Datasets:

Symato

/

fineweb_edu_10bt_shuffled

like 0

Follow

Symato Team 6

Democratizing Mexico’s Politics Mexican political leaders in growing numbers worked to establish democratic politics during the years 1980 to the present. These efforts resulted in a major presidential contest in 1988, the creation of the Party of the Democratic Revolution (PRD), the free election of the Mayor of Mexico City, and the defeat of the ruling regime (the Party of the Institutional Revolution—PRI) in 1989 for governorship of Baja California, and in 2000 the presidential victory of the National Political Action (PAN). Voters elected as President Vicente Fox in 2000 and as his successor in 2006, they elected Felipe Calderón, also from PAN. In 2012, the PRI managed a return to the presidential office, but national politics and government had both irrevocably changed and Mexico has become an electoral democracy. The following interviews are conducted by historian and ORE Latin American History Editor in Chief William H. Beezley (University of Arizona) and political scientist Roderic Ai Camp (Claremont McKenna College). The videos are directed, filmed, and edited by eminent documentarian Daniel Duncan, Pre-Post Productions. New: Former Attorney General Jorge Madrazo In an interview conducted by historian William Beezley and political scientist Roderic Camp, Jorge Madrazo, former Attorney General during the Zedillo administration, discusses his career in public service and his continued commitment to ensuring judicial and human rights in Mexico. President Felipe Calderón President Felipe Calderón, in the following interview, stresses his commitment through his administration to the goal of government based on the rule of law that led to, among other things, the so-called War on Drugs and escalating violence. In the following interview, Cuauhtémoc Cárdenas discusses his role in the democratization process, his defeat in the 1988 presidential elections, creation of the PRD, election as Head of the Federal District, and his continuing campaign to establish a democratic system in his nation. The democratization of the political system and the achievement of the rule of law in civil society have been Mexico’s preeminent national goals since the 1960s. Understanding popular attitudes toward a more democratic and a more just society became possible with opinion polling developed by Miguel Basáñez, former Mexican ambassador to the United States. He also played a major role in legal reforms changing the judicial system. Jaime Serra Puche Eminent economist Jaime Serra Puche has played a major role in the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), the revised tax law, and the nation's first Anti-Trust Legislation and federal trade commission to enforce it. These economic policies represent efforts to provide a more equitable society and economic transparency essential to the functioning of a democratic society. Cecilia Soto González Cecilia Soto González is currently a leading member of Congress, shaping the new definition of the City of Mexico (the former Federal District) to make government more democratic for its residents. She was the first female presidential candidate to receive nearly one million votes. In this interview, she discusses decisions she made beginning as a Physics major in college to work for a more democratic society. Ernesto Ruffo, currently a senator from Baja California del Norte, was elected as a candidate of the National Action Party (PAN) and achieved the first gubernatorial victory for an opposition party against the official party (PRI) since its establishment in 1929. Ruffo’s victory in 1989 jolted the PRI and the established political networks because he came from the country’s north, attended a university in Monterrey, Nuevo León, and began his business career in Ensenada, BCN, before entering politics by winning election as mayor of the city and then governor. His campaign style discussed in this interview earned the label “Ruffismo.” Following the 2000 presidential election victory of PAN candidate Vicente Fox, the first victory of an opposition candidate against the PRI, Ruffo was chosen to head the president’s border commission. Ruffo, until his election as a senator, spent his entire career outside of Mexico City without becoming associated with the educational and economic networks of the capital city—a unique and fascinating achievement. He remains one of the dynamic leaders of the PAN and is committed to the complete democratization of Mexico. Concise introduction to the context of these events: Roderic A. Camp, Politics in Mexico: Democratic Consolidation or Decline? (OUP, 2013). William H. Beezley and Colin M. MacLachlan, Mexico—The Essentials (OUP, 2015). For in-depth discussion of Mexico's history and political system, see: William H. Beezley and Michael C. Meyer, The Oxford History of Mexico (OUP, 2010). Roderic A. Camp, The Oxford Handbook of Mexican Politics (OUP, 2012). Escape from Slavery Africans and Afro-Latin Americans forced into slavery at times successfully fled into the countryside and established independent communities (called Quilombos in Brazil, palenques in Colombia and Mexico, and cimarrón communities in Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and elsewhere). Some of these settlements, created for the runaways to live free, recreate African cultural traditions insofar as possible, and practice their preferred religions, survive to the present. The following video episode demonstrates the undaunted determination of individuals to escape slavery. For an introduction to the African diasporic experience in Latin America, see: George Reid Andrews, Afro-Latin America, 1800–2000 (OUP, 2004). Hear from the Editorial Team Learn about the Oxford Research Encyclopedias Oxford University Press is re-imagining research with the new Oxford Research Encyclopedia project. We are embarking on our most ambitious reference project in decades: building dynamic, continuously updated digital Encyclopedias - by scholars, for scholars - in over twenty disciplines.

<urn:uuid:caed164b-96a0-4d16-9a75-1d7579c6556d>

The emphasis of this article is on making bicycle lanes as safe as possible. No single solution fits all circumstances. Such considerations as driveways, intersections, cars making right terms, bikes making left terns, etc. must be considered for any given street. The objective is to make biking as safe as possible for the lowest denominator, those who are not skilled at bicycling or those who are young and immature. The experienced and advanced bicyclists can mix with car traffic as they are now if they please. Protected bike lanes have physical barriers between traffic and the bicycle lane typically Curbs, Posts, Planters, and Parked Cars, and Solid Concrete Barriers. This makes is impossible for cars to drive into these bikes as was the case for buffered bike lanes. Protected bike lane are safe from traffic where ever these barriers are present. Bicyclists are still vulnerable at street intersections and driveways but they are significantly safer than most other forms of bike lanes. It has been shown over and over again that protected bike lanes bring out more people to bicycle thus reducing the number of cars on he road. The two videos below illustrate protected bike lanes A protected bike lane are safe until it comes to intersections where again bicycles are exposed to traffic. Protected intersections were invented by the Dutch and are illustrated in the video below to make intersections safe for bicycles and pedestrians. I median bike lane is built at the center of the road. This has the advantage of allowing cars to enter driveways without having to cross the bike lane. This can also make a very pleasant bicycle expressway across town. Raised bike lanes can take several forms. What they have in common is that the bike lane is at a higher level than the street. The purpose of raised bike lanes is to make it physically difficult for cars to drive on the bike lane and to discourage bicycle from going into the street lanes. The earliest raided were simply extensions to the sidewalk with a marked bike lane. This evolved into the two step configuration where the bike lane was between the street level and sidewalk level intended to protect pedestrians from bicycles (see below). This later evolved into a sloped strip between the bike lane and the road to allow bikes to more easily go into the car lane when crossing the street. The photo above show a gently sloping and wide transition but the sloped transition can be more narrow for narrow roads. Texturing and coloring the transition as shown helps to announce its presence to both cars and bikes. The greatest advantage of raised bike lanes is they can be implemented where the road it too narrow for a Protected Bike Lane. They are also effective for garbage trucks which can climb the sloped transition to the bike lane to collect garbage at the curb. Driveway only need an extra slope between the bike lane and the sidewalk. This is still not as safe as a Protected Bike Lane but is far safer than a painted bike lane. It is a good compromise where a Protected Bike Lane is not possible doe to space limitation or garbage truck pickups or driveways. I will continue adding more examples as I come upon them to visit this post in the future to see new best bike lane practices.

<urn:uuid:1a3459d5-571d-469e-9ab5-00724c248c23>

JAMES DAVIS, M.D. SPECIAL TO THE MIRROR Despite major advances in screening and early detection, colon cancer still accounts for about 9 percent of all cancer deaths. Rare before the age of 40, colon cancer incidence begins to increase each decade thereafter. Screening for colon cancer should begin at age 50 for those at average risk and continue for as long as a person is healthy enough to benefit. It may not be recommended after age 75. Despite its proven effectiveness, colon cancer screening remains underutilized in older adults. The United States Preventive Services Task Force recommends three options for colon cancer screening: 1) annual fecal occult blood testing; 2) flexible sigmoidoscopy every five years with fecal occult blood testing every three years; 3) or colonoscopy every 10 years. Each of these methods has benefits and potential risks. For example, fecal occult blood testing is noninvasive and inexpensive but may not pick up early or pre-cancerous lesions and may yield false-positive test results. Colonoscopy is very accurate in finding both cancers and pre-malignant polyps but carries some risk, especially in older adults, and the preparation is cumbersome for most people. Higher-risk individuals– those with a family history of colon cancer, polyps, or inflammatory bowel disease—should consider starting screening earlier and choose colonoscopy over the other methods because of its greater likelihood of detecting disease at an early stage. A major problem with screening methods in the United States has been the failure to screen individuals who would benefit the most from early detection. Many colon cancer deaths could be prevented every year if more people were screened. One Veterans Administration study found that colon cancer screening was done in only 47 percent of patients who would benefit the most while as many as 41 percent of those unlikely to benefit from screening due to other illnesses were still being screened. It is vitally important to know your colon cancer screening status and select the most appropriate screening option with your primary care physician. It could be lifesaving! Dr. James Davis is a board-certified geriatrician with the highly ranked UCLA Geriatrics Program in Santa Monica and Westwood. For more information, call 310.319.4371. Copyright © 2011 by Santa Monica Mirror. All rights reserved.

<urn:uuid:f0088a3d-7953-47f9-b8c1-606a0fe2422e>

Want a Green New Deal? Help NASA Get Back to the Moon. Should we fund a return to the moon in order to tackle climate change? by Causes | 1.14.19 - Rep. Alexandria Ocasio–Cortez’ (D-NY) Green New Deal proposal to tackle climate change calls for the U.S. to transition to 100 percent renewable energy within 10 years. - However, a recent scientific study raised a fundamental obstacle: shortages in planet Earth’s supply of the rare earth elements that are critical components of such technologies as solar panels and wind turbines. - Turns out, the moon likely has plenty of rare earth elements. Rare-earth elements are prized for their magnetism, luminescence and strength. Manufacturers use them in a wide array of products, from smartphones to wind turbines to hybrid cars. In the 80s, the U.S. was the dominant source of rare earths. Since then, it has lost nearly all of its capacity, and become almost completely dependent on imports for this precious resource. China controls the vast majority of the planet’s rare earth resources, and has a history of restricting other countries’ access to them as a political bargaining chip. Given the fallout from the U.S.’ current trade war with China, depending on them for a critical element of our energy supply seems imprudent. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has good evidence that there are local concentrations of rare earth elements on the moon, but some uncertainty remains: “Current data are only sufficient to indicate the presence of some concentrations of minerals, but are inadequate to survey and map their character and distribution.” President Donald Trump already wants to send astronauts to both the moon and Mars, and issued a space policy directive in late 2017 ordering NASA to focus on that mission. An alternative or complementary solution would be to establish a world-wide recycling infrastructure for products containing rare earth elements, although that could arguably be more difficult than returning to the moon. Recent technology advances have greatly improved our ability to recover these elements from consumer products, but huge hurdles remain in changing human behavior around waste management and establishing an efficient recycling pipeline. What do you think? Should we fund a return to the moon in order to tackle climate change? Why or why not? Tell your reps what you think, then share your thoughts below. —Sara E. Murphy (Image Credit: iStock.com / Kevin Wells) Black Friday or Black Plague? Here Are Best Buy's Holiday PlansWe covered the major retailers this week. We close with Best Buy: by Causes | 11.27.20 Black Friday or Black Plague? Here Are Target's Holiday PlansWe'll be covering the major retailers this week. We continue with Target. by Causes | 11.26.20 Unauthorized Immigrants in the Census, Foreign Sovereign Immunities, and More on the Supreme Court’s December DocketWhat's the story? The Supreme Court convenes for its December argument session on Monday, November 30th. The December session by Causes | 11.26.20

<urn:uuid:9a71ff4b-d833-42ac-bdad-439913881086>

TIGER LEGISLATION – A SHORT HISTORY Agency: U.S. Department of Interior - The Animal Welfare Act of 1966 was amended to include all warm-blooded animals (tigers now covered) used in exhibition or sold as pets. Coverage expanded to animal exhibitors (i.e. circuses, zoos and roadside shows). - US Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) delegates standards and enforcement of the Act to the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) who issue the Exhibitors License. This license legitimized backyard breeding and has probably caused more tigers to die than all the poachers in China. - Endangered Species Act of 1973 enacted to prevent the extinction of wildlife and plants. It basically said that any US citizen had to get a permit to do anything with endangered species: import, export, take (meaning harass, harm, pursue, hunt, shoot, wound, kill, trap, capture, or collect), or engage in interstate or foreign commerce. - Captive-Bred Wildlife (CBW) regulations allow prohibited activities for non-native endangered species born in captivity in the US which enhance the survival of the species. - Registration with the US Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) is required to get CBW permit. - Registrants required to maintain written records, and report annually to FWS – for live animals only. - There were no activities permitted for dead animals, in order to prevent breeding endangered species for illegal trade. - Amendment to CBW regulations eliminated education through exhibiting captive bred wildlife as the sole justification for issuing a CBW permit (unfortunately it was not enforced). FWS concerned that CBW regulations were drifting from the original intent to “encourage responsible breeding that is specifically designed to help conserve the species involved.” 1998 – September 11, a bad day for tigers - Amendment to CBW regulations deletes the requirements for CBW registration or annual reporting for holders of Generic Tigers (this is the generic tiger loophole) and applies only to tigers. - Justification for amendment: “It is estimated that the paperwork burden of the CBW system and the public will be reduced:” The Service recognizes the rule will have a beneficial effect on a substantial number (400) of small entities, such as zoos, circuses, or independent breeders. - Proposed removal of Generic Tiger Loophole because of concern for deteriorating conservation status of wild tigers. - Lack of registration and reporting seen as potential contributor to illegal trade. - Comment period got 15,127 public responses, mostly in favor of removing the loophole. - Comments arguing against the removal are from breeders, exhibitors, private owners and participants in the exotic pet trade. So What Has Been Accomplished? The combination of the USDA giving away licenses and FWS deleting generic tigers from reporting requirements accelerated the breeding binge that began in the 1980s and continues to this day. The supply of cheap, unregulated tigers to exhibitors is the primary reason we have more tigers in this country than exist in the wild in the rest of the world. So What Can We Do? Strengthen and enforce existing laws and enact new legislation to end the unregulated breeding. Although focused on tigers, they should be considered a surrogate for all the big cat captive bred species. The 6 big cat species (tigers, lions, leopards, cougars, cheetahs, and jaguars) will all benefit from Big Cat Legislation. At the moment there are a number of Big Cat initiatives, some federal and some state level. And while there are a number of talented and dedicated people and organizations involved, a consolidated plan has yet to emerge. Some of the initiatives are: - Request USDA licensed facilities to report tiger inventory and transactions annually and make it available for public review. - There is a 4 week petting window for tiger cubs. This allows public interaction with tiger cubs between 8 and 12 weeks old. Close it. - Establish standards for big cat enclosure size, food and vet care. - Pass laws in the five states that have no laws at all. - Eliminate the Federal exhibitors exemption in state laws. - Prohibit trade in trophy parts. We urge support these and other initiatives that will end the unregulated breeding, irresponsible ownership, public interaction and commercial exploitation. We believe we can put an end to the abuse, suffering and premature death of tigers and other big cats. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – A Short History* The 1970s were golden years for the USFWS Office of Law Enforcement (OLE). Congress passed the Marine Mammal Protection Act in 1972, followed by the Endangered Species Act in 1973. Newly appointed chief Clark Bavin, known as the J. Edgar Hoover of FWS, began to turn old-time game wardens into professional special agents. Wildlife agents found themselves shipped off to Glynco, Georgia, to receive fifteen weeks of intensive training in criminal investigations, firearms, self-defense, and wildlife law. It was their final evolution from duck cops into a new breed of investigators. By 1977, an all-time high of 220 special agents, trained in the mode of the FBI, successfully broke the back of the illegal alligator trade. The timing couldn’t have been better. The exploitation of wildlife was rapidly rising as word traveled of the quick and easy money to be made. The agents of OLE felt a heady confidence about taking on the challenge as protectors of America’s wildlife. They were now federal agents investigating premeditated and well-organized criminal acts that just happened to involve animals. Their numbers were growing and FWS appeared to be solidly behind their work. They couldn’t have been more wrong. Though their mission remained the same, it would all be downhill from there. FWS is primarily known as a biological-research agency responsible for protecting wildlife and its habitats. In a government body mainly composed of managers and biologists, OLE is forever getting a smaller piece of the pie. The number of their agents slowly dwindles, while their investigative caseload continues to grow. These days OLE has 195 special agents. That’s down from 220 thirty-five years ago. Take away the number of supervisory people and there are probably only about 130 field agents in total. And fewer than 20 of them do any high-level undercover work. By comparison, the FBI has 12,000 special agents. Yet global wildlife crime ranks just behind drugs and human trafficking in terms of profit. *courtesy Jessica Speart in Winged Obsession The FWS budget for fiscal year 2016 is $2.9 billion. The Office of Law Enforcement’s budget is $75 million. The Multinational Species Conservation Fund budget is $11 million. There is an 11 percent Federal excise tax on guns and ammunition and a 10 percent tax on handguns. These funds are collected from the gun manufacturers by the Department of the Treasury and are apportioned each year to the States by the Department of the Interior. In 2015 this amounted to __ Amount spent on the captive bred wildlife problem is $0

<urn:uuid:2dce80a8-151b-405c-9d83-d82929a3ada3>

One Of The Easiest To Visit Michigan Shipwrecks Is At This Historic Lighthouse Michigan’s Great Lakes shoreline is known for beautiful beaches, stunning sunrises and sunsets, historic lighthouses, and water perfect for swimming and boating. The Great Lakes waters that provide all of these things can also be dangerous and unpredictable, which is why our Lake Huron, Lake Michigan, and Lake Superior shorelines are also home to hundreds of shipwrecks. While many of these shipwrecks are at the bottom of the lake and require diving gear to see, some are visible on the shore and are easier to visit. One of the easiest to visit Michigan shipwrecks is the Joseph S. Fay, located on the grounds of the 40 Mile Point lighthouse museum north of Rogers City. Today we’ll take a look at this shipwreck and provide all the details you need for a visit. The Joseph S. Fay was a 216 foot wooden steamer that was built in Cleveland in the 1870s. From the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary we learn more about how it met its fate: “With the D.P. Rhodes in tow, the giant bulk freighter Joseph S. Fay encountered a strong gale in northern Lake Huron. Fay hit the rocks at 40 Mile Point, the towline parted and the Rhodes met a similar fate at Cheboygan. The Fay broke apart quickly and its lower hull still containing a load of iron ore sits in shallow water not far from shore, while a large portion of the starboard side is located on the beach just up the shore from the lighthouse.” To get to the shipwreck you follow a well-signed path to the beach. Start at the lighthouse and head towards the beach, following the signs shown above to get to the wreck. Water levels vary and will have an effect on how much of the wreck is visible. The part of the wreck in Lake Huron is marked by an NOAA buoy seasonally and can be seen from a kayak on a clear day. It is also an excellent shallow dive opportunity for beginners. The Fay is not the only shipwreck near here as the Michigan historical marker referring to the area as “Graveyard of Ships” details: “Named by seventeenth century French explores La Mer Douce the sweet or freshwater sea, Lake Huron is the second largest of the five Great Lakes. It has over 3,800 miles of shoreline and contains 30,000 islands, among them Manitoulin, the world’s largest freshwater island. Violent storms on the “sweet sea” have made it dangerous for ships. As of 2006, 1,200 wrecks had been recorded. During the Big Blow of 1905, twenty-seven wooden vessels were lost.” Now, a little bit about the 40 Mile Point Lighthouse. From the Michigan historical marker here: “During the late 1800s, the U.S. Lighthouse Board created a system of coastal lights along Lake Huron’s Michigan shore so that mariners would always be within sight of at least one. With a light south of Forty Mile Point on the Presque Isle Peninsula and one one to the north at Cheboygan, and eighteen mile stretch of shoreline remained unlighted and dangerous. In1890 the board recommended that a light be built at Forty Mile Point. The light was completed in 1896, and Xavier Rains served as the first keeper, The lighthouse was transferred to Presque Isle County in 1998, but the Coast Guard retained ownership of its Fresnel lens. The site was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1984.” In normal years, the 40 Mile Point Lighthouse is open to visitors. The lighthouse interior has been restored and one of its apartments now features many nautical artifacts. Other outbuildings have also been restored and another highlight of the lighthouse grounds is the pilot house of the 1912 steamer Calcite. Find out more at https://fortymilepointlighthouse.org/.

