. I wanted to tell you so that you know it has nothing to do with you. There are other things going on that have me a little upset. I'm trying to keep it separated from here so that I can be the best teacher I can be, but if it leaks through and I seem upset, I wanted you to know ahead of time that it's not about you at all You guys are doing what I've asked and I greatly appreciate it. "With that said, I would appreciate if you would be your normal charming selves and not pretend to be jerks." My homeroom REALLY stepped up! I want to be incorporating more presentations and explanations into my lessons, so I tried something new today. I broke the class into groups of 4 and assigned each group one problem from the homework. Each group got some whiteboards and markers and were told they would be presenting their problems. Each group used a different method to present, but all did a great job! I had the students applaud afterwards and will be emphasizing the importance of supporting each other. At the end of each presentation, I asked the class to "tell me something that I love about what they did there." They always had something. "You loved how they wrote down the 4 steps." "You loved how they showed all of their work." "You loved how they used a picture to solve the problem." The only one I had to drag out of them was how, in the last picture, the group used a variable to represent the unknown quantity. 8th period did not do as well with this activity. There were several students who, not being in class yesterday to receive the assignment, tried to claim that they couldn't help their groups. I'm still having trouble modifying my expectation for a class that meets in 85 degree heat after a day of being cooped up in 85 degree heat. I allow them more latitude in terms of conversation and off task behavior, but I'm feeling as though the time for that is coming to a close. I also think that the social make-up of that class is vastly different than period 1. We talk a ton about differentiating lessons, but I would like to hear more about differentiated behavior expectations. In geometry, while going over one of the examples, a student expressed that she felt defeated by the math. I thanked her profusely for her willingness to admit her feelings to others as I'm sure that other kids felt the same, but didn't want to say so. I also pulled up the link to this great post from Megan Schmidt. It talks about empathizing with students who feel this way. In addition, starting yesterday, I'm beginning each class by having a student read the 8 Standards of Mathematical Practice. Eventually, I have the class recite it as a group. We make them stand and say the Pledge of Allegiance every day, so why not these? I consider the 8 SMPs to be the Pledge to Improved Mathematics. Tuesday, September 9, 2014 Day 11: Digging and Filling Holes One of the things I find most frustrating about teaching 8th grade is how uncomfortable and unfamiliar the students are with negative numbers. They have tremendous difficulty with subtracting negatives. No matter how much I get them to talk about the properties of negatives and subtraction, they have a mental block against what to do when they are together. This is probably why math teachers have a tendency to ignore the underlying concepts and jump straight to "two negatives in a row make a positive." cough cough Nix the Tricks cough Section 2.3 cough As a result, I try to use analogies to explain this concept. Normally, I use money. My students over the last few years responded very well to the idea that positive numbers represent money that you have while negative numbers represent money that you owe. This usually works pretty well until we get to the idea of subtracting a negative. Then the analogy falls apart because I end up using phrases like "If you have 5 dollars and you take away a debt of 4 dollars..." Then I'm trying to get that sentence to make sense and it's an issue of confusion and grammar and monetary policy. Today, we digged holes! "You digged holes... Well, now you're going to fill them." The discussion went something like: Me: "Imagine a pile of dirt that's 1 foot high. What would be the opposite of that?" S: "A hole?" Me: "How deep would the hole have to be for it to be an opposite? S: "1 foot, if the pile is 1 foot." Me: "Alright, so let's say you have a hole that's 1 foot deep and a pile that's 1 foot high. What could you do with them?" S: "I guess you could put them together." Me: "And if you did? What would happen?" S: "The hole would fill up and you'd get nothing." Me: "So let's say you have a bunch of holes and a bunch of piles." S: "You should fill the holes with the piles and see what's left." So we looked at the expression -14 - (-18). Me: "What does that negative 14 mean?" S: "That we have 14 holes. The minus is the middle means 'take-away'." Me: "So what are we "taking away from our 14 holes?" S: "We're gonna take away 18 holes. But we don't have enough holes to take away, we only have 14." Me: "So, is there another way to get rid of holes?" S: "We could add piles." Me: "What are you saying?" S: "Adding a pile would be the same as taking away a hole because to take away a hole, you need a pile. So if we start with 14 holes and then have 18 piles, 14 of those piles will fill in the holes." Me: "Keep going." S: "Then we will be left with 4 piles." The idea of difference in heights (What's the difference between a mountain that 10,000 ft tall and a valley that's 500 ft deep?) was a bit more elusive, but we worked on it. By the time 8th period came around, it occurred to me that mountains are just very big piles and valleys are just very deep holes. Of course, I had to draw someone falling from a mountain into a valley... In 8th period, a group of very loud boys gathered together and were arguing about who the one kid liked and how that girl used to go with this other guy and ... I was listening to their conversation, getting more frustrated with them being off task when their discussion suddenly was on task and they were arguing about the math in their assignment. It was an important reminder for me to see that students are able to multitask. Just because they work in different ways than I do that doesn't mean they aren't working. I was very proud of them and I made sure to tell them so. Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...
Moroccan food is incredibly diverse, thanks to the country’s interaction with other cultures and nations over the centuries, including Berber, Moorish, Arab and Mediterranean influences. 1 Jul 2008 - 9:00 AM UPDATED 12 Sep 2013 - 5:08 PM Spices feature extensively in Moroccan cooking and there is a centuries-old art to their careful balancing. Many ingredients, such as saffron, mint, olives oranges and lemons, are frequently homegrown. Common spices includekarfa (cinnamon), skinjbir (ginger), tahmira (paprika), gesbour (coriander) and zaafran beldi (saffron). Other popular spice additions include harissa – a paste made of garlic, chillies, olive oil and salt that adds a fiery kick to many dishes, and ras el hanout – a dried spice mix that combines anywhere from a dozen to 100 spices, with every home cook and vendor having their own secret recipe. A classic Moroccan dish is the tagine (or tajine) – a slow-cooked stew made in an earthenware dish known by the same name. They are typically made with inexpensive cuts of meat that become tender with long cooking and are typically flavoured with fruits, olives, preserved lemons, and spices. Couscous is considered a gift from Allah and is a staple of North African countries. It is the most common starch used to accompany dishes and is typically cooked with spices, vegetables, nuts and dried fruit. When prepared traditionally, fine semolina is rubbed with super fine semolina to coat until it resembles a grain. When steamed, it becomes light and fluffy. The essence of Moroccan food is a communal style of eating, with many dishes shared by the family. Mealtimes are very social and eaten at a leisurely pace with much laughter and talking.   Hospitality is a very important part of Moroccan culture and making guests welcome is also part of the Islamic teaching. Upon entering a Moroccan home, guests are typically offered food and tea within seconds. Tea is an important part of socialising and making the popular green tea with mint is considered something of an art form, with the pouring of tea being considered as important as the tea itself. Fresh fruit is the traditional way to end a meal but Moroccan sweets are delicious and pastries and cookies are frequently enjoyed with afternoon coffee or tea. Among them are dense, rich pastries perfumed with nuts, fruits and spices.
