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When something seems a little mysterious or we just don’t understand what is going on we like to describe it with the adjective ‘dark’.
This is one of the reasons why the term ‘dark’ matter got coined which was first proposed to explain the anomaly observed in the rotational velocities of galaxies. That is – the observed rotational velocities of the gas and dust at the outer edges of a galaxy is rotating just as fast as the gas and dust near its center. This anomaly was first noted in 1978 by Vera Rubin and W. Kent Ford who made precise measurements utilizing a new instrument that Ford himself had designed. At first, they thought their data could be erroneous, but then their results were corroborated by subsequent observations of galactic rotational velocities, suggesting that there was indeed an anomaly between what is expected and what was observed!
So, what is going on here?
Well, to determine the mass of a celestial body some assumptions must be made about how things are expected to work – that is, the known laws of physics are taken into consideration. These assumptions or laws are then applied to what is observed such that the mass can be determined. As direct measurements for the mass of a celestial body cannot be made – astronomers instead observe the emitted light and look how it changes with time. An analysis of how the light changes with time reveals the dynamics of the system e.g. the velocity, which, based on the laws of physics, allows for the determination of the mass. For example, in the case of galaxies their rotational velocities are calculated through the measurement of their Doppler shifts in the light spectra. These calculated velocities are then plotted against their respective distance away from the galactic center, producing a rotation curve.
To measure the Doppler shift, astronomers disperse the light using a spectrograph (i.e. a prism), allowing the spectral lines – representing the electron transitions between orbitals – to be observed. These spectral lines will be of a specific wavelength depending on the atomic transition – but as well the wavelength will be shifted i.e. shortened or increased due to the gas moving towards or away from the astronomer’s line of sight. This technique is used to measure the rotational velocities.
To determine the rotation curve of the Galaxy we need to observe the light emitted from the galaxy. However, the visible light from stars suffer from interstellar extinction – where the light cannot penetrate the galactic dust clouds – and are therefore not the best source of galactic light. Instead, neutral hydrogen which exists in low density regions of the interstellar medium and emits light with a wavelength of 21cm – known as the Hydrogen 21-cm Line – is used. In the case of neutral hydrogen – the 21-cm wavelength (1420 MHz) radiation comes from the transition between the two levels of the hydrogen ground state.
Now from the known laws of physics one can assume that the velocity will change with distance, where in the case of a rigid or homogeneous system – like that assumed for the galactic nucleus – the velocity will be proportional to the distance, i.e. the velocity will increase with radius.
So, taking all this into account we would expect a galaxy rotation curve somewhat like this,
However, even with this more accurate observation using the 21cm-Hydrogen line, the resulting rotation curve is not as expected,
So how can we explain this rotation curve – why does it increase in velocity and then flatten? Based on what we know and just discussed one would assume that the proportionality constant in the equation governing the Keplerian dynamics would need to NOT be constant. That is – the mass would need to increase with respect to the radius, keeping the velocity approximately constant. As there is no observed extra mass it was thus proposed that the extra mass must be a different kind of mass that is undetectable i.e. ‘dark’.
Now although this idea of dark matter seemed new, it had already been proposed by the likes of Zwicky – who back in 1933, through the study of galactic velocities in the Coma Cluster, concluded that the total mass required to hold the Cluster together is about 400 times larger than what is observed . This was then expounded upon by the work of many others and is still an active area of research. Today it is calculated that ~ 85% of all matter is ‘dark’ matter.
So, what is dark matter except for being an unknown entity?
Shortly after the idea of dark matter first gained momentum, several theories were put forward proposing possible sources e.g. ‘dark’ objects formed at the early epoch of the Universe ; dark remnants of Population III stars (the original stars formed after the big bang and thus composed entirely of primordial gas) such as white dwarfs, neutron stars or black holes ; and exotic elementary particles such as massive neutrinos .
The idea of massive neutrinos was shortly put to bed when the mass of an electron neutrino was measured to be 30 eV and an argument based on the Pauli exclusion principle – which states that two or more identical fermions cannot simultaneously occupy the same quantum state – showed that individual galaxy halos could not be made of neutrinos with masses that small .
A plethora of candidates were subsequently put into the lime light, the main characteristic being the fact that they are not detected in the known electromagnetic wavebands. It was thus assumed that this dark matter object will not significantly interact with the electromagnetic spectrum and only interacts via gravity or any other force which is as weak as, or weaker than the weak nuclear force. That is, they are very quiet and don’t communicate too well – much like some scientists.
In the early universe the materialization of particles and anti-particles from radiant energy through pair production – and the subsequent destruction through annihilation – were in equilibrium. That is the production rates for both the particles and the photons were the same as their destruction rates such that no photon and/or particle was permanent, just continuously fluctuating in and out of existence. As the universe cooled the energy was not sufficient for pair production and thus the number of particles and photons decreased until the particle interaction probability reached a critical low such that particle annihilation ceased, and the number density (number of particles) stabilized. For a specific particle, the number density that stabilization occurs depends on the particles mass. For a dark matter candidate, it would need to be sufficiently massive and slow moving (sub-relativistic) such that it could clump together and form the structure we observe today. This is the general view of dark matter and is referred to as the Cold Dark Matter model.
Supersymmetry – one of the candidate theories for quantum gravity, which focuses on the relationship between ordinary particles (fermions) and ‘force carrying’ entities (bosons) – predicts new elementary particles that fit the description of a weakly Interacting Massive Particle (WIMP) e.g. higgsinos, sneutrinos, squarks, selectrons.
Source: New Scientist
The lightest of these stable supersymmetric particles is the neutralino which happens to have a calculated number density approximately equal to the known density of dark matter. The neutralino is thus the most likely candidate for a WIMP and with a mass is within the energy levels that can be detected at particle accelerators such as the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). Note, any detection of the WIMP particle at the LHC would not be direct, instead it would be in the form of missing energy of the specific order. However, as yet no such detection has been made.
Direct detection of a WIMP would be the optimum confirmation of dark matter, however as they are weakly interacting it is an extremely low probability that they will interact, let alone that we would detect such a small energy range interaction. However, there are many experiments dedicated to detecting the interaction of a WIMP with atomic matter. Depending on the material of the detector e.g. silicon, germanium, sodium iodide etc., phonons – vibrations in the atomic lattice – and/or scintillation – luminescence from ionized electrons – can be detected. To reduce background events, these experiments operate deep underground and at extremely cold temperatures where they are shielded from cosmic rays and thermal excitations are minimized. Although numerous experiments are actively searching e.g. Deep Underground Science and Engineering Laboratory (DUSEL), Large Underground Xenon experiment (LUX), Sudbury Neutrino Observatory Laboratories (SNOLAB) and the China Jinping Underground Laboratory (CJPL), to date no WIMP has been detected.
These underground experimental methods allow for another source of indirect detection – through the detection of neutrinos. If we assume that WIMPS are the dark matter particle and exist in the halo of galaxies, then they would have been passing through our local surroundings and at some point, in the last several billion years, they would have been scattered by nuclei. This loss in energy would have trapped the WIMPS in the gravitational well of the Sun and/or Earth until the number density sufficiently increased for annihilation to occur. Annihilation of WIMPs results in high-energy neutrinos, so based on this reasoning you would expect a stream of neutrinos to be emanating from the sun. Neutrinos produced in nuclear reactions in the solar core have a much lower energy than the neutrinos produced through WIMP annihilation. As well, these higher-energy neutrinos interact in the atmosphere of the Earth producing muons. However, muons are also created through cosmic ray interaction with the Earth’s atmosphere so again, to reduce background events the detectors are placed deep underground. Detectors such as the Antarctic Muon And Neutrino Detector Array (AMANDA), the South Pole Neutrino Observatory (IceCube) and the Astronomy with a Neutrino Telescope and Abyss environmental RESearch project (ANTARES) are all searching for a signal, but these methods have also been to no avail.
Annihilation of WIMPS also produce gamma rays, which has been another focus of searching for these elusive dark matter particles. This annihilation is expected to take place in galactic halos and could be detected through an excess of gamma rays. However, distinguishing between gamma rays due to annihilation and those from the various astrophysical sources has proven difficult. For example a recent study using data from the Large Area Telescope on NASA’s Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope have suggested that the excess source of gamma ray emission may instead be a well-known population of pulsars.
The myriad of experiments and searching techniques have so far revealed no positive results, so it looks like the most promising candidate – WIMPS – is finally facing defeat and a team of leading scientists attending a workshop on new ideas in dark matter have been encouraged to look elsewhere and widen their perspective.
One such alternative candidate for dark matter that may well make up a fraction of this missing mass are MACHOs (MAssive Compact Halo Objects). Unlike WIMPs MACHOs are baryonic and come in the form of astronomical objects such as jupiter mass objects; brown dwarfs; black hole remnants of early generation stars, primordial black holes, neutron stars and white dwarfs. If the galactic halo was filled with objects such as these, they would not be detected by emission or absorption of light. Detection of a MACHO could be made through the phenomenon known as microlensing, where the light from a distant star is magnified when a MACHO-type object passes in front of it.
Non-baryonic matter has a much higher density (by a factor of ~ 5) than that of baryonic matter and gravity is too weak to grow the present structures from the smooth initial conditions observed in the cosmic microwave background (CMB). An additional mass would speed up the process, but only if it didn’t interact with light in the same way ordinary “baryonic” matter does. It was thus concluded that the majority of dark matter is most likely non-baryonic and if MACHOs did exist then they would only be responsible for a small fraction of dark matter primarily in the halos of spiral galaxies.
Axions are another viable dark matter candidate. As opposed to WIMPs, that are hypothesized to have been created thermally in the early universe, axions are suggested to have been created non-thermally during a phase transition event. They were first proposed in the 1970s to explain the strong CP problem – that is C as in charge and P as in parity (spatial inversion). The problem is, the question as to why quantum chromodynamics (QCD) does not seem to break CP symmetry when in principle it permits such a violation.
The fact that we live in a matter dominated universe indicates that the laws of physics are not the same for matter and antimatter and there must have been a violation of the fundamental symmetry of nature – known as CP violation . However, although this is the case for weak interactions , this is not the case for electromagnetic and strong interactions and is thus known as the Strong CP problem. Axions were thus postulated, by Roberto Peccei and Helen Quinn, to account for this, where the axions potential would exactly cancel out a CP violating term introduced into the QCD calculations. Since 2016 the Axion Dark Matter Experiment has been trying to tune a microwave antenna to the broadcast frequency of dark matter – to no avail. The latest study conducted at the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI) also comes up null. The Ultra Cold Neutron Source (UCN) at the PSI is primarily being utilized to determine the electric dipole moment of a neutron but measurements over time could reveal a fluctuation of a consistent frequency – which would be indicative of an interaction between the neutron and the hypothetical axion particle.
Axions are 10,000 trillion-trillion times less massive than an electron and could theoretically condense into a Bose-Einstein condensate and thus be the hypothesized superfluid dark matter responsible for galaxy rotation as oppose to the normal dark matter responsible for galaxy clusters. However, this has since been ruled out on the basis that axions are weak and attractive and the superfluid dark matter particles are required to be repulsive.
Maybe it’s time to turn the lights on and get some clarity on this!
For starters let’s start from the premise that everything is connected and in that case, there would not be a particle that only interacts via gravity. In fact, maybe, just maybe there is no ‘dark’ matter particle after all – and instead it’s the physics that we need to look at.
This is the premise of Mordehai Milgrom who came up with a theory on modified Newtonian dynamics (MOND) . The central idea of MOND is scale invariant physics – that is, physics that does not change across scales – seems obvious right? However, this is not the general consensus, which currently states that the laws of physics change at different scales i.e. you have quantum mechanics at the quantum scale and general relativity at large scales.
What if this was not the case and instead we live in a scale invariant Universe i.e. a unified physics view where quantum gravity is the physics across all scales?
This is in line with the remark by Dirac (1973) that “… the equations expressing the basic laws of Physics should be invariant under the widest possible group of transformations. This is the case of the Maxwell equations of electrodynamics which in absence of charges and currents show the property of scale invariance” .
Milgrom makes an interesting step and introduces scale invariant physics at low accelerations below a critical limit that is defined within the framework of the model. From this approach the MOND model successfully predicts the observed dynamical effects of galaxies from dwarf to elliptical and spiral etc., and as well correctly predicts the correlation between the luminosity of a galaxy and its rotation rate, known as the Tully-Fisher relation.
This underlying scale invariant framework of MOND, where gravity is an emergent property, is also purported by Erik Verlinde in his theory of emergent gravity. Verlindes conceptual model, utilizes quantum information theory, string theory and black hole physics to suggest that space-time and gravity emerge together from entangled quantum interactions. This emergent gravity contains an additional force which according to Verlinde can explain the observed phenomena in galaxies and clusters currently attributed to dark matter.
Andre Maeder has presented a similar theory that assumes scale invariance. Much like that of MOND he defines a limit where scale invariance is applicable at large scales (i.e. low accelerations in MOND). Then, much like Verlinde he finds an additional force that opposes gravity. This force is only small at very low densities i.e. on Earth the force would be too small to make any measurable difference, but on the galactic scale it is strong enough to hold the rotating galaxies together with no need for dark matter. Maeders model utilises a new co-ordinate system and successfully explains the rotation rate of individual galaxies and the surprisingly high velocities of galaxies in galaxy clusters as well as the acceleration of the energy which is generally attributed to dark energy .
These models of Milgrom, Verlinde and Maeder all offer an interesting look at dark matter, where, instead of looking for a new particle, the physics is addressed to account for the attributes of dark matter. However, not everyone is convinced as noted by David Spergel, who says Maeders theory, or any new theory that attempts to explain away dark matter, would have to fit all cosmological data e.g. the cleanest evidence for the existence of dark matter is the CMB – the radiation left over from the big bang – whose observed temperature fluctuations cannot be explained without dark matter. According to Spergel, the Cold Dark Matter Model fits the data really well, and Maeders theory does not. However, the validity of such a model has just been challenged in a recent paper by a team of astrophysicists studying the kinematics of satellite galaxies.
In any case, Spergel also believes that Maeder’s theory would not be able to explain gravitational lensing effects that are observed around some galaxies and can only be explained by additional mass – dark mass! Interestingly Maeder makes a similar conclusion about MOND and states that as it is a classical theory it cannot be contained within the cosmological model .
There are many more alternative theories of gravity that attempt to remove the need for dark matter and dark energy, but these models are still works in progress and cannot explain all the features of dark matter yet.
As well, and possibly most importantly these models have limits to the scale in-variance. If we are assuming a unified approach with scale invariance, where any dilation or contraction of space would not change the physics then you would assume this to be valid across all scales.
Haramein’s unified physics, in his generalized holographic model, offers such an approach where scale in-variance is valid across all scales. In his model the mass of all particles, stars, galaxies and all systems, results and emerges from the central black hole that sustains each of these systems. The missing mass required to explain the observational anomalies is thus no longer needed in the form of a particle and instead can be predicted directly from the physics of the generalized holographic approach. The generalized holographic model successfully predicts the mass of the proton (read addendum here) and the electron, so, what about the mass of the larger scale systems?
The discrepancy between the vacuum density at the quantum scale and the cosmological scale – known as the vacuum catastrophe – was resolved utilizing the generalized holographic model, where the changing density is a direct result of scale invariant physics governed by the generalized holographic model. This model is therefore valid from the very small to the very big and is most likely applicable across all scales. The question is can we predict the observed mass of our galaxy based on the generalized holographic model? Watch this space!
By: Amira Val Baker
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David Cameron 2014
The Department for Education define British values as having 5 different elements:
• The rule of law
• Individual liberty
• Mutual respect
• Tolerance of those of different faiths and beliefs
The promotion of British values and ethos is a key part of life at Abbey Fields and they are an integral and long standing element to our approach to teaching and learning and the wider nursery community. We actively promote British values in our approach to children, parents, the community and other stakeholders.
As the above statement from David Cameron highlights, the term ‘British values’ can be misleading as these values as also held by many other countries and cultures across the world. The following information highlights just a few of the ways that these values form part of our every day school life.
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When relating to alcoholism
, diagnosis determines treatment. In order to label alcoholism as a disease we must first understand fully what a disease is. A disease is an irregular condition that affects the whole, or parts of the body. In this sense of the word, addiction is certainly a disease. It has been said that addiction is a threefold disease. This means that it is mental, physical as well as spiritual. Addiction, like other diseases, is one that misinformation or a lack of it can be fatal. Once a person recognizes addiction as a disease it is possible to move forward towards recovery. Due to the fact that the American government also recognizes addiction as a disease, treatment is covered under most health insurance plans.Addiction Facts
When it comes to addiction it is important to focus on the facts. Myths about this disease often lead to denial, which can be a deadly foe.
Teen Addiction Facts
- Addiction rates are on the rise
- Addiction is comparable to cancer and heart disease as far as its threat to health
- One in ten people who drink becomes an alcoholic
- Use of alcohol and illicit drugs is the number one cause of premature death amongst young people
- Drug and alcohol abuse is prevalent in high schools all across the United States.
- More than half of teenagers about to graduate high school admit to experimenting with illegal drugs.
- The earlier one begins to experiment with drugs and alcohol the higher the chances are that one will become an addict or alcoholic.
- Young people that are educated about the facts of alcoholism on a regular basis are less likely to become alcoholic.
Misconceptions about addiction are common and unfortunate stigmas are attached to the word addiction. These are a few common myths relating to addiction.
Alcoholism and Addiction
- Willpower is all one needs to stop using alcohol and drugs.
- Treatment does not work.
- People choose to become an alcoholic or drug addict.
- Alcoholism is not a disease.
Addiction is a common disease that is potentially lethal. Addiction does not only affect the person with the disease, it also affects their families and friends. It is crucial that people know and understand the disease concept of addiction, along with the facts and myths. For this reason, knowledge and information are vital. If a person believes the common misconceptions related to this disease it is difficult to properly assess the problem. There are many ramifications related to the disease of addiction and it can be a long and strenuous battle. Recovery from this fatal and progressive disease is possible. There are many recovering drug addicts and alcoholics all over the world who have found a solution to their problem. Honesty, open-mindedness, and willingness are the necessary components to recovery.
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Cardboard-Framed Raspberry Pi Tablet #piday #raspberrypi @Raspberry_Pi
Here is a cheap workaround if you don’t have access to a 3D printer. Via Hackster.io:
For most people, designing and fabricating a case to house an electronics project is the one of the hardest parts of the entire process. CAD and mechanical design are skills that take years to develop—even after going to college specifically for that, I was still only mediocre at it when I started my career. If you’re still learning CAD, a great way to keep your projects going is to prototype your enclosures first.
The process is simple enough for anyone to follow along with: just trace the screen and cut it out. Josh uses hot glue to layer the cardboard, and to attached the components to the back of the display. This is a fantastic way to quickly build a functional prototype, and gives you something to reference if you decide to actually create a CAD model for 3D printing or CNC machining.
Each Friday is PiDay here at Adafruit! Be sure to check out our posts, tutorials and new Raspberry Pi related products. Adafruit has the largest and best selection of Raspberry Pi accessories and all the code & tutorials to get you up and running in no time!
Stop breadboarding and soldering – start making immediately! Adafruit’s Circuit Playground is jam-packed with LEDs, sensors, buttons, alligator clip pads and more. Build projects with Circuit Playground in a few minutes with the drag-and-drop MakeCode programming site, learn computer science using the CS Discoveries class on code.org, jump into CircuitPython to learn Python and hardware together, or even use Arduino IDE. Circuit Playground Express is the newest and best Circuit Playground board, with support for MakeCode, CircuitPython, and Arduino. It has a powerful processor, 10 NeoPixels, mini speaker, InfraRed receive and transmit, two buttons, a switch, 14 alligator clip pads, and lots of sensors: capacitive touch, IR proximity, temperature, light, motion and sound. A whole wide world of electronics and coding is waiting for you, and it fits in the palm of your hand.
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First, one must understand the two classes of tissue found in the human body: Bone, and Soft Tissue. This means that every tissue in the body, apart from bones, such as muscles, tendons, & ligaments is Soft Tissue. A Soft Tissue Injury is generally an injury to ligaments (known as a sprain), and to muscles and tendons (known as strain). For example, a neck sprain/strain is generally known as a "whiplash soft tissue injury."
In contrast, Hard Tissue injuries relate to injuries to the bone like fractures, and they tend to heal better with no motion which is why hard casts are often used in treating them. Soft Tissue injuries, on the other hand, tend to heal better with proper motion which is why they respond well to physical therapy and chiropractic. Bones tend to take longer to heal because the blood supply is lower compared to Soft Tissue injuries which have potential to heal quicker. Bone breaks tend to heal stronger than they were before the break, but not so for Soft Tissue injuries which almost never heal back as they were before. Soft tissue injuries cause scar tissue to build up and they need to be treated right away with proper motion. This will help to prevent the scar tissue causing stagnation of the blood supply to joints of the spine, or body.
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Just like sex, climate change and sustainability is a hot and steamy topic. One of the most common questions people ask when considering going green is: Where do I start? There seems to be 50 shades of green to choose from.
As with many areas of life that need urgent attention, going green also can seem confusing for many people. There’s probably not a person anywhere on the Earth that isn’t aware of climate change in some way and the need to care for our planet more, but where to start? The Earth is a big place, and while it’s very beautiful, it also has some increasing environmental challenges. Like many, you may be overwhelmed by what needs the most attention, and indeed, how you can make a difference. Well, that’s perfectly normal, and there is an answer.
Like any journey in life, start at the beginning. Take a single step, and take that step in your own home, backyard or business. Decide where you would like to be greener in your own life first. What needs greening? What can you do easily, with little or no effort or cost? Perhaps you’d like to be healthier, or chemical-free, or start a small vege and herb garden. It really is easier than you think and baby steps all added up really do make a difference. For example, by going chemical-free at home or work, you are stopping hundreds of litres of chemicals going down your drain and into your local and global waterways and oceans each year. You are just one person, but what a powerful step. What if everyone did the same thing?
Start in your own space first. Do what small things you can. Experience the positive results firsthand and feel good about your contribution to your environment. In time, you will even become an example to others, which we really need more of.
Visit our blog regularly or attend some of our events for more ideas on becoming greener. Earth care is no longer the domain of hippies and tree-huggers. It is everyone’s responsibility and you can make a difference.
Every change you make to be greener, however small, makes a difference to your planet and your health.
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What are venous leg ulcers, and who is at risk?
Venous leg ulcers are common wounds caused by damage or blockages in leg veins. This leads to pooling of blood and increased pressure in these veins. Eventually these changes can damage the skin and underlying tissue and form a long-lasting wound, or ulcer. These ulcers can be painful and leak fluid. They can also become infected. People at risk of developing venous leg ulcers include the elderly and those with mobility problems. They can be distressing for patients and costly to healthcare systems.
Why use ultrasound to treat leg ulcers?
Treatments for venous leg ulcers include compression bandages, which improve blood-flow in the legs, wound dressings, and medication such as antibiotics. Ultrasound therapy is sometimes used as an additional intervention, especially for difficult, long-standing ulcers. Sound waves are passed through the skin causing the tissue underneath to vibrate. The mechanisms by which ultrasound waves interact with healing tissues are not fully understood; they may have a positive or negative impact on the blood flow around the ulcers. We wanted to discover whether using ultrasound therapy can improve the healing of leg ulcers.
What we found?
In September 2016 we searched for randomised controlled trials (RCTs) that investigated whether ultrasound helps to heal or improves the symptoms of venous leg ulcers. We found 11 trials involving a total of 969 participants. The average (mean) age of participants ranged from 59 years to 70 years. The proportion of female participants ranged from 55% to 79%. Eight studies compared ultrasound with use of no ultrasound for venous leg ulcers and the other three compared ultrasound with sham ultrasound. Seven out of the eleven studies were at high risk of bias and we could not assess the potential bias in three studies due to poor reporting. One study was at low risk of bias. The trials were all different, for example in their duration of follow-up (three weeks to 12 months), and the strength of the ultrasound waves used (high or low frequency ultrasound). It is not clear from this evidence whether ultrasound (high or low frequency) increases the healing of venous leg ulcers. The results of one study (337 participants) suggest that high-frequency ultrasound may be associated with more adverse events such as pain and skin redness (moderate quality evidence). The two studies that evaluated low-frequency ultrasound did not report whether participants experienced side effects. It is also uncertain whether either high- or low-frequency ultrasound affects participants' quality of life.
Quality of the evidence
Most of the studies we found did not have many participants, had short follow-up times and had weaknesses of study design that meant they were quite likely to give a misleading result. We consider the available evidence to be low quality due to these risks of bias.
This plain language summary is up to date as of September 2016.
It is uncertain whether therapeutic ultrasound (either high or low frequency) improves the healing of venous leg ulcers. We rated most of the evidence as low or very low quality due to risk of bias and imprecision.
Venous leg ulcers are a type of chronic, recurring, complex wound that is more common in people aged over 65 years. Venous ulcers pose a significant burden to patients and healthcare systems. While compression therapy (such as bandages or stockings) is an effective first-line treatment, ultrasound may have a role to play in healing venous ulcers.
To determine whether venous leg ulcers treated with ultrasound heal more quickly than those not treated with ultrasound.
We searched the Cochrane Wounds Specialised Register (searched 19 September 2016); the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL; the Cochrane Library 2016, Issue 8); Ovid MEDLINE (including In-Process & Other Non-Indexed Citations, MEDLINE Daily and Epub Ahead of Print) (1946 to 19 September 2016); Ovid Embase (1974 to 19 September 2016); and EBSCO CINAHL Plus (1937 to 19 September 2016). We also searched three clinical trials registries and the references of included studies and relevant systematic reviews. There were no restrictions based on language, date of publication or study setting.
Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) that compared ultrasound with no ultrasound. Eligible non-ultrasound comparator treatments included usual care, sham ultrasound and alternative leg ulcer treatments.
Two authors independently assessed the search results and selected eligible studies. Details from included studies were summarised using a data extraction sheet, and double-checked. We attempted to contact trial authors for missing data.
Eleven trials are included in this update; 10 of these we judged to be at an unclear or high risk of bias. The trials were clinically heterogeneous with differences in duration of follow-up, and ultrasound regimens. Nine trials evaluated high frequency ultrasound; seven studies provided data for ulcers healed and two provided data on change in ulcer size only. Two trials evaluated low frequency ultrasound and both reported ulcers healed data.
It is uncertain whether high frequency ultrasound affects the proportion of ulcers healed compared with no ultrasound at any of the time points evaluated: at seven to eight weeks (RR 1.21, 95% CI 0.86 to 1.71; 6 trials, 678 participants; low quality evidence - downgraded once for risk of bias and once for imprecision); at 12 weeks (RR 1.26, 95% CI 0.92 to 1.73; 3 trials, 489 participants; moderate quality evidence - downgraded once for imprecision); and at 12 months (RR 0.93, 95% CI 0.73 to 1.18; 1 trial, 337 participants; low quality evidence - downgraded once for unclear risk of bias and once for imprecision).
One trial (92 participants) reported that a greater percentage reduction in ulcer area was achieved at four weeks with high-frequency ultrasound, while another (73 participants) reported no clear difference in change in ulcer size at seven weeks. We downgraded the level of this evidence to very low, mainly for risk of bias (typically lack of blinded outcome assessment and attrition) and imprecision.
Data from one trial (337 participants) suggest that high frequency ultrasound may increase the risk of non-serious adverse events (RR 1.29, 95% CI 1.02 to 1.64; moderate quality evidence - downgraded once for imprecision) and serious adverse events (RR 1.21, 95% CI 0.78 to 1.89; moderate quality evidence downgraded once for imprecision).
It is uncertain whether low frequency ultrasound affects venous ulcer healing at eight and 12 weeks (RR 3.91, 95% CI 0.47 to 32.85; 2 trials, 61 participants; very low quality evidence (downgraded for risk of bias and imprecision)).
High-frequency ultrasound probably makes little or no difference to quality of life (moderate quality evidence, downgraded for imprecision). The outcomes of adverse effects, quality of life and cost were not reported for low-frequency ultrasound treatment.
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Home Paintball Guns Paintball Courses Memes Stories About/Contact
Paintball is defined as a game in which players on one team seek to eliminate those on an opposing team by marking them with a water-soluble dye shot in capsules from air guns.
Paintball is a sport in which players compete, in teams or individually, to eliminate opponents by tagging them with capsules containing water-soluble dye and featuring a gelatin outer shell (referred to as paintballs) propelled from a device called a paintball marker (commonly referred to as a paintball gun). Paintballs are composed of a non-toxic, biodegradable, water-soluble polymer. The game is regularly played at a sporting level with organized competition involving major tournaments, professional teams, and players.Paintball technology is also used by military forces, law enforcement, para-military and security organizations to supplement military training, as well as playing a role in riot response, and non-lethal suppression of dangerous suspects.
Games can be played on indoor or outdoor fields of varying sizes. A game field is scattered with natural or artificial terrain, which players use for tactical cover. Game types in paintball vary, but can include capture the flag, elimination, ammunition limits, defending or attacking a particular point or area, or capturing objects of interest hidden in the playing area. Depending on the variant played, games can last from seconds to hours, or even days in scenario play. The most commonly played game in paintball is speedball. Speedball is where the players play on a field full of inflatable bunkers. The games are usually rather fast, lasting an average of 2 to 3 minutes
The legality of paintball varies among countries and regions. In most areas where regulated play is offered, players are required to wear protective masks, and game rules are strictly enforced. Masks are not required in the staging area.
Paintball was first played on June 27, 1981. 12 players were invited to play what was then called "The Survival Game" at a field. The objective was to campure four colored flags in a wooded field without being tagged by a competator using an air powered pistol shooting paint pellets. The first paintballs were created by the Nelson Paint Company (1950s) for forestry service use in marking trees from a distance, and were also used by cattlemen to mark cows. The players were Lionell Atwill, Ken BArrett, Bob Carlson, Joe Drinon, Charles Gaines, Jerome Gary, Robert Gurnsey, Bob Jones, Hayes Noel, Carl Sandqust, Ronnie Skimkins, and Richie White. The resident of New Hampshire, Richie White had won the first ever soon to be paintball game.
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The traditional dress of the Mongols has a rich history spanning many centuries. It is closely connected with the Mongolian way of life and the country. The costumes are used in different situations; somebody rides on horseback over the steppe, he sits at home in his ger (yurt - round felt tent), or he dances at a national festival. The conditions of climate excert influence on the kind of dress, the costumes for the seasons of the year. In summer the Mongols wear a light coat or frock, the "Terleg" (deel - summer coat), in spring, autumn and winter a wadded coat (row cotton), the "Khovontei Deel", or a lambskin coat, the "Khurgan Dotortoi Deel", in winter they wear a sheepskin dress reminding of a fur coat, the "Tsagaan Nekhii Deel".
The Mongolian national costume is a robelike garment called a deel, that, like the Tibetan robe, has no pockets. The deel is worn with a thin silk sash several yards long tightly wound around the waist. Attached to the sash are essential objects such as the eating set, tinder pouch, snuff bottle, and tobacco and pipe pouches. Mongols, like the nomadic Tibetans and Manchurians, use an ingeniously designed eating set incorporating a sharp knife and a pair of chopsticks, and sometimes also includes a toothpick, ear scratcher, and a tweezer. They are made of precious metals and embellished with semi-precious stones.
The dress reflects the age of the wearer. The costumes of elderly people are, as a rule, modest and plain. The female dress shows differences between the attire of the girls and that of married women. The latter is decorated and adorned more splendidly with ornaments and jewellery. The design of the garments, the combination of colours as well as the decorative ornaments speak of an old tradition. The national costumes were mostly brown and dark blue. The Mongols wear the coat with the oblique border, the "Tashuu Engertei Deel", and the coat with the rectangular border, the "Durvuljin Engertei Deel". The materials from which the dresses were sewn were either produced by the people themselves, such as "leather, wool, and fur", or dresses have been made from silk, cotton, wool, and brocades and were richly decorated with jewellery and ornaments of gold, silver, corals, pearls, and precious stones. Every nationality has its own headdress (i.g. the "Toortsog", "Yuden", and "Zharantai"), hence there are many different kinds of caps and boots. The master (male or female) was able to glue, quilt, and stuff with wadding; he knew the symbolism of the ornaments used on the dresses, the symbolism of the colours and their combination.
- see more about Ornaments - Ornaments of the Turk-Mongolian tribe
The largest group, the Khalkha, lives in Central and Eastern Mongolia; the Bayad, the Durvud, the Khoton, the Altai-Uriankhai, the Torguud, the Uuld, the Zakhchin and the Myangad live in the West; in Eastern Mongolia live the Dariganga, the Barga, the Uzemchin, the Buryat and the Khamnigan, and in the North the Khotgoid, the Darkhad, the Khuvsgul-Uriankhai, the Tsaatan and the Khakhar. Also the Kazakhs, who are Muslims, live in the Altai.
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Isaiah was encouraging Israel and assuring them of God’s help when they need it. But Isaiah also told them to encourage each other.
Everyone helped his neighbor, And said to his brother,
“Be of good courage!”
So the craftsman encouraged the goldsmith;
He who smooths with the hammer inspired him who strikes the anvil… Isaiah 41:6-8
They might have been called carpenters, but they were expert wood workers. They created the chests, statues, and articles that would be gold-clad, perhaps to be used in the synagogue or as religious symbols in the home. With a sundry of blade shapes they carved and whittled pieces of wood into works of art.
The skilled craftsmen who covered objects with gold plate probably used a hammer that was fashioned to do such work. I suspect they also had small punches of various shapes to conform the gold plate to the corners and crevices of the chests, statues, etc. using gentle taps persuading the gold to the shape needed where needed.
Some things were made from iron, or bronze, or copper. The metal worker used heavy hammers to mold iron into the desired shape, heating and re-heating it to make it malleable, using an anvil over which to bend and work the metal into the form desired.
All these artisans worked with each other in mind. They encouraged each other in their work, knowing that eventually they would likely be involved in the process, and all knowing that when an object was shaped well to begin with, it was easier to work with, and everything went together to create a masterpiece.
Bill Graham told the story about a man who saw a large church being built, and the stone mason was working on a triangular piece on a work bench on the ground, measuring and chipping away. When asked what he was doing, the mason said it was the last piece in the spire; then he simply said “I’m shaping it down here so it will fit in up there.”
For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written:
“For your sake we face death all day long;
we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:18, 34-38)
Stand strong and be courageous; encourage others to stand strong.
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James T. White was a man who made strong choices throughout his life. He was a man who could have chosen an easier path, but he followed the way he believed God laid out for him. White was born in New Providence, Indiana on August 25, 1837. His parents were James and Catherine. James White Sr. listed his occupation as laborer on the 1850. U.S. Census in Jeffersonville, Clark County, Indiana. They lived in a majority African American neighborhood at the time. At some point after 1850, the White family moved to Indianapolis. On the 1860 U.S. Census, Jame White Sr. once again identified himself as a farmer with real estate valued at $700 and personal estate of $75. Other house hold members were Catherine: age 43, Henry H. age 22 a Methodist preacher, James, Nancy, Reuben and Augustus. On his draft registration for the Civil War, young James listed his occupation as farmer. He also identified himself as married. Although not drafted, he chose to go South in order to help the freedmen.
Although his older brother Henry was a Methodist minister, James chose to join the Baptist Church. By the age of twenty one he had become a minister and was sent to the Consolidated American Baptist Convention held in St. Louis, Missouri in the spring of 1865. While attending a series of these meetings, he was invited to Helena, Arkansas where he became pastor of the Second Baptist Church in Helena. Colonel Charles Bentzoni of the 56th United States Colored Infantry was in command of Helena then. Bentzoni, a Prussian immigrant, had proved to be a champion of equal rights for the newly freed slaves in Helena and the area. He and his men had helped with schools and providing protection from returning Confederate veterans who were unhappy with the situation. The Second Baptist met in a government stable, but Colonel Bentzoni soon permitted them to move into the old Cumberland Church. It was here that services were held for two years until White was able to build a small house of worship.
In 1867 White organized an Arkansas Missionary Baptist Convention in the state capital of Little Rock. By the next year, there was a call to write a new constitution for Arkansas. Delegates were elected and James White was among eight African American delegates to the convention. He was a strong advocate for enfranchisement and opposed the poll tax. Serving the 11th District of Phillips and Monroe counties, White was elected to the House of Representatives. He was reelected to the House twice and then elected to the State Senate. Reverend R.B. White, his brother, represented Pulaski County during this time. James was defeated in campaigns for legislature in1873 and 1881.
At the same time, he continued to work as a minister and succeeded in building two new churches. One was in Helena and the other was in Little Rock. The church in Little Rock was destroyed by fire, but rebuilt. White also organized the first Baptist District Association for Arkansas. In 1874, he was attacked by a group of Democrats and thrown into the Mississippi River near Helena. Undaunted, James White continued to work for equal rights and the Republican Party. The year 1874 was a dangerous year n Arkansas as the two sides of Reconstruction actually came to blows in the Brooks-Baxter War. When Republican Governor Elisha Baxter moved to give former Confederate soldiers the right to vote back, a county judge made Joseph Brooks acting governor. Both groups of Republicans raised militia companies and several bloody battles were fought around Little Rock. When Phillips County Republicans wanted to raise men to fight, White attempted to stop them. He was a man of peace. Brooks would lose in this endeavor, and soon ex-Confederates were voting again. The Democratic Party was on the rise.
Later in 1874, White was elected to a second convention for writing a new state constitution. He would join fellow Helena resident J.J. Hornor at this meeting. While that was going on, he started raising money for a college to be called Helena University. That project failed but eventually Quakers would begin Southland College from a smaller school they had started during the Civil War in Helena. By the mid 1880s, there would be at least five buildings on campus and hundreds of students. It was located in the Lexa area. The college would remain open until 1925 when it was closed. Reverend George Priest of Jonestown, Mississippi and Reverend Moses Proffit of Phillips County both worked with White in order to attract students to Southland from both sides of the river. On the 1880 U.S. Census, James White and his wife Mary were living on Beech Street in Helena.
James White continued to be a strong supporter of education and helped organize public schools in Helena and served as a member of the Helena Public School Board of Directors. White was also a strong supporter of the Free Masons. In 1884 he began to work for the Benevolent and Church Aid Society. Soon White became editor of the Arkansas Review as well. In addition to all of his other duties, he was a delegate at the American National Baptist Convention too. Because of illness, he resigned as pastor of the Second Baptist Church in March 1891 and died March 13, 1892 of pneumonia.
Convention of Baptist Clergymen. Newark Daily Advertiser. Newark, New Jersey. Saturday. May 13, 1865. page 2
Graves, John William. Town and Country: Race Relations and Urban Development in Arkansas 1865-1905. University of Arkansas Press. 1978. Page 48.
Arkansas History Commission, Rev. J.T. White, Summary, Persistence of the Spirit Collection.
The Colored Legislators. Daily Arkansas Gazette (Little Rock, Arkansas) Feb. 1, 1873, page 2.
Works Projects Administration, Slave Narrative: A Folk History of Slavery in the United States form Interviews with Former Slaves, Arkansas Narratives, Part 4, page interviewer: Miss Irene Robertson. Person interviewed Ellis Jefson.
Hon. J.T. White. Morning Republican (Little Rock, Arkansas) Tuesday, February 25, 1873. Volume 6 Issue 274. Page 2.
U.S. Census 1880 Phillips County, Arkansas: Jame T. White
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Junior School Spotlight
The Glassell Junior School offers a variety of exciting workshops for ages 3 to 10.
Fall 2014 Workshops
• Make Believe (adult/child; ages 3–4)
Students experiment with paint, clay, and paper to create puppets, masks, and hats—learning about shapes and colors along the way. Costumes and props are made for dress-up play, and maybe even to sing and dance one day!
• Discovery (adult/child; ages 4–6)
During the first class meeting, students tour the Cullen Sculpture Garden and several galleries at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. Back in the classroom, projects related to the tour include working with clay, creating collages, and painting.
• Halloween (ages 6–8)
Have some spooky Halloween fun in this exciting workshop! Create a Halloween-themed work of art, and enjoy a tasty treat at the end of class. Students are encouraged to wear costumes!
• Holiday (ages 6–8)
In this festive workshop, students make holiday ornaments, wrapping paper, gifts, and more. Holiday treats for all at the last class meeting!
• Art of the Western World (ages 8–10)
Gain an awareness of art history through multimedia projects. Students work with clay, tempera, watercolor, and more while exploring the Early Renaissance, Dutch Masters, and works of 19th-century artists, with a focus on John Singer Sargent’s watercolor techniques.
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Most people would rather not think about their waste once the toilet flushes (or even before), but fortunately some do. We can thank those people for figuring out what to do with that waste, along with effluent from manufacturing and stormwater draining off city streets. We can also thank them for finding the value that would otherwise be left behind. There’s gold in them thar sewage. There’s millions in it.
Researchers from Arizona State University recently estimated exactly how much gold, silver and other metals end up in sewage sludge. Sludge is the "goo left behind when treating sewage," reports Warren Cornwall for Science. The team ran sludge samples from around the U.S. through a mass spectrometer, an instrument that can analyze exactly what kind of elements are in a sample by ionizing them in plasma. They found that a million person city can produce about $13 million worth of metal annually, including $2.6 million in silver and gold. That shakes out to about $280 per ton of sludge of the 13 most valuable elements—silver, copper, gold, platinum and more, they reported in the journal Environmental Science & Technology.
How does that gold and other precious metal get into the sewage? It might be waste from mining, electroplating, electronics and jewelry manufacturing. Already, metals in sewage pose a problem for disposal, so removing it could be doubly useful.
The study didn’t take into account how expensive it might be to get the treasure out of the trash, but study author and environmental engineer Paul Westerhoff told Science that figuring out a way might be worth it. Cornwall writes:
One city in Japan has already tried extracting gold from its sludge. In Suwa in Nagano Prefecture, a treatment plant near a large number of precision equipment manufacturers reportedly collected nearly 2 kilograms of gold in every metric ton of ash left from burning sludge, making it more gold-rich than the ore in many mines.
U.S. sewage plants haven’t tried to get gold out yet, but the idea that sewage is just waste has changed. About 60 percent of sludge is used to fertilize fields and forests, Caldwell reports. The rest is incinerated or put in landfills. At some point, when technology has advanced and our need is great, mining those landfills might even pay off.
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continued from Part 3…
America and the other great democracies confront no mighty superpower, like Britain did in 1936. Yet we face problems which, long simmering, may indeed result in a wreckage similar to what might have befallen the world, had Churchill’s Britain, and its Commonwealth, not stood alone against Hitler, until, as he put it, “those who hitherto had been half blind were half ready.” The clearest declaration of Churchill’s character and principle I have ever read came in July 1936, at the height of the rearmament debate, Churchill told Parliament:
I would endure with patience the roar of exultation that would go up when I was proved wrong, because it would lift a load off my heart and off the hearts of many Members. What does it matter who gets exposed or discomfited? If the country is safe, who cares for individual politicians, in or out of office?
That ringing declaration demonstrates Churchill’s devotion to principle and to his nation, regardless of poll ratings or unpopularity—characteristics some in Congress also demonstrate, from time to time.
They may be struck also by certain earlier Churchill remarks in 1928, which serve as a warning against inaction in the face of the obvious, by any nation’s leaders today. They were written by Churchill to Lord Beaverbrook, after he had read Beaverbrook’s book about World War I, Politicians and the War. They were meant in no invidious sense, but only, I think, in sorrow:
Think of all these people—decent, educated, the story of the past laid out before them—What to avoid—what to do etc.—patriotic, loyal, clean—trying their utmost—What a ghastly muddle they made of it! Unteachable from infancy to tomb—There is the first and main characteristic of mankind.
Worth heeding too are Churchill’s words to the Royal Society of St. George on 24 April 1933, which are evergreen: “We ought to rejoice at the responsibilities with which destiny has honoured us, and be proud that we are guardians of our country in an age when her life is at stake.”
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The #4 Key Step:
You need to set a schedule of how much time you have in each day to write and how many words you want to write.
You don’t have to write a lot.
Ernest Hemingway wrote his first book, The Sun Also Rises in seven weeks—that’s approximately 1,500 words a day, but for more of his life he averaged 50 words a day when, as he would say, “the going was good.”
Set a goal for yourself.
For example. There are approximately 250 words on a printed page. So your goal is to write 1,000 words. Or four pages. Some days you’ll only manage to produce one page, other days you may write 15 pages.
If you maintain this routine, you will have a 240-page book at the end of 60 days.
That’s your first draft.
Now, you start to rewrite.
And that is what writing a book is all about. Rewriting and rewriting.
Remember this. You don’t have to write 1,000 pages just because technology makes it easy for you to do it. The computer and the Internet make it tempting to over-reach and over-write, but keep thinking small. We all feel that movies and baseball games are too long. What about books? Publishers and editors will tell you: A story determines its own length. Remember that The Great Gatsby, one of our great American novels, is just 200 pages long.
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- Prevalence of babies born with a birth weight of more than 4 kg is about is 10%
and this is rising. There are Increased maternal, fetal, and neonatal morbidity associated with fetal macrosomia.
- Maternal risks associated with fetal macrosomia include injury to birth canal (third-and fourth- degree perineal tears, cervical, vaginal lacerations), obstructed labour, chorioamnionitis, increased chances of Caesarean section, postpartum haemorrhage.
- Fetal risks include birth trauma (3-7%) , including shoulder dystocia, brachial plexus injury, and stillbirth
- Risk of shoulder dystocia rises from 1.5% of all virginal births to 10-25% in macrosomia.
- Neonatal risks include hypoglycaemia and electrolyte imbalances (in 50%) , early neonatal death due to asphyxia, increase in postneonatal deaths with a doubling of rate of sudden infant death syndromes compared with average-size babies.
- Long-term risks include childhood obesity and type 2 diabetes. Variations, are male six, post-dates, maternal gestational diabetes or pre-existent diabetes, maternal obesity, and excessive weight gain during pregnancy.
- Although maternal gestational diabetes and pregestational diabetes are risk factors for fetal macrosomia, the great majority of macrosomic infants are born to non- diabetic mothers.
- WANT TO MORE Contact DR SHARDA JAIN 9650511339,DR JYOTI AGARWAL 9910081484
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Google is launching a new Classroom-branded mobile app aimed at encouraging digital collaboration between teachers and students.
Google Apps for Education counts more than 40 million students, teachers and administrators among its user base, according to the Internet giant’s estimates last fall. Classroom itself debuted roughly six months ago in an effort to make Google Apps for Education simpler for educators to use.
Among the available features for educators include helping students keep track of upcoming assignments followed by the ability for instructors to mark assignments as “done” upon completion.
Since launching, more than 30 million assignments have gone through Classroom, noted Jorge Lugo, a software engineer on the Google for Education Classroom team.
The mobile version of Classroom, Lugo explained, is designed to further facilitate communications between teachers and students, namely through the addition of a teacher assignments page and the ability to archive classes.
Submitted by: Rachel King
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The NOT IN operator in Postgres seems like a useful opposite to the IN operator, but it is actually recommended by Postgres to not use this operator in your queries. In fact, they recommend you don’t use any combination of NOT with IN operators because the NOT IN operator behaves strangely with NULL values., e.g.
NOT (x IN (SELECT...)).
SELECT * FROM foo WHERE col NOT IN (1, NULL);
This query will never return any rows, no matter what values are in the
col column. This happens because of the way NULL is evaluated with an IN condition.
col IN (1, NULL) returns either TRUE if
col is 1, or NULL. If you then apply a NOT to that, NOT(NULL) is still NULL. Since NULL is not TRUE, this query will never have any TRUE values and so no rows will be returned.
SELECT * FROM foo WHERE col NOT IN (SELECT other_col FROM bar);
This query will not return any rows if any value from
bar.other_col is NULL. Even if
other_col is never NULL, this query can also suffer from extreme performance issues once the dataset gets above a certain size. That means that the performance might be okay in small tests, but once your queries get above a certain size you will likely see performance degrade by orders of magnitude.
The NOT IN operator is fine to use for comparing against static lists.
SELECT * FROM foo WHERE col NOT IN (1, 2, 3);
As long as you are comparing to small lists of constant values, it might even be advisable to use.
If you’re looking to get a deeper understanding on this solution, or application monitoring in general, take a look at the following articles:
Neither do we. Sign up anyway.
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For month eight of Global Archaeology I am thrilled to be helping excavate the Late Bronze Age (1250-850 BC) fortified hilltop settlement of Outeiro do Circo in the Alentejo plain of southern Portugal (find their blog here). The site is one of the largest settlement of this time period in the Iberian Peninsula, covering about 17 hectares (12 soccer pitches!). This huge area was enclosed by a complex defensive system: a double wall of stone, fire hardened clay and wood was augmented with bastions, ramps, platforms and an exterior retaining wall built on a disused ditch. Outeiro do Circo was clearly an important location in the region and this season the team is investigating the interior area to find more information about the activities that took place there during the Late Bronze Age – beyond the impressive wall building!
As you approach Outeiro do Circo from the nearby town of Beja the ring of trees that marks where the wall stood can be seen as the long narrow hill slowly emerges from the surrounding fertile agricultural plain. From the highest point on the hill it is obvious why this spot was selected to be defended: you can see for hundreds of kilometres across the plain in almost every direction. There are some small hills to its north and west that block a clear view, but it is possible these were ‘watch-tower’ positions in the Late Bronze Age. When Outeiro do Circo was built the landscape around it was mostly covered by Mediterranean forest with cleared farmland and small farmsteads here and there – a much different view to what we see today.
During this and previous excavation seasons large amounts of clumped burnt clay have been found in the area of the enclosing wall. These clumps of burnt clay and the locations where they were found indicate to the archaeological team that one method used to strengthen the wall foundation was to set it on fire! To set a wall of this size alight huge amounts of wood would have been heaved to the top of the hill from the surrounding countryside. Imagine how a wall of fire on top of the highest point in the landscape would have appeared to a person in the Late Bronze Age! There is no doubt this would have demonstrated the importance and power of the wall-builders to anyone who saw the flames or told the story of what they had seen.
The clumps of burnt clay tell the story of a big event in the life of Outeiro do Circo: the building of the defensive wall that marked it as a central place in the region. On the other end of the spectrum are the fragments of pottery that are found scattered everywhere on the ground surface of the hill and in the excavation trenches. These fill out the narrative of this site with evidence of how long the settlement was in use and details about the everyday life of those who lived there. Fragments of pottery from the Chalcolithic to the Roman period have been found at Outeiro but by far the most common are those from the Late Bronze Age.
In the small 3m by 3m trench that I am helping to excavate some very interesting pottery fragments have already been found. Some fragments have small holes in them that were made before they were ‘fired’. These small holes could have been for hanging the vessels by cords for storage or during cooking. Another fascinating piece is a small rough fragment with two indents on its surface. I had never seen anything like it before and joked that it looked like a cartoon pig face! In fact it is a piece of a broken strainer that would have been used to make cheese! From such a small thing we can begin to understand a bit more about the types of foods being prepared and eaten at Outeiro do Circo.
A very simple artefact that I uncovered is a small black pottery fragment shaped into a disc from an already broken piece. From many other ancient examples found across Europe it is likely that this was a gaming piece, used to mark a player’s move in a game now long forgotten. A similar piece found at Outeiro do Circo in a previous season is the only known decorated example from Portugal. Maybe there were lost by someone who was patrolling the defensive wall in the Late Bronze Age! Objects like these certainly help to put people into the story of a site. Outeiro do Circo is much more than a hill with a wall and the archaeological investigations being conducted by the team here are helping to paint a vivid picture of it as an important Late Bronze Age settlement in a thriving region.
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Onion thrips are miniscule pests that cause leaf damage by sucking valuable moisture, chlorophyll and nutrients from onion plants. These tiny pests generally hide under the leaf folds and in the inner leaves near the onion bulb, making them difficult to detect. Onion thrips are most common in areas with hot dry weather during the growing season and can be quite damaging to entire crops of onions. Take action as soon as you notice damage to protect your onions and ensure a harvest.
Spray your onion plants with a garden hose. Position your garden hose, with a sprayer attachment, over the top of the onion plants. Irrigate them well, which knocks thrips from the plants and helps to prevent their return.
Apply a nitrogen-based fertilizer around the base of your onion plants. A consistent availability of nitrogen in the soil is associated with reduced populations of onion thrips. Reapply the fertilizer, as necessary, throughout the growing season.
Put a layer of mulch on the ground around the onion plants. Mulch might increase natural predators, such as minute pirate bugs or lacewings, that feed on thrips. It also provides a barrier for thrip pupa to prevent them from reaching the plant and causing damage. Mulch cools the soil temperature as well, which decreases thrip populations.
Spray insecticide on the onion plants. Follow the package directions exactly. Use a insecticide with spinosad, such as Entrust, if you grow an organic garden.
Plant appropriate crops adjacent to your onions. Avoid planting grains around your onions because they attract onion thrips. Surround onions with other vegetables, herbs and flowers instead.
Things You Will Need
- Garden hose with a spray attachment
- Nitrogen-based fertilizer
- Plant onion varieties that are the most resistant to onion thrips. This reduces the risk of damage, as well as the use of insecticides. 'White Keeper,' 'El Charro' and 'Snow White' are among the most tolerant varieties of onions.
- Use insecticide as a last resort. Onion thrips can build up resistance to insecticides, which makes them less useful. If you apply insecticide, limit the amount and frequency of applications.
- Don't use insecticide if you've introduced predatory insects into your onion crop. It will destroy these beneficial insects as well.
- Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images
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Process Improvement — A Standard Definition of a Process
A process is a series of steps and decisions involved in the way work is completed. We may not realize it, but processes are everywhere and in every aspect of our leisure and work. A few examples of processes might include:
- Preparing breakfast
- Placing an order
- Developing a budget
- Writing a work order
- Triaging a patient
- Cleaning a room
- Changing oil in a car
- Strapping down a truck
- Refueling an aircraft
- Putting gas in the car
What is Missing from the Standard Process Definition?