<urn:uuid:69ed29b4-a9b5-4bac-abfa-cf934f5aa2bb>

New research: 84% of consumers believe children should be protected from unhealthy food advertising The Obesity Policy Coalition has today released the first Australian plan for legislation that offers real protection for children from unhealthy food advertising – one of the key drivers of childhood obesity. The OPC’s evidence-based blueprint, which has been presented to the State and Federal Governments, explains how different types of advertising should be restricted (including TV advertising during peak children’s viewing times), and proposes definitions of key terms, such as ‘unhealthy food’ and advertising ‘directed to children’. As well as overwhelming public support for reform, the initiatives in the blueprint have been endorsed by the Australian Medical Association, the Australian Chronic Disease Prevention Alliance together with a host of other public health organisations.* “The Federal Government has given industry a chance to clean up their act, but self-regulation has proven to be a complete failure,” said Senior Policy Adviser for the OPC, Jane Martin. “Our analysis indicates the current system of self-regulation is utterly ineffective in protecting children from being the target of junk food advertisers. “In fact it allows junk food companies to advertise during the highest rating children’s TV programs. It also permits them to use websites and Facebook, freetoys, competitions and sports sponsorship as marketing tools to reach kids, as well as obtaining children’s contact details and marketing directly to them via email, SMS or mail. “Australian consumers have had enough of junk food companies marketing unhealthy food to children. New Cancer Council research released today found nearly 60% of grocery buyers1 nominated TV advertising or toy giveaways as having the biggest impact on their children asking for an unhealthy food product,” said Ms Martin. The research found that 83% of grocery buyers want the government to step in and ban this type of advertising at times when children watch TV. The majority of respondents (95%) who support a ban would like to see it implemented on TV from at least 4pm to 9:30pm. The OPC would like to see the federal Government tackle this as a national issue; however, legislation could be implemented at a state level if the Federal Government fails to act. “Implementation of this proposal by Federal and state governments would be a hugely important step towards decreasing children’s exposure to junk food marketing and reducing the burden of obesity in this country.” The Obesity Policy Coalition partners include Diabetes Australia - Vic, Cancer Council Victoria, Victorian Health Promotion Foundation (VicHealth) and the World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Obesity Prevention at Deakin University. OPC consumer research: Key findings • 84% of consumers believe children should be protected from unhealthy food advertising. • Just under 9 in 10 people were in favour of the government introducing stronger restrictions to reduce the amount of unhealthy food and drink advertising seen by children, with 76% strongly in favour. • Asked up to what age children should be protected up to: One-third of consumers said 17 years; 21% up to 14 or 15 years and 28% said 12 or 13 years. • 83% of grocery buyers are in favour of a ban on advertising of unhealthy foods at times when children watch TV, with 66% strongly in favour. • 95% of respondents who supported bans on TV believed that advertising should be banned from at least 4pm – 9.30pm. • When asked what most commonly negatively impacted their children’s food purchase requests, grocery buyers reported television commercials (29%) or toys and giveaways (29%). • 85% of consumers are in favour of restricting or stopping toys and giveaways. • 89% of consumers want the government to regulate the use of unhealthy food products in games and competitions on websites aimed at children. • 97% of those surveyed believe the government should regulate the use of email or SMS food marketing to children. 79% think the practice should be stopped altogether. Note to editors Obesity Prevention Policy Proposals: Public Acceptability 2008 to 2010 study A random sample of 1521 adults who were the main grocery buyer, residing in private households in metropolitan and regional areas across all Australian states and territories were surveyed in 2010 by the Centre for Behavioural Research in Cancer at Cancer Council Victoria. Analysis: Junk food advertising allowed under food industry codes See analysis here Coalition on Food Advertising to Children (CFAC) The member organisations of the CFAC are: • Australian and New Zealand Obesity Society • Australian Dental Association • Australian Dental and Oral Health Therapists Association • Australian Health Promotion Association • Australian Medical Association • Cancer Council Australia • Home Economics Institute of Australia • Nutrition Australia • Public Health Advocacy Institute of Western Australia • Public Health Association of Australia • Royal Australian College of General Practitioners • Young Media Australia • Ms Kaye Mehta, Senior Lecturer in Nutrition and Dietetics, Flinders University • Dr Rosemary Stanton OAM Australian Chronic Disease Prevention Alliance (ACDPA) The members of ACDPA are: • Cancer Council Australia • Diabetes Australia • Kidney Health Australia • National Heart Foundation of Australia • The National Stroke Foundation Contact: Rebecca Cook 0438 316 435/ 9635 5207

<urn:uuid:806195b2-65ff-4720-b0bc-c268dcffd9da>

|erottaa englanniksi||discern fi, differentiate fi, cashier fi, abstract fi, exclude fi, expel fi, appreciate fi, sever fi, filter fi, abrupt fi, divorce fi, fire fi, separate fi, dismiss fi, dissociate fi| : He was too young to discern right from wrong. *: The word "then" was differentiated into the two forms "then" and "than". *: His ninth Legion having mutined neere unto Placentia, he presently cassiered the same with great ignominie unto itnb.... *: They found an Army officer who had been a military failure until Bernard Baruch promoted him to General, and who in 1945 should have been able to hope for nothing better than that he could escape a court martial and thus avoid being cashiered, if he could prove that all the atrocities and all the sabotage of American interests of which he had been guilty in Europe had been carried out over his protest and under categorical orders from the President. *: The Directory had been deregulating the economy since Thermidor; but it had not cashiered the police spies on which the Terror had depended, and these allowed the government to keep abreast of the threat. *: Inevitably his appeals for financial assistance were ignored and, though not cashiered from the army, he was pointedly cold-shouldered by his brother officers. *: The more abstract we are from the body ... the more fit we shall be to behold divine light. *: abstract, as in a trance *: He was incapable of forming any opinion or resolution abstracted from his own prejudices. : He was wholly abstracted by other objects. : He abstracted out the square root function. : to exclude young animals from the womb or from eggs *: But to the ground the idle quarrell fell: / Then he another and another did expell. : I appreciate your efforts : You must learn to appreciate time : To test the power of bees to appreciate color. *: to test the power of bees to appreciate colour : The value of his portfolio appreciated by 80% over eight years. *: lest a sudden peace should appreciate the money : After he graduated, he severed all links to his family. : to sever the head from the body *: The angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just. : The Lord shall sever between the cattle of Israel and the cattle of Egypt. — Ex. ix. 4. : They claimed the right of severing in their challenge. — Macaulay. : to sever an estate in joint tenancy : ux|en|He runs an email filter to catch the junk mail. : ux|en|Hes got no filter, and hes always offending people as a result. : The collection of cofinite subsets of ? is a filter under inclusion: it includes the intersection of every pair of its members, and includes every superset of every cofinite set. : If (1) the universal set (here, the set of natural numbers) were called a "large" set, (2) the superset of any "large" set were also a "large" set, and (3) the intersection of a pair of "large" sets were also a "large" set, then the set of all "large" sets would form a filter. : The party came to an abrupt end when the parents of our host arrived. *: The cause of your abrupt departure. : The abrupt style, which hath many breaches. *: Tumbling through ricks abrupt. *: Till death abrupts them. *: Over the vast abrupt. : Richard obtained a divorce from his wife some years ago, but hasnt returned to the dating scene. : The Civil War split between Virginia and West Virginia was a divorce based along cultural and economic as well as geographic lines. *: to make divorce of their incorporate league : A ship captain can marry couples, but cannot divorce them. : Lucy divorced Steve when she discovered that he had been unfaithful. : The radical group voted to divorce itself from the main faction and start an independent movement. : Edna and Simon divorced last year; he got the house, and she retained the business. : ux|en|We sat around the fire singing songs and telling stories. : ux|en|There was a fire at the school last night and the whole place burned down. : ux|en|During hot and dry summers many fires in forests are caused by regardlessly discarded cigarette butts. : ux|en|The fire was laid and needed to be lit. : ux|en|The fire from the enemy guns kept us from attacking. *: He had fire in his temper. *: And bless their critic with a poets fire. *: Stars, hide your fires. *: As in a zodiac representing the heavenly fires. : ux|en|Press fire to fire the gun. *: "Then I slipped up again with a box of matches, fired my heap of paper and rubbish, put the chairs and bedding thereby, led the gas to the affair, by means of an india-rubber tube, and waving a farewell to the room left it for the last time." ¶ "You fired the house!" exclaimed Kemp. ¶ "Fired the house. It was the only way to cover my trail—and no doubt it was insured." *: It was long a question of debate, whether the burning of the South Side ghetto was accidental, or whether it was done by the Mercenaries; but it is definitely settled now that the ghetto was fired by the Mercenaries under orders from their chiefs. : ux|en|If you fire the pottery at too high a temperature, it may crack. : ux|en|They fire the wood to make it easier to put a point on the end. *: So this was my future home, I thought! Certainly it made a brave picture. I had seen similar ones fired-in on many a Heidelberg stein. Backed by towering hills,...a sky of palest Gobelin flecked with fat, fleecy little clouds, it in truth looked a dear little city; the city of ones dreams. *: Till my bad angel fire my good one out. *: The first, obvious choice was hysterical and fantastic Blanche – had there not been her timidity, her fear of being ‘fired’nb.... : ux|en|We will fire our guns at the enemy. : ux|en|He fired his radar gun at passing cars. : ux|en|Dont fire until you see the whites of their eyes. : ux|en|His nail gun fired about twenty roofing nails a minute. : ux|en|When a neuron fires, it transmits information. : ux|en|He answered the questions the reporters fired at him. : ux|en|The event handler should only fire after all web page content has finished loading. : ux|en|to fire the soul with anger, pride, or revenge *: Love had fired my mind. : ux|en|to fire the genius of a young man : ux|en|to fire a boiler *: [The sun] fires the proud tops of the eastern pines. : That [[shit]] is fire, [[yo]]! : This chair can be disassembled into five separate pieces. : I try to keep my personal life separate from work. : ux|en|Separate the articles from the headings. *: From the fine gold I separate the alloy. *: Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? : ux|en|If the kids get too noisy, separate them for a few minutes. : ux|en|The sauce will separate if you dont keep stirring. *: Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. : ux|en|The company dismissed me after less than a year. : ux|en|The soldiers were dismissed after the parade. : ux|en|He dismissed all thoughts of acting again. : ux|en|The court dismissed the case. *: "He was here," observed Drina composedly, "and father was angry with him." ¶ "What?" exclaimed Eileen. "When?" ¶ "This morning, before father went downtown." ¶ Both Selwyn and Lansing cut in coolly, dismissing the matter with a careless word or two; and coffee was served—cambric tea in Drinas case. : ux|en|He was dismissed for 99 runs. : A number of group members wish to dissociate themselves from the majority. : After the big fight, the gang totally dissociated from each other. : We dissociated the lead iodide into its elements by heating : Gerald checked himself into the hospital because he was dissociating.rfex

<urn:uuid:3eea5c52-49e5-408b-ba0c-1f31785b8ad6>

More Retinal Detachment Seen With Higher Income Status Findings shed no light on reason for link, Scottish researchers say TUESDAY, Sept. 29, 2009 (HealthDay News) -- Wealthy people are twice as likely to suffer retinal detachment as poorer people, according to Scottish researchers who said they couldn't identify the reason for the disparity. Retinal detachment -- the separation of the retina from its connection at the back of the eye -- usually occurs as a result of a tear in the retina. If patients don't receive immediate treatment, retinal detachment can lead to permanent vision loss. The new study included 572 patients diagnosed with primary retinal detachment in Scotland over a one-year period between 2007 and 2008. The rate of retinal detachment was 15.4 per 100,000 population among the most affluent patients, compared with 13.6 per 100,000 for the second-most affluent patients, 9.3 per 100,000 for the third-most affluent patients, and 6.9 per 100,000 among the least affluent patients. This was a surprising finding that's never been reported before, said Dr. David Yorston of Gartnavel General Hospital in Glasgow, and colleagues. "We have not found any satisfactory explanation for the greater incidence of [retinal detachment] in less deprived patients. It is possible that a combination of small differences in known risk factors, such as myopia [short-sightedness] and previous cataract surgery account for the difference," they wrote. "However, we cannot exclude the possibility that affluence is associated with some other, hitherto, unknown risk factor." The study appears online Sept. 29 in the British Journal of Ophthalmology. The U.S. National Eye Institute has more about retinal detachment.

<urn:uuid:63bf6422-a340-4b2b-8cbb-33c0d33059c9>

Community safety is a collective effort, and it takes everyone working together to ensure dangerous risks do not become realities. Below you will find practical tips and resources to help keep yourself, your family and each other safe. Vehicle accidents, severe weather events, and trees can all cause power lines to fall. Always stay a minimum of ten metres away from downed lines (about the length of a school bus), and call 9-1-1 to report the issue. If your vehicle comes into contact with a downed power line, remain inside and call 9-1-1. If a fire makes it necessary to exit the vehicle, hop out – landing on both feet – and bunny shuffle ten metres away before calling 9-1-1. When out and about in the community, you may come across substations, hydro poles and pad-mounted transformers (or locked green metal cabinets). Always walk around and away from these pieces of equipment and never tamper or play with them as they are connected to high voltage equipment. Electricity can arc through the air and deliver a potentially fatal shock. Always keep yourself, toys, tools and trees a minimum of three to six metres away from overhead power lines. Elexicon Energy offers an electrical safety program for students in Grades 1-4 at the Kids Safety Village in Whitby. Students will learn about different electrical structures, and what not to touch and why. Topics include: There is also a display for students to “spot the hazards” in a kitchen and a bathroom. The students will then go outside to identify the Village-sized electrical structures which include overhead power lines and transformers. To learn more about the Kids Safety Village, visit them online or use one of the contact methods below. Address: 1129 Athol St. Whitby, ON

<urn:uuid:dea92cc5-1943-4c94-967b-6fa84f8d9547>

|Capacity||20 - 49 CFM| |Compatibility Size||7.5 HP| |NPT Connection||1/2" NPT| air-cooled aftercoolers for your compressed air system compressed air discharged from an air compressor is hot and loaded with water vapor. an aftercooler reduces the amount of water in a compressed air system by lowering the temperature of the compressed air. the lower the compressed air temperature, the lower the amount of moisture it can hold. in van air systemsac series air-cooled aftercoolers, hot compressed air is introduced to the core as ambient air is drawn across it, leaving the exiting air cooler. ac series after-coolers are normally sized for a 15°f (or less) approach to ambient air. for example, a compressor discharges 250°f air and the aftercooler is located in 80°f ambient conditions. with a 15°f approach, the air exiting the aftercooler will be 95°f and saturated, and the moisture created by cooling from 250°f to 95°f will condense. 1. determine inlet temperature to aftercooler. 2. determine desired outlet temperature. (aftercooler outlet temperature = ambient temp. + approach) 3. determine needed approach. (approach = desired outlet temp. - ambient temp.) 4. find flow (scfm) under column of correct inlet and approach temperatures and read left for model number.

<urn:uuid:4aff7184-900d-46a5-8f27-0f29baf4fd37>

How does your immune system work? Your immune system works because your body is able to recognize "self" and "non-self." This means that your body is able to tell if an invader (virus, bacteria, parasite, or other another person's tissues) has entered it—even if you aren't consciously aware that anything has happened. Your body recognizes this invader and uses a number of different tactics to destroy it. Major Players of the Immune System Lymph nodes (also called "lymph glands"): These small, bean-shaped structures are part of your lymphatic system. That system is made up of tissues and organs (bone marrow, spleen, thymus, and lymph nodes) that produce and store cells that fight infection and disease, along with the clear fluid, lymph, that carries those cells to different parts of the body. Lymph nodes filter the lymphatic fluid and store special cells that can trap cancer cells or bacteria that are traveling through your body in the lymph fluid. Lymph nodes are critical for your body's immune response and many of your immune reactions begin there. When you have an infection, your lymph nodes can get larger and feel tender or sore. Thymus: A small organ located just behind your breastbone. This is where your T-cells mature (That's why they are called T-cells. The "T" is for "thymus.") Spleen: The largest lymphatic organ in the body—it's about the size of your fist. Your spleen is located in the upper-left part of your abdomen. It contains white blood cells that fight infection or disease. Your spleen also helps control the amount of blood in your body and destroys old and damaged blood cells. Bone Marrow: The yellow tissue in the center of your bones that is responsible for making white blood cells that are destined to become lymphocytes. Lymphocytes: A small white blood cell that plays a large role in defending the body against disease. There are two main types of lymphocytes: B-cells and T-cells. B-cells make antibodies that attack bacteria and toxins. T-cells help destroy infected or cancerous cells attack body cells themselves when they have been taken over by viruses or have become cancerous. The Immune System in Action Your immune system has many different ways of fighting off foreign invaders. When confronted with a virus, your body responds by activating specific processes of the immune system. First your body recognizes a foreign antigen and delivers it to the lymph system, where it is ingested by a macrophage. Then the macrophage processes the virus and displays the antigens for that particular virus on its own exterior. This antigen then signals a helper T- cell. Next the T-cell reads this signal and sounds the alarm for other parts of your immune system to respond. The B-cell responds to this call and comes to read the antigen from the surface of the macrophage. The B cell then becomes activated and produces millions of antibodies that are specific to the antigen. These antibodies are released into your body to attach to the virus particles. These antibodies are important because the invading virus may outnumber your own immune system cells. The antibodies attach to the antigens and hold on tight. These antibodies then send a signal to other macrophages and other immune cells to come and engulf and destroy the antibody and whatever it has captured. The final stage of your immune response involves the suppressor T-cell. Once the number of invaders has dropped significantly and the infection has resolved, the suppressor T-cell will signal the other cells of the immune system to rest. This is important as prolonged activation of your immune response could eventually lead to damage to your healthy cells. How HIV affects this complex process HIV disrupts this process by directly infecting the helper T-cells. Your initial immune response does get rid of a great deal of HIV, but some of it manages to survive and infect these important cells. Once the infected helper T-cells are activated, they work to create new viruses instead of doing the job they are supposed to do in your immune system. In addition, many helper T-cells are destroyed in the HIV replication process. For more information, see NIAID's The Immune System. Fact Sheets & Print Materials - National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases - The Immune System Related Topics on AIDS.gov Frequently Asked Questions What is the difference between a T-cell and a CD4 cell? A CD4 cell is a specific type of T-cell. This is why some clinicians use the term interchangeably. Do our bodies make antibodies to HIV infection? Yes. In fact, most HIV tests look for those antibodies to indicate that you have been infected with HIV. But, for very complex biological reasons, human antibodies to HIV are not very effective at neutralizing the virus once you have been infected with it. Last revised: 08/22/2011

<urn:uuid:326a4d16-cdee-49bd-92d1-f7380e41c7d1>

Latin America and the Caribbean With three out of the twelve world's biggest transboundary aquifers situated in Latin America (Amazonas, Guaraní and Yrendá-Toba-Tarijeño), it is an interesting region in terms of groundwater governance. Especially the Amazonas aquifer (Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela), with 4,056,605 km2 the biggest transboundary aquifer in the world, and the Sistema Aquífero Guaraní (Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay) have attracted international interest and several projects have been conducted in this region. IGRAC in Latin America and the Caribbean IGRAC has been involved in several activities in Latin America and the Caribbean throughout the years. The most recent one has been an in-depth assessment of the Esquipulas-Ocotepeque-Citalá (Trifinio) Aquifer in El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras. This assessment was part of the Groundwater Resources Governance in Transboundary Aquifers (GGRETA) project. Moreover, IGRAC has organised workshop for groundwater monitoring, within the framework of the Global Groundwater Monitoring Network (GGMN), and transboundary assessment, within the framework of the Transboundary Water Assessment Programme (TWAP).