Most Popular in: Nutrition Treatments Email This Item! Print This Item! The Beauty of Blackberries By: Cathy Christensen I am always tempted by blackberries; not only by their sweet, rich flavor, but also by their sculptural beauty, which is completely natural and yet so incredible. One of the reasons the berries are so lovely is due to the fact that they are an aggregate fruit composed of many smaller fruits called drupes, which feature an outer, fleshy body that surrounds a seed. The peach is also another example of a drupe. Abundant in North America, the British Isles and Western Europe, blackberries bloom from mid- to late-June and are grown on a bush that is usually prickly.1 In the kitchen Blackberries contain large amounts of anthocyanoicides, found in the pigment that gives the fruit its color. Anthocyanoicides are powerful antioxidants that help reverse cell damage caused by free radicals. The blackberry fruit and leaves contain vitamins C and E, as well as selenium, and blackberry leaves are often used in tea to treat a variety of ailments, including diarrhea and inflammation of the mouth and throat.1
Incontinentia pigmenti From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search Incontinentia pigmenti Classification and external resources ICD-10 Q82.3 ICD-9 757.33 OMIM 308300 DiseasesDB 29600 MedlinePlus 001583 eMedicine article/1114205 article/1176285 MeSH D007184 Incontinentia pigmenti (IP, also known as "Bloch–Siemens syndrome,"[1] "Bloch–Sulzberger disease,"[2] "Bloch–Sulzberger syndrome"[1] "melanoblastosis cutis," and "nevus pigmentosus systematicus") is a genetic disorder that affects the skin, hair, teeth, nails, and central nervous system. It is named due to its microscopic appearance. Incontinentia pigmenti forming along Blaschko's lines in a 3-year-old girl. The skin lesions evolve through characteristic stages: 1. blistering (from birth to about four months of age), 2. a wart-like rash (for several months), 3. swirling macular hyperpigmentation (from about six months of age into adulthood), followed by 4. linear hypopigmentation. Alopecia, hypodontia, abnormal tooth shape, and dystrophic nails are observed. Some patients have retinal vascular abnormalities predisposing to retinal detachment in early childhood. Cognitive delays/mental retardation are occasionally seen. Neurological problems can include: cerebral atrophy, the formation of small cavities in the central white matter of the brain, and the loss of neurons in the cerebellar cortex. About 20% of children with IP will have slow motor development, muscle weakness in one or both sides of the body, mental retardation, and seizures. They are also likely to have visual problems, which can include: crossed eyes, cataracts, and severe visual loss. Dental problems are common, and include missing or peg-shaped teeth - patients with IP often keep milk teeth into adult life. Breast anomalies can occur in 1% of patients; anomalies can include hypoplasia and supernumerary nipples. Skeletal and structural anomalies can occur in approximately 14% of patients, including: The diagnosis of IP is established by clinical findings and occasionally by corroborative skin biopsy. Molecular genetic testing of the NEMO IKBKG gene (chromosomal locus Xq28) reveals disease-causing mutations in about 80% of probands. Such testing is available clinically. In addition, females with IP have skewed X-chromosome inactivation; testing for this can be used to support the diagnosis. Many people in the past were misdiagnosed with a second type of IP, called IP2. This has now been given its own name - 'Hypomelanosis of Ito' (incontinentia pigmenti achromians). This has a slightly different presentation: swirls or streaks of hypopigmentation and depigmentation. It is not inherited. It does not involve skin stages 1 or 2. Some 33–50% of patients have multisystem involvement — eye, skeletal, and neurological abnormalities. Its chromosomal locus is at Xp11, rather than Xq28. IP is inherited in an X-linked dominant manner.[3][4] IP is lethal in most, but not all, males. A female with IP may have inherited the IKBKG mutation from either parent or have a new gene mutation. Parents may either be clinically affected or have germline mosaicism. Affected women have a 50% risk of transmitting the mutant IKBKG allele at conception; however, most affected male conceptuses miscarry. Thus, the expected ratio for liveborn children is 33% unaffected females, 33% affected females, and 33% unaffected males. Genetic counseling, prenatal testing, and preimplantation genetic diagnosis is available. In females, the cells expressing the mutated IKBKG gene due to lyonization selectively die around the time of birth so the X-inactivation is extremely skewed.[5] This disorder was first reported by Bruno Bloch, a German dermatologist in 1926 and Marion Sulzberger, an American dermatologist in 1928.[6][7][8] See also[edit] 2. ^ M. B. Sulzberger (1927). Über eine bisher nicht beschriebene kongenitale Pigmentanomalie (incontinentia pigmenti).. Berlin: Archiv für Dermatologie und Syphilis. p. 154. 3. ^ Pettigrew R, Kuo HC, Scriven P et al. (December 2000). "A pregnancy following PGD for X-linked dominant [correction of X-linked autosomal dominant] incontinentia pigmenti (Bloch-Sulzberger syndrome): case report". Hum. Reprod. 15 (12): 2650–2. doi:10.1093/humrep/15.12.2650. PMID 11098039. 4. ^ "Incontinentia pigmenti. DermNet NZ". 5. ^ Smahi A, Courtois G, Vabres P et al. (2000). "Genomic rearrangement in NEMO impairs NF-kappaB activation and is a cause of incontinentia pigmenti. The International Incontinentia Pigmenti (IP) Consortium". Nature 405 (6785): 466–72. doi:10.1038/35013114. PMID 10839543. 6. ^ Bloch-Sulzberger pigment dermatosis (Bruno Bloch) at Who Named It? 7. ^ Bloch, B. (1926). "Eigentümliche, bisher nicht beschriebene Pigmentaffektion (incontinentia pigmenti)". Schweizerische medizinische Wochenschrift (Basel) 56: 404–5. 8. ^ Sulzberger, M.B. (1927). "Über eine bisher nicht beschriebene kongenitale Pigmentanomalie (incontinentia pigmenti)". Archiv für Dermatologie und Syphilis (Berlin) 154: 19–32. doi:10.1007/bf01828398. External links[edit]
Sleep paralysis From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (Redirected from Sleep Paralysis) Jump to: navigation, search Sleep paralysis is a phenomenon in which a person, either when falling asleep or awakening, temporarily experiences an inability to move. It is a transitional state between wakefulness and sleep characterized by complete muscle atonia (muscle weakness). It is often associated with terrifying visions, such as an intruder in the room, to which one is unable to react due to paralysis, from which the term "nightmare" is derived. One theory is that it results from disrupted REM sleep, which is normally characterized by complete muscle atonia to prevent the sleeper from acting out his or her dreams. Sleep paralysis has been linked to disorders such as narcolepsy, migraines, anxiety disorders, and obstructive sleep apnea; however, it can also occur in isolation.[1][2] When linked to another disorder, sleep paralysis commonly occurs in association with the neurological sleep disorder narcolepsy.[2] The two major classifications of sleep paralysis are isolated sleep paralysis (ISP) and the significantly rarer recurrent isolated sleep paralysis (RISP).[2] ISP episodes are infrequent, and may occur only once in an individual's lifetime,[2] while recurrent isolated sleep paralysis is a chronic condition, and can recur throughout a person's lifetime.