A lot! Let me give an example of why the overused standard process definition won’t describe most processes and why it fails during a process improvement project. At ESPN there is a basic process for submitting a background check for a new hire. The process is described below:
The process seems straightforward with little room for error. However, hiding underneath the basic definition are key pieces of information that illuminate the problem and the process improvement solution.
Timing and Interdependency
Timing and interdependency are key to understanding real process behavior. In the background check process described above, the submitter only submitted background checks on Tuesday between 3:00 and 3:30 PM. That means that a pending background check could sit in the queue for up to 7 days before being submitted. Three other similar delays in the background check process could add 14 unnecessary days of delay. Understanding the timing of activities within a process is critical to any improvement methodology yet remains unseen because the basic definition doesn’t describe it. The basic definition of a process does not include the framework to describe when a process occurs.
Normally (no pun intended), averages are used to describe processing time for activities under study. Averages work well to describe a business process containing no variability in time (or process direction), not utilizing people and without interruptions. In other words, averages hide critical business process behavior. Why do averages mask process behavior? It would be like trying to explain the dynamics of a family from a single photograph. You get some information from a picture, but you have no clue what happened immediately before or after the click of the shutter. Variable times cause loss of throughput because the system can’t be balanced precisely. That means from the perspective of the entity; waiting will occur at various points in the process. Sometimes there is more waiting than processing. Benjamin Franklin stated this principle concisely when he said: “Lost time is never found again.” If variability in “time and direction” are ignored the real capability of a system will be hidden. Understanding the effect of the variability in the “background check process” mentioned above gave rise to new solutions that mitigated the extreme variability.
If Timing, Interdependency, and Variability are so important why are they ignored in process definitions?
Traditional tools don’t have the framework for capturing or seeing the effect of these critical process factors. Without the framework for capturing and using information, it will be ignored by almost everyone. The framework opens the eyes of the process improvement expert so that they can make effective decisions.
“If you don’t have “word” to describe something, you can’t see it. If you can’t see it, you can’t manage it.”
A New Definition for “What is a Process?”
A process consists four major elements:
- Steps and decisions — the flowchart. A series of steps and decisions describing the way work is completed.
- Variability of processing time and flow — the pattern of processing times.
- Timing and interdependence — when the arrivals happen, when people work, etc.
- Assignment of resources — how many and where are they assigned.
The expanded definition of a process describes the behavior of the current system. Using this information linked in a model, the characteristics of the system can be changed, and the key metrics tested… before investing a dime!
Would you like to see how the elements of the expanded process definition are tied together in an easy-to-understand model? See more…
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GMOs in Organics? Seriously?
Proponents of biotechnology have recently proposed integrating genetically modified organisms into organic agriculture. Spearheading this concept are Pamela Ronald, a professor of plant pathology at the University of California-Davis, and her husband Raoul Adamchak, an organic farmer at the UC-Davis’s certified organic farm. The two co-authored a book, Tomorrow’s Table: Organic Farming, Genetics, and the Future of Food, which argues that combining the best of both systems of agriculture—genetic engineering and organic techniques—offers the best solution to feeding the world in a sustainable way.
Tomorrow’s Table has been praised by GM crop supporters such as Bill Gates and even by Stewart Brand, creator of the Whole Earth Catalog.
Working with vs. Controlling Nature
However, several leading experts in organic agriculture dismiss the idea, saying the two approaches to producing food are fundamentally different. They say that genetically modified foods raise health and environmental concerns, narrow genetic diversity, reduce consumer choice, and don’t offer proven solutions to organic agriculture.
Dag Falck, organic program manager at Nature’s Path Foods, calls the proposed marriage of GMOs and organics a “non-starter for a conversation.”
“Organic is always looking to nature for answers; it is a very thought out and studied way of learning from and mimicking nature, while genetic engineering takes the approach that nature is deficient in some way, so we have to fix it. That mindset is not compatible with organic,” Falck says.
Fred Kirschenmann, distinguished fellow at the Leopold Center for Sustainable agriculture and long-time organic farmer, also sees a fundamental difference between organic and transgenic approaches. “Organic is based on ecological principles—synergies with biological systems. Genetic engineering is based on industrial principles, of using technology to empower a high-input agricultural system.”
Jim Riddle, organic outreach coordinator at the University of Minnesota’s and past chairman of the National Organic Standards Board, sees the same fundamental difference. “Organic agriculture is based on the establishment of a harmonious relationship with the agricultural ecosystem by farming in harmony with nature. Genetic engineering is based on the exact opposite—an attempt to control nature at its most intimate level—the genetic code.”
Most organic experts point to health risks surrounding GM foods as a major reason why GMOs could never be integrated into organic agriculture.
Pamela Ronald has written that “there has not been a single case of illness associated with these (GM) crops.” This claim is often repeated by proponents of biotechnology but the reality is that no one knows if anyone has gotten sick eating GM foods because there is no monitoring to see if illnesses are linked to GM foods. “There is no data from independent, long-term studies on the human health impacts from eating GM crops,” says Tim LaSalle, the former chief executive officer of the Rodale Institute.
Other experts agree. “Right now, we clearly don’t know enough about GMOs to integrate them into anything,” says David Vetter, president of Grain Place Foods and organic farmer of 35 years.
“GM crops are comprised of novel genetic constructs which have never been part of the human diet and may not be recognized by the intestinal system as digestible food, leading to the possible relationship between genetic engineering and a dramatic increase in food allergies, obesity, diabetes, and other food-related diseases,” Riddle says.
Organic experts see opposite impacts on the environment with the two approaches. “Organic agriculture is based on the fundamental principle of building and maintaining healthy soil, aquatic, and terrestrial ecosystems,” Riddle says. “To date, GM has led to an increase in the application of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, with associated increases in soil erosion and water contamination, while producing foods with lower nutritional content.”
“Organic farming is about health and concerns for environment and stewardship, and I don’t think that GM crops fit in that context of stewardship and concern about the land,” says Maury Johnson, president, Blue River Hybrids, an organic seed company
While organic farming aims to enhance genetic and biological diversity, GM crops are seen as reducing genetic diversity. “GM crops narrow and restrict our genetic base, which narrows and reduces options for our nutritional needs,” Vetter says.
Ronald and Adamchak point to the success of Bt cotton in reducing pesticide use as an example of how genetic engineering could benefit organic farmers. Kirschenmann says this “single tactic therapeutic intervention” creates unintended consequences. Pests eventually develop resistance as they’ve done to Bt cotton in India or other pests become a problem. The solution says Kirschenmann is an approach that encompasses at the entire farming system, not just focusing on one pest.
“Pipe Dream, Not Based on Reality”
Organic experts say GMOs offer no benefits to organic agriculture. The two main genetically modified crops either contain a built-in pesticide, Bt, or are herbicide tolerant. Dag Falck says neither application would benefit organic agriculture. “If we saw solutions, then maybe there is something organic could benefit from biotech,” Falck says. “But there is no GM application we could even remotely imagine being beneficial in organic. It’s a pipe dream and not based on reality.”
“To this point, biotech crops have not produced the yield advantages or biological resilience to multiple stressors. If we’re looking for reliable, multi-benefit, future-oriented farming options in an input-limited world, biotech is not a player,” LaSalle says.
Eliminate Consumer Choice
Allowing GMOs into organic foods would also reduce consumer choice. “If genetic engineering became part of organic it would deprive people who want non-GMO foods,” says Margaret Mellon, senior scientist at Union of Concerned Scientists.
Organic consumers have already said they don’t want GMOs. A 1997 draft proposal to allow GMOs in the National Organic Program rules was removed after the US Department of Agriculture received more that 275,000 comments from people outraged by the possibility.
While there is strong consumer demand for organic foods, Riddle points out there is zero demand for GM foods. “Consumers aren’t demanding that foods be genetically engineered.”
“I’d rather rely on mother nature’s wisdom than man’s cleverness.” —Wendell Berry
David Vetter says this quote best captures his response to the idea of allowing GMOs in organics.
Any decision to allow GMOs in organics would not be decided by Pamela Ronald, Raoul Adamchak, Bill Gates, or the Biotechnology Industry Organization. “It resides with people in the organic community,” said Mellon speaking to an audience of organic farmers at the Organic Farming Conference. “It is your question to answer and not anyone else’s.”
Today, the answer remains—as it did in 1997 when 275,000 people told the USDA—a resounding “no.”
Ken is editor of The Organic & Non-GMO Report. He can be reached at firstname.lastname@example.org.
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Poses to calibrate & acquire
Different poses are used in different contexts for computers to identify specific objects in an image, and to determine each object's position and orientation relative to a coordinate system. The combination of position and orientation is referred to as the pose of an object.
In motion capture, the body-to-be-captured is held still for a certain amount of time to allow the software to detect the position and orientation of body-parts. Systems are habitually expecting two-legged, upright, singular bodies.
Possible Bodies feat. Tirso Orive, testing Kinect calibration with multiple human bodies
Kinect and other markerless mocap systems.
Anetta Keys in T-pose, Blenderella in A-pose
Professional mocap studio, gaming
Also a bind pose or reference pose
Default unanimated state of a model in certain 3D graphics. This pose is often with all of a model's various parts straightened out or flattened for ease of animation.
Professional mocap studio, 3D modelling
For motion capture: depth registration
Horizontally fixed (name?)
Typical patient pose, Computer Tomography
Tomography and other anatomical recordings
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Bone resorption is the gradual loss of bone. Bone is under a constant process of resorption and formation. As we age formation lessens and after a peak bone mass is achieved bone mass remains stable (resorption and formation are equal).
Osteoclasts are the principal cells responsible for bone resorption and an antiresorptive is something that works against bone loss due to osteoclastic activity.
When damaged areas of bone need to be replaced these bone-destroying osteoclasts dig tunnels or trenches by dissolving packets of old bone. As the old bone is broken down calcium is released into the bloodstream. The osteoclasts detach as another group of cells takes over to build the new bone.
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On January 18, 1778, James Cook became the first known European to discover the Hawaiian Islands during his third voyage. On this, his last voyage, Cook again commanded HMS Resolution, while Captain Charles Clerke commanded HMS Discovery. The voyage was ostensibly planned to return the Pacific Islander, Omai to Tahiti, or so the public were led to believe. The trip’s principal goal was to locate a Northwest Passage around the American continent. After dropping Omai at Tahiti, Cook travelled north and made formal contact with the Hawaiian Islands. After his initial landfall in January 1778 at Waimea harbor, Kauai, Cook named the archipelago the Sandwich Islands after the fourth Earl of Sandwich — the acting First Lord of the Admiralty. From the Sandwich Islands, Cook sailed north and then north-east to explore the west coast of North America north of the Spanish settlements in Alta California, eventually reaching the Bering Strait. Cook returned to Hawaii in early 1779, sailing around the archipelago for some eight weeks, before making landfall at Kealakekua Bay where he would stay for a month. Here, he was stabbed to death on February 14, 1779.
James Cook and his voyages have been featured on ‘A Stamp A Day’ several times including a brief account of his death, an extensive narrative of his first voyage including details on the fate of HMS Endeavour, and lengthy accounts of Cook’s third voyage as well as his exploration of the Alaskan coastline.
The Hawaiian Islands (Mokupuni o Hawai‘i in the Hawaiian language) are an archipelago of eight major islands, several atolls, numerous smaller islets, and seamounts in the North Pacific Ocean, extending some 1,500 miles (2,400 kilometers) from the island of Hawaiʻi in the south to northernmost Kure Atoll. The name Sandwich Islands was in use until the 1840s, when the local name “Hawaii” gradually began to take precedence. The contemporary name is derived from the name of the largest island, Hawaii Island. The Hawaiian Islands have a total land area of 6,423.4 square miles (16,636.5 km²). The Hawaiian monarchy was overthrown in 1893. The islands were subsequently put under the control of a republic, which the United States annexed in 1898 and admitted as it’s 50th state in 1959. The U.S. state of Hawaii now occupies the archipelago almost in its entirety (including the uninhabited Northwestern Hawaiian Islands), with the sole exception of Midway Island, which instead separately belongs to the United States as one of its unincorporated territories within the United States Minor Outlying Islands.
The Hawaiian Islands are the exposed peaks of a great undersea mountain range known as the Hawaiian–Emperor seamount chain, formed by volcanic activity over a hotspot in the Earth’s mantle. The islands are about 1,860 miles (3,000 km) from the nearest continent. On June 15, 2006, President George W. Bush issued a public proclamation creating Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument under the Antiquities Act of 1906. The Monument encompasses the northwestern Hawaiian Islands and surrounding waters, forming the largest marine wildlife reserve in the world. In August 2010, UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee added Papahānaumokuākea to its list of World Heritage Sites. On August 26, 2016, President Barack Obama greatly expanded Papahānaumokuākea, quadrupling it from its original size.
The date of the first settlements of the Hawaiian Islands is a topic of continuing debate. Archaeology seems to indicate a settlement as early as 124 AD. Patrick Vinton Kirch’s books on Hawaiian archeology, standard textbooks, date the first Polynesian settlements to about 300, with more recent suggestions by Kirch as late as 600. Other theories suggest dates as late as 700 to 800. More radical theories have been advanced from high-precision radiocarbon dating that drastically alter the timeline. These theories place the first settlements of Hawaii after 1120.
The history of the ancient Polynesians was passed down through genealogy chants that were recited at formal and family functions. The genealogy of the high chiefs could be traced back to the period believed to be inhabited only by gods. The pua aliʻi (“flower of royalty”) were considered to be living gods.
By about 1000, settlements founded along the perimeters of the islands were beginning to cultivate food in gardens.
A Tahitian priest named Pā‘ao is said to have brought a new order to the islands around 1200. The new order included new laws and a new social structure that separated the people into classes. The aliʻi nui was the king, with his ʻaha kuhina just below them. The aliʻi were the royal nobles with the kahuna (high priest) below them, the makaʻāinana (commoners) next with the kauā below them as the lowest ranking social caste.
The rulers of the Hawaiian islands (noho aliʻi o ko Hawaiʻi Pae ʻAina) are a line of Native Hawaiians who were independent rulers of various subdivisions of the islands of Hawaii. Their genealogy is traced to Hānalaʻanui and others. The aliʻi nui were responsible for making sure the people observed a strict kapu (a code of conduct relating to taboos). The system had rules regarding many aspects of Hawaiian social order, fishing rights and even where women could eat. After the death of Kamehameha I, the system was abolished, and the Hawaiian religion soon fell as the gods were abandoned.
By 1500, Hawaiians began to spread to the interiors of the islands and religion was more emphasized.
During his third voyage, James Cook had lingered in the Society Islands from August until December 1777 before resuming his explorations. By December 8, they were in Bora-Bora, about ten months behind schedule, having lost a whole season of Arctic exploration. It was also obvious that the health of Captain Charles Clerke — who commanded HMS Discovery — was deteriorating. Proceeding north, they discovered the Pacific’s largest atoll, Christmas Island (today’s Kiritimati), where they celebrated Christmas and Cook observed an eclipse of the sun. After stocking up on over a ton of green turtles, the ships departed on January 2, 1778.
On January 18, the surprising, momentous discovery of Hawaii occurred when HMS Resolution and Discovery arrived at the mouth of the Waimea River on the Western side of Kaua‘i. Originally, Cook sent three small craft to Waimea so that his men could determine if it was a good place for the ships to dock. They reported back that there was a fresh water lagoon alongside a native village, so Cook and his men anchored their ships with the sun rising over the islands’ volcanic mountains. Trading pigs and potatoes for nails began immediately with canoeists coming alongside; venturing aboard, the islanders were astonished at what they saw and could not refrain from trying to steal anything they could.
When Cook went ashore on the morning of January 20, the people prostrated themselves on the ground in his honor; remarkably, they understood the Tahitian language. Cook always wondered how the Polynesians had populated the vast Pacific. Later, Cook learned that Third Lieutenant John Williamson, who had been in charge of the search party that had found this anchorage, had shot and killed a native in senseless fear. An ominous, symbolic beginning. The people, though, were friendly, the water was sweet, and the trading was excellent. Captain Clerke, feeling somewhat better, reported that one moderate-size nail supplied his ship’s company with a day’s worth of pork.
Cook’s mission is thought to be one of scientific and social exploration. His men documented the flora and fauna of the Waimea area, and tried to translate the language of the natives. This first encounter was relatively friendly. One of Cook’s men wrote, “On landing I was reciev’d with every token of respect and friendship by a great number of the Natives who were collected upon the occasion; they every one of them prostrated themselves around me which is the first mark of respect at these Isles.”
Cook’s arrival, the first Western contact with Hawaii, is fraught with contradictions. While it was originally friendly and is responsible for a vast resource of information about the flora, fauna and culture of Hawaii, it also marks the beginning of the period of colonization of Hawaii and its people. The arrival of Europeans also introduced venereal disease and tuberculosis, which is responsible for decimating the native Hawaiian population.
Cook was impatient to get to New Albion, the British name for the region that Sir Francis Drake had explored along northwest North America in 1579, so they stayed at Kauai and nearby Niihau for only two weeks. On February 2, 1778, Cook continued on to the coast of North America and Alaska searching for a Northwest Passage for approximately nine months. He returned to Hawaii chain to resupply, initially exploring the coasts of Maui and Hawaii Island to trade.
After sailing around the archipelago for some eight weeks, he made landfall at Kealakekua Bay, on Hawaii Island, largest island in the Hawaiian Archipelago. Cook’s arrival coincided with the Makahiki, a Hawaiian harvest festival of worship for the Polynesian god Lono. Coincidentally the form of Cook’s ship, HMS Resolution, or more particularly the mast formation, sails and rigging, resembled certain significant artefacts that formed part of the season of worship. Similarly, Cook’s clockwise route around the island of Hawaii before making landfall resembled the processions that took place in a clockwise direction around the island during the Lono festivals. It has been argued (most extensively by Marshall Sahlins) that such coincidences were the reasons for Cook’s (and to a limited extent, his crew’s) initial deification by some Hawaiians who treated Cook as an incarnation of Lono. Though this view was first suggested by members of Cook’s expedition, the idea that any Hawaiians understood Cook to be Lono, and the evidence presented in support of it, were challenged in 1992.
After a month’s stay at Kealakekua Bay, Cook attempted to resume his exploration of the Northern Pacific. Shortly after leaving Hawaii Island, however, the Resolution‘s foremast broke in bad weather, so the ships returned to Kealakekua Bay for repairs. Tensions rose, and a number of quarrels broke out between the Europeans and Hawaiians. An unknown group of Hawaiians took one of Cook’s small boats. The evening when the cutter was taken, the people had become “insolent” even with threats to fire upon them. Cook was forced into a wild goose chase that ended with his return to the ship frustrated. He attempted to kidnap and ransom the aliʻi nui of Hawaiʻi, Kalaniʻōpuʻu.
That following day, February 14, 1779, Cook marched through the village to retrieve Kalaniʻōpuʻu. Cook took the king (aliʻi nui) by his own hand and led him willingly away. One of Kalaniʻōpuʻu’s favorite wives, Kanekapolei and two chiefs approached the group as they were heading to boats. They pleaded with the king not to go until he stopped and sat where he stood. An old kahuna (priest), chanting rapidly while holding out a coconut, attempted to distract Cook and his men as a large crowd began to form at the shore. The king began to understand that Cook was his enemy.
As Cook turned his back to help launch the boats, he was struck on the head by the villagers and then stabbed to death as he fell on his face in the surf. He was first struck on the head with a club by a chief named Kalaimanokahoʻowaha or Kanaʻina (namesake of Charles Kana’ina) and then stabbed by one of the king’s attendants, Nuaa. The Hawaiians carried his body away towards the back of the town, still visible to the ship through their spyglass. Four marines, Corporal James Thomas, Private Theophilus Hinks, Private Thomas Fatchett and Private John Allen, were also killed and two others were wounded in the confrontation.
The esteem which the islanders nevertheless held for Cook caused them to retain his body. Following their practice of the time, they prepared his body with funerary rituals usually reserved for the chiefs and highest elders of the society. The body was disemboweled, baked to facilitate removal of the flesh, and the bones were carefully cleaned for preservation as religious icons in a fashion somewhat reminiscent of the treatment of European saints in the Middle Ages. Some of Cook’s remains, thus preserved, were eventually returned to his crew for a formal burial at sea.
Clerke assumed leadership of the expedition, and made a final attempt to pass through the Bering Strait. He died from tuberculosis on August 22, 1779, and John Gore, a veteran of Cook’s first voyage, took command of Resolution and of the expedition. James King replaced Gore in command of Discovery. The expedition returned home, reaching England in October 1780.
A United States coin, the 1928 Hawaiian Sesquicentennial half dollar carries Cook’s image. Minted for the 150th anniversary of his discovery of the islands, its low mintage (10,008) has made this example of early U.S. commemorative coins both scarce and expensive. The site where he was killed in Hawaii was marked in 1874 by a white obelisk set on 25 square feet (2.3 m²) of chained-off beach. This land, although in Hawaii, was deeded to the United Kingdom. A nearby town is named Captain Cook, Hawaii; several Hawaiian businesses also carry his name. The Apollo 15 Command/Service Module Endeavour was named after Cook’s ship, HMS Endeavour, as was the space shuttle Space Shuttle Endeavour. Another shuttle, Discovery, was named after Cook’s HMS Discovery.
The House of Kamehameha (Hale O Kamehameha), or the Kamehameha dynasty, was the reigning Royal Family of the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi, beginning with its founding by Kamehameha I in 1795. In 1793, Captain George Vancouver sailed from the United Kingdom and presented the Union Flag to Kamehameha, who was still in the process of uniting the islands into a single state; the Union Jack flew unofficially as the flag of Hawaii until 1816, including during a brief spell of British rule after Kamehameha ceded Hawaii to Vancouver in 1794.
By 1795, Kamehameha had conquered all but one of the main islands. For his first royal residence, the new King built the first western-style structure in the Hawaiian Islands, known as the “Brick Palace”. The location became the seat of government for the Hawaiian Kingdom until 1845. The king commissioned the structure to be built at Keawa’iki point in Lahaina, Maui, by two ex-convicts from Australia’s Botany Bay penal colony. It was begun in 1798 and was completed after four years in 1802. The house was intended for Kaʻahumanu — the favorite wife of Kamehameha I and also the most politically powerful — but she refused to live in the structure and resided instead in an adjacent, traditional Hawaiian-styled home.
Sugar became a major export from Hawaii soon after Cook’s arrival. The first permanent plantation began in Kauai in 1835. William Hooper leased 980 acres of land from Kamehameha III and began growing sugarcane. Within thirty years plantations operated on the four main islands. Sugar completely altered Hawaii’s economy. American influence in Hawaiian government began with U.S. plantation owners demanding a say in Kingdom politics. This was driven by missionary religion and sugar economics. Pressure from these plantation owners was felt by the King and chiefs as demands for land tenure. After a brief takeover by the British in 1843, Kamehameha III responded to the demands with the Great Mahele, distributing the lands to all Hawaiians as advocated by missionaries including Gerrit P. Judd.
During the 1850s, the U.S. import tariff on sugar from Hawaii was much higher than the import tariffs Hawaiians were charging the U.S., and Kamehameha III sought reciprocity. The monarch wished to lower U.S. tariffs and make Hawaiian sugar competitive with other foreign suppliers. In 1854, Kamehameha III proposed a policy of reciprocity between the countries, but the proposal died in the U.S. Senate.
U.S. control of Hawaii was considered vital for the defense of its west coast. The military was especially interested in Pu’uloa, Pearl Harbor. The sale of one harbor was proposed by Charles Reed Bishop, a foreigner who had married into the Kamehameha family, had risen to be Hawaiian Minister of Foreign Affairs and owned a country home near Pu’uloa. He showed two U.S. officers around the lochs, although his wife, Bernice Pauahi Bishop, privately disapproved of selling Hawaiian lands. As monarch, William Charles Lunalilo, was content to let Bishop run most business affairs, but the ceding of lands became unpopular with Hawaiians. Many islanders thought that all the islands, rather than just Pearl Harbor, might be lost and opposed any cession. By November 1873, Lunalilo canceled negotiations and returned to drinking, against his doctor’s advice; his health declined swiftly, and he died on February 3, 1874.
Lunalilo left no heirs. The legislature was empowered by the constitution to elect the monarch in these instances and chose David Kalākaua as Lunalilo’s successor. The new ruler was pressured by the U.S. government to surrender Pearl Harbor to the Navy. Kalākaua was concerned that this would lead to annexation by the U.S. and to violating the traditions of the Hawaiian people, who believed that the land (‘Āina) was fertile, sacred and not for sale. From 1874 through 1875, Kalākaua made a state visit to Washington D.C. to gather support for a new treaty. Congress agreed to the Reciprocity Treaty of 1875 for seven years in exchange for Ford Island. After the treaty, sugar production expanded from 12,000 acres to 125,000 acres in 1891. At the end of the seven-year term, the United States showed little interest in renewal.
On January 20, 1887, the United States began leasing Pearl Harbor. Shortly afterwards, a group of mostly non-Hawaiians calling themselves the Hawaiian Patriotic League began the Rebellion of 1887. They drafted their own constitution on July 6, 1887. The new constitution was written by Lorrin Thurston, the Hawaiian Minister of the Interior who used the Hawaiian militia to threaten Kalākaua. Kalākaua was forced to dismiss his cabinet ministers and sign a new constitution that greatly lessened his power. It would become known as the “Bayonet Constitution” due to the force used.
This new constitution severely curtailed the power of King “David” Kalākaua, and disenfranchised the rights of most Native Hawaiians and Asian citizens to vote, through excessively high property and income requirements. This gave a sizeable advantage to plantation owners. Queen Liliuokalani attempted to restore royal powers in 1893, but was placed under house arrest by businessmen with help from the U.S. military. Against the Queen’s wishes, the Republic of Hawaii was formed for a short time. This government agreed on behalf of Hawaii to join the United States in 1898 as the Territory of Hawaii. on August 21, 1959, the islands became the State of Hawaii of the United States. Hawaii is the only U.S. state located in Oceania, the only U.S. state located outside of North America and the only one composed entirely of islands.
Scott #1733 is half of a two stamp se-tenant issue released on January 20, 1978, marking the 200th anniversary of Captain James Cook’s visits to Hawaii and Alaska. This issue is unique in that one of the stamps was printed vertically and the other printed horizontally. Printed by the Bureau of Engraving and Printing on the Giori press in a quantity of 101,077,500 and perforated 11, the 13-cent green stamp was initially released in Honolulu, Hawaii.
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- Change in eating habits can leave certain impacts on your health
- Improved metabolism can help you lose weight effectively
- Plan your calories throughout the day to achieve better results
A lot of people are following different fad diets for weight loss and better weight management. There are multiple diets which gained popularity in the recent times like GM diet, detox diet, keto diet, intermittent fasting and many more. While, it is not wrong to be concerned about your weight, it is often seen that people compromise with the quality of the food they consume. When thinking of any dietary changes once should also take into consideration long term health consequences as any prolonged change in the food habits directly impact the rate of metabolism. The first and foremost thing to ensure is the intake of nutritious diet and cut upon the quantity. Most people starve themselves and consume very less calories which can result to nutrition deficiency.
Consumption of a healthy diet with restricted amount of calories can result in a healthy weight loss. Do not miss the essential nutrients which are required for the body to function properly. Here are some tips which you can keep in mind for a healthy weight loss.
Things to keep in mind when adopting a weight loss diet
1. Understand your body first
Body weight, height, blood pressure, blood glucose level is to be monitored before entering a specific weight loss practice. Reason being, dietary alterations result into change in metabolism, which further affect the blood glucose level of an individual. Most importantly, calorie needs of every person is different, based on their body’s vital statistics and lifestyle.
2. Plan your calories well
It is necessary to maintain a journal with the total amount of calories to be consumed. When cutting upon carbohydrates, one needs to ensure that it is balanced with fats, proteins and fiber with good calorific value. This ultimate balance might be a bit difficult for vegans, but incorporation of good sources of proteins and fats would help one maintain and achieve their daily caloric goal to keep the body energized.
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Flying Fever Elementary Pilot Course June 2014
Maurice Geraghty - Flying Fever teaching with Sunsoar paragliding
Flying Fever Trip to Spain 2014 30 seconds!
A students flying video of their day with Flying Fever in April 2013
Flying Fever Paragliding Funday / Tandem
Weather Hazards - Strong winds
Weather Hazards - Cumulonimbus Avoidance
Paragliding Airlaw Collision Avoidance
Airflow - very good video
Weather Videos from the Met Office you can get more info from their website http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/learning/learn-about-the-weather
What Are Weather Fronts?
What Are Air Masses?
Cloud Spotting Guide
Depressions - low pressure
What is Precipitation?
What are hurricanes, typhoons and tropical cyclones?
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The first time was used the term "hacker", it described a person who liked to understand computers and all its capabilities, not just the minimum knowledge needed to use it. Nowadays the term has taken a negative connotation in spite of it was positive. Most people see hackers as villains who have one goal in life, namely to invade their computers and steal everything they find.
The first hacking attempts were actually tiny jokes without any malicious intent and merely to arouse laughter. Over time, these jokes have become serious problems in some systems security. As these malicious activities were becoming increasingly frequent and popular media used the term "hacker" to describe cyber criminal perpetrator instead. Thus hackers have become…show more content… The difference makes the first legal plan can not be found. The main aim of cybercriminals is to cause as much damage a man, a company and a steal as much information as beneficial for him. The goal is a professional ethical hacker. He is hired by a company to test security in order to be ready for future attacks. We can say that it is a preventive measure. Another major difference between the two camps is that cybercrime needs to test the system until he finds one that breach them meet goals while ethical hacker must test the system for all existing security breaches to time. Just so it can say that the system is perfectly secure when that time it was…show more content… This sharing of information accumulated over time is the main fear is that when an employer is thinking of contacting an ethical hacker.
In terms of time, we must distance ourselves from what we see in movies. Hackers ethics require time, effort and patience to do the work and working at full capacity. While in the movies all the hacking activity is done in seconds, minutes, in real life things tend to occupy much time can take several days, sometimes even a week. Sometimes unforeseen circumstances arise or new to be treated with maximum care and so it takes even longer. It adds a necessary period for studying each system, checks before starting the actual act of ethical hacking.
It is much easier to become a cyber criminal than an ethical hacker. Anyone can learn techniques penetration systems and applications. It is much harder to know them all and to know how to combat them all. Thus the job of a hacker ethic is very heavy, he must study in detail all the activities that we undertake a cyber criminal. He also must learn and be able to predict how it will operate a cyber criminal and how many ways you can stop him before he could act, or while
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Albany, New York (PRWEB) July 03, 2014
Besides the many complexities involved in the generation of power, a major challenge that every utility company faces is deciding on the amount of power to be generated and distributed on the grid on any typical day. Making sure that the right amount of power is generated and distributed is critical for the grid infrastructure – too much power can destroy the electronics and less power can result in power fluctuations and brownouts in many regions.
Browse full Energy Storage Technologies Market Report: http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/energy-storage-technologies-market.html.
It is thus necessary to either accurately measure power requirements/demands or employ ways to store the surplus amount of power generated on any typical day. However, it is quite obvious that accurate measurement of power requirements by end users cannot be made – only predictions can be made by using past-data and some complex formulas. And so, storage technologies are the only ways to manage disproportion in the amount of power generated and distributed.
Energy storage facilities are very essential for the proper working of traditional energy sources such as natural gas or coal-based power plants. Such plants require a large amount of time as well as money to turn on and off. The slow ramp-up times of these bulk-power generation facilities is also a big issue – proper response to sudden rise in power demands is never possible, potentially resulting in brownouts and poor quality of power. And so it is always feasible for such plants to generate energy in bulk and store it for future use.
For further information, ask here: http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=128.
Storage technologies are also becoming increasingly popular due to a rise in the use of renewable energy sources. As is often stated, these energy sources are of intermittent nature, i.e., one can only generate solar power when the sun is shining or wind power when winds are blowing. By storing the power thus generated and using it as per demands, energy storage technologies can continue to power the grid even when it is not possible to generate the power, for instance when the sun is not shining or the winds are not blowing.
But storage of power from a variety of sources is not the only use of energy storage technologies. Storage technologies also improve the quality of power by regulating frequencies, and allow the generation of power in bulk when times are most efficient and processes are cheapest. Altogether, energy storage technologies allow today’s electrical systems to run more efficiently, which directly results in lower prices, more reliability and lesser emissions.
Browse full press release: http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/pressrelease/energy-storage-technologies-market.htm.
The energy storage technologies market includes technologies such as lithium ion batteries, flywheels, lead acid cells, super capacitors, NiCD, NiMH among many other developing ones. Geographically, Asia leads the market, which is followed by North America and Europe.
90 Sate Street, Suite 700
Albany, NY 12207
USA/Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453
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It begins with your story
A typical session with a homeopathic physician begins with the patient’s history. The patient is allowed to tell his/her story without interruption. When clarification is needed the physician asks only open ended questions so not to lead the patient.
The purpose of your visit
Only after the patient is finished will the physician ask specific questions to understand the aggravation and amelioration of the symptoms, namely, how the symptoms vary according to parameters such as time of day or season, rest or activity, temperature, bathing, position, eating, thirst sleep, intercourse, perspiration, external stimuli and emotions, etc. The patient-defined causes of the symptoms are also sought as is the character and concomitants of each symptom. Strange, rare, and peculiar symptoms (such as nausea with hunger) are asked about.
The patient as a whole
The physician then asks about the generalities, the characteristics of the patient as a whole. These include food likes and dislikes, favorite weather, best or worst times of the day, type of skin and hair, the character of sleep, degree of perspiration, type of appetite for food, drink or sex and favorite activities or hobbies, etc.
How you function in the world
Questions about mental functioning such as memory or learning are asked. Most importantly, the physician attempts to understand the patient’s personality by asking about how the patient is at work, how the patient is as a parent, child, spouse, etc. Inquires are made about how the patient copes with stress, and what the patient’s fears or worries are like.
The patient is asked whether he or she is typically critical, unassertive, timid, angry, sensitive, etc. These questions are often the most difficult yet the most revealing. However, the homeopathic physician does not put a value judgment on the patient’s self-description. The descriptions are used by the homeopath to generate an understanding of the patient’s personal style or modus operandi within the context of the life-world of the patient as defined by the patient.
A family, social, occupational and past medical/surgical history is obtained including the results of any studies performed. A history of the use of medications and other therapeutic modalities is also sought. A physical examination is performed based on the history thus far and laboratory and imaging studies as well as specialty consultation may be ordered by the homeopath to complete the process.
Making sense of all the details
The physician then attempts to rank order the various symptoms, modalities, and generalities by degree of intensity. A list of symptoms is generated and the symptoms are then repertorized , that is, they are cross-indexed with the remedies known to have caused or cured these same symptoms.
A holistic approach
Philosophically homeopathy is holistic (not merely alternative) because the essential task is to understand the patient as a whole person. It is holistic because it must examine these various levels of the whole person and because its remedies stimulate healing at these levels. As a method, homeopathy is a synthesis of the natural science approach and the phenomenological or descriptive approach.
Selecting the right remedy
This labor -intensive process was for centuries performed by hand but is now done by computer. Having arrived at several probable remedies, the homeopathic physician must then make a determination as to whether the patient’s problem is an acute, chronic, or inherited illness or perhaps an illness due to the suppressive effects of previous treatment. The “center of gravity” or key issue of the case must be considered and attempts are made to locate it within the spiritual, mental, psychological or physical life of the patient.
The physician must blend his/her natural science training in anatomy, physiology, pathology, biochemistry, physical diagnosis, etc. with his/her observation of the patient and his/her understanding of the patient’s self description. The challenge of homeopathy, even in the treatment of apparently purely physical conditions, is to select a few probable remedies from the thousands of possible remedies.
Assessing the result
The art of homeopathy is in the capacity of the homeopathic physician to process all of this information into a synthesis, a “remedy portrait” or gestalt, if you will, which corresponds most closely to the remedy likely to stimulate a healing response. Having given a dose of the indicated remedy, the patient and the physician must now wait. Depending on the patient, the nature of the problem and the potency of the remedy a return visit is scheduled weeks or months after the initial dose.
Each remedy and individual is different
While there have been miraculous homeopathic cures after just one dose of a remedy, most chronic cases take months or years to cure. Just like a novel with many chapters and plot twists so a patient’s cure unfolds. The process is highly individual.
Homeopathic principals of healing
The homeopath will be guided by certain principles of cure: healing occurs from above downward, from the center to the periphery, from more vital organ to less vital organ and in reverse order of the appearance of the original symptoms.
Possible reactions to a remedy
The patient’s reaction can be one of simply nothing, or an aggravation followed by nothing or an aggravation followed by improvement, or by simple, gradual, and gentle improvement . Old symptoms and even mental and psychological complexes may return briefly and then gradually pass away. As improvement occurs and as remedy potency is increased the patient returns less frequently until he/she is told to return when the need is felt or for the treatment of a new acute problem.
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*This website was produced as an assignment for
an undergratuate course at Davidson College.*
Gal4What is an Ortholog?
from Saccharomyces cerevisiae
The Story of Orthologs...
An ortholog is a protein with high homology to a
proteins found in another species. As species diverge, both new
species carry many of the same genes (Figure 1). These genes will
often evolve differently forming two similar, but not identical
genes. These two genes then encode for the proteins that are
considered orthologs because they have high similarity but are found in
|Figure 1. Phylogenetic
tree of seven sequenced hemiascomycetous yeast genomes based on
multiple alignment of 94 single-copy genes conserved in 26 tasonomic
groups (see Methods). Numbers next to each branch correspond to the
number of families (clusters) specific to a genome or group of genomes
leading to this node. (Figure Reproduced with Permission, 1)
Background on Gal4 Orthologss
Orthologs of the Gal4 protein were not found in any other
species included in the Big Seven Genomic Species (consisting of human,
mouse, C. elegans, Drosophila, Arabidopsis, yeasts, and E. coli)
except for yeast contained Gal4 orthologs. An extensive
literature search was performed as well as using BLAST, DB Phylome, and
Ortho DB databases (BLAST Results, DB Phylome Results, and Ortho DB Results).
Of the 15 genes from 10 species found in the Ortho DB database search,
it was found that only a handful had been characterized, and further
only a few had been extensively characterized.
The literature search confirmed that the Gal4 family
of transcription factors is in fact a fungal specific family
(2-4). Interestingly, yeasts are eukaryotic organisms and are
often used as a model due to similarities to human cells. The
Gal4 protein, however, is not one of the similarities. This
implies that this family of proteins developed after fungi diverged
from other eukaryotes.
The remainder of this page will review the homology
seen between Gal4 and one of the other most extensively characterized
orthologs, the Lac9 protein in Kluyveromyces lactis.
A comparison of these orthologs has proven useful for identifying
critical sequences in the function of Gal4 and Lac9 proteins. No
useful literature for the other orthologs reported in the Ortho DB
search was found.
A Comparison: Gal4 vs. Lac9
The Gal4 protein is necessary for harvesting galactose from the major food source of S. cerevisiae, melibiose (Gal4) (2). A different strain of yeast, K. lactis,
is found in milk where its primary food source is lactose (2). In
order to harvest galactose from lactose, it uses a slightly different
set of proteins than does S. cerevisiae. Ultimately both species obtain galactose from their respective environments (2).
The two species contained a common ancient ancestor,
making it likely that they share many of the same genes (2). In
fact high conservation between the two species is seen (Figure
1). Often conserved sequences are the most highly studied
sequences because a useful way in understanding functions of recently
identified proteins comes from comparison with proteins in other
organisms that are “similar, yet divergent in both sequence and
function” (3-4). In this case, both strains of yeast must
accomplish similar tasks: obtaining galactose from a food source.
It is probably that by studying similarities between the proteins used
in the two yeasts, we can obtain significant information regarding the
The Gal4 function has been described previously as necessary for regulation of galactose metabolism (Gal4). In the similar yeast strain, K. lactis, this metabolism is regulated by a Gal4 ortholog, the Lac9 protein (3). Upon analysis of the Lac9 protein in K. lactis, Salmerom et al., determined that there is significant functional similarity between the proteins encoded by the GAL4 and LAC9
genes, however the actual amino acid sequence is quite divergent
(2). Both proteins bind DNA as a “homodimer to specific upstream
activating sequences (UASG) in the GAL promoters” (2). However the Gal4
and Lac9 proteins contain only about 30% of the same amino acid
|Figure 2. Regions of homology (open boxes) between LAC9 and GAL4 Proteins. Thin lines represent regions possessing no more than 17% homology between the two proteins. (Permission Pending, 3)
The homology between the Gal4 and Lac9 proteins
can be seen in three regions (Figure 2). Region I contains
a series of 76 amino acids with high homology (3). This region,
which is located on the N-terminus, has been shown to be required for
nuclear localization (3). Further it has been suggested that this
region is also necessary for DNA-binding as well, suggesting that the
two proteins have similar DNA-binding domains (4). In both
studies the researchers were placing functions on the conserved
sequences that are common to the two proteins. Because both
proteins must facilitate similar tasks within the cell, it makes since
that such functions would be contained within the conserved sequences.
For instance both act as transcription factors and therefore need to
localize to the nucleus. Without a correct signal sequence, this
would not be accomplished and the protein would not function.
Both proteins also need to bind DNA, and are expected to do so in a
similar manner. There it is not surprising that the conserved
regions of the protein are important for the common functions of the
Region II and Region III were not completely
described, but possible reasons for the conservation were
suggested. Region II, located close to the middle of both
proteins, could play a role in oligomerization or other interactions
that are common between the two proteins (3). Others suggested
that this region might interact with negative regulators, but also
state that because of its size it probably has more than one function
(4). Region III is a “short (18 amino acid), but almost
completely conserved, region located within this C-terminal area”
(3). Salmerom et al., suggest that this must be another
functional domain because little homology is seen surrounding it,
implying these 18 amino acids were conserved for a specific reason
(3). They however did not state what function they thought
would be carried out by the sequence. Another study suggested
other functions that are most likely contained within one of the
conserved regions: repression, subunit interation, and transcriptional
activation (4). It is possible that these functions also
correspond to one of the regions described.
In the end, the two proteins that contain much
similarity do have many differences. Due to the conservation of
certain sequences, it is expected that these contain critical
functional domains of the proteins (3-4).
Significance of This Orthology in Other Species
The lack of Gal4 orthologs in other species,
specifically Drosophila and mammals, provide many useful tools.
As probably one of the most widely characterized eukaryotic
transcription factors, many tool using Gal4 have been developed
(5). It is often used to identify protein-DNA and protein-protein
interactions using yeast one-hybrid and yeast two-hybrid screens
respectively. Further, when transfected into cells other than
yeast, the properties of Gal4 have allowed researchers to identify
various transcriptional activators among other things (5). Gal4
has become a very useful tool.
TW, Grigoriev IV, Grimwood J, Laplaza JM, Aerts A, Salamov A, Schmutz
J, Lindquist E, Dehal P, Shapiro H, Jin Y, Passoth V, Richardson PM.
Genome sequence of the lignocellulose-bioconverting and
xylose-fermenting yeast pichia stipitis. Nat Biotechnol 2007
M. A comparative analysis of the GAL genetic switch between
not-so-distant cousins: Saccharomyces cerevisiae versus kluyveromyces
lactis. FEMS Yeast Res 2005 DEC;5(12):1115-28.
JM, Johnston SA. Analysis of the kluyveromyces-lactis positive
regulatory gene Lac9 reveals functional homology to, but sequence
divergence from, the saccharomyces-cerevisiae Gal4 gene. Nucleic Acids
Res 1986 OCT 10;14(19):7767-81.
LV, Witte MM, Dickson RC, Riley MI. Characterization of a positive
regulatory gene, Lac9, that controls induction of the lactose-galactose
regulon of kluyveromyces-lactis - structural and
functional-relationships to Gal4 of saccharomyces-cerevisiae. Mol Cell
Biol 1987 MAR;7(3):1111-21.
(5) Sadowski I. Uses for GAL4 expression in mammalian cells. Genet Eng (NY) 1995 1995;17:119-48.
Molecular Biology Homepage
Davidson College Homepage
Please direct questions or comments to my email email@example.com
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In this series of posts we'll look at the Pittsburgh Interpretative Language, or PIL, a simple interpreted language that can be used to do calculations and build small programs interactively.
The Pittsburgh Interpretative Language
PIL was developed at the University of Pittsburgh for the System/360 in the late 60s. It was based on one of the first interpreted languages JOSS that originated at the RAND Corporation in 1963. PIL improves on JOSS by providing improved debugging capabilities and error reporting.
The design goals for PIL were, according to MTS Volume 12:
PIL is oriented toward problem-solving, with program development and debugging facilities having highest priority. For the beginning user, PIL was designed to be clear, unambiguous, and hence, easily learned. For the experienced programmer, the language offers increased flexibility with statement structure and expanded capabilities for the solution of non-numeric problems. For the researcher, PIL reduces the amount of time and effort that must be expended in problem solving.
PIL can be used as a simple desktop calculator with variables
* set a = 3 * set b = 4 * type the square root of (a*a + b*b) the square root of (a*a + b*b) = 5.0
It can also be used to build simple programs interactively that can then be run:
* 1.01 demand a * 1.02 demand b * 1.03 type the square root of (a*a + b*b) * do part 1 a = ?_ 3 b = ?_ 4 the square root of (a*a + b*b) = 5.0
PIL on MTS
PIL on MTS is based on the second version of PIL, PIL/2. It was modified to integrate well with MTS files and system services.
No special installation instructions to get this language running - just do the standard D6.0 setup as described in this guide and then sign on as a regular user such as
Running a program using
Running the command
*PIL on MTS will start the PIL interpreter. It is intended to be used in an interactive way where you enter commands and see the output directly. It can be used in batch mode by feeding commands into source but this is not the intended mode of operation. Inside the interpreter, programs and data can be loaded and saved with the
save as statements.
Let's see how to run a simple program to print 'Hello, world!' five times using PIL.
# $run *pil # Execution begins 09:56:53 PIL/2: Ready * for i = 1 to 5: type "Hello, world!" Hello, world! Hello, world! Hello, world! Hello, world! Hello, world! * stop # Execution terminated 09:59:06 T=0.004
After starting PIL, enter the for statement at the
* prompt. Output is shown immediately after the command is entered. Type
stop to return to MTS.
In the next post we'll look at the language in more detail.
MTS volume 12 has a tutorial and reference for the PIL language and describes how it is integrated with MTS.
The video pictured at the top of this post, 2 4 Using the Michigan Terminal System 6 01, shows simple operation of PIL on a teletypewriter, starting from 21 minutes into the video.
The Pitt time-sharing system for the IBM system 360: Two year's experience. describes the operation of PIL at the University of Pittsburgh.
JOSS: Introduction To A Helpful Assistant is a very readable paper from the RAND Corporation on the language that inspired PIL.
The source code and implementation notes for PIL can be found in component 566 on tape 6.0T2 in the D6.0 distribution.
Source code for the hello world program can be found on github.
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We now take as a “given” the ability to know where we are and where we are going, and do both with accuracy and precision (and with simplicity and low cost, but these are relatively recent developments. Prior to the availability of inertial measurement systems based on gyroscopes and accelerometers, navigation was a time-consuming, difficult, and rough process done with compass, sextant, and radio-based systems such as LORAN.
Even though LORAN was a tremendous improvement over the compass and sextant, accuracy was modest at best (a few miles, under ideal conditions), coverage was uneven, and it required considerable skill to use. In contrast, today’s inertial measurement units (IMUs) can locate, navigate and guide with incredible precision, and it all starts with the spinning-rotor gyroscope.
This FAQ will review the basics of the traditional IMU (Part 1), and then look at how the laser-based and MEMS-based gyros have largely made the spinning-rotor IMU obsolete (Part 2)
Q: What is an IMU?
A: An IMU consists of a gyroscope-based inertial platform along with a trio of orthogonal accelerometers. Three orthogonal rotating-mass gyros, Figure 1, are mounted in a three-axis gimbaled platform and maintain a fixed attitude (orientation) in space, while the accelerometers on the platform continuously provide signals for x, y, and z acceleration with respect to that fixed platform. At the same time, orthogonal rotary-angle sensors called resolvers report on the orientation of this fixed-in-space platform with respect to the vehicle in which it is riding, Figure 2. (In practice, some designs use torque motors instead of resolvers, and the force they require to restore the platform from its displaced position back to its initial position provides the angular information.)
As the name states, the gyro-based system is “inertial” which means it requires no external inputs at all: solar, stars, magnetic, radio waves, nothing. It is based in the basic principles of physics: a rotating mass (here, the gyro) resists changes in orientation, while a mass which is accelerating feels a force. As such, an IMU is absolutely immune to external conditions or interference, and is a true “black box,” totally closed system.
Q: Why do we even need this? After all, we have GPS, which is accurate, cheap, and easy to use.
A: GPS is just that: a global system. It does not work beyond the orbit of its constellation of satellite’s around the Earth, nor does it work underground or in tunnels, where signals are too weak. Further, it is at the mercy of spoofing, interference, and other limitations.
Q: How does the acceleration information combine to make the IMU work?
A: From basic physics, the integration of the three accelerometer output signals (originally done with analog circuitry and op amps and now done digitally) provides velocity vectors; by integrating each of the three again, it reveals distance traveled (displacement). Recall from Newton’s laws that velocity is the derivative of distance or displacement with respect to time; while acceleration is the time derivative of velocity. Therefore, by knowing orientation (and thus direction of travel) as well as displacement, position in space can determined in real time.
Q: Brief background, please: what’s the “who, what, and where” about gyro-based IMUs?
A: Gyros have been used a children’s toys a few hundred years, but the first serious efforts to use gyros for aircraft guidance began in the 1920s, and they were even used for coarse navigation by WW2 (the German V-2 rockets had them). Much for the critical work and inspiration was done in the US by Dr. Charles Stark Draper of MIT, who drove the development from theory, to understanding of error sources, design, and final implementation. Among their other accomplishments, Draper and his team designed and built the IMUs which guided Apollo spacecraft to the moon, as well as many of the missions which have explored our solar system.
Q: How is the accelerometer portion of the IMU implemented?
A: Although there are several ways to do this, the most accurate way, ironically, requires using another gyroscope—but not in a gimbaled-platform arrangement. Instead, it is used in what is called a PIGA—a pendulous integrating gyroscope accelerometer, Figure 3 (how a PIGA works to indicate linear acceleration is a topic for another time).
Q: What is the size of a high-performance spinning rotor-based IMU? What are its drawbacks, despite the excellent performance?
A: There are usually enclosed in a spherical housing, ranging from the size of a large grapefruit to the size of a soccer ball. An accurate spinning rotor gyro requires the ultimate in mechanical design, as any imperfection will affect accuracy and cause errors such as drift over time and temperature. Everything must be as “perfect” as possible: the balance of the rotor, the bearings on which it spins, the frictionless gimballed platform for which it maintains a fixed orientation in space, the sensors which read the platform orientation with respect to the enclosure, and more. Even a tiny imperfection will lead to an accumulation of errors which build up over time and distance, which is unacceptable for most navigation and guidance challenges where the mission involves long distance, long periods of time, or both.
Q: Is the spinning-rotor gyro-based approach now obsolete?
A: Yes and no. For the vast majority of applications, newer technologies based either on lasers or MEMS devices are available with very, very good performance, and have largely made the mechanical gyro and its IMU obsolete. These alternatives have lower cost, are far less complicated mechanically, more reliable, and use far less power. They can also be smaller (for the MEMS units).
However, the spinning-rotor gyro unit is still needed for the ultimate in IMU performance (although perhaps not for much longer). It is used on intercontinental missiles which must reach targets thousands of miles away with mile-or-better accuracy, and submarines which must remain submerged and “cloaked” for weeks and months. Such a top-end gyro is the ultimate in electromechanical design, where every source of error or inaccuracy has been identified, modeled, and reduced by exquisite design and execution. For example, the gyro bearings use pressurized gas rather than ball bearings; and some gyros even “float” the assembly in a high-density, non-conducting silicon liquid to make the gyro buoyant and so reduce the effects of gravity.
Q: What is the ultimate in spinning-rotor designs?
A: Among the highest-performance systems ever devised and built is used in the Gravity-Probe B satellite, used as part of the program to search for “frame-dragging” of the space-time continuum due to the relativistic distortion effects of mass on gravity, and which is related to gravity waves. This gyro uses a set of incredibly near-perfect spheres for rotors, each “spun up” without physical contact using bursts of gas; the unit’s orientation is sensed by a non-contact scheme similar to eddy currents.
Q: What are the alternatives to IMUs using a spinning-rotor gyro?
A: There are two very different alternatives: the laser/optical fiber design, and the MEMS implementation. These will be discussed in Part 2.
- “Are We There Yet? Innovations That Led to Navigational Certainty”
- “Fiber-Optic Gyro Merges Optical Interference, Relativity to Define Motion and Location”
- “Spinning spheres test relativity’s subtlety” (Gravity-Probe B)
- Donald MacKenzie, “Inventing Accuracy: A Historical Sociology of Nuclear Missile Guidance,” MIT Press, 1990, ISBN: 9780262132589.
- Anthony Lawrence, “Modern Inertial Technology,” Springer, Second Edition, 1993, ISBN: 0-387-98507-7.
- “PIGA Accelerometer“
- “Introduction to MEMS gyroscopes”
- “A Survey on Ring Laser Gyroscope Technology”
- “MEMS Gyroscopes”
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Our collection of picture books featuring Black and Indigenous people and People of Color (BIPOC) is available to the public. *Inclusion of a title in the collection DOES NOT EQUAL a recommendation.* Click here for more on book evaluation.
COVID-19 Info.: Our collection is currently not circulating. Ladd library is closed and Interlibrary Loan (ILL) is unavailable until further notice. You may also find inactive links to the Bates Library Catalog and MARC record on certain book pages. We appreciate your patience.