<urn:uuid:9c1b3c23-8274-450f-bee8-0acb9bf80859>

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Roundworms may infect close to a quarter of inner city black children, tapeworms are the leading cause of seizures among U.S. Hispanics and other parasitic diseases associated with poor countries are also affecting Americans, a U.S. expert said on Tuesday. Recent studies show many of the poorest Americans living in the United States carry some of the same parasitic infections that affect the poor in Africa, Asia, and Latin America, said Dr. Peter Hotez, a tropical disease expert at George Washington University and editor-in-chief of the Public Library of Science journal PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases. Writing in the journal, Hotez said these parasitic infections had been ignored by most health experts in the United States. “I feel strongly that this is such an important health issue and yet because it only affects the poor it has been ignored,” Hotez said via e-mail. He said the United States spent hundreds of millions of dollars to defend against bio-terrorism threats like anthrax or smallpox or avian flu, which were more a theoretical concern than a real threat at present. “And yet we have a devastating parasitic disease burden among the American poor, right under our nose,” Hotez said. He noted a recent study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, presented in November, found that almost 14 percent of the U.S. population is infected with Toxocara roundworms, which dogs and cats can pass to people. “Urban playgrounds in the United States have recently been shown to be a particularly rich source of Toxocara eggs and inner-city children are at high risk of acquiring the infection,” Hotez wrote, adding that this might be partly behind the rise in asthma cases in the country. Up to 23 percent of urban black children may be infected, he said. “Because of its possible links to asthma, it would be important to determine whether covert toxocariasis is a basis for the rise of asthma among inner-city children in the northeastern United States,” he added. “Cysticercosis is another very serious parasitic worm infection ... caused by the tapeworm Taenia solium, that results in seizures and other neurological manifestations,” Hotez wrote. He said up to 2,000 new cases of neurological disease caused by tapeworms are diagnosed every year in the United States. More than 2 percent of adult Latinos may be infected, and with 35 million Hispanics in the United States, this could add up to tens of thousands of cases, Hotez said. “In the hospitals of Los Angeles, California, neurocysticercosis currently accounts for 10 percent of all seizures presenting to some emergency departments,” he wrote. "We need to begin erasing these horrific health disparities," Hotez wrote in the paper, available online at www.plosntds.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pntd.0000149. Editing by Alan Elsner

<urn:uuid:662b8101-9c44-4072-8053-66fefdef9c5d>

Research has revealed that protein drinks help individuals build stronger muscles compared to those who consume carbohydrate drinks. The study shows that what an individual drinks immediately after exercise plays an important part in maximizing the effects of exercise. The study reveals that consuming protein drinks following aerobic activity increases the training effect after 6 weeks, in comparison to carbohydrate beverages. Also, the research indicates that this effect can be had using only 20 grams of protein. It’s no secret that nutrition and exercise help to slow down the aging process. Research like this helps to explain how nutrition and exercise work so that better advantage can be taken of those pathways to slow the aging process. The researchers recruited 16 individuals age 37 and older and they exercised on treadmills for 45 minutes 3 times per week for 6 weeks. Following each exercise session, 1 group received protein drinks and another group received carbohydrate drinks. To determine the generation of new muscle structures, metabolic pathways were measured making use of heavy water labeling. Individuals drank heavy water, which becomes incorporated into numerous synthetic processes making it possible for measurement of the rates at which different muscle components are being generated. Making use of ultra-sensitive mass spectrometry methods, researchers took muscle samples after the 6 weeks and could establish how much of the muscle and its component pieces were new. In this case, DNA, new proteins, and membranes were measured. This indicated that endurance exercise leads to positive changes in skeletal muscle structure.

<urn:uuid:5799921e-99e7-4265-a066-c73e7d1530d6>

Parched Emirates relies on sea as groundwater runs out As skyscrapers and gleaming towers rose with lightning speed across the United Arab Emirates over the past two decades, the Gulf nation's thirst for water grew at an enormous rate—so much so that today, it threatens to dry up all of the country's groundwater in as little as 15 years, experts say. To quench that demand, cities across the seven emirates that make up the UAE rely on desalinated seawater to supply 98 percent of their drinking water, but that comes with a tremendous environmental and fiscal cost. Now, officials are looking at new technologies to cover that demand, while acknowledging the risks ahead. "In our region, water is more important than oil," said Ahmad Belhoul, the CEO of Masdar, the Abu Dhabi government's clean-energy company. "We're trying to find solutions to address that." While the Emirates rose on its oil wealth, the riches spurred the development that strains the water supply in this desert nation. An academic paper published earlier this year by scientists at the United Arab Emirates University in Al Ain, one of the emirates, suggested the country's entire supply of groundwater could be gone by 2030. Currently, groundwater accounts for 44 percent of all water consumption in the UAE, though much of it goes toward irrigation for farming, according to a report by the Ministry of Environment and Water. In the cities, the country's 33 desalination plants supply nearly every drop of water. Desalination plants are nothing new across the Middle East, with Bahrain, Israel, Kuwait, Libya, Oman, Qatar and Saudi Arabia having some of the world's biggest facilities. However, the cost of building and operating the plants can run in the billions, and they also require massive amounts of energy to separate the salt from the water and purify it for consumption. The leftover heated saltwater gets discharged back into the sea, where it can affect marine life. But even with the crisis facing the Emirates, water remains cheap and often wasted. Errant sprinklers water sidewalks in city-state Dubai, as leaking pipes pool puddles on roadways. A study this year by the United Nations found that residents of the UAE and most of its Gulf neighbors use around 500 liters (132 gallons) of water per day—among some of the highest usage around the world. That waste is something Belhoul himself acknowledged as a problem. "There has been some overuse of water driven by the lower tariffs," Belhoul told The Associated Press. "If you don't pass on the price to the end user, the natural behavior is to consume more water." Beyond raising prices, officials hope new desalination techniques being tested on the outskirts of Abu Dhabi will allow solar energy to replace natural gas as an energy source, as well as make the plants smaller and cheaper to operate. On a tour Monday, they offered visiting dignitaries water produced there in crystal glasses. After taking a sip, Sultan Ahmed al-Jaber, the UAE's minister of state, gave it his approval: "It tastes just like Evian." © 2015 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

<urn:uuid:718ba8ca-b1cb-4006-b167-ced21ac354b6>

Eco-designed products can contribute to sustainable development if consumers choose them rather than the less environmentally friendly alternatives and if they are used properly. However, eco-design methods have so far failed to address the issue of unsustainable behaviors, whose sources have not been recognized. In light of this deficiency, the authors have analyzed a large number of eco-designed products with the aim to capture the possible unsustainable behaviors arising from their use and consumption. The subsequent characterization of unsustainable behaviors has led to the creation of a framework of unsustainable behaviors, which has been subjected to the evaluation of a pool of experts in the field. In its final version, the framework includes nine classes of unsustainable behaviors, which are categorized into the corresponding product lifecycle phases (purchase, use, end of life), and different kinds of undesired effects (harmful, insufficient, excessive) based on the TRIZ-oriented functional analysis. The classes, whose significance has been checked in the literature, include frequent causes of unsustainable behaviors and corresponding examples. Through the framework, designers can take into due account the possible circumstances that would prevent their developed products from being prone to unsustainable behaviors. In a future step, the classes of unsustainable behaviors are to be linked with indications arising from Design for Sustainable Behavior. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited

<urn:uuid:8367f456-6055-4c3e-b0d9-857b3cebe42f>

Explore the numbers from 0-20 with these simple number writing worksheets! Use them individually or bind them into a Number Book! These printables are perfect for learning how to write numerals and number words! Includes QLD Beginners Font, NSW Foundation Font, VIC Modern Cursive Font, SA Font, TAS Font and a Standard Primary Font suitable for all! So what’s included? - A ‘Number Book’ cover page in colour and B&W - Several playful learning ideas and activities for hands-on number and counting work - Number pages for numerals 0-20 featuring numeral writing, number word tracing and colouring - Standard Primary Font with US and UK spelling - All Australian State Fonts Perfect for Kindy and Preschool children, these number activity printables are a wonderful way to introduce and reinforce numbers to twenty with your little one! Each worksheet has a large numeral at the top left hand side for your little learner to rainbow write inside! Use some coloured pencils, crayons or markers to practise forming the numeral correctly. Next, your little learner will practise writing the numeral again with a pencil. They can also rainbow write the number word! Finally, they can colour in the pictorial representation of the number! “This is perfect and I cannot wait to use it. Thank you for your awesome resources!” How can I use these worksheets? - Use the worksheets individually during numeracy centres or rotations! - Laminate the worksheets and have your little learners create the numbers from play dough! - Send the worksheets home each week as you learn a new number! - Bind the worksheets into a ‘Number book’ that your little learners will refer to over and over! - Introduce new numbers with hands-on activities and use the worksheets as a supplementary resource! Remember that numeracy skills are best taught through hands-on activities and playful learning experiences. These worksheets are a supplementary material for your hands-on mathematics program. Your download includes the following fonts: - Primary Font – standard font for all young children - All Australian State School Fonts – QLD Beginner’s Font, NSW Foundation Font, VIC Modern Cursive Font, SA Font and TAS Font. Happy teaching and learning!

<urn:uuid:3e49a1fe-702b-46b1-9169-589c829d516d>

Through the School Malaise Trap Program, we provide each class with its own Malaise trap, a tent-like apparatus for collecting insects, to explore biodiversity in their schoolyard. We ask each class to set up its trap and collect insects during the same two weeks. In the past, we have also partnered with several great organizations, including institutions, National Parks, and Conservation Areas, which agreed to run Malaise traps. In addition, we routinely set one up on our property at the Centre for Biodiversity Genomics (CBG). At the end of the two collection weeks, all traps and collection bottles are picked up and returned to CBG to allow analysis to begin. Once the collection bottles arrive, CBG staff record details on the collection locality from each bottle and compile the weather data recorded by the students in each class. Next, the contents of each bottle are poured into a sorting dish, and, using a microscope, every specimen from each trap is counted. Our collection technicians then attempt to pick as many different species as possible, selecting up to 285 animals to DNA barcode from each trap. Each selected specimen is then placed in an individual well of a DNA tissue plate. If a specimen is too large to fit in a well, one leg is removed and placed in the well. Once these plates are ready, they are transferred to the molecular laboratory for the next phase of barcode analysis. The following video shows our collection technicians in action – sorting, imaging, and archiving School Malaise Trap Program specimens!

<urn:uuid:8385093d-d320-4b68-a7d3-80bd54943efe>

Keeled-fruited Cornsalad - Valerianella carinata Similar to the more frequent Common Cornsalad but the fruits are grooved. Ripe fruits are essential for identification; this plant cannot be verified from photos of the plant or flowers. Fruit is about as thick as wide (squarish in x-section), and much longer than wide or thick, with a deep groove on the abaxial face (i.e to side furthest from the axis) The fruits need to be checked and evidence provided of their details. Walls, rocks and disturbed land. Flowers April to June. Local north as far as Yorkshire, rare elsewhere. Seems to be uncommon, but possibly under recorded in Leicestershire and Rutland which has very few recent records. In the 1979 Flora survey of Leicestershire it was found in 2 of the 617 tetrads. In the current checklist (Jeeves 2011) it is listed as Alien; archaeophyte. There are few confirmed records It is on the VC55 Rare Plant Register Leicestershire & Rutland Map Enter a town or village to see local records Yellow squares = NBN records (all known data) Coloured circles = NatureSpot records: 2020+ | 2015-2019 | pre-2015

<urn:uuid:d4e8759c-5c19-446d-a16e-6b710b0eeb49>

WASHINGTON — Only 21 percent of surveyed medical students could identify five true and two false indications of when and when not to wash their hands in the clinical setting, according to a press release. Three researchers from the Institute for Medical Microbiology and Hospital Epidemiology at Hannover Medical School in Hannover, Germany, collected surveys from 85 medical students in their third year of study during a lecture class that all students must pass before bedside training and contact with patients commences, the release stated. According to the release, students were given seven scenarios, of which five — "Before contact to a patient," "Before preparation of intravenous fluids," "After removal of gloves," "After contact to the patient’s bed" and "After contact to vomit" — were correct hand hygiene indications. Only 33 percent of the students correctly identified all five true indications, and only 21 percent correctly identified all true and false indications, the release noted. "There is no doubt that we need to improve the overall attitude toward the use of alcohol-based hand rub in hospitals," concluded the authors. "To achieve this goal, the adequate behavior of so-called ''role models'' is of particular importance," the authors added. Click here to read the complete release.

<urn:uuid:df02ecb5-a919-4e85-ad0a-3a20cb9fa16a>

As we know objects are created inside heap memory and Garbage collection is a process which removes dead objects from Java Heap space and returns memory back to Heap in Java. For the sake of Garbage collection Heap is divided into three main regions named as New Generation, Old or Tenured Generation and Perm space. New Generation of Java Heap is part of Java Heap memory where newly created object are stored, During the course of application many objects created and died but those remain live they got moved to Old or Tenured Generation by Java Garbage collector thread on Major or full garbage collection. Perm space of Java Heap is where JVM stores Meta data about classes and methods, String pool and Class level details. You can see How Garbage collection works in Java for more information on Heap in Java and Garbage collection.

<urn:uuid:a515000e-1227-473d-9c43-8776f5da1357>

Snapping Turtle (Chelydra serpentina) or the Common Snapping Turtle is an extremely widespread snapper that inhabits most of the United States, including all parts of Maryland. Turtles are common at almost all wildlife areas in Maryland, especially along the Chesapeake in the many marshlands and bay areas. Blackwater is a great place for spotting box and painted turtles. I have only seen one snapper, however. I remember I was walking along the path at Millington Wildlife Management Area and it had just started to rain. The Millington trail is wide and lined by small trees, shrubs and tall grass. I saw the tall grass to my left move independent of the wind blowing and had a feeling there was something in there. Usually, once the grass moves, you’re too late because the small rodent or snake or whatever has taken off, but I decided to peak in anyway. I walked over to the grass with my camera to glance over the top and saw what looked like a big rock. It was way to smooth and even to be a rock, I thought, so I picked up a thick, broken branch and used it to matte down some of the grass in front of the “rock.” I started a few feet away and flattened a path right up until I saw the picture above. The snapper looked kind of sluggish, so fearing it may have been hurt and could get cranky, I left it alone. The common snapping turtle is big. Impressively bigger than any of the other turtle species in Maryland. They can stretch their necks pretty far out of their shells and their revealing characteristic is a pointed nose and snapping beak. If you get a good luck at the face, you won’t mistake the snapper for any other turtle. As I do for most reptile entries, here’s a link to the folks at Towson University Biological Sciences.

<urn:uuid:be2e9718-88ef-4725-aeb4-adda35684122>

Australia: The Land Where Time Began Undara Volcanic National Park This park consists a lava field remaining from a massive volcanic eruption which occurred 190,000 years ago. The area covered by the lava field from the main crater is more than 1000 square kilometres. The basalt that spread from the main crater looks much like the rays of lighter material seen spreading from meteorite impact craters on the moon. There are no other places in Australia with this type of landscape. The area is covered by scattered cinder cones and depressions resulting from collapsed portions of lava tubes. The system of lava tubes at Undara is believed to be the longest in the world. The caves formed by the lava tubes have a number of unusual volcanic features such as lava stalagmites and stalactites, ropey lava, high lava marks and drip lines. The longest-known Australian lava tube, the Bayliss, is 1.5 km long. There is also a formation that has yet to be explained. This is a structure called "The Wall" which leaves the opening of a lava tube system and extends for many kilometres on the surface. It is thought to be an undrained lava tube, but its actual origin is still being debated. What's special?On the western slopes of the McBride Plateau, open woodlands give way to the vast open spaces of the Savannah. Here in Undara Volcanic National Park, rich volcanic basalt soils, covered in an endless sea of seasonal grass, conceal the Undara lava tube. This geological tunnel of global significance snakes westward under a ribbon of remnant deciduous rainforest. “Undara” is an Aboriginal word meaning “long way”. The park protects the longest lava tube cave system in the world. About 190,000 years ago, a large volcano erupted violently, spewing molten lava over the surrounding landscape. The lava flowed rapidly down a dry riverbed. The top outer layer cooled and formed a crust while the molten lava below drained outwards leaving behind a series of hollow tubes. Surprisingly, semi-evergreen vine thicket grows in the moist, sheltered entrances to some of the lava caves. The roofs of some tubes collapsed creating ideal conditions for dry rainforest to grow and wildlife to shelter. Rock-wallabies, insectiverous bat colonies and owls roost here in the cool, birds shelter in the fruit-filled canopy and predators lurk in the tumbled basalt terrain to complete the food chain. Exploring Undara VolcanicExplore the “outback” on the Wet Tropics’ doorstep at Undara. Visitors can climb a volcano, walk into the high country wilderness or see inside a lava tube on guided tours. Go birdwatching. More than 120 species of birds, including the endangered red goshawk, can be seen in the park. Picnic at Kalkani. Toilets and sheltered picnic tables are provided. Walk around the crater. Camping is not allowed in the park but you can stay next door at Undara Lodge 1800 990 992. Book a tour of the lava tubes through one of the park’s commercial operators: Bedrock Village (07) 4062 3193, Cape Trib Connections (07) 4053 3833 or Undara Experience 1800 990 992. WalkingFollow the graded climb to the self-guiding trail around the eggcup-shaped Kalkani crater. Allow one hour to walk around the entire rim. Wear sturdy shoes, a hat and sunscreen. Take drinking water. AccessibilityKalkani picnic area has wheelchair-accessible toilets and sheltered picnic tables. The lodge also has wheelchair-accessible facilities. Getting thereUndara Volcanic is 300km by road south-west of Cairns, 100km south-west of Mt Garnet and, 65km east of Mt Surprise. You can also travel by train and coach. |Author: M.H.Monroe Email: [email protected] Sources & Further reading|