[2] RISP episodes can last for up to an hour or longer, and have a much higher occurrence of perceived out of body experiences, while ISP episodes are generally short (usually no longer than one minute) and are typically associated with the intruder and incubus visitations. With RISP the individual can also suffer back-to-back episodes of sleep paralysis in the same night, which is unlikely in individuals who suffer from ISP.[2] Signs and symptoms[edit] Many people who experience sleep paralysis are struck with a deep sense of terror when they sense a menacing presence in the room while paralyzed—hereafter referred to as the intruder. A neurological interpretation of this phenomenon is that it results from a hyper-vigilant state created in the midbrain.[9] More specifically, the emergency response is activated in the brain when individuals wake up paralyzed and feel vulnerable to attack.[10] This helplessness can intensify the effects of the threat response well above the level typical of normal dreams, which could explain why such visions during sleep paralysis are so vivid.[10] Normally the threat-activated vigilance system is a protective mechanism to differentiate between dangerous situations and to determine whether the fear response is appropriate.[10] Some hypothesize that the threat vigilance system is evolutionarily biased to interpret ambiguous stimuli as dangerous, because "erring on the side of caution" increases survival chances.[10] This hypothesis could account for why the threatening presence is perceived as being evil.[10] The amygdala is heavily involved in the threat activation response mechanism, which is implicated in both intruder and incubus SP visions.[3] The specific pathway through which the threat-activated vigilance system acts is not well understood. One possibility is that the thalamus receives sensory information and sends it on the amygdala, which regulates emotional experience. Another is that the amygdaloid complex, anterior cingulate, and the structures in the pontine tegmentum interact to create the vision.[9] It is also highly possible that SP hallucinations could result from a combination of these. The anterior cingulate has an extensive array of cortical connections to other cortical areas, which enables it to integrate the various sensations and emotions into the unified sensorium we experience.[9] The amygdaloid complex helps us interpret emotional experience and act appropriately.[11] This is conducive to directing the individual's attention to the most pertinent stimuli in a potentially dangerous situation so that the individual can take self-protective measures.[11] Proper amygdaloid complex function requires input from the thalamus, which creates a thalamoamygdala pathway capable of bypassing the intense scrutiny of incoming stimuli to enable quick responses in a potentially life-threatening situation.[9][11] Typically, situations assessed as non-threatening are disregarded. In sleep paralysis, however, those pathways can become over-excited and move into a state of hyper-vigilance in which the mind perceives every external stimulus as a threat. The hyper-vigilance response can lead to the creation of endogenous stimuli that contribute to the perceived threat.[9] A similar process may explain the experience of the incubus presence, with slight variations, in which the evil presence is perceived by the subject to be attempting to suffocate them, either by pressing heavily on the chest or by strangulation.[10] A neurological explanation hold that this results from a combination of the threat vigilance activation system and the muscle paralysis associated with sleep paralysis that removes voluntary control of breathing.[10] Several features of REM breathing patterns exacerbate the feeling of suffocation.[10] These include shallow rapid breathing, hypercapnia, and slight blockage of the airway, which is a symptom prevalent in sleep apnea patients.[9] According to this account, the subject attempts to breath deeply and finds herself unable to do so, creating a sensation of resistance, which the threat-activated vigilance system interprets as an unearthly being sitting on her chest, threatening suffocation.[9] The sensation of entrapment causes a feedback loop when the fear of suffocation increases as a result of continued helplessness, causing the subject to struggle to end the SP episode.[10] The intruder and incubus experiences highly correlate with one another, and moderately correlate with the third characteristic experience, vestibular-motor disorientation, also known as out-of-body experiences,[10] which differ from the other two in not involving the threat activation vigilance system.[3] Under normal conditions, medial and vestibular nuclei, cortical, thalamic, and cerebellar centers coordinate things such as head and eye movement, and orientation in space.[9] A neurological hypothesis is that in sleep paralysis, these mechanisms—which usually coordinate body movement and provide information on body position—become activated and, because there is no actual movement, induce a floating sensation.[10] The vestibular nuclei in particular has been identified as being closely related to dreaming during the REM stage of sleep.[9] According to this hypothesis, vestibular-motor disorientation, unlike the intruder and incubus experiences, arise from completely endogenous sources of stimuli.[10] The pathophysiology of sleep paralysis has not been concretely identified, although there are several theories about its etiology. The first of these stems from the understanding that sleep paralysis is a parasomnia resulting from dysfunctional overlap of the REM and waking stages of sleep.[12] Polysomnographic studies found that individuals who experience sleep paralysis have shorter REM sleep latencies than normal along with shortened NREM and REM sleep cycles, and fragmentation of REM sleep.[13] This study supports the observation that disturbance of regular sleeping patterns can instigate an episode of sleep paralysis, because fragmentation of REM sleep commonly occurs when sleep patterns are disrupted and has now been seen in combination with sleep paralysis.[13] Another major theory is that the neural functions that regulate sleep are out of balance in such a way that causes different sleep states to overlap.[9] In this case, cholinergic sleep on neural populations are hyper activated and the serotonergic sleep off neural populations are under-activated.[9] As a result the cells capable of sending the signals that would allow for complete arousal from the sleep state, the serotonergic neural populations, have difficulty in overcoming the signals sent by the cells that keep the brain in the sleep state.[9] During normal REM sleep, the threshold for a stimulus to cause arousal is greatly elevated. However, in individuals with SP, there is almost no blocking of exogenous stimuli, which means it is much easier for a stimulus to arouse the individual.[9] There may also be a problem with the regulation of melatonin, which under normal circumstances regulates the serotonergic neural populations.[2] Melatonin is typically at its lowest point during REM sleep.[2] Inhibition of melatonin at an inappropriate time would make it impossible for the sleep off neural populations to depolarize when presented with a stimulus that would normally lead to complete arousal.[2] This could explain why the REM and waking stages of sleep overlap during sleep paralysis, and definitely explains the muscle paralysis experienced on awakening.