Find titles using a keyword search below (e.g. adoption, birthday, holidays, etc.), or by selecting one or a combination of filters on the lefthand sidebar below.
First time here? Start here!
2 matching booksShow Filters
It is winter and the people are starving. There are no fish. They must seek the help of a medicine man to save them. The Old Man with the Otter Medicine tells of medicine power, the struggle for survival and an important part of the history and culture of the Dene people as it has been passed down through stories and legends for generations. --publisher
A mysterious man tells two Indian brothers why they must not hurt the ravens that pester them.--publisher
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Sinuous Gullies in Cornelia Crater
This image shows examples of long, narrow, sinuous gullies that scientists on NASA's Dawn mission have found on the giant asteroid Vesta. The crater shown here is called Cornelia. The gullies in Cornelia – called "Type-B" gullies – are different from the straighter, wider, shorter gullies that scientists have designated as "Type-A" gullies. Scientists think these two gully types have different formation mechanisms.
This image was obtained by Dawn's framing camera on Jan. 11, 2012. North is up in this image.
An annotated version highlights the gullies with white lines.
Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/UCLA/MPS/DLR/IDA
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lunes, 11 de junio de 2012
Gough (2006): Un largo, sinuoso (y duro) camino para la EA para la Sustentabilidad en 2006
A Long, Winding (and Rocky) Road to Environmental Education for Sustainability in 2006. Annette Gough.
The path that has led us to being in the United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (2005-2014) has its origins in the 1960s, and there have been many hills, potholes and detours along the way. In this article I trace the international pathway from the 1960s to 2006 to provide a context for developments in Australia over the same period.
In the 1960s scientists around the world were calling for recognition that there was an international environmental crisis caused by the growth in world population, the continuing depletion of natural resources and the increasing contamination of air, land and water. These environmental problems were often seen as scientific problems which science and technology could solve, but increasingly even the scientists themselves were arguing that science and technology were not enough. They wanted more information about the environment for the general public: for example, Rachel Carson (1962, p. 30) argued that “(t)he public must decide whether it wishes to continue on the present road, and it can do so only when in full possession of the facts”. Scientists also saw education as essential for providing students with an awareness of the threats to the human species and stimulating thinking and discussion on the social and biological problems of humankind (Boyden, 1970, cited in Gough, 1997, p. 4).
The term “environmental education” was first used around 1965 in the United States and the United Kingdom. For example, in March 1965 at a conference at the University of Keele it was agreed that environmental education “should become an essential part of the education of all citizens, not only because of the importance of their understanding something of their environment but because of its immense educational potential in assisting the emergence of a scientifically literate nation” (Wheeler, 1975, p.8). The descriptions of the objectives of environmental education which emerged in the late 1960s and early 1970s were concerned with introducing ecological (environmental) content into educational curricula at all levels, promoting technical training and stimulating general awareness of environmental problems. These statements were more exhortations than specifications which made environmental education seem vague, as Helgeson et al. (1971, quoted in Lucas, 1979, p. 6), in a review of environmental education for school administrators, commented: “The reluctance of persons concerned with environmental problems and environmental education to define the area of their concerns has led to a diffuseness in the discussion which is unlikely to lead to useful analysis of the problems or to the successful resolution of them”. Thirty-five years on similar discussions abound around the vagueness of education for sustainability/sustainable development!
Tomado de Gough, A. (2006): A Long, Winding (and Rocky) Road to Environmental Education for Sustainability in 2006. Australian Journal of Environmental Education, vol. 22(1), 2006.
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The name Hercules is famous the world over. He’s been a cartoon, an adhesive pitchman a punchline to an Eddie Murphy joke. But what did he actually do? Well…
Before there were super-villains, the good guys fought monsters. Monsters are an integral part of the storytelling tradition, from the Kraken to the Big Bad Wolf. The ancient Greeks had a veritable storehouse of monsters, among them the Minotaur and Medusa, and the men who slew these monsters were hailed as saviours, the greatest heroes of their time.
Of all the Greek heroes, the most famous was probably Heracles (aka Hercules), who was strong, courageous and intelligent. He was the son of Zeus and a mortal woman called Alcmene. Zeus was not only king of the gods, he was king of the adulterers, clocking up more than a few liaisons with mortal women resulting in plenty of fascinating children, but this particular child – Heracles – made Zeus’ wife so furious that she expended much of her energy on making his life as difficult as possible.
It’s important to know this because much of what happened to Heracles was the result of Hera’s rage. She was full of pent-up anger. One time she induced in Heracles a fit of lunacy and in that frenzied moment, he killed his wife and children. His punishment for this horrible crime, as decreed by the Oracle, was to serve his enemy Eurystheus for ten years. Eurystheus came up with the Twelve Labours, confident that Heracles wouldn’t be up to the task and would perish before completing them all. That was his cunning plan anyway.
Two of these Labours involved slaying monsters and, being Greek mythology, these weren’t just any ordinary old monsters. No mucking around with pooncy dragons or savage bears – these babies were built to last.
The Nemean Lion
The first Labour asked of Heracles was to kill the notorious Nemean Lion, a huge ferocious beast whose parents were the monsters Typhon and Echidna. The Nemean Lion had the strength of ten regular lions; its teeth and claws could rip anything to shreds in mere seconds. Its thick skin couldn’t be penetrated by made-made weapons. This monster was pretty much indestructible.
The legends say that its preferred diet was human men and that it would lure an unsuspecting damsel into its lair to use as bait for its prey. When a man came along to rescue the terrified girl, the Nemean Lion attacked him quick smart and chomped on the poor chap’s bones. No-one ever said what happened to the women – hopefully they had the wherewithal to run off while the lion was feasting on the ill-fated rescuer.
These weren’t just any ordinary old monsters. No mucking around with pooncy dragons or savage bears – these babies were built to last.
Being a strategic thinker, Heracles watched the Lion from a safe distance until he worked out its routine. He’d tried shooting arrows given to him from the god Apollo, but nothing was going to pierce that impenetrable hide, so he came up with an alternative plan. He followed the Lion into its den and sealed off the entrance. Using the element of surprise, he struck the monster on the head stunning it, then put his powerful hands around the beast’s neck and choked it to death.
Using the Nemean Lion’s own claws, Heracles then skinned the massive creature so he could take the pelt back as proof he’d completed this first Labour. He’s sometimes depicted as wearing the pelt as a kind of armour knowing it would keep him safe from arrows, swords and other weapons. With the Nemean Lion slain, Heracles was ready to take on his next Labour.
Imagine being attacked by a giant snake. It’s the stuff of nightmares that’s for sure, but in this myth a giant snake would have been a piece of cake. How about the Hydra, an enormous serpentine creature with nine heads, one of which was immortal? The heads were at the ends of long snake-like necks that could twist and turn in every direction, making it pretty hard to sneak up on. If some brave soul did manage to cut off a head, two more would immediately grow back in its place.
Its noxious breath tended to keep people away. Just one whiff could be fatal to humans. The Hydra was every farmer’s worst nightmare – eating livestock, terrorising the locals, polluting the air, dirtying the waterways. It had to go, but how?
Also on The Big Smoke
- Know who you’re Googling: Oedipus
- Know who you’re slaying: The Minotaur
- Medusa: The snake coiffed promiscuous hag who later lost her mind
The second of Heracles’ Twelve Labours was to kill the Hydra once and for all. This was a big challenge, no question, because Hera had raised the Hydra specifically to kill Heracles. She was always a girl for forward planning.
Fearlessness and chutzpah marked Heracles’ personality and he was clever enough to seek help when he needed it, so he secured the support of his nephew Iolaus to get the job done. Having covered his mouth and nose, Heracles lured the Hydra out into the open and set about chopping off the first head, then diverting the creature so that Iolaus could cauterise the wound with a hot iron. How this was actually achieved is never fully explained, but just go with it. Anyway, before they knew it, eight heads had been severed and cauterised until only the immortal head was left.
Using a powerful sword given to him by the goddess Athena, Heracles then hacked off the immortal head and quickly buried it, piling rocks on top of the makeshift grave. That old Hydra was deadibones, and Heracles ticked off his second Labour as complete.
He may have annoyed the hell out of Hera and Eurystheus by succeeding in these impossible quests, but the Greek people were jubilant. What a hero!
Ten further Labours awaited Heracles, but I think he needs to take a break for the moment. Slaying monsters is exhausting work.
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When an emerging power attempts to supplant a hegemonic power in international politics, major conflict often ensues. This is the definition of “The Thucydides Trap” as explained in a recent op-ed piece in The Japan Times.
The Thucydides Trap (pronounced “thu”, like you have a heavy lisp + sid + idees) is a term invented by Graham Allison, a professor at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. Alison has been saying since 2015 that war between a rising power, China, and an established power, the United States, is inevitable, based on historical examples. The argument is fleshed out in his book, ‘Destined for War: Can America and China Escape Thucydides’sTrap?’
Allison’s Thucydides Trap has become a popular topic of conversation among the chattering classes in these troubling times in America, especially with a loose cannon like Trump as the tweeter-in-chief who has the keys to the nuclear button. As positions in the trade dispute get more entrenched, and issues like Huawei crop up, many are talking about a march to war with a new adversary: China.
Steve Bannon famously stated that he sees such a war as inevitable within five to 10 years. Trump campaigned on a promise to address the widening trade deficit between the two countries. He complained about the low Chinese currency, the yuan, hurting US manufacturers. Jobs were leaving for lower-cost jurisdictions like China and Mexico.
War almost certainly wasn’t on Trump’s mind when his administration began implementing a series of tariffs, initially for aluminum and steel. A little over a year later, however, the extent of the tariffs and the antipathy between China and the US have spread considerably; tariffs now encompass over half of the roughly $500 billion in goods that China exports to the US, and almost all American goods imported by China.
A large part of the trade impasse is over protection of intellectual property rights and access to the Chinese market of 1.3 billion consumers. This is underpinned by the need to be first in technology ie. the leader in production of semiconductors, smart phones, cellular networking (5G), robotics, artificial intelligence, etc.
It’s not that big of a leap to go from a clash of economics to a serious conflagration that results in a shooting war. The US pulled out of the INF Treaty restricting intermediate-range nuclear missiles, so we already have an arms race building between the US, Russia and China. We correctly predicted rare earths could be used as pawns in the trade war. Building missiles and other military hardware requires rare earth elements – simply put, China has them and the US doesn’t.
We also have heightened tensions in the South China Sea, which China claims as its own and the US insists is an international waterway; over Taiwan, a chunk of the former Chinese empire that went independent, but that China considers part of its territory it will fight to defend; and over North Korea’s nuclear capabilities.
Defending South Korea is one of the US Military’s most important mandates in the Pacific theater. For China, continued propping up of Kim Jong-un’s regime through strong trade linkages and aid (last year Beijing said it will invest $88 million in the North’s infrastructure such as a new border bridge), serves to consolidate Chinese power in North Asia, and to prevent a major refugee crisis should the North and South unite as East and West Germany did in 1989.
At Ahead of the Herd, we’ve been talking about a potential war between China and for over a year. It’s not news to us. What is new, is the “mainstreaming” of the topic. In this article we ask the question: How likely is it that the US could go to war with China?
To tackle this question, we need to first look at the current situation the world’s two superpowers find themselves in. Next, an admittedly academic exercise, but very interesting to run through, as to what could happen. Here we take a dive into The Thucydides Trap. Then a discussion of how war could be avoided. And finally, what can investors do to protect themselves?
The great leap over poverty
Forty years ago China was an economic backwater. Despite being the dominant landmass in North Asia, and butting up against “the Evil Empire” Russia, nobody paid much attention to communist China. Southeast Asia was contained following the bloody, divisive conflict in Vietnam. American troops were in Korea. At the time the only threat coming from Asia was cheap Japanese cars.
2018 marked the 40th anniversary of China’s economic reforms and opening-up policy led by Deng Xiaoping, China’s forward-looking president who took over after Mao Zedong’s death in 1976.
Comparing the China of 2018 to the China of 1976 yields some astonishing figures. The first is how successfully China has rid the country of poverty. In ‘78 90% of the Chinese people lived on $2 a day, what the World Bank considered “extreme poverty”. The Chinese government may have wanted to end its isolationist policy under Deng, but it wasn’t too interested in raising the living standards of its citizens. People living in extreme poverty are more worried about their next meal than fighting the government, which is just the way the Communist Party liked it. China had its peasant-led revolution, the party didn’t want another.
Gradually though, reforms did occur, and Chinese citizens began to earn more. Now, only 1% of people live below the poverty line; 800 million have seen their incomes rise above it. According to the Chinese government (admittedly a questionable source), 250 million people in rural China lived in poverty in 1978, compared to 30 million at year-end 2017. The poorest residents saw an incredible 50-fold increase in their standard of living.
“Between 1981 and 2004, China succeeded in lifting more than half a billion people out of extreme poverty, said Robert Zoellick, then-president of the World Bank. “This is certainly the greatest leap to overcome poverty in history.”
With that massive improvement in living standards, China’s economic power has grown at warp speed. Bloomberg notes that in 1978 the country represented 1% of the world’s GDP; by 2017 it was 15%.
We all know the story of what happened to China in the 2000s. Its GDP raced along at double-digits for nearly a decade. The country became the largest commodities consumer in the world, the most important market driver of raw materials like copper, iron ore (used in steelmaking), coal, oil and soybeans.
Today, anybody who knows anything about commodities keeps a close eye on China.
China’s open-ness to world trade meant that in 2001, it was let into the World Trade Organization – effectively earning the country membership into the Western club of developed nations. Those nations, particularly the United States, presumed that China would thus become more “Westernized” and respect the status quo. In fact, what has happened, is that China has taken over a lot of what the US used to control.
For example, at the beginning of the 21st century, the US was the dominant trading partner of every Asian nation; now that position belongs to China. According to Allison, the Harvard prof and conceiver of The Thucydides Trap, this is like a red cape to a charging bull. Ruling powers do not like to be challenged.
“When a rising power threatens to displace a ruling power, this creates a dangerous dynamic in which both the rising and ruling powers are vulnerable to third-party provocations that would, in normal conditions, be inconsequential or easily managed but that can trigger a spiral to a result neither of the primary competitors wanted,” Allison told the 2019 Harvard Alumni China Public Policy Forum in Beijing this March, in a speech titled ‘How to Escape the Thucydides Trap’.
The Gospel of Xi
It might be hard for Westerners to understand the Chinese perspective. We know the Chinese government wants to have better lives for its citizens, to become richer, to have better jobs, higher-educated kids, more brand-name stores, etc. Essentially, to become more like us. Isn’t that the goal of every developing nation? Well yes, and no.
In China’s case, it goes much further than that. Chinese leaders see their country as a lost empire that needs to be regained, respected, both loved and feared. They want China to assume its rightful place in the world; for them, this means the most powerful, envied and emulated nation on earth.
Back in 2014, before all this hubbub over tariffs, an important book was published in China. It was called ‘The Governance of China’, a collection of political theories by President Xi Jinping.
Chinese media claim over 5 million copies have been sold worldwide, though few in North America have probably seen or read it. Perhaps they should though, as it contains some valuable insights into the mind of China’s most powerful leader since Deng Xiaoping.
In the West we tend to think of our leaders as temporary. Not so in China. Last year the Chinese Communist Party voted to abolish presidential term limits, allowing Xi to stay on indefinitely as leader, and to implement his agenda. It’s every dictator’s dream.
But a nightmare for the rest of us. In a book review published by The Atlantic, author Benjamin Carlson, Beijing correspondent for Agence France-Press. describes Xi’s ideology, or “Xiism”:
What emerged for me was Xiism—what I’d describe as an ethno-nationalist variant of Marxism, which holds that the people of China are heirs to a unique civilization and a utopian destiny that entitle them to a privileged position in the world. This destiny can only be achieved by following the moral leadership of Xi Jinping, who in his person (due to his birth and upbringing) embodies the virtues of the people and is their champion.
If Xi’s program is duly followed, Xiism promises a pinnacle of prosperity in 2049—precisely 100 years after the founding of the People’s Republic of China—at which point Xi avers that the Communist Party will “solve all the country’s problems” and the Chinese Dream will be fulfilled. China will be “strong, democratic, culturally advanced, and harmonious,” he vows, adding that in his view, “realizing the great renewal of the Chinese nation is the greatest dream in modern history.”
A knowledge of history is important here. Hundreds of year ago China was the undisputed ruler of North Asia. Chinese history is a series of dynasties. The last dynasty was the Qing, or Manchu; the Qing held power for 268 years, from 1644 to 1912. At the peak of its empire the Qing controlled 13 million square kilometers of territory including parts of modern-day Vietnam, Myanmar, Tibet, India and North Korea. Among its major achievements were an expansion of foreign trade, the creation of vast encyclopedias (the Imperial Encyclopaedia written between 1700 and 1725 reportedly contained 10,000 volumes), a large body of literature, development of the Peking Opera, and advances in painting, porcelain and printing.
In this context, President Xi’s recent visit to a rare earths plant, and a speech he made urging comrades to dig in for the long and difficult road ahead, makes perfect sense. The symbolism was clear: Even if the trade war lasts decades, the equivalent of the Long March of 1934 which preceded the emergence of the Chinese Communist Party and Mao Zedong, China will ultimately prevail. When it does, Xi will be the leader of “a new China” in much the same way as Chairman Mao.
Also notable in Xi’s book is the near-complete absence of the United States. In Xi’s world, the US, writes Carlson, is neither friend nor “partner” in non-confrontation. Rather, the US is seen as an insignificant, faraway blip, and countries that China can manage mostly without fear (Russia) or regard benevolently as obedient tributaries (Tanzania) fill the void.
The book is also a testament to the construction of Xi’s persona, and how the state is tapping into both imperial tradition and lingering nostalgia for Red China to present the Chinese leader as everything to everybody: a Marxist messiah for leftists, a people’s emperor for peasants, and a righteous, thundering Jeremiah for urban constituencies fed up with corruption.
This is the Gospel of Xi.
Powerful stuff. There are of course historical parallels. Russia’s diminishment to a middle European power with an economy around the size of France longs, in the hands of a strong leader like Putin, to get Mother Russia back. Annexing Crimea was a good start. Or inter-war Germany which was so punished by the Allies after World War I, that the ground was ideal for National Socialism to take root.
Allison looks at history from a different, though related lens. He believes nations act purely out of self-interest (in this respect he is in the tradition of Thomas Hobbes, who wrote “life is nasty, brutish and short”) and that conflict is pretty much inevitable when a powerful up-and-comer nation is trying to usurp the incumbent country’s dominance.
The Thucydides Trap
This is what Allison refers to as the Thucydides Trap. Its namesake was a Greek historian who gave an account of the Peloponnesian Wars in the 5th century BC, between Sparta, the champion, and Athens, the challenger.
Thucydides concluded “it was the rise of Athens and the fear that this instilled in Sparta that made war inevitable”. Why couldn’t they just work out their differences? According to the theory it’s this unique situation – where a zero-sum mentality forms in the minds of the pursuer and the pursued, characterized by overconfidence of the rising power, and loss of confidence/ paranoia of the declining hegemon – that causes the powers to fall into the “trap” of war.
Allison combs through 500 years of history to come up with 16 examples of the Thucydides trap; of these, an astonishing 12 examples resulted in war – or 75%.
His main focus is to outline where the US and China are with respect to realpolitik, or practical considerations, and how to avoid war. The signs are not good.
Writing in The Atlantic, Allison states that “Based on the current trajectory, war between the United States and China in the decades ahead is not just possible, but much more likely than recognized at the moment.” That was written in 2015, before the trade war started, so the case for war is even stronger now.
According to Allison, events that could make two nations fall into the trap may be small, “business as usual” conflicts that, if they occurred in a different dynamic, would lead to nothing. For example, the assassination of archduke Ferdinand, a relatively obscure and minor figure, was the spark that lit a whole conflagration of events that plunged Germany, an ascendant maritime power, into war with Britain, whose Royal Navy ruled the seas for decades. Consider the current conflicts between the Chinese and US navies in the South China Sea and the Taiwan Strait. It would not take much – say a collision between two warships – to ignite the powder keg of war.
However, for the threat to be taken seriously, the rising power must have the capability to take on the incumbent power. Henry Kissinger, the US former secretary of state, wrote that “once Germany achieved naval supremacy … this in itself – regardless of German intentions – would be an objective threat to Britain, and incompatible with the existence of the British Empire.”
Again the current situation doesn’t bode well. China has bulked up its military and it now spends more on its armed forces than any other country in the world except the United States. And changes are occurring with China’s military institutions. In a feature article titled ‘The China Challenge: Marshall Xi’ Reuters writes that President Xi has refashioned the People’s Liberation Army, the PLA, into a force that is rapidly closing the gap on US firepower. In fact, the US could even lose, if the two sides were to meet in combat:
In just over two decades, China has built a force of conventional missiles that rival or outperform those in the U.S. armory. China’s shipyards have spawned the world’s biggest navy, which now rules the waves in East Asia. Beijing can now launch nuclear-armed missiles from an operational fleet of ballistic missile submarines, giving it a powerful second-strike capability. And the PLA is fortifying posts across vast expanses of the South China Sea, while stepping up preparations to recover Taiwan, by force if necessary.
For the first time since Portuguese traders reached the Chinese coast five centuries ago, China has the military power to dominate the seas off its coast. Conflict between China and the United States in these waters would be destructive and bloody, particularly a clash over Taiwan, according to serving and retired senior American officers. And despite decades of unrivaled power since the end of the Cold War, there would be no guarantee America would prevail.
Indeed the US appears to be girding for such a military challenge. Bloomberg reports that the Pentagon has been working to overhaul the “two-war” defense strategy that has been the playbook for the last couple of decades – in other words, preparing to fight one major war as opposed to two smaller conflicts simultaneously. The one-war strategy is rooted in the idea that defeating a great-power adversary like China or Russia would be more difficult than anything the US has done in decades, and is a 180 degree shift from the DoD’s focus on counter-terrorism that has dominated the thinking since 9/11.
The U.S. is now building a force not around the demands of two regional conflicts with rogue states, but around the requirements of winning a high-intensity conflict with a single, top-tier competitor — a war with China over Taiwan, for instance, or a clash with Russia in the Baltic region.
There is plenty of serious thinking behind this shift. The new strategy is meant to signal unambiguously – to allies, competitors and the Pentagon bureaucracy – that the U.S. is now focusing squarely on great-power competition and the immense challenges it presents for a force that has been preoccupied with counterterrorism and counterinsurgency for nearly two decades. It recognizes that America’s military advantages vis-à-vis China and Russia have eroded gravely, and that the Defense Department will need new high-tech capabilities and creative operational concepts to defeat either country should war break out.
Back to Allison, the Harvard prof and author agrees that The preeminent geostrategic challenge of this era is not violent Islamic extremists or a resurgent Russia. It is the impact that China’s ascendance will have on the U.S.-led international order, which has provided unprecedented great-power peace and prosperity for the past 70 years.
For those who doubt that China is big enough or strong enough to displace the United States as the top power in Asia, Allison invokes Lee Kuan Yew, who ruled Singapore for three decades, was a mentor to Chinese leaders since the late 1970s, and up to his recent death, was the world’s most prominent China-watcher.
LKY, as he was known, put the odds of China continuing to grow at rates several times greater than the United States over the next decade or so as “four chances in five.” As for China displacing the US, Singapore’s strongman leader reportedly said, Of course. Why not … how could they not aspire to be number one in Asia and in time the world?” And about accepting its place in an international order designed and led by America, he said absolutely not: “China wants to be China and accepted as such – not as an honorary member of the West.
Allison concludes by asking, where does this rivalry stand today? Right on track. If Thucydides were watching he would say this looks like the grandest rising power I ever saw, accelerating towards the most colossal ruling power I ever saw. Well, we’ve got an unstoppable force and an immovable object. I’m looking forward to seeing the grandest collision of all times. I think that’s what he would say. The strategic rationale, in particular, that gave a picture of what would be U.S.-China relations would be, has collapsed both in Washington and in Beijing.
Other credible sources agree that a confrontation between the United States and China is a very real possibility. The Belfer Center from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government opines:
Today, as an unstoppable China approaches an immovable America and both Xi Jinping and Donald Trump promise to make their countries “great again,” the seventeenth case looks grim. Unless China is willing to scale back its ambitions or Washington can accept becoming number two in the Pacific, a trade conflict, cyberattack, or accident at sea could soon escalate into all-out war.
And economics professor Nouriel Roubini, known for predicting The Great Recession, notes in Project Syndicate that a trade war now threatens to escalate into a permanent state of mutual animosity. This is reflected in the Trump administration’s National Security Strategy, which deems China a strategic “competitor” that should be contained on all fronts.
A full-scale cold war thus could trigger a new stage of de-globalization, or at least a division of the global economy into two incompatible economic blocs. In either scenario, trade in goods, services, capital, labor, technology, and data would be severely restricted, and the digital realm would become a “splinternet,” wherein Western and Chinese nodes would not connect to one another.
Stumbling into war
So how might it happen? According to Allison, it would be the perfect storm of misperceptions or miscalculation, combined with politics, wherein the risk of letting your opponent out-flank you to the right on a national security issue, forces the governing party to become even more hawkish, and take on more risk:
So stack these three things on top of each other, reality, perception, politics, and this creates a huge vulnerability to some extraneous action or some third party action, that becomes a trigger that produces a spiral that produces the war.
Allison argues that, in order to avoid the trap, the two nations need to recognize the danger of a shooting war, then find a way(s) to avoid it. However, not everyone agrees that the Thucydides Trap is the right paradigm for our times, nor that avoiding conflict is the way forward.
In a 2017 op-ed piece published in The Strait Times, Arthur Waldron, a professor of international relations at the University of Pennsylvania, called Allison’s book “baffling academic farrago.” Waldron thinks Allison has “China fever” for his various praises of the Middle Kingdom, and believes that turning the other cheek as Allison suggests the ascendant power should do, is actually a recipe for war.
He compares Obama’s failed “pivot to Asia” during the 2000s – whereby the former administration was unable to stop China from creating fortified islands in the South China Sea, and North Korea from shooting off test missiles – with the Munich Agreement of 1938, that forever tainted Neville Chamberlain, Britain’s then-PM, with the brush of appeasement for ceding Czechoslovakia’s Sudentenland to Nazi Germany. He calls this the “Chamberlain Trap”:
“Appeasement of aggressors is far more dangerous than measured confrontation.” Waldron writes. “Did China become more aggressive in the South China Sea in the 2000s because the Obama administration got tougher or because it went AWOL on the issue? I’d say the latter is more likely.
With China, we might want to be more mindful of the Chamberlain Trap (named after the peace-loving prime minister of England, one of the authors of the disastrous 1938 Munich Agreement that sought to avoid war through concessions), which taught Hitler that the British were easily fooled. That is the trap we are in urgent need of avoiding.
Trade war to currency war
We have been speaking ominously of some type of armed confrontation between the US and China. So far however all the bullets that have been fired have been shaped like dollar signs. The situation as it stands, is we have a trade war, becoming more and more intractable, as it becomes tied to technology (Google said on Wednesday it is shifting production of US-bound motherboards out of China and into Taiwan. Huawei, the Chinese tech giant, is not counting on a trade war settlement and is reportedly shifting supply chains and making other preparations for a prolonged fight.)
Two options at Beijing’s disposal are to sell US Treasuries, of which China is by far the dominant holder, and to “weaponize” the yuan. The US could also devalue the dollar.
A large-scale sale of US debt on the bond market would cause US interest rates to rise, bond prices to tank and yields to go ballistic. The latter would exacerbate federal budget deficits, because interest payments would rise on the national debt.
The US dollar would plummet, as a loss of confidence in the greenback ripped through the global economy.
Regarding devaluation, it has recently come up for discussion whether China should knock down the yuan as a way to pressure the United States into making a trade deal.
While China’s central bank has been pursuing a policy of propping up the yuan’s value as the country shifts from an export-driven to a consumer-oriented economy, Forbes quotes Chen Long, a China economist at consultancy Gavekal Dragonomics, stating it is now in Beijing’s best interest to let the yuan slide:
“The renminbi exchange rate is one of the most powerful weapons Beijing has in the trade war with the U.S.,” Chen wrote in a report. Chen argues that a weaker yuan would support China’s exporters. While China’s importers would be worse off, the benefits outweigh the costs because China is a net exporter. But, more importantly, a depreciated renminbi [aka the yuan] could rattle global markets and, consequently, pressure Trump to switch tack.
We’ve now reached the point in time when both countries would benefit from weaker currencies. Trump has frequently launched into Twitter tirades directed at the US Federal Reserve for keeping interest rates too high, along with the dollar. Trump wants the dollar to trade lower in order to help US exporters, and to rein in the China-US trade deficit – something he has been passionate about doing, since he believes that manufacturing jobs will then migrate back to the US from overseas.
In other words, we’re heading for a currency war. A currency war is what happens when countries intentionally devalue their currencies through their central banks. Increasing the money supply lowers interest rates and the value of the currency, thereby depressing the exchange rate.
Those on the losing end of trading relationships decide to engage in a policy of competitive devaluation. By keeping their currencies low, exports will be cheaper, imports more expensive.
The problem for the United States is that throughout the past several years, the dollar has remained high in relation to other currencies, and that has created a large trade deficit. That’s a problem because the US imports more than it exports – meaning consumers are buying more goods and services from abroad than locally. Exporters face resistance from buyers because products priced in dollars are more expensive.
It is primarily the result of the trade deficit – and especially the trade deficit with China – that prompted the Trump administration to start a trade war with China.
Who would win a currency war between the US and China?
On the one hand, devaluation would be good for China’s exports, but on the other hand, Chinese companies importing American products must shell out more yuan to get the same number of dollars as before the currency got devalued. The extra cost would probably be passed onto consumers. China exports to the US much more than it imports from America, though, so on balance, this strategy of “weaponizing the yuan” would favor China.
For more on this subject read How China wins trade war
The wrong kind of president
The Thucydides Trap posed by Prof. Allison is a good model for analyzing great-power relationships, but it’s on “how to avoid war” that the paradigm breaks down. The reason is that avoiding war and trying to find accommodation turns on highly skilled diplomacy. To be blunt, this administration doesn’t have it.
The first problem is that Trump, not surprisingly given his business background, thinks he can solve all foreign policy quagmires by sitting down “mano a mano”. This isn’t the way diplomatic relations between countries is supposed to work. The Washington Examiner explains:
Although the president’s job is, in part, to build strong and lasting relations with other world leaders, those relations should be professional rather than personal. Indeed, that the president would refer to adversarial foreign leaders as “friends,” never mind that his own advisers have identified them as threats, is alarming and points to a lack of understanding of volatile foreign relations.
The other issue with this approach is it presumes no continuity between administrations. The next administration after Trump’s will be dealing with another president (assuming it’s not him).
This partly explains why the Trump administration really has no game plan when it comes to statecraft. If Trump has a strategy in dealing with Beijing, nobody, except him, knows what it is.
Kumi Miyake, president of the Foreign Policy Institute and research director at Canon Institute for Global Studies, fleshes this out nicely in a recent op-ed published in The Japan Times. He takes the Thucydides Trap in a different direction though, writing that the problem with not having a strategy is the risk of appeasement or of taking your eye off the ball:
The real danger now is that there seems to be no coherent and prioritized national security strategy inside the Trump White House. If such a situation continues, the United States may not be able to properly respond to and deal with the next crisis in which China or any other rising powers may be involved.
This is not a crisis caused by the Thucydides’ Trap. Rather, it is a crisis either by the “Chamberlain’s trap,” which led to the disastrous Munich Agreement and eventually to World War II, or by the “power vacuum trap,” in which an established power gives a rising power an easy chance to fill the vacuum and dominate the theater.
Either way, the established power will lose the game after fighting unnecessary wars or even without fighting. This is the real danger for an established power facing a rising power. To avoid these traps, all you need is a coherent and professional strategy under a non-impulsive, well-informed and disciplined president.
We certainly don’t see the Trump administration appeasing China, but we do see the fallout from its hard-line approach to Beijing. A recent example is Mexico planning to hold “high-level meetings” with Chinese officials, in the wake of Trump threatening to bash Mexico with tariffs if the country failed to stem immigration from South America.
Or the cavalier way Trump treated Canada, by slapping aluminum and steel tariffs on the US’ second-most important trading partner, ripping up NAFTA, and snubbing Ottawa – two and a half years into his mandate, Trump has still not visited Canada. Most new presidents make Canada the first international trip they make after inauguration.
That’s cause for concern, but what is really frightening is how Trump deals with problems seemingly with no consultation, no briefing, and no thought to the consequences. In statecraft, this is dynamite. Imagine Trump negotiating his way through the Cuban missile crisis, or the Iran hostage incident. Foreign governments aren’t usually keen to “make a deal” when politics and religion are on the line. These situations require a deft touch, not a sledge hammer.
In May, Foreign Policy Magazine detailed the dangerous escalation the White House is pursuing in Iran – now the subject of renewed US sanctions for its refusal to dismantle its nuclear energy program:
Thousands of U.S. troops and Iranian-backed forces operate in close proximity to one another in Iraq, Syria, and the crowded waters of the Persian Gulf. Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates continue to pursue their air campaign against Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen despite international outrage over the world’s worst humanitarian disaster there. And Israel regularly conducts military strikes against Iranian arms shipments and infrastructure in Syria. In this volatile context, the scenarios for an intentional or inadvertent U.S.-Iran war are legion.
If Iran or its proxies respond to U.S. pressure in ways that draw American blood or deal a major blow to critical oil infrastructure in the region, things could quickly get out of hand.
All else being equal, Trump probably doesn’t want another U.S. war in the Middle East. But, if past is prologue, his gut instinct will be to respond (likely via Twitter) to any Iranian provocation with bellicose rhetoric that pours fuel on the fire.
Conclusion: own gold
Nobody can say for sure whether we are looking at an escalation or de-escalation of the affairs of state between the United States and China, but we can say with absolute certainty that it’s a good idea to buy some insurance in case things take a wild turn for the worse. And given Trump’s track record, we should all be nervous.
What do scared citizens do when they fear an economic or political crisis initiated by a renegade leader like Donald Trump? They turn to hard assets like gold.
Indeed gold’s status as store of value, as money, the only currency available when yours is worthless, has come into play time and time again, when tensions heat up.
Gold gives all of us something that fiat currencies (paper money), or any other financial innovation, cannot deliver. Gold is insurance, irreplaceable in its functions.
Moreover, there are a number of demand-side reasons for owning gold right now. They include a series of economic indicators showing that US growth is grinding to a halt; worsening yield curve inversion; a potential trade spat with Europe waiting in the wings, as the US-China trade war appears no closer to a resolution; and the increasing tension between China and the US over Taiwan and the South China Sea.
Take all those factors, add in a flight to safe havens like gold, and you have all the makings of a powerful and prolonged bull market for gold just as we are entering the most active time of the year for junior resource companies.
With all that is going on in the world, we believe the gold price will do well over the next few months.
Richard (Rick) Mills
Ahead of the Herd Twitter
Ahead of the Herd FaceBook
Legal Notice / Disclaimer
This document is not and should not be construed as an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to purchase or subscribe for any investment. Richard Mills has based this document on information obtained from sources he believes to be reliable but which has not been independently verified. Richard Mills makes no guarantee, representation or warranty and accepts no responsibility or liability as
to its accuracy or completeness. Expressions of opinion are those of Richard Mills only and are subject to change without notice. Richard Mills assumes no warranty, liability or guarantee for the current relevance, correctness or completeness of any information provided within this Report and will not be held liable for the consequence of reliance upon any opinion or statement contained herein or any omission. Furthermore, I, Richard Mills, assume no liability for any direct or indirect loss or damage or, in particular, for lost profit, which you may incur as a result of the use and existence of the information provided within this Report.
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|Glory of Bharath » INDICA
Holi, is a spring religious festival celebrated by Hindus and Sikhs. In West Bengal and Orissa of India it is known as Dolyatra (Doul Jatra) or Basanta-Utsav ("spring festival"). The most celebrated Holi is that of the Braj region, in locations connected to the god Krishna: Mathura, Vrindavan, Nandagaon, and Barsana. The main day, Holi, also known as Dhuli Vandana in Sanskrit, also Dhulheti, Dhulandi or Dhulendi, is celebrated by people throwing coloured powder and coloured water at each other. Bonfires are lit the day before, also known as Holika Dahan (burning of Holika) or Chhoti Holi (little Holi). The bonfires are lit in memory of the miraculous escape that young Prahlad accomplished when Demoness Holika, sister of Hiranyakashipu, carried him into the fire. Holika was burnt but Prahlad, a staunch devotee of god Vishnu, escaped without any injuries due to his unshakable devotion. Holika Dahan is referred to as Kama Dahanam in South India.
Holi is celebrated at the end of the winter season on the last full moon day of the lunar monthPhalguna (February/March), (Phalgun Purnima), which usually falls in the later part of February or March. Rangapanchami occurs a few days later on a Panchami (fifth day of the full moon), marking the end of festivities involving colours.
In Vaishnava Theology, Hiranyakashipu is the great king of demons, and he had been granted a boon by Brahma, which made it almost impossible for him to be killed. The boon was due to his long penance, after which he had demanded that he not be killed "during day or night; inside the home or outside, not on earth or on sky; neither by a man nor an animal; neither by astra nor by shastra". Consequently, he grew arrogant and attacked the Heavens and the Earth. He demanded that people stop worshipping gods and start praying to him.
Despite this, Hiranyakashipu's own son, Prahlada, was a devotee of Lord Vishnu. In spite of several threats from Hiranyakashipu, Prahlada continued offering prayers to Lord Vishnu. He was poisoned but the poison turned to nectar in his mouth. He was ordered to be trampled by elephants yet remained unharmed. He was put in a room with hungry, poisonous snakes and survived. All of Hiranyakashipu's attempts to kill his son failed. Finally, he ordered young Prahlada to sit on a pyre on the lap of his demoness sister, Holika, who could not die because she also had a boon which would prevent fire from burning her. Prahlada readily accepted his father's orders, and prayed to Vishnu to keep him safe. When the fire started, everyone watched in amazement as Holika burnt to death, while Prahlada survived unharmed, the burning of Holika is celebrated as Holi.
|Later Lord Vishnu came in the form of a Narasimha (who is half-man and half-lion) and killed Hiranyakashipu at dusk (which was neither day nor night), on the steps of the porch of his house (which was neither inside the house nor outside) by restraining him on his lap (which is neither in the sky nor on the earth) and mauling him with his claws (which are neither astra nor shastra). |
In Vrindavan and Mathura, where Lord Krishna grew up, the festival is celebrated for 16 days (until Rangpanchmi) in commemoration of the divine love of Radha for Krishna. Lord Krishna is believed to have popularized the festival by playing pranks on the gopis here. Krishna is believed to have complained to his mother about the contrast between his dark skin complexion and Radha's (Shakti or energy that drives the world) fair skin complexion. Krishna's mother decided to apply colour to Radha's face. The celebrations officially usher in spring, the celebrated season of love.
|There is alternative story detailing the origin of Holi. This story is about Kamadeva, a god of love. Kama's body was destroyed when he shot his weapon at Shiva in order to disrupt his meditation and help Parvati to marry Shiva. Shiva then opened his third eye, the gaze of which was so powerful that Kama's body was reduced to ashes. For the sake of Kama's wife Rati (passion), Shiva restored him, but only as a mental image, representing the true emotional and spiritual state of love rather than physical lust. The Holi bonfire is believed to be celebrated in commemoration of this event. |
Legend on Pootana: When the female demoness called Pootana tried to kill boy Krishna, by giving him her poisoned nipples to suckle. The miracle boy Krishna is said to have sucked her nipples so intensely that he drained the demoness of her life. Hence, the biggest celebration of Holi takes place at Mathura where this incident happened with Krishna. After the death of demoness Pootana, people of Mathura till date celebrates this festival in the evening by lighting bourn fire.
Brij Ki Holi / Lath Mar Holi:
Two towns namely Nandagow (where Lord Krishna grew up) and Barsana (where Shri Radha grew up), near Mathura, are considered (till today) as the epicenter of the Holi celebrations. In India it is famously known as BRIJ KI HOLI / LATH MAR HOLI. While Lord Krishna was growing up in Vraj, he popularized the festival with his pranks. Where he played Holi with Gopies of Vraj and they also responded him with equal enthusiasm and the festivities have continued ever since. So, continuing this ritual Men and Women of Vraj even today clash in a colorful display of battle of the sexes. Men of Nandagow raid Barsana with hopes of raising their flag over Shri Radhikaji's temple. They receive a thunderous welcome as the women of Barsana greet them with long wooden sticks. The men are soundly beaten as they attempt to rush through town to reach the relative safety of Shri Radhikaji's temple. Men are well padded, as they are not allowed to retaliate. In this mock battle the men try their best not to be captured. Unlucky captives can be forcefully led away, thrashed and dressed in female attire before being made to dance as a custom. This type of Holi is famously known as "Lath Mar Holi"
The earliest textual reference to the celebration of Holi is found in the 7th century Sanskrit drama, Ratnavali. Certainly there are perennial rituals attached to Holi: the first is smearing of coloured powder on each other, and throwing coloured and scented water at each time.
Flowers of Dhak or Palash are used to make traditional colours
|The spring season, during which the weather changes, is believed to cause viral fever and cold. The playful throwing of natural coloured powders has a medicinal significance: the colours are traditionally made of Neem, Kumkum, Haldi, Bilva, and other medicinal herbs prescribed by Ayurvedic doctors. A special drink called thandai is prepared (commonly made of almonds, pistachios, rose petals, etc.), sometimes containing bhang (Cannabis indica). For wet colours, traditional flowers of Palash are boiled and soaked in water over night to produce yellow coloured water, which also had medicinal properties. |
Dol-Purnima, the festival of colour is celebrated with great festivity and joy. On this day, people come out wearing pure white clothes and gather together in a common place where they play it with gay abandon.
Lath mar Holi being played in Barsana, Uttar Pradesh
|Barsana is the place to be at the time of Holi. Here the famous Lath mar Holi is played in the sprawling compound of the Radha Rani temple. Thousands gather to witness the Lath Mar holi when women beat up men with sticks as those on the sidelines become hysterical, sing Holi Songs and shout Sri Radhey or Sri Krishna. The Holi songs of Braj mandal are sung in pure Braj Bhasha. Holi played at Barsana is unique in the sense that here women chase men away with sticks. Males also sing provocative songs in a bid to invite the attention of women. Women then go on the offensive and use long staves called lathis to beat men folk who protect themselves with shields. |
In Mathura, the birth place of Lord Krishna and in Vrindavan this day is celebrated with special puja and the traditional custom of worshipping Lord Krishna, here the festival last for sixteen days. All over the Braj region and its nearby places like Hathras, Aligarh, Agra the Holi is celebrated in more or less same way as in Mathura, Vrindavan and Barsana. In Gorakhpur, the northeast district of Uttar Pradesh, this day is celebrated with special puja in the morning of Holi day. This day is considered to be the happiest and colorful day of the year promoting the brotherhood among the people. This is known as "Holi Milan" in which people visit every house and sing holi song and express their gratitude by applying colored powder (Abeer). Holi is also considered as the end of the year as it occurs on the last day of last Hindu calendar month Phalgun. People also kickoff for the next year planning with new year Hindu calendar (Panchang) at the evening of Holi.
The uniqueness of the Kumaoni Holi of the Kumaon region in Uttarakhand lies in its being a musical affair, whichever may be its form, be it the Baithki Holi, the Khari Holi and the Mahila Holi which starts from Basant Panchmi. The Baithki Holi and Khari Holi are unique in that the songs on which they are based have touch of melody, fun and spiritualism. These songs are essentially based on classical ragas. No wonder then the Baithki Holi is also known as Nirvan Ki Holi.
The Baithki Holi begins from the premises of temples, where Holiyars (the singers of Holi songs) as also the people gather to sing songs to the accompaniment of classical music. Kumaonis are very particular about the time when the songs based on ragas should be sung. For instance, at noon the songs based on Peelu, Bhimpalasi and Sarang ragas are sung while evening is reserved for the songs based on the ragas like Kalyan, Shyamkalyan and Yaman etc.
The Khari Holi is mostly celebrated in the rural areas of Kumaon. The songs of the Khari Holi are sung by the people, who sporting traditional white churidar payajama and kurta, dance in groups to the tune of ethnic musical instruments like the Dhol and Hurka. The Holika made is known as Cheer which is ceremonially made in a ceremony known as Cheer Bandhan fifteen days before Dulhendi. The Cheer is a bonfire with a green Paiya tree branch in the middle. The Cheer of every village and mohalla is rigorously guarded as rival mohallas try to steal the others cheer. Dulhendi known as Charadi , in Kumaoni (from Chharad) , or natural colours made from flower extracts, ash and water) is celebrated with great gusto much in the same way as all across North India.
Holi is celebrated with the same fervour and charm in Bihar as in rest of north India. It is known as Phagwa in the local Bhojpuri dialect. Here too, the legend of Holika is prevalent. On the eve of Phalgun Poornima, people light bonfires. They put dung cakes, wood of Araad or Redi tree and Holika tree, grains from the fresh harvest and unwanted wood leaves in the bonfire. Following the tradition people also clean their houses for the day. At the time of Holika people assemble near the fire. The eldest member or a purohit initiates the lighting. He then smears others with colour as a mark of greeting. Next day the festival is celebrated with colours and lot of frolic.
On the Dol Purnima day in the early morning, the students dress up in saffron-coloured clothes and wear garlands of fragrant flowers. They sing and dance to the accompaniment of musical instruments like ektara, dubri, veena, etc. Holi is known by the name of 'Dol Jatra', 'Dol Purnima' or the 'Swing Festival'. The festival is celebrated in a dignified manner by placing the idols of Krishna and Radha on a picturesquely decorated palanquin which is then taken round the main streets of the city or the village. The devotees take turns to swing them while women dance around the swing and sing devotional songs. During these activities, the men keep spraying coloured water and coloured powder, abir, at them. The head of the family observes fast and prays to Lord Krishna and Agnidev. After all the traditional rituals are over, he smears Krishna's idol with gulal and offers "bhog" to both Krishna and Agnidev.
Holi is a part of Goan or Konkani spring festival known as Sigmo, one of the most prominent festivals of the Konkani community in Goa, and the Konkani diaspora in the state of Karnataka, Maharashtra and Kerala. Sigmo is also known as Sisirotsava and lasts for about a month. The color festival or Holi is a part of entire spring festival celebrations.
Holi is celebrated with great fanfare in Gujarat. Falling on the full moon day in the month of Phalguna, Holi is a major Hindu festival and marks the agricultural season of the Rabi crop. A bonfire is lit in the main squares of the villages and colonies. People gather around the bonfire and celebrate the event with singing and dancing, which is symbolic of the victory of good over evil. Tribals of Gujarat celebrate Holi with great enthusiasm and also dance around the fire.
In Ahmedabad, a pot of buttermilk is hung high on the streets and young boys try to reach it and break it by making human pyramids. The girls try to stop them by throwing colored water on them to commemorate the pranks of Krishna and cowherd boys to steal butter and 'gopis' while trying to stop the girls. The boy who finally manages to break the pot is crowned the Holi King. Afterwards, the men, who are now very colorful men, go out in a large procession to "alert" people of the Krishna's possible appearance to steal butter from their homes.
In Maharashtra, Holi is mainly associated with the burning of Holika. Holi Paurnima is also celebrated as Shimga. A week before the festival, youngsters go around the community, collecting firewood and money. On the day of Holi, the firewood is arranged in a huge pile at a clearing in the locality. In the evening, the fire is lit. Every household makes an offering of a meal and desert to the fire god. Puran Poli is the main delicacy and children shout "Holi re Holi puranachi poli". Shimga is associated with the elimination of all evil. The color celebrations here traditionally take place on the day of Rangapanchami, unlike in North India where it is done on the second day itself. During this festival, people are supposed to forget about any rivalries for the day.
|Manipuris celebrate Holi for six days. Here, this holiday merges with the centuries-old festival of Yaoshang. Traditionally, the festival commences with the burning of a thatched hut of hay and twigs. Young children go from house to house to collect money, locally known as nakadeng (or nakatheng), as gifts on the first two days. The youths at night perform a group folk dance called 'thaabal chongba' on the full moon night of Lamta (Phalgun) along with folk songs and rhythmic beats of the indigenous drum. In Krishna temples, devotees sing devotional songs, perform dances and play with aber (gulal) wearing traditional white and yellow turbans. On the last day of the festival, large processions are taken out to the main Krishna temple near Imphal where several cultural activities are held. |
|There is a Sikh festival of Hola Mohalla, simply Hola takes place on the first of the lunar month of Chet which usually falls in March. This, by a tradition established by Guru Gobind Singh, follows the Hindu festival of Holi by one day; Hola is the masculine form of the feminine sounding Holi. The word "Mohalla" is derived from the Arabic root hal (alighting, descending) and is a Punjabi word that implies an organized procession in the form of an army column. But unlike Holi, when people playfully sprinkle colored powder, dry or mixed in water, on each other, the Guru made Hola Mohalla an occasion for the Sikhs to demonstrate their martial skills in simulated battles. |
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By Kaitlin Yarnall and Fernando G. Baptista – Deputy Art Director and Senior Graphics Editor at the National Geographic magazine. This project is further explored here and in the December issue of National Geographic magazine.
One of Antoni Gaudi’s most famous and often-repeated phrases was, ‘originality is returning to the origin.’ For Gaudi, a deeply religious man, this origin was nature. Gaudi viewed the natural world as perfect, a creation from which he drew inspiration. Nowhere is this connection more clearly visible than in his masterpiece, Barcelona’s Sagrada Familia.
The Sagrada Familia represents the culmination of Gaudi’s career. He used his other works as testing grounds for structures and techniques that would eventually be implemented in the Sagrada Familia. The elements found in Gaudi’s nature-inspired work, which is sometimes referred to as biomimetic architecture, can be classified as ornamental or structural. Structural elements inspired by nature include: catenary arches, spiral stairways, conoid-shaped roofs, and a new type of tree-inspired column that uses hyperbolic paraboloids as its base. Natural ornamental elements include: honeycomb gates, vine-inspired frieze, diatom-shaped windows, gargoyles depicting animals displaced by the church’s construction, and pinnacles in the form of grasses and pyrite crystals.
Both during Gaudi’s lifetime and following his death, his work was considered to be revolutionary. Unlike most architects, Gaudi did not spend his time drawing plans in two dimensions. He worked with clay, rock, rope, paper, and any other moldable medium available. He expressed his plans and intentions through models and used live plants, animals, and humans as references. Gaudi did not view himself as revolutionary – he simply sought to replicate the perfection he saw in nature.
Some of Gaudi’s most interesting structural techniques were successful in speeding construction and consuming fewer raw materials. The roof he designed for the architectural school on the grounds of the Sagrada Familia is shaped similar to a Magnolia leaf, in the form of a conoid. This naturally-occurring wave shape channels rainwater off the roof and was able to be made thinner, requiring less material, due to its innate strength. His tree-inspired columns could also have a smaller diameter due to the load-bearing capability designed into their multi-faced forms. Adrian Bejan has described Gaudi and this phenomenon describing him as:
A tightrope walker on the line of bridging art and science. He understood that nature is constructed by laws of mathematics. What is strongest is inherently lightest and most efficient.
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The recent suggestion that India and Pakistan should agree to the division of Jammu and Kashmir on religious lines to resolve the 55-year-old dispute may not be a new proposal.
It is difficult to imagine that the prime minister of a territory, which for all practical purposes is controlled by Islamabad, can be allowed to hold independent views on such a sensitive issue
But because it has come from the Prime Minister of Pakistan-administered Kashmir, Sardar Sikander Hayat, it has acquired an altogether different meaning.
Understandably it has taken all sides to the dispute by surprise.
Mr Hayat is certainly the first prominent Kashmiri government leader on the Pakistani side of the divide to make such a huge departure from Islamabad's official position over the dispute.
In an interview with the BBC earlier this month, Mr Hayat suggested the need to explore various options for resolving the dispute, including giving a special status to the Muslim-dominated Kashmir valley.
But the real bombshell came on Tuesday, when Mr Hayat came up with a concrete proposal, suggesting that Jammu and Kashmir should be partitioned in such a way that the Muslim majority areas should be allowed to join Pakistan and the areas where Hindus or Buddhists were in the majority should go to India.
If put into effect, most of the areas that are already in Pakistan's control would remain with it.
Pakistan would also get most parts of the Kashmir Valley, including the summer capital, Srinagar.
India would get almost the entire Jammu region as well as Ladakh and some of the area adjoining it.
At present India holds about 45% of the disputed region, Pakistan over 33%. The rest is held by China.
Pakistan says the wishes of the people of Jammu and Kashmir were ignored at the time of partition in 1947.
It argues that they should be given the right to choose between becoming part of India or Pakistan.
The Indian Government maintains that the former princely state is a sovereign part of the Indian Union.
Refused to consider
The proposal put forward by no less a person than the prime minister of Pakistan-administered Kashmir harks back to what seasoned Kashmir-watchers in South Asia and the United States call the Chenab formula - named after the River Chenab which would mark the border between India and Pakistan.
At official level, both India and Pakistan have refused to entertain the Chenab formula.
A former Pakistani foreign ministry official says the suggestion was proposed in the 1960s by the Pakistan foreign minister at the time, Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto.
But the idea was rejected by his Indian counterpart, Swaran Singh.
The proposal remained in cold storage until 1999, when the famous Lahore meeting between the Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and his Pakistani counterpart, Nawaz Sharif, suddenly revived hopes for peace in the region.
The security situation has worsened recently
As it was revealed later, apart from having formal talks, the two prime ministers decided to establish secret, unofficial lines of communication to discuss some of the more contentious issues between the two sides.