<urn:uuid:d990b900-fe50-4281-bf5b-23df5541181a>

Whenever we put up information on alternative treatments that have not been properly/Scientifically tested, we receive a few angry emails. Selenium--is protective against many types of cancers, promotes apoptosis, is a powerful antioxidant, and improves quality of life during aggressive The impact of selenium supplementation on basal cell carcinoma was studied on 1312 subjects (18-80 years of age, 75% of whom were men) (Clark et al. 1996). Within 6-9 months, the group receiving 200 mcg a day of selenium realized about a 67% increase in plasma selenium levels. The non-supplemented group, although judged "normal" in regard to plasma selenium levels, experienced twice the rate of cancer as those receiving selenium. Researchers concluded that higher amounts of dietary selenium than the amount recommended by the FDA are needed to prevent cancer. Although the study failed to show the effectiveness of selenium in altering the course of either basal or squamous cell carcinoma, selenium impacted the incidence of other types of malignancies with amazing success. The overall reduction in cancer incidence was 37% in the selenium-supplemented group; a 50% reduction in cancer mortality was observed over a 10-year period (Clark et al. 1996). The following are the site-specific reductions in cancer incidence observed in the study: colorectal cancers (58%), lung cancer (46%), and prostate cancer (63%). A selenium deficiency appears to increase the risk of prostate cancer four- to five-fold. It was determined that as the male population ages selenium levels decrease, paralleling an increase in prostate cancer (Brooks et al. 2001). Data is compelling regarding the usefulness of selenium’s protective effects against cancer: Selenium-enriched broccoli is protective against chemically induced mammary and colon cancer in rats (Davis et al. 2002). L-Selenomethionine 60T SN0922 $NZ12.58 Alpha Lipoic Acid 200mg 60t SN 0395 $24.05 Beta Carotene SN0403 $14.44 beta glucan 30t SN1758 $31.11 Bromelain 600Gdu-Gm 500mg 60T SN0906 $13.23 EllargicActive 30 SN1629 $23.11 Essential Enzymes 60c SN0659 $14.85 Essential Fatty Acids 60 SN1384 $19.13 Essential Fatty Acids 120 SN1385 $29.72 Feverfew 100t SN 0209 $19.13 Inositol Hex 100gr SN1366 $19.52 Inositol Hex 200gr SN 1367 $30.11 Cordyceps 60t PF0432 $15.56 L- Arginine 100t SN 1279 $16.68 L- Arginine 200t SN1688 $24.41 Life Force 60t SN765 $29.95 L-Lysine 500mg 100T SN0139 $12.58 L-Selenomethionine 60T SN0922 $12.58 Lycopene 15mg 30sg SN1290 $21.98 Modified Citrus Pectin pwd 100gr SN $34.19 Modified Citrus Pectin pwd 200gr SN0702 $56.19 MSM 60t 1000mg SN1288 $15.09 NAC 100t 1000mg SN0169 $24.83 NAC 100t 600mg SN0850 $17.84 NAC 200t 600mg SN0967 $26.31 NAC 200t 1000mg SN0170 $39.89 Quercetin 100t SN1690 $35.90 Quercetin 50t SN1689 $22.42 Co -Q10 100mg 60c Resveratrol 60t 500mg SN1011 $32.36 Resveratrol 30t 500mg SN1010 $21.08 Saw Palmetto Extract 160mg 60sg SN0441 $16.25 Theanine Serene 60t SN1775 $19.52 Thymus Extract 20t SN1519 $48.04 Tonalin 60 SN0949 $22.39 Tonalin 90 SN1537 $27.67 Transfer Factor SN1815 $16.32 Tumeric Extract 95% Curcim 100t SN0089 $23.42 Tumeric Extract 95% Curcim 50t SN0088 $19.87 Vit A 200t SN 1792 $14.96 Vit A 100t SN0828 $10.69 Vit C 16oz SN0092 $30.98 VIT D 100t SN1791 $11.37 VIT D 200t SN1792 $14.09 Vit E Succinate 400iu 100T SNO482 $20.88 Vit K 100t SN1449 $12.41 Vit K 200t SN1450 $16.26 Wellness Formula 45T SN0021 $21.08 Ginger PF0417 $19.83 |Cancer cells hide after Chemotherapy After the initial doses of radiation and/or chemotherapy, cancer cells start hiding. " They develop a slime coating, and they become like Stealth bombers, and they can hide from future doses of radiation and chemotherapy. This is why repeated dose of radiation and chemotherapy become less effective".Dr. John Maras, Nu-Gen Educational Library. " The way to get rid of this "slime coating" is to use large doses of plant and animal enzymes- especially bromelain and pancreatin. This allows an 'access point' for the immune system to attack the cancer cells".....Dr. John Maras, Nu-Gen Educational Library What doctors say about Chemo Therapy ? "The world is a dangerous place to live; not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don't do anything about it." A Sad day for Alternative healing |NOTICE: Due to FDA TGA MOH (plus other institutions with a vestige interest) regulations and various state laws, no medical claims can be made for alternative therapys and technology. All of the information expressed herein must be considered theoretical and unproven and for experimental research only| FAIR USE NOTICE: This may contain copyrighted (C ) material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. Such material is made available for educational purposes, to advance understanding of human rights, democracy, scientific, moral, ethical, and social justice issues, etc. It is believed that this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in Title 17 U.S.C. section 107 of the US Copyright Law. This material is distributed without profit

<urn:uuid:7e06be31-219e-4b38-973d-864961f6d0bf>

AN OVERVIEW The CDC’s Division of Oral Health (DOH) works to improve the oral health of the nation and reduce inequalities in oral health by— Helping states improve their oral health programs. Extending the use of proven strategies to prevent oral disease by— Encouraging the effective use of fluoride products and community water fluoridation. Promoting greater use of school-based and –linked dental sealant programs. Enhancing efforts to monitor oral diseases, such as dental caries (tooth decay) and periodontal infections (gum disease). Contributing to the scientific knowledge-base regarding oral health and disease. Guiding infection control in dentistry. Helping states improve their oral health programs. VISION, MISSION and ROLE Vision: A nation where all people enjoy good oral health that contributes to leading healthy, satisfying lives. Mission: To prevent and control oral diseases and conditions by building the knowledge, tools, and networks that promote healthy behaviors and effective public health practices and programs. Role: To provide national leadership to prevent and control oral diseases and conditions, and promote oral health. Core Functions Monitor/Surveillance: Monitor the burden of disease, risk factors, preventive services, and other associated factors. Research: Support public health research that directly applies to policies and programs. Communications: Communicate timely and relevant information to impact policy, practices, and programs. Preventive strategies: Support the implementation and maintenance of effective strategies and interventions to reduce the burden of oral diseases and conditions. State infrastructure: Build capacity and infrastructure for sustainable, effective, and efficient oral health programs. Evaluation: Evaluate programs to ensure successful implementation. Investigate and diagnose: Investigate health hazards and outbreaks in the community. Partnerships: Identify and facilitate partnerships to support CDC strategic priorities and community efforts. Policy development: Develop and advocate sound public health policies. Division of Oral Health Strategic Planning for 2011–2014 The five public health priorities and eight current goals address core/essential functions and key subject areas. These areas include dental caries (tooth decay), periodontal (gum) diseases, oral and pharyngeal (mouth and throat) cancers, infection control, dental public health infrastructure, elimination of health disparities, health policy and translation/dissemination of CDC products, and organizational capacity and function. Strategic initiatives are presented for each goal area; the final CDC strategic and operational plans will serve as a dynamic guide for setting program priorities. Core functions such as surveillance, state infrastructure support, and evaluation are critical activities relative to most of these strategic priorities and goals. PUBLIC HEALTH PRIORITIES Utilize the best science and methods to improve surveillance of oral diseases and their risk factors, monitor and characterize the burden of oral diseases across the life stages, and communicate these findings. Broaden our understanding of health disparities and determinants of oral health disparities, and apply multi-disciplinary evidence-based approaches to address these disparities. Develop and promote effective evidence-based strategies and interventions to prevent oral diseases; translate, disseminate, and evaluate CDC products including recommendations, guidelines, and science; communicate timely and relevant information to impact policy, practices, and programs. Strengthen infrastructure of state oral health programs and promote oral health in communities through development and implementation of macro-level policy and systems change approaches, and evaluate programs to ensure that implementation has been successful. Increase organizational capacity and function with an emphasis on leadership effectiveness, internal and external collaborations and partnerships, global outreach, and workforce development. GOALS Goal 1: Prevent and control dental caries across the life stages. Goal 2: Prevent and control periodontal diseases. Goal 3: Prevent and control oral and pharyngeal cancers and their risk factors. Goal 4: Eliminate disparities in oral health. Goal 5: Promote prevention of disease transmission in dental health care settings. Goal 6: Increase state oral health program infrastructure capacity and effectiveness. Goal 7: Increase use of cross-cutting policy development and translational approaches to promote oral health. Goal 8: Assure an efficient and effective organization. Goal 1. Prevent and control dental caries across the life stages. 1A. Strategic initiative: Characterize the burden of dental caries across the life stages. 1B. Strategic initiative: Develop and promote effective evidence-based strategies and interventions to prevent dental caries. Goal 2. Prevent and control periodontal diseases. 2A. Strategic initiative: Improve surveillance of periodontal infections and their risk factors. 2B. Strategic initiative: Build an evidence base of effective strategies and interventions in periodontal disease. Goal 3. Prevent and control oral and pharyngeal cancers and their risk factors. 3A. Strategic initiative: Improve the surveillance of oral and pharyngeal cancers and their risk factors. 3B. Strategic initiative: Build an evidence base of effective strategies and interventions to improve early detection of oral and pharyngeal cancers and to reduce incidence and mortality. Oral and pharyngeal cancers (i.e., cancer of the lip, tongue, floor of the mouth, palate, gingival and alveolar mucosa, buccal mucosa, or oropharynx) continue to pose a threat to the health of U.S. adults, with no marked improvements in survival rates over the past several decades. In 2010, estimates show that more than 36,000 people learned they had mouth or throat cancer, and more than 7,800 (about 5,430 men and 2,450 women) died of these diseases. Early detection is important because the 5-year survival rate for early stage cancer is approximately 80%, while the survival rate drops to 9% for late-stage disease. Goal 4. Eliminate disparities in oral health. 4A. Strategic initiative: Broaden the understanding of health disparities, determinants of health disparities, and evidence-based approaches to addressing disparities in oral health. Health disparities may involve inequalities in health outcomes or receipt of health care services among different groups defined by their race/ethnicity, gender, health behaviors, education, income level, job security, insurance status, housing, and geographic region of the United States. Although periodontal disease is decreasing in the United States, researchers continue to see a higher prevalence among people of lower income, non-Hispanics blacks, those without a high school education, and current smokers (NHANES 1999–2004). CDC will continue to focus on monitoring the burden of oral diseases and receipt of preventive services and providing information to public health practitioners, dental care professionals, and policy makers on effective approaches to reducing and eliminating health disparities. Goal 5. Promote prevention of disease transmission in dental health care settings. 5A. Strategic initiative: Provide evidence-based dental infection control information and recommendations. 5B. Strategic initiative: Maintain current high levels of adoption of the current CDC infection control guidelines into dental practice. Goal 6. Increase state oral health program infrastructure capacity and effectiveness. 6A. Strategic initiative: Assess the impact of increased dental public health infrastructure and capacity on the state oral health program effectiveness, efficiency, and sustainability. Oral health program leadership and staff. Oral disease surveillance system, including a burden of oral disease document. Strategic planning and the development of a state oral health plan. State-wide oral health coalition and strong partnerships. Use of evidence-based preventive interventions, including community water fluoridation and school-based dental sealant programs. Policy and health systems strategies that promote oral health. Program evaluation. Collaboration with other state chronic disease programs. Goal 7. Increase use of cross-cutting policy development and translational approaches to promote oral health. 7A. Strategic initiative: Increase the capacity of the Oral Health Program to promote oral health through development and implementation of macro-level policy approaches. 7B. Strategic initiative: Increase the capacity of the Oral Health Program to use evidence-based strategies to translate and disseminate CDC guidelines, recommendations, and effective preventive interventions especially related to fluoridation, sealants, and infection control. Cross-Cutting Approaches. CDC's Oral Health Program has participated in several cooperative agreements with other NCCDPHP divisions that were designed to educate state policymakers about the importance of oral health and effective interventions to prevent oral diseases in children and adults. CDC has also provided support for National Governors Association policy academies, which were designed to help governors formulate and implement policies and programs to address the oral health of children. Goal 8. Assure an efficient and effective organization. 8A. Strategic initiative: Improve the organizational capacity and functioning of the Oral Health Program with an emphasis on increasing leadership effectiveness, partnerships, and workforce development. This goal centres on the Oral Health Program as an organization and its capacity to lead the federal focus on oral disease prevention and support of key organizational partners. Areas of importance include: Partnerships. Partnerships are essential for accomplishing the program's mission and furthering its goals. Workforce Development. CDC's Oral Health Program provides several opportunities for training the dental public health practitioners and leaders of the future. Internal Organizational Effectiveness. The strategic planning work group noted the importance of having an organizational culture that will foster and facilitate enhancement of supervisory, management, and leadership practices within the Oral Health Program. ORAL HEALTH DATA Data concerning the CDC Oral Health data systems can be found in the following sites : MY WATERS FLUORIDE ORAL HEALTH MAPS DENTAL, ORAL AND CRANIOFACIAL DATA RESOURCE CENER (DRC) NATIONAL ORAL HEALTH SURVELLIANCE SYSTEM (NOHSS) SYNOPSES OF STATEAND TERRITORIAL DENTAL PUBLIC HEALTH PROGRAMS (State Synopses) WATER FLUORIDATION REPORTING SYSTEM (WFRS) The Water Fluoridation Reporting System (WFRS) also provides biennial data to the National Oral Health Surveillance System (NOHSS) and the Synopses. The Synopses provide data to NOHSS through a real-time link. WFRS also provides data in real-time to two systems—My Water's Fluoride (MWF) and the Oral Health Maps. Some example Oral health promotion programs Benefits of oral health and prevention Oral health America- wisdom tooth project Dental Health- 5 things you can do right now References Centers for Disease control and prevention- http://www.cdc.gov/http://www.cdc.gov/ CDC division of oral health- http://www.cdc.gov/OralHealth/index.htmhttp://www.cdc.gov/OralHealth/index.htm CDC About DOH- http://www.cdc.gov/OralHealth/about/index.htmhttp://www.cdc.gov/OralHealth/about/index.htm CDC DOH, Strategic planning for 2011-2014- http://www.cdc.gov/OralHealth/strategic_planning/toc.htmhttp://www.cdc.gov/OralHealth/strategic_planning/toc.htm CDC DOH, Vision,mission, role and core functions- http://www.cdc.gov/OralHealth/strategic_planning/plan2.htm http://www.cdc.gov/OralHealth/strategic_planning/plan2.htm CDC DOH, Public health priorities - http://www.cdc.gov/OralHealth/strategic_planning/plan3.htmhttp://www.cdc.gov/OralHealth/strategic_planning/plan3.htm CDC DOH, Goals: Focussing the efforts of the oral health program.- http://www.cdc.gov/OralHealth/strategic_planning/plan4.htm http://www.cdc.gov/OralHealth/strategic_planning/plan4.htm CDC's National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (NCCDPHP). http://www.cdc.gov/chronicdisease/index.htm http://www.cdc.gov/chronicdisease/index.htm CDC DOH, Data Applications. - http://www.cdc.gov/OralHealth/strategic_planning/plan4.htmhttp://www.cdc.gov/OralHealth/strategic_planning/plan4.htm CDC DOH, Publications.- http://www.cdc.gov/OralHealth/publications/index.htmhttp://www.cdc.gov/OralHealth/publications/index.htm Healthy people 2010.- http://www.healthypeople.gov/2010/redirect.aspx?url=/2010/http://www.healthypeople.gov/2010/redirect.aspx?url=/2010/

<urn:uuid:3352299c-b63c-4a8a-9a46-51571f1dd431>

Seeds can be sown in pots from April to June. Fill a 7.5cm (3in) pot with compost, place a seed in on its side 2.5cm (1in) deep and cover. Label, water and place on a windowsill or in a propagator. When roots begin to show though the bottom of the pot transfer into a 12.5cm (5in) pot. Once seedlings have established, plant outside spacing them 2-3m (6-10ft) apart. Seeds can also be sown from late May to early summer directly into the ground. Choose a sunny, sheltered spot and improve the soil before planting by digging in well-rotted manure or compost. Sow two seeds on their side 2.5cm (1in) deep. Once the seedlings have germinated, remove the weakest one. Looking after plants Protect seedlings with mulch and feed with general fertiliser or tomato plant food, watering regularly though the growing season. If you're growing larger varieties use wire as a guide to train shoots as they grow. Remove some fruits before they develop, leaving two or three fruits on the plant. This will encourage the plant to put its energy into producing larger fruit. As the fruits get bigger raise them up onto a piece of wood or brick to protect them from rotting. Remove any leaves shading the fruit as it needs maximum light to ripen. If there's a risk of an early frost protect the fruit with cardboard and straw. Harvesting and storage Leave the fruit on the plant for as long as possible to mature and ripen. When the stem cracks and the skin is very tough, the fruit is ready to be picked. Cut fruit off with a long stalk before the first frost. Pumpkins can be stored between four to six months. Expose the pumpkin to sunlight outside for ten days or keep indoors at 27-32ºC (81-90ºF) for four days to harden. Keep your pumpkin stored in a well-ventilated place at about 10ºC degrees (50ºF). This page is best viewed in an up-to-date web browser with style sheets (CSS) enabled. While you will be able to view the content of this page in your current browser, you will not be able to get the full visual experience. Please consider upgrading your browser software or enabling style sheets (CSS) if you are able to do so.