[2] If the effects of sleep on neural populations cannot be counteracted, characteristics of REM sleep are retained upon awakening. Common consequences of sleep paralysis includes headaches, muscle pains or weakness and/or paranoia. Sleep paralysis could also be a part of a larger diagnosis because of the dissociative state seen during sleep paralysis. Like mentioned earlier patients, especially with narcolepsy, seem to have trouble distinguishing between states of wakefulness and sleep. They are unable to tell if what they are experiencing is a dream or if it is reality. Many patients can recall talking to a doctor if they are in the hospital or family and friends but they are uncertain if this memory was from a state of wakefulness or was experienced in REM sleep. Their recall is very similar to patients who suffer from delirium, which is why some experts conclude there is a dissociative state in sleep paralysis.[16] Another possible cause of sleep paralysis is depression. There is a correlation between depression and sleep disturbances, sleep paralysis being one of them. In people that are depressed there is about an 11% frequency of people that have sleep paralysis. The reasoning behind this is the depression causes disturbances in the REM sleep cycle.[17] Anecdotal reports indicate that wiggling fingers or toes upon awareness of the condition may enable the sufferer to move again in some cases. Medical treatment starts with education about sleep stages and the inability to move muscles during REM sleep. People should be evaluated for narcolepsy if symptoms persist.[19] The safest treatment for sleep paralysis is for people to adopt healthier sleeping habits. However, in serious cases more clinical treatments are available. The most commonly used drugs are tricyclic antidepressants and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs).[20] Despite the fact that these treatments are prescribed for serious cases of RISP, it is important to note that these drugs are not effective for everyone. There is currently no drug that has been found to completely interrupt episodes of sleep paralysis a majority of the time.[20] Society and culture[edit] • In Thailand it is believed that sleep paralysis and discomfort is caused by a ghost of the Thai folklore known as Phi Am (Thai: ผีอำ).[27] Some people claim that this spirit may even cause bruises.[28] Stories about this spirit are common in Thai comics.[29] East Asia[edit] South-East Asia[edit] • In Philippine culture, bangungut has traditionally been attributed to nightmares.[32] People who claim to survive such nightmares report symptoms of sleep paralysis.[citation needed] • In Malay of Malay Peninsula, sleep paralysis is known as kena tindih (or ketindihan in Indonesia), which means "being pressed."[33] Incidents are commonly considered the work of a malign agency; occurring in what are explained as blind spots in the field of vision, they are reported as demonic figures. South Asia[edit] • In Kashmiri mythology this is caused by an invisible creature called a "pasindhar" or a "sayaa". Some people believe that a pasikdhar lives in every house and attacks somebody if the house has not been cleaned or if god is not being worshiped in the house. One also experiences this if one has been doing something evil or derives pleasure from the misfortunes of others. • In Pakistan, sleep paralysis is considered an encounter with Shaitan (Urdu: شيطان ) (Satan), evil jinns or demons who have taken over one's body. Like Iran, this ghoul is known as 'bakhtak' (Urdu: بختک) or 'ifrit'. It is also assumed that it is caused by the black magic performed by enemies and jealous persons. People, especially children and young girls, wear Ta'wiz (Urdu: تعویز) (Amulet) to ward off evil eye. Spells, incantations and curses could also result in ghouls haunting a person. Some homes and places are also believed to be haunted by evil ghosts, satanic or other supernatural beings and they could haunt people living there especially during the night. Muslim holy persons (Imams, Maulvis, Sufis, Mullahs, Faqirs) perform exorcism on individuals who are believed to be possessed. The homes, houses, buildings and grounds are blessed and consecrated by Mullahs or Imams by reciting Qur'an and Adhan (Urdu: أَذَان), the Islamic call to prayer, recited by the muezzin. • In Bangladesh, the phenomenon of sleep paralysis is referred to as boba ("speechless").[citation needed] • In Tamil Nadu and Sri Lankan Tamil culture, this particular phenomenon is referred to as Amuku Be or Amuku Pei meaning "the ghost that forces one down."[citation needed] • In Nepal, especially Newari culture it is also known as Khyaak, after a ghost-like figure believed to reside in the darkness under the staircases of a house.[citation needed] Middle-East, Western and Central Asia[edit] • In Arabic Culture, sleep paralysis is often referred to as Ja-thoom (Arabic: جاثوم‎), literally "What sits heavily on something". In folklore across Arab countries, the Ja-thoom is believed to be a shayṭān or a ‘ifrīt sitting on top of the person or is also choking him. It is said that it can be prevented by sleeping on your right side and reading the Throne Verse of the Quran. • In Persian culture it is known as bakhtak (Persian: بختک), which is a ghost-like creature that sits on the dreamer's chest, making breathing hard for him/her. • In Kurdish culture, sleep paralysis is often referred to as motakka. It is believed to be a demon that attacks people in their sleep, and particularly children of young age, which they breathe heavily as for motakka will be stealing their breath away and keep it out of reach. • In the Moroccan culture, Sleep Paralysis is known as Bou Rattat, which mean a demon that press and covers the sleeper's body so they cannot move or speak. • In Hungarian folk culture sleep paralysis is called lidércnyomás (lidérc pressing) and can be attributed to a number of supernatural entities like lidérc (wraith), boszorkány (witch), tündér (fairy) or ördögszerető (demon lover).[36] The word boszorkány itself stems from the Turkish root bas-, meaning "to press."[37] • In Newfoundland, it is known as the 'Old Hag'.[42] In island folklore, the Hag can be summoned to attack a third party, like a curse. In his 1982 book, The Terror that Comes in the Night, David J. Hufford writes that in local culture the way to call the Hag is to recite the Lord's Prayer backwards. • Several studies show that African-Americans may be predisposed to isolated sleep paralysis—known in folklore as "the witch is riding you" [24][25] or "the haint is riding you."[26] Other studies show that African-Americans who experience frequent episodes of isolated sleep paralysis, i.e., reporting having one or more sleep paralysis episodes per month coined as "sleep paralysis disorder," were predisposed to panic attacks.[45] This finding has been replicated by other independent researchers.[46][47] See also[edit] 2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Terrillon, J.; Marques-Bonham, S. (2001). "Does Recurrent Isolated Sleep Paralysis Involve More Than Cognitive Neurosciences?". Journal of Scientific Exploration 15: 97–123. 4. ^ 14. ^ (Sehgal 2011) 16. ^ Terzaghi, M., Ratti, P., Manni, F., & Manni, R. (2012). Sleep paralysis in narcolepsy: more than just a motor dissociative phenomenon?. Neurological Sciences 17. ^ SZKLO-COXE, M., YOUNG, T., FINN, L., & MIGNOT, E. (2007). "Depression: relationships to sleep paralysis and other sleep disturbances in a community sample". Journal Of Sleep Research 20. ^ a b Stores, G. (2003). "Medication for sleep-wake disorders". Archives of Disease in Childhood 88 (10): 899–903. doi:10.1136/adc.88.10.899. PMC 1719336. PMID 14500311. 22. ^ The Household Cyclopedia - Medicine 24. ^ a b Mattek, (2005) Memoirs p. 34 27. ^ ผีอำ 29. ^ Phi Am comics 33. ^ "Klinik Gangguan Tidur". 36. ^ lidérc, Magyar Néprajzi Lexikon, Akadémiai Kiadó, Budapest 1977, ISBN 37. ^ boszorkány, Magyar Néprajzi Lexikon, Akadémiai Kiadó, Budapest 1977, ISBN 38. ^ 40. ^ Justice at Salem William H. Cooke 44. ^ "Sleep Paralysis". The Skeptics Dictionary. External links[edit]