During this secret process, the former Pakistani Foreign Secretary, Niaz A Naik, held a series of meetings with an Indian businessman, RK Mishra.
Both men had the blessings of their respective prime ministers, and according to Mr Naik, one of the few proposals they discussed in all seriousness was the so-called Chenab formula.
Nothing concrete ever came out from those secret talks, and the two sides were still in the middle of exploring all possible options on Kashmir when the Kargil conflict broke out, rendering all talk of compromise over Kashmir meaningless.
Now the Chenab formula is back in the news.
Opposition leaders in the regional capital, Muzaffarabad, have bitterly criticised Mr Hayat for putting the proposal forward.
Leaders of the hardline religious party, Jamaat-e-Islami, have declared that nothing short of a plebiscite is acceptable to them.
Opposition has also come from leaders of the main Kashmiri political grouping in Indian-administered Kashmir, the All-Party Hurriyat Conference.
However, some Kashmiri politicians privately say there is division in its ranks over the issue.
Srinagar would become part of Pakistan under the Chenab plan
Interestingly, another veteran Pakistan-based Kashmiri leader, Sardar Abdul Qayyum has endorsed the proposal.
He has called for discussion on all possible solutions to the Kashmir dispute.
Despite the uproar among the traditional Kashmiri supporters, Mr Hayat says he is not ashamed of his suggestion.
In fact, he has now come up with more arguments in support of his idea.
He says this is the closest thing to the way the partition of India was planned in 1947, a reference to the idea that Muslims should be able to live as a majority in their own country, Pakistan.
If the states of Punjab and Bengal were divided on religious lines at the time of partition, then "What is so wrong with the division of Jammu and Kashmir", Mr Hayat is reported to have said.
So far the Pakistan Government has neither criticised his statement, nor has it tried to stop him from airing his views.
However, for the record, Pakistan's foreign ministry has said that there has been no change in Islamabad's official position on the dispute.
But it is difficult to imagine that the prime minister of a territory, which for all practical purposes is controlled by Islamabad, can be allowed to hold independent views on such a sensitive issue.
Experts of Kashmiri affairs say there is a strong possibility that Mr Hayat may have the tacit support of the Pakistani establishment, which wants to gauge India's reaction to it.
Should the Indian Government show some inclination towards considering the proposal, then the Pakistani Government may be encouraged to make such a proposal official.
Should India reject the proposal, then Islamabad can simply say it stands by its stated position on the Kashmir dispute - that UN resolutions must be respected and the people of Kashmir decide in a plebiscite whether they be part of India or Pakistan.
Many Kashmir-watchers in Islamabad believe there are only two proposals on the Kashmir dispute that officials and think-tanks in America believe have any realistic hopes of success.
One is a deal whereby the UN-delineated Line of Control in Kashmir becomes the permanent boundary between India and Pakistan.
The other is the so-called Chenab formula.
Indian officials have often indicated that the first option would be acceptable to them.
And perhaps the division of the Himalayan state along religious lines would be a compromise the establishment in Islamabad would be prepared to consider - at least at this stage.
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Fabricius' travels took him throughout Europe where he collected insects and studied collections of others.
In 1769 he returned to Copenhagen where he became a professor extraordinarius at the University. He spent his winters of the next few years in Copenhagen and the summers in London where he worked on the collections of Banks, Hunter, and Drury.
It is perhaps while studying the collection of Drury that he named and described (1775) a species, Catocala epione previously named and described by Drury in 1773. Fabricius assigned the species name of marginata, but Drury's name takes precedence.
Genera Insectorum was published in 1776; Species Insectorum in 1781; Mantissa Insectorum in 1787; and his main work, Entomologicae Systematica I-IV, was published in 1792-1794 followed by Supplementum Entomologiae Systematicae in 1798. From 1801 until his death he continued to publish his monographs on the larger insect orders.
In the Autumn of 1806 Fabricius returned for the last time from Paris to Kiel where he died on 3 March 1808.
Return to Classification and Common Names
Return to Main Catocala Index
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I often recommend the book Accelerated C++, by Andrew Koenig and Barbara E. Moo, to people who are just beginning to learn the C++ language. While it is an excellent tutorial and a novel approach to learning C++, one complaint I often hear is that there are no solutions provided for the exercises. This page exists to provide those solutions.
About the Solutions
For each exercise there is a hint and at least one solution given. These are hidden by default and may be shown by clicking on the appropriate link. The solutions are intended to be the simplest and most straightforward for the problem at hand. Each applies material that the reader has covered. There is almost certainly more than one way to solve each problem so the solutions you find here aren’t the only correct answers, just the most appropriate in the opinion of the author. The reader is encouraged to try alternative solutions. When I have time, or where appropriate, I may provide more than one solution to an exercise.
The issue of code formatting is an ongoing “religious” debate among C++ developers, and will never be resolved. The code provided in the solutions follows the same general formatting style used in the original book. Some of the exercises alter this formatting somewhat as part of the problem; the solutions to these exercises will use the same altered formatting when providing modifications or corrections to the exercise source.
The first exercise in each chapter instructs the reader to compile and execute the programs presented in the chapter. Except for chapter 0, no solutions are provided for these exercises. The source code for the programs in the book may be downloaded from the book’s web site, http://www.acceleratedcpp.com/.
I am currently working from the fourth printing of the book. When I get a newer revision I’ll go back and update the exercises with any changes.
Getting a Compiler
In order to complete the exercises in the book the reader will need a standards-conforming C++ compiler. A list of compilers, both free and commercial, may be found at http://www.research.att.com/~bs/compilers.html.
A note for those of you using Windows: Visual Studio 6 is not a standards-conforming C++ compiler. Instead, try Visual C++ 2010 Express.Share
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"Treatment needed for bipolar disorder," Letter to the Editor, Chicago Tribune, December 5, 2007 by Susan Resko, MM, Executive Director
Comprehensive brochure covering bipolar disorder--what it is, signs, and how it can effect a child's learning capabilities.
The The Balanced Mind Parent Network (The Balanced Mind Parent Network) calls for further research on pediatric bipolar disorder following the release of a study that reveals a 40-fold increase in the diagnosis of this devastating illness in the past ten years. The study, published in the Archives of General Psychiatry [Sept 2007], is a national wake-up call: “Children have been suffering from bipolar disorder all along, just like adults, but science has recognized this only for the past decade or so. In the 21st century, children are being diagnosed and treated when they were previously dismissed as 'bad seeds' or the product of poor parenting,” states Susan Resko, M.M., Executive Director of The Balanced Mind Parent Network.
The Balanced Mind Parent Network's 2007 Audited Financial Statements
The Balanced Mind Parent Network 2007 Audited Financials
The Balanced Mind Parent Network Offers Web Site and Award-Winning Video Reach Out to Teens, Encourage Treatment
WILMETTE, IL -- The The Balanced Mind Parent Network, an advocacy organization providing education and support for families, has acquired depressedteens.com, an educational site for teens, their parents, and teachers. The site appeals directly to teen audiences, to help them recognize signs of depressive disorders, communicate openly, and seek treatment. It presents information about teen depression and bipolar disorder, and encourages reflection and discussion among young people watching the award-winning film Day for Night: Recognizing Teenage Depression. The Balanced Mind Parent Network will also distribute a DVD of the 30-minute film.
Many patients with adolescent-onset bipolar disorder have comorbid ADHD. The presence of both disorders challenges clinicians attempting to discern whether neuropsychological impairments are related to ADHD or to bipolar disorder.
This is an article by Sheila McDonald, which appeared in The Balanced Mind Parent Network's eNews. Bipolar disorder, also known as manic depressive disorder, is marked by cycles of mania and depression. Many of our children present signs with symptoms of mania and are misdiagnosed with ADHD. On the other hand, many of our children evidence their first signs of the disorder through extreme depression.
This document offers a timeline of our understanding of bipolar disorder.
by M. Katherine Shear, M.D., Associate Professor of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Director, Anxiety Disorders Clinic.
Anxiety is a normal part of everyday life. Anxiety acts as a signal which motivates us to improve performance and alerts us to impending dangers. Yet anxiety can get out of hand. When this happens, the normal warning signal mechanism of anxiety becomes a psychiatric symptom.
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Often briefly called heart failure, congestive heart failure is a chronic condition that affects the capacity of your heart’s muscles to pump blood efficiently. Congestive heart failure is the particular stage of heart failure when fluid builds up in the heart and prevents it from pumping well. The condition is progressive.
The two lower chambers (ventricles) in your heart are responsible for pumping blood to your organs and tissues. When the muscles of your ventricles fail to efficiently pump blood, the kidney may respond by causing the body to retain fluid. The fluids can build up and affect various body organs, such as your lungs, liver, abdomen, and even your whole body. The body becomes congested.
The severity depends on how far the condition has progressed. Fatigue, frequent urination, and edema are among the early signs of this condition. As it progresses, you may develop an irregular heartbeat, persistent cough, or shortness of breath due to pulmonary edema. Chest pain, rapid breathing, fainting are signs of severe congestive heart failure. If left untreated, it can result in death.
There are many reasons people develop this life-threatening condition. Sometimes it follows conditions that have damaged or weakened the heart. Other times, it happens even when your heart is not weakened. Conditions that stiffen the ventricles can cause them to fail to fill heart with sufficient blood between each beat. This article discusses some common causes of congestive heart failure.
Coronary Artery Disease
Coronary artery disease (or coronary heart disease) is the most common type of heart disease. It is the leading cause of death for men and women in the United States. It is also the most common cause of heart failure. This disease impairs blood flow in the coronary arteries that supply blood to the heart.
The impairment happens due to the buildup of plaque (cholesterol or fat deposits) on the walls of the arteries. This plaque buildup is called atherosclerosis. Plaque buildup in the arteries causes the arteries to become clogged and narrow. This can damage them and reduce or stop blood flow to the heart muscles, eventually resulting in heart failure.
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b. about 1710, d. 1775; master 1749
Antoine Foullet specialized in the production of elaborate clock cases. He worked as an independent ébéniste until he was almost forty years old, when he finally registered with his guild as a master ébéniste. The inventory taken in 1775 after his death shows that his workshop was still in full production at the end of his life: there were six work benches equipped with tools, as well as a large stock of clock cases. The inventory also notes several cases made entirely of bronze. As strict guild regulations forbade ébénistes from working in bronze, it seems that Foullet was selling merchandise outside his trade. Foullet produced works almost exclusively in the Rococo style, although his inventory mentions works "à la Grec" (in Greek taste), a term that would apply to the design of the Getty Museum's clock, a fine example of this early Neoclassical style.
French, about 1764
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COVID-19 Vaccinations Begin In The U.K.
This story is part of Science Friday’s coverage on the novel coronavirus, the agent of the disease COVID-19. Listen to experts discuss the spread, outbreak response, and treatment.
This week, the U.K. began its vaccination effort against COVID-19 with Margaret Keenan, a 90-year-old woman from Coventry, becoming the first U.K. resident to receive the shot. She received a first dose of the vaccine made by Pfizer and BioNTech, and will require a second dose in several weeks to achieve the full effect.
Nations around the world are racing to implement vaccination programs. The clinical use of the vaccine in the U.K. came just six days after the vaccine obtained emergency approval. This week, Canada also gave emergency approval to the Pfizer approach, and could start vaccinations next week. And the FDA is meeting this week to examine trial data and could soon approve treatments here.
Sophie Bushwick of Scientific American joins guest host John Dankosky to talk about the vaccination effort and other stories from the week in science, including the return to Earth of asteroid material sampled by the Hayabusa2 mission, the finding that human-made stuff now outweighs all living things on Earth, and an advance in bionic eye development.
Invest in quality science journalism by making a donation to Science Friday.
Sophie Bushwick is technology editor at Scientific American in New York, New York. Previously, she was a senior editor at Popular Science.
JOHN DANKOSKY: This is Science Friday. I’m John Dankosky. Ira Flatow is away. Later this hour, it’s the one-year anniversary of Europe’s historic climate proposal. We’ll take stock of where things stand and what the US can learn.
But first, this week, the UK began its vaccination effort against COVID-19. And eyes in the US were on the FDA, which is weighing emergency approval for several vaccines. Yesterday, an outside advisory panel recommended that the Pfizer vaccine receive that emergency authorization.
In a statement today, the FDA said it would rapidly work toward finalization and issuance of an emergency use authorization. Here to talk about that and other stories from the week in science is Sophie Bushwick, technology editor at Scientific American. Welcome back, Sophie.
SOPHIE BUSHWICK: Thank you.
JOHN DANKOSKY: So the first regular people– and not part of an experimental trial– got COVID vaccines in the UK this week. How’s that going so far?
SOPHIE BUSHWICK: So far, it does seem to be going well. Although, there was a slight hiccup with people who have allergies. So there has been a couple allergic reactions to the vaccine in people who already have severe allergies.
And so there’s now a recommendation that people with severe allergies should maybe avoid the vaccine and rely on herd immunity. But so far, the people who have had reactions have recovered. So it’s unclear. I think we’ll learn more as more people get vaccinated.
JOHN DANKOSKY: That’s to be expected, that there will be some side effects as we start to see more people vaccinated.
SOPHIE BUSHWICK: Absolutely.
JOHN DANKOSKY: So Canada also approved that same vaccine from Pfizer. And yesterday, an FDA advisory committee voted to recommend its approval. So it seems, Sophie, like things are looking good here.
SOPHIE BUSHWICK: Yes. I’m cautiously optimistic. It does seem that this particular vaccine is going to be approved in the United States, as well. And hopefully, other vaccines will follow. Because we’re just going to need a really high volume of vaccine doses and of people getting vaccinated in order to achieve herd immunity.
JOHN DANKOSKY: With so much attention being paid to this Pfizer vaccine and the Moderna vaccine, I think people might forget that there are others out there, as well, getting developed. And we got some not-so-good vaccine news today from pharmaceutical companies Sanofi and GlaxoSmithKline. They announced a delay to their project after their vaccine did not appear to work well in older adults. That’s probably some other news that we will be seeing over time. Some of these drugs maybe not working as well as other, Sophie.
SOPHIE BUSHWICK: Right. That’s one of the reasons it’s so important that we have as many options as we do– that there are a lot of different companies trying to develop these vaccines. Because some of them are not going to work. And it’s best that we don’t try to push a vaccine that’s ineffective or that has really bad side effects. So the fact that there is such a race in this field to achieve a working vaccine is good, because it gives us a wider range of options.
JOHN DANKOSKY: And we’ll be talking more about vaccine distribution in the US and some of the challenges that we’ll be facing coming up later this hour. Now, one of the big things right now before everyone’s been vaccinated is following some of the restrictions. And you’ve got a story this week about who is and who isn’t likely to comply and why. Maybe you can tell us about that.
SOPHIE BUSHWICK: So researchers surveyed about 60,000 people living in 30 countries to try to figure out, what is underlying this refusal to follow public health guidelines such as wearing a mask and keeping your distance from people? And they made a few interesting conclusions. One was that as much as we’ve been tsk-tsking this idea that young people are disregarding coronavirus rules, the fact is that this is not related to age.
One big indicator is, all of these countries, the majority of people thought that economic damage from lockdowns was something to worry about more than the risk of actually getting COVID. So that shows that one of the motivations for maybe going out and continuing life is that you have to work. And so if you want to be able to combat that, you need to make sure that people are provided for economically.
Another issue is something that we’ve seen throughout, which is that political polarization absolutely plays a role. In the United States, people who identify as conservative are more likely to flout the rules and consider that they’re not necessary. And part of that is due to political messaging from people on the conservative side of the spectrum.
JOHN DANKOSKY: So political messaging is going to be really important. And just more informational messaging– that’s one of the ways to improve compliance.
SOPHIE BUSHWICK: Yes. Transparency is important, because trust in the source of the information is going to play a big role in whether people are willing to go along with it. So for people who have had a higher trust in government, they were more likely to follow the government’s rules about this.
JOHN DANKOSKY: All right, let’s turn away from Earth for a second. This week, there was a homecoming for a space capsule that was returning from an asteroid. So tell us about this.
SOPHIE BUSHWICK: This is very exciting. The Hayabusa2 mission returned a capsule this past weekend that contained samples of the asteroid Ryugu. And this is only the second time that we’ve had samples from an asteroid return.
The first time was the first Hayabusa mission. And one of the cool things that researchers are hoping to figure out from these samples has to do with the origin of a type of tiny rock called a chondrule, which these chondrules are found in meteorites and asteroids. And the question is, how did they form? And the answer could tell us how the planets in our solar system formed, as well.
JOHN DANKOSKY: And this is something that people have been studying for quite some time. One of the interesting things in the story that you brought us is almost everybody who studies these things has a different idea about where they come from, what they mean.
SOPHIE BUSHWICK: Yes. And some of the ideas for how they might have formed are very cool. Like, one idea is that there may have been lightning that struck dust and fused it into these chondrules. Another idea is that there were pressure waves in this cloud of cosmic dust that kind of pushed them together.
And these are pretty small objects we’re talking about. They range from maybe a couple millimeters wide to so small that you need a microscope to see them. But they are so common in asteroids and meteorites but not in planets. So by studying them, researchers can learn more about what was going on in the early solar system. Because these objects date back about 4.5 billion years.
JOHN DANKOSKY: I want to talk about your next story, which is really cool. It’s about an improved bionic eye. I didn’t know that bionic eyes were so well developed.
SOPHIE BUSHWICK: Bionic eyes are still in their early stages. But this project is definitely a step forward, I would say. It was tested in two monkeys.
And the concept behind a bionic eye is that you can put electrodes either on the surface of or slightly in the visual cortex of the brain and use them to stimulate the brain and to make the person to whom that brain belongs “see” something. I say see in quote marks, because you don’t necessarily even actually have to have a camera to do this. You could be stimulating the electrode artificially.
JOHN DANKOSKY: So do we know what sort of shapes people would actually be able to see? Again, these are monkeys where these tests are being done. But what exactly would this vision look like?
SOPHIE BUSHWICK: So this particular study is a new one from researchers in the Netherlands. And it involved stimulating monkeys’ brains. And actually, they could see letters.
So the monkeys were trained to recognize letters. And then the electrodes in their brains were stimulated to create the shape of those letters. And they were able to recognize it, which is very cool.
JOHN DANKOSKY: I’m showing my age here. But I think about the Six Million Dollar Man and his bionic eye. So maybe we’ll get there someday.
SOPHIE BUSHWICK: There’s bionic eye projects out there– so maybe someday in the distant future.
JOHN DANKOSKY: In the distant future. Now, we know that rest is important. But you’ve got a story about how rest might be important even if you’re artificial intelligence.
SOPHIE BUSHWICK: This is very interesting. Researchers are trying to develop artificial intelligences, these neural networks, that actually mimic– they work similarly to the way that human brains work. So we’re not talking about all AIs here. We’re talking about a specific type of AI.
And researchers were studying it. And they found that it started hallucinating almost. It started creating these random images sort of like the way that a human being who is extremely sleep deprived might hallucinate and have an issue like this. But they could sort of reset the AI by playing a static noise through it sort of the way that deep sleep moves through the human brain. And when they did this, the AI recovered, so to speak, and functioned better again.
JOHN DANKOSKY: So that makes so much sense from a human standpoint. Of course, we need a rest if we want to function well. What do we know about why this would help AI?
SOPHIE BUSHWICK: When they talk about making the AI sleep, it’s not like putting a computer to sleep. When you put your computer to sleep, it’s just turned off or paused. When they make this AI undergo a sort of artificial sleep, they’re really stimulating it but with random noise in a certain way. And so that actually tells us a little bit of something about AI that works like brains. But it also tells us about human brains, about some of the reasons that it’s important to get a good night’s sleep and to achieve this deep sleep where the brain is allowed to almost reset itself.
JOHN DANKOSKY: Always a good tip, especially around the holidays. And speaking of the holidays, one last story here. It’s always a time at which we collect a lot of stuff, stuff that comes under the Christmas tree or whatever. There’s news this week about just how much stuff we as a species have actually created. And it’s a lot, Sophie.
SOPHIE BUSHWICK: We have created so much stuff that it now outweighs all life on Earth.
JOHN DANKOSKY: What!
SOPHIE BUSHWICK: So if you take all the living biomass, all the plants, all the insects, all the humans, all the other animals and compare that– if you weigh that against all the stuff that people have made, your smartphones, your houses, your coffee mug, human stuff weighs in at about 1.1 trillion metric tons. And it’s now surpassed the weight of life.
JOHN DANKOSKY: So, how did we measure this?
SOPHIE BUSHWICK: So part of this is an approximation, researchers estimating how many artificial objects are on Earth and then how much they would weigh. And they compare it to how many living creatures are on Earth. And how much did they weigh?
And one of the really interesting things is just the short time period in which this has changed. So they estimate that, in about 1900, the amount of artificial stuff was equivalent to about 3% of the world’s biomass. And now, today, it’s surpassed 100%.
JOHN DANKOSKY: Wow.
SOPHIE BUSHWICK: Because we just keep making stuff. They think that, about every week, we create stuff that weighs as much as every human on Earth.
JOHN DANKOSKY: I have to admit, whenever I saw this story, the first thing I thought of was the beginning of the animated film, WALL-E, where he’s picking up all those little blocks of garbage and just stacking them higher and higher and higher. It feels like we’re getting to that point.
SOPHIE BUSHWICK: We are creating a lot of trash in this way, right? Because everything that is created that comes to the end of its useful life then gets discarded. So yes, I think that picturing this sort of like the opening to WALL-E is not inaccurate. It also gives us a sense of just how much humans are changing the planet, are affecting the planet. Because we now are able to create enough stuff to outweigh life.
JOHN DANKOSKY: Wow. Well, we have run out of time. Thanks so much for chatting with me, Sophie. I really appreciate it.
SOPHIE BUSHWICK: My pleasure.
JOHN DANKOSKY: Sophie Bushwick is technology editor at Scientific American in New York.
John Dankosky works with the radio team to create our weekly show, and is helping to build our State of Science Reporting Network. He’s also been a long-time guest host on Science Friday. He and his wife have four cats, thousands of bees, and a yoga studio in the sleepy Northwest hills of Connecticut.
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Professor Pedro J.J. Alvarez from Rice University, gave a lecture on May 27, 2019 titled “Nanotechnology-Enabled Water Treatment: A Vision to Enable Decentralized Water Treatment and Address Growing Challenges of the Water Energy Nexus”.
Through control over material size, morphology and chemical structure, nanotechnology offers novel materials that are nearly “all surface” and that can be more reactive per atom than bulk materials. Such engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) can offer superior catalytic, adsorptive, optical, quantum, electrical and/or antimicrobial properties that enable multi-functional technology platforms for next-generation water treatment. This presentation addressed emerging opportunities for nanotechnology to improve the selectivity and efficiency to remove priority pollutants, decrease electrical energy requirements, and meet a growing need for safer and more affordable decentralized water treatment and reuse. Because water is by far the largest waste stream of the energy industry, Professor Alvarez also discussed technological innovation to enable produced water reuse in remote (off-grid) oil and gas fields, to minimize freshwater withdrawal and disposal challenges. Examples of applicable nano-enabled technologies include fouling-resistant membranes with embedded ENMs that allow for self-cleaning and repair; capacitive deionization with highly conductive and selective electrodes to remove multivalent ions that precipitate or cause scaling; rapid magnetic separation using superparamagnetic nanoparticles; solar-thermal processes enabled by nanophotonics to desalinate with membrane distillation; disinfection and advanced oxidation using nanocatalysts; and nanostructured surfaces that discourage microbial adhesion and protect infrastructure against biofouling and corrosion. Professor Alvarez envisions using these enabling technologies to develop compact modular water treatment systems that are easy to deploy and can treat challenging waters to protect human lives and support sustainable economic development.
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Introducing the Nickel Downloads 1,335 2
The students will be introduced to the nickel, the value of a nickel, and count nickels.
File Type: SMART Notebook lesson
Date submitted: September 17, 2012
Submitted by: kwillsonyshs
Note: By using any resource from this site, you are agreeing to these Terms.
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HACCP & HARPC
The role & application of HACCP & HARPC
How Rentokil supports food businesses
For over 90 years we have protected properties across the UK from pests
All our technicians are highly trained and certified pest controllers
Innovative and unique treatments that resolve pest problems effectively
The food trade has enormous impact on both the health of populations and the economies of nations.
Organisations from the UN to world trade bodies, national governments and processors accept that people have the right to expect a high standard from food. At the same time they need to ensure trade does not have so many restrictions that it becomes too burdensome.
The volume of world food trade is valued between £300–400 billion, according to FAO.
With the increasing urbanisation of populations, even developing countries are becoming more reliant on global trade and food processing for their supply of food.
It is important that in the long supply chains from farm to consumer food is kept safe, of good quality and suitable for consumption.
These requirements impact business sectors like food processors and producers in every country as consumers are demanding better safety and quality. Producers and processors exporting food to other countries are subject to their own national regulations and also the strict enforcements of standards and regulations of the major importing countries.
The implementation of food safety involves a complex mix of laws, standards and accepted good practices, involving governments, international organisations (e.g. WTO), industry organisations (e.g. GFSI, BRC), research agencies, independent standards bodies (e.g. BRC, IFS) and independent certification bodies.
The global reference point for food producers, processors, consumers, national food safety agencies and the international food trade is the Codex Alimentarius, first drawn up by the FAO and WHO in 1961 and managed by the Codex Alimentarius Commission.
The importance of Codex Alimentarius was recognised in the 1985 United Nations Resolution 39/248:
"Governments should take into account the need of all consumers for food security and should support and, as far as possible, adopt standards from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the World Health Organization Codex Alimentarius..."
It has become the global driver for harmonisation of practices and standards among national bodies, for food safety and quality and also international trade. Its standards are recognised by the World Trade Organisation (WTO) for the settlement of trade disputes.
The Codex has stimulated countries to introduce new food legislation and Codex-based standards, and to establish or strengthen agencies responsible for monitoring compliance with regulations.
The EU set up the European Food Safety Authority in 2002 as an independent source of scientific advice.
The UK government established the independent Food Standards Agency (FSA) in 2001, bringing together several existing agencies into one body, to promote standards through the food chain and advise the government.
In the European Union, the food and drink industry is the biggest manufacturing sector in terms of jobs and value added. It is also both one of the world’s largest importers of food products and the world’s largest exporter of processed food and drink products, with an export value of €43 billion in 2013, according to the European Commission.
The EU negotiates trade agreements for member countries and represents all member countries in the WTO for multilateral trade agreements. It has negotiated bilateral agreements with members of all the major trading blocks, such as OECD countries, Gulf Co-operation Council, Mercosur and Andean countries, etc.
All EU and individual national measures are guided by the general principles of food and feed law described in the The General Food Law Regulation (EC) 178/2002. These cover all stages of the production, processing and distribution of food and animal feed.
The general objectives of EU food law are:
Further regulations on food hygiene were introduced in 2004:
These gave the food business operator primary responsibility for food safety and specified that the general implementation of procedures must be based on HACCP (hazard analysis and critical control point) principles. The regulations also specified the development of guides to good hygiene practices for specific processes to help businesses comply with the rules.
Food safety standards help companies establish good manufacturing processes so they can produce safe products that comply with food safety legislation and meet quality levels expected by consumers.
They are generally formulated by independent bodies such as BRC and IFS, adopted by food processing businesses and checked by certified accreditation bodies.
The Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) is a body set up by the world’s leading retailers and manufacturers in 2000 to provide thought leadership and guidance on food safety management systems.
GFSI facilitates collaboration between the food safety experts from retail, manufacturing and food service companies, and also international organisations, governments, academia and service providers to the global food industry.
GFSI creates the benchmark for food safety standards and gives approval to those that reach its ‘standard for standards’.
The BRC Global Standard for Food Safety was the first to be approved by GFSI and is the most widely used worldwide. This sets out seven sections for an effective food safety system:
Learn more about the BRC Food Safety Standard.
HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point) is a systematic approach to food safety that focuses on preventing contamination from biological, chemical, physical and radiological hazards.
HARPC (Hazard Analysis and Risk-Based Preventive Controls) is a recent adaptation for certain businesses in the USA that come under the Food Safety and Modernization Act.
HACCP was first developed for the design and manufacture of food for the US space programme.
The hazards include bacteria, viruses, natural toxins, pesticides, drug residues, decomposition, parasites, allergens, unapproved food and colour additives, and radioactive compounds.
HACCP is used at all stages of food production, from raw material production, procurement and handling, to manufacturing, distribution and consumption of the finished product. Each food processing or handling business must develop an HACCP system and tailor it to its individual product, processing and distribution conditions.
The seven principles of HACCP are accepted by government agencies, trade associations and the food industry around the world. These principles are:
The US FSMA and standards used in Europe and the US, such as the BRC version 7 of its Global Standard for Food Safety and the British Standards Institute PAS96: 2014, now add the prevention of deliberate attack on a food or drink supply chain, including from terrorism, to the procedures.
PAS96: 2014 uses a risk management methodology called Threat Assessment Critical Control Points (TAACP) to assess the entire production process and food chain.
GMPs describe the methods, equipment, facilities, and controls for producing processed food to produce high quality and safe products and are generally specified in regulations.
GMPs, along with standard operating procedures (SOPs), form the basis for HACPP and the ISO9000 quality management standard. They are often visualised as a pyramid of dependencies.
Figure: The foundation of HACCP and ISO9000
Source: University of Nebraska (link)
Food Standards Agency. Food Hygiene. A Guide for Businesses. London, Food Standards Agency, 2013
European Commission. Food Hygiene Basic Legislation.
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We all know that sun exposure tans our skin, but we may not be aware of why this happens or how we sometimes even get dark spots or pigmentation.
It’s because some of our skin cells release a reddish-brown pigment called ‘melanin’, which protects our skin from the sun by absorbing its UV rays. These skin cells are very sensitive to light, which is why we tan when exposed to sunlight. Melanin is also what gives our skin and hair its colour .
Sometimes, in a condition known as ‘hyperpigmentation’ (or, simply, ‘pigmentation’), the production of melanin goes into overdrive, leaving spots of excess melanin in the skin. This makes certain patches of our skin turn to a darker shade (causing something we colloquially call ‘dark spots’) .
What causes this excess production of melanin?
For one, constant exposure to the sun’s UV rays. It creates free radical damage in the skin. Pigmentation can be one of the signs of damage, with the actual damage generally taking place far before any physical evidence of it becomes visible to the eye. Our genetic makeup and hormonal imbalances also affect the production of melanin in our skin [3, 4].
How to avoid and/or treat Pigmentation?
While there are several types of treatments currently being explored, not all of them are recommended as they may cause skin trauma and worsen the situation. Some of the safest and most common ways to protect our skin and treat pigmentation include:
First step – avoid anything that may exacerbate melanin deposition in the skin or keep hyperpigmentation from resolving on its own. Sunscreen, at least SPF 30, will help in this case by blocking UV radiation, which typically leads to excess production of pigment in skin .
Areas of healing, such as a scratched bug bite or a picked pimple, are prone to infection and inflammation – this makes hyperpigmentation of the skin more likely. Wound care includes cleaning the skin with a gentle cleanser, not picking at the scabs or old pimple scars [6, 7].
The uppermost layer of our skin renews itself every 30-45 days – and gentle chemical exfoliants can enhance and increase this rate of turnover, which helps hyperpigmented skin get replaced by new skin. Topical creams, mild face cleansers, and solutions that have ingredients like vitamin C or glycolic acid can also help with this [8, 9, 10].
This is a gentle physical form of exfoliation that also helps our skin turnover at a faster rate. It’s best to consult your dermatologist for this treatment .
While you’re at it, you can also ask your dermatologist/skincare specialist about other options like prescription lightening creams (including those with kojic acid and hydroquinone), deeper chemical peels, and, under certain circumstances, laser treatments .
One of the main reasons for pigmentation is skin damage. If we give our skin something that can protect it from damage before melanin comes into picture, that could help prevent the possible pigmentation. Well, our answer here is – antioxidants!
Antioxidants are molecules that stabilise free radicals, preventing them from causing damage to the skin that often lead to pigmentation. They even help reduce the existing damage caused by free radicals. While the body has its own natural antioxidants, a bad diet and environmental factors (like pollution) can create excess free radicals that they aren’t able to keep up with and neutralise .
Increasing our consumption of foods rich in antioxidants is always a great idea. Especially:
Colourful fruits and vegetables
These contain plant compounds such as carotenoids (found in yellow, red, and orange fruits/vegetables) that help protect our skin from sun damage. Red fruits/vegetables contain a potent antioxidant called lycopene, which is particularly good at neutralising the sun’s UV rays [13, 14].
This contains a powerful antioxidant called proanthocyanidin, which can also lead to an even skin tone when it’s consistently applied on the skin. Consuming grapeseed oil extract orally has also been shown to improve the symptoms of melasma, a kind of hyperpigmentation of the skin caused by sun exposure and hormonal changes .
Foods rich in vitamin C & E
Vitamin C, apart from protecting our skin from free radical damage, promotes collagen (skin’s main protein) production, which in turn promotes even skin tone . Vitamin E, on the other hand, is a potent antioxidant and its main function (under skincare) is to protect our skin from sun damage .
Interestingly, combining vitamin C and vitamin E makes them even more effective when it comes to protecting our skin from UV damage, leaving longer-lasting results. Foods rich in vitamin C include bell peppers, dark leafy vegetables, citrus fruits (like oranges), tomatoes, peas, and papayas. Foods rich in vitamin E include almonds, sunflower seeds, peanuts, pistachios, and wheat germ oil [18, 19]
Keeping a ‘reserve’ of these antioxidants in our body leaves our body’s natural antioxidants free to maintain the skin’s health in other ways.
For those of us who find it difficult to get enough of these nutrients in our everyday diet, it may be time to look at getting them through supplements. After all, their benefits don’t stop at addressing skin pigmentation but go on to play an extremely important role in maintaining (or improving, for that matter) our health in vast, profound ways.
How can remove my pigmentation? Please give some idea
Leave a comment
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WINDSHIELD FOLDS INSIDE UMBRELLA (May, 1936)
WINDSHIELD FOLDS INSIDE UMBRELLA
An umbrella with a built-in windshield, recently patented, protects the user from driving rain but allows him a clear view ahead. Made of sections of transparent celluloid, the windshield folds inside the umbrella when not in use and automatically drops down into place when it is opened. Metal rods hinged to the umbrella ribs hold the shield in a rigid position when in use. The device was invented by a Brooklyn, N. Y., woman who had been struck by an auto that she failed to see because an ordinary umbrella obscured her view during a rain storm.
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The 20-franc note
It is a traveller on an eternal journey. On this journey, it can get refracted and reflected. Yet, this does not interrupt its journey. On the contrary: Being refracted its journey becomes colourful. Being reflected, its journey becomes an interplay of surprising symmetries. If the journey is projected on a screen, the appearance of a second world is revealed where before there was only white empty space. The traveller’s name is “light”.
Light is something that when being emitted it goes on an eternal journey. Depending on the distance of a celestial body from our earth, the light emitted can travel thousands of lightyears until it shows as a star in our night sky.
Light is something that is mainly colourless but when refracted by a prism it becomes colourful.
Light is something that is reflected everywhere in the world and thus creates the most surprising symmetries. The fine line structures in the background of the front of the note simulate the view through a kaleidoscope creating a world of perfect geometry with multiple reflections.
Light is something that being reflected by the scales of a butterfly covers the butterfly in a sea of colours. Three illustrations of a butterfly show the three phases of a wing beat. Single wing images are put into sequence creating the illusion of motion in a film.
Light is something that we can produce also artificially und project it on to a screen. What is an empty white space at first suddenly becomes the illusion of a second world.
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I am afraid there is not a trick to learn all the OUGH sounds, so, all that is left then is to learn all these sounds one by one. This is because English is not a phonetic language. I mean, there is not a direct relationship between the spelling and the sound. So, we often do not say a word the same way it is spelled.
This sound, OUGH, is a quadgraph, in other words, it is a four-letter grapheme that represents one phoneme/sound. For example, AUGH which is used in daughter /ˈdɔːtər/, caught /ˈkɔːt/ or laugh /ˈlɑːf/. As you can see, the same four-letter grapheme has different sounds.
Here you have eight different ways to pronounce the OUGH sound, at least, these are the ones that I have found.
Let’s see some of these sounds in a more didactic way with this fun video. Enjoy it!
So, don’t waste your time looking for a phonetic reason and apply that time in something more interesting such as reading a book, going for a walk in the park, watching a series in English to improve your listening. Whatever floats your boats! and learn them by heart, maybe making sentences or reading poems.
It’s all made up!!
Now, try to read this out loud. Below, I show you in a video.
I take it you already know
Of tough and bough and cough and dough
Others may stumble, but not you
On hiccough, thorough, laugh, and through.
And cork and work and card and ward
And font and front and word and sword
Well done! And now if you wish, perhaps
To learn of less familiar traps,
Beware of heard, a dreadful word
That looks like beard and sounds like bird.
And dead: it’s said like bed, not bead–
For goodness sakes don’t call it deed.
Watch out for meat and great and threat,
They rhyme with suite and straight and debt.
A moth is not a moth in mother,
Nor both in bother, broth in brother.
And here is not a match for there,
And dear and fear for bear and pear.
And then there’s dose and rose and lose–
Just look them up–and goose and choose,
And do and go, then thwart and cart.
Come, come, I’ve hardly made a start!
A dreadful language? Man alive!
I’d mastered it when I was five
Don’t forget to subscribe to my newsletter. You will be up to date with new publications.
See ya there!!
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Making Literacy Real : Theories and Practices for Learning and Teaching Paperback
Offering an overview of the major fields in literacy studies, this book presents a detailed and accessible discussion of key theories and their relevance in the primary classroom. Each chapter uses a real life case study to explore the application of theory in practice, followed by a detailed discussion of the case study material by a leading name in the field, including contributions from Barbara Comber, Michele Knobel, Colin Lankshear, Gunther Kress, Brian Street, Kevin Leander and Patricia Enciso. The text also offers reflections on theoretical foundations for research, exploring literacy as a practice grounded in social, cultural, historical and political contexts and in relationships of power.
This second edition includes:New chapters covering digital literacy, space and play, and multimodalityExamples and contributions from a range of international contexts, including US, UK, Canada, Australia and South AfricaFurther reading links. Essential reading for students at undergraduate and post-graduate level on primary education courses and an invaluable guide for anyone wanting to understand literacy theory and successfully apply this to the classroom.
- Format: Paperback
- Pages: 216 pages
- Publisher: SAGE Publications Ltd
- Publication Date: 22/12/2014
- Category: Pre-school & kindergarten
- ISBN: 9781446295397
- EPUB from £21.41
- PDF from £21.41
- Hardback from £71.85
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Introduction to the SLICES Framework
The Slices Framework is intended for use in making decisions about conservation and restoration in the Willamette River floodplain. It makes use of distinct spatial units for tracking change in the floodplain. The first of these units are 1 kilometer long slices drawn at right angles to the floodplain, first put forward in the Willamette River Basin Planning Atlas (Ch. 8 pp. 131-147 in Hulse, Gregory and Baker 2002). The second of these units are 100m subdivisions of the original 1 km slices, with ten 100m slices in each 1 km slice.We provide access to three types of information, each of which uses the slices as a reporting unit for processes and patterns that are critical to native ecosystem function. These three types of information are:
A set of 20 PDF documents showing slice boundaries and slice numbers superimposed on contemporary air photographs;
Tabular Attribute Data
A spreadsheet that reports amounts of key processes and patterns by slice and how they vary over time;
ArcGIS data (provided as a shapefile and as a geodatabase) that contains similar information as the PDFs and spreadsheet, but in one place and with greater analytic capabilities.
Using the Slices Framework consists of finding the portion of the floodplain you’re interested in and opening the relevant PDFs, spreadsheet, or ArcGIS file that best suits your purposes.
The PDFs are a series of 20 single images, each combining an air photo with taxlot boundaries, major road names and 1 km and 100m slice boundaries and numbers. Together, they cover the entire pragmatic floodplain of the Willamette River. We define the pragmatic floodplain as the zone subject to periodic flooding that is bounded by significant infrastructure (e.g. highways, residential areas, etc.).
The spreadsheet quantifies, for each 100m slice, the amounts of key patterns and processes circa 2000 and projected for circa 2050 by the Pacific Northwest Ecosystem Research Consortium’s Conservation 2050 scenario – used here as a guiding vision for a restored Willamette River floodplain.
The ArcGIS shapefile requires specialized hardware and software to use, but for those with access to those tools, it offers more ways to query and make use of the slices information than the PDFs or spreadsheet.
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Kimberley (kĭmˈbərlē) [key], city, now part and seat of Sol Plaatje local municipality, Northern Cape prov., South Africa. Since the 19th cent. the city has been primarily a diamond-mining center, but underground mining, which had not been profitable for some time, was halted in mid-2005. The mine's tailings dumps continue to be processed, and textiles, construction materials, and machinery are manufactured. Kimberley is also an important railroad junction.
The city was founded in 1871 when diamonds were discovered on a nearby farm. The De Beers Consolidated Mines, organized by Cecil Rhodes, assumed control of the diamond fields in 1888, and its headquarters are still in Kimberley. In 1899–1900, during the South African War, the city was besieged for 124 days by Boer (Afrikaner) forces. Northern Cape Urban FET College and the McGregor Museum are in Kimberley.
The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2012, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.
See more Encyclopedia articles on: South African Political Geography
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RICHMOND, Va. --In April 1948, Earl Shaffer stood at the base of Mount Oglethorpe in Georgia, weary in spirit and body. A forward-area radioman in the South Pacific, Shaffer saw much suffering and death during World War II, and thought maybe a very long hike would help assuage his personal anguish.
Shaffer wanted, he later wrote, "to hike the Army out of my system, both mentally and physically." One hundred twenty-four days later — carrying his Army rucksack but no tent or stove — Shaffer reached Mount Katahdin in Maine, becoming the first through-hiker of the Appalachian Trail.
The AT was completed on August 14, 1937 — 75 years ago this week — but by the time Shaffer finished his now-legendary, 2,050-mile hike nine years later, it was a very different place. A hurricane in 1938 damaged huge swaths of the path in the Northeast; maintenance came to a virtual halt during WWII, causing much of the trail to fall into disrepair; and the decision to connect Skyline Drive with the Blue Ridge Parkway displaced about 120 miles of the trail.
So-called experts at the time considered a through-hike physically impossible, and Shaffer had to convince people he had actually done what he said. But once he did, his hike, and the others that immediately followed, helped raise public awareness of the trail.
Hardcore hikers and AT enthusiasts know the story of Earl Shaffer, but many more associate the name Benton MacKaye with America's most famous footpath.
Writing in the October 1921 issue of the Journal of the American Institute of Architects, MacKaye proposed a pathway along the crest of the Appalachians, "from the highest peak in the North to the highest peak in the South. From Mount Washington to Mount Mitchell."
Two years later, the first miles of trail built specifically for the AT were hacked out of the New York woods by volunteers. In 1925, MacKaye and others formed the Appalachian Trail Conference to help organize volunteers working on the trail.
It's amazing, in retrospect, to imagine the effort required at the time — across 14 states and, at first, 2,025 miles — to make MacKaye's dream a reality. But his dream wasn't to create what we know today as the AT: a recreational footpath that offers opportunities for exercise and communion with the natural world.
MacKaye saw the AT as a way to establish communities of workers along its route that would include food and farm camps. The title of his journal piece proposing the trail was, "An Appalachian Trail: A Project in Regional Planning." He saw the idea as offering more than recreation in a natural setting. He wanted those communities to serve as examples for all Americans of the alternatives to the increasing mechanization of modern labor and the commercialization of human endeavors, generally.
In that regard, MacKaye differed from the other man most associated with the creation of the Appalachian Trail. Myron Avery served as Potomac Appalachian Trail Club president from 1927 to 1940 and Appalachian Trail Conference chairman from 1931 to 1952, both volunteer positions, both crucial, especially in the early years, in coordinating and aiding volunteer efforts to complete the trail.
Avery spent so much time in the field flagging routes that, while he didn't through-hike it like Shaffer, he's considered the first person to walk every AT mile, a year before it was completed.
MacKaye and Avery eventually split over their difference in vision for the trail.
In 1935, MacKaye and others formed The Wilderness Society. His association with the trail was essentially over.
Two years later, a Civilian Conservation Corps crew finished the final two miles on Maine's Sugarloaf Mountain.
Every time I hike a section of the AT, three things strike me: 1. the idea that, figuratively, I could look one way toward Georgia and the other toward Maine; 2. the sheer scope and magnitude of the effort it was to create it; 3. that people actually hike the whole thing.
Those three ideas are embodied in the men most associated with the trail's creation and perpetuation. And it bears remembering, 75 years after the trail was first completed, that this simple path, whose existence we take for granted today, was once seen as a wild notion unlikely to be completed and never to be hiked.
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HSAR 252: Roman Architecture
|Transcript||Audio||Low Bandwidth Video||High Bandwidth Video|
HSAR 252 - Lecture 18 - Hometown Boy: Honoring an Emperor's Roots in Roman North Africa
Chapter 1. Timgad: The Ideal Second-Century Colony in Roman North Africa [00:00:00]
Professor Diana E.E. Kleiner: Good morning. The title of today’s lecture is “Hometown Boy, Honoring an Emperor’s Roots in Roman North Africa.” And who was that hometown boy? We met him before; we met him in the last lecture. His name was Lucius Septimius Severus, and he was emperor of Rome between 193 and 211 A.D. And we saw him in this extraordinary round painting, on wood, that comes from Egypt and is now in the museum in Berlin, that depicts Lucius Septimius Severus with his family. You see Septimius Severus on the right-hand side of the screen. You see his wife, Julia Domna, on the left, with her famous wig and pearls, and then, down below, their two sons, Caracalla, over here on the right, and Geta, whose face has been erased because of the damnatio memoriae that was voted him by the Senate at his death.
We learned that Julia Domna came from Syria. She was the daughter of a priest by the name of Bassianus, and Septimius Severus came from North Africa. He was the third Roman emperor to be from somewhere other than Italy. You’ll recall that Trajan and Hadrian came from Spain, Septimius Severus from North Africa. And after he ascended to the throne, and after he began his reign, and with all the interesting things that he initiated as emperor, he was honored by his hometown, as hometown boys often are, and the city of Leptis Magna was renovated quite significantly during his reign. And it’s to that renovation, and to the history of Leptis Magna in general, and its architecture, that I want to turn today.
Before I do that, however, it’s important for us to get a sense of this part of the world; this part of the world before the Romans took over. And any of you who are working on term papers that are on works of architecture in the provinces, or are designing a Roman city in anywhere other than Italy, have definitely found out that in order to analyze those, in order to think about them and figure out what’s happening, you have to not only look at what’s going on in the center of the Empire–that is, in Rome–and what may have been sent from the center out to the periphery, but you also have to understand what was going on in the local area in which that building was built; the local culture, the civilizations that preceded the Roman civilization. And what’s fascinating about provincial Roman architecture is the way in which those two things come together, that is, what comes from Rome to the frontiers, but also the indigenous culture that mixes with what comes from Rome, to make something unique, in the case of each of these provinces.
So it’s absolutely critical for us to understand the area that we’re looking at, and in this case Roman North Africa. Before the Romans got to the northern part of Africa, it was an area that was overseen primarily by Carthage; there was a very significant Carthaginian period in this part of the world. The language was neo-Punic and Berber, before it was Latin, and neo-Punic stays on, even when Latin becomes important here. The Greeks did have some impact, but they didn’t have as strong a foothold in this particular part of the world as they did elsewhere. And then eventually the area is colonized by Rome and begins to be–and Roman colonies begin to be built here, all over the northern part of Africa.
I show you here a map of the Western Empire, where we see not only places that we’ve already studied–Rome and Ostia and Pompeii–but also down here the continent of Africa; you see it here. And the cities that we’re going to be talking about–there were lots of Roman cities in this part of the world, but the two that we’re going to be focusing on today are the city of Timgad, which you see over here, and then the city of Leptis Magna. And please note while the map is on the screen that Leptis Magna is right on the coast; in fact it was an extremely important sea port, which is one of the reasons that it grew to the size and significance that it did have in ancient times. Timgad, a little bit further into the mainland of North Africa. And you can also see, of course, the relationship–when you think of Leptis Magna as a port, you can see the relationship, the easy relationship in a sense, that it had to other major ports in Roman times, specifically Ostia, and how easy it clearly was to send things from one place to another; which again led to the efflorescence of Leptis Magna.
Now the reason I’ve chosen these particular cities–we’re going to be talking primarily about Leptis today–but the reason that I’ve also chosen to look at Timgad is because they make a very interesting contrast to one another. Both of them have extraordinarily well-preserved Roman remains. But they’re interesting to play off against one another because the city of Leptis Magna–and this is extremely important in analyzing it–the city of Leptis Magna had a longer Roman history. It was already–it too had a Carthaginian period, but most important, in this regard, was the fact that the Romans began to build there already in the first century B.C., as we shall see. It was built up under Augustus, then under Hadrian; renovated under Septimius Severus. So there’re not only the local structures and buildings and customs and so on to contend with, but also earlier Roman architecture, by the time we get to the time of Septimius Severus.
In the case of Timgad, the city was built entirely from scratch. There was nothing on the site when Trajan founded the city as a Roman colony in 100 A.D., and it was at that time that the Romans laid out their ideal plan. And what we’re looking at here is a view from the air of Timgad, as it would have looked after it was laid out by Trajan in 100, as it continues to look today. We are looking down from the air, and we see here one of the best examples that I have been able to show you this semester of the way in which the Romans, when they are left to their own devices, when there are no earlier structures that they need to contend with, no earlier customs on the site, no earlier temples and the like that they need to contend with, this is what they do when they build their ideal Roman city.
And you can see it is exactly as we described it in the mid-fourth century B.C. at Ostia; that is, a castrum plan. It’s laid out like a military camp – very regular, either rectangular or square, as you see it here. It is surrounded by city walls. It has the two main streets, the cardo and the decumanus, exactly in the center of the city, intersecting with one another at the center of the city, and then right at that intersection, as was customary for Roman town planning of this castrum type, they have placed the forum right at the intersection of those two, and you can see it here also from the air. The forum has a great open rectangular space. It has a basilica. It has a temple on one short end. I’m not going to show you that forum in any–I’m not going to show it to you at all, except for what you see here, but it is similar to others that we’ve seen. We can also see from the air the theater of the city of Timgad, also taking its customary shape, and in this case again very close to the forum.
But as you look at the rest of this from the air, you can see again not only is it a regular- is the whole city a regular shape, but it has been laid out within the city in very regular insulae or blocks, with the streets very straight, as again the Romans were wont to do. The city of Timgad, by the way, is located in the high plains of what is Algeria today, just for you to get your bearings in terms of the modern location of this city. What I hope you can also see, from this view from the air, if you look very, very closely at the individual streets, and especially this one right here, you will see–perhaps it’s clearest over here–you will see that one of the ways in which this however differs from a town like Ostia and the way Ostia was laid out, is although the general layout is comparable, the city streets are lined with columns. We’ve talked about the fact that colonnaded streets–we never see colonnaded streets in Rome or in Italy, but we do see them quite extensively in the provinces. This is an area that is part of the western provinces, but we see them also even more extensively in the eastern provinces. So you see this colonnaded, this very dramatic colonnaded street.
And I can show you a detail of one of the colonnaded streets of the city of Timgad, as it looks today, and you can see the effect that putting those columns, the punctuation points of those columns, along the way, which actually adds to–makes the vista that one sees from one part of the street to another very, very interesting indeed; as those columns, in a sense, march toward the arch that you see at the end here. I’m going to show you that arch, just as the one example of a monument in the city of Leptis Magna [correction: Timgad]. It’s very well preserved. It’s usually called the Arch of Trajan, because Trajan was the one to have founded this particular city, but it is almost certainly not an Arch of Trajan, since we believe it was put up in the late second century A.D. But we still call it the Arch of Trajan, because that’s its conventional name.
And I can show you a detail of that arch, as it looks today, on the screen. And I think it’s interesting to compare it to another, in this case early third-century arch, the Arch of Septimius Severus in the Roman Forum, put up to Septimius’ Parthian victories in the eastern part of the Empire, that we looked at last time. And I think you’ll see immediately why I’ve chosen to pair those two, not only because they are roughly comparable in date, but because both of them have a triple bay, triple bays: a central, a very central large arcuated bay, two smaller arcuated bays, one on either side. And since the building that you see here we believe dates to the late second century A.D., and this building is not until the early third century A.D., 203 A.D. to be precise, it is another example–I mentioned this last time; I talked about the fact that the arch in the Roman Forum, the Arch of Septimius Severus in the Roman Forum, is our first preserved Roman arch with a triple arcuated bay, in Rome, but that there was an earlier example that I showed you in the south of France, at a place called Orange, in what is now Provence, where we seem to have a Tiberian arch – a Tiberian arch that is also tripled bayed.
So I raised the point with you that while we usually think of ideas flowing from the center to the periphery, this may be an instance where certain ideas are developed first in the provinces, and then make their way to Rome. Or it is also possible that there may have been triple-arcuated arches in Rome that no longer survive today, that we don’t know about, that might have been earlier than the early third century. But the fact that here we have another example, in one of the provinces–a completely different part of the world, but the western provinces nonetheless–we have another example of a triple-arcuated bay arch that was put up prior to the Arch of Septimius Severus in the Roman Forum. So it just makes us think even more so that this idea was floating around the Empire earlier, clearly, than the time of Septimius Severus, and makes it more possible that the idea may have begun in the provinces rather than in Rome itself.