<urn:uuid:db835887-fa00-4cd9-a3ed-c920aec2ec1c>

- Civil rights movement The civil rights movement was a worldwide political movement for equality before the law occurring between approximately 1950 and 1980. In many situations it took the form of campaigns of civil resistance aimed at achieving change by nonviolent forms of resistance. In some situations it was accompanied, or followed, by civil unrest and armed rebellion. The process was long and tenuous in many countries, and many of these movements did not fully achieve their goals although, the efforts of these movements did lead to improvements in the legal rights of previously oppressed groups of people. Civil rights movement in Northern Ireland Northern Ireland is a province of the United Kingdom which has witnessed violence over many decades, mainly because of sectarian tensions between the Catholic and Protestant community, known as the Troubles. The civil rights struggle in Northern Ireland can be traced to Catholics in Dungannon who were fighting for equal access to public housing for the members of the Catholic community, led by Austin Currie. This domestic issue would not have led to a fight for civil rights were it not for the fact that being a registered householder was a qualification for local government franchise in Northern Ireland. This substantial contribution made by women is often erased from the general history of Northern Ireland, primarily because the country still has a Protestant majority and a conservative culture where people often overlook the role of women in the political sphere. On a broader and more organized front, in January 1964, the Campaign for Social Justice (CSJ) was officially launched in Belfast. This organization took over women's struggle for better housing and committed itself to end discrimination in employment. The CSJ promised the Catholic community that their cries would be heard. They challenged the government and promised that they would take their case to the Commission for Human Rights in Strasbourg and to the United Nations. Having started with basic domestic issues, the civil rights struggle in Northern Ireland escalated to a full scale movement that found its embodiment in the Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association. The NICRA campaigned in the late sixties and early seventies, consciously modelling itself on the American civil rights movement and using similar methods of civil resistance. Empowered by what African Americans were doing, the movement organized marches and protests to demand better conditions for the minority of Catholics who lived in the Protestant state. NICRA originally had five main demands: - one man, one vote - an end to discrimination in housing - an end to discrimination in local government - an end to the gerrymandering of district boundaries, which limited the effect of Catholic voting - the disbandment of the B-Specials, an entirely Protestant Police reserve, perceived as sectarian. All of these specific demands were aimed at an ultimate goal that had been the one of women at the very beginning: the end of discrimination. Civil rights activists all over Northern Ireland soon launched a campaign of civil resistance. There was opposition from Loyalists, who were aided by the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC), Northern Ireland's Police Force. At this point, the RUC was over 90% Protestant. Violence escalated, resulting in the rise of the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) from the Catholic community, a group reminiscent of those from the War of Independence and the Civil War that occurred in the 1920s that had launched a campaign of violence to end British rule in Northern Ireland. Loyalist paramilitaries countered this with a defensive campaign of violence and the British government responded with a policy of internment without trial of suspected IRA members. For more than three hundred people, the internment lasted several years. The huge majority of those interned by the British forces were Catholic. In 1978, in a case brought by the government of the Republic of Ireland against the government of the United Kingdom, the European Court of Human Rights ruled that the interrogation techniques approved for use by the British army on internees in 1971 amounted to "inhuman and degrading" treatment. Although it is common knowledge that, for a time, the aims of the Republicans was for their military division, the IRA, and the NICRA to converge, the two bodies never did so. The IRA told the Republicans to join in the civil rights movement but it never controlled the NICRA. The Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association fought for the end of discrimination toward Catholics and was happy to do so within the British state. Republican leader Gerry Adams explained subsequently that Catholics saw that it was possible for them to have their demands heard. He wrote that "we were able to see an example of the fact that you didn't just have to take it, you could fight back". For an account and critique of the civil rights movement in Northern Ireland, reflecting on the ambiguous link between the causes of civil rights and opposition to the union with the United Kingdom, see the work of Richard English. One of the most important events in the era of civil rights in Northern Ireland took place in Derry, which escalated the conflict from peaceful civil disobedience to armed conflict. The Battle of the Bogside started on 12 August when an Apprentice Boys, a Protestant order, parade passed through Waterloo Place, where a large crowd was gathered at the mouth of William Street, on the edge of the Bogside. Different accounts describe the first outbreak of violence, with reports stating that it was either an attack by youth from the Bogside on the RUC, or fighting broke out between Protestants and Catholics. The violence escalated and barricades were erected. Proclaiming this district to be the Free Derry, Bogsiders carried on fights with the RUC for days using stones and petrol bombs. The government finally withdrew the RUC and replaced it with the army, which disbanded the crowds of Catholics who were barricaded in the Bogside. Bloody Sunday, 30 January 1972, in Derry is seen by some as a turning point in the civil rights movement. Up to that day, so one interpretation goes, Catholics were trying to peacefully resolve the problem, but they were ignored and fights broke out. Fourteen unarmed Catholic civil rights marchers protesting against internment were shot dead by the British army and many were left wounded on the streets. The peace process has made significant gains in recent years. Through open dialogue from all parties, a state of ceasefire by all major paramilitary groups has lasted. A strong economy and more opportunities for all citizens has greatly improved Northern Ireland's standard of living. Civil rights issues have become far less of a concern for many in Northern Ireland over the past twenty years as laws and policies protecting their rights and forms of affirmative action have been implemented for all government offices and many private businesses. Tensions still exist in some corners of the province, but the vast majority of citizens are no longer affected by the violence that once paralyzed the province. Movements of Independence in Africa A wave of independence movements in Africa crested in the 1960s, which included the Angolan War of Independence, the Guinea-Bissauan Revolution, the war of liberation in Mozambique and the struggle against apartheid in South Africa. This wave of struggles re-energised pan-Africanism and led to the founding of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) in 1963. Canada's Quiet Revolution The 1960s brought intense political and social change to the Canadian province of Quebec, with the election of Liberal Premier Jean Lesage after the death of Maurice Duplessis, whose government was widely viewed as corrupt. These changes included secularization of the education and health care systems, which were both heavily controlled by the Roman Catholic Church, whose support for Duplessis and his perceived corruption had angered many Québécois. Policies of the Liberal government also sought to give Quebec more economic autonomy, such as the nationalization of Hydro-Québec and the creation of public companies for the mining, forestry, iron/steel and petroleum industries of the province. Other changes included the creation of the Régie des Rentes du Québec (Quebec Pension Plan) and new labour codes that made unionizing easier and gave workers the right to strike. The social and economic changes of the Quiet Revolution gave life to the Quebec sovereignty movement, as more and more Québécois saw themselves as a distinctly culturally different from the rest of Canada. The segregationist Parti Québécois was created in 1968 and won the 1976 Quebec general election. They enacted legislation meant to enshrine French as the language of business in the province, while also controversially restricting the usage of English on signs and restricting the eligibility of students to be taught in English. A radical strand of French Canadian nationalism produced the Front de libération du Québec (FLQ), which since 1963 has been using terrorism to make Quebec a sovereign nation. In October 1970, in response to the arrest of some of its members earlier in the year, the FLQ kidnapped British diplomat James Cross and Quebec's Minister of Labour Pierre Laporte, whom they later killed. The then Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau, himself a French Canadian, invoked the War Measures Act, declared martial law in Quebec, and arrested the kidnappers by the end of the year. Civil rights movement in the United States The civil rights movement in the United States includes noted legislation and organized efforts to abolish public and private acts of racial discrimination African Americans and other disadvantaged groups between 1954 to 1968, particularly in the southern United States. It is sometimes referred to as the Second Reconstruction era, echoing the unresolved issues of the Reconstruction era in the United States (1863-1877). Ethnicity equity issues After 1890 the system of Jim Crow, disenfranchisement, and second class citizenship degraded the citizenship rights of African Americans, especially in the South. It was the nadir of American race relations. There were three main aspects: racial segregation – upheld by the United States Supreme Court decision in Plessy v. Ferguson in 1896 –, legally mandated by southern governments--voter suppression or disfranchisement in the southern states, and private acts of violence and mass racial violence aimed at African Americans, unhindered or encouraged by government authorities. Although racial discrimination was present nationwide, the combination of law, public and private acts of discrimination, marginal economic opportunity, and violence directed toward African Americans in the southern states became known as Jim Crow. Noted strategies employed prior to 1955 included litigation and lobbying attempts by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). These efforts were a hallmark of the American Civil Rights Movement from 1896 to 1954. However, by 1955, blacks became frustrated by gradual approaches to implement desegregation by federal and state governments and the "massive resistance" by whites. The black leadership adopted a combined strategy of direct action with nonviolent resistance known as civil disobedience. The acts of civil disobedience produced crisis situations between practitioners and government authorities. The authorities of federal, state, and local governments often had to act with an immediate response to end crisis situations – sometimes in the practitioners' favor. Some of the different forms of protests and/or civil disobedience employed included boycotts, as successfully practiced by the Montgomery Bus Boycott (1955–1956) in Alabama which gave the movement one of its more famous icons in Rosa Parks; "sit-ins", as demonstrated by the influential Greensboro sit-in (1960) in North Carolina; and marches, as exhibited by the Selma to Montgomery marches (1965) in Alabama. The evidence of changing attitudes could also be seen around the country, where small businesses sprang up supporting the civil rights movement, such as New Jersey's notable Everybody's Luncheonette. The most illustrious march is probably the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. It is best remembered for the glorious speech Martin Luther King, Jr. gave, in which the "I have a dream" part turned into a national text and eclipsed the troubles the organizers had to bring to march forward. It had been a fairly complicated affair to bring together various leaders of civil rights, religious and labor groups. As the name of the march tells us, many compromises had to be made in order to unite the followers of so many different causes. The "March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom" emphasized the combined purposes of the march and the goals that each of the leaders aimed at. These leaders, informally named the Big Six, were A. Philip Randolph, Roy Wilkins, Martin Luther King Jr., Whitney Young, James Farmer and John Lewis. Although they came from different political horizons, these leaders were intent on the peacefulness of the march, which even had its own marshal to ensure that the event would be peaceful and respectful of the law. The success of the march is still being debated but one aspect has been raised in the last few years: the misrepresentation of women. A lot of feminine civil rights groups had participated in the organization of the march but when it came to actual activity, women were denied the right to speak and were relegated to figurative roles in the back of the stage. As some female participants have noticed, the March can be remembered for the "I Have a Dream" speech but for most female activists it was a new awakening, forcing black women not only to fight for civil rights but also to engage in the Feminist movement. Noted achievements of the civil rights movement in this area include the judicial victory in the Brown v. Board of Education case that nullified the legal article of "separate but equal" and made segregation legally impermissible, passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 that banned discrimination in employment practices and public accommodations, passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 that restored voting rights, and passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1968 that banned discrimination in the sale or rental of housing. By 1965, the emergence of the Black Power movement (1966–1975) began to gradually eclipse the original "integrated power" aims of the civil rights movement that had been espoused by Martin Luther King, Jr.. Advocates of Black Power argued for black self-determination, and asserted that the assimilation inherent in integration robs Africans of their common heritage and dignity; e.g., the theorist and activist Omali Yeshitela argues that Africans have historically fought to protect their lands, cultures and freedoms from European colonialists, and that any integration into the society which has stolen another people and their wealth is actually an act of treason. Today, most Black Power advocates have not changed their self-sufficiency argument. Racism still exists worldwide and it is believed by some that blacks in the United States, on the whole, did not assimilate into U.S. "mainstream" culture, either by King's integration measures or by the self-sufficiency measures of Black Power—rather, blacks arguably became even more oppressed, this time partially by "their own" people in a new black stratum of the middle class and the ruling class. Black Power's advocates generally argue that the reason for this stalemate and further oppression of the vast majority of U.S. blacks is because Black Power's objectives have not had the opportunity to be fully carried through. One of the most public manifestations of the Black Power movement took place in the 1968 Olympics, when two African-Americans stood on the podium doing a Black Power salute. This act is still remembered today as the 1968 Olympics Black Power salute. The Chicano Movement, also known as the Chicano Civil Rights Movement, Mexican-American Civil Rights Movement and El Movimiento, was the part of the American Civil Rights Movement that sought political empowerment and social inclusion for Mexican-Americans around a generally nationalist argument. The Chicano movement blossomed in the 1960s and was active through the late 1970s in various regions of the U.S. The movement had roots in the civil rights struggles that had preceded it, adding to it the cultural and generational politics of the era. The early heroes of the movement—Rodolfo Gonzales in Denver, Colorado and Reies Tijerina in New Mexico—adopted a historical account of the preceding hundred and twenty-five years that had obscured much of Mexican-American history. Gonzales and Tijerina embraced a nationalism that identified the failure of the United States government to live up to its promises in the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. In that account, Mexican-Americans were a conquered people who simply needed to reclaim their birthright and cultural heritage as part of a new nation, which later became known as Aztlán. That version of the past did not, but take into account the history of those Mexicans who had immigrated to the United States. It also gave little attention to the rights of undocumented immigrants in the United States in the 1960s— which is not surprising, since immigration did not have the political significance it later acquired. It was a decade later when activists, such as Bert Corona in California, embraced the rights of undocumented workers and helped broaden the movement to include their issues. When the movement dealt with practical problems in the 1960s, most activists focused on the most immediate issues confronting Mexican-Americans; unequal educational and employment opportunities, political disfranchisement, and police brutality. In the heady days of the late 1960s, when the student movement was active around the globe, the Chicano movement brought about more or less spontaneous actions, such as the mass walkouts by high school students in Denver and East Los Angeles in 1968 and the Chicano Moratorium in Los Angeles in 1970. The movement was particularly strong at the college level, where activists formed MEChA, Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlán, which promoted Chicano Studies programs and a generalized ethno-nationalist agenda. American Indian Movement At a time when peaceful sit-ins were a common protest tactic, the American Indian Movement (AIM) takeovers in their early days were noticeably violent. Some appeared to be spontaneous outcomes of protest gatherings, but others included armed seizure of public facilities, such as in the Wounded Knee incident. The Alcatraz Island occupation of 1969, although commonly associated with NAM, pre-dated the organization, but was a catalyst for its formation. In 1970, AIM occupied abandoned property at the Naval Air Station near Minneapolis, Minnesota. In July 1971, it assisted in a takeover of the Winter Dam, Lac Courte Oreilles, and Wisconsin. When activists took over the Bureau of Indian Affairs Headquarters in Washington D.C. in November 1972, they sacked the building and 24 people were arrested. Activists occupied the Custer County Courthouse in 1973, though police routed the occupation after a riot took place. In 1973 activists and military forces confronted each other in the Wounded Knee incident. The standoff lasted 71 days, and two men died in the violence. Gender equity issues If the period associated with first-wave feminism focused upon absolute rights such as suffrage (which led to women attaining the right to vote in the early part of the 20th century), the period of the second-wave feminism was concerned with the issues such as changing social attitudes and economic, reproductive, and educational equality (including the ability to have careers in addition to motherhood, or the right to choose not to have children) between the genders and addressed the rights of female minorities. The new feminist movement, which spanned from 1963 to 1982, explored economic equality, political power at all levels, professional equality, reproductive freedoms, sexuality, issues with the family, educational equality, sexuality, and many other issues. LGBT rights and gay liberationFile:Gay liberation.jpg Since the mid-19th century in Germany, social reformers have used the language of civil rights to argue against the oppression of same-sex sexuality, same-sex emotional intimacy, and gender variance. Largely, but not exclusively, these LGBT movements have characterized gender variant and homosexually-oriented people as a minority group(s); this was the approach taken by the homophile movement of the 1940s, 50s and early 60s. With the rise of secularism in the West, an increasing sexual openness, women's liberation, the 1960s counterculture, and a range of new social movements, the homophile movement underwent a rapid growth and transformation, with a focus on building community and unapologetic activism which came to be known as the Gay Liberation. The words "Gay Liberation" echoed "Women's Liberation"; the Gay Liberation Front consciously took its name from the "National Liberation Fronts" of Vietnam and Algeria, and the slogan "Gay Power", as a defiant answer to the rights-oriented homophile movement, was inspired by Black Power and Chicano Power. The GLF's statement of purpose explained: "We are a revolutionary group of men and women formed with the realization that complete sexual liberation for all people cannot come about unless existing social institutions are abolished. We reject society's attempt to impose sexual roles and definitions of our nature." — GLF statement of purpose GLF activist Martha Shelley wrote, "We are women and men who, from the time of our earliest memories, have been in revolt against the sex-role structure and nuclear family structure." — "Gay is Good", Martha Shelley, 1970 Gay Liberationists aimed at transforming fundamental concepts and institutions of society, such as gender and the family. In order to achieve such liberation, consciousness raising and direct action were employed. Specifically, the word 'gay' was preferred to previous designations such as homosexual or homophile; some saw 'gay' as a rejection of the false dichotomy heterosexual/homosexual. Lesbians and gays were urged to "come out" and publicly reveal their sexuality to family, friends and colleagues as a form of activism, and to counter shame with gay pride. "Gay Lib" groups were formed in Australia, New Zealand, Germany, France, the UK, the US, Italy and elsewhere. The lesbian group Lavender Menace was also formed in the U.S. in response to both the male domination of other Gay Lib groups and the anti-lesbian sentiment in the Women's Movement. Lesbianism was advocated as a feminist choice for women, and the first currents of lesbian separatism began to emerge. By the late 1970s, the radicalism of Gay Liberation was eclipsed by a return to a more formal movement that became known as the Gay and Lesbian Rights Movement. German student movement The civil rights movement in Germany was a left-wing backlash against the post-Nazi Party era of the country, which still contained many of the conservative policies of both that era and of the pre-World War I Kaiser monarchy. The movement mainly attracted disillusioned students and was largely a protest movement analogous to others around the globe during the late 1960s. It was largely a reaction against the perceived authoritarianism and hypocrisy of the German government and other Western governments and the poor living conditions of students. A wave of protests, some violent, swept Germany, further fueled by over-reaction by the police and encouraged by other near-simultaneous protest movements across the world. Following more than a century of conservatism among German students, the German student movement also marked a significant major shift to the left-wing and radicalization of student politics. A general strike broke out across France in May 1968, which began to reach near-revolutionary proportions before being discouraged by the French Communist Party and finally suppressed by the government, which accused the communists of plotting against the Republic. Some philosophers[who?] and historians[who?] have argued that the rebellion was the single most important revolutionary event of the 20th century because it wasn't participated in by a lone demographic, such as workers or racial minorities, but was rather a purely popular uprising, superseding ethnic, cultural, age and class boundaries. It began as a series of student strikes that broke out at a number of universities and high schools in Paris following confrontations with university administrators and the police. The de Gaulle administration's attempts to quash those strikes by further police action only inflamed the situation further, leading to street battles with the police in the Latin Quarter, followed by a general strike by students and ten million French workers, roughly two-thirds of the French workforce. The protests reached the point that de Gaulle created a military operations headquarters to deal with the unrest, dissolved the National Assembly and called for new parliamentary elections on 23 June 1968. The government was close to collapse at that point and De Gaulle had even taken temporary refuge at an airforce base in Germany, but the revolutionary situation evaporated almost as quickly as it arose. Workers went back to their jobs, urged on by the Confédération Générale du Travail, the leftist union federation, and the Parti Communiste Français (PCF), the French Communist Party. When the elections were finally held in June, the Gaullist party emerged even stronger than before. Most of the protesters espoused left-wing causes, communism or anarchism, and many saw the events as an opportunity to shake up the "old society" in many social aspects, including methods of education, sexual freedom and free love. A small minority of protesters, such as the Occident group, espoused far-right causes. On 29 May, several hundred thousand protesters led by the CGT marched through Paris, chanting "Adieu, de Gaulle!", "Goodby, de Gaulle!". While the government appeared to be close to collapse, de Gaulle chose not to say adieu. Instead, after ensuring that he had sufficient loyal military units mobilized to back him if push came to shove, he went on the radio the following day (the national television service was on strike) to announce the dissolution of the National Assembly, with elections to follow on 23 June. He ordered workers to return to work, threatening to institute a state of emergency if they did not. From that point, the revolutionary feeling of the students and workers faded away. Workers gradually returned to work or were ousted from their plants by the police. The national student union called off street demonstrations the government banned a number of left organizations, and the police retook the Sorbonne on 16 June. De Gaulle triumphed in the elections held in June and the crisis had ended. Tlatelolco massacre, Mexico The Tlatelolco massacre, also known as Tlatelolco's Night (from a book title), took place in the afternoon and night of October 2, 1968, in the Plaza de las Tres Culturas in the Tlatelolco section of Mexico City. The death toll remains uncertain, with some estimates placing the number of deaths in the thousands, but most reporting 200–300 deaths with many more wounded and several thousand arrested. The massacre was preceded by months of political unrest in the Mexican capital, echoing student demonstrations and riots all over the world during 1968. Mexican students wanted to exploit the attention focused on Mexico City for the 1968 Summer Olympics. President Gustavo Díaz Ordaz, however, was determined to stop the demonstrations and, in September, ordered the army to occupy the campus of the National Autonomous University of Mexico, the largest university in Latin America. Students were beaten and arrested indiscriminately, causing Rector Javier Barros Sierra to resign in protest on September 23. However, student demonstrators were not deterred and the demonstrations grew in size until October 2, when, after nine weeks of student strikes, 15,000 students from various universities marched through the streets of Mexico City carrying red carnations to protest the army's occupation of the university campus. By nightfall, 5,000 students and workers, many of them with spouses and children, had congregated outside an apartment complex in the Plaza de las Tres Culturas in Tlatelolco for what was supposed to be a peaceful rally. Among their chants were México – Libertad – México – Libertad ("Mexico – Liberty – Mexico –Liberty"). Rally organizers attempted to call off the protest when they noticed an increased military presence in the area. The massacre began at sunset when army and police forces — equipped with armored cars and tanks — surrounded the square and began firing live rounds into the crowd, hitting not only the protesters, but also other bystanders uninvolved with the protest. Demonstrators and passersby alike, including children, were caught in the fire; soon, mounds of bodies lay on the ground. The killing continued through the night, with soldiers carrying out mopping-up operations on a house-to-house basis in the apartment buildings adjacent to the square. Witnesses to the event claim that the bodies were later removed in garbage trucks. The official government explanation of the incident was that armed provocateurs among the demonstrators, stationed in buildings overlooking the crowd, had begun the firefight, causing security forces to return fire in self-defense. Prague Spring (Czech: Pražské jaro, Slovak: Pražská jar, Russian: пражская весна) was a period of political liberalization in Czechoslovakia starting on January 5, 1968, and running until August 20 of that year, when the Soviet Union and its Warsaw Pact allies (except for Romania) invaded the country. During World War II, Czechoslovakia fell into the Soviet sphere of influence, the Eastern Bloc. Since 1948 there were no parties other than the Communist Party in the country and it was indirectly managed by the Soviet Union. Unlike other countries of Central and Eastern Europe, the communist take-over in Czechoslovakia in 1948 was, although as brutal as elsewhere, a genuine popular movement. Reform in the country did not lead to the convulsions seen in Hungary. Towards the end of World War II Joseph Stalin wanted Czechoslovakia, and signed an agreement with Winston Churchill and Franklin D. Roosevelt that Prague would be liberated by the Red Army, despite the fact that the United States Army under General George S. Patton could have liberated the city earlier. This was important for the spread of pro-Russian (and pro-communist) propaganda that came right after the war. People still remembered what they felt as Czechoslovakia's betrayal by the West at the Munich Agreement. For these reasons, the people voted for communists in the 1948 elections, the last democratic poll to take place there for a long time. From the middle of the 1960s, Czechs and Slovaks showed increasing signs of rejection of the existing regime. This change was reflected by reformist elements within the communist party by installing Alexander Dubček as party leader. Dubček's reforms of the political process inside Czechoslovakia, which he referred to as Socialism with a human face, did not represent a complete overthrow of the old regime, as was the case in Hungary in 1956. Dubček's changes had broad support from the society, including the working class, but was seen by the Soviet leadership as a threat to their hegemony over other states of the Eastern Bloc and to the very safety of the Soviet Union. Czechoslovakia was in the middle of the defensive line of the Warsaw Pact and its possible defection to the enemy was unacceptable during the Cold War. However, a sizeable minority in the ruling party, especially at higher leadership levels, was opposed to any lessening of the party's grip on society and actively plotted with the leadership of the Soviet Union to overthrow the reformers. This group watched in horror as calls for multi-party elections and other reforms began echoing throughout the country. Between the nights of August 20 and August 21, 1968, Eastern Bloc armies from five Warsaw Pact countries invaded Czechoslovakia. During the invasion, Soviet tanks ranging in numbers from 5,000 to 7,000 occupied the streets. They were followed by a large number of Warsaw Pact troops ranging from 200,000 to 600,000. The Soviets insisted that they had been invited to invade the country, stating that loyal Czechoslovak Communists had told them that they were in need of "fraternal assistance against the counter-revolution". A letter which was found in 1989 proved an invitation to invade did indeed exist. During the attack of the Warsaw Pact armies, 72 Czechs and Slovaks were killed (19 of those in Slovakia) and hundreds were wounded (up to September 3, 1968). Alexander Dubček called upon his people not to resist. He was arrested and taken to Moscow, along with several of his colleagues. 1967 Australian Referendum On 27 May 1967, Australians voted to amend their constitution, particularly removing Section 127, which had previously excluded Indigenous Australians from voting in State or Commonwealth elections. - ^ Shannon, Catherine. "Women in Northern Ireland", in Chattel, Servant or Citizen: Woman's Status in Church, State and Society. Eds. Mary O'Dowd & Sabine Wichert. Historical Studies XIX (Belfast: Institute of Irish Studies Queen's University, 1995), 238–253. - ^ http://www.irelandseye.com/aarticles/history/events/conflict/bttc4.shtm - ^ a b Dooley, Brian. "Second Class citizens", in Black and Green: The Fight for Civil Rights in Northern Ireland and Black America. (London:Pluto Press, 1998), 28–48. - ^ Dooley, Brian. "Second Class citizens", in Black and Green: The Fight for Civil Rights in Northern Ireland and Black America. (London:Pluto Press, 1998), 28–48 - ^ Richard English, “The Interplay of Non-violent and Violent Action in Northern Ireland, 1967-72”, in Adam Roberts and Timothy Garton Ash (eds.), Civil Resistance and Power Politics: The Experience of Non-violent Action from Gandhi to the Present, Oxford University Press, 2009, ISBN 978-0-19-955201-6, pp. 75-90. - ^ O'Dochartaigh, Niall. From Civil Rights to Armalites: Derry and the Birth of the Irish Troubles (Cork: Cork University Press, 1997), 1–18 and 111–152. - ^ http://www.wednesday-night.com/Duplessis.asp - ^ "Everybody’s Luncheonette Camden, New Jersey". http://www.freewebs.com/almasykusnyir/everybodys/index.htm. - ^ Barber, Lucy. "In the Great Tradition: The March on Washington for Jobs ans Freedom, August 28, 1963," in Marching on Washington: The Forging of an American Political Tradition. (Berkeley: U of California Press, 2002), 141–178. - ^ Height,Dorothy. "We wanted the voice of a women to be heard": Black women and the 1963 March on Washington", in Sisters in the Struggle: African American Women in the Civil Rights-Black Power Movement. Eds. Collier. Thomas, Bettye and V.P. Franklin. (New York: NYU press, 2001), 83–91. - ^ Civil Rights Act of 1964 - Manfred Berg and Martin H. Geyer; Two Cultures of Rights: The Quest for Inclusion and Participation in Modern America and Germany Cambridge University Press, 2002 - Jack Donnelly and Rhoda E. Howard; International Handbook of Human Rights Greenwood Press, 1987 - David P. Forsythe; Human Rights in the New Europe: Problems and Progress University of Nebraska Press, 1994 - Joe Foweraker and Todd Landman; Citizenship Rights and Social Movements: A Comparative and Statistical Analysis Oxford University Press, 1997 - Mervyn Frost; Constituting Human Rights: Global Civil Society and the Society of Democratic States Routledge, 2002 - Marc Galanter; Competing Equalities: Law and the Backward Classes in India University of California Press, 1984 - Raymond D. Gastil and Leonard R. Sussman, eds.; Freedom in the World: Political Rights and Civil Liberties, 1986-1987 Greenwood Press, 1987 - David Harris and Sarah Joseph; The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and United Kingdom Law Clarendon Press, 1995 - Steven Kasher; The Civil Rights Movement: A Photographic History (1954–1968) Abbeville Publishing Group (Abbeville Press, Inc.), 2000 - Francesca Klug, Keir Starmer, Stuart Weir; The Three Pillars of Liberty: Political Rights and Freedoms in the United Kingdom Routledge, 1996 - Fernando Santos-Granero and Frederica Barclay; Tamed Frontiers: Economy, Society, and Civil Rights in Upper Amazonia Westview Press, 2000 - Paul N. Smith; Feminism and the Third Republic: Women's Political and Civil Rights in France, 1918-1940 Clarendon Press, 1996 - Jorge M. Valadez; Deliberative Democracy: Political Legitimacy and Self-Determination in Multicultural Societies Westview Press, 2000 - We Shall Overcome: Historic Places of the Civil Rights Movement, a National Park Service Discover Our Shared Heritage at Travel Itinerary - A Columbia University Resource for Teaching African American History - Martin Luther King, Jr. and the Global Freedom Struggle, an encyclopedia presented by the Martin Luther King, Jr. Research and Education Institute at Stanford University Racism History of racism Racist ideologies Acts of racism Racial violence Racism against groupsAnti-Arabism · Anti-Armenianism · Anti-German sentiment · Anti-Irish racism · Anti-Italianism · Anti-Japanese sentiment · Anti-Korean sentiment · Anti-Mexican sentiment · Anti-Pakistan sentiment · Anti-Polish sentiment · Antisemitism · Racial antisemitism · Anti-Turkism · Anti-Ukrainian sentiment · Antiziganism · Francophobia · Hispanophobia · Indophobia · Lusophobia · Russophobia · Sinophobia · Anti-Slavism Racist groups Anti-racist groups Wikimedia Foundation. 2010. Look at other dictionaries: civil rights movement — (in the US) the national campaign by African Americans for equal rights, especially in the 1950s and 1960s. The campaign included boycotts (= refusals to buy particular products), the actions of freedom riders, and in 1963 a march to Washington… … Universalium Civil rights movement — Im Allgemeinen versteht man unter einer Bürgerrechtsbewegung eine soziale Bewegung, die versucht, Menschen und Bürgerrechte durchzusetzen. Im engeren Sinn war die US amerikanische Bürgerrechtsbewegung (Civil rights movement) der Afroamerikaner,… … Deutsch Wikipedia Civil Rights movement — noun movement in the United States beginning in the 1960s and led primarily by Blacks in an effort to establish the civil rights of individual Black citizens • Hypernyms: ↑movement, ↑social movement, ↑front * * * the ˌcivil ˈrights movement 7… … Useful english dictionary civil rights movement — political movement which seeks equal rights for all citizens (often referring to the movement in the 1950 s and 1960 s in the United States that fought for equal rights for African Americans) … English contemporary dictionary Civil Rights Movement — See CITIZEN S RIGHTS AND PEACE MOVEMENT (CRM; HATNUA LEZHUIOT HAEZRAH ULESHALOM; RATZ) … Historical Dictionary of Israel Civil rights movement veterans — (CRMVets) is a loose, on line association of people who were active in the Southern Freedom Movement of the 1960s with organizations such as NAACP, CORE, SCLC, SNCC, Southern Conference Education Fund (SCEF), Southern Students Organizing… … Wikipedia Civil rights movement in Omaha, Nebraska — Part of a series on African Americans in Omaha Historic places Notable people Neighborhood Museum Music Racial tension Time … Wikipedia African-American Civil Rights Movement (1955–1968) — American Civil Rights Movement redirects here. For the earlier period, see African American Civil Rights Movement (1896–1954). Prominent figures of the African American Civil Rights Movement. Clockwise from top left: W. E. B. Du Bois, Malcolm X,… … Wikipedia Timeline of African-American Civil Rights Movement — African American topics History Atlantic slave trade · Maafa Slavery in the United States Military history of African Americans … Wikipedia African-American Civil Rights Movement (1896–1954) — The Civil Rights Movement in the United States has been a long, primarily nonviolent struggle to bring full civil rights and equality under the law to all Americans. The movement has had a lasting impact on United States society, in its tactics,… … Wikipedia