Contact Details >> Episode 2 Take on Technology Episode 2 - Playgrounds Click Here for A Print Friendly Version We all like to play on playground equipment, but what makes them fun and safe? How do those moving parts on seesaws, swings and flying foxes work? While Dodly goes off to design his dream playground, we visit others and take a close look at the materials used and how some parts work together as a system to provide movement. The program also examines some design features of playgrounds for special users such as children who are visually impaired or very young. As a group of excited and motivated children look forward to trying out their new school playground, we see their own designs and watch them make models of playground equipment. Focus Questions Why do we build playgrounds? What is your favourite part of a playground, and why? If you were visually impaired, what would you like to do on a playground? If you were designing a playground for a one-year-old toddler, how would you make it safe? How did Flynn and Dodly get ideas for their playground? What do you need to do before you build a piece of playground equipment? What ideas did you get for designing a playground in your school or Local Park? Task Ideas • Draw a plan for a piece of playground equipment that moves. • Design and make your own model for a piece of playground equipment that includes a part that moves up and down. • Design a safety feature for a playground for toddlers. • Design and make a piece of playground equipment that a person who is visually impaired can enjoy using their sense of touch or smell. • Visit two different playgrounds. Test and compare their safety and enjoyment features. • Draw a picture of Dodly's playground. Say what is good about it, and talk about any changes you would make. Student Design Sheet - Blackline Master (PDF - 16k) Questions for Students Look at different types of equipment before designing and building models. • What materials will you need to build your playground? • What tools will you use? • What parts of your model move? What makes them move? • Do you have any safety features? Explain. • How would someone use this piece of equipment? • Are there any problems with your plan or design? • Is there anything you would like to change? • Where would you put your playground equipment, and why? • Who fixes you local playground, if it gets broken? • What materials are used for the playground in your school or Local Park? Further Investigation • Use a camera to take pictures of different kinds or parts of playgrounds. If using a digital camera these images can be cut and paste into documents to make brochures, design plans or booklets. • Interview five children who have used a playground. Ask them to describe what they liked and disliked. Share their responses. • Design and conduct a survey to find out what people in your school think about your playground equipment. • Make a safety poster about using your playground equipment at school or the Local Park. • Draw a design for either a playground in your local area, or a playground for the future. © 2014 ABC \| Privacy Policy
Home / Crops / Corn / Corn Production / How does high water affect the young 2007 corn crop? How does high water affect the young 2007 corn crop? Agriculture.com Staff 05/10/2007 @ 9:02am Heavy rains in the Midwest have river levels -- some at or near where they were during the flood of 1993 -- turning some fields, planted or not, into swamps. For those corn farmers who have been able to get the 2007 crop planted, they now may face the dangers that high water can bring. This could mean either yield reduction or plant death. How can you gauge crop flood damage, and what are some ways to protect from it? The storm system that swept through the Plains and Midwest last weekend brought enormous rainfall amounts. In northeast Kansas, southeast Nebraska and northwest Missouri, rain gauges showed anywhere from eight to 13 inches of rain from Saturday to Monday. "It's been since 1993 since we had that much," Ken McCauley, a White Cloud, Kansas, corn farmer and current National Corn Growers Association president tells Agriculture Online. "Saturday night, it just rained all night. We had places around here that had 11 or 12 inches, and just west of here, in one area, it was around 13." McCauley adds that Missouri River levels in his area on Tuesday were approaching 30 feet, with some areas at or above where they were during the 1993 flood. "It's really bad," he says. "People were emptying their bins out like mad -- they thought they were going to get closed in. It's just a lot of water." These rising tides can have an array of effects -- from slight yield drag to total plant death -- on a newly planted corn crop. The damage potential is especially high early on in the plant's growth cycle and with warmer temperatures, according to University of Wisconsin corn agronomist Joe Lauer. "Within about 48 hours, the oxygen supply in a flooded soil is depleted. Without oxygen, the growing point cannot respire and critical functions are impaired," Lauer says. "If temperatures are warm during flooding (greater than 77 degrees Fahrenheit) plants may not survive 24 hours. Cooler temperatures prolong survival. If flooding in corn is less than 48 hours, crop injury should be limited." But, with continued exposure to water, which blocks oxygen from the seeds and plant tissue, plant respiration can be blocked. If over prolonged periods, this can be fatal to young corn plants. "It is relatively easy for oxygen to diffuse into soil when pores are filled by air, but oxygen does not easily diffuse in water so the main constraint to oxygen movement is the thin water film surrounding root hairs. This boundary is magnified in flood/pond conditions," according to Lauer. "Roots are injured if the soil remains waterlogged. Continued poor aeration causes cell death and even death of roots." Once water recedes, both in the short and long terms, damage to the crop can be easily observed. "To confirm plant survival, check the color of the growing point. It should be white to cream colored, while a darkening and/or softening usually precedes plant death. Also look for new leaf growth three to five days after water drains from the field. Once the growing point is above the water level, the chances of survival improve greatly," says Lauer. "Even if flooding doesn't kill plants, it may have a long-term negative impact on crop performance. Excess moisture during the early vegetative stages retards root development. As a result, plants may be subject to greater injury later during a dry summer because root systems are not sufficiently developed to contact available subsoil water." CancelPost Comment Farm Science Review, Day Two