The other major difference between this arch and the Arch of Septimius Severus, in the Roman Forum–well there are two. But the main one is that it relies, for the most part, for its effects, for its visual effects, on its architectonic elements: on its columns, on its niches, on its pediments. The Arch of Septimius Severus in Rome, yes, has projecting columns and the like, but it relies for its effects largely on the figural sculpture that decorates it; that decorates the panels over each of the smaller bays, the frieze, and so on and so forth. That is not true here. This may have had some sculpture. It probably had a quadriga group or a group of statues on the attic. It probably had a statue or two in these niches. But it has no relief sculpture, no figural relief sculpture at all, and relies instead, as I said, on the architectural elements to enliven the surface and to make it an interesting billboard for whoever this was put up to commemorate. We see, for example, these large Corinthian columns on tall bases; the bases are not decorated. And we also see, if we look very carefully, that there were smaller columns. There are capitals still preserved on either side of the niches. So there were smaller columns here as well; an interesting contrast between the larger columns and the smaller columns.
And then if you look very closely at the pediment above, you see that it is an arcuated pediment. Sometimes these are referred to as segmental, s-e-g-m-e-n-t-a-l, segmental or arcuated pediments. And you can see that it is not only an arcuated pediment, but it’s a broken arcuated pediment. The bottom is not complete; it’s broken on either side. We’ve seen an increasing taste for these broken triangular or segmental pediments in Roman architecture, this willingness to break the rules of traditional columnar architecture. We see that here. So again, it is–the surface is enlivened through architectural means entirely, which is an interesting phenomenon for this part of the world. You can also see, I think, that the stone that is used here is a local limestone, a wonderful tan color that goes very well with the desert area in which this finds itself. So local stone used in the so-called Arch of Titus [correction: Trajan] in the city of Timgad.
Chapter 2. Leptis Magna in the Age of Augustus [00:15:52]
I talked about the sand, and there’s a lot of sand in this part of the world–this is essentially desert–and we see it especially around the city of Leptis Magna. If Timgad is in modern Algeria, Leptis Magna is in modern Libya, Colonel Gaddafi country. And it is an amazing site. A few words about the history of Leptis Magna prior to the birth of Septimius Severus. It too–well it was, as I mentioned, a port city. It was a Phoenician port actually initially. Then it came under the sway of Carthage, of the Carthaginians. It had some interactions with Greece, but again, just as this area as a whole in this part of Africa that Leptis Magna is located in, was known as Tripolitania. And so we see the Carthaginians holding sway. We see some interactions with Greece, but again it doesn’t take as significant a foothold here as it did in other parts of the Roman world. And then Rome takes over Leptis Magna and makes it a colony, makes the area a colony; Tripolitania is a colony.
And it begins to be built up, as I mentioned to you before, already in the Late Republic and into the Augustan period. We’ll see that there was significant Augustan architecture there that still survives. It was then that architecture was added to by Hadrian, or during the period of Hadrian, during the time, during the reign of Hadrian when there was continued interest in Leptis Magna. And then it was built up and renovated significantly under Septimius Severus; so in the early third century A.D. It continued to thrive throughout the third century, into the fourth century A.D. But in the fifth century A.D. it was attacked; a significant attack by the Vandal tribes. It was devastated actually during that period. But it had a brief renaissance under the Byzantines. A Byzantine wall was added to the city, as well as a church, during that period. In Medieval and Modern times though it was essentially abandoned, and it became a place where treasure hunters did not hesitate to go and take stone and works of sculpture away with them.
But fortunately, because of these sands, because these sands shifted over time, with the winds, with the sirocco and so on, they eventually did their job by covering over a good part of the city, which was actually fortunate because it meant that everything that hadn’t already been looted by those treasure hunters was at that point preserved. It stayed covered, for the most part, until around World War II. At that time, in the twentieth century, Tripolitania was essentially a protectorate of Italy. And in, right at the time of World War II, and right after World War II, Italian archaeologists went in and excavated the site, and revealed it in the way that we can experience it, if we visit Leptis Magna today.
And if we visit Leptis Magna today, we’re going to see sights like this. What I’m showing you is a view from the air of the forum that was put in the time of Septimius Severus, the so-called Severan Forum of Leptis Magna. And you can see that this is another one of these “bigger is better” buildings. It’s extraordinarily large. And you can see that it is not in the best of conditions, that much of it has fallen down. We see extensive fragments of columns and entablatures and arcades and so on and so forth, strewn around the structure today. But there’s enough there that we can get a quite good sense, as we shall see, of what these buildings looked like in antiquity. If one goes to the sculpture depot, on the site, one can also see a host of sculpture; despite the looting, one can also see a host of sculpture that still survives.
In fact, it’s interesting, right in the center here we see a portrait of–who is it? Sorry to put you on the spot, but having taken Roman–it’s Augustus. Good, excellent. It’s the emperor Augustus, right there in the center, which proves, or which tends to make it likely, to support the point that this was an area that was built up under Augustus, and decorated with Augustan sculpture. We see a host of statues–men, women, fragments of body parts, including hands and arms, as you can see over here–at the depot. And this again gives us some general sense of how heavily decorated this town was in its heyday, with sculpture of the imperial family surely, and local magistrates, as well as gods and goddesses.
This is a plan of Leptis Magna as it would have looked in the ancient period. If we look at it here, we will see, number one that it is–you can tell very well from this that it was a port city, and that a port was built. You’re seeing the Mediterranean. Then you’re seeing a tributary of that river. And you can see, right below that river, you can see a sort of roughly circular area that was the port of Leptis Magna, not so different from the Port of Claudius, for example, at Portus. And then you see the rest of the city as it was laid out from the first century B.C. until, or through, the time of Septimius Severus. And if you look very carefully you will see a host of buildings. The one that’s right in the uppermost part there, closest to the harbor, is the Old Forum. It’s not on your Monument List, but I’m going to show it to you briefly.
If you go down from that, to the left, you will see the theater–that’s easy to pick out–the theater that was put up during the reign of Augustus. And, to the right of the theater, you see two circles there, that is the marketplace that was also put up during the age of Augustus. Down here, you see a very large bath, in the imperial bath type that was built during the reign of Hadrian. And then right above, to the right of the bath, you see the forum, as it was laid out–the forum, the basilica and the temple, as they were laid out during the reign of Septimius Severus. And then down here, to the left of the Hadrianic Baths, there was an arch put up on one of the streets; an arch put up also to Septimius Severus, which we will look at together today.
I want to begin with the Augustan remains. I’m going to show you two Augustan buildings from Leptis Magna. The first is the markets, and the second will be the theater; and they’re very interesting in all kinds of ways. You see a restored view of what the market would have looked like in the Augustan period. This is a restored view that comes from your textbook, from the Ward-Perkins. We know that the building dated precisely to 8 B.C., that is, in the reign of Augustus, 8 B.C. How do we know that? Because there is an inscription on the building that interestingly enough is written in both Latin and then has a neo-Punic translation. So this is a nod, still in the Augustan age, to the Carthaginian segment of the population, who still continue to live there, even with the Roman advent. So 8 B.C.
And as we look at this, we know, in fact, what was built in 8 B.C. was only part of this. It was the two pavilions, the two market pavilions that you see in the center here. This scheme of having a round or roundish structure, either one or two pavilions in the center of an open courtyard, is actually not special to Leptis Magna. We know this type in Italy. There are examples still preserved, for example, in Campania. I showed you one, although we didn’t discuss it in the plan of the Forum of Pompeii, for example. But so this is not–this is an idea that probably made its way from–may have made its way from Italy to Leptis Magna in the age of Augustus. We see it here, these two pavilions.
But if we look at these pavilions carefully, we see some interesting features. We see that the central element is indeed circular. There’s a circular wall here, that has in it arcuated windows and doorways, that pierce it and open it up. Then around it though, interestingly enough, we see that the staircase, the way in which the columns are arranged, and the roof, make up an octagon, make up an octagon, in the case of both of these pavilions. Now that is very, very interesting, when we talk about what happens first and where, in Rome itself, Campania, central Italy, or in the provinces. Because in this particular instance we are seeing an octagon extremely early. This is 8 B.C., the age of Augustus. We don’t see the octagon used in Rome until the age of Nero – until the Domus Transitoria, sort of, and then fully blown in the Domus Aurea, in the octagonal room of the Domus Aurea. So is this a formulation that begins first in the provinces, and ends up in Rome, or are again there some missing links? Were there octagons earlier in Rome that have no longer survived? It’s an interesting and almost certainly unanswerable question, unless something new is excavated that changes the picture. So for now it looks as if we see an octagon earlier in the provinces than we see it in Rome.
While the pavilions–and the pavilions were indeed these market pavilions. And by the way I should mention that there were no permanent markets here. There were temporary stalls that would’ve been set up daily between the columns, around the pavilions and the columns in the portico. The open portico was not done in 8 B.C., it was not done in the age of Augustus, but was added under Tiberius, Augustus’ successor, between 31 and 37 A.D., as is indicated on your Monument List. And there is a difference in the materials that were used here. And the materials, interestingly enough–and this is very important for our understanding of the evolution of architecture and Leptis Magna–during this period, the age of Augustus, local stone was used entirely. They used a local sandstone and limestone–I’ll show it to you in a moment–for these pavilions. And then when Tiberius added, or when the outer area, the portico was added, in the age of Tiberius, the columns were made out of a grey stone, but a grey stone that was also local.
So only local stone used here. No concrete used in this building. This is an entirely stone building, put up in the Augustan period in Leptis Magna. One of the pavilions, very well preserved, as you can see here. And you can see that we are dealing again with a very attractive local sandstone or limestone that is used for the structure, for the central pavilions entirely. And then you can see the contrast between the coloration of that and the grey columns, also local stone that are used for the surrounding portico. If we look at this pavilion, we can see both the central round element that I’ve already described, with its arcuated windows and doorways, on a tall base. We can also see the columns that surround it; and you can tell very well that these are Ionic columns. Some of them are columns; some of them are, in a sense, piers. They’re wider, and those wider ones are at the corners. And it’s interesting to see how the architects have gotten around the fact that they have to turn the corners in this octagon by making these wider and making them splay out on either side. You can also see some stone benches in between some, but not all, of the columns here.
Let me go back for a second, just to show you also that while the columns of the pavilions, or the macella–by the way, that’s the word in Latin, m-a-c-e-l-l-a, or macellum, m-a-c-e-l-l-u-m, in the singular–the columns, the capitals of the surrounding portico were Corinthian, as opposed to the Ionic ones that are used for the earlier market pavilions. Here’s another detail; this is the one that’s on your Monument List. And although it’s in black and white, doesn’t give you a sense of the coloration of the stone, it’s useful because you can see one of these piers that turns a corner better here, and you can also see that there are striations that make up the flutes of the pilasters that are located in between these arcuated openings on the central element. This is another view that shows you the less preserved second pavilion. You can see here again the color of the stone. You can see the way in which the piers turn the corner here, and get a sense of the remains, a further sense of the remains of the Augustan marketplace from this view.
Chapter 3. The Augustan Theater and the Hadrianic Baths at Leptis Magna [00:30:00]
The other Augustan building, as I mentioned, was the Theater of Leptis Magna, and this theater again also put up in the age of Augustus. It dates specifically to A.D. 1 to 2; so a very early Roman theater, and a quite well-preserved Roman theater. And we should think of it in connection to the other Augustan Roman theaters that we saw, for example, the Theater of Marcellus, in Rome. This one, as we’ll see, better preserved in some of its aspects than the Theater of Marcellus in Rome. If we look at the plan we see some interesting features. We see first of all that it corresponds extremely well to the theaters that we’ve seen thus far this semester; in that sense it’s a conventional building. I should mention that it is not built on a hillside, in the Greek manner, but is built on a hill of concrete.
We’re going to see that very little concrete is used in Leptis Magna, is used in Roman North Africa in general, where the work is primarily of stone, the buildings are made primarily out of stone. Very little concrete. But they did use it here to create a hill, a manmade artificial hill, out of concrete, on which they could rest the seats of the theater, or the cavea of the theater. The seats themselves are done in local stone. And we can also see the other features of the typical Roman theater: the semicircular orchestra; the semicircular cavea; the division of the cavea into these cunei or wedge-shaped sections. We can also see that the stage building–we know quite a bit about the stage building because it’s extremely well preserved in a way that the Theater of Marcellus, of course, is not. We see that it was made up of these three very large niches here, that have columns screening the inside, following the curvature, in fact, of those niches. And you can also see there are architectural elements in the center here that seem to project into that space. And this pretty early, this is A.D. 1 to 2.
So it does give us some sense–when we talked about painting and we talked about the fact that we see things in Roman painting of the Second Style–in particular, 60 B.C., 50 B.C.–that we don’t see in built architecture, and I mentioned at that time it’s conceivable that they are based on lost theatrical sets that were made out of wood. But a building like this, where we do have local stone used for this forest of columns that we see inside these niches–and I’ll show it to you, because it’s well preserved, in a moment–we get a sense of the kind of thing that may have existed, that may have had some impact on some of the paintings that we saw of the Second Style in places like Pompeii and elsewhere.
This is also interesting, because if you look–it’s hard, you can’t really see it in plan–but if you look at the very top of the cavea, the top of the cavea, in the center, was the location of a temple. And that temple was put up to Ceres, the goddess Ceres, C-e-r-e-s, the goddess Ceres; Ceres Augusta, so the Augustan version of Ceres. And that was at the very top, and that makes this temple a type of temple that we have not talked about this semester, and that is what is called a theater temple; a theater that has a temple as an integral part of it. This is not a new idea to Leptis Magna. We know, for example, in Rome that the Republican general Pompey built such a theater in Rome, a temple theater, a theater that had a temple at the apex of the cavea. It is not preserved, although there is enough evidence and fragments and so on for us to get a quite good sense of what it looked like, and it was one of these. So again, ideas that seem to have been developed in Rome first are making their way, in this case, to Leptis Magna.
Notice that the theater [correction: temple] at the apex is aligned with another theater [correction: temple] that’s located down here, a large, possibly a larger one. And this one seems to have been put up to the divine Augustus, or to a number of divi, and again purposefully aligned with the temple at the top. Here’s something very interesting. We see the porticus in the back; this porticus that we saw, for example, at the theater in Pompeii, the early theater in Pompeii, 80 to 70 B.C., as you’ll remember. We see it here, and you can see that it is not as regular as the porticus in Pompeii. And the reason for that is likely because of the preexisting buildings on this site.
And this is where we see a significant difference with the planning of Timgad. Timgad, again the Romans could just lay this out any way they wanted, because nothing was there and they chose this ideal castrum plan; and the theater and so on, very, very regular. Here they have to contend with earlier structures. They have to design their building keeping those in mind. They certainly don’t want to destroy temples, for example, or shrines of the locals. That would not be good politics, so they don’t. And they have to build their building with that in mind; and so we see some very unusual shapes here. It’s not what they would have done if they could have done differently, but they had to do it, given the reality of the situation.
This is a view of the Theater of Augustus at Leptis Magna, as it looks today. You can see once again that the stone of choice is local stone, local limestone and sandstone, for the columns, as well as for the cavea; but again the cavea rests on a concrete foundation. And we can see again what I described before: the three great niches, as well as these square elements, with columns, that project into our space, that give a very interesting scenic view of columnar architecture, that again gives us an idea of perhaps some of those temporary structures in wood, that would’ve had a significant impact on Second Style Roman wall painting.
This is interesting. This is an extremely well-preserved inscription that comes from the Theater of Leptis Magna, and is still preserved. And we can see here, as in the Market of Augustus that is in Latin, but also translated into neo-Punic, below. And I thought you might be interested in hearing what it says. And it says, and I quote–and I’ll do that in English: “When the father of the fatherland, Caesar Augustus, son of the deified Caesar“–namely Julius Caesar; so this is again one of the ways we know that this is an Augustan building–”was pontifex maximus”–that is, Chief Priest of Rome, because state and religion very closely allied in the Roman period, and Augustus was at one point both Chief Priest of Rome, as well as imperator or emperor–when Augustus was “pontifex maximus, vested with the tribunician power for the twenty-fourth time, being consul for the thirteenth time, a man by the name of Annobal Rufus, the adorner of his country–so he must have commissioned not only this but other buildings as well–the adorner of his country and lover of concord, priest, suffete, prefect of the sacred objects, the son of Himilco Tapapius, took care to build this at his own expense, and dedicated it.”
So here we see a good example of the sort of thing that we see often in the provinces; that is, buildings put up in honor of the emperors, during the period in which they reigned, but put up by major local benefactors, who have significant funds at their disposal, who want to do the same sort of thing that anyone who wants to put their name on a building at Yale, preserve their name for posterity, their generosity, their benefaction, for posterity; and at the same time do good by providing the kind of amenities that cities need, like theaters and baths and the like.
I mentioned already that building continued apace during the time of the emperor Hadrian, and the main building that was added to Leptis Magna, during the Hadrianic period, was a very large bath structure; the second largest bath structure preserved in Roman North Africa. And we see it in plan here: the building [bathing] block on the right, and then a view, a fuller view, of the entire bath complex at the left. It dates to A.D. 126 to A.D. 127. Just looking quickly at the plan over here, you can see not only the bathing block, same as we see on the right, but also the palaestra of the structure. And the palaestra of the structure should strike you as very different from any other palaestra that we’ve seen thus far this semester. It’s almost shaped like a hippodrome, although it doesn’t have the hairpin shape with one curved and one straight end, but two curved ends. In fact, it might remind you, more than a hippodrome, of the Basilica Ulpia in the Forum of Trajan, with its two curved ends, one on either side, and columns running around the center, and then two radiating apses, up here on the right–on the uppermost part, excuse me.
So a very unusually shaped palaestra. We’ve never seen a palaestra like this before. But perhaps even more interesting than the shape of the structure is the way it’s off axis with the rest of the building. Right? It’s off axis; it’s not lined up axially and symmetrically with the rest of the building. The reason for that is almost certainly the same as we saw with the porticus in the theater, the Augustan theater, and that is something else must have stood on the site that forced them to design this in such a way that it was off center with the rest of the structure. But it actually made it–it makes it more interesting, in a sense, architecturally.
With regard to the bathing block, that is very conventional. You can pick out all the rooms that we’ve become so accustomed to naming in Roman bath architecture. This is an example of the imperial bath type that we’ve seen developed in Rome from the time of Titus, up through Trajan; the Baths of Titus and the Baths of Trajan, the imperial bath type, where we have the main bathing rooms placed in a row, in the center of the structure, axially related to one another. What do we see at the top, with the columns around it, or the bases and then columns above, is the what? Natatio, the natatio. The frigidarium, tepidarium, caldarium; caldarium here with its radiating niches, as you can see. So natatio, frigidarium, tepidarium, caldarium, all in succession, and then the other rooms symmetrically arranged around them; duplicated, mirror images of one another on either side. In this plan it doesn’t show the frigidarium as if it were triple-groin vaulted, but most who’ve studied this believe that it was.
And I’ll show you a view of that in a moment. Before I get to that, a view into the remains of the Baths of Hadrian today. And we see with the Baths of Hadrian a very major change in terms of building stone in the city of Leptis Magna. And that is, while up to this point they were using entirely local stone, all of a sudden, in the time of Hadrian–and it’s not surprising, I suppose, with Hadrian and his era being a time of international travel and the like, internationalism–we see the beginning to import marbles from all over the world for the buildings of Leptis Magna, this being the prime example. We have building stone in this building–we have some local stone in this building, but we also have marble from Greece, marble from Asia Minor, and even marble from Italy, used in the Baths of Hadrian at Leptis Magna, making it a very quite magnificent building, to say the least. So this is a very significant change in the way they are thinking about the building materials used for the structures of Leptis.
Here is a restored view of what scholars – some scholars at least – believe the frigidarium of the Baths of Hadrian looked like; very similar to what we imagine that the frigidaria of baths in Rome looked like, of the imperial type. Think of the later Baths of Caracalla that we looked at last time, with the same triple groin vaulted scheme, supported by engaged columns on either side, and then very heavily decorated. It could be that those who have thought about this have been too influenced by spaces like the frigidaria in the Baths of Caracalla. Because to do this–we know that very little concrete was used in Leptis Magna to do this kind of building at this kind of scale. To vault this kind of room, at this kind of scale, you would need to use concrete construction.
So there are two possibilities here. Either they did use it in this building, and used it very well to create a space that was quite comparable to what was being put up in Rome, or it may have been vaulted somewhat differently. But those who’ve studied this with some, who are very knowledgeable about this kind of thing, seem to believe that this was a groin-vaulted building. Now groin vaults can be done out of material other than concrete. We saw some vaulting in Pompeii–not groin vaults but regular vaults–in Pompeii that were made out of wood. But to do it at this scale would be near impossible, and one has to imagine that concrete would have been used. So that’s controversial and we don’t know for sure exactly how this building was vaulted.
Chapter 4. Septimius Severus Sheathes Leptis in Imported Marble [00:44:49]
Septimius Severus follows the lead of Hadrian, or of those benefactors of Leptis Magna building buildings in the Hadrianic period, by continuing to have the buildings of his renovated hometown sheathed in imported marbles. And in fact it could be said, if Septimius Severus were to boast, as Augustus had before him, that he had transformed the city of Leptis Magna – instead of saying, as Augustus did, that he found Rome a city of brick and left Rome a city of marble, Septimius Severus might have said he found Leptis Magna a city of local limestone and left Leptis Magna a city of imported marble. Because from this time forth all of the buildings that we see in the Severan city of Leptis Magna are made out of imported marble.
I’m going to show you a series of these, and I’m going to begin first–oh excuse me–begin first with the so-called fountain or nymphaeum of the city of Leptis Magna, which does indeed date to the Severan period. Before I show you that though, I should mention that we know that Septimius Severus traveled back to Leptis, once he was emperor of Rome. He was involved in, you’ll remember, that war in Parthia, so he couldn’t do it right away. But after the great Parthian victory–and you’ll remember the arch in Rome, the Arch of Septimius Severus in the Roman Forum was put up to celebrate that Parthian victory in 203. And in precisely that same year, 203 A.D., Septimius appears to have made his way, along with his wife, Julia Domna, and his family, to the city of Leptis Magna: hometown boy comes back to great parades and the like, for sure.
And it also jumpstarted a major building renovation, as I’ve mentioned, and although we think that the Arch of Septimius Severus, in Leptis–and I’ll show it to you today–was put up to honor Septimius on his visit to Leptis Magna, and probably stood in 203 when he arrived–we date it to 203–the other buildings were begun at about that time, and then some of them were completed by his son, Caracalla, after his death. One of the buildings that belongs to the Severan city is this fountain or nymphaeum, that you find on your Monument List; the nymphaeum in Leptis Magna, that we believe dates to A.D. 211. You see it here in plan, and you can see it’s located next to what? What’s this over here?
Student: The palaestra.
Professor Diana E. E. Kleiner: The palaestra–excellent, that coffee did you good–that palaestra over here, with its projecting convexity here. And we see on the other side the nymphaeum or fountain. And you can see how very carefully orchestrated it was in terms of making cities, building cities, building urban areas. The architects have paid a great deal of attention to exactly where they’re siting this fountain, and its relationship to these other buildings, by playing off concavities against convexities and so on. We can see that the plan of the nymphaeum shows it to be a structure that had one large central niche, which we’re going to see had–or one central apse, or a niche–that had in it a series of smaller niches for statuary; probably images of the emperor and the imperial family, as well as important local magistrates, as well as gods and goddesses. In front of it there was what would be the basin where the water went. Water would have flowed out of the center, or out of those niches in between the statuary, into the basin below. And you can see the way it’s been kind of splayed off, to either side, to give it an interesting shape, and to make it seem very welcoming.
Now why did a city like Leptis Magna need a fountain of this magnitude? Well yes it did supply water; it was helpful in that regard. But I think it was much more than that. I think it was viewed as a kind of showpiece for the city. There came a time when every city worth its salt needed to have a showpiece like this, an ostentatious fountain. Leptis was no exception, and so they build such an ostentatious fountain in the Severan period, in Leptis Magna.
Here’s a view of part of it, as it looks today–it’s actually decently well preserved–and we can see the great niche, or part of the great niche here, with its great apse here, with its smaller niches for statuary, as I’ve described. We can also see that we are dealing here, with regard to the walls, with local sandstone or limestone being used for the wall construction. But all of the columns–and you can see a columnar scheme here on two stories, very similar to the sort of thing that we saw in the theater: a display of columns, and they go into the niches as well, as you can see here, in two tiers. These are made out of marble that is brought in from Asia Minor: Asia Minor marble, so imported marble. And we do believe that the stone carvers who were used to carving this kind of marble, in Asia Minor, were brought in with them to do the carving on the spot. So one of these examples of the use of imported marble in buildings that were put up in Severan Leptis Magna.
I mentioned that I would show you just in passing the Old Forum of Leptis Magna, before we look at the Severan Forum, just so that you know. It’s not on your Monument List, you’re not responsible for it, although it is in Ward-Perkins and you can read about it there. But I show it to you to make a couple of very important points. One, that there was an earlier forum on this site. It was begun in the Late Republic, and continued into the Augustan period. It was laid out very close to the port, which makes a lot of sense. And you can see that like other fora we’ve seen, it had a great open rectangular space. It had a basilica down here, very similar in shape and plan to basilicas we’ve seen, like the one at Pompeii. But it’s interesting both because again it is not exactly square or rectangular in shape; it has one side that is different from that, that’s on the diagonal, and this indicates to us once again that likely there were some remains on the site that had to be taken into consideration when this structure was designed. But otherwise it has a colonnade around it.
It has, in this case, three temples on one end, which is different from what we usually see in Rome, but not unheard of. I didn’t show you an example, but we do know of triple temples in architectural spaces, complexes in Rome, fairly early on, already in the Republic. But we see three of them here, and they’re very instructive. One’s the North Temple; we don’t know to whom that was dedicated. The other is a Temple of Roma and Augustus, which one sees in most Augustan cities. And then over here a Temple of Liber Pater. Who was Liber Pater? Well Liber Pater was a god who was very important to this particular part of the world. So this interesting coming together of Roman gods, local gods, are another indication that we are dealing here with a Roman society that is being laid on top of an earlier society, and that the cultures, religion, architectural practices and so on, of them, merged together to make a very interesting mélange, and we see that again extremely well in this Old Forum.
The Old Forum was replaced by the New Forum, the new Severan Forum, in the age of Septimius Severus. And that is the single most important building still surviving in the city of–building complex in the city of Leptis Magna. And I show you once again that view, from the air, of the forum, the Severan Forum, that we believe dates to 216 A.D.; in fact completed by Caracalla in 216 A.D. And now that you know a bit more about Leptis Magna and building practice there, I think you’ll see something that you probably didn’t notice before, when you looked at this image; when we looked at it earlier. And that is if you look at the actual remains of the columnar architecture, for example, from this forum, you will see, very quickly, that we are dealing not with local limestone but with imported marble. If you look at this marble, in the foreground in particular, you can see that it has a pink tint to it. That pink tint tells us that it is granite, pink granite that we know was quarried in Egypt. So we are seeing marbles being brought from all over the world, to be used in the construction of these Severan structures.
A plan of the Severan Forum in Leptis Magna shows it to be a very interesting structure indeed; one that is based on earlier models in Rome, especially the Forum of Trajan, but one that departs from it in all kinds of interesting ways. It’s also interesting to us not only because it tells us what–or it shows us what was being built in Severan Leptis Magna, but it also gives us some indication of what an emperor like Septimius Severus might have built in Rome, if he had built a forum in Rome. You’ll remember that I told the last great imperial forum in Rome was the Forum of Trajan, and that there was no other forum built later than that. But what if–you know, the what if–what if Septimius Severus had built a forum and basilica in Rome, what would it have looked like? Well maybe it would’ve looked something like this, at least in plan, but almost certainly not in building materials.
As we look at it here, we see that it is conventional in that–it’s very large in scale, by the way–it’s conventional in that it has one great open rectangular space, surrounded by columns, with a temple put up against one of the short walls–in fact pushed up against one of the short walls–dominating the space in front of it. If we look quickly at the plan of the temple, we will see it’s fairly conventional also: plain back wall; single cella, in this case; freestanding columns in the porch; deep porch; single staircase; façade orientation. So very much in keeping with what we’ve seen throughout the course of this semester. You’ll notice also on this side of the structure, the southern side of the structure, a series of shops or tabernae. We’ve seen that in forum design before. Think of the Forum of Julius Caesar where they were placed in exactly that same position.
We see over here the basilica of the structure. I’m not going to describe its plan for the moment; we’ll return to it a little bit later. But what’s interesting about it here is the way in which it is splayed off. It is not axially related exactly to the forum proper. It moves off in a slightly different direction. Would the Romans have done this if they didn’t have to? Certainly not. They probably again had to contend with some sort of earlier building on the site, which forced them to do this. But they’ve done something quite extraordinary, as you can see here. They wanted to make sure that when you were standing in the forum, and looking toward the basilica, that you wouldn’t realize that that basilica was not on axis with the forum. And so they’ve done something extraordinarily ingenious. And what they’ve done is to create this series, this wedge-shaped series of shops that forms the transition between the forum and the basilica, that’s narrow on one end and is wider on the other end.
And when you stand and look at it, from the inside–and I’ll show you an image in a moment–it looks like it is completely straight; which it is, in the front, but you can’t tell what lies behind. So when you’re standing there, you do get the sense, and as you move from the forum, into this apsed area here, through columns, into the columns of the basilica–which you can do–you don’t realize that the basilica is really off axis with the rest of the building. So some ingenious work here on the part of the designers of the Severan Forum.
I’ll come back to the basilica again momentarily. But for the moment, just to stick with the forum proper, we are looking here at one of the entranceways into that forum. And you can see, even in black and white, that we’re dealing with local sandstone or limestone for the walls, but with imported marble for the doorways and for the pilasters. And if you look very carefully, you will see that these are capitals that are unlike any capitals we’ve seen thus far this semester, and underscore again this interesting merging of influences, not only from Rome but elsewhere in the Roman Empire. We see these striated capitals on the pilasters up above that are very similar to the sorts of things we see in Egypt. And then if we look at these capitals down below–and we see these capitals used extensively in the forum; I’ll show you other examples momentarily–you will see that what we are dealing with here are the Roman acanthus leaves at the bottom, but growing out of those Roman acanthus leaves are lotus leaves – lotus leaves that come from Egypt, lotus leaves that were used in Egyptian capitals.
So this interesting merging of Roman culture, Egyptian culture, for this structure in Roman North Africa. This is a view of the shops, of that wedge-shaped section of shops. We’re standing in the forum, looking back toward the basilica, about to go from one to the other. And you can see that they are in a straight line and that you would not be able to tell, as you were standing in front of them, that the forum was not axially related to the basilica next door. We can also see some remains of statuary, columns preserved in their entirety, as well as capitals of the same type that I just showed you, the combination of lotus leaves and acanthus leaves.
Chapter 5. The Severan Temple and Basilica, the Arch of Septimius Severus, and the Unique Hunting Baths [00:59:46]
The Temple. The temple in this, the temple here is the one that you see here. It is a restored view. It is from Ward-Perkins. It is a temple that was put up by Caracalla. It’s the temple at the back wall that we looked at in plan just before. It was put up by Caracalla to honor his parents as divi; Septimius Severus and Julia Domna. It’s interesting in a variety of ways. It’s interesting because it is surrounded by an arcade; columns supporting arcuations. We’ve seen an interest in this sort of thing starting to come to the fore at this time. We saw it in late domestic architecture in Ostia. Think of the House of Cupid and Psyche, for example, of the early fourth century. So placing these arcades on columns, with Medusa heads in between them, is something that comes to the fore at this time.
We see that the temple is placed on a very, very tall podium, nineteen feet tall. Why? To raise it up over the walls, so that you could see it from a distance. It’s like when they raised the Capitolium in Ostia also up high so that it could compete with the apartment houses; the same general idea here. Local limestone for the walls, imported marble for the columns. The staircase is interesting. It’s a single staircase, but you can see it is pyramidal in shape. I don’t want to push the Egyptian thing too far, but it’s conceivable that it might have been designed under Egyptian influence. And if you look at the column bases, we know that they were depicted with images of the battle between gods and giants, a very important theme in Greek art.
So we see once again what’s so interesting about some of these provincial cities; this coming together of influences from all over the world, from Greece, from Carthage, from Egypt, and also of course from Rome. Here’s a view of the arcades, the Medusa’s heads very deeply carved, as you can see here; characteristic also of the decorative work of the Severan period. The plan, once again, that shows us the basilica, central nave, side aisles, apses on either side, looking very much like the Basilica Ulpia of Trajan in Rome, probably influenced by that. Look also, there’s a wall here–you can walk into the wall at several points–and there are columns decorating that wall, columns that just project into our space. They have no structural purpose whatsoever. The in-and-out undulation of the wall, through the traditional vocabulary of architecture, another sign that we’re moving toward what I’ve called a baroque phase in Roman antiquity.
This is an amazing view, from the air, of the remains of the forum and also of the basilica. The basilica is better preserved than the forum. The basilica–and you can see how beautifully this is sited, right near the sea. Again, we’re dealing with a port here, a port city here. You can see the apses. You can see the preserved columns. You can see the wedge-shaped section of shops here. And you can see again that the basilica has many of its columns better preserved than those in the forum. We see them here. We can get a much better sense of what the basilica looked like in antiquity; in fact, this is much better preserved than the Basilica Ulpia in Rome. And we see the difference in the materials: the pink granite from Egypt, used here as well; the Corinthian, in this case, Corinthian capitals rather than the lotus leaf capitals; sandstone for the walls. So this combination of local stone and especially imported marbles for this structure.
Here’s a restored view of the interior, where we can see it was two-storied originally, just like the Basilica Ulpia in Rome. Like the Basilica Ulpia in Rome, a flat ceiling with a coffered ceiling, as you can see above. And we can also see the niches have coffering in them. Very interesting decoration. Use of columns on two tiers; no structural purpose whatsoever, decorative only, projecting into our space, creating that in-and-out, undulating movement. And then a very unusual motif, architectural motif, in the center. I show you here the south apse, where we can see the pink granite, once again preserved; Ionic capitals in this particular case for that niche; and then these very heavily decorated pilasters, on either side. And in the center of the niche, these very tall columns–this is very interesting because it seems to have had no purpose whatsoever than just to stand there and look good–two colossal columns on tall bases, with Corinthian capitals, and then a lintel on top of those, and then griffins, and then another lintel on the top.
What was the purpose of this? Did it have some kind of religious purpose? Well this is a civic structure, so unlikely. It’s just a decoration, among other decorations, but using architectural elements in toto. The piers are very, very interesting. They’re eaten away, dematerialized by their sculpture; as you can see here, light and dark accentuated. And if you look at the details of them, you will see that one of them, or a couple of them, have scenes of the Twelve Labors of Hercules. Remember, this was a building that was completed by Caracalla. Is it a stretch to say that Caracalla might have wanted to have Herculean imagery here, as he did in the Baths of Caracalla, or the benefactor who helped build this might have had that in mind as well, to make that connection? It might be far-fetched, but certainly something worth thinking about. And two more details of that decoration here.
I want to mention just in passing the Arch of Septimius Severus. It’s more a work of sculpture than it is of architecture, and it has a lot of figural scenes that are interesting for their iconography. But I just want to make passing reference to it, because it is the one building that I mentioned that we do believe was put up in 203, and ready for Septimius’ visit to the city. It also is interesting because it was made at the same time as the arch in Rome, the Parthian Arch in Rome, 203 A.D., and also celebrates Septimius Severus’ victories over the Parthians. That’s exactly what it celebrates, and those scenes are alluded to in the figural sculpture.
But it is very different from the arch in Rome, because it is a tetrapylon. I mentioned the tetrapylon when we went over the paper topics; the four-sided arch, the purpose of which is to span two streets that cross at that–that intersect at that particular point, so that traffic can go through the arch, going both ways. It’s really quite ingenious, and we see the tetrapylon does not take off in Rome, but is very popular in the provinces, and we see it here. We also see as we look at this structure, and it has been–by the way, it had fallen down completely but has been re-erected, although the sculpture on it is casts, and the original sculpture in the museum. But we do see here something very interesting, and that is that they have used the broken triangular pediment here. You can see the way the pediment is broken apart, and used only in part here, which is something we do not see in Roman arch design.
Here’s a view of it from the side, where you can get a sense of the drama of those broken triangular pediments, as well as the way in which this structure was completely covered with sculpture, and you can see some of that sculpture also dematerializing the arch, in a way very similar to the piers that we saw also in the basilica. And I just show you quickly two details of the figural sculpture that we see there honoring Septimius Severus and his two sons in a triumphal chariot, at the top. And then down here below, Septimius shaking hands with his elder son, Caracalla, as if giving him power. Geta stands in the center; Geta’s still alive and not erased on this monument here, and Geta’s standing here. And then this wonderful image of Julia Domna, with her fabulous wig, standing next to them and looking on. But look at this figure here. Who is this? Hercules with his club, standing right behind the shoulder of Caracalla. So once again this very close association between Caracalla and his alter ego.
I want to end today with my favorite building in Leptis Magna – in fact, one of my favorite buildings from the entire semester, because it’s so unique. This is the so-called Hunting Baths at Leptis Magna. They date to the late second to early third century A.D. I show you an axonometric view from Ward-Perkins. They’re very well preserved, and I’ll show them to you in a moment. This bath is interesting in all kinds of ways, but it’s interesting primarily because it’s a private bath, not a public bath; we’ve looked at so many public baths this semester. What do I mean by a private bath? Not one individual. I suppose one could call Hadrian’s baths in his villa private, in that they were for his private villa.
But here a private bath within a city, a private bath, not for a single individual but a group of individuals, a guild of men, whose profession we believe it was to collect animals, wild animals, in the wilds of Africa, and send them to Italy; that was their business, send them–to feed, in a sense, the amphitheaters of Rome and the rest of Italy. That was their job. They probably made quite a fortune doing that. And they got together and built for themselves this wonderful bath, which you’re going to see right near the sea, where they could kick back and relax and hang out with each other. And what a place it was. And what’s interesting about it is although we have seen that concrete was not used extensively in Leptis Magna, it is used for this building, and this building is much more innovative for that reason than most of the other structures we’ve seen, even those that honor Septimius Severus, like the arch, like the forum, and like the basilica.
What do I mean by innovative? You can see the way in which concrete has been used here, to its utmost. You enter into the structure. The forecourt is an octagon, the entrance vestibule is an octagon. From the entrance vestibule, you go into the tepidarium, which you can see has a segmented dome, a kind of pumpkin dome, influenced by those earlier ones of Hadrian, into the caldarium over here, which is large and barrel vaulted. The frigidarium, also barrel vaulted here, as you can see. But what makes these rooms particularly exciting architecturally, and different than anything we’ve seen–in fact, unique–is that not only can we see the shapes of these vaults, these concrete vaults, on the inside when we stand here, but also from the outside; the shapes are visible from the outside as well.
You can see from the outside that this was a barrel vaulted room; you can see from the outside that this was a barrel vaulted room; and you can see from the outside that this one had a segmented dome. We haven’t seen that in other architecture. Yes, you can get a little glimmer of it; when you look at the frigidaria of the great imperial baths in Rome, you can get a sense of the groin vaults from the outside, sort of. But not in the way that you can here. This is very revolutionary, very different, and very special to this particular building.
And I’ll show you two last images where you can see that, also from the outside. This one in black and white, and you can see the massing of these geometric forms, from the outside, which make very clear what lies inside, very clear. Remember the Pantheon with its surprise. You’re standing outside; it looks like a typical Greek temple. You walk inside, wow, it’s a Roman interior. Here it’s inside and outside are brought together in a way that we haven’t seen before. When you stand at the outside of this building and look at it, you can tell what those shapes are like on the inside, in a way that we have not seen before – a truly revolutionary building.
And I show you one last image. It’s faded, but it’s the best I’ve got, and it’s a really I think very effective image, in terms of showing you what these baths looked like silhouetted against the sand and the sea: the barrel vaults, the segmented vaults, all of those clearly revealed on the outside, as they were on the inside. A very innovative structure, put up not by the emperor, not by the reigning emperor, not by benefactors who wanted to honor the emperor, and not part of that great Severan renovation, but part of the individual hearts and minds of this particular group of men. And what can I say to end this lecture, except for those men in the late second/early third century A.D., life was good. Thank you all.
[end of transcript]Back to Top
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Summer Learning in CA
Summer Learning in California
Summer learning programs have the potential to help youth improve their academic, social and behavioral outcomes, and provide unique opportunities for students to gain skills and master academic content. This is especially true for children from low-income families who might not have access to educational resources throughout the summer months.
Summer Learning Association
National non-profit organization focused on the powerful impact of one achievable goal: investing in summer learning to help close the achievement gap. NSLA uses the power of research, advocacy, training, and policy to transform America’s neighborhoods and communities, one child at a time.
Center on Afterschool and Summer Enrichment
The goal of NCASE is to ensure that school-age children in families of low income have increased access to high-quality afterschool and summer learning experiences that contribute to their overall development and academic achievement.
Wallace Foundation: Summer Learning
Our mission is to foster improvements in learning and enrichment for disadvantaged children and the vitality of the arts for everyone.
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Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
All disorders are effects of being born in a separate body in a divisive world. But it’s only in the human animal that such behavioural traits appear. Any of the other species showing similar symptoms to OCD have either been held in captivity or been corrupted by human contact. It’s only in the human condition of self-doubt and fear that the aberrations of inner conflict arise to torment and afflict those vulnerable to the forces of existence. OCD is an accelerated gathering of repetitive experience and is now part of the global disorder of unhappiness that affects all but the very few or insensitive.
Thought as anxiety and worry is the precursor to OCD. The thinker, when allowed free reign, is everyone’s dilemma since thought is a life form, albeit at a level of abstract materiality. When allowed to formulate as distinct circuits of mentalised energy, the thoughts burrow deep into the psychic structure of the mind. The effect is then similar to a record being stuck in a groove. The thoughts are replayed at a varying pitch of vibration that can become extremely distressing for the individual. Most people experience a mild form of OCD when unable to detach from worry or anxiety. Usually the groove in the subconscious mind is abated by other distractions in the world. But for someone vulnerable to the full effects of the disorder, there’s a compulsion to continually reaffirm a fixed mode of behaviour. When this becomes a dominant feature in the everyday life, the disorder becomes an independent entity able to assert itself as an unconscious force within the body.
What is rarely perceived in the therapeutic approach is that all disorders are psychic and subject to principles that, to the mind, are unable to be rationally explained. Perhaps the most shocking truth is that the whole world is psychically possessed. This manifests in the individual as periodic self-doubt, worry, frustration, anger, resentment and attachment to the drive for security and wealth-gathering. At a global level the results are the condition of the world at any time. And as everyone can see by watching the news media, things are getting progressively worse. The root of it all is the fear of death which, in the absence of profound inner wisdom and self-knowledge, creates a psychic tension that corrupts the natural sweetness and joy of life. To escape facing the reality of death, the unconscious impulse in an individual is to find something real and permanent in existence. Nobody has succeeded, or ever will, because whatever is gained must be left behind at the moment of physical death.
People with OCD often display an acute sensitivity to the suffering of others and the hopelessness of being in such a loveless world. But the disorder itself is usually too dominant to relinquish its hold. Love is the solution to the disorder of the world; but love has to be made more conscious than the disorder. There are two ways that this can be done. The first involves being aware when the disorder is quiescent and things are more stable. And then to acknowledge inwardly the wellbeing in the body that is always present in the absence of emotional anxiety. What is continually acknowledged in love and gratitude to life is an action of consciousness and will be more accessible as a power to heal, particularly in the times when the disorder is active.
The second way is the physical love between man and woman, the natural way of neutralising the negativity of any disorder. This is because love, when it is made, is a timeless spiritual restorative. Everything in existence is compelled to yield or surrender to its purity and grace. Love retains its spiritual identity as it enters existence on a wave of beauty as the essence of the original state of being. As love enters the subconscious it permeates the psyche of an individual and loosens the attached matter of past that has become hardened in time. Love can do the job if only the individual is willing.
image: Luke Chesser
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Just start doing the things that are difficult to tackle
and all fears will disappear instantaneously.
Jane is a little girl who believes she is not good enough to
do difficult things. One day she sees an ant lifting a crumb
of a croissant which seems too heavy for the ant to carry. So
she notices that although some things look challenging to
do, they may be worth a try. This story teaches bravery and
encourages children to try different things that they love and
gain new experiences.
"During her childhood in Spain, Clara Matas Nadal loved natural sciences; accordingly, it could have never crossed her imagination that one day she would be writing children's stories. But then, she came across a Gianni Rodani book and his ingenuity demonstrated the importance of teaching children through stories."
"Alongside being a hard-working teacher, Roser Matas Nadal is keenly involved with children's book illustrations. To this end, she pursued a major in illustration at Olot, Barcelona, and later at the University of Art in London. She has published around a dozen children's books, some as an author and others as an illustrator."
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Safety, health, and learning are the only priorities.
― Road Map for K-12 Education
Advancing the healthy schools’ movement for both new and existing environments.
All students deserve safe and healthy environments to achieve their academic potential. We released new documents each month that we hope will help school communities foster safe and healthy learning environments.
As you read our recommendations, we invite you to imagine how these design interventions will impact Riley, an imaginary—but very real—student. Like many students, Riley relies on school for more than just their education. It’s also where they eat breakfast and lunch, socialize with friends, and receive their most reliable Internet connection. We owe it to students like Riley to make school buildings as inviting, safe, and healthy as they can be.
The pandemic underscored the importance of outdoor learning environments. Studies prove that students with greater access to these spaces display better mental health, higher test scores, and lower chronic absenteeism (Kweon et al., 2017; MacNaughton et al., 2017).
Entry and Exit
A student’s sense of safety, motivation, belonging, and school pride begins at the schoolhouse door. Every day, around 25% of Americans enter a school as teachers, students, staff, or administrators. This critical part of the building can have acute (daily) and chronic (monthly, yearly) exposures that have both social and physical implications.
Thoughtfully planned circulation areas increase opportunities to extend learning environments. With smart design and strategic signage, corridors and stairwells offer schools additional space to support both learning and health. Variety and flexibility give students agency, support collaboration, and can reduce density
From the cells in your body to a sense of belonging, building materials and furniture can influence health and the well-being. These strategies call attention to the fact that school
furniture can include harmful chemical additives that migrate out into the dust and air we breath. Additionally, furniture can help or hinder student inclusion. Our micro to macro
approach allows us to optimize our framework and balance risk mitigation, health promotion, and educational adaptation.
Classroom and Learning Environment
In order to navigate what comes next, we need to create multi-faceted classrooms that offer increased control and full access to technology. As education continues to evolve – accelerated by the pandemic – we are leveraging research to better understand how learning environments can support students holistically.
Libraries and Media Centers
Libraries and media centers are the epicenters of knowledge in our schools. As the use of personal technology increases, media centers and libraries will be less about where we store
our paper books and more about communal spaces with diverse uses. These uses include collaborative learning areas, spaces for virtual reality and innovative tools (e.g. 3D printers), as well as being flexible environments for community engagement.
COVID-19 highlighted that schools do much more than teach children. They provide countless services each day, one of which is offering many children a reliable source of food. With this in mind, cafeterias in the future will
need to prioritize equity and health in their design.
Used countless times throughout the day, school restroom design should not be an afterthought. As schools work to future-proof learning environments – now is the time to holistically rethink their design. A collaborative approach and simple solutions, such as direction of travel, thoughtful signage, and
touchless technology can provide communities healthy and inclusive restrooms facilities.
Driven by the pandemic, inequities in our systems, community needs, and technology, the desire for holistic solutions that support student health has never been greater. As we respond
to the current pandemic and future challenges, school nurses will play a critical role in helping us to design facilities that are resilient and take a holistic approach to student health. Using an evidence-based approach to planning, we can provide a student-centered health experience.
COVID-19 turned many pedagogies on their head. Physical Education teachers have overcome Immense challenges to help keep students healthy even while many school gymnasiums had to play double duty as educational spaces. Through all of this, the pandemic has helped to raise the value of the
important role health education plays in our communities.
― Looking for COVID-19 strategies?
The guidance provided on this site is based on the available information as of the date of publication and does not replace federal, state, or local public health recommendations but aggregates best practices and innovative solutions at the intersection of buildings and school health. We encourage schools to reach out and seek expert advice on their unique circumstances.
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Students’ Rights and Racial Justice in the Long 1960s
Published by: NYU Press
288 pages, 6.00 x 9.00 in, 5 black and white illustrations
- ISBN: 9781479875139
- Published: July 2019
A powerful history of student protests and student rights during the desegregation era
In the late 1960s, protests led by students roiled high schools across the country. As school desegregation finally took place on a wide scale, students of color were particularly vocal in contesting the racial discrimination they saw in school policies and practices. And yet, these young people had no legal right to express dissent at school. It was not until 1969 that the Supreme Court would recognize the First Amendment rights of students in the landmark Tinker v. Des Moines case.
A series of students’ rights lawsuits in the desegregation era challenged everything from school curricula to disciplinary policies. But in casting students as “troublemakers” or as “culturally deficient,” school authorities and other experts persuaded the courts to set limits on rights protections that made students of color disproportionately vulnerable to suspension and expulsion.
Troublemakers traces the history of black and Chicano student protests from small-town Mississippi to metropolitan Denver and beyond, showcasing the stories of individual protesters and demonstrating how their actions contributed to the eventual recognition of the constitutional rights of all students. Offering a fresh interpretation of this pivotal era, Troublemakers shows that when black and Chicano teenagers challenged racial discrimination in American public schools, they helped remake American constitutional law and establish protections of free speech, due process, equal protection, and privacy for students.
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By guitarzcool, Dec 25 2011 1:08AM
Hi, in this article I will provide some advice for students who are new to the guitar. Over the coming months you will find articles published here relating to aspects of music theory, chords, scales and their uses which will provide students with some extra learning material. Technique and style videos will also be available soon to members of the site.
Remember to log in to join and receive your membership of The Guitar School, Hamilton.
Firstly which guitar should you purchase to learn on..
Personal preference and future aims play a huge part in this choice but my advice is to learn to play on a an acoustic instrument first before considering playing any electric guitars. The reason for this is simply that you learn the proper techniques on acoustic instruments, plectrum technique is greatly enhanced on an acoustic instrument, producing a stronger tone from the guitar which later makes playing electric guitars very easy. Steel string acoustic guitars are best for plectrum guitar styles and some hybrid fingerpicking styles.
Nylon string guitars are mainly for classical guitar styles but are now used in many other modern styles of guitar music.
Secondly, Don't leave your musical future to chance.
Get some private one to one tuition and you will advance rapidly. Ensure the tuition gets you reading standard music notation and includes some ear training and music theory along the way. These are all of utmost importance to the development of a well rounded musician and will see you flourish quickly. This will provide you with the knowledge and technique to advance on your own for years to come.
Music can be challenging to learn due to the mental thought processes and physical aspects. We learn to coordinate music theory, music reading, listening, right and left hand techniques simultaniously to produce music... Learning to do all of this simultaneously is challenging but very rewarding and with some fun and humour thrown in along the way becomes a very enjoyable journey.
Playing the music you love is the ultimate reward for both the student and the teacher
All the best
www.guitarzcool.moonfruit.com Copyright (c) Jim Conquer 2011
You are viewing the text version of this site.
Need help? check the requirements page.
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Natives For Your Neighborhood is a labor of love and commitment. If you use this website, help us maintain and grow it with your tax-deductible donation.
Please scroll to the bottom for more images.
Copyright by: Beryn Harty, 2011
Large butterfly with a wingspan to 4-1/4 inches. The upper surface is mostly black. The hindwing has a black spot centered on a larger orange spot. The male has a yellow band near the edge of the wings and the female has a row of yellow spots. The hindwing of the female has an iridescent blue band. The abdomen has longitudinal rows of small yellow spots. The caterpillar is green with black bands in each segment and yellowish-orange spots in the bands.
Widespread in North America; Mexico, Central America and South America.
Uncommon all year in peninsular Florida; may stray to the Keys.
Wet prairies, marshes and open, disturbed sites.
Three or more broods per year in South Florida, mostly from February to September. The eggs are laid singly on the leaves and flowers of the host plants.
The caterpillars feed on the leaves and flowers of the host plants. Native larval host plants include the cultivated mock bishopsweed (Ptilimnium capillaceum), spotted water-hemlock (Cicuta maculata) and water dropwort (Tiedmannia filiformis). The larvae also feed on the cultivated celery (Apium graveolens), parsley (Petroselinum crispum) and sweet fennel (Foeniculum vulgare). Native nectar plants include the cultivated shrub firebush (Hamelia patens var. patens) and the wildflower purple thistle (Cirsium horridulum).
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But teaching writing is not just about grammar, spelling, or the mechanics of the Roman alphabet. Learners also need to be aware of and use the conventions of the genre in the new language.
- What is genre?
- Stages of a writing lesson
- Generating ideas
- Focusing ideas
- Focus on a model text
- Organising ideas
- Peer evaluation
What is genre?
A genre can be anything from a menu to a wedding invitation, from a newspaper article to an estate agent's description of a house. Pieces of writing of the same genre share some features, in terms of layout, level of formality, and language. These features are more fixed in formal genre, for example letters of complaint and essays, than in more 'creative' writing, such as poems or descriptions. The more formal genre often feature in exams, and may also be relevant to learners' present or future 'real-world' needs, such as university study or business. However, genre vary considerably between cultures, and even adult learners familiar with a range of genre in their L1 need to learn to use the conventions of those genre in English.
Stages of a writing lesson
I don't necessarily include all these stages in every writing lesson, and the emphasis given to each stage may differ according to the genre of the writing and / or the time available. Learners work in pairs or groups as much as possible, to share ideas and knowledge, and because this provides a good opportunity for practising the speaking, listening and reading skills.
This is often the first stage of a process approach to writing. Even when producing a piece of writing of a highly conventional genre, such as a letter of complaint, using learners' own ideas can make the writing more memorable and meaningful.
- Before writing a letter of complaint, learners think about a situation when they have complained about faulty goods or bad service (or have felt like complaining), and tell a partner.