<urn:uuid:1ae22263-e623-45b8-b374-af16e221850c>

The chicken came from the dinosaur. You’ve probably seen that fact in every high school biology textbook, nestled under a “Did You Know?” side-margin that you skimmed because it wasn’t part of the assigned reading. Until recently, however, we weren’t sure where that relationship began. What’s more, we haven’t even been confident what birds are related to, once they and dinosaurs parted ways on the evolutionary tree. Where have birds perched on our tree of life? Just like humans continue to seek the long-lost relatives who would complete our family tree, scientists across the world have been combing the avian genome for answers. And partly thanks to researchers at the University of Florida, we finally have it. Dr. Edward L. Braun, Associate Dean of the biology department at the University of Florida, headed the “Early Bird” project, which studied the relationship between animals like alligators, waterfowl, chickens and peacocks. This, along with the research of hundreds of evolutionary biologists across the world, finally mapped the genome of the 10,000-bird species, an accomplishment that landed on the cover of Science magazine this past December. With his tie-dyed “EVOLUTION” T-shirt and tortoise-shell glasses, Braun looks like he would be as comfortable behind binoculars as he would a microscope. He has been studying the bird genome since graduate school, painstakingly piecing together the A’s, C’s, T’s, and G’s to give us a map of the bird genome. What’s more, we haven’t even been confident what birds are related to, once they and dinosaurs parted ways on the evolutionary tree. Where have birds perched on our tree of life? The four base chemicals of DNA — denoted by the letters A, C, T and G — can be sewn together into groups of three, called genes, to form unique traits. Different permutations like AUG, GTC, CTT, GGG, TAG, and so on create feathers, beaks, the tendency to poop on cars–essentially everything that makes a bird a bird and not, say, a human reader of The Fine Print. Like many of the genetic researchers in the ‘80s, Braun said he spent much of his research interpreting DNA sequences one gene at a time, making a spool of only thousands in the span of months. For each letter recorded, he and others used a program which automatically repeated the letters punched into it: A A A T G C C T and so on, thousands and thousands of times in a synthesized voice, as if unhappy with its lot in life. But genomic sequencing has come a long way. That old, cumbersome process has, like many things in science, become automated with new technology. Using strips of RNA, a strand of biological data that mirrors DNA, researchers can match the A’s, T’s, C’s and G’s. So, like teeth in a zipper, we are able to line up the different strands until we get a more complete picture. Computers allow for as many as 40 billion sequences of data to be processed in the span of a week, leaving human computation in the dust. Researchers like Braun are only interested in 1 percent of that picture, however. The other 99 percent of the genome is the same for all vertebrae, ourselves included. That 1 percent can provide a lot of information, though. From it, new branches grew from the tree of life, while others were trimmed away. Like an awkward family reunion, birds unaware they had any relationship to one another were shoved together as their genome was ordered. This reclassification put birds previously thought distant relatives, like doves and flamingos, next to one another. What an ancestor of both a flamingo and dove would look like is still up for debate. Braun’s research delves further into the avian genome than just doves and flamingos, though. He studies “deep avian genomics,” which explores the ancestors of birds and their commonality with more exotic creatures like the alligator and turtle. Natural selection has been a strange boss, ordering some species to evolve while others remain the same as they have for millions of years. Even within the avian tree, certain branches grew at accelerated rates while others — such as waterfowl and and large landfowl like the ostrich — fell by the wayside. Braun said that this may be due to factors like length of life: A zebra finch’s life is measured in years, while an alligator’s or ostrich’s is measured in decades. Such a quick turnover leads to remarkable shifts in evolution, producing everything from the fat, waddling chicken to the nimble hummingbird. Such a quick turnover leads to remarkable shifts in evolution, producing everything from the fat, waddling chicken to the nimble hummingbird. While most of this research seems like biological semantics, it provides us vital information. Millions of years ago, the world teetered on a precipice very similar to the one we lean over now. This event, aptly called a Great Extinction, wiped out the dinosaurs–and something similar is looming upon their distant relatives (us). With things like man-made climate change and dwindling resources, our home is becoming much less hospitable. So inhospitable, in fact, that we could lose as much as 95 percent of species on our little blue planet. Like a Noah in a post-apocalyptic arc, we must choose which species will benefit the emerging world the most. By studying the branches that grow from the tree of life, we can better understand who can act as archives of life’s intricate history. We can better see the branches that lead to twigs and leaves, rather than those that stick out into the sky, barren. And, unfortunately, we have to decide who we will save from the shears.

<urn:uuid:f31ce54d-7107-490d-aadc-ae117e86581c>

|Services / Air Quality / Air Dispersion Modeling| Air Dispersion Modeling |Air dispersion modeling is a sophisticated mathematical simulation of how air pollutants disperse in the atmosphere. Air dispersion modeling uses complex computer programs to calculate downwind concentrations of air pollutants emitted from sources such as industrial plants, combustion sources, vehicular traffic, or accidental chemical releases.Yorke Engineering, LLC’s (Yorke’s) environmental engineering staff expertly uses the latest modeling programs to solve complicated air dispersion modeling project objectives. Yorke’s expertise in air dispersion modeling spans a diverse mix of projects, including odor modeling, ambient air quality modeling, health risk assessment (HRA) modeling, and the modeling of mobile sources. Air Dispersion Modeling Services Air Dispersion Modeling Tool Proficiencies

<urn:uuid:d8f3ccb4-3c58-4b39-a6ed-08d2a71ca584>

One of the newest trends in orchids today is mini-Paphs. They are the result of line breeding down standard Paphs to produce tiny flowers on tiny plants such as has been done for Cattleyas and Dendrobiums. The great increase of hobbyists who grow under lights or on window sills has driven the breeding of smaller plants with either large flowers or flowers that match the size of the plant. The beauty of the flowers has not been compromised by the reduction in size and has made it much easier to grow one or many in the space that a standard Paph takes. The intent of the breeding programs is to produce small plants that will mature in two-inch pots and produce flowers in proportion to the plant's size. Another feature is that these little plants generally seem to bloom faster than the standard size so it's possible to buy immature plants and have them bloom in a couple of years. Many standard Paphs become quite large and difficult for home growers to keep once they are mature. The small plants will give more hobbyists the chance to grow these wonderful and different orchids. The breeding for the minis started with the naturally smaller species Paphs such as P. barbigerum, charlesworthii, fairrieanum, henryanum, and helenae. There were several earlier attempts at this that produced small Paphs, but failed mostly because of lack of interest among growers. Today there are more people attempting this breeding and of course, more people interested in trying these unique little plants. Some of the early successes were from Ratcliffe Orchids then doing business in Kissimmee, Florida, and the UK. Ratcliffe is now only doing business in the UK with a few of the mini-slippers available. The only businesses I could find online mentioned by others for breeding the small Paphs are Woodstream Orchids which sells to the public and can tell you if they have anything available at the moment; Paphanatics which sells flasks only; and Orchid Zone which primarily sells only wholesale. You should try contacting your favorite orchid vendor to find out if they have any of the mini-slippers. Paphs are among the easiest of orchids to grow for the indoor hobbyist. They will grow well with Phalaenopsis under low light conditions and in temperatures similar to those normally found in households. The American Orchid Society has basic information on growing Paphs in their culture sheets. AnTec Labs, though they do not appear to be selling a great deal still has some of the best information on Paphs I've found on the web. There are also whole forums dedicated to only slipper orchids which have great information and very helpful people who will answer questions on almost any topic to do with growing them. Check out The Slipper Orchid Forum and Slippertalk Orchid Forum for more information and communities that are dedicated to Paphs.