Hormones to Detect Overtraining in Horses Cortisol, adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), testosterone, leptin, insulin, and other hormones could soon become reliable biomarkers in blood tests to determine if a horse is overworked, according to Concetta Amato, PhD, researcher in the nutrition and endocrinology unit of the French National Veterinary School in Nantes, France. “Regular, standardized testing of the hormone profile could provide crucial and precocious information about the physiological evolution of the horse’s condition during training, with any changes in that profile being a potential indicator of fatigue and the risk of overtraining,” Amato said during her presentation at the French Equine Research Day held Feb. 28 in Paris. Amato and her fellow researchers followed 37 Lusitanos and purebred Spanish horses used in public performance shows in France over an 11-month period. They evaluated horses regularly for weight, body condition, and hormone concentrations in the blood via a blood test. Meanwhile, they recorded the horses’ exercise intensity for the period of each evaluation. In the off-season (October to April) the horses were trained one or two hours a day for four to five days a week and walked or rested the other days. During the show season the horses took part in between nine (April to June) and 19 (July to September) performances per week; horses had no rest days in July or August. During performances horses were required to gallop, sprint, carry vaulters and riders, and execute many abrupt starts and stops, Amato said. Upon reviewing their results, the researchers found that during the intense exercise period, 49% of the horses lost a significant amount of weight (up to 10%) and body condition score , even though their energy rations (feed) were increased 12%. The team also noted a marked increase in physiologic pathologies—such as infections, musculoskeletal disorders, injuries, and behavior problems—during the show season, which rose from an occurrence rate of 3.5% during off-season training to 47.8% during the high-season performance period. Amato said the team also saw considerable changes in horses' hormonal profiles between the off season and the show season: • Testosterone increased with progressive training but decreased during the high performance season; this is also a phenomenon seen in humans in or near a state of overtraining. • ACTH secretion, which typically activates cortisol secretions, did not correspond to cortisol secretion during the intense period (generally, as ACTH secretion increases, so does cortisol secretion). When ACTH isn't properly regulated, certain diseases can ensue: Not enough ACTH causes secondary adrenal insufficience, whereas too much can cause primary adrenal insufficience (or a lack of the cortisol necessary to manage biological stress). • Prolactin, which reflects stress levels, decreased during training but increased at the end of the show season. • Leptin, which regulates the appetite, decreased drastically during the show period. A drop in leptin can reduce a horse's capacity to use the energy found in nutrients and affect his ability to exercise. • Thyroxin, which activates certain kinds of metabolism, decreased. In racehorses, low levels of thyroxin have been associated with poor performance and myopathies. • Insulin-like factor 1 (IGF1) increased during training and decreased in the high season. IGF1 concentration is influenced by the duration and intensity of exercise, energy imbalance, and inflammation. • Insulin, another growth factor, which reflects the horse's nutritional state, increased progressively during work season, reaching the maximum peak of insulinemia in the show season. “This implies incomplete recuperation and a progressive decrease in the sensitivity of tissues to insulin,” Amato said. “Overtraining is one of the major risks of reduced performance capacity in sport horses, with multiple consequences, on both a technical and an economical level,” Amato said. “Previous studies have already shown that overtraining and all its clinical manifestations (behavior problems, loss of appetite, muscular difficulties, variations in the heart rate, etc.) can be linked to perturbations of the hypothalamus (the part of the brain that manages hormone secretion) and to the resulting neurohormonal secretions. Our study confirmed that all the hormones evaluated were significantly influenced by the increasingly heavy workload.” In the future, Amato said, ACTH, cortisol, testosterone, leptin, IGF1, insulin, thyroxin and prolactin might be reliable biomarkers for evaluating the risk of overtraining in horses. Her research is ongoing. Most Popular Stories
The Ludwig van Beethoven wiki last edited by fesak on 04/17/13 02:04PM View full history Ludwig van Beethoven (1770 - 1827) was a German pianist and a highly influential composer. He was born in Bonn, Electorate of Cologne to a family of musicians and started musical studies very early in life. He gave his first public performance in 1778. His first published composition appeared in 1783. He moved to Vienna in 1792, partly to work as a pianist and partly to continue his musical studies under master performers and composers also working there. His own compositions started receiving the notice of wealthy patrons there. By 1795, Beethoven career had brought him his first significant profits. In 1796, Beethoven followed the example of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart by making a musical tour to other major cultural centers of Central Europe. He performed at Prague, Dresden, Leipzig and Berlin at great critical success. The tour expanded his reputation and brought him the favor non-Habsburg rulers. Notably Friedrich Wilhelm II of Prussia rewarded Beethoven with a "snuffbox full of gold coins" because the composer had dedicated two cello sonatas to him. The experimental tour was highly successful and Beethoven decided to make later tours when possible. By 1798, Beethoven had to face a health problem. His hearing was beginning to deteriorate. Though reasonably concerned, Beethoven kept on playing piano and composing. He would be fully deaf within a few decades but that never ended his career. From 1798 to 1802, Beethoven worked in his first string quartets and symphonies, more complex works than his earlier compositions. While showing the influence of earlier masters on him, his First and Second symphonies were rather well-received. No longer a student, Beethoven was approached by members of the nobility to give music lessons to their children. His first such lessons started in 1799. They were short-lived but earned him a friend in his student Josephine Brunsvik, later a love interest. He would take few students in later years but they included composers Ferdinand Ries and Carl Czerny. The latter being the mentor of Franz Liszt . Ten years later, Beethoven was seeking for permanent employment at the royal theatre. He was rejected for uncertain reasons. Jerome Bonaparte, King Westphalia saw the opportunity to offer him well-payed employment in 1808. Three of Beethoven's Viennese patrons counter-offered him an annual pension of 4000 florins to keep him in Vienna. Beethoven's agreement may have been a mistake in retrospect. One of his patrons was dead before long, one ceased payments in 1811 and the last remaining one could not cover the entire sum by himself. Beethoven stopped giving public performances in 1811. His deafness had made it increasingly hard to perform. Between 1812 and 1814, Beethoven lost all ability to hear. In order to converse with him , his fellow speakers had to write in his "conversation books". He could then answer in kind or orally. This had the unforeseen consequence that historians have used the surviving books as valuable sources concerning his life and ideas. There were about 400 conversations books by the time of his death. 