- As the first stage of preparing to write an essay, I give learners the essay title and pieces of scrap paper. They have 3 minutes to work alone, writing one idea on each piece of paper, before comparing in groups. Each group can then present their 3 best ideas to the class. It doesn't matter if the ideas aren't used in the final piece of writing, the important thing is to break through the barrier of ' I can't think of anything to write.'
This is another stage taken from a process approach, and it involves thinking about which of the many ideas generated are the most important or relevant, and perhaps taking a particular point of view.
- As part of the essay-writing process, students in groups put the ideas generated in the previous stage onto a 'mind map'. The teacher then draws a mind-map on the board, using ideas from the different groups. At this stage he / she can also feed in some useful collocations - this gives the learners the tools to better express their own ideas.
- I tell my students to write individually for about 10 minutes, without stopping and without worrying about grammar or punctuation. If they don't know a particular word, they write it in their L1. This often helps learners to further develop some of the ideas used during the 'Generating ideas' stage. Learners then compare together what they have written, and use a dictionary, the teacher or each other to find in English any words or phrases they wrote in their L1.
Focus on a model text
Once the students have generated their own ideas, and thought about which are the most important or relevant, I try to give them the tools to express those ideas in the most appropriate way. The examination of model texts is often prominent in product or genre approaches to writing, and will help raise learners' awareness of the conventions of typical texts of different genres in English.
- I give learners in groups several examples of a genre, and they use a genre analysis form to identify the features and language they have in common. This raises their awareness of the features of the genre and gives them some language 'chunks' they can use in their own writing.
Genre analysis form 54k
- Learners identify the function of different paragraphs in a piece of writing. For example, in a job application letter, the functions of the paragraphs might be something like;
- reason for writing
- how I found out about the job
- relevant experience, skills and abilities
- closing paragraph asking for an interview
- Learners are given an essay with the topic sentences taken out, and put them back in the right place. This raises their awareness of the organisation of the essay and the importance of topic sentences.
Once learners have seen how the ideas are organised in typical examples of the genre, they can go about organising their own ideas in a similar way.
- Students in groups draft a plan of their work, including how many paragraphs and the main points of each paragraph. These can then be pinned up around the room for comment and comparison.
- When preparing to write an essay, students group some of the ideas produced earlier into main and supporting statements.
In a pure process approach, the writer goes through several drafts before producing a final version. In practical terms, and as part of a general English course, this is not always possible. Nevertheless, it may be helpful to let students know beforehand if you are going to ask them to write a second draft. Those with access to a word processor can then use it, to facilitate the redrafting process. The writing itself can be done alone, at home or in class, or collaboratively in pairs or groups.
Peer evaluation of writing helps learners to become aware of an audience other then the teacher. If students are to write a second draft, I ask other learners to comment on what they liked / didn't like about the piece of work, or what they found unclear, so that these comments can be incorporated into the second draft. The teacher can also respond at this stage by commenting on the content and the organisation of ideas, without yet giving a grade or correcting details of grammar and spelling.
When writing a final draft, students should be encouraged to check the details of grammar and spelling, which may have taken a back seat to ideas and organisation in the previous stages. Instead of correcting writing myself, I use codes to help students correct their own writing and learn from their mistakes.
Error correction code 43k
By going through some or all of these stages, learners use their own ideas to produce a piece of writing that uses the conventions of a genre appropriately and in so doing, they are asked to think about the audience's expectations of a piece of writing of a particular genre, and the impact of their writing on the reader.
If you have any ideas that you feel have successfully helped your students to develop their writing why not add them as a comment below and share them.
A process genre approach to teaching writing by Badger, Richards and White. ELT Journal Volume 54(2), pp. 153-160
Writing by T Hedge. Oxford University Press.
Writing by C Tribble. Oxford University Press
Process writing by R White and V Arndt. Longman
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The mission of the technology plan is to ensure that students and staff are effective users of ideas and information. District-wide Programs and instructional approaches must be developed, implemented, nurtured, and supported in order to help students and teachers to become actively engaged in the learning of technological skills. By combining supportive, responsive classroom methods with open access to resources, state-of-the-art technology, appropriate facilities, and staff who are trained and knowledgeable, all students should become life-long learners and productive members of society.The major goals of technology use in the Pine Plains Central School District as related to the educational experience are:
- For each student to demonstrate the ability to acquire information from diverse sources utilizing current technology.
- To process the information obtained into appropriate language, multi-media expressions and /or physical models.
- To apply the information in order to make informed decisions.
- To disseminate the information and knowledge in many ways, utilizing the multiple forms and access methods that technology can provide.
The next password change date is Wednesday, April 24, 2019
Degrees and Certifications:
Technician Line: 518-398-7181 x 1427
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NAIA policy statement: Pets and the community
During much of the last half century, shelters struggled with a severe surplus animal problem. Supply outstripped demand as unwanted litters and untrained, unsocialized pets were surrendered by owners who failed to prevent pregnancies or were unsuccessful in bonding with their pets. That problem, widely called pet overpopulation, is rapidly becoming a thing of the past in most parts of the US.
The number of dogs entering shelters has declined dramatically in the past 15 years. However, the number of cats, specifically feral cats entering shelters, is on the rise. Anti-breeding campaigners obscure the progress made in reducing the number of dogs killed in shelters by combining dog and cat numbers and by implying that they are all former pets that are now dumped and dying because no one wants them. They neglect to note that a large number of these animals are either surrendered by their owners for euthanasia because they are old and sick, seriously injured, or dangerously aggressive; that many of the dogs euthanized are unidentified, unclaimed strays that are too old, sick, injured or aggressive to be placed in new homes; and many of the cats euthanized are feral animals that were never owned but were trapped and impounded because they have become nuisances.
NAIA believes that dog and cat shelter intakes and euthanasias should be considered separately and that plans to reduce the number of shelter deaths of each species should be formulated to address these individual differences.
For example, while shelters in some parts of the country may have a surplus of puppies, those puppies are generally adopted, not euthanized. Studies have shown that the vast majority of dogs entering shelters are unwanted by their current owners or are unidentified strays that are not reclaimed by their owners. Therefore, NAIA believes that intervention before owners become frustrated and dogs become community nuisances is the key to reducing shelter surrenders and death. A combination of educational programs provided by shelters, dog clubs, veterinarians, and other dog professionals and strict enforcement of animal control and nuisance laws will go a long way towards the goal.
Many cats entering shelters have been trapped as feral animals. Although feral kittens can adjust to life as house pets if caught young enough, adult feral cats do not adjust to living indoors as pets, so it is misleading to include these cats in any estimate of the numbers of pets dying in shelters. Instead of incarceration and death, a number of communities have instituted programs in which the cats are trapped, vaccinated, and sterilized, then released back into the environment where they often aid in rodent control on farms and urban areas.
NAIA opposes laws that target these problems by attempting to restrict or ban breeding or penalize responsible owners of intact dogs and cats. Instead NAIA recommends that those who would like to further reduce the number of shelter deaths urge community leaders to study local pet population dynamics to identify where the problems lie, mobilize shelters and dog and cat fanciers to devise and implement solutions, and insist on strict enforcement of animal control and nuisance laws.
- NAIA's Guide to constructing pet friendly ordinances
- "Redefining pet overpopulation: The no-kill movement and the new jet setters"
- "Save Our Strays: A comprehensive look at the dog and cat population dilemmas"
- "Canine euthanasia risks"
- NAIA archived articles about cats
- The LA Catastrophe
- NAIA: Dog fanciers can join forces to turn the tables on anti-breed, anti-breeder, and anti-pet groups
- NAIA: Canine Issues Dog Breeders & Trainers Alliance
- NAIA: Is it compassionate to cut back on dog breeding?
- National Council on Pet Population and Study
Many owners consider their pets to be part of their families. As a result, they use family terms to describe their relationship with the animals that share their lives. Some owners consider themselves 'pet parents' and treat their animals as children. The latest American Pet Products Manufacturers Association survey shows that 62% of American households own at least one pet and 47% own more than one. These pet owners spend an estimated $30 billion annually on their dogs, cats, fish, birds, rodents and reptiles because they love their animals and want to provide the best possible care for them.
Advocates of rights for animals have seized on this closeness between people and their pets to initiate a campaign to undermine pet ownership. They claim that making owners into guardians will result in better treatment for animals. However, their campaign rhetoric tells a different story: here they admit that they intend to use their effort as a wedge to end the ownership of pets.
In their own words:
"Our goal: to convince people to rescue and adopt instead of buying or selling animals, to disavow the language and concept of animal ownership." - Eliot Katz, In Defense of Animals
" ... If people had companion animals in their homes, those animals would have to be refugees from the animal shelters and the streets. You would have a protective relationship with them just as you would with an orphaned child. ..." -Ingrid Newkirk, PETA vice-president, quoted in The Harper's Forum Book, Jack Hitt, ed., 1989, p.223.
US law is based on ownership of property, including animals. Property rights protect owners and their pets from unwarranted seizure by authorities and allow owners to make decisions about pet care, training, breeding, housing, and other matters.
NAIA strongly supports laws that preserve our right to own pets, recognize acceptable animal care practices based on sound veterinary science, clearly define animal cruelty and neglect, and hold animal owners fully accountable for animal welfare violations.
NAIA's position is that pets are best protected and cared for by those who own them and therefore strongly opposes concepts and policies that allow others to make those decisions. NAIA also believes that replacing 'pet owner' with 'pet guardian' will
- clog the courts with frivolous cases brought by animal rights extremists on behalf of dogs, cats and other pets.
- harm animals by creating confusion about who is responsible for their care.
- make veterinary care so expensive that many animals will not receive it or will be prematurely euthanized.
- lead to increasingly restrictive animal care laws and regulations.
- limit the right of individuals to buy and sell pets as they choose.
- Guardian surfaces in San Francisco
- Los Angeles considers guardian proposal
- NAIA brochure: The 'pet guardian movement': an innocent attempt to improve animal care or the end of pet ownership?
- Dog fanciers can join forces to turn the tables on anti-breed, anti-breeder, and anti-pet groups
Animal shelters fall into three general categories: Humane societies, private shelters, and animal control agencies. Like other animal interests and industries, shelters fall within a continuum of philosophies, policies, and missions. Some promote a no-kill philosophy even while dickering with others about the meaning of "no-kill." Some build fund-raising efforts around the numbers of animals they kill rather than the number they save. Some have such strict adoption policies that almost no one can qualify to get a pet, and others will sell a pet to anyone with the adoption fee and a leash.
Publicly funded animal control agencies also operate under a range of policies, but because they are charged by law with protecting the community from dogs that are nuisances or dangerous and because they do no fund-raising around humane issues, they are often denigrated as animal killers. However, many animal control agencies employ exemplary policies and practices that responsibly increase pet adoptions and provide community education about responsible pet ownership.
Some humane societies solve their money problems by contracting to fulfill animal control services for their communities even though such agreements cause confusion among staff and volunteers and open them to criticism for conflict of interest between their function as animal caretakers and their responsibilities as law enforcement authorities. Some shelters decline to become government partners in animal control, and others that have signed such contracts in the past are giving them up.
No-kill shelters are not all the same. Some use reason and common sense when writing policies that determine the adoptability of animals, and others will not euthanize an animal no matter how much it is suffering or how dangerous it might be. Some provide treatment to animals with mild illnesses and controllable chronic illnesses, fix traumatic but repairable injuries, provide socialization and training for unruly dogs, bring malnourished dogs back to health, and euthanize those animals that cannot be rehabilitated by reasonable efforts to treat medical or behavioral problems. Some release vicious dogs to the public regardless of the risks to public safety and spend thousands of dollars to save an animal when death would be a release from chronic pain and suffering. Some no-kill shelters aggressively market adoptable animals, and others have such strict adoption requirements that few people can qualify for a new pet.
Animal control shelters, including those operated by private humane societies, are sometimes forced to use narrower criteria for assessing adoptability than private shelters because their mandate is set by government statutes, ordinances, regulations and policies rather than by a mission statement. Accordingly, and because (unlike private shelters and SPCAs) animal control agencies generally accept all dogs and cats that are brought to them and are required by law to keep them regardless of their adoptability for a specified period of time, crowding may force animal control agencies to euthanize adoptable animals or ones with milder health or behavior problems such as ear mites, kennel cough, skin lesions, excessive barking, or destructive chewing, in order to free up space for more adoptable animals.
NAIA supports animal shelters and animal control agencies that
- Provide temporary shelter for dogs and cats impounded under animal control laws or surrendered by owners who can no longer care for their pets;
- Set reasonable policies for rehabilitating animals and placing them in new homes,
- Educate the public about responsible pet care and training,
- Conduct adoption programs that parallel the placement efforts of responsible breeders, and
- Are willing to take back any animal that does not work in its new home.
NAIA urges all shelters, public and private, to scan for microchips in incoming dogs, implant chips in adopted dogs, provide basic training and socialization for dogs before adoption, work with rescues and breeders to match prospective owners to a dog that fits their lifestyles and meets their needs, and coordinate training efforts with local training clubs and businesses.
NAIA recognizes the value of cooperative programs between shelters and prisons both for training and socializing dogs to prepare them for new homes and for teaching skills to nonviolent inmates.
NAIA also supports animal control agencies that make the tough decision to euthanize a dog in the interest of public safety, especially when the decision is made in the face of vocal opposition from activists intent upon vilifying the agency and second-guessing its policies and judgment. NAIA believes that local governments should adequately fund animal control agencies so that they are able to put policies in place that will enhance public safety and provide humane treatment for the dogs in their care.
Although few studies about the numbers of animals entering shelters and the numbers of healthy animals euthanized in shelters have been done and those that are available depend on a limited number of survey responses, all indications are that fewer dogs are entering animal shelters, more of the dogs that are entering shelters are leaving for new homes, and there is actually a shortage of puppies and small dogs in some areas of the country. However, activists who oppose dog breeding claim that there is still a huge overpopulation of dogs and cats in the US, that euthanasia in shelters is increasing, and that dog breeders are somehow to blame for the shelter deaths. These activists promote mandatory spay and neuter laws and other restrictions on breeding as the solution to "overpopulation" and conduct annual drives to convince owners that every intact pet will be responsible for thousands more dogs or cats in its fertile lifetime.
NAIA recognizes that responsible pet owners and breeders do not contribute to shelter dog intakes and deaths and supports the rights of dog and cat owners to make their own decisions about pet sterilization and breeding. NAIA opposes mandatory sterilization of pets but encourages owners to voluntarily take steps to prevent accidental litters and to leave breeding to those who can make the personal and financial sacrifices necessary to make informed, responsible breeding decisions.
Breed rescue programs have undoubtedly resulted in fewer shelter deaths because they rescue purebred dogs and cats from shelters and provide an option for owners forced to surrender a pet. NAIA applauds those breed-specific organizations that provide temporary homes and care for dogs and cats in need, offer transport to new homes, and help owners through the initial bonding with a new pet.
NAIA does not support the so-called rescue groups that justify taking animals from their lawful owners in the name of humane rescue. Such individuals and groups often consider themselves above the law and steal animals from owners whose practices they dislike. NAIA opposes illegal activities and supports due process for pet owners who are targeted by such activities.
NAIA also recognizes that some people who conduct private animal welfare programs may become inundated with animals because they lose their perspective. These people take any animal that comes to their door, may have difficulty in placing animals because they find fault with many potential adopters, and may ultimately end up unable to properly care for the animals they have. NAIA believes that such people should be held to the same standards of care that other animal owners must attain, not excused because they are 'rescuing' unwanted pets. At the same time, they should also be treated with compassion, not imprisoned or assessed maximum fines.
NAIA supports reasonable laws to protect the public from dangerous dogs and opposes breed-specific legislation in any form. Breed-specific laws target good dogs and responsible animal owners along with the bad.
Unfortunately, sensational media coverage and misleading claims of canine super strength and cunning of some breeds of dogs, especially the bull-and-terrier breeds and crossbreeds, have manipulated public opinion. These factors often lead to limits on breeding and owning certain types of dogs despite the fact that many individual dogs fitting the description are beloved family pets or valuable working partners. Restrictions from outright bans to requirements for confinement, insurance, and spay and neuter often follow incidents in which a breed and its crosses are implicated in aggressive incidents or dog fighting or other criminal activity. Such limits cause the death of many well-behaved pets and rob law-abiding pet owners of their rights to choose a breed or mix and responsibly own or maintain a pet or working dog without government interference.
NAIA supports nuisance ordinances and dangerous dog laws to protect the community against unruly or dangerous dogs and irresponsible dog owners. NAIA supports sentences for violation of dog confinement and nuisance laws that include mandatory attendance at a basic obedience training class. AKC dog obedience clubs have provided such classes for the general public for decades and, together with private trainers, they represent a well-established community resource for courts dealing with dog-related offenses.
- AKC Position Statements
- AKC Legislative Alerts
- AKC: Canine Legislation
- AKC: Homeowners' Insurance and Dogs
- AKC: Make Your Contact Count
- AKC: Preparing For Action
- AKC: What Do You Mean, Lobby?
- AKC dog obedience clubs
- NAIA Trust
- NAIA: A Changing Public
- NAIA: A woman's work is never done
- NAIA AnimalTalk Email List
- Dog lovers don red and black ribbons for breed ban awareness campaign
- NAIA: Canine Issues Dog Breeders & Trainers Alliance
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|Conventional Long Name:||Territory of Guam|
|National Motto:||"Tano I' Man Chamorro"|
|National Anthem:||"Fanohge Chamoru"|
"Stand Ye Guamanians"
"The Star-Spangled Banner"
|Largest Settlement Type:||city|
|Ethnic Groups Year:||2015|
|Religion:||75% Roman Catholic |
5.6% Other religions
|Membership Type:||Sovereign state|
|Government Type:||Territorial presidential constitutional republic|
|Leader Title3:||Lieutenant governor|
|Legislature:||Legislature of Guam|
|Sovereignty Type:||Unincorporated and organized territory of the United States|
|Established Event1:||Part of Spanish East Indies|
|Established Date1:||April 27, 1565|
|Established Event2:||Capture of Guam|
|Established Date2:||June 20, 1898|
|Established Event3:||First Battle of Guam|
|Established Date3:||December 8, 1941|
|Established Event4:||Part of Empire of Japan|
|Established Date4:||December 11, 1941|
|Established Event5:||Second Battle of Guam|
|Established Date5:||July 21, 1944|
|Area Sq Mi:||210|
|Population Estimate Year:||2016|
|Population Estimate Rank:||n/a|
|Population Census Year:||2010|
|Population Density Sq Mi:||775|
|Population Density Rank:||n/a|
|Gdp Ppp:||$4.88 billion|
|Gdp Ppp Year:||2013|
|Gdp Ppp Rank:||n/a|
|Gdp Ppp Per Capita:||$30,500|
|Gdp Ppp Per Capita Rank:||n/a|
|Currency:||United States dollar|
|Time Zone:||Chamorro Time Zone|
|Status:||Unincorporated and organized territory|
|Area Magnitude:||1 E8|
Guam (; Chamorro: Chamorro: Guåhån in Chamorro pronounced as /ˈɡʷɑhɑn/) is an unincorporated and organized territory of the United States in Micronesia in the western Pacific Ocean. It is the westernmost point (in terms of jurisdiction) and territory of the United States, along with the Northern Mariana Islands. The capital city of Guam is Hagåtña and the most populous city is Dededo. The inhabitants of Guam are called Guamanians, and they are American citizens by birth. Indigenous Guamanians are the Chamorros, who are related to other Austronesian natives to the west in the Philippines and Taiwan.
In 2016, 162,742 people resided on Guam. Guam has an area of and a population density of . In Oceania, it is the largest and southernmost of the Mariana Islands and the largest island in Micronesia. Among its municipalities, Mongmong-Toto-Maite has the highest population density at, whereas Inarajan and Umatac have the lowest density at . The highest point is Mount Lamlam at 1332feet above sea level. Since the 1960s, the economy has been supported by two industries: tourism and the United States Armed Forces.
The indigenous Chamorros settled the island approximately 4,000 years ago. Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan, while in the service of Spain, was the first European to visit the island, on March 6, 1521. Guam was colonized by Spain in 1668 with settlers, including Diego Luis de San Vitores, a Catholic Jesuit missionary. Between the 16th century and the 18th century, Guam was an important stopover for the Spanish Manila Galleons. During the Spanish–American War, the United States captured Guam on June 21, 1898. Under the Treaty of Paris, Spain ceded Guam to the United States on December 10, 1898. Guam is among the seventeen non-self-governing territories listed by the United Nations.
On December 7, 1941, hours after the attack on Pearl Harbor, Guam was captured by the Japanese, who occupied the island for two and a half years. During the occupation, Guamanians were subjected to beheadings, forced labor, rape, and torture. American forces recaptured the island on July 21, 1944; Liberation Day commemorates the victory.
See main article: article and History of Guam. The original inhabitants of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands were the Chamorro people, who are believed to be descendants of Austronesian people originating from Southeast Asia as early as 2000 BC.
The ancient Chamorro society had four classes: chamorri (chiefs), matua (upper class), achaot (middle class), and mana'chang (lower class). The matua were located in the coastal villages, which meant they had the best access to fishing grounds, whereas the mana'chang were located in the interior of the island. Matua and mana'chang rarely communicated with each other, and matua often used achaot as intermediaries. There were also "makåhna" or "kakahna", shamans with magical powers and "Suruhånu" or "Suruhåna" healers who use different kinds of plants and natural materials to make medicine. Belief in spirits of ancient Chamorros called "Taotao mo'na" still persists as a remnant of pre-European culture. It is believed that "Suruhånu" or "Suruhåna" are the only ones who can safely harvest plants and other natural materials from their homes or "hålomtåno’" without incurring the wrath of the "Taotao mo'na". Their society was organized along matrilineal clans.
Latte stones are stone pillars that are found only in the Mariana Islands; they are a recent development in Pre-Contact Chamorro society. The latte-stone was used as a foundation on which thatched huts were built. Latte stones consist of a base shaped from limestone called the haligi and with a capstone, or tåsa, made either from a large brain coral or limestone, placed on top. A possible source for these stones, the Rota Latte Stone Quarry, was discovered in 1925 on Rota.
The first European to travel to Guam was Portuguese navigator Ferdinand Magellan, sailing for the King of Spain, when he sighted the island on March 6, 1521, during his fleet's circumnavigation of the globe. When Magellan arrived on Guam, he was greeted by hundreds of small outrigger canoes that appeared to be flying over the water, due to their considerable speed. These outrigger canoes were called Proas, and resulted in Magellan naming Guam Islas de las Velas Latinas ("Islands of the Lateen sails"). Antonio Pigafetta (one of Magellan's original 18) said that the name was "Island of Sails", but he also writes that the inhabitants "entered the ships and stole whatever they could lay their hands on", including "the small boat that was fastened to the poop of the flagship." "Those people are poor, but ingenious and very thievish, on account of which we called those three islands Islas de los Ladrones ("Islands of thieves")."
Despite Magellan's visit, Guam was not officially claimed by Spain until January 26, 1565, by General Miguel López de Legazpi. From 1565 to 1815, Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, the only Spanish outposts in the Pacific Ocean east of the Philippines, were an important resting stop for the Manila galleons, a fleet that covered the Pacific trade route between Acapulco and Manila. To protect these Pacific fleets, Spain built several defensive structures that still stand today, such as Fort Nuestra Señora de la Soledad in Umatac. Guam is the biggest single segment of Micronesia, the largest islands between the island of Kyushu (Japan), New Guinea, the Philippines, and the Hawaiian Islands.
Spanish colonization commenced on June 15, 1668, with the arrival of Diego Luis de San Vitores and Pedro Calungsod, who established the first Catholic church. The islands were part of the Spanish East Indies governed from the Philippines, which were in turn part of the Viceroyalty of New Spain based in Mexico City. Other reminders of colonial times include the old Governor's Palace in Plaza de España and the Spanish Bridge, both in Hagatña. Guam's Cathedral Dulce Nombre de Maria was formally opened on February 2, 1669, as was the Royal College of San Juan de Letran. Guam, along with the rest of the Mariana and Caroline Islands, were treated as part of Spain's colony in the Philippines. While the island's Chamorro culture has indigenous roots, the cultures of both Guam and the Northern Marianas have many similarities with Spanish culture due to three centuries of Spanish rule.
Intermittent warfare lasting from July 23, 1670, until July 1695, plus the typhoons of 1671 and 1693, and in particular the smallpox epidemic of 1688, reduced the Chamorro population from 50,000 to 10,000, finally to less than 5,000. Precipitated by the death of Quipuha, and the murder of Father San Vitores and Pedro Calungsod by local rebel chief Matapang, tensions led to a number of conflicts. Captain Juan de Santiago started a campaign to conquer the island, which was continued by the successive commanders of the Spanish forces.
After his arrival in 1674, Captain Damian de Esplana ordered the arrest of rebels who attacked the population of certain towns. Hostilities eventually led to the destruction of villages such as Chochogo, Pepura, Tumon, Sidia-Aty, Sagua, Nagan and Ninca. Starting in June 1676, the first Spanish Governor of Guam, Capt. Francisco de Irrisarri y Vinar, controlled internal affairs more strictly than his predecessors in order to curb tensions. He also ordered the construction of schools, roads and other infrastructure. Later, Capt. Jose de Quiroga arrived in 1680 and continued some of the development projects started by his predecessors. He also continued the search for the rebels who had assassinated Father San Vitores, resulting in campaigns against the rebels which were hiding out in some islands, eventually leading to the death of Matapang, Hurao and Aguarin. Quiroga brought some natives from the northern islands to Guam, ordering the population to live in a few large villages. These included Jinapsan, Umatac, Pago, Agat and Inarajan, where he built a number of churches. By July 1695, Quiroga had completed the conquest of Guam, Rota, Tinian and Aguigan.
On February 26, 1767, Charles III of Spain issued a decree confiscating the property of the Jesuits and banishing them from Spain and her possessions. As a consequence, the Jesuit fathers on Guam departed on November 2, 1769, on the schooner Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe, abandoning their churches, rectories and ranches.
The arrival of Governor Don Mariano Tobias, on September 15, 1771, brought agricultural reforms, including making land available to the islanders for cultivation, encouraged the development of cattle raising, imported deer and water buffalo from Manila, donkeys and mules from Acapulco, established cotton mills and salt pans, free public schools, and the first Guam militia. Later, he was transferred to Manila in June 1774.
Following the Napoleonic Wars, many Spanish colonies in the Western Hemisphere had become independent, shifting the economic dependence of Guam from Mexico to the Philippines. Don Francisco Ramon de Villalobos, who became governor in 1831, improved economic conditions including the promotion of rice cultivation and the establishment of a leper hospital.
Otto von Kotzebue visited the island in November 1817, and Louis de Freycinet in March 1819. Jules Dumont d'Urville made two visits, the first in May 1828. The island became a rest stop for whalers starting in 1823.
A devastating typhoon struck the island on August 10, 1848, followed by a severe earthquake on January 25, 1849, which resulted in many refugees from the Caroline Islands, victims of the resultant tsunami. After a smallpox epidemic killed 3,644 Guamanians in 1856, Carolinians and Japanese were permitted to settle in the Marianas. Guam received nineteen Filipino prisoners after their failed 1872 Cavite mutiny.
After almost four centuries as part of the Kingdom of Spain, the United States occupied the island following Spain's defeat in the 1898 Spanish–American War, as part of the Treaty of Paris of 1898. Guam was transferred to the United States Navy control on December 23, 1898, by Executive Order 108-A from 25th President William McKinley. Guam came to serve as a station for American merchant and warships traveling to and from the Philippines (another American acquisition from Spain) while the Northern Mariana Islands were sold by Spain to Germany for part of its rapidly expanding German Empire, then following the German defeat in World War I (1914-1918) became a League of Nations Mandate in 1919 with the nearby Empire of Japan as the mandatory ("trustee") as a member nation of the victorious Allies in the "Great War". A U.S. Navy yard was established at Piti in 1899, and a United States Marine Corps barracks at Sumay in 1901. Following the Philippine–American War (also known as the Philippine Insurrection, 1899-1902), rebel nationalist leaders Emilio Aguinaldo and Apolinario Mabini were exiled on Guam in 1901 after their capture.
A marine seaplane unit was stationed in Guam from 1921 to 1930, the first in the Pacific. Pan American World Airways established a seaplane base on the island for its trans-Pacific San Francisco-Manila-Hong Kong route, and the Commercial Pacific Cable Company had earlier built a telegraph/telephone station in 1903 for its trans-oceanic communication line. During World War II (1939-1945), Guam was attacked and invaded by Japan on Monday, December 8, 1941, shortly after the attack on Pearl Harbor's American Pacific fleet and naval/air bases in Hawaii, hours before. In addition, Japan made major military moves into Southeast Asia and the East Indies islands of the South Pacific Ocean against the British and Dutch colonies, opening a new wider Pacific phase in the Second World War. The Japanese renamed Guam Ōmiya-jima (ja.: 大宮島) or Great Shrine Island.
The Northern Mariana Islands had become a League of Nations mandate assigned to Japan in 1919, pursuant to the Treaty of Versailles of 1919. Chamorros indigenous island people from the Northern Marianas were brought to Guam to serve as interpreters and in other capacities for the occupying Japanese force. The Guamanian Chamorros were treated as an occupied enemy by the Japanese military. After the war, this would cause resentment between the Guamanian Chamorros and the Chamorros of the Northern Marianas. Guam's Chamorros believed their northern brethren should have been compassionate towards them, whereas having been administered by Japan for over 30 years, the Northern Mariana Chamorros were loyal to the Japanese government.
The Japanese occupation of Guam lasted for approximately thirty-one months. During this period, the indigenous people of Guam were subjected to forced labor, family separation, incarceration, execution, concentration camps and forced prostitution. Approximately one thousand people died during the occupation, according to later Congressional committee testimony in 2004. Some historians estimate that war violence killed 10% of Guam's then 20,000 population.
The United States returned and fought the Battle of Guam from July 21 to August 10, 1944, to recapture the island from Japanese military occupation. More than 18,000 Japanese were killed as only 485 surrendered. Sergeant Shoichi Yokoi, who surrendered in January 1972, appears to have been the last confirmed Japanese holdout for 28 years in the forested back country on Guam. The United States also captured and occupied the nearby Northern Marianas Islands.
After World War II, the Guam Organic Act of 1950 established Guam as an unincorporated organized territory of the United States, provided for the structure of the island's civilian government, and granted the people U.S. citizenship. The Governor of Guam was federally appointed until 1968, when the Guam Elective Governor Act provided for the office's popular election. Since Guam is not a U.S. state, U.S. citizens residing on Guam are not allowed to vote for president and their congressional representative is a non-voting member. They do, however, get to vote for party delegates in presidential primaries.
See also: Operation Arc Light and Operation Rolling Thunder. Andersen Air Force Base played a major role in the Vietnam War. The host unit was later designated the 36th Wing (36 WG), assigned to the Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) Thirteenth Air Force (13AF). In September 2012, 13 AF was inactivated and its functions merged into PACAF. The multinational Cope North military exercise is an annual event. On August 6, 1997, Guam was the site of the Korean Air Flight 801 aircraft accident. The Boeing 747–300 jetliner was preparing to land when it crashed into a hill, killing 228 of the 254 people on board. Since 1974, about 124 historic sites in Guam have been recognized under the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. Guam temporarily hosted 100,000 Vietnamese refugees in 1975, and 6,600 Kurdish refugees in 1996.
In August 2017, North Korea warned that it might launch mid-range ballistic missiles into waters within 18miles24miles of Guam, following an exchange of threats between the governments of North Korea and the United States.
Guam lies between 13.2°N and 13.7°N and between 144.6°E and 145.0°E, and has an area of 212sqmi, making it the 32nd largest island of the United States. It is the southernmost and largest island in the Mariana island chain and is also the largest island in Micronesia. This island chain was created by the colliding Pacific and Philippine Sea tectonic plates. Guam is the closest land mass to the Mariana Trench, a deep subduction zone, that lies beside the island chain to the east. Challenger Deep, the deepest surveyed point in the Oceans, is southwest of Guam at 35797feet deep. The highest point in Guam is Mount Lamlam at an elevation of 1334feet.
The island of Guam is 30miles long and 4to wide, three-fourths the size of Singapore. The island experiences occasional earthquakes due to its location on the western edge of the Pacific Plate and near the Philippine Sea Plate. In recent years, earthquakes with epicenters near Guam have had magnitudes ranging from 5.0 to 8.7. Unlike the Anatahan volcano in the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam is not volcanically active. However, due to its proximity to Anatahan, vog (i.e. volcanic smog) does occasionally affect Guam.
A coral table reef surrounds most of Guam, and the limestone plateau provides the source for most of the island's fresh water. Steep coastal cliffs dominate the north, while the southern end of the island is mountainous, with lower hills in between.
Guam experiences a tropical rainforest climate (Köppen Af) – though its driest month of March almost averages dry enough to qualify as a tropical monsoon climate – moderated by seasonal easterly trade winds. However, due to its proximity to the equator, high sea surface temperature and warm ocean current that transports moisture from the east, the weather is generally very warm and humid throughout the year with little seasonal temperature variation. Hence, Guam is known to have equable temperatures year round. The mean high temperature is 86°F and mean low is 76°F. Temperatures rarely exceed 90°F or fall below 70°F. The relative humidity commonly exceeds 84 percent at night throughout the year, but the average monthly humidity hovers near 66 percent. The dry season runs from December to June. The remaining months (July to November) constitute the wet season with an average annual rainfall between 1981 and 2010 of around 98inches. The months of January and February are considered the coolest months of the year with overnight low temperatures of 70to and generally less oppressive humidity levels. The highest temperature ever recorded in Guam was 96F on April 18, 1971, and April 1, 1990, and the lowest temperature ever recorded was 65F on February 8, 1973.
Guam is located in Typhoon Alley and it is common for the island to be threatened by tropical storms and possible typhoons during the wet season. The highest risk of typhoons is during August through October. They can, however, occur year-round. The most intense typhoon to pass over Guam recently was Super Typhoon Pongsona, with sustained winds of 144mph, gusts to 173mph, which slammed Guam on December 8, 2002, leaving massive destruction. The wettest month on record at Guam Airport has been August 1997 with 38.49inches and the driest February 2015 with 0.15inches. The wettest calendar year has been 1976 with 131.7inches and the driest 1998 with 57.88inches. The most rainfall in a single day occurred on 15 October 1953 when 15.48inches fell.
Since Super Typhoon Pamela in 1976, wooden structures have been largely replaced by concrete structures. During the 1980s wooden utility poles began to be replaced by typhoon-resistant concrete and steel poles. After the local Government enforced stricter construction codes, many home and business owners built their structures out of reinforced concrete with installed typhoon shutters.
Based on a 2010 estimate, the largest ethnic group are the native Chamorros, accounting for 37.3% of the total population. Other significant ethnic groups include those of Filipino (26.3%), White (7.1%), and Chuukese (7%) ethnicities. The rest are from other Pacific Islands or of Asian ancestry.
The official languages of the island are English and Chamorro.
See also: Music of Guam.
See also: Culture of Guam.
Post-European-contact Chamorro Guamanian culture is a combination of American, Spanish, Filipino, other Micronesian Islander and Mexican traditions. Few indigenous pre-Hispanic customs remained following Spanish contact. Hispanic influences are manifested in the local language, music, dance, sea navigation, cuisine, fishing, games (such as batu, chonka, estuleks, and bayogu), songs and fashion.
During Spanish colonial rule (1668–1898) the majority of the population was converted to Roman Catholicism and religious festivities such as Easter and Christmas became widespread. Post-contact Chamorro cuisine is largely based on corn, and includes tortillas, tamales, atole and chilaquiles, which are a clear influence from Mesoamerica, principally Mexico, from Spanish trade with Asia.
The modern Chamorro language has many historical parallels to modern Philippine languages in that it is an Austronesian language which has absorbed much Spanish vocabulary. The language lies within the Malayo-Polynesian languages subgroup, along with such languages as Tagalog, Indonesian, Hawaiian, and Maori. Despite being spoken in the mid Pacific Ocean, which is geographically closer to speakers of the Polynesian Islands, Chamorro is actually a linguistic outlier of the Sunda–Sulawesi languages, and is thus more closely related to, and a part of, the languages of the Malay Archipelago, rather than its neighbours in Polynesia. Among the languages of the Malay Archipelago, Chamorro is most closely related to the languages at the south of archipelago, in Indonesia, rather than the languages at the north, in the Philippines, with which it otherwise shares colonial linguistic influence from Spanish.
As with Filipinos, many Chamorros have Spanish surnames, although also like most Filipinos few of the inhabitants are themselves descended from the Spanish colonizers. Instead, Spanish names and surnames became commonplace after their conversion to Roman Catholic Christianity and the historical event of the imposition of the Catálogo alfabético de apellidos in Guam and other territories of the Spanish East Indies, most notably the Philippines.
Due to foreign cultural influence from Spain, most aspects of the early indigenous culture have been lost, though there has been a resurgence in preserving any remaining pre-Hispanic culture in the last few decades. Some scholars have traveled throughout the Pacific Islands conducting research to study what the original Chamorro cultural practices such as dance, language, and canoe building may have been like.
Two aspects of indigenous pre-Hispanic culture that withstood time are chenchule' and inafa'maolek. Chenchule' is the intricate system of reciprocity at the heart of Chamorro society. It is rooted in the core value of inafa'maolek. Historian Lawrence Cunningham in 1992 wrote, "In a Chamorro sense, the land and its produce belong to everyone. Chamorro: [[Inafa'maolek]], or interdependence, is the key, or central value, in Chamorro culture ... Chamorro: Inafa'maolek depends on a spirit of cooperation and sharing. This is the armature, or core, that everything in Chamorro culture revolves around. It is a powerful concern for mutuality rather than individualism and private property rights."
The core culture or Pengngan Chamorro is based on complex social protocol centered upon respect: from sniffing over the hands of the elders (called mangnginge in Chamorro), the passing down of legends, chants, and courtship rituals, to a person asking for permission from spiritual ancestors before entering a jungle or ancient battle grounds. Other practices predating Spanish conquest include galaide' canoe-making, making of the belembaotuyan (a string musical instrument made from a gourd), fashioning of Chamorro: åcho' atupat slings and slingstones, tool manufacture, Chamorro: [[Måtan Guma']] burial rituals, and preparation of herbal medicines by Suruhanu.
Master craftsmen and women specialize in weavings, including plaited work (niyok- and åkgak-leaf baskets, mats, bags, hats, and food containments), loom-woven material (kalachucha-hibiscus and banana fiber skirts, belts and burial shrouds), and body ornamentation (bead and shell necklaces, bracelets, earrings, belts and combs made from tortoise shells and Spondylus).
The cosmopolitan and multicultural nature of modern Guam poses challenges for Chamorros struggling to preserve their culture and identity amidst forces of acculturation. The increasing numbers of Chamorros, especially Chamorro youth, relocating to the U.S. Mainland has further complicated both definition and preservation of Chamorro identity. While only a few masters exist to continue traditional art forms, the resurgence of interest among the Chamorros to preserve the language and culture has resulted in a growing number of young Chamorros who seek to continue the ancient ways of the Chamorro people.
The Guam national football team was founded in 1975 and joined FIFA in 1996. Guam was once considered one of FIFA's weakest teams, and experienced their first victory over a FIFA-registered side in 2009, when they defeated Mongolia in the East Asian Cup.
Guam entered the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification Group D. Guam hosted qualifying games on the island for the first time in 2015. During the qualifying round, Guam clinched their first FIFA World Cup Qualifying win by defeating Turkmenistan. Since then, the team has experienced moderate success in the Qualifying Round with a record of 2–1–1.
The national team plays at the Guam National Football Stadium, which has a capacity of 1,000. The men's national football team are known as the "matao" team. Matao is the definition of highest level or "noble" class; the matao team have done exceptionally well under the head coach Gary White. As of 2016, the Matao is led by Darren Sawatzky, the current head coach.
The top football division in Guam is the Guam Men's Soccer League. Rovers FC and Guam Shipyard are the league's most competitive and successful clubs, both have won nine championships in the past years.
As of 2015, it is the reigning champion of the Pacific Games Basketball Tournament.
Guam is represented in rugby union by the Guam national rugby union team. The team has never qualified for a Rugby World Cup. Guam played their first match in 2005, an 8–8 draw with India. Guam's biggest win was a 74–0 defeat of Brunei in June 2008.
See also: Energy in Guam. Guam's economy depends primarily on tourism, Department of Defense installations and locally owned businesses. Despite paying no income or excise tax, it receives large transfer payments from the general revenues of the U.S. federal treasury. Under the provisions of a special law by Congress, it is Guam's treasury rather than the U.S. treasury that receives the federal income taxes paid by local taxpayers (including military and civilian federal employees assigned to Guam).
Lying in the western Pacific, Guam is a popular destination for Japanese tourists. Its tourist hub, Tumon, features over 20 large hotels, a Duty Free Shoppers Galleria, Pleasure Island district, indoor aquarium, Sandcastle Las Vegas–styled shows and other shopping and entertainment venues. It is a relatively short flight from Asia or Australia compared to Hawaii, with hotels and seven public golf courses accommodating over a million tourists per year. Although 75% of the tourists are Japanese, Guam receives a sizable number of tourists from South Korea, the U.S., the Philippines, and Taiwan. Significant sources of revenue include duty-free designer shopping outlets, and the American-style malls: Micronesia Mall, Guam Premier Outlets, the Agana Shopping Center, and the world's largest Kmart.
The economy had been stable since 2000 due to increased tourism. It is expected to stabilize with the transfer of U.S. Marine Corps' 3rd Marine Expeditionary Force, currently in Okinawa, Japan, (approximately 8,000 Marines, along with their 10,000 dependents), to Guam between 2010 and 2015. In 2003, Guam had a 14% unemployment rate, and the government suffered a $314 million shortfall.
The Compacts of Free Association between the United States, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands and the Republic of Palau accorded the former entities of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands a political status of "free association" with the United States. The Compacts give citizens of these island nations generally no restrictions to reside in the United States (also its territories), and many were attracted to Guam due to its proximity, environmental, and cultural familiarity. Over the years, it was claimed by some in Guam that the territory has had to bear the brunt of this agreement in the form of public assistance programs and public education for those from the regions involved, and the federal government should compensate the states and territories affected by this type of migration. Over the years, Congress had appropriated "Compact Impact" aids to Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands and Hawaii, and eventually this appropriation was written into each renewed Compact. Some, however, continue to claim the compensation is not enough or that the distribution of actual compensation received is significantly disproportionate.
Guam's largest single private sector employer, with about 1,400 jobs, was Continental Micronesia, a subsidiary of Continental Airlines; it is now a part of United Airlines, a subsidiary of Chicago-based United Continental Holdings, Inc. the Continental Micronesia annual payroll in Guam was $90 million.
The District Court of Guam is the court of United States federal jurisdiction in the territory. Guam elects one delegate to the United States House of Representatives, currently Democrat Madeleine Z. Bordallo. The delegate does not have a vote on the final passage of legislation, but is accorded a vote in committee, and the privilege to speak to the House. U.S. citizens in Guam vote in a straw poll for their choice in the U.S. Presidential general election, but since Guam has no votes in the Electoral College, the poll has no real effect. However, in sending delegates to the Republican and Democratic national conventions, Guam does have influence in the national presidential race. These delegates are elected by local party conventions.
In the 1980s and early 1990s, there was a significant movement in favor of this U.S. territory becoming a commonwealth, which would give it a level of self-government similar to Puerto Rico and the Northern Mariana Islands. However, the federal government rejected the version of a commonwealth that the government of Guam proposed, because its clauses were incompatible with the Territorial Clause (Art. IV, Sec. 3, cl. 2) of the U.S. Constitution. Other movements advocate U.S. statehood for Guam, union with the state of Hawaii, or union with the Northern Mariana Islands as a single territory, or independence.
In a 1982 plebiscite, voters indicated interest in seeking commonwealth status. The island has been considering another non-binding plebiscite on decolonization since 1998. Governor Eddie Baza Calvo intended to include one during the island's November 2016 elections but it was delayed again.
A Commission on Decolonization was established in 1997 to educate the people of Guam about the various political status options in its relationship with the U.S.: statehood, free association and independence. The group was dormant for some years. In 2013, the Commission began seeking funding to start a public education campaign. There were few subsequent developments until late 2016. In early December 2016, the Commission scheduled a series of education sessions in various villages about the current status of Guam's relationship with the U.S. and the self-determination options that might be considered. The Commission's current Executive Director is Edward Alvarez and there are ten members. The group is also expected to release position papers on independence and statehood but the contents have not yet been completed.
The United Nations is in favor of greater self-determination for Guam and other such territories. The UN's Special Committee on Decolonization has agreed to endorse the Governor's education plan. The commission's May 2016 report states: "With academics from the University of Guam, [the Commission] was working to create and approve educational materials. The Office of the Governor was collaborating closely with the Commission" in developing educational materials for the public.
The United States Department of the Interior had approved a $300,000 grant for decolonization education, Edward Alvarez told the United Nations Pacific Regional Seminar in May 2016. "We are hopeful that this might indicate a shift in [United States] policy to its Non-Self-Governing Territories such as Guam, where they will be more willing to engage in discussions about our future and offer true support to help push us towards true self-governances and self-determination."
The U.S. military maintains jurisdiction over its bases, which cover approximately 39000acres, or 29% of the island's total land area:
In addition to on-shore military installations, Guam, along with the rest of the Mariana Islands, is being prepared to be the westernmost military training range for the U.S. Guam is currently viewed as a key military hub that will further allow U.S. military power to be projected via sea and sky.
The U.S. military has proposed building a new aircraft carrier berth on Guam and moving 8,600 Marines, and 9,000 of their dependents, to Guam from Okinawa, Japan. Including the required construction workers, this buildup would increase Guam's population by 45%. In a February 2010 letter, the United States Environmental Protection Agency sharply criticized these plans because of a water shortfall, sewage problems and the impact on coral reefs. By 2012, these plans had been cut to have only a maximum of 4,800 Marines stationed on the island, two thirds of whom would be there on a rotational basis without their dependents.
With the proposed increased military presence stemming from the upcoming preparation efforts and relocation efforts of U.S. Marines from Okinawa, Japan to Guam slated to begin in 2010 and last for the next several years thereafter, the amount of total land that the military will control or tenant may grow to or surpass 40% of the entire landmass of Guam.
In January 2011, the Ike Skelton National Defense Authorization Act for FY2011 indicated that recent significant events will delay the deadline for realigning U.S. Marine Corps service members and their families from Okinawa to Guam. The transfer may be as late as 2020. In addition, the Defense Authorization Act cut approximately $320 million from the 2011 budget request.
Villagers and the military community are interconnected in many ways. Many villagers serve in the military or are retired. Many active duty personnel and Defense Department civilians also live in the villages outside of the military installation areas. The military and village communities have "adoption" programs where Guam's population and military personnel stationed on Guam perform community service projects.
Most of the island has state-of-the-art mobile phone services and high-speed internet widely available through either cable or DSL. Guam was added to the North American Numbering Plan (NANP) in 1997 (country code 671 became NANP area code 671), removing the barrier of high-cost international long-distance calls to the U.S. mainland.
Guam is also a major hub for submarine cables between the Western U.S., Hawaii, Australia and Asia. Guam currently serves twelve submarine cables, with most continuing to China.
In 1899, the local postage stamps were overprinted "Guam" as was done for the other former Spanish colonies, but this was discontinued shortly thereafter and regular U.S. postage stamps have been used ever since. Because Guam is also part of the U.S. Postal System (postal abbreviation: GU, ZIP code range: 96910–96932), mail to Guam from the U.S. mainland is considered domestic and no additional charges are required. Private shipping companies, such as FedEx, UPS, and DHL, however, have no obligation to do so, and do not regard Guam as domestic.
The speed of mail traveling between Guam and the states varies depending on size and time of year. Light, first-class items generally take less than a week to or from the mainland, but larger first-class or Priority items can take a week or two. Fourth-class mail, such as magazines, are transported by sea after reaching Hawaii. Most residents use post office boxes or private mail boxes, although residential delivery is becoming increasingly available. Incoming mail not from the Americas should be addressed to "Guam" instead of "USA" to avoid being routed the long way through the U.S. mainland and possibly charged a higher rate (especially from Asia).
The Commercial Port of Guam is the island's lifeline because most products must be shipped into Guam for consumers. It receives the weekly calls of the Hawaii-based shipping line Matson, Inc. whose container ships connect Guam with Honolulu, Hawaii, Los Angeles, California, Oakland, California and Seattle, Washington. The port is also the regional transhipment hub for over 500,000 customers throughout the Micronesian region. The port is the shipping and receiving point for containers designated for the island's U.S. Department of Defense installations, Andersen Air Force Base and Commander, Naval Forces Marianas and eventually the Third Marine Expeditionary Force.
Guam is served by the Antonio B. Won Pat International Airport, which is a hub for United Airlines. The island is outside the United States customs zone, so Guam is responsible for establishing and operating its own customs and quarantine agency and jurisdiction. Therefore, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection only carries immigration (but not customs) functions. Since Guam is under federal immigration jurisdiction, passengers arriving directly from the United States skip immigration and proceed directly to Guam Customs and Quarantine.
However, due to the Guam and CNMI visa waiver program for certain countries, an eligibility pre-clearance check is carried on Guam for flights to the States. For travel from the Northern Mariana Islands to Guam, a pre-flight passport and visa check is performed before boarding the flight to Guam. On flights from Guam to the Northern Mariana Islands, no immigration check is performed. Traveling between Guam and the States through a foreign point, however, does require a passport.
Most residents travel within Guam using personally owned vehicles. The local government currently outsources the only public bus system (Guam Regional Transit Authority), and some commercial companies operate buses between tourist-frequented locations.
Believed to be a stowaway on a U.S. military transport near the end of World War II, the brown tree snake (Boiga irregularis) was accidentally introduced to Guam, which previously had no native species of snake. It nearly eliminated the native bird population. The problem was exacerbated because the snake has no natural predators on the island. The brown tree snake, known locally as the kulebla, is native to northern and eastern coasts of Australia, Papua New Guinea, and the Solomon Islands. It is slightly venomous, but relatively harmless to human beings; it is nocturnal. Although some studies have suggested a high density of these serpents on Guam, residents rarely see them. The United States Department of Agriculture has trained detector dogs to keep the snakes out of the island's cargo flow. The United States Geological Survey also has dogs that can detect snakes in forested environments around the region's islands.
Before the introduction of the brown tree snake, Guam was home to several endemic bird species. Among them were the Guam rail (or ko'ko bird in Chamorro) and the Guam flycatcher, both common throughout the island. Today the flycatcher is entirely extinct and the Guam rail is extinct in the wild but bred in captivity by the Division of Aquatic and Wildlife Resources. The devastation caused by the snake has been significant over the past several decades. As many as twelve bird species are believed to have been driven to extinction. According to many elders, ko'ko' birds were common in Guam before World War II.
Other bird species threatened by the brown tree snake include the Mariana crow, the Mariana swiftlet, and the Micronesian starling, though populations are present on other islands, including Rota.
Guam is said to have many more insects and 40 times more spiders than neighboring islands, because their natural predators birds are severely diminished, and the forests are almost completely silent due to lack of birdsong.
An infestation of the coconut rhinoceros beetle (CRB), Oryctes rhinoceros, was detected on Guam on September 12, 2007. CRB is not known to occur in the United States except in American Samoa. Delimiting surveys performed September 13–25, 2007, indicated that the infestation was limited to Tumon Bay and Faifai Beach, an area of approximately 900acres. Guam Department of Agriculture (GDA) placed quarantine on all properties within the Tumon area on October 5 and later expanded the quarantine to about 2500acres on October 25; approximately 0.5miles radius in all directions from all known locations of CRB infestation. CRB is native to Southern Asia and distributed throughout Asia and the Western Pacific including Sri Lanka, Upolu, Samoa, American Samoa, Palau, New Britain, West Irian, New Ireland, Pak Island and Manus Island (New Guinea), Fiji, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Mauritius, and Reunion.
From the seventeenth through nineteenth centuries, the Spanish introduced pigs, dogs, chickens, the Philippine deer (Rusa mariannus), black francolins, and carabao (a subspecies of water buffalo), which have cultural significance. Herds of carabao obstruct military base operations and harm native ecosystems. After birth control and adoption efforts were ineffective, the U.S. military began culling the herds in 2002 leading to organized protests from island residents.
Other introduced species include cane toads imported in 1937, the giant African snail (an agricultural pest introduced during World War II by Japanese occupation troops) and more recently frog species which could threaten crops in addition to providing additional food for the brown tree snake population. Reports of loud chirping frogs native to Puerto Rico and known as coquí, that may have arrived from Hawaii, have led to fears that the noise could threaten Guam's tourism.
Guam has no native amphibian species, but now a total of eight amphibian species has been established in Guam. Litoria fallax (native to the eastern coast of Australia) has been present in Guam since 1968, and Rhinella marina (the cane toad) was brought to the island in 1937. The other 6 amphibian species, namely Hylarana guentheri (native to mainland Asia), Microhyla pulchra (native to mainland Asia), Polypedates braueri (endemic to Taiwan), Eleutherodactylus planirostris (native to the Caribbean), Fejervarya cancrivora (the Guam variety being most closely related to F. cancrivora found in Taiwan), and Fejervarya limnocharis (native to Southeast Asia), have been in Guam since 2003. Many species were likely inadvertently introduced via shipping cargo, especially from Taiwan, mainland China, and Southeast Asia.
Introduced feral pigs and deer, over-hunting, and habitat loss from human development are also major factors in the decline and loss of Guam's native plants and animals.
Invading animal species are not the only threat to Guam's native flora. Tinangaja, a virus affecting coconut palms, was first observed on the island in 1917 when copra production was still a major part of Guam's economy. Though coconut plantations no longer exist on the island, the dead and infected trees that have resulted from the epidemic are seen throughout the forests of Guam.