<urn:uuid:3b4a0b4c-c052-4d53-9c83-cd4966b415bb>

For many people, receiving a cancer diagnosis may be a painful and stressful event. It is normal to experience a variety of emotions, such as grief, fear, and worry. It is common for people with cancer to experience depression as well. Cancer is the greatest cause of mortality globally, with one in every two individuals developing cancer throughout their lifetime. Cancer is a group of illnesses characterized by uncontrolled cell growth and spread. These cells can grow and divide uncontrollably, resulting in tumor development and the potential for metastasis to other areas of the body. There are more than 100 distinct forms of cancer, each with its own set of symptoms and treatment choices. Breast cancer, lung cancer, prostate cancer, and colorectal cancer are all frequent kinds of cancer. Cancer is caused by a number of variables, including genetics, environmental exposures, and certain lifestyle habits, such as smoking and binge drinking. People may be at a higher risk of acquiring cancer in some circumstances due to inherited genetic alterations or a family history of cancer. While cancer is a severe and sometimes fatal disease, advancements in medical research and therapy have resulted in better results for many patients. Early identification and treatment may often result in good outcomes, and many cancer patients live long and healthy lives. Cancer therapy in Mexico takes on what the future of Cancer Therapy might be. Providing one of the most advanced Cancer Immunotherapies available, which is backed by research and multiple clinical trials. In line with that, here are the other areas wherein researchers are exploring for the treatment of cancer: Used by many cancer clinics nowadays, Immunotherapy is a method of cancer treatment in which the body’s immune system is used to combat cancer cells. The immune system is the body’s natural defense mechanism, intended to identify and kill foreign substances such as bacteria and viruses. Immunotherapy entails stimulating the immune system to detect and fight cancer cells through the use of medicines or other substances. Immunotherapy has been shown to be a helpful treatment for certain forms of cancer, and it is frequently used in conjunction with other therapies, such as chemotherapy and radiation. It is not, however, appropriate for all forms of cancer, and it may not work for everyone. It is critical to collaborate with a healthcare team to establish whether immunotherapy is a viable therapeutic choice. Artificial intelligence or commonly referred to as AI is being utilized to help with cancer treatment and management in a variety of ways. By assisting in the analysis of massive volumes of data, identifying patterns and trends, and recommending tailored treatment approaches, AI has the potential to greatly enhance cancer therapy and management. Data analysis is one application of AI in cancer therapy. Large volumes of data, such as medical records, imaging tests, and genetic information, may be analyzed by AI algorithms to uncover patterns and trends that might help researchers understand cancer and create novel treatments. Additionally, AI is also being used to plan therapy. Artificial Intelligence algorithms may offer individualized treatment strategies depending on the precise kind and stage of cancer, as well as the patient’s general health and personal preferences, by evaluating patient data. Stem Cell Therapy Stem cell therapy is another promising field of cancer research these days. Because stem cells are unspecialized cells that can grow into several types of cells in the body, they have the potential to be a valuable tool in the treatment of cancer since they may be employed to replace damaged or destroyed cells. Stem cells are classified into two types which are embryonic stem cells, which are derived from early-stage embryos, and adult stem cells, which are present in diverse organs throughout the body. Both kinds of stem cells have the potential to be employed in cancer therapy but in distinct ways.

<urn:uuid:90573e46-415a-4f43-9c7e-7130483c1e78>

|Home ▸ Catalog ▸ Greek Coins ▸ Geographic - All Periods ▸ Thrace & Moesia ▸ MesembriaView Options: | | | | Mesembria (Mesambria) was a Doric settlement on an island at the Black Sea coast. Today a man-made isthmus connects it to the mainland. The modern name is Nesebar, an important seaside resort. Several ancient churches and ruins are preserved on the peninsula.

<urn:uuid:e84ce4e6-c3a4-43a3-a591-9dc4964dae1c>

Converting a byte to individual bits I have been asked to implement a CRC from scratch. From what I have learnt the CRC basically works by performing a series of XOR operations on the ploynomial, bit by bit. I believe that in order to work the method I need to convert a byte into bits first. The CRC is none of my concern, I know the algorithm. But I have no idea how to convert a byte into an array of individual bits. I know for a fact that every byte is in actuality a series of eight bits... For example 0010 0011. But seeing as the smallest JAVA data type is byte and it has no methods to convert it to a smaller type.. I am now stuck. Can anyone help me? :(

<urn:uuid:ee938cc2-13a1-42b4-a121-7c213a164c81>

A deva (देव Sanskrit and Pāli) in Buddhism is one of many different types of non-human beings who share the characteristics of being more powerful, longer-lived, and, in general, living more contentedly than the average human being. An inhabitant of the heavenly realms, which is characterized by long life, joyous surroundings and blissful states of mind. In the Buddhist tradition, these states are understood to be impermanent, not eternal. Literally, "A shining one". An inhabitant of the heavenly realms, which is characterized by long life, joyous surroundings and blissful states of mind. However, these states are impermanent, not eternal. Devas are still unenlightened, bound to Samsara and subject to Birth and Death. Many such beings have already been converted to Buddhism and become its protectors. Synonyms in other languages include Khmer tep (ទេព), or preah (ព្រះ), Myanmar Language nat, Tibetan lha, Mongolian tenger (тэнгэр), Chinese tiān (天), Korean cheon, Japanese ten, Vietnamese thiên, Thai Thevada .The concept of devas was adopted in Japan partly because of the similarity to the Shinto's concept of kami. Other words used in Buddhist texts to refer to similar supernatural beings are devatā "deity" and devaputra (Pāli: devaputta) "son of the gods". It is unclear what the distinction between these terms is. Powers of the devas From a human perspective, devas share the characteristic of being invisible to the physical human eye. The presence of a deva can be detected by those humans who have opened the divyacakṣus (Pāli: dibbacakkhu), an extrasensory Power by which one can see beings from other planes. Their voices can also be heard by those who have cultivated divyaśrotra, a similar Power of the ear. Most devas are also capable of constructing illusory forms by which they can manifest themselves to the beings of lower worlds; higher and lower devas even have to do this between each other. Devas do not require the same kind of sustenance as humans do, although the lower kinds do eat and drink. The higher sorts of deva shine with their own intrinsic luminosity. Devas are also capable of moving great distances speedily and of flying through the air, although the lower devas sometimes accomplish this through magical aids such as a flying chariot. Types of deva The term deva does not refer to a natural class of beings, but is defined anthropocentrically to include all those beings more powerful or more blissful than humans. It includes some very different types of being; these types can be ranked hierarchically. The lowest classes of these beings are closer in their nature to human beings than to the higher classes of deva. The devas fall into three classes depending upon which of the three dhātus, or "realms" of the Universe they are born in. The devas of the Ārūpyadhātu have no physical Form or location, and they dwell in Meditation on formless subjects. They achieve this by attaining advanced meditational levels in another Life. They do not interact with the rest of the Universe. The devas of the Rūpadhātu have physical forms, but are sexless and passionless. They live in a large number of "heavens" or deva-worlds that rise, layer on layer, above the earth. These can be divided into five main groups: The Śuddhāvāsa devas are the rebirths of Anāgāmins, Buddhist religious practitioners who died just short of attaining the state of Arhat (Brahma Sahampati, who appealed to the newly Enlightened Buddha to teach, was an Anagami from a previous Buddha ). They guard and protect Buddhism on earth, and will pass into Enlightenment as Arhats when they pass away from the Śuddhāvāsa worlds. The highest of these worlds is called Akaniṣṭha. The Bṛhatphala devas remain in the tranquil state attained in the fourth Dhyāna. The Śubhakṛtsna devas rest in the bliss of the third Dhyāna. The Ābhāsvara devas enjoy the delights of the second Dhyāna. The Brahmā devas (or simply Brahmās) participate in the more active joys of the first Dhyāna. They are also more interested in and involved with the World below than any of the higher devas, and sometimes intervene with advice and counsel. Each of these groups of deva-worlds contains different grades of devas, but all of those within a single group are able to interact and communicate with each other. On the other hand, the lower groups have no direct Knowledge of even the existence of the higher types of deva at all. For this reason, some of the Brahmās have become proud, imagining themselves as the creators of their own worlds and of all the worlds below them (because they came into existence before those worlds began to exist). The devas of the Kāmadhātu have physical forms similar to, but larger than, those of humans. They lead the same sort of lives that humans do, though they are longer-lived and generally more content; indeed sometimes they are immersed in pleasures. This is the realm that Māra has greatest influence over. The higher devas of the Kāmadhātu live in four heavens that float in the air, leaving them free from contact with the strife of the lower World. They are: The Parinirmita-vaśavartin devas, luxurious devas to whom Māra belongs; The Nirmāṇarati devas; The Tuṣita devas, among whom the future Maitreya lives; The Yāma devas. The lower devas of the Kāmadhātu live on different parts of the mountain at the center of the World, Sumeru. They are even more passionate than the higher devas, and do not simply enjoy themselves but also engage in strife and fighting. They are: The Trāyastriṃśa devas, who live on the peak of Sumeru and are something like the Olympian gods. Their ruler is Śakra. The Cāturmahārājikakāyika devas, who include the martial kings who guard the four quarters of the Earth. The chief of these kings is Vaiśravaṇa, but all are ultimately accountable to Śakra. They also include four types of earthly demigod or nature-spirit: Kumbhāṇḍas, Gandharvas, Nāgas and Yakṣas, and probably also the Garuḍas. "Furthermore, you should recollect the devas: 'There are the devas of the Four Great Kings, the devas of the Thirty-three,..." [196. Dh.] "Feeders of Joy we shall be like the radiant gods (devas)." Sometimes included among the devas, and sometimes placed in a different category, are the Asuras, the opponents of the preceding two groups of devas, whose nature is to be continually engaged in War. Humans are said to have originally had many of the powers of the devas: not requiring Food, the ability to fly through the air, and shining by their own Light. Over time they began to eat solid foods, their bodies became coarser and their powers disappeared. There is also a humanistic definition of 'deva' [[[Wikipedia:male|male]]] and 'devi' [[[Wikipedia:female|female]]] ascribed to Gotama Buddha: a God is a Moral person. This is comparable to another definition, i.e. that 'Hell' is a name for painful emotions. Devas vs. gods Although the word deva is generally translated "God" (or, very occasionally, "angel") in English, Buddhist devas differ from the "gods" and "angels" of most religions past and present in many important ways. Buddhist devas are not immortal. They live for very long but finite periods of time, ranging from thousands to (at least) billions of years. When they pass away, they are reborn as some other sort of being, perhaps a different type of deva, perhaps a human or something beyond comprehension. Buddhist devas do not create or shape the World. They come into existence based upon their past karmas and they are as much subject to the natural laws of cause and effect as any other being in the Universe. They also have no role in the periodic dissolutions of worlds. Buddhist devas are not incarnations of a few archetypal deities or manifestations of a God. Nor are they merely symbols. They are considered to be, like humans, distinct individuals with their own personalities and paths in Life. Devas however, have an immanent Buddha nature, as also do humans. Buddhist devas are not omniscient. Their Knowledge is inferior to that of a fully Enlightened Buddha, and they especially lack awareness of beings in worlds higher than their own. It should be noted that some Buddhas resemble devas in the fact that they also inhabit celestial planes (or pure lands). Buddhist devas are not omnipotent. Their powers tend to be limited to their own worlds, and they rarely intervene in human affairs. When they do, it is generally by way of quiet advice rather than by physical intervention. Buddhist devas are not morally perfect. The devas of the worlds of the Rūpadhātu do lack human passions and desires, but some of them are capable of Ignorance, arrogance and pride. The devas of the lower worlds of the Kāmadhātu experience the same kind of passions that humans do, including (in the lowest of these worlds), lust, jealousy, and Anger. It is, indeed, their imperfections in the Mental and Moral realms that cause them to be reborn in these worlds. Buddhist devas are not to be considered as equal to a Buddhist Refuge. While some individuals among the devas may be beings of great Moral authority and prestige and thus deserving of a high degree of respect (in some cases, even being Enlightened practitioners of the Dharma), no deva can ultimately be taken as the way of escape from Saṃsāra or control one's Rebirth. The highest honors are reserved to the Three Jewels of Buddha, Dharma, and Saṅgha. Confused with devas Mahayana and Vajrayana Meditation and practice includes several types of being that are often called "gods", but are distinct from the devas. Bodhisattvas: A Bodhisattva may be a deva in a particular Life, but bodhisattvas are not essentially devas, and if they happen to be devas it is only in the course of being born in many different worlds over time. A Bodhisattva is as likely to be born as a human or as an animal, and is only distinguished from other beings by the certainty that eventually, after many lives, the Bodhisattva will be reborn as a Buddha. For example, the current Bodhisattva of the Tuṣita Heaven is now a deva. In his next Life, however, he will be reborn as a human – The Buddha Maitreya. Advanced Bodhisattvas are also capable of manifesting themselves in a great variety of forms (e.g. Avalokiteshvara as depicted in the Universal Door chapter of the Lotus Sutra), including the forms of devas, depending upon the circumstances. Also, bodhisattvas are classified higher than a deva. Yidams: These meditational deities sometimes take the Form of ordinary devas and sometimes appear as manifestations of bodhisattvas, but they are in all cases to be taken as nondual manifestations of Enlightenment, with which the meditator intends to unite. Buddhas: A Nirmāṇakāya Buddha (physically manifesting Buddha) is classified higher than a deva so Buddha is not a deva, as the right conditions for attaining supreme Enlightenment do not exist in the deva-worlds. A Sambhogakāya Buddha has the Form of a very high ranking deva, but does not exist within the Universe, subject to birth and Death, as all the devas do. The Cosmic Dharmakāya is beyond all worlds and limitations. They are subject, however, just like all human and other beings, to ever-repeated Rebirth, old age and Death, and thus are not freed from the cycle of existence and from misery. There are many classes of heavenly beings. - Tusita (s. Bodhisatta), - Paranimmita-vasavatti. Cf. Anussati. (6). - Brahma-pārisajja, Brahma-purohita, Mahā-brahmāno (s. brahma-kāyika-deva). Amongst these 3 classes will be reborn those with a weak, medium or full experience of the 1st absorption (Jhāna, q.v.). - Parittābha, Appamānābha, ābhassara. Here will be reborn those with experience of the 2nd absorption. - Paritta-subha, Appamāna-subha, Subha-kinna (or kinha). Here will be reborn those with experience of the 3rd absorption. - Vehapphala, Asañña-satta (q.v.), Suddhāvāsa (q.v.; further s. Anāgāmi). Amongst the first 2 classes will be reborn those with experience of the 4th absorption, but amongst the 3rd class only Anāgāmis (q.v.). - the heavenly beings of the sphere of unbounded space (ākāsānañcāyatanūpaga-devā), - of unbounded Consciousness (Viññāna ñcāyatanūpaga-deva), - of nothingness (ākiñcaññāyatanūpaga devā), - of neither-Perception-nor- non-Perception (nevasaññā-nāsaññāyatanūpaga-devā). Here will be reborn those with experience of the 4 immaterial spheres (arūpāyatana; s. Jhāna 5-8).

<urn:uuid:938a06ed-1084-453c-b29e-e4dec1a08bc7>

What is BDS?Submitted by Allegory on Mon, 02/17/2014 - 22:55 Prompted by this post on the DP, I was moved to do a little research on the boycotts of Israel. Netanyahu says those who boycott Israel are anti-Semites, and apparently Ted Cruz agrees. The second article mentioned BDS. A quick Google search turned up this website, bdsmovement.net, with this info: WHAT IS BDS? In 2005, Palestinian civil society issued a call for a campaign of boycotts, divestment and sanctions (BDS) against Israel until it complies with international law and Palestinian rights. A truly global movement against Israeli Apartheid is rapidly emerging in response to this call. Found this on YouTube Thoughts? What do you know about BDS?

<urn:uuid:79c2d040-5267-4f40-a47d-b651c61de2b0>

Reproduced, with permission, from: Groombridge, B., ed. 1992. Global biodiversity: Status of the Earth's living resources. New York: Chapman & Hall. The Convention on Wetlands of International Importance especially as Waterfowl Habitat was signed in Ramsar (Iran) in 1971, and came into force in December 1975. This convention provides a framework for international cooperation for the conservation of wetland habitats. It places general obligations on contracting party states relating to the conservation of wetlands throughout their territories, with special obligations pertaining to those wetlands which have been designated to the 'List of Wetlands of International Importance'. Each State Party is obliged to list at least one site. Wetlands are defined by the convention as: areas of marsh, fen, peatland or water, whether natural or artificial, permanent or temporary, with water that is static or flowing, fresh, brackish or salt, including areas of marine waters, the depth of which at low tide does not exceed six metres. Fig. 29.10 shows the parties to the Ramsar convention plus the locations of Ramsar sites around the world.

<urn:uuid:abac04c9-a172-4c03-a6ed-5cbb213ea17a>

Although easy to view from Earth, Jupiter remains one of the solar system’s biggest mysteries. But today we're only five years away from a much deeper understanding of the massive planet. This afternoon, NASA’s solar-powered envoy Juno successfully lifted off Cape Canaveral at 12:55 p.m. EDT. The craft will cover approximately 1.9 billion miles before it enters an elliptical, polar orbit around Jupiter in 2016. If all goes well, Juno will endure the gas giant’s radiation-rich environment for a year, and study its origins and evolution using nine science instruments. “Jupiter is the Rosetta Stone of our solar system,” said Juno’s principal investigator, Scott Bolton (Southwest Research Institute, San Antonio). “Juno is going there, as our emissary — to interpret what Jupiter has to say.” The mission is appropriately named after Juno, the sister and wife of the Roman god, Jupiter, who peered beneath clouds to expose his secret affair with the priestess Io. The craft carries figurines of Jupiter and Juno as a tribute. In addition, Juno also carries a plaque and a figurine in honor of the Italian astronomer Galileo Galilee, who discovered four of Jupiter’s moons in 1610. Listen to an audio interview with Scott Bolton, the principal investigator of the mission. Read more about the Juno Mission in Sky & Telescope’s September 2011 issue.

<urn:uuid:1e5636d9-0745-4485-ba6f-ed1674f2fa7f>

Hanukkah's origins in the drama of a small yet determined people with a large vision standing up to the might of the Hellenistic empire of antiquity is a poignant demonstration and a timeless reminder of Israel’s unique and timely legacy. The heroic Maccabees’ successful revolt of the few against the many in 167 B.C.E. following the dictates of the Syrian Greek King Antiochus IV, who sought to deprive the Jews of practicing their own faith, was truly a stance of a proud conscience. Our refusal to submit to a superior physical power when our spiritual inheritance was at stake is a clear indication of how deep a bond we held with both our religious convictions and sovereign independence, ready to sacrifice the sacred gift of life for the sake of an ancestral covenant with the compelling God of freedom and responsibility. The word Hanukkah and its festival meaning represent the spirit of dedication to irreplaceable ideals and ideas through the cleansing of Jerusalem’s temple of old from pagan defilement. The Talmud’s insisting focus on the miracle of the cruse of oil lasting eight days reflects the rabbis’ aversion to the bloodshed and the Hasmoneans’ intra-political strife associated with the war and beyond. Consequently, the books of the Maccabees were not included in our own biblical canon but were fortunately preserved through the Catholic one. In truth, the conflict was not only against the enemy from without, but in response to the experienced assimilation from within. The encounter with the dominant, flourishing and tempting Greek culture led, however, to a fruitful philosophical engagement influencing rabbinic thought and logic. The flickering lights of Hanukkah have come to symbolize through centuries of suffering the miracle of Jewish survival in spite of great odds, while endowing the human family with an enduring promise for a world transformed and redeemed. Let us continue to pray and labor that the ancient promise of prophetic Shalom’s healing, hope and harmony from the distant hills of Judea, the first such inspiring and pioneering message of universal embrace, will yet be realized. At stake is the well-being of all of God’s children, including the offspring of Isaac and Ishmael whose familial bond cannot be denied. How frustrating and telling that there are Palestinian and other Arab leaders attempting to re-write history with the shameful aid of UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) by removing the incontrovertible Jewish connection as well as the Christian one with the Temple Mount, the Western Wall and thus from the land of Israel, seeking to extinguish Hanukkah's authenticity. President Donald Trump’s Jerusalem Declaration, recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of the state of Israel, and moving the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, have been much appreciated. As the United States, the state of Israel and the entire free world fight the blight of terrorism with contemporary Iran’s ayatollahs begrudging the Maccabean victory leading the way, much can be learned from the old and new Maccabees’ saga and spirit. In the still restive region where Hanukkah’s drama took place, so ironically and tragically, Syria’s dictator Bashar al-Assad with Iranian and Russian participation sheds his people’s blood including so many children in the barbaric bombing of Aleppo. The Islamic State continues its assault on civilization. Regrettable is the recent American abandonment of the valiant Syrian Kurds, our faithful allies with shared painful sacrifices, leading to the tragic Turkish assault. Highly alarming is the dangerous rise of anti-Semitic activity with deadly consequences in the United States and globally. The terrorists at home and abroad negate the life-enlightening, pluralistic and inclusive principles of Hanukkah’s bright menorah daring to challenge the darkness of oppression in all its destructive forms of hatred and prejudice. All humans, though some more than others, have now become vulnerable Jews yet empowered with our people’s indomitable faith and noble example to face a formidable foe — physically, spiritually and psychologically — and prevail. Rabbi Dr. Israel Zoberman is founder and spiritual leader of Temple Lev Tikvah in Virginia Beach. It meets at The Church of the Holy Apostles. He is a family member of the Holocaust’s surviving remnant of European Jewry.