136 still survive. The others were destroyed by biographer and overeager censor Anton Felix Schindler (1795 - 1864). Schindler is suspected of having added forged entries in some of the surviving books. In 1815, Beethoven started a long-running custody trial over the fate of his nephew Karl van Beethoven. Karl was son to a deceased brother of Ludwig. He lived with his mother Johanna who Ludwig considered to be an unfit parent. Karl spend the next decade between the houses of Johanna and Ludwig as court decisions and appeals shifted custody from one to the other. Ludwig only resigned when Karl attempted suicide in 1826. Karl survived and asked for his mother, Ludwig grudgingly allowing him to go to her house again. His musical output seemed to decrease in terms of quantity and quality for a while in the late 1810s, possibly as Beethoven focused on personal matters. However the 1820s viewed Beethoven making a comeback with some of the best works of his career, including the Missa Solemnis and his Ninth Symphony. The latter also being among his most popular works and including the "Ode to Joy". His last works of note were commissioned string quartets. Some of his compositions for them were highly experimental for their time, bewildering both the critics and the audience. They were received much more favorably decades after Beethoven's death. By then a new generation of musicians and composers had sought inspiration in them. Beethoven wrote his last work in 1826. From December 1826 to March, 1827 he was in sickbed and struggling for his life. When he died it was a shock. His funeral was attended by 20,000 mourners. Franz Schumbert played a prominent part in the proceedings, only a year before his own death. Beethoven's work is seen as transitional between the music schools of Classicism (dominating most of the 18th century) and Romanticism (dominating most the 19th century). This edit will also create new pages on Comic Vine for: Comment and Save
Source: RSA Comments Threshold RE: So... By Solandri on 12/24/2013 6:11:56 AM , Rating: 3 This. Back in the 1970s, the cryptography community made DES the standard encryption scheme for a multitude of government and private applications. The NSA was involved in its development and at one point they said "don't use keys within this range of numbers." They didn't explain why, they just said not to use those keys. That led to some speculation that NSA knew how to crack DES except for keys in that range. But 15 years later the public cryptographic community discovered differential crytanalysis. And lo and behold, the keys within that range were vulnerable to attack by differential crytanalysis. So what had happened was that NSA had discovered differential crytanalysis long before the public. And when DES was being standardized, they made sure the keys which were weak to it were excluded from the possible key base of DES. They strengthened DES, not weakened it. That earned them a lot of street cred with the cryptography community, and until recently there was very little evidence to counter that good karma NSA had built up. While some people questioned dual elliptical curves, you have to remember that there are always people who question anything. Without evidence to the contrary, you have to go with what history says. And history said NSA was trying to strengthen crytographic standards, not weaken them. It will indeed be interesting to see who was responsible for this within NSA. This isn't something you can keep secret forever. Eventually public research would have figured it out, probably within a decade or two. And at that point your credibility is shot, perhaps forever. That's an awfully big price to pay for something of time-limited value. Related Articles
Work on the project began in 1999 and is expected to be completed in 2017. When it is complete, all of the ancient inscriptions discovered within the borders of the State of Israel will be gathered together in a single comprehensive scientific series. The seven-volume work aims to organise a sea of information that until now consisted of partial, truncated and widely-scattered items; to track down inscriptions that have never been published; and to offer the widest range of contemporary interpretations for those inscriptions that are already known to scholars. "This is a unique project, without any historical precedent," says Cotton-Paltiel. Adds Price: "The idea has been around for several generations, but it's being realized only now. The final product will provide an invaluable resource for historical research, one which has been lacking until now." Through Sisyphean and meticulous efforts combined with elements of Indiana Jones-style detective work, the researchers have managed to locate within Israel some 12,000 texts written between the 4th century BCE and the 7th century CE. "From Alexander to Mohammed, from the Hellenistic period to the Muslim conquest," as the two scholars put it. Some of the texts are dozens of lines in length; others have only a single word. They are written in more than 10 languages, of which Hebrew, Greek, Latin, Phoenician and Aramaic are only a partial list. They run the gamut from letters and receipts inscribed on bits of pottery, through names of deceased individuals written on ossuaries, to historic inscriptions that commemorate important events, people and places. For the contributors, this is the project's most important innovation. It breaks with earlier practice by documenting, side-by-side, multilingual inscriptions that belong to the various peoples that lived in Israel. "Georgians, Armenians, Romans, Greeks, Syrians - everyone who was here was documented," says Cotton-Paltiel, "not just the Jewish people." In similar projects to date it was the custom to sort inscriptions by language and publish each of them separately. "That division is old-fashioned," Cotton-Paltiel says. "We present them all together, as they are, as an authentic expression of the different societies and cultures that coexisted in our region, and which deserve to be presented in an egalitarian manner." Among the inscriptions is one in Greek from the Temple compound in Jerusalem that bars gentiles from entering the Temple Mount, and a Hebrew inscription: "Lebeit hatekiya," which was placed in the southwestern corner of the Mount, indicating the site where a shofar was blown to announce the beginning and end of the Sabbath. "Inscriptions are an important and unique historical source," explains Price. "They provide information in many areas that no other source can provide. It's not just about documenting empires, but also about the history of family, religion, language and culture." "Some complement, revise or contradict information that exists in other sources," adds Cotton-Paltiel. "There are some matters about which there is no history except from inscriptions - information that no literary source could give you." One part of the project involves collecting, documenting and cataloging all of the scholarly information that already exists about the known inscriptions. Another part is locating new inscriptions. In several cases, the researchers discovered pieces of the same inscription in different places, and assembled them like a jigsaw puzzle. "We did not find a personal letter written by Jesus, but from our standpoint," says Price, "any discovery made of a name we did not know before is an important addition. It is no exaggeration to say that we took people who were completely lost to history and restored them to the written record." Language mastery The nerve center for the Corpus Inscriptionum project is a small and crowded room on the Mount Scopus campus of the Hebrew University. An enormous filing cabinet on one wall holds all of the information that the researchers have managed to unearth about each and every inscription. Over the years they have combed through journals, encyclopedias, books and monographs going back to the 18th century in search of details about the inscriptions. Every scrap of information yielded by these sources about any inscription that was ever