During the past century, the dense forests of northern Guam have been largely replaced by thick tangan-tangan brush (Leucaena leucocephala). Much of Guam's foliage was lost during World War II. In 1947, the U.S. military is thought to have planted tangan-tangan by seeding the island from the air to prevent erosion. Tangan-tangan was present on the island before 1905.
In southern Guam, non-native grass species dominate much of the landscape. Although the colorful and impressive flame tree (Delonix regia) is found throughout the Marianas, the tree on Guam has been largely decimated.
Wildfires plague the forested areas of Guam every dry season despite the island's humid climate. Most fires are caused by humans with 80% resulting from arson. Poachers often start fires to attract deer to the new growth. Invasive grass species that rely on fire as part of their natural life cycle grow in many regularly burned areas. Grasslands and "barrens" have replaced previously forested areas leading to greater soil erosion. During the rainy season, sediment is carried by the heavy rains into the Fena Lake Reservoir and Ugum River, leading to water quality problems for southern Guam. Eroded silt also destroys the marine life in reefs around the island. Soil stabilization efforts by volunteers and forestry workers (planting trees) have had little success in preserving natural habitats.
Efforts have been made to protect Guam's coral reef habitats from pollution, eroded silt and overfishing, problems that have led to decreased fish populations. This has both ecological and economic value, as Guam is a significant vacation spot for scuba divers. In recent years, the Department of Agriculture, Division of Aquatic and Wildlife Resources has established several new marine preserves where fish populations are monitored by biologists. Before adopting U.S. Environmental Protection Agency standards, portions of Tumon Bay were dredged by the hotel chains to provide a better experience for hotel guests. Tumon Bay has since been made into a preserve. A federal Guam National Wildlife Refuge in northern Guam protects the decimated sea turtle population in addition to a small colony of Mariana fruit bats.
Harvest of sea turtle eggs was a common occurrence on Guam before World War II. The green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas) was harvested legally on Guam before August 1978, when it was listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. The hawksbill sea turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) has been on the endangered list since 1970. In an effort to ensure protection of sea turtles on Guam, routine sightings are counted during aerial surveys and nest sites are recorded and monitored for hatchlings.
The University of Guam (UOG) and Guam Community College, both fully accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, offer courses in higher education. UOG is a member of the exclusive group of only 76 land-grant institutions in the entire United States. Pacific Islands University is a small Christian liberal arts institution nationally accredited by the Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools. They offer courses at both the undergraduate and graduate levels.
See also: List of schools in Guam. The Guam Department of Education serves the entire island of Guam. In 2000, 32,000 students attended Guam's public schools. Guam Public Schools have struggled with problems such as high dropout rates and poor test scores. Guam's educational system has always faced unique challenges as a small community located 6000miles from the U.S. mainland with a very diverse student body including many students who come from backgrounds without traditional American education. An economic downturn in Guam since the mid-1990s has compounded the problems in schools.
Before September 1997, the U.S. Department of Defense partnered with Guam Board of Education. In September 1997, the DoDEA opened its own schools for children of military personnel. DoDEA schools, which also serve children of some federal civilian employees, had an attendance of 2,500 in 2000. DoDEA Guam operates three elementary/middle schools and one high school.
The Government of Guam maintains the island's main health care facility, Guam Memorial Hospital, in Tamuning. U.S. board certified doctors and dentists practice in all specialties. In addition, the U.S. Naval Hospital in Agana Heights serves active-duty members and dependents of the military community. There is one subscriber-based air ambulance located on the island, CareJet, which provides emergency patient transportation across Guam and surrounding islands. A private hospital, the Guam Regional Medical City opened its doors in early 2016.
Over the years, a number of films have been shot on Guam, including Shiro's Head (directed by the Muna brothers) and the government-funded (2004). Although set on Guam, No Man Is an Island (1962) was not shot there, but in the Republic of the Philippines.
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Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer and the second most common cause of death from cancer in Canada. It is a highly treatable cancer if it is detected early. Yet, half the people diagnosed will find out too late and most people don't even bother to get tested.
Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in Canada, with the incidence of colorectal cancer in Ontario one of the highest globally. Sobering statistics. What can you do to reduce your risk?
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This tutorial is for newcomers who have never worked with Windows before. Most of the screenshots are from Windows 7; however, the tutorials are also appropriate for Windows 10 (see Win10 abc's
). To learn about operating systems in general, see operating system
. For handy Windows tips, see Win tips
What's a Window?
A window is a rectangular area on screen with a title bar and program name at the top. Each time you launch (run) a Windows application, it is displayed in its own window. You can launch several applications and keep them all open.
You can place windows side-by-side in order to view more than one document at the same time. The windows can be moved around, overlapped, made smaller or made to take up the full screen, and you can easily switch between them. When you rerun an application, it should come back in the same window size that existed when you exited the program.
Windows in Windows
Windows, the Mac and every other graphics-based operating system, display applications in a window. This shows the computer's desktop partially covered by four open programs, each in a window. Applications can also open up other windows.
To learn the basics, bookmark this section and read the following entries in sequence. All the Windows how to's in this encyclopedia start with a "Win" prefix.
A - Start Menu and Taskbar
The Start menu is the launching pad for running applications, and the title bar and Taskbar identify what is running. See Win Start menu
, Win Title bar
, Win Taskbar
and Win File menu
B - Switching and Moving Windows
You can switch from one open application to another, and you can take a window off screen temporarily. You can move windows around on screen and change their size. See Win Switch windows
, Win Minimize windows
, Win Copy between windows
and Win Change window position and size
C - Using Windows Explorer
Since install programs create the appropriate folders for storing the application, and since the applications save data into default folders, many users never deal with file management. However, you may want to add folders for better organization, or you may want to transfer data into or out of the computer via a USB drive. In such cases, the Explorer utility is used, which is an important component in Windows. See Win Explorer
, Win Folder organization
, Win Create new folder
, Win Highlighting items
, Win Copy/move files/folders
and Win Drag and drop
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Plan A for stopping Ebola calls for shutting it down where it's already occurring, and that's not working. There's no Plan B in place to prevent it from expanding even further, especially if it hits a busy area with limited health care. So it's time for Plan C, writes public health expert Michael T. Osterholm at Politico: "The only guaranteed solution to ending this Ebola crisis is to develop, manufacture, and deliver an effective Ebola vaccine, potentially to most of the people in West Africa, and maybe even to most of the population of the African continent." That means we need 500 million doses of a vaccine that still needs to be developed.
Osterholm sees massive challenges in fighting the disease, which could affect some 1.4 million people in Liberia and Sierra Leone by early next year, according to the CDC. "The epidemic is unfolding on 'virus time,'" he notes, which is far quicker than the "bureaucracy time" required by organizations to deal with it. Distributing a vaccine will require a response from governments and vaccine makers on par with efforts against influenza, "mobilizing people and resources on a massive scale—it has to be the international community’s top priority," Osterholm writes. But he offers a ray of hope: "I feel certain that a safe and effective Ebola vaccine is on [its] way." Click for the full piece.
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What are you thankful for?
The first Thanksgiving took place in the New World in 1621 where the autumn harvest was shared among Plymouth colonists and the Wampanoag Indians. Thanksgiving can be symbolized by many things including showing gratitude. Make learning fun and put a twist on your holiday season by adding family-fun crafts and activities! Check out these fun ways to talk about what you are grateful for this year! Share your favorite holiday activities with others in our comment section below.
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A recent study suggests that approximants—sounds such as /l/; /r/; /w/; and /y/—appear less often in swear words than they do in other words. The paper is The sound of swearing: Are there universal patterns in profanity?, by Shiri Lev-Ari and Ryan McKay (2022) published online in December 2022 by the experimental psychology journal Psychonomic…… Continue reading Do swear words contain some sounds more often?
There are many varieties of English pronunciation. The existence of different varieties has implications for English spelling. A paper by the retired phonetician John Wells discusses some of those implications. https://www.phon.ucl.ac.uk/home/wells/accents_spellingreform.htm One of those implications arises from the distinction between rhotic varieties and non-rhotic varieties. In the following positions, rhotic varieties pronounce the sound /r/…… Continue reading Learning by rote for non-rhotic speakers
Today (9 October) is Hangul Day. Hangul is the name used in South Korea and most of the world for the writing system used in writing Korean. Origin of Hangul Before the 15th century, most written documents in Korea were in Chinese. When Korean was written, people used Chinese characters, known in Korean as…… Continue reading Hangul Day
According to a quiz I read recently, the 6th language to be designated in India as a ‘classical language’ is Odia. I had never heard of Odia, so I wanted to find out more. The Language Odia belongs, with Bengali and Assamese to the Madaghan sub-family of Indo-Aryan (Klaiman, 1990). Indo-Aryan is itself part of…… Continue reading Odia, a classical language in India
A French former colleague of mine talked sometimes about doing her ironing. When she did, she pronounced the ‘r’ sound (a rhotic sound, rhotic from the Greek letter rho: ρ). This always made me think she was announcing a switch into an ironic mode.
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As the phrase suggests, cardioprotection is any physical or nutritional measure that guards against injury or harm to the heart and its function, with respect to any of the bodily systems in which it is a component, including the cardiovascular, cardiopulmonary, and cardiorespiratory systems.
There are various ways to help protect the heart. Regular physical exercise is important as there exists overwhelming scientific evidence that physically active people have both a lower incidence of coronary disease generally, as well less likelihood of sustaining a ischemia-reperfusion injury, commonly known as heart attack. Physically active persons also tend to survive the cellular damage caused to heart muscle by a heart attack better than physically inactive persons. Another good routine is taking nutritional antioxidants, including vitamins C and E.
The principles of cardioprotection are best understood in the context of what happens to the heart muscles and arteries during an attack. The coronary arteries (those that flow directly into the heart muscle) can become clogged with a plaque substance that is a buildup within the walls of the artery. The plaque is composed of cholesterol, a soft, fat-like, waxy substance that adheres to the artery wall, causing the artery to narrow—a condition known as arteriosclerosis. The clogged artery does not permit optimum blood flow, and there is a corresponding reduction in the ability of the body to deliver oxygen to the heart muscle.
A heart attack will occur where there is an arterial blood clot that causes a reduction of blood to the heart. The period between the reduction in blood flow and the resumption of a regular flow is the measure of the severity of the heart attack. When the blood flow to the heart is interrupted for less than five minutes, the heart will typically recover normal function, with minimal damage. However, when the blood flow to the heart is interrupted for a period in excess of 20 minutes, the cells of the heart muscle sustain permanent, irreversible damage, as cardiac cell muscles do not regenerate. This cell damage results in a permanent loss of heart function and capacity to pump blood.
Heart disease can be accelerated through a number of factors, such as cigarette smoking, the use of narcotics, or diet. Such factors aside, there is a clear correlation between the amount of exercise performed by an individual and the risk of coronary disease. While physical exercise is a certain cardio-protector, the quantity and the intensity of the exercise are factors that will determine the extent of the protection. Generally, the greater the intensity level of the regular exercise activity, the less risk of a heart-related illness.
Regular physical exercise, defined as a minimum of four sessions of 30 minutes duration per week, where the energy demands are a minimum of 250 calories per session, tends to reduce the risk of other related heart conditions, chiefly hypertension (high blood pressure), high cholesterol, and diabetes.
The same minimum level of physical exercise will protect the heart against the damage caused in attacks that threaten permanent cardiac injury due to heart cell death. Exercise promotes better collateral circulation in the body, providing the blood with a number of alternate avenues for circulation. Exercise is also believed to facilitate the production in the heart muscle of certain proteins, referred to as heat shock proteins, that strengthen these muscles when exposed to the stress of a heart attack.
Antioxidants are those compounds that operate within the body to slow the destruction of cells. An antioxidant will tend to seek out and neutralize molecules known as radicals, which are a byproduct of chemical processes within the body and which, if left to operate within the bloodstream, tend to speed the destruction of cells. It is known that when vitamin C, vitamin E, and alpha lipoic acid are all present in the cells of the heart muscle, there is protection afforded against the cellular injury of prolonged heart attack. Vitamin E is a fat-soluble compound that is the most commonly found antioxidant in nature. Vitamin C is a natural, water-soluble substance that works in partnership with vitamin E. Alpha lipoic acid is a water-soluble acid that works with vitamin C.
While all of the antioxidants identified as cardio-protectors occur naturally in foods, nutritional supplements are a further means to ingest these compounds. Multivitamins are a common source of these cardioprotectors. As with any supplement, the regular consumption of any supplement that is in excess of the daily requirements of the body creates another set of health risks. Each of these antioxidant compounds is toxic if consumed in excessive amounts.
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Since it is important for you as a parent to begin teaching your kids to count at home, there are several factors you may need to take into account. Among the main benefits of commencing your child's math education is that it will offer them an advantage in school. They will have a firm understanding of fundamental counting and number concepts by the age they attend kindergarten.
An excellent method to strengthen your relationship with your child and aid in the development of their fine motor abilities is to encourage them to teach about numbers first. It's a terrific chance to show kids how to concentrate and give heed for extensive lengths of time, which will help them in all of their daily activities.
Last but not least, introducing math to your child at a young age can help them grow to have a favorable outlook on the topic. Due to the difficulty or boredom, children all too frequently form unfavorable associations with it. You can encourage your children to realize that math can be pleasurable and satisfying by teaching them in a creative and interesting way.
Most likely, your child can count to 20 and is proficient with the unpleasant "teen words" "thirteen," "fourteen," and others. The majority of five-year-olds are able to read and write numerals up to ten. Counting to 100 and reading numerals up to 20 may be skills that older 5-year-olds have.
Relative quantity understanding in children as young as 5 is also developing. Your child will likely know the answer if you question whether six is greater than or less than three.
Make math entertaining. Math abilities can be reinforced by playing Chutes and Ladders-style games where you roll dice or count spaces. Keep demonstrating to your children how you employ math on a daily basis in your shopping, cooking, and construction activities.
Informal and interactive instruction is best. Question your children about how many eggs would remain in the carton if only four of the five eggs were used when baking cookies, for example. Afterward, let your children break four eggs into a bowl and total the remaining pieces.
A wonderful method to strengthen your relationship with your child is to tutor them to count. It's an opportunity for you to interact with them personally and develop a strong relationship. During this time, you can engage in conversation with them, discover their hobbies, and simply enjoy yourself.
You're also assisting your child in the development of their fine motor abilities when you encourage them to count. They will benefit from this for the entirety of their lives and it is crucial to their general well-being.
We also have more printable chart you may like:
100 Chart Full Page Printable
100 Number Grid Chart Printable
Counting By 10s Chart Printable
The procedures listed below can be used by your kids to become experts in counting if you wish to teach them how to count by 1s (by using their fingers to count to 100).
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The Human Side of Heartbleed
The announcement on April 7 was alarming. A new Internet vulnerability called Heartbleed could allow hackers to steal your logins and passwords. It affected a piece of security software that is used on half a million websites worldwide. Fixing it would be hard: It would strain our security infrastructure and the patience of users everywhere.
It was a software insecurity, but the problem was entirely human.
Software has vulnerabilities because it’s written by people, and people make mistakes — thousands of mistakes. This particular mistake was made in 2011 by a German graduate student who was one of the unpaid volunteers working on a piece of software called OpenSSL. The update was approved by a British consultant.
In retrospect, the mistake should have been obvious, and it’s amazing that no one caught it. But even though thousands of large companies around the world used this critical piece of software for free, no one took the time to review the code after its release.
The mistake was discovered around March 21, 2014, and was reported on April 1 by Neel Mehta of Google’s security team, who quickly realized how potentially devastating it was. Two days later, in an odd coincidence, researchers at a security company called Codenomicon independently discovered it.
When a researcher discovers a major vulnerability in a widely used piece of software, he generally discloses it responsibly. Why? As soon as a vulnerability becomes public, criminals will start using it to hack systems, steal identities, and generally create mayhem, so we have to work together to fix the vulnerability quickly after it’s announced.
The researchers alerted some of the larger companies quietly so that they could fix their systems before the public announcement. (Who to tell early is another very human problem: If you tell too few, you’re not really helping, but if you tell too many, the secret could get out.) Then Codenomicon announced the vulnerability.
One of the biggest problems we face in the security community is how to communicate these sorts of vulnerabilities. The story is technical, and people often don’t know how to react to the risk. In this case, the Codenomicon researchers did well. They created a public website explaining (in simple terms) the vulnerability and how to fix it, and they created a logo — a red bleeding heart — that every news outlet used for coverage of the story.
The first week of coverage varied widely, as some people panicked and others downplayed the threat. This wasn’t surprising: There was a lot of uncertainty about the risk, and it wasn’t immediately obvious how disastrous the vulnerability actually was.
The major Internet companies were quick to patch vulnerable systems. Individuals were less likely to update their passwords, but by and large, that was OK.
True to form, hackers started exploiting the vulnerability within minutes of the announcement. We assume that governments also exploited the vulnerability while they could. I’m sure the U.S. National Security Agency had advance warning.
By now, it’s largely over. There are still lots of unpatched systems out there. (Many of them are embedded hardware systems that can’t be patched.) The risk of attack is still there, but minimal. In the end, the actual damage was also minimal, although the expense of restoring security was great.
The question that remains is this: What should we expect in the future — are there more Heartbleeds out there?
Yes. Yes there are. The software we use contains thousands of mistakes — many of them security vulnerabilities. Lots of people are looking for these vulnerabilities: Researchers are looking for them. Criminals and hackers are looking for them. National intelligence agencies in the United States, the United Kingdom, China, Russia, and elsewhere are looking for them. The software vendors themselves are looking for them.
What happens when a vulnerability is found depends on who finds it. If the vendor finds it, it quietly fixes it. If a researcher finds it, he or she alerts the vendor and then reports it to the public. If a national intelligence agency finds the vulnerability, it either quietly uses it to spy on others or — if we’re lucky — alerts the vendor. If criminals and hackers find it, they use it until a security company notices and alerts the vendor, and then it gets fixed — usually within a month.
Heartbleed was unique because there was no single fix. The software had to be updated, and then websites had to regenerate their encryption keys and get new public-key certificates. After that, people had to update their passwords. This multi-stage process had to take place publicly, which is why the announcement happened the way it did.
Yes, it’ll happen again. But most of the time, it’ll be easier to deal with than this.
This essay previously appeared on The Mark News.
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The original cutting implements used by humans consisted of pieces of flint or other stone that had been chipped to form an edge. Such bits of stone evolved into the knife, among the first tools to be developed by humankind. Eventually, the stone blade became longer; the handle was wrapped with leather to avoid accidentally cutting the hand; and the knife was carried everywhere its owner went.
In the martial encounters between tribes, the spear, which is a knife with a long handle, and the club were favored in order to keep some distance between combatants. But when things got up close and personal, the knife came into play. Thus when the arts of warfare evolved and bronze weapons were used, the sword—a large and long knife—together with the spear and club were considered honorable implements of war. The knife was deemed the last resort of the gentleman or the sole weapon of the brigand and the assassin. In the days of chivalry, the knights bore swords and lances for self-defense while peasants and out-laws carried knives to protect themselves. The knife was a kind of secret weapon, and therefore considered base by those who faced one another with swords or lances. Men and women of any means whatsoever used knives
In various systems of magic, from the times of human and animal sacrifice to ceremonial rituals, the knife has played an extremely important role. The magic circles of protection
Knives are used in various divination practices simply by spinning them and seeing toward which object, number, person, and so forth, the blade points. Other traditions believe it is bad luck to spin a knife on the table, fearing that it symbolizes death for the one to whom it points.
While magicians use their magic knife to stir their potions, many individuals believe that those who use a knife to stir their tea, coffee, or food will summon strife. To drop a knife while eating, some people believe, is a sign that unexpected company will soon arrive. Others fear that to drop a knife will bring illness to the household. With the knife having played such an important and integral role in the societal and spiritual development of humankind, it is little wonder that there should be many superstitions regarding its use and misuse.
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The University at Odense (in Denmark) just setup a new supercomputing cluster built entirely on commodity hardware.
It is worthwhile to compare this to the supercomputers built with 'rocket-grade' technology, i.e. the fast Crays and the IBM peta-flop machine.
The price performance ratio of the commodity system cannot be beat of course. But The Horseshoe as the commodity system is dubbed is close to the maximum considerable on commodity hardware with 512 PC's in parallel.
By comparison the top crays will be 20 times as fast (servicing 10K PCs would not be fun) and the IBM machine 50 times faster again (servicing 500K PCs is decidedly non-funny) and as to power consumption - the PC solutions is on a level with the Crays (based on reported price of power the consumption for the full cluster is approximately 73KW (1.7 MDKK for three years continued use at 1.2 per KWh comes out at about 73KW) with the IBM solution coming in at much lower consumption rates (2MW per Peta flop i.e. 4KW for 2 TeraFlops). The heat from the PC's will take quite a cooling system. And scaling the cooling system without doing something like the Cray or IBM solution.
So the IBM technology would save 0.5 MDKK per year on power alone.
In this article, a member of the Danish system team declares the supercomputer "dead" - but from the industrial scale environment you would need to invest in to scale the commodity solution, I'm guessing that if you really need top speed, they are far from dead.
Supercomputers are also clustered systems, but the power use and sheer physical size of a large scale clustered system should ensure a place for custom hardware one would guess.
A recent visit to top500.org and links found there gives some nice price and performance quotes for fast systems.
First off, the possibilty of HorseShoe actually reaching 2 TeraFlops on real problems is hypothetical. This performance is the pure processor speed, where memory bandwidth and the price of parallelization is not considered. From the design of the HorseShoe (commodity networking - fast ethernet only). One would guess that you would need an algorithm that works well with very coarse grained parallelism to achieve any performance near the theoretical topspeed. Indeed only the top 23 systems on the worldwide list are rated > 1TFlops at top500. But that test is only a test of LINPACK, so for search problems or simulations it may not be veri significant.
Secondly, pricing: ASCI White had a cost, reportedly, of 110 M$ two years ago. Assuming it could be done at half that rice today we're still way above the price of a commoidty system. On the other hand IBM plans to build Blue Gene (or at least Blue Gene/L) for 100 M$ by 2004. This machine will be rated at 200TFlops, so the price per TFlop will be 0.5 M$. Assuming a drop in price/performance of 2 over the next couple of years also, this is still comparable to the price of a commodity system today. and the x100 scalefactor will be hard to do for the commodity cluster.
So commodity systems can't beat custom systems, even if the processors of almost all the supercomputers are commodity processors.
Cray is developing a 50 GFlop computer (the SV2 mentioned earlier) using a more traditional supercomputing approach. There are some price announcements for Govt. orders for two these systems, but is is unclear whether the reported 19M$ includes a full-sized system.Posted by Claus at July 22, 2002 10:49 AM
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- Name :saul
- Meaning :asked, prayed and loan they have,what prayed,saul that the guys his name is pronounced sahl. it is of hebrew origin, and the meaning of saul is "prayed." biblical: the first king of israel; it is also the hebrew name of the apostle paul. the name was widely used in the late-19th century. author saul bellow.,questions
- Gender :Boy
Similar Names For saul
- Micahmicah as a young man by the name (less often that the girls name micah) is very m & e-cah. it is of hebrew origin, and the meaning of micah is "who is like god?". biblical: a prophet and author of the book of micah. also as a variant of michael.,micah as a girl, the name is used (also, in general, as boys' name micah) is very m & e-cah. it is of hebrew origin, and the meaning of micah is "who is like god?". biblically: the name of a daughter of king saul, married to king david. also as an abbreviation of michael.,what man is as god?,who is like god?,who is like the lord
- JohnGod has been gracious: has shown favor in the bible John the baptist baptized christ in the jordan, Eldest son of Saul,God is Benevolent,merciful and gracious
- Jonathangift of the lord,god gives,god has given,god has given; friendship, loyalty,jonathan how to a girl's name is pronounced jahn-a-tuna. it is of hebrew origin, and the meaning of jonathan is "gift of god". in relation to nathan. biblical: the son of king saul, jonathan was known for his manliness, generosity and altruism. he saved david when saul wanted to kill." author: jonathan swift; the actor jon voight, jonathan lipnicki.
- AasilName itself gives aggression. means to assault cruelly and constantly, Name itself gives aggression. means to assault cruelly and constantly
- Gibsona bright, young,gibson as a young man by the name is the old english origin, and the meaning of gibson is "son of gilbert". gibbes and variants go back to 1066 in the noble family gybbes assaulted, along with william. the actor mel gibson.,gilbert, son of,son of gilbert
- Augiethe name guty is a name of children . guty is a lovely and, at this point, cool that sounds like an abbreviated form, as the cis of the emerging august and all its variants, from st. augustine to augustus. the adventures of augie march is a 1953, and the novel of nobel prize winner saul bellow.
Select the collection list Create +
Create New CollectionCollection Name
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“I Wish I’d Been There”
By Navyn Naran
wish i’d been there,
Angels. not a stir i sense,
why, o pigeon,
in the peace of this night
i am spinning at that cave,
i wish i’d been there,
i wish i’d been there,
i wish i’d been there…
A brief note about the poem
The poem by Navyn Naran (see profile below) is in reference to the story of the Hegira (migration) of the Prophet from Mecca to Yathrib (Medina) when, in 622 AC, he was warned of a plot to assasinate him. “And the (unbelievers) plotted and planned, and Allah too planned, and the best of planners is Allah.” Holy Qur’an (3:53)
When the messenger of Allah took leave, his house was besieged by young men drawn from the Quraish tribe. The place of the Prophet on his bed was taken by Hazrat Ali to confuse the men and to act as witness of their actions. “And among men is he who sells his Nafs (self) in exchange for the pleasure of Allah.” (2:207). By sleeping in Muhammad’s bed as masquerade, Ali gambled his own life to obstruct an assassination plot, so that his cousin could retreat in safety. Ali survived the conspiracy, but risked his life again; he stayed in Mecca to carry out Muhammad’s directions: this was to return to their owners all the assets they had relegated to Muhammad for guardianship.
The enemies were aghast that the Prophet had escaped them, and pursued the Prophet until they arrived at the cave at Mount Thaur, en route to Medina, where the Prophet was hiding with Abu Bakr. “And God helped His Apostle when the unbelievers banished him. And when they were in the cave, he said to the second of the two: ‘do not be grief-stricken. God is with us.’ And God bestowed His peace upon him (upon His Apostle).” (9:40)
The cave, as stories relate, was covered with a spider’s web, misleading the enemies into thinking that it had long been abandoned. The Prophet remained in the cave for three days, and then continued his journey to Medina where he was received as a hero. This migration has a special significance in the history of Islam. It ended the period of ignominy and anguish in Mecca and began the era of progress. In this poem, Navyn lovingly and in utmost humility expresses the wish to be the spider that spun the web over the cave’s entrance, and the sandals which carried the Prophet on his arduous and dangerous journey. The sandals and terrain later represent the same wish for every Imam in time. In an expression of continuity in her journey she wishes she had been present when the Imam Blessed his Ismaili Murids of Badakhshan in the natural beauty and splendour of nature.
About the writer: Dr. Navyn Naran was born in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania, to Anaar and Badrudin Naran. After beginning her high school in the UK, her family immigrated to the USA where she has lived since.
Dr. Naran went to medical school at Tufts University School of Medicine in Boston, MA. She currently works in Paediatric Critical Care in New York State.
She has been an active volunteer in various organizations, medical and otherwise, including Doctors of the World, the Aga Khan Education and Health Boards in the Northeastern United States. Navyn has also offered short term services as a primary care physician in Philippines and also at the Aga Khan Hospital in Dar-es-Salaam.
Amongst her other endeavors, Navyn enjoys her spare time in nature and in literary and creative pursuits such as writing poetry, from which she finds a certain contentment and inner happiness.
2. We welcome feedback/letters from our readers. Please use the LEAVE A REPLY box which appears at the bottom of this page, or email it to email@example.com. Your feedback may be edited for length and brevity, and is subject to moderation. We are unable to acknowledge unpublished letters.
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TUESDAY, June 21 (HealthDay News) -- The frequency of diabetic kidney disease has increased in line with rising rates of diabetes in the United States over the past two decades, a new study finds.
About 40 percent of people with diabetes develop diabetic kidney disease (DKD), which is a leading cause of chronic kidney disease and accounts for nearly half of all new cases of kidney failure in the United States, according to background information in the study in the June 22/29 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
The researchers analyzed national data from the past two decades, and found that the prevalence of DKD in the U.S. population was 2.2 percent in 1988-94, 2.8 percent in 1999-2004 and 3.3 percent in 2005-08.
The demographically adjusted increase in DKD prevalence was 18 percent from 1988-94 to 1999-2004 and 34 percent from 1988-94 to 2005-08.
The estimated number of people with DKD in the United States at any given point in time increased from 3.9 million during 1988-94 to 5.5 million during 1999-2004 to 6.9 million during 2005-08.
The researchers also found that the prevalence of impaired glomerular filtration rate (a measure of kidney function) among people with diabetes increased from 14.9 percent in 1988-94 to 17.7 percent in 2005-08.
"In conclusion, DKD has become more prevalent in the U.S. population over the last two decades and will likely contribute increasingly to health-care costs and mortality," wrote Dr. Ian H. de Boer, of the University of Washington, Seattle, and colleagues.
Increasing use of medications to lower glucose levels and blood pressure haven't seemed to prevent diabetic kidney disease from increasing, he added.
The National Kidney Foundation has more about diabetes and kidney disease.
-- Robert Preidt
SOURCE: Journal of the American Medical Association, news release, June 21, 2011
Last Updated: June 21, 2011
Copyright © 2011 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
May 22: Surgery for Sleep Apnea?
Does removing the tonsils and adenoids help children with sleep apnea?
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More than four decades after the Vietnam War ended, unexploded ordnance remains a serious threat to many communities throughout Vietnam. It is estimated that out of the 15 million tons of munitions used by the U.S during the war, 10% failed to detonate on impact (U.S. Dept. of Defense). This means that many unstable and dangerous munitions still lie just beneath the ground. According to the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs, unexploded bombs have been responsible for more than 100,000 injuries and fatalities since 1975, rendering many of the survivors permanently disabled.
During the war Quang Tri Province was subjected to the heaviest bombing campaign in the history of the world. Quang Tri Province alone has sustained over 8,500 casualties from accidents involving unexploded ordnance, and 31% of the victims have been children. Over 72 million square meters of land have been mapped out as confirmed hazardous areas.
The province ranks 9th among 58 provinces sprayed with Agent Orange and other herbicides. More than 15 thousand people suffer disabilities assumed to be caused by Agent Orange. Although data is not available to measure economic losses of agricultural land or other development restrictions due to widespread unexploded ordnance contamination, these socio-economic costs are considered to be extremely high.
805 total views, 1 views today
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The future with drones: interesting opportunities, open questions5.2.2020
Cities expect that drones may help them fulfil their sustainability objectives. Therefore it is important to examine when and how drones are really an option contributing to carbon neutrality. Also, new solutions are needed for airspace management before drone operations can expand. These were some of the topics at The Nordic Drone Event 2020 in Tampere.
How can drones contribute to sustainability in cities? Tampere, for example, aims to be carbon neutral in 2030. There are plenty of cities with similar goals. A ‘Low-carbon drone solutions’ project family is looking into this. It includes projects with different perspectives but a shared need to test, measure and co-create solutions.
Drones are a new factor, and we need to examine and verify their effects before establishing any operations, summarises Project Manager Heidi Heinonen of Forum Virium Helsinki.
Heinonen is managing The ‘Carbon neutral drone service solutions in Southern Finland’ project, which is piloting and promoting carbon neutral and emissions-free drone services. They study, for example, how drones could be used to reduce CO2 emissions in transport, compared to combustion engine vehicles.
When the same distance is covered by a drone and by a traditional car, drone’s emissions are lower. – But the problem is not solved so simply. There are many variables to be taken into account.
– Increase in drone’s size and load leads to an increase in emissions, and there is variation between drone types. We should also keep in mind that an electric drone needs batteries, and the battery industry is not a clean one as such, says Heinonen.
Further to that, there are plenty of questions to answer. Will citizens want drones flying above their heads? How should cities take drones into account in urban design and city planning? Or, what kind of business opportunities do drones provide?
Uses for drones
In city centres drones might be used for various last mile solutions, making deliveries more cost-effective and sustainable. The host of the Drone Event, Tampere University of Applied Sciences, participates in the ‘New solutions in city logistics’ project that is developing light distribution logistics in urban areas.
Meeting the climate goals might be contributed to, for example, by using a lower-emission drone instead of a van to deliver a parcel in a city centre. A drone flies a straight line to the destination, travelling often a shorter distance than a land vehicle. This makes it an interesting device for transport in rural areas and various emergency and rescue services.
– For example, in case of a fire alarm a drone can fly directly to the scene and relay information that allows the incident commander to make an early assessment of the situation. In security sector there is a clear case of emissions reduction, if a guard monitors an area using a drone instead of driving around it in a car, says Heinonen.
A challenge: airspace management
Both public and private sectors are involved, when the need for and possibilities of utilising drones is reflected, and also citizens’ participation is wanted. The biggest challenge for the rapid expansion of drone operations is the infrastructure. There are innovations and business opportunities, but will they be able to take off?
One of the key bottlenecks for all of this to grow is the ability to access airspace, have the authorisations to fly. And then it comes to all the social acceptance issues, said Alain Siebert, Chief Economist & Master Planning of SESAR Joint Undertaking, when speaking at the Nordic Drone Event 2020.
The modernisation of Europe’s Air Traffic Management (ATM) networks is important because of the forecasted increase in air traffic. Nowadays the system can handle thousands of airplanes, most of them having a pilot to talk to. In the years to come, according to Siebert, Europe needs an infrastructure that can handle hundreds of thousands of different vehicles, most of them unmanned.
To solve this problem for the drones, a concept of U-Space is being developed. It refers to a set of new services and specific procedures designed to support safe, efficient and secure access to airspace for large numbers of drones.
– We know we have to act very fast on that, but it will not be enough. With this type of traffic complexity, we must have automation instead of a human in the centre of information processing for traffic management, says Siebert.
The vision is to build a fully scalable ATC system for all air traffic with new services that will also help eliminate environmental inefficiencies.
As for the regulations, national rules will be replaced by a common EU regulation. The purpose of this reform is to create a truly harmonised drone market in Europe with the highest level of safety. More information about the new EU-wide rules on drones is available on the website of the European Aviation Safety Agency.
The ‘Carbon neutral drone service solutions in Southern Finland’ project’s main implementor is the City of Helsinki innovation company Forum Virium Helsinki Oy. The sub-implementors are Posintra Oy and South-Eastern Finland University of Applied Sciences (Xamk). The project is funded by the European Regional Development Fund ERDF and will run until the end of 2021.
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Richard Wright's Social and Literary Education Continues As He Matures As a Writer in the North
During the Great Depression Richard Wright changed several other jobs. For following the Wall Street crash which ushered in the depression, the volume of mails dropped, Wright's working hours were thus cut back considerably before he finally lost his postal job. He then began work, in 1930, on a novel, Cesspool, about black life in Chicago that was published posthumously as Lawd Today! reflecting his experience in the post office.
In 1931 Wright published a short story, "Superstition," in Abbott's Monthly Magazine, a black journal. But unfortunately the journal fails before Wright collects any money from them. He was also given the opportunity to write through the Federal Writers' Project. so that by the time he moved to New York City, he had written most of the novel Lawd Today, which was published posthumously in 1963.
Christmas comes and Richard works at the post office temporarily, where he again talks to his Irish friend about current events.
When his postal job ends he digs ditches at the Cook County Forest Preserves after which he gets employed in a medical research institute at one of the largest and wealthiest hospitals in Chicago, The Michael Reese Hospital. There he is responsible for caring for the animals used in medical research. He is immediately struck by the racial division set by the hospital authorities. Along with three other black men, Richard is restricted to the basement corridors so as not to allow them to mingle with the white workers. He cleans the operating rooms and the animal cages.
Richard is shocked at the extremely simple and brutalized mind of Bill, a boy of his age, with whom he, worked and who was usually sleepy or drunk.. Unlike the others, including two Brand and Cooke who had been employed at the institute for a longer period of time, Richard takes an interest in what the doctors are doing. One day, one of the doctors leaves a bottle of Nembutal an anesthetic out. Out of his usual curiosity, Richard opens the bottle and smells it. Brand pretends that the Nembutal is poisonous and scares Richard by telling him to run or he'll fall dead.
Once, the authorities sent a young Jewish boy to time Richard as he cleans a room. After timing him, the boys calculate how long it will take Richard to clean all the rooms and five flights of steps. From then on, Richard begins to feel like a slave,always trying to work against time.
At the hospital, Brand and Cooke do nothing but feud with each other. One day, the two begin to argue over what year has the last coldest day in Chicago. Cooke pulls a long knife from his pocket and Brand seizes an ice pick to defend himself. A physical battle then ensues between them. Although no one is hurt, the animal cages topple over, letting dogs, mice, guinea pigs and rats run loose everywhere. The four black workers spend the rest of their lunch break trying to sort the animals out, randomly placing mice and rats in their cages, not knowing whether they were the cancerous rats or the ones injected with tuberculosis. None of the doctors notice anything wrong and neither of the workers tells the director about the disaster. Richard notes that because of the way in which the black workers are treated, they have learnt to form their own code of ethics, values, and loyalty.
Meanwhile, the depression grows worse and Richard is forced to move his family into a small dingy rented apartment. There one morning, his mother tells him there is no food for breakfast, and he must go to the Cook County Bureau of Public Welfare to beg for bread. At the welfare station, Richard is embarrassed at first, but becomes aware of the bonding experience happening around him with: individuals sharing their experiences, thus unifying themselves. He leaves the relief station with a new kind of hope: the possibility that a new understanding of life could be given to those he had met there. Richard sheds some of his cynicism with a desire to understand the common black man.
Richard and his family are still plagued by hunger. With the depression in full swing, hunger plagues the entire community as well. But for Richard, the hunger again manifests itself in a hunger for knowledge, not just food. In the medical institute, Richard longs for the education that he sees other white young men receiving. But his questions are ignored with the doctor even scaring him off learning by telling him that his "brains might explode" should he "know too much." Even in Chicago, he is still being denied access to education.
Richard also begins to sense that he is not alone in his loneliness and poverty. At the relief station, he begins to see that there is an entire society that has been rejected by society itself like him. There is strength in numbers, Richard begins to realize. This he realizes when the black workers are trying to fix the mess they have made in the medical institute; Richard realizes that within the black community among his fellow workers there existed a separate moral code.
One Thursday night, Richard is invited to join a group of white boys whom he had met at the post office to talk about politics, argue, eat and drink. Many of the boys have joined the Communist Party. Then one named Sol announces that one of his short stories is going to be published in a Communist journal. Sol, a member of the John Reed Club a Communist literary organization tries to convince Richard to attend one of their meetings. Richard is doubtful whether the Communist Party has any sincere interest in the black community, but finally attends one of their meetings to ease boredom. He is given a handful of Communist magazines and encouraged to participate in Left Front, one of their journals. Richard decides that he will try to humanize Communism to the common man through his writing, and composes a few verses that are accepted by some of the Communist publications.
Richard attends more of the meetings, and realizes that the club has factional disputes between its members. The disputes are between the writers (those mainly in charge of Left Front) and the painters.
Welcomed and encouraged by the almost entirely white membership, Wright begins to read and study New Masses and International Literature, the organ of the International League of Revolutionary Writers. He writes and submits the revolutionary poems "I Have Seen Black Hands." "A Red Love Note" to Left Front the magazine of the Midwestern John Reed Clubs. Richard is then elected as executive secretary of the Chicago John Reed Club to satisfy both of the feuding factions. He tries to satisfy everybody on top of trying to keep Left Front published, though the Communist Party members saw the publication as useless. He organizes a successful lecture series which allows him to meet a variety of intellectuals. He goes on even to give a lecture at an open forum on "The Literature of the Negro."
The power struggle within the John Reed Club led to the dissolution of the club's leadership. Wright was assured of the support of the club's party members if he was willing to join the party. Richard loses some of his cynicism and gains a little hope that the black community can unite to overcome their obstacles. His hope becomes manifested in his involvement with the Communist Party which he now joins having been impressed by their opposition to racial discrimination. He also got disabused of his expectation that life in the North could be lived with dignity. Richard believes that he can single-handedly unify the political and cultural needs of black society through his words. Richard is fully entrenched in the Communist Party, strengthened by the idea that he will be able to humanize the goals of the Communist movement by injecting their cause with black culture. He became a member of the Communist Party and published poetry and short stories in many of their magazines such as Left Front and Anvil.
One day, a young Jewish man who introduces himself as Comrade Young attends one of the Chicago meetings, stating that he has just moved from Detroit. Being without money, Young asks Richard if he can use the John Reed Club headquarters for lodging. Thinking that Young is sincere and loyal, Richard agrees. He wins the trust of the elder members. Young impresses the best painters in the club with his artwork and becomes admired by all. Richard tries to contact the Detroit chapter to ask for information of Young, but gets no reply. At one meeting, Young accuses Swann one of the club's best young artists of being a Trotskyite traitor to the workers. Chaos and verbal battles ensue within the club.
Then Comrade Young disappears mysteriously. One afternoon, Richard and Comrade Grimm search the luggage that Young had left behind at the club and find a Detroit address, to which Richard writes and asks for him. A few days later, he receives a reply from a mental institution saying that Young had previously escaped but was apprehended and back in custody. All charges against Swann were then dropped and Richard, along with some other trusted members of the club, kept the information about Young a secret from the others.
Meanwhile, the Party decides to disband the John Reed Clubs. At the national meeting in New York, to discuss dissolving the clubs, Richard is unable to find a room to stay in because he is black.
Now a full-fledged member of the Communist Party, Richard attends a secret unit the party's basic form of organization meeting and proposes his idea to humanize the Communist Party to the common black man, by his writing a book of biographical sketches for which. he interviews a member named Ross. Ross, however, has been charged with inciting to riot and is also accused later of being a traitor. Higher-ranking members, such as Ed Green and Buddy Nealson, begin to suspect Richard of the same crimes. Richard soon becomes disillusioned with the Party's goals, and tries to sever all relations with it. He is invited back to witness Ross's trial for his crimes, where Ross breaks down into tears and begs for the Party's forgiveness. Richard is disgusted with the political organization and decides that the only way to reach the common man and evoke a reaction from society is through his writing. The members, despite Richard's background, label him an "intellectual" because of his proper speech and dress. Richard also learns that the unit does not approve of him reading materials outside of Party literature, claiming that other literatures are bourgeois, and not for the masses. Richard begins to fear their militant ignorance. Richard had joined the party because he considered them as blind to race, but he is shocked to realize that they are biased against those favored by other socioeconomic factors, such as education. Wright, is astounded that they can label someone who has grown up in poverty as he has as bourgeois. Their ignorance toward Richard's background serves to isolate him from the party and the Communist vision.
Richard begins to interview Ross, a communist who had been charged with "inciting to riot," for his biographical book. But he begins to receive threats from party leaders with messages such as: "Intellectuals don't fit well into the party, Wright." One morning in Ross's home, a black Communist named Ed Green arrives and begins to question him. Richard. Green is a member of the Party's Central Committee a man with power and is suspicious of Richard's work. As days pass, Ross begins to speak less and less to Richard. Soon afterwards, Ross is charged with anti-leadership tendencies.
Richard' now begins to view their propaganda and tactics as embellished lies and impossible promises. He compares the Communist speaker and the black preacher which suggests that, like the church, Communism is nothing but blind faith. He blatantly questions the success of the Communist Party, asking if "the Negros could possibly cast off his fear and corruption and rise to the task." By the word "task," Wright means overcoming racial oppression and achieving unity.
Richard drops his idea of making a book of biographical sketches and instead, uses his material from Ross to write short stories. As he begins to find a literary voice and ideological affinity in the leftist political ferment of the 1930's, he started writing and publishing widely. He wrote stories, articles and poems for the Daily Worker, New Masses, Midland Left, Anvil and Partisan Review. In April 1931 he published his first major story "Superstition" in Abbot's Monthly. "Big Boy Leaves Home." telling about the shocking end of the childhood of a young black boy was first published in The New Caravan and greeted as the best piece in the anthology in the mainstream newspapers and journals. He enjoys literary and social friendships with Bill Jordan, Abraham Chapman, Howard Nutty and Jane Newton.
Arthur Smith was born and was schooled in Freetown, Sierra Leone. He has taught English since 1977 at Prince of Wales School and, Milton Margai College of Education. He is now a Senior Lecturer at Fourah Bay College where he has been lecturing English language and Literature for the past eight years.
Mr Smith's writings have been appearing in local newspapers as well as in various international media like West Africa Magazine, Index on Censorship, Focus on Library and Information Work. He was one of 17 international visitors who participated in a seminar on contemporary American Literature sponsored by the U.S.State Department in 2006. His growing thoughts and reflections on this trip which took him to various US sights and sounds could be read at lisnews.org.
His other publications include Folktales from Freetown, Langston Hughes Life and Works Celebrating Black Dignity, and 'The Struggle of the Book' He holds a PhD and a professorship in English from the National Open University, Republic of Benin.
- My Hardworking Unknown Friend
- Ernest Hemingway - Beauty and Grace of the Written Word
- Greek Fire - a Terrifying Early Medieval Weapon
- The History of Ashoka the Great
- How the Military Saved the Scottish Kilt
- The Oil Paradox of Nigeria
- The Roman Army Through the Early Period
- Hereward Legendary Hero
- Passport to Heaven
- Do You Love and Respect Old Glory?
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Water-borne diseases are illnesses caused and transmitted by the use and consumption of contaminated water. Irrespective of the cause and point of water contamination, infections are picked up in the course of basic everyday activities like drinking water, preparation and consumption of food, bathing and washing.
The long list of water related diseases and conditions include Anaemia, Ascariasis, Botulism, Diarrhoea, Dracunculiasis, Fluorosis, Hookworm infection, Japanese encephalitis, Lymphatic filariasis, Malaria, Malnutrition, Polio, Ring Worm, Tinea, Scabies, Schistomiasis. But prevalently, the most common and the most troublesome of water related diseases, in terms of public health or health of a community are:
- Typhoid fever
- Hepatitis A
There is also the increased risk of infection or water-borne diseases contracted through direct contact with polluted waters. Among them are:
- Wound infections
- Ear, nose and throat infections
Transmission: Public or private drinking water systems may be contaminated with urine and faeces of people or animals. This is likely to occur where surface water is the source of public and private drinking water systems. Water collected from rain, creeks, rivers, lakes– all account for surface water. Runoff from landfills, septic fields, sewer pipes, residential or industrial developments can also sometimes contaminate surface water.
Prevention: Clean water is a pre- requisite for reducing the spread of water-borne diseases. It is well recognised that the prevalence of water-borne diseases can be greatly reduced by giving due attention to the quality of drinking water and the safe disposal of faeces.
In developed countries access to safe drinking water through piped water supply has led to a dramatic decrease in rates of infections. This is still a scarcity in developing countries.
Piped Water: In India, the concerns with piped water remain in terms of cross contamination with a sewage system in certain cases. Piped water is ideally provided as a continuous supply, which is not the case in India. Most of our urban centres have timed water supply. This leads to increased risk of contamination due to the low pressure that develops in the system. In spite of these problems the availability of piped water has significantly reduced gastrointestinal diseases.
Bottled Water: The bottled water business is not an efficiently regulated industry in our country.
Even in countries like the USA, close to 50 per cent of the bottled water is tap water that is filled into plastic bottles. The mineral content in bottled water is not regulated. The other issues with bottled water are the environmental contamination due to the increase use of plastic, which is a petroleum product. Bottled water can have physical and chemical contaminants.
Physical Contaminants: Physical contaminants can sometimes be found within bottled water even though it has been quality checked. Pieces of plastic, glass or industrial supplies may enter the water during the bottling process. If these contaminants are ingested, they can cause stomach and other health problems.
Chemical Contaminants: The WHO states that chemical contaminants, such as lead, arsenic and benzene, may be present in bottled water. If chemical contaminants build up to high levels they can cause a range of health complications. Carcinogens, or chemicals that may cause cancer, can be found in bottled water. If carcinogens are frequently consumed through bottled water, they can build up in the human body and increase the risk of cancer.
Overhead Tanks: The overhead tanks contain water in a stagnant condition. Stagnant water is an ideal environment for proliferation of bacteria. Plenty of disease causing organisms can be found including salmonella, giardia, vibrio cholera etc. The tanks have to be cleaned periodically in order to avoid these problems.
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Use a reflexive pronoun when the SUBJECT and the OBJECT of your sentence are the same person, or thing.
In other words, the one doing the action, and the one receiving the action are the same.
[table caption=” ” width=”400″ colwidth=”75|100|125″ colalign=”center|center”]
It, singular, ITSELF
- I can do it myself, thanks.
- You shouldn’t go by yourself. It’s not safe.
- Yes, he is getting married! He told me himself, so the rumour must must be true.
- Just stand in front of it, and the door will open by itself.
- They don’t have a lot of furniture, so they are going to move themselves.
- I don’t want you kids to go to the concert by yourselves.
- We thought we could figure it out ourselves, but in the end we needed to get a lawyer.
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A malamanteau is a neologism for a portmanteau created by incorrectly combining a malapropism with a neologism. It itself is a portmanteau of malapropism and portmanteau.
The word was most famously defined in an XKCD comic and caused significant disruption in the wikipedia community.
It was most prominently featured as news on Slashdot
The wikipedia entry for malamanteau is currently under debate.
- Not all malamanteaus are by nature neologisms. They simply need to be a combined word (portmanteau) that is used incorrectly in place of another correct word (malapropism).
- A malamanteau must have it's own separate meaning as a combined word (portmanteau)
- A malamanteau must sound similar enough to another word to be used incorrectly (malapropism)
Either way we'll post them if they sound good! :)
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The constitution provides for freedom of religion; however, the Government placed some limits on this right. The constitution also provides that the state shall protect the freedom to practice religion in accordance with established customs, provided that it does not conflict with public policy or morals. The constitution declares that Islam is the state religion and that Shari'a (Islamic law) is a main source of legislation.
There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom during the reporting period. Government officials met with various religious groups in the country and hosted a conference to promote religious tolerance. The Government made efforts to promote moderation through the formation of a special committee on strengthening moderation through information campaigns in schools and training sessions for religious leaders. The new emir sponsored an international conference in London on moderation in Islam and pledged to sponsor two more conferences in the coming year, one in the United States and one in Russia.
The generally amicable relationship among religious groups in society contributed to religious freedom. Tensions came to the surface during the reporting year as a result of an attack on a Shi'a mosque and requests made by minority religious groups to build or gain recognition for religious-based institutions.
The U.S. government discusses religious freedom issues with the Government as part of its overall policy to promote human rights. The embassy hosted events designed to bring different religious groups together, sent religious leaders to the United States on professional exchange programs, and promoted a dialogue between U.S. military chaplains and local imams.
Section I. Religious Demography
The country has an area of 6,880 square miles, and its population is approximately 2.9 million, of which 973,000 are citizens. The remaining residents are foreign workers and their families. More than 100,000 Bidoon (stateless) Arabs, with residence ties to the country, either have no documentation, or are unwilling to disclose their nationality. The national census did not distinguish between Shi'a and Sunni Muslims. Estimates suggested that approximately 70 percent of citizens, including the ruling family, belonged to the Sunni branch of Islam. Most of the remaining 30 percent were Shi'a Muslims. These estimates came from voting, which often occurs along sectarian lines, and personal status documents. There are approximately 150 to 200 Christian citizens, and a small number of Bahai citizens. Some 100,000 of the noncitizen residents are Shi'a. Some areas had relatively high concentrations of Sunnis or Shi'a; for instance, Jahra province had a small Shi'a population compared to Sunnis. For the most part, however, the country was fairly integrated religiously.
The primarily expatriate Christian population is estimated to be more than 300,000, with alternate estimates at more than 400,000. The Christian community included: the Anglican (Episcopalian) Church with approximately 100 members (several thousand other Christians also used the Anglican Church for worship services); Armenian Orthodox Church with approximately 4,000 members; Coptic Orthodox Church with at least 65,000 members; Greek Catholic (Melkite) Church with approximately 1,000 to 2,000 members (Greek Catholics worship in a rented house, not at the Catholic cathedral in Kuwait City); Greek Orthodox Church (referred to in Arabic as the Roman Orthodox Church, a reference to the Eastern Roman Empire of Byzantium) with an estimated 3,500 members; National Evangelical (Protestant) Church with more than seventy congregations serving approximately 40,000; and the Roman Catholic Church, with two official churches and a third worship facility in a rented house, with an estimated 250,000 members (Latin, Maronite, Coptic Catholic, Armenian Catholic, Malabar, and Malankara congregations all worshipped at the Catholic cathedral in Kuwait City).
There were many other unrecognized Christian sub-groups, totaling tens of thousands of members. These included: Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons), Indian Orthodox Syrian Church, Mar Thoma, and Seventh-day Adventists.
There are also communities of Baha'is (estimated 400 adherents), Buddhists (estimated 100,000), Hindus (estimated 300,000), and Sikhs (approximately 10,000 to 20,000).
Missionary groups in the country served non-Muslim congregations. The Government prohibits non-Muslims from proselytizing to Muslims.
Section II. Status of Religious Freedom
The constitution provides for freedom of religion; however, the Government placed some limits on this right. The constitution also provides that the state shall protect the freedom to practice religion in accordance with established customs, provided that it does not conflict with public policy or morals. The constitution declares that Islam is the state religion and that Shari'a is a main source of legislation.
The Government exercises direct control of the dominant Sunni strain of Islam. This creates certain advantages and disadvantages for both Sunnis and Shi'a. For example, the Government appoints Sunni imams and monitors their Friday sermons. It also finances the building of Sunni mosques. The Government does not exert this control over Shi'a mosques and Shi'a must fund their own mosques.
The 2006 Press and Publications Law specifically prohibits the publication of any material that attacks religious groups or incites persons to commit crimes, create hatred, or spread dissension among the public. There are laws against blasphemy, apostasy, and proselytizing. These laws sometimes were used to restrict religious freedom.
The Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs has official responsibility for overseeing religious groups. Officially recognized churches must deal with a variety of government entities, including the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor (for visas and residence permits for pastors and other staff) and the Municipality of Kuwait (for building permits and land concerns). While reportedly there was no official government list of recognized churches, seven Christian churches had at least some form of official recognition enabling them to operate openly. These seven churches had open files at the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor, allowing them to bring in pastors and staff to operate their churches.
Four Christian sub-groups are widely understood to enjoy full recognition by the Government and are allowed to operate compounds officially designated as churches: Anglican, Coptic Orthodox, National Evangelical (Protestant), and Roman Catholic. They faced quotas on the number of clergy and staff they could bring into the country. Some of the churches find the quotas adequate. Others found them insufficient and considered their existing facilities inadequate to serve their respective communities. They faced significant problems in trying to build new facilities.
The Greek Catholic (Melkite) Church had an open file at the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor. Greek Catholics worshipped in a rented house (two other Indian Catholic denominations also used the house for worship services).
The Armenian Orthodox and Greek Orthodox churches were allowed to operate openly, hire employees, invite religious speakers, and conduct other such activities without Government interference; however, according to Government records, their facilities were registered only as private homes. They rented facilities from private citizens for worship services and other religious purposes, putting them in a vulnerable position if the owner decides to stop renting to them since it is difficult to find other landlords willing to rent to religious groups. No other churches or religious groups had legal status, but adherents generally were allowed to operate freely in private homes provided that they did not violate laws limiting public assembly or prohibiting proselytizing.
The procedures for registration and licensing of religious groups appear to be connected to those for non governmental organizations (NGOs). In 1993, the Council of Ministers ordered all unlicensed NGOs to cease activities, but this order has never been enforced. There were hundreds of unlicensed, informal NGOs, clubs, and civic groups in the country. The Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor issued an increasing number of new NGO licenses including sixteen during the reporting year. At the end of the reporting period, there were 163 NGO applications pending with the Ministry. Nonrecognized Christian groups perceived it as impossible to gain official recognition and contented themselves with worshipping in private.
In February 2005 the Government announced it would remove all street-side Islamic charity boxes, due to difficulty monitoring and confirming whether the funds were diverted to uses other than the intended charitable cause; removal was completed in March 2005. All charitable contributions of licensed Islamic charities in the country require Central Bank approval. There is a charitable organizations department within the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor that is responsible for regulating religious charities based in the country, which reviews their applications for registration and monitors their operations.
The Higher Advisory Committee on Completion of the Application of Islamic Shari'a Provisions is tasked with preparing society for the full implementation of Shari'a in all fields. The committee makes recommendations to the emir on ways in which current laws can be brought into better conformity with Shari'a, but it has no authority to enforce such changes. The constitution states Shari'a is a main source of legislation, but some Islamists would like to amend that to the only source of legislation.
The following Islamic holy days are considered national holidays: Islamic New Year, Birth of the Prophet Mohammad, Ascension of the Prophet, Eid al-Fitr, and Eid al-Adha. The workweek in the country is generally Saturday through Wednesday. Most Christians attended church on Fridays and did not cite the inability to go on Sunday as a religious concern. Some workers are able to arrange with their employers to have time on Sunday for worship. Private employers can decide whether to give their non-Muslim employees time off for their holidays.
The Government requires Islamic religious instruction in public schools for all students. The Government also requires Islamic religious instruction and prohibits other religious instruction in private schools that have one or more Muslim students.
In March 2006 the Government, through the Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs, sponsored a conference entitled "We and the Other," to emphasize Islam's openness to cooperation with persons of other religious groups. It also screened for foreign diplomats a film proposal for a television series on the life of the Prophet Muhammad. In May 2006, it held in London the first of a series of three international conferences on moderation in Islam. Government officials continued to meet with Muslim leaders and the heads of various Christian denominations to promote interfaith understanding. The Government designated a committee specifically designed to strengthen religious moderation, which undertook an education campaign in the schools to encourage respect for the opinions and beliefs of others. As part of the moderation program, the Government planned to open an institute devoted to promoting moderation amongst Muslims and increased understanding of Islam by non-Muslims.
Restrictions on Religious Freedom
Shi'a are free to worship according to their faith without Government interference, and the overall situation for Shi'a remained stable during the reporting period. An attack on a Shi'a mosque in October 2005 by alleged Sunni extremists caused concern among the Shi'a community, but it proved to be an isolated incident. Members of the Shi'a community have expressed concern over the relative scarcity of Shi'a mosques due to the Government's slow approval of the construction of new mosques and the repair of existing ones. (There were approximately thirty-five Shi'a mosques compared to more than 1,000 Sunni mosques in the country.) Since 2001 the Government has granted licenses for and has approved the construction of six new Shi'a mosques. Three of these mosques were reportedly in the final stages of construction and were scheduled to open in 2006.
There were approximately 650 Shi'a husseiniyas (Shi'a gathering places) in the country, most of which are informal or unlicensed. Husseiniyas are used for social gatherings, funerals, and for annual religious observances. Generally, the country's husseiniyas are privately owned and associated with prominent Shi'a families.
Family law is administered through religious courts. The Government permits Shi'a to follow their own jurisprudence in matters of personal status and family law at the first-instance and appellate levels. In 2003, the Government approved a long-standing Shi'a request to establish a Shi'a court of cassation (Supreme Court) to handle Shi'a personal status and family law cases at the highest judicial level. However, the court has not yet been established because there are no Shi'a (Ja'fari) judges for this level of jurisdiction. In November 2003, the Government publicly announced its approval of another long-standing Shi'a request for the establishment of an independent Shi'a (Ja'fari) Waqf, an agency to administer religious endowments in accordance with the Ja'fari school of jurisprudence. The Shi'a Waqf has been able to carry out its work freely.
Shi'a who aspire to serve as imams are forced to seek appropriate training and education abroad (mainly in Iraq and Iran, and to a lesser degree in Syria), due to the lack of Shi'a jurisprudence courses at Kuwait University's College of Islamic Law (Faculty of Shari'a). The Ministry of Education was reviewing a Shi'a application to establish a private college to train Shi'a clerics. Shi'a leaders have called on the Ministry of Education to remove references from high school Islamic education textbooks declaring Shi'a as nonbelievers. Sunni scholars author the books, which are entirely based on the Sunni interpretation of Islam. A governmental committee was formed to study the issue of removing references that are offensive to Shi'a Islam.
One of the leading Shi'a imams in the country gave a Friday sermon that led members of parliament to demand that he be suspended. The Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs sent the imam a letter telling him to stop preaching. The imam continued preaching without government interference.
Shi'a remained under-represented in upper levels of government. In 2006 four Shi'a were elected to the fifty-member National Assembly, compared with five Shi'a in the previous assembly and six in the assembly before that. A new cabinet was formed in February 2006, after the death of the country's long-serving emir and installation of new government leaders. The new prime minister retained the only Shi'a Minister from the previous cabinet (Dr. Ma'asouma Mubarak, Minister of Planning, and the country's first female minister) and added another Shi'a (Dr. Yousef Al-Zalzalah, Minister of Commerce and Industry, who was a member of parliament as well). Another new cabinet, also with two Shi'a members, was formed after the June 2006 parliamentary elections. Dr. Ma'asouma Mubarak became Minister of Communications while Dr. Abdul Hadi Al-Salih took on the position of State Minister for National Assembly Affairs. There were no known Shi'a in the Kuwait State Security (KSS) forces, and they were reportedly under-represented in the National Guard.
In March 2004 the Government permitted Shi'a to stage a public reenactment of the Battle of Karbala depicting the martyrdom of Imam Hussein, the Prophet Muhammed's grandson. Television networks, also for the first time, broadcast programs on the Shi'a religious holiday of Ashura. The Government denied a Shi’a request during 2005. In 2006 the Government allowed and provided security for public celebrations, marches, and reenactments during Ashura, without giving official permits.
The Anglican, Armenian Orthodox, Coptic Orthodox, Greek Orthodox, National Evangelical, and Catholic churches operated freely on their premises and hold worship services without Government interference. Their leaders also state that the Government generally was supportive of their presence, providing police security and traffic control as needed. Other Christian denominations (including Indian Orthodox, Mar Thoma, Mormons, and Seventh-day Adventists) were not recognized legally but were allowed to operate in rented villas, private homes, or the facilities of recognized churches. Members of these congregations reported that they were able to worship without government interference, provided that they did not disturb their neighbors or violate laws regarding assembly and proselytizing. Churches outside of the four recognized denominations are prohibited from displaying exterior signage, including a cross or the congregation's name, or engaging in other public activities, such as ringing bells. Some churches without the financial resources to rent a location were able to gather in schools on the weekends, although representatives from the churches reported that the schools were pressured to stop allowing such gatherings.
In September 2005 there was an announcement that the Government had approved the Melkite Catholics' application for a plot of land to build a new church, although this decision had not been approved by all the relevant governmental institutions. The Melkites applied for the land because they worshiped in a rented villa whose owner wanted to evict them. After repeated delays, however, the Municipal Council rejected the Church's request outright after the period covered by this report. The ostensible reason for the rejection was traffic concerns, but religious opposition to church-building was almost certainly the reason for refusal. The Government has the power to reverse the Municipal Council's decision. In general, churches have found it all but impossible to get permission to build new facilities.
Some church officials reported that domestic workers complained of not being allowed to leave their homes by their employers, thus making it impossible for them to worship with their congregations.
There have been past examples of anti-Semitic rhetoric in government-sponsored education curricula, such as citing Qur'anic verses to denounce the political intentions of the Jewish people, specifically in reference to the Arab-Israeli conflict.
Members of religious groups not sanctioned in the Qur'an, such as Bahá’ís, Buddhists, Hindus, and Sikhs, may not build official places of worship since these religious groups lack legal status, but they are allowed to worship privately in their homes without government interference.
The Sikh community was able to worship freely in private homes. In past years they had used a rented apartment designated for worship, but the building was destroyed for reasons unrelated to the Sikhs' presence. The community reported that it had not been able to find another landlord willing to rent them a space to be used for religious purposes. They have been unable to gain permission for a crematorium to cremate their deceased. Sikhs also engaged in other religious activities, including public marriage and other celebrations, without government interference.
In 2003 the Government reportedly closed the file on the National Evangelical Church (NEC) due to the NEC's alleged failure to comply with the National Manpower Support Law by employing the requisite number of citizens. The Government had reinstated the NEC's open file status by May 2004, and the church was able to apply for and renew visas for pastors and staff; however, in accordance with the Law, the Government imposed substantial annual fines for every visa application or renewal submitted on behalf of non-citizen staff, in addition to routine visa and residency fees. Church leaders negotiated with Government authorities to resolve the fine issue and exempt the church from the law's Kuwaitization requirements. NEC church leaders continued to report that they did not have access to the number of visas they would like to fully staff their activities.
The law prohibits organized religious education for religious groups other than Islam, although this law was not enforced rigidly. Informal religious instruction occurs inside private homes and on church compounds without government interference; however, there were reports that government inspectors from the Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs periodically visited public and private schools outside of church compounds to ensure that religious teaching other than Islam did not take place. During the reporting period, the Government still had not responded to the request from the Catholic Church to permit Catholic students in certain private schools to study the Catechism separately during the period allotted for instruction in Islam. The National Evangelical Church requested a license for its school, which it has operated for several decades. After receiving approval from numerous governmental bodies, the Church's request was denied by the Municipal Council amid erroneous media reports that the Church planned to take over a historic site for the school and for the purpose of proselytizing. Press statements by Municipal Council members suggested the request was refused on ideological grounds rather than on zoning or other technical grounds. The Municipal Council controls access to Government land and has become a focus for society's internal division over granting land to non-Muslim religious institutions.
The Catholic Church faced severe overcrowding at its two official church facilities. Its cathedral in downtown Kuwait City regularly drew tens of thousands of worshippers to its more than twenty weekly services in several languages. Due to limited space on the compound, the church was unable to construct any new buildings. The National Evangelical Church, which served a weekly average of 20,000 worshippers in more than seventy congregations, was also overcrowded. The Church would like more land to build a new church but had not made an official request.
The Coptic Orthodox Church reported that it had excellent relations with the Government and faced no difficulties in bringing church workers and guests into the country. The Government has been extremely cooperative in providing permits to erect tents on adjacent lots to handle the crowds during Christian holidays. The Church's main challenge was the overcrowding at its small compound facility in Kuwait City. The Government planned to level the current Coptic Church building to make way for a road project. It had granted the Church 6,500 square meters of new land in Hawally district to build a new place of worship; however, it has not offered any financial assistance to construct the new church. Construction began in the first quarter of 2006, and the Church expected it to take more than a year to complete the project. The church agreed to move to a temporary facility if the road project began while the church was under construction. No date had been set for the church's demolition.
In December 2004 and 2005, a group of Salafi Islamists in the region of Jahra forced merchants to remove Christmas items such as trees and greeting cards from their stores, claiming holiday items connected to Christmas and New Year's celebrations were contrary to Islamic teachings. In 2004 the group reportedly produced a petition with 350 signatures demanding the removal, asserting that allowing such goods to be available was haram (forbidden).
The Government prohibits missionaries from proselytizing among Muslims; however, they may serve non-Muslim congregations. In November, the police arrested five preachers, none of whom were country natives, who went door-to-door espousing the ideology of Al-Qaeda.
The Government controls the content delivered by imams and preachers in their sermons. The Government banned a number of religious leaders, including the imam of the Grand Mosque, from giving Friday sermons after they strayed from government-approved topics. The Government especially clamped down on preachers at unlicensed mosques and those who commented too directly on politics.
The Government does not permit the establishment of non-Islamic religious publishing companies or training institutions for clergy. Nevertheless, several churches publish religious materials solely for their congregations' use.
A private company, the Book House Company Ltd., was permitted to import a significant number of Bibles and other Christian religious materials, including videotapes and compact discs, for use solely by government-recognized church congregations. The Book House Company Ltd. was the only company that had an import license to bring in such materials, which requires approval by government censors. The company supplied only bookstores operated within the Christian compounds. There were reports of customs officials confiscating non-Islamic religious materials from private citizens upon their arrival at the airport. Domestic workers reported that their employers confiscate religious articles such as Bibles and rosary beads, along with nonreligious items. In 2003, police arrested five foreign workers for allegedly proselytizing with Bibles in the Andalus district. State security officials later released the individuals on the condition they sign commitments pledging to refrain from proselytizing.
In April 2006 the Government banned eighteen books from being displayed at an Islamic book festival organized by the Social Reform Society, a religiously conservative NGO affiliated with the Kuwaiti Muslim Brotherhood. The banned books were authored by or contained the writings of individuals associated with the Wahhabi/Salafi movement in Islam.
The Islam Presentation Committee (IPC), under the authority of the Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs, actively encouraged proselytizing Islam to non-Muslims. The IPC maintained an office at the Central Prison to provide religious education and information to inmates.
Although there was a small community of approximately 150 to 200 acknowledged Christian citizens, a 1980 law prohibits the naturalization of non-Muslims; however, citizens who were Christians before 1980 are allowed to transmit their citizenship to their descendents.
The law forbids marriage between Muslim women and non-Muslim men. A non-Muslim female is not required by law to convert to Islam to marry a Muslim male. In practice many non-Muslim women face strong economic and societal pressure to convert. Failure to convert may mean that, should the couple later divorce, the Muslim father would be granted custody of any children. A non-Muslim woman who fails to convert also is ineligible to inherit her husband's property or to be naturalized.
Women continued to experience legal and social discrimination. In the family courts (i.e. those controlled by religious bodies), one man's testimony is sometimes given the same weight as that of two women; however, in the civil, criminal, and administrative courts, the testimony of women and men is considered equally.
Bidoon (stateless) Arabs continued to face great difficulty in obtaining documents necessary to travel abroad, including for travel to participate in the Hajj. The Government declared in early 2006 that it would facilitate the obtaining of travel documents by Bidoon, but whether these declarations would have a tangible effect remained unclear.
Inheritance is governed by Islamic law, which differs according to the branch of Islam. In the absence of a direct male heir, Shi'a women may inherit all property, while Sunni women inherit only a portion with the balance divided among brothers, uncles, and male cousins of the deceased.
During the reporting period, there were no reports of the Government prohibiting state employees from displaying or practicing any elements of their faith. However, in late 2003, the headmistress of a public high school in Farwaniya district reportedly dismissed several female students for failure to wear the Islamic hijab (headscarf). The school readmitted the students and the headmistress was criticized widely in the local media.
The law requires jail terms for journalists who defame religion. Academic freedom is limited in practice by self-censorship. Academics and journalists are legally prohibited from criticizing Islam. The law also provides that any Muslim citizen may file criminal charges against an author if the citizen believes that the author has defamed Islam, the ruling family, or public morals.
In 2004, an appeals court sentenced a journalist to a 1-year suspended sentence for a 2004 article deemed to defame the Qur'an. The publication's editor received a 50KD fine (equivalent to $175 USD) in 2004. Three Islamist activists filed the complaint resulting in the court case.
In January 2004 the Court of Misdemeanor sentenced a Shi'a citizen to one year in jail with hard labor and fined him approximately 1,000 KD ($3,500 USD) for producing and distributing an audiotape allegedly defaming the Islamic (Sunni) religion, degrading its rituals and rites, and defaming and abusing the Prophet Muhammed's Companions. In February 2004, the citizen reportedly was released from prison in error by an Amiri pardon issued on the occasion of the country's National Day. The Government subsequently issued a warrant for his arrest, but he reportedly remained at large. In March 2004, the Appeals Court dismissed the original misdemeanor verdict and referred the citizen's case to the Public Prosecutor for re-trial by the Criminal Court. As a result, the citizen also faced more serious charges of violating the State Security Law. In May 2004, the Criminal Court sentenced him to ten years in jail in absentia on charges of defaming Sunni Islam. Most Shi'a believe that hardline Sunni Islamist pressure was behind the Government's harsh action against the individual, even though they too publicly condemned his anti-Sunni statements and the audiocassette incident.
In February 2006 a new Press and Publications law was passed which increased fines and jail sentences for those who publish material denigrating Islam. It also expanded the scope of what cannot be criticized to include the companions of the Prophet Muhammad.
The Ministry of Interior, General Customs Department, arrested and deported thirty-two individuals in 2004 for allegedly practicing sorcery and confiscated alleged sorcery-related materials during the reporting period.
The Government does not designate religion on passports or national identity documents.
There were no reports of religious prisoners or detainees in the country.
Forced Religious Conversion
There were no reports of forced religious conversion, including of minor U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the United States. There have been cases in which U.S. citizen children have been prevented from returning to the United States; however, there were no reports that such children were forced to convert to Islam, or that forced conversion was the reason the children were not allowed to return to the United States.
Improvements and Positive Developments in Respect for Religious Freedom
The Ministry of Education continued to review a Shi'a proposal to establish a private college to train Shi'a clerics; however, at the end of the reporting year, no action had been taken. The Ministry also continued to review a request from the Catholic Church to allow Catholic students at certain private schools to study the Catechism during the time allotted for Islamic instruction.
Interfaith dialogues took place among Christian denominations through the framework of a council representing Christian leaders from various churches and numerous informal meetings. Government officials promoted interfaith understanding by meeting with Shi'a and Sunni leaders. The Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs also sponsored a conference and screened a film in an attempt to increase religious tolerance.
In 2005, more than 10,000 worshippers from the Bohra community celebrated the Sultan of Bohra's birthday without interference. The Bohra participants, who are Shi'a Muslims mainly from Gujarat in western India, gathered at their community center.
The death of Pope John Paul II received wide press coverage throughout April 2005, including full-page spreads in local newspapers. In a country where the Catholic Church estimates its population as 10 percent of all residents (although this could not be independently verified), the Government issued a public statement expressing "agony of the Christian brothers" following the Pope's death. Senior Government officials attended commemoration events at the Catholic cathedral, and an Amiri envoy led a delegation representing the Government at the Pope’s funeral at the Vatican. Local newspapers provided extensive coverage of Christmas and Easter celebrations in 2005 and 2006. The play Nunsense had a successful run in the country without incident despite its portrayal of Christian nuns.
Christian churches held memorial services after the death of Amir Shaykh Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah.
Section III. Societal Abuses and Discrimination
In general there were amicable relations among the various religious groups, and citizens generally were open and tolerant of other religious groups; however, there was a small minority of ultraconservatives opposed to the presence of non-Muslim groups.
While some discrimination based on religion reportedly occurred on a personal level, most observers agreed that it was not widespread. There was a perception among some domestic employees and members of the unskilled labor force that there would be better treatment from employers as well as from society as a whole if they converted to Islam; however, others did not see conversion to Islam as a factor in this regard.
The conversion of Muslims to other religions is forbidden. While such conversions reportedly have occurred, they have been done quietly and discreetly. Known converts faced harassment, including loss of job, repeated summonses to police stations, arbitrary detention, physical and verbal abuse, police monitoring of their activities, and property damage without legal recourse.
In the June 2006 elections, an openly declared atheist ran for parliament on a platform of separating church and state. She was not subject to any restrictions or harassment.
In 2004 some well-known Salafis called on Muslims to refrain from congratulating non-Muslims on their holidays. In December 2004, the Chairman of the Revival of Islamic Heritage Society's (RIHS) Good Word Committee announced in an Arabic daily newspaper that it is forbidden for Muslims to imitate non-Muslims in all matters, including participating in non-Muslim festivals and holidays. The announcement stated that Muslims are "prohibited from sharing the Christian and other infidel religious groups' holidays in any form, whether by attendance, exchange of gifts, or expression of joy."
There were incidents of unofficial anti-Semitic commentary from media pundits and some mosque preachers. On August 7, 2005, a private citizen purchased newspaper space to run an advertisement with anti-Semitic imagery. On August 10, 2005, the Government referred the two newspapers that carried the advertisement to the attorney general for prosecution under the law, which forbids publishing religious material without a license.
In October 2005 a group of several dozen or perhaps as many as 200 alleged Sunni extremists attacked a Shi'a mosque in the Jahra area. The attack stirred fears of Sunni-Shi'a tension in the country, since the mosque had been attacked previously. No further incidents were reported. Despite initial reports that the Government had provided insufficient security for the mosque, the Government made arrests and the mosque owner was satisfied with the response.
In 2005, an extremist Salafi cleric preached violent jihad in the country. The Government blocked access to the Salafi preacher's website in February and banned him from preaching at his mosque in March. He then was detained by KSS forces for alleged links to two of the January shoot-outs between law enforcement officials and militants.
The Government's moderation program was an attempt to temper the effects of any such intra-religious tension. The program was well received in general, despite one member of parliament's publicly labeling the advocates of moderation "terrorists with deviant ideas." The same member of parliament lost his seat in the 2006 elections.
Shi'a complain of a "glass ceiling" that prevents them from obtaining promotions as easily as their Sunni counterparts. They reportedly had more difficulty in obtaining appointments in certain government agencies. The appointment of two Shi'a Ministers in the February 2006 cabinet and in the July 2006 cabinet was a positive step.
Section IV. U.S. Government Policy
The U.S. government discusses religious freedom issues with the Government in the context of its overall policy to promote human rights.
Intensive monitoring of religious freedom matters has long been an embassy priority. U.S. embassy officials meet frequently with recognized Sunni, Shi'a, and Christian groups, as well as representatives of various unrecognized religious groups and of NGOs that deal with religious freedom concerns.
The ambassador and other embassy officers actively encourage the Government to address the concerns of religious leaders, such as overcrowding, lack of adequate worship space, lack of access to religious materials, insufficient staffing, and bureaucratic delays in processing routine requests. During the reporting period, embassy officials met with senior representatives from the major recognized Christian denominations in the country, encouraged them to present their concerns in a unified manner to the Government, and advocated on their behalf in high-level meetings with government officials.
The embassy has made an effort to increase its dialogue with and understanding of the Municipal Council, whose control over land grants and other permits give it a key role in allowing religious institutions to flourish.
In an effort to develop a dialogue with Muslim moderates, the embassy worked with the Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs to send two imams to the United States on a Single-Country International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) entitled, "Religion in the U.S." The project showed the participants the scope of religious freedom in the United States and encouraged the promotion of tolerance and interreligious understanding. A third official of the ministry participated in another IVLP, "Interfaith Dialogue in the U.S." Both projects consisted of three-week visits to five representative cities in the United States. Participants met with counterparts of different religious backgrounds. All three participants said that the visit radically transformed their preconceived notions about life in the United States. They reported that they gained an appreciation for the interreligious dialogue in the United States, the freedom of worship that Muslims have in America, and the tolerant diversity they discovered in their interaction with American clergy.
Embassy facilities are used for weekly services by Protestant and Catholic congregations largely composed of official personnel and western expatriates. Official premises are used for these services due to overcrowding and security concerns at compounds located in the downtown area.
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Playing The Odds
The cosmos are filled with roughly Earth-sized exoplanets. Various moons, comets, and planets have stores of water, organic molecules, and amino acids like those that make up life on Earth.
Cathal O’Donnell, a 3D bioprinting researcher at St. Vincent’s Hospital in Melbourne, likes those odds — he argues in The Conversation that the abundance of potentially habitable worlds out there makes the discovery of extraterrestrial life “inevitable and possibly imminent.”
One In 40 Billion
O’Donnell argues that the sheer vastness of space and quantity of exoplanets orbiting in habitable zones — the sweet spots where they’re not too close nor too far from their star — makes the discovery of extraterrestrial life overwhelmingly likely, citing research that calculated that billions of such planets may exist.
And just because a planet doesn’t have a temperate climate doesn’t mean life couldn’t exist there — O’Donnell argues that terrestrial life can be found in Antarctica, in deep-sea hydrothermal vents, and other seemingly inhospitable settings.
The fact remains that we’ve only encountered life in one place: Earth. But O’Donnell predicts that we’ll be able to probe for life in the near future.
“The ancient question ‘Are we alone?’ has graduated from being a philosophical musing to a testable hypothesis,” O’Donnell writes. “We should be prepared for an answer.”
READ MORE: Why the idea of alien life now seems inevitable and possibly imminent [The Conversation]
More on extraterrestrial life: The Scientist Who Reevaluated The Drake Equation Still Thinks Alien Life is Out There
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Protect Yourself and Know Your ABCDs
The incidence of skin cancer has dramatically increased over the past few years, and it has become one of the most common cancers diagnosed today. Public education and self examination is the key to preventing and recognizing the disease. When outdoors always wear sun protection. Proper skin care will allow you to maintain a more healthy, youthful appearance, as well as prevent skin cancers.
One of the most important parts of our bodies is our skin. It reflects our general health, and is our protection against environmental and biologic hazards. While outside keep in mind that exposure to sun with out protection could predispose you to skin cancer. The risk factors for developing skin cancers depend on many things. They may be characterized into environmental exposures and individual factors.
Sun damage is the major factor in the development of skin cancer. The skin gives us the ability to tan which is our major defense against non-melanoma skin cancers. Our ability to tan is genetically determined by the amount of melanin pigment produced by the skin cells in our bodies. This pigment helps protect our skin by reflecting/refracting the damaging ultraviolet radiation produced by the sun. The number of melanin producing cells is determined by our genetic make up. This is why some people are more
photosensitive (burn more easily) than others. We know that the susceptibility to skin tumors is inversely related to the amount of melanin in the skin. It is directly related to the number of lifetime sunburns. While out in the sun always wear at least a 15-20 SPF sun block and it should be reapplied frequently.
The most common types of skin cancer include basal cell cancer, squamous cell cancer, and melanoma. Basal cell cancer is the most common type of skin cancer. It affects 1 in 10 people. It locally invades the skin and may destroy surrounding tissue but it does not usually metastasize or spread through out the body. Basal cell cancer usually affects individuals greater than 40 years of age, with more fair skin tones that have a poor ability to tan and males more than females. Multiple sun burns as a child or young adult, x-ray therapy for acne, and arsenic exposure are known causes of basal cell cancer. A basal cell cancer typically presents as a nodule with irregular raised borders and small red blood vessels or as a sclerosing whitish scared patch with pearly nodules. Basal cell cancer is treated by surgical excision. Cryosurgery, electrosurgery and curettage can also be used.
Squamous cell cancer is another common skin tumor. It is very aggressive, locally invades the skin and may metastasize or spread through out the body. If not treated, it may cause death. Squamous cell cancer may affect individuals who are immuno suppressed, have chronic wounds, are greater than 55 years of age, and males more than females. Ultraviolet radiation sun exposure, human papilloma virus, arsenic, tar, chronic radiation, chronic scars and non healing wounds are all known causes of squamous cell cancer. A squamous cell cancer often time presents as a sharply demarcated scaling or plaque that may appear pink or red in color and may be crusted or bleed. Benign lesions known as actinic keratosis may turn into squamous cell cancers. Squamous cell cancer is treated with wide surgical excision with reconstruction, possible lymph node dissection and possible radiation therapy.
Melanoma is the most dangerous and aggressive skin cancer. It locally invades the skin and may metastasize or spread rapidly through out the body. It may cause death if not treated. Melanoma affects anyone from children to the elderly. It affects males and females equally. In males age 30-49 it is the second most prevalent cancer. Having a congenital nevus, a dysplastic nevus and sun exposure are all known causes of melanoma. Melanoma usually presents as a darkened, asymmetric lesion with irregular borders, that has recently changed in size and/or color. Melonoma is treated with wide surgical excision, possible sentinel node biopsy and possible lymph node dissection.
Sun protection and self examination is the key to preventing and detecting skin cancer. When doing self examinations remember the ABCDs. Look for skin lesions that are asymmetric (A) one half unlike the other; have irregular, scalloped or poorly definedborders (B); have varying colors (C) shades of tan, brown and/or black; and are at least 6 mm in diameter (D). If you suspect you have a possible malignant lesion go to your doctor immediately. If they determine it is suspicious, they will most likely refer you to a dermatologist or plastic surgeon for biopsy and removal of the lesion. The good news about skin cancer is that is 100% curable if caught and completely removed early. So get out there and enjoy the sun, but always wear sun block and perform self examinations.
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| < January >
|Normal Max/ High Temperature
|Min/ Low Temperature
|Number of Wet Days (probability of rain on a day)
|Average Sunlight per day
|Sun altitude at solar noon on the 21st day.
- The average temperature in Isfjord Radio, Svalbard in January is very cold at -10 °C (14 °F).
- Afternoons can be cold with average high temperatures reaching -7 °C (19.4 °F).
- Overnight temperatures are generally very cold with an average low of -13 °C (8.6 °F).
- In January there is a range/ variation of mean daily temperatures of 6 °C (10.8 °F).
- The weather in January is somewhat parched with occasional snow. A paltry 26mm (1in) of fluid falls across on average 13 days.
- In January the skies in Isfjord Radio, Svalbard are rayless with an average of a hollow 0:00 of resplendent solar radiation per day.
Check the distance to and compare the Isfjord Radio, Svalbard January averages with somewhere beginning with:
A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z | All
Weather Trend Graph for January in Isfjord Radio, Svalbard, Norway
Navigate to January Weather in Locations Surrounding Isfjord Radio, Svalbard:
- Krenkel Polar (Isl), Russia - 929.5 kms (577.6 miles) NE
- Svalbard Lufthavn, Norway - 46.5 kms (28.9 miles) ENE
- Bear Island/ Bjørnøya, Svalbard, Norway - 420.4 kms (261.2 miles) SSE
- Bjornoya, Norway - 418.9 kms (260.3 miles) SSE
- Nordkap/Helnes Fyr, Norway - 858.7 kms (533.6 miles) SSE
- Vardo, Finnmark, Norway - 996.6 kms (619.3 miles) SE
- Tromso, Norway - 946.1 kms (587.9 miles) SSE
- Karasjok, Norway - 1020.2 kms (634 miles) SSE
- Murmansk, Russia - 1170.7 kms (727.5 miles) SE
- Narvik, Nordland, Norway - 1074.1 kms (667.4 miles) S
- Karesuando, Sweden - 1105.4 kms (686.9 miles) SSE
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Tom says the findings were a shock. "It is really amazing to me that one of the most controlled substances out there -- morphine -- is in a way readily available to kids in bulk form at the supermarket," he says.
Tom says that even though he receives a number of e-mails from those who say they have suffered ill effects from the drink, he has not yet heard of any other cases of fatalities from the consumption of poppy seed tea. ABC News was also unable to discover additional cases.
The dearth of confirmed reports on similar cases of abuse seems to quell notions of the widespread abuse of such a drink. As for the most recent reports on the shoplifting of poppy seeds, the Cedar Rapids Police Department says they have not received any reports of poppy seed tea abuse or overdoses.
Drug abuse experts say they are unfamiliar with the practice of brewing and drinking poppy seed tea.
"Nonmedical use/abuse of prescription medications, including opiates -- for example, Oxycontin and Vicodin -- has been increasing among adolescents. I have not heard of a new 'trend' for children /adolescents trying to get high from excessive ingestion of poppy seeds," says Dr. Paula Riggs, associate professor of psychiatry at the University of Colorado at Denver.
Paul Doering, co-director of the Drug Information and Pharmacy Resource Center at the University of Florida's Shands Medical Center in Gainesville, says he is skeptical about the purported potency of poppy seed tea.
"There is reason to think that poppy seeds have some morphine content, but there would not be enough in my opinion to create a tea that would cause any real effects such as this," he says.
However, other pharmacology experts say they are well aware of the concoction, and that its effects have been documented in the scientific literature.
"The process does work," says Scott Lukas, director of the Behavioral Psychopharmacology Research Laboratory at McLean Hospital and professor of psychiatry and pharmacology at Harvard Medical School in Boston.
Lukas cites a scientific paper published in March of last year by researchers in New Zealand who studied a group of opiate-dependent people who maintain their dependence mostly by drinking this type of tea.
"There are many other reports of poppy tea use and abuse," he says. "The effects come on in about 15 to 20 minutes, and the effects last about 24 hours."
But he adds that there are several reasons why the abuse of poppy seeds in this manner has not yet become more widespread.
"The stuff has a very bitter and foul taste, and so may not be popular for that reason," he says. "Also, other opiates like prescription painkillers, and even heroin, are cheap these days."
Internet accounts about the tea are abundant, however. The reports -- and even recipes -- scattered throughout the Internet seem to bear testament to the fact that at least some people are chasing a high from poppy seed tea.
Doering says that the practice of making poppy seed tea to get high likely arises from the notion that consuming poppy seeds can lead to a positive urine test for heroin. Indeed, some -- but not all -- poppy seeds come from the same type of poppy that yields opium.
And in recent years, lawyers in cases in which a person has recorded a positive heroin test have successfully defended their clients in court by alleging that they unwittingly consumed poppy seeds before the test.
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The Mayans of Guatemala and surrounding regions of Central America, had one of the most advanced civilizations of the ancient world. A culture that thrived in the realms of art, architecture, literature, philosophy and mathematics, they were also well attuned to their natural surroundings – astrology, agriculture and seasonal changes.
It is no wonder then that the seasonal divide, also known as the equinox or solstice, played an important part in Mayan ritual. The summer solstice around June 20th-21st marks the longest day of the year when the sun is at its highest altitude above the horizon, while the winter solstice around December 21st-22nd marks the shortest day and lowest path of the sun. These dates are reversed for the southern hemisphere. Last year, I was privileged to witness an ancient Mayan summer solstice ritual in Guatemala.
First we enjoyed the warm Guatemalan hospitality with a mid-morning snack on the grass before wandering the ruins of the ancient Mayan city of Iximché.
Some locals then led us into the forest for the ceremony where they had arranged a small fire with flowers and fruits laid out in a circular formation. The various colors represent the different natural elements, and give thanks to the Sun and Earth and all that they provide.
Traditional Mayan ceremonies are generally lengthy affairs. We were in the forest for several hours and were told this was the abridged version. The ceremony involved chanting, ceremonial offering of various things into the flames and walking an auspicious number of times around the fire – both clockwise and counter clockwise.
These seasonal divides also play an important part in the Mayan calendar. This year's winter solstice – 21 December 2012 – will mark the end of the Mayan “long count” calendar, a 5125 year time period. Thanks to Hollywood, this date has largely been labelled “Dooms Day” or the “Apocalypse”. However, most people put this down to a misrepresentation of Mayan beliefs for the sake of media hype.
The Mayans don't believe that 2012 will be “the end of the world”, although most would probably agree that the future of the Earth doesn't look too bright if we continue to consume and destroy the planet in the manner and at the rate we currently are. December 21st, 2012, is rather viewed as the “end of an era” and the beginning of a new one. Perhaps something will be revealed to us or we will reach a higher level of consciousness in this world or some kind of change will occur.
What is known is that the Mayans believe in cycles, with an ending comes a new beginning. The fact that the Mayans believe there was a cycle before this calendar suggests belief in continuation past this one.
What do you think will happen on 21 December 2012?
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Basic First Aid DRSABC Code
The Basic of Administering First Aid
Literally, first aid is the absolute FIRST assistance you administer to someone who has been injured. Because accidental injuries are a leading cause for death, and that most accidents happen in the home, everyone should learn some form of basic first aid. Having the skills needed to determine the seriousness of a person's condition during an emergency can potentially help you to save a life.
What is the Purpose of First Aid
The 5 Primary Steps of First Aid
- To keep the victim alive. The ABC of life support—airway, breathing, circulation—is the consummate top goal in first aid.
- To stop the person from getting any worse.
- To advocate for their recovery.
- To provide positivity and comfort.
- To assemble emergency services quickly.
- D for Danger
- R for Responsiveness
- S for Shouting
- A for Airway
- B for Breathing
- C for Circulation
What to do When Giving Emergency First Aid
First and foremost, it is your responsibility to stay calm. Second, you must determine the level of safety by assessing the situation around you as well as the victim, and quickly. Finally, you must conduct the "DRSABC" code accordingly. The DRSABC is the established plan of action for an emergency situation. It helps to determine, using a step by step method, just what is going on with the patient, surroundings, and if emergency services are required. The steps are as follows:
Taking Action in an Emergency
Danger in an Emergency
During your assessment you should have found and identified any dangerous or potential hazardous conditions. Following this you will:
- Maintain your own personal safety (you can't help anyone if need help yourself).
- Manage observers by keeping them out of harms way (direct bystanders to stay clear of harmful surroundings).
- Correct any hazardous conditions only if this does not endanger yourself or anyone else (if you get hurt correcting the environment's hazards who will care for the injured).
- Move the victim away from the danger ONLY in extreme conditions. (In some cases, moving the injured person can cause greater harm to them than the risk of leaving them where they are).
What You Think Really Does Matter!
Have you ever had to give first aid?
Responsiveness in an Emergency
You must try to assess just how responsive the victim is.
- If a victim appears to be unconscious or only partly-conscious, you may need to speak quite loudly to them. A couple of good practices to use are loudly saying, "can you hear me?" or "What is your name?".
- If the injured person doesn't respond to the vocal ques, tap them firmly on the chest.
Shouting for Help In an Emergency
When the afflicted person fails to respond to loud vocal ques, or a tap on the chest, you must quickly get some extra help.
- Shouting at a near by person can get you needed assistance.
- If the first person doesn't come to your aid, keep shouting until someone does.
Airway During an Emergency
At this point, you must check the airway of the victim. You will be determining if the airway—the path running from the mouth to the lungs—is clear enough for breathing to take place.
- Check the mouth for any objects that may be obscuring the flow of air. Remove anything you see, don't put your hands deep into the mouth if you can avoid it.
- You will need to tilt the head back gently; this keeps the tongue from falling back and closing off breathing.
- You will put your hand on the hairline, while at the same time placing two fingers under the front of the jaw. Now you can exert gentle pressure to tilt the head back until the natural stopping point is detected.
First Aid ABC Basics
Breathing During an Emergency
It is essential that you determine if the victim is breathing.
- Is the chest rising and falling?
- Place you ear next to their mouth—do you hear breathing sounds?
- Put your face or hand next to their mouth—Can you feel exhaled air coming out?
- Does the victim have signs of life (e.g. good skin color, warm to the touch, etc.)?
- If these things are not happening, then it is a pretty good bet that the person is not breathing. IT IS TIME TO CALL THE EMERGENCY SERVICES; it is best to have an observer do this for you when possible.
- Immediately you must begin artificial respiration.
Circulation During an Emergency
This is where you will be checking for indications that the person has functioning circulation.
- Look closely for breathing, coughing, or any signs of motion.
- Don't waist time looking for a pulse unless you are highly trained in the medical field.
- If you can not locate any signs of circulation or life, it is time to start cardiac massage (chest compressions)—but only if you have been trained to do so, if not, recruit someone around you who has this experience.
How much do you know about emergency situations?
view quiz statistics
Why is it so Important NOT to Move an Injured Person
Do Not Move the Victim if You Can Avoid it
The best practice after an accident or injury is to NOT move the victim! There are many good reasons why this remains the standard for basic first aid. Trained medical personnel have studied how to safely move an injured person for years, and unless you have this kind of training yourself, let the person remain where you found them until the skilled EMT team arrives (then, answer their questions and get out of their way). Spine or neck injuries are likely to happen during an accident or fall, if you move the victim, you can cause more damage in these areas.
If you must move the person to assess their well-being and injuries, or to administer CPR or other restorative first aid, then do so with caution. Try to stabilize the spine and neck as much as possible (by not moving them around too much, do not treat or immobilize the neck with items around you unless you are trained to do so). This is where asking for help from bystanders comes in quite handy.
Dialing 911, 999, 112
While Waiting for Emergency Services to Arrive
We are all pretty clear that calling for emergency services is free on every kind of phone now. But, when you are in a situation where you need them, knowing how to make contact is imperative no matter where you are. Even after making this important call, you still have some things to do. If you are inside a building with the injured person, select a by stander to wait for the EMT unit to arrive outside. Direct them to wave down the paramedic units as they come into view. If it is nighttime, switch on the porch light if you're in a home, or use a flashlight to signal the EMT units if at a building.
You will need to continue to check the victim for breathing, circulation, and how alert they are every five minutes until the paramedics arrive on the scene.
Are Emergency Service Numbers the Same Worldwide
Most countries have their own emergency services number, which is usually three digits, easy to remember, and easy to dial swiftly. In some countries a different last number indicates which service is being beckoned; fire, medical, or law enforcement. In the European Union the number 112 is used, which is the most widely used Global System for Mobile Communications [GSM] since the 1990s. The United States and Britain have also standardized their emergency numbers. Below you will find the most common and useful emergency services numbers to date.
European Union - 112
North America - 911
Britain - 999
What kind of Questions Will Emergency Services Ask Me on The Phone
Q: Is the victim conscious and breathing (and any other information you may have about their condition).
Q: Your name
Q: Where are you located (use landmark identification if you are unfamiliar with addresses and street names).
Q: What time the event happened, and what is wrong with the victim.
Q: The age and sex of the victim, and if more than one, how many people are requiring assistance.
Q: Are there any residual hazards around, icy road conditions, toxic substances, overhead dangers, fire near by, armed assailants, etc.
Q: Will you stay on the phone until help arrives. If you can avoid it, don't hang up with the operator until the EMT units take over your victim(s).
First Aid Resources
Basic First Aid
You can assist someone who has been injured by using a few standard first aid steps. This is more helpful than you may think. Being the calm protector who gathers needed information, secures the area, and gets trained help to the scene has great impact on the final outcome of any life threatening situation. Practice the basic steps found here, so you are prepared to do what you can during an emergency situation. Hopefully you will never find yourself in a position needing you to employ first aid tactics. But if you do, it is a very good feeling knowing that you have a few of the basic first aid answers tucked away in your memory!
The methods and information provided within this article are a brief guideline for basic first aid. To further understand the required procedures for administering first aid in any situation, you will need to take a class, get certified, or gain better insight through study or a mentoring program.
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Biotechnology, biomedicine, chemistry, agriculture: all these fields use protein-based products and materials. These are often modified compounds that, before they can be used in various applications, need to be “stabilised”, for example to withstand higher temperatures or the presence of solvents. Protein stabilisation is a relatively complex process, but experts can now get help from the FireProt web portal developed by researchers from the Loschmidt Laboratories at the MU Faculty of Science and from the Faculty of Information Technology at the Brno University of Technology.
The web service can highlight places in the protein structure that could be modified to stabilise the protein. “If a protein cannot withstand the processing conditions, it has no practical use, no matter how effective it is,” notes Jiří Damborský, the head of the laboratories.
The Loschmidt Laboratories focus on protein engineering and protein stabilisation is a very important topic for them. “Five years ago, we started working on a universal method that would allow us to stabilise any protein,” says David Bednář, who took part in the development of FireProt 1.0 during his PhD studies.
His colleague Miloš Musil adds that the product offers automatic design of stable proteins. “It was created so that someone without a deep knowledge of bioinformatics could take it and use it to design stable proteins.”
Automating a search for places suitable for stabilisation within the protein structure is not easy. Since the modification changes the individual amino acids, which are the building blocks of the protein, it could lead to changes in its other properties as well – including those that prompted its use in the first place.
“In other words, we have to look for places where a mutation doesn't have a big impact on the other properties of the protein,” says Bednář. “To find them, we examine related proteins and look for places that are evolutionarily conserved – that is, they are the same in all the proteins, which means they are probably connected to their biological effects. We don't make any changes to these places. Another factor that we look at are the energy interactions between the individual amino acids that form the proteins. If these improve, it should mean that the protein is more stable.”
However, the whole process of identifying the right places and picking a new amino acid for the modification is much more complex. Musil describes FireProt in the following way: “The website comprises 16 computational tools and it combines them to arrive at the most suitable modifications. These are mostly readily available third-party software applications, tools that help find similar sequences in various proteins or identify evolutionarily conserved sequences, and protein databases.” He adds that the user does not need to know how the individual tools work or how to install them and set them up.
Users can simply open the website and enter the parameters for the protein they want to modify. Then they just have to wait to be notified that the calculation has finished.
“These calculations are very complex and are only made possible by using the supercomputer centre CERIT-SC at Masaryk University and the ELIXIR project, which has laid the infrastructure for storing and analysing biological data,” says Damborský, adding that in the case of larger proteins, the calculation can take a week to finish.
Hundreds of scientists have already used FireProt
The MU and BUT team was the first to develop and publish a procedure that uses various tools to find places suitable for protein stabilisation. When it came to developing a publicly accessible online tool, however, they were beaten by an Israeli team from the Weizmann Institute – even though their tool takes a different approach to the problem.
“Our tool is only the second in the world to stabilise proteins using multiple mutations and the demand was high right from the start,” says Damborský. “During the first month, the website was accessed six hundred times and over a hundred users have already used it for their calculations.”
Among those who found the tool helpful are also Brno researchers who were looking for a way to stabilise the fibroblast growth factor, a protein that stimulates stem cell multiplication and is used in stem cell research.
The researchers presume that the factor could help with hard-to-heal wounds, such as burns or diabetic wounds, and it is already being developed for these purposes by Enantis, the biotechnology spin-off of Masaryk University.
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Red, itchy and inflamed skin could be soothed with a simple solution. Dermatologists often recommend a bleach bath for eczema and now that treatment is backed by science.
A recent study suggests that staph bacteria are the main cause of the itchy, inflamed skin commonly seen in atopic dermatitis, a form of eczema. Scientists in Philadelphia found that these bacteria trigger the skin’s natural immune system, which leads to itching and inflammation.
The study also found that bleach baths are an effective atopic dermatitis treatment thanks to their ability to fight bacteria without irritating the skin. Bleach is a natural antibacterial that can reduce the redness, itchiness and scaling that accompanies chronic eczema.
CLn products are a great alternative to taking a bleach bath for eczema. These advanced skin care formulas are ideal for athletes and those with staph infection. Each cleanser soothes and moisturizes compromised skin that is prone to infection, eczema, acne and rosacea. CLn products effectively diminish the symptoms of eczema and other common skin concerns.
In addition to bleach-based cleansing, eczema has a better chance of healing when the skin is well hydrated. This means using gentle soaps and lukewarm water, as well as taking shorter showers and baths. Additionally, avoid itching and scrubbing the skin, which can make symptoms worse. Dermatologists also suggest applying lotion to the affected areas immediately after showering to avoid any unnecessary moisture loss.
Have you found an effective atopic dermatitis treatment? Let us know in the comment section.
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Alarming Abusive Head Trauma Revealed in Computational Simulation Impact Study
April 9, 2020
Abusive head trauma (AHT), like that of Shaken Baby Syndrome, is the leading cause of fatal brain injuries in children under two. While children can suffer permanent neurological damage, developmental delay, and disability, the long-term effects of AHT are difficult to diagnose and predict. Now, researchers at New York Institute of Technology have developed computational simulations to help clinicians and caregivers better understand the impact of these injuries.
Similar to whiplash, shaking produces an accelerated force that causes a baby’s head to undergo multiple cycles of hyperextension and hyperflexion--snapping backward and rebounding to its original position. During head injury, the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), found in the central cavities and space surrounding the brain and spinal cord, cushions the brain and protects it from hitting the skull. Despite this protection, one in four shaken babies dies and 80 percent of survivors suffer permanent brain damage.
Computational simulations can help physicians visualize the true impact of AHT and assist them in making a prognosis. However, existing simulations are insufficient, as they portray the fluid as an elastic solid and fail to replicate intricate brain anatomy and the interaction between the CSF and the brain. These deficiencies are addressed, as reported in Journal of Pediatric Neurology, thanks to more precise simulations that reveal that the fluid’s protection may last for only a single shake. The study was developed by researchers at New York Institute of Technology’s College of Engineering and Computing Sciences.
“One instance of abusive head trauma could include as many as 80 shakes. Our findings demonstrate that the cerebrospinal fluid is only ‘designed’ to protect the brain for the first shake,” said lead author Milan Toma, Ph.D., assistant professor of mechanical engineering. “By considering simulations like these, clinicians can better predict the short- and long-term effects of abusive head trauma and more accurately assess the victim’s health.”
The researchers replicated the fluid’s cushioning effect for multiple cycles. In the first shake, CSF traveled to the sites of hyperextension and hyperflexion, providing the anticipated cushioning effect. However, during hyperflexion on the second shake, the fluid did not have enough time to reach the affected areas. In other words, following the first shake, the CSF was unable to prevent the brain from colliding with the skull, suggesting that the fluid offers no protection at repeated frequencies.
“Even when a baby is shaken at the lowest frequency, one shake is already too many,” said Alfonso Dehesa Baeza, an undergraduate mechanical engineering student at New York Tech and Toma’s co-investigator. “We hope that these surprising revelations help raise awareness among clinicians and caregivers, and prevent future incidents of abusive head trauma.”
“The known incidence of AHT in children less than a year old is approximately 35 cases per 100,000. Unfortunately, AHT is not only often misdiagnosed, it is also under-diagnosed. This simulation allows a glimpse into the mechanism through which AHT occurs. Better knowledge of the brain and its response to trauma can help us to tailor treatment and possibly mitigate damage,” said Rosalyn Chan-Akeley, M.D., M.P.H, OB/GYN research program manager at New York-Presbyterian Queens Lang Research Center, who was also an author on the study.
In continuing their work, New York Tech researchers aim to acquire pediatric data to refine their AHT models and also plan to add data on brain vasculature. Toma and his team of student researchers will also use their simulations to replicate nearly any head injury, test the effectiveness of protective helmets and replicate high-risk head injuries from automobile accidents and contact sports, including lacrosse, baseball, football, and ice hockey. Toma has also received a grant from the New York Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association to perform similar research on the efficacy of jockey helmets.
About New York Institute of Technology
New York Institute of Technology offers 90 undergraduate, graduate, and professional degree programs in more than 50 fields of study, including computer science, data, and cybersecurity; biology and biomedical studies; architecture and design; engineering; health professions and medicine; IT and digital technologies; management; communications and marketing; education and counseling; and energy and sustainability. A nonprofit, independent, private, and nonsectarian institute of higher education, New York Institute of Technology welcomes nearly 8,000 students worldwide. The university has campuses in New York City (Manhattan) and Long Island (Old Westbury), New York; Jonesboro, Arkansas; and Vancouver, British Columbia, as well as programs around the world.
New York Institute of Technology embraces its mission to provide career-oriented professional education, give all qualified students access to opportunity, and support research and scholarship that benefit the larger world. More than 107,000 alumni comprise an engaged network of doers, makers, and innovators prepared to change the world, solve 21st-century challenges, and reinvent the future.
Kim Tucker Campo
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A global view.
Our new group is primarily interested in a small part of Somerset about 15 miles by 7 miles in size and contains an interesting mix of wildlife, geographical features recreational and employment opportunities.
However it is stimulating to see what other conservation groups are doing around the world. Here are some extracts from a study carried out by the New Zealand Government Department of Conservation.
The value of conservation
Background on "ecosystem services"
The air we breathe, the water we drink, the soils that sustain our pastures, forestry, orchards and crops are examples of environmental goods that benefit humans. Without them, life on Earth would be impossible.
These goods – air, water and soil – arise from interactions between living things, such as chemical reactions and mechanical processes. Ecosystem processes that benefit humans are called “ecosystem services”.
Ecosystem services are often taken for granted, because they are “free”, that is, not traded directly in markets – unlike fish, vegetables and timber.
The report identifies four areas of benefit to human society provided by ecosystem services.
The examples given are similar to those enjoyed in Somerset!
In the reports conclusion it states:
The first steps in preventing further decline in ecosystems (and the services they provide) are to recognise that they have economic values, and to attempt to measure at least some of them. Armed with this information, the Department hopes to make better-informed conservation decisions, and increase public awareness of what is at stake in our national parks and, generally, on public conservation land.
Visit the DOC web site to see the full report.
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