discovered in Israel is filed here by industrious students. Their qualifications include studying for a degree in classics or ancient history, and knowledge of the relevant languages. Cotton-Paltiel elaborates: "We are not talking about just anyone: These are young people, some of them from abroad, who have mastered Greek, Latin, Aramaic and Syriac, and the Talmud as well." The scholars are also attempting to photograph or else obtain photographic documentation of as many inscriptions as possible. "We want to see every inscription that can be seen with our own eyes," explains Cotton-Paltiel. "It is not always possible. There are inscriptions that have been lost, have disappeared or been broken, or that were sold on the antiquities market to private hands." To this end, the researchers enlisted two photographers who know the country inside and out, with whom they scour all the relevant sites where inscriptions are to be found. A partial list includes churches, museums, private collections and warehouses. And not only in Israel: Thus, for example, Prof. Price found himself one day in an abandoned wine cellar in Oslo. The story of what brought him there begins at the end of the 19th century, and involves a colorful and eccentric man who became very famous in the port city of Jaffa in those days. Plato von Ustinov was a Russian aristocrat who became a German Protestant. After getting to know members of the German Templar movement, he moved to Jaffa and built an estate there. Ustinov, whose grandson was the late actor Peter Ustinov, was a well-known antiquities collector. He lived in Jaffa for 30 years and enriched his collection with local antiquities. "The local Arabs learned that there was a mad Russian who paid good money for antiquities," says Price, "and they would bring him thousands of artifacts that they found in burial caves and local excavations." In 1913 Ustinov returned to Europe, where he died a few years later. His collection eventually wound up in Oslo. In the 1970s it was traced to an abandoned warehouse by the late archaeologist and journalist Zvi Ilan. Some of the inscriptions were put on display at a local museum, but many others remained far from scholarly eyes. "Everyone thought it had been lost. Nobody knew what had happened to that collection," says Price, whose own research had led him to Oslo, where "they were very excited to hear that there was still someone who was interested in these inscriptions and wanted to publish them," he recollects. "When we arrived," Price adds, "at first they thought that we had come to try to return the antiquities to Israel." After some persuasion, however, they were permitted to arrange and photograph all of the items, a task that took several days. Off-limits locales One of Cotton-Paltiel's tasks was to contact all of the religious institutions in Jerusalem. She says that all of them, including the museum of the Muslim Waqf (religious trust ), responded with great cooperation. The Greek patriarch, for example, issued a special permit giving the scholars access to all the churches and monasteries under his supervision, including the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Accompanied by a priest and an architect, Cotton-Paltiel discovered genuine treasures inside that church, the traditional site of the crucifixion and burial of Jesus. She says they found some stones with inscriptions that had nothing to do with the church, which had apparently been "recycled" from other sites - i.e., used to plug up holes in the wall. The high point of the visit occurred when they entered a room otherwise closed to the public, whose key is held only by an Armenian priest. "He opened the door for us, and there we saw an awfully famous Latin inscription left by Christian pilgrims," she reconstructs excitedly. She photographed and documented it, of course. "There isn't a museum in the country we haven't been through or that isn't on our list," adds Cotton-Paltiel. "They open the warehouses for us as well and we come there with porters, arrange the findings and document them." The Israel Antiquities Authority, for example, cooperates with them regularly. "We have unofficially become an affiliate of theirs. They feel we are a national project." In addition, she says they "are in contact with every museum in the world that has antiquities that originated in Israel." Some of them, such as the British Museum and the Louvre, demand payment for the information they provide. The sea is the only place they have yet to search. "We don't have enough time, but there are loads of things there - inscribed jars and weights, for example," Cotton-Paltiel says. Renowned scholars As one might expect, the project is composed of renowned scholars in a variety of fields, who complement each other's knowledge. Thus, historians work alongside philologists and archaeologists. The distinguished list of participants includes: Benjamin Isaac, professor of ancient history at Tel Aviv University; paleographer Dr. Ada Yardeni, author of "The Book of Hebrew Script" and designer of a Hebrew typeface that bears her name; Dr. Haggai Misgav and Dr. Leah Di Segni, both epigraphers from the Hebrew University's Institute of Archaeology; and Prof. Alla Kushnir-Stein, an expert on Land of Israel history and epigraphy from Tel Aviv University. The project's digital database contains a record of the written and photographed material and its scholarly analysis. It already contains several thousand gigabytes of material. After the material has been collected and analyzed in Israel, it is sent to the University of Cologne, location of the second arm of the project. Leading the German branch are professors Werner Eck and Walter Ameling, historians and epigraphists who are considered the leading experts in their field worldwide. Working alongside them is Marfa Heimbach, who built an electronic database customized to the needs of the project. Funding for the project also comes primarily from Germany. The DFG, the German Research Foundation, has already provided some 1 million euros and is expected to continue to fund the endeavor. So far two of the seven projected volumes in the series have been published: the first section of the first volume on Jerusalem inscriptions and the second covering Caesarea and the mid-coastal area. Later this month a second section of the volume on Jerusalem will appear, and it will be followed by, among others, volumes on Jaffa and the southern coast (between Tel Aviv and Rafah ); the Negev (including Nabatean inscriptions and inscriptions in the language of desert tribes ); Ein Gedi and Masada; the Jerusalem environs; and the Galilee. The work on the Galilee region is the biggest and most important part of the project, encompassing the largest numbers of churches and synagogues - "a massive amount of work, a significant share of which has never been published," Cotton-Paltiel says. Once the entire series has been published and the issue of copyright has been settled, it will also be made available online. And what about inscriptions situated in sites within the Palestinian Authority? "At an early stage efforts were made to bring Palestinian scholars onto the team of editors for the project," responds Cotton-Paltiel. Despite the initial enthusiasm, for reasons not in control of either party, the cooperation "did not reach fruition." Hence, she acknowledges, "At the moment our project is limited to the State of Israel." In the future, she hopes, the project's scholars or their successors will be able to complete the job also in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

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