<urn:uuid:b1ac971a-8606-4c51-a99f-61c0d5549456>

ReadWriteThink couldn't publish all of this great content without literacy experts to write and review for us. If you've got lessons plans, videos, activities, or other ideas you'd like to contribute, we'd love to hear from you. Find the latest in professional publications, learn new techniques and strategies, and find out how you can connect with other literacy professionals. Teacher Resources by Grade |1st - 2nd||3rd - 4th| |5th - 6th||7th - 8th| |9th - 10th||11th - 12th| Shared Experiences, Individual Impressions: Buddies Create PowerPoint Stories |Grades||K – 2| |Lesson Plan Type||Recurring Lesson| |Estimated Time||Five 50-minute sessions| Sometimes students learn more when they’re out of the classroom experiencing the world. Turn field trips or other events into opportunities to learn new vocabulary, practice writing and technology skills, and create myriad stories using images and text about common experiences. First, students have an experience that they or you photograph. After quickly recording their initial impressions of what happened, students discuss their experience in terms of a sequence of events. They then work with older buddies to choose photos and write accompanying text in PowerPoint. Finally, students present their work, describing their individual perceptions. Muffoletto, R. (2001). An inquiry into the nature of Uncle Joe's representation and meaning. Reading Online, 4(8). Available: http://www.readingonline.org/newliteracies/lit_index.asp?HREF=/newliteracies/muffoletto/index.html - Reflective visual literacy empowers students to understand the power of images and to evaluate them based on their personal experiences. - Understanding the process of reflective visual literacy is only possible if teachers incorporate the notion of multiple perspectives into their daily teaching. - When creating photo essays, students should be allowed to express their own voices and describe their own perceptions of how the image reflects their experience. Labbo, L.D., Love, M.S., Prior, M.P., Hubbard, B.P., & Ryan, T. (2006). Literature links: Thematic units linking read-alouds and computer activities. Newark, DE: International Reading Association. - The Digital Language Experience Approach is similar to the Language Experience Approach except that it uses digital photos in addition to oral language to "elicit students' talk, dictation, or composing about the sequence of events" (p. 299). - The authors suggest using cross-age computer buddies when working with younger students for the first few times they try a program. Friedland, E.S., & Truesdell, K.S. (2004). Kids reading together: Ensuring the success of a buddy reading program. The Reading Teacher, 58, 76–83.

<urn:uuid:b34ce4f6-35f2-4fa0-93c5-843b421b9bf5>

JOHNS HOPKINS MEDICINE As more becomes known about the coronavirus, here is what parents and guardians need to know about it and COVID-19 in babies and children. Aaron Milstone, M.D., M.H.S., a pediatrician at Johns Hopkins Children’s Center and an infectious disease expert at The Johns Hopkins Hospital, talks about COVID-19 symptoms in children, how to keep babies and kids safe, the risk infected children may pose to others, and an overview of MIS-C, a rare condition that may be related to exposure to the virus. Can children and toddlers get coronavirus? Yes, children and toddlers can get COVID-19. Cases have been increasing among children, indicated by recent data from the American Academy of Pediatrics This may be partly because no COVID-19 vaccine has been authorized for people under age 12. The widespread circulation in the U.S. of the highly contagious delta variant of the coronavirus is another factor. In most cases, COVID-19 may be milder in young children than in adults, but parents and caregivers should understand that children can be infected with the coronavirus, can develop complications requiring hospitalization, and can transmit the virus to others. In rare cases, children infected with the coronavirus can develop a serious lung infection and become very sick with COVID-19, and deaths have occurred. That’s why it is important to use precautions and prevent infection in children as well as adults. What should parents know about coronavirus variants and children? Coronavirus variants, including the very contagious delta variant, continue to spread, particularly in areas with low rates of community COVID-19 vaccination. For children too young to be vaccinated (and adults who have not received coronavirus vaccines) it is important to follow proven COVID-19 precautions such as mask wearing when in public, indoor places to reduce the chance of becoming infected with the coronavirus. “Indoor activities are riskier than outdoor activities, but risk can be reduced by masking, distancing, hand washing, and improved ventilation,” Milstone says. Can newborns and babies get COVID-19? It appears that women infected with the coronavirus can, in very rare cases, pass the disease to her baby. Infants can also become infected shortly after being born. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), most newborns who test positive for the coronavirus have mild symptoms or none at all, and recover, but serious cases have occurred. Pregnant women should take extra precautions, including talking to your doctor about getting a COVID-19 vaccine, to avoid the coronavirus. What are coronavirus symptoms in babies and children? Generally, COVID-19 symptoms are milder in children than in adults, and some infected children may not have any signs of being sick at all. Symptoms for children and adults include: - Fever or chills - Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing - Muscle or body aches - Sore throat - New loss of taste or smell - New fatigue - Nausea or vomiting - Congestion or runny nose Fever and cough are common COVID-19 symptoms in both adults and children; shortness of breath is more likely to be seen in adults. Children can have pneumonia, with or without obvious symptoms. They can also experience sore throat, excessive fatigue or diarrhea. However, serious illness in children with COVID-19 is possible, and parents should stay alert if their child is diagnosed with, or shows signs of, the disease. Children with COVID-19: When to Call 911 Parents or guardians should immediately seek urgent or emergency medical care if they notice these warning signs in a child: - Difficulty breathing or catching his or her breath - Inability to keep down any liquids - New confusion or inability to awaken - Bluish lips

<urn:uuid:886cd0a9-ebf1-4945-8975-ec9bdb4a1fa5>

Riceland Foods is the largest rice cooperative in the U.S. The cooperative filed suit against the Bayer Corporation for damages it suffered as a result of Bayer's unapproved genetically-modified rice contaminating natural long-grain rice -- one of hundreds of similar lawsuits that have been filed against Bayer in federal and state courts. As a result of this contamination, countries within the European Union refused to purchase U.S. long grain rice, and rice farmers and cooperatives lost millions of dollars in sales. They also incurred substantial clean-up costs. According to the Jere Beasley Report: "Riceland alleged in its lawsuit that the presence of Bayer's Liberty Link rice caused the cooperative to lose $389 million in projected and future earnings. The jury found that Bayer caused tremendous harm to Riceland and the entire industry and awarded Riceland $11.8 million in compensatory damages and $125 million in punitive damages. The jury also found that Bayer was solely responsible for any damages incurred by farmers as a result of the loss of the European market." In related news, a new electron microscopic pathogen in the shape of a medium-sized virus has been discovered, which appears to significantly impact the health of plants, animals, and probably human beings. In the video below, David Murphy of Food Democracy Now interviews Dr. Don Huber regarding the discovery of a new organism and how it relates to crop disease, livestock infertility and how it threatens U.S. food and agriculture. Dr. Huber Explains Science Behind New Organism and Threat from Monsanto's Roundup, GMOs to Disease and Infertility from Food Democracy Now! on Vimeo. On January 17, 2011, Dr. Huber sent a letter to USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack alerting him to a serious problem facing U.S. agriculture -- a previously unknown pathogen. Dr. Huber's letter revealed that a top team of scientists had discovered a link between the new pathogen, the steady rise of plant diseases in genetically modified Roundup Ready corn and soybean crops, and the high rates of infertility and spontaneous abortions of animal livestock. Jere Beasley Report April 28, 2011 Farm and Ranch Freedom May 4, 2011 Dr. Mercola's Comments: Riceland Foods, the largest rice cooperative in the U.S. filed suit against the Bayer Corporation after its natural long-grain rice was contaminated with Bayer's unapproved genetically-modified (GM) rice-and they won. The jury determined that Bayer caused "tremendous harm to Riceland and the entire industry," awarding Riceland $11.8 million in compensatory damages and $125 million in punitive damages.

<urn:uuid:cf56e130-d001-43b0-b5b5-375a17403ba9>

Benefits of European Honey Bees - Provide 80% of the bee pollination required for fruit, vegetables, flowers and seed crops - Pollinate forage crops such as alfalfa and clover which are fed to dairy and meat animals - Produce honey, wax and other products Hives of European honey bees (EHB) managed by beekeepers play an important part in our lives. These bees are necessary for the pollination of many crops. One-third of our diet relies on honey bee pollination. Efforts taken to control Africanized honey bees (AHB) must assure the continued maintenance of beekeepers’ hives. If EHB were eliminated in an area, the wild Africanized honey bees would quickly fill the gap. People can coexist with the AHB by learning about the bee and its habits, supporting beekeeping efforts and taking a few precautions. Honey bees are not the only stinging insects people may encounter. People are often stung by other bees and wasps that look and behave differently from honey bees.

<urn:uuid:1a7b19c1-5115-4684-b3f4-714454df74d8>

New Mathematics Video Lectures N J Wildberger's Lectures - Wildberger's YouTube Channel - Algebraic Topology Video Lectures - Mathematical Foundations Video Lectures - Mathematics History Video Lectures - Hyperbolic Geometry Video Lectures - Linear Algebra Video Lectures - Trigonometry Video Lectures Rational Trigonometry, Linear Algebra, Algebraic Topology, History of Mathematics, Universal Hyperbolic Geometry, the Foundations of Mathematics and even an elementary introduction to K-6 mathematics. Discrete Probability (Stanford's Open Classroom) Includes just 5 lectures for now. Discrete random variables, The Uniform Distribution, The Bernoulli Distribution, The Binomial Distribution, and problem sessions. Algebra (Stanford's Open Classroom) Differential Equations are the language in which the laws of nature are expressed. Understanding properties of solutions of differential equations is fundamental to much of contemporary science and engineering. Ordinary differential equations (ODEs) deal with functions of one variable, which can often be thought of as time. Topics include: Solution of first-order ODE's by analytical, graphical and numerical methods; Linear ODE's, especially second order with constant coefficients; Undetermined coefficients and variation of parameters; Sinusoidal and exponential signals: oscillations, damping, resonance; Complex numbers and exponentials; Fourier series, periodic solutions; Delta functions, convolution, and Laplace transform methods; Matrix and first order linear systems: eigenvalues and eigenvectors; and Non-linear autonomous systems: critical point analysis and phase plane diagrams. Proofs and Pictures (Visual Thinking) James Brown. Do you have to see it to believe it? James Robert Brown, Professor of Philosophy at the University of Toronto, will discuss the highly interesting but controversial topic of the legitimate role of visual thinking in mathematics and science. Examples of picture proofs and thought experiments will be given. An explanation of how they work will be sketched. How to turn a sphere inside out? This video shows how a sphere can be turned inside out. Topology! Fractals in Science, Engineering and Finance (Roughness and Beauty) Roughness is ubiquitous and a major sensory input of Man. The first step to measure and simulate it was provided by fractal geometry. Illustrative examples will be drawn from the sciences, engineering (the internet) and (more extensively) the variation of financial prices. The beauty of fractals, an unanticipated "premium," helps in teaching and bridges some chasms between different aspects of knowing and feeling. Have fun with these! - Free Mathematics Video Courses (Includes discrete mathematics, algebra, linear algebra, mathematics problems, differential equations, math methods for engineers) - More Mathematics and Theoretical Computer Science Video Lectures(Includes algebra, elementary statistics, applied probability, finite mathematics, trigonometry with calculus, mathematical computation, pre-calculus, analytic geometry, first year calculus, business calculus, mathematical writing (by Knuth), computer science problem seminar (by Knuth), dynamic systems and chaos, computer musings (by Knuth) and other Donald E. Knuth lectures) - Mathematics Video Lectures(Includes course practice of mathematics and lots of mathematics seminar videos in applied maths, geometry/topology, liquid flow and string theory) - Even More Mathematics Video Lectures (Includes Steven Skiena's discrete mathematics, convex optimization, fourier transform, linear dynamical systems, keio university math video archive, monty hall problem and imo problems) - Latest Mathematics Video Lectures (Includes: calculus, vector calculus, tensors, the most important concepts of mathematics, basic mathematics, numerical methods, p=np problem, randomness, fractals and splines, lectures from advanced institute for study and a video on indian super 30 mathematics school)

<urn:uuid:5cbd3fa2-fe87-48a4-b16f-de7bd61b969d>

The nut on a guitar serves several purposes; it holds the strings at a required space from each string and also determines the height of the strings above the first fret and above the end of the fingerboard. Nuts come in a variety of different shapes and sizes. Made of either bone, brass, composite, or plastic, they are sometimes inlayed into the headstock just above the fingerboard end (Gibson or Martin style) or butted straight to the end of the fingerboard. They can also be inlayed into the fingerboard as in Fender electric style guitars and basses. The nut is prone to wear and tear and should be checked on a regular basis. Due to constant string vibration, nuts can become worn and loose. The nut slots that house the strings should be slightly wider than the actual string for ease of tuning. If the slot is too tight for the string it will cause the string to take up tension in an uneven way and make tuning the string quite difficult. It the nut is too loose this will cause the string to move around inside the slot and create problems when playing. How to make a guitar top nut here Creaking and Clicking When tuning, do you hear a repetitive creaking or clicking sound? If a slot in the guitar’s nut is too small for the string gauge being used, the string will bind and catch in the slot. A slight adjustment to the width of the slot is necessary.

<urn:uuid:ae3ed794-c2d4-4f1c-857a-26df06df8d60>

Every 1st of October is observed as the International Day of Older People to raise awareness about the impact of ageing population and also to ensure about the need of elderly people. The United Nations General Assembly voted on 14 December 1990 to create October 1 as the International Day of Older People, under the Resolution 45/106. The day was first observed on October 1, 1991. The day is designated to focus and raise awareness about the well-being and needs of the older people. As experts have consistently said, senior citizens worldwide have been the worst-hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. They are the most vulnerable to co-morbidities associated with age. In these extraordinary times, elderly people ‘s depression and mental health problems require special attention. Theme of International Day of Older Persons 2020 This year the theme of International Day of Older Persons 2020 is- Pandemics: Do They Change How We Address Age and Ageing? 2020 marks the 75th anniversary of the UN and the 30th anniversary of the International Day of Older People. This year also saw the advent of COVID-19, which has triggered worldwide chaos. In view of the higher risks posed by older individuals during the outbreak of pandemics such as COVID-19, policy and programmatic interventions should be aimed at increasing awareness of their particular needs. It is also necessary to consider the importance of older people to their own wellbeing and the various roles they play in the preparedness and response processes of current and future pandemics. Though this year has also been recognized as the International year of Nurses and Midwives. International Day of the Older Person 2020 will underline the position of healthcare professionals in the health of older people, with specific appreciation of their care profession and a emphasis on the role of women who are relatively undervalued and in most cases not sufficiently paid. The role of the health workers is also highlighted. The theme of International Day of Older Persons 2020 will aim at: - Details on the strategic objectives of the healthy ageing decade. - Raise awareness to the special needs and contributions of older people to their own wellbeing and the wellbeing of the communities they reside in. - Increased understanding of the role of the health care workers in the preservation and enhancement of the health of older people, with an emphasis on the nursing profession - Present plans to reduce the inequalities in health between older people in developed and developing countries so that ‘nobody is left behind.’ - Improving understanding of COVID-19 ‘s effects on the elderly and its effect on health policy , planning and attitudes. The old age problem should not be regarded as a problem for a person as a social issue. We are all going to be old one day and we will face the same circumstance that our elders face today.

<urn:uuid:91baa2f9-e042-4216-9255-fcff424a3986>

Hi there everyone! Hope a wonderful year of teaching for you all. I have thoroughly enjoyed my first term in schools. Working with amazing teachers and kids has been so encouraging and led me to detailing more of what I do to assist schools. I have been a bit slow in adding to my Blog but back on track now. Below is an outline of the Writers Notebook Routine. I have written this because at times kids find it hard to go from their seed to developing their thinking further so it leads to a real purpose for writing. I always tell teachers to shift into second gear and slow down the modeling, so students can really begin to understand the role of the Notebook – to build their schema, think more deeply and create a real purpose and confidence when they put pen to paper. Too often we see a disconnect between the thinking and shaping into a purpose – it is very easy to write Narrative without really considering possibilities! Don’t forget how important it is to encourage oral language! Talking to others to others and sharing our thinking helps students to know what they know and is so powerful in assisting their literacy development. Remember too, that through Inquiry learning and Language Experience you are building their schema as students investigate, share experiences and learning, which makes it easier to write. Inquiry and Language experience approach to teaching and learning needs to harnessed in reading and writing workshops – in fact, if you go into a classroom it would be difficult to identify what workshop you are in! The Writers Notebook is just a routine that allows students to be independent so we can make the most of our teaching time. There will be times when you pause the routine due to writing, as part of an Inquiry, Author Study or Reading theme, a whole class Language Experience and even Maths! Or it may be, you just want the whole class in Reading and Writing to look at poetry! The good news is when a student finishes early, they are not asking what to do next, as they simply move on with independent writing routine developed through the Writers Notebook. Oscar in Year 3 is really starting to understand about purpose in writing. Year 3 Classroom – Tessa Carlton Gardens The most important thing is that write! We need to model and think aloud if we are to really understand what we are asking our students to do. Remember – if we want quality writing then we need quality thinking!!! Happy Writing everyone

<urn:uuid:5cbbc2d4-50e6-42c1-9faa-a9b1d521a4d5>

Infant/Toddler Theme for October 2018 10 days of activities Little ones need lots of help learning to be safe! This theme encourages them to see firefighters, paramedics, police officers, and other emergency workers as friends who keep them safe. Songs, rhymes, and games help them to learn basic safety practices in a fun way. Orange / Circle Select an Activity to see a preview.

<urn:uuid:85a492b8-f8ea-4495-942e-57e3254e0619>

Long history with the written word I started writing this weekly newspaper column 23 years ago. It started because somebody at work asked me what a milliard was. I answered him to the best of my ability. I recall that the Americans were using billion for the same number and it was causing much confusion in Australia. So I decided to write about it. Then people started telling me of their pet hates. And it is still going more then 1150 columns later. I hasten to add that, so I have been told, journalists can’t add up. That being said I could have missed a couple along the way. I thought I would write about column. Column originally meant, according to my big dictionary, “a cylindrical or slightly tapering body of considerably greater length than diameter, erected vertically…” No, that’s not what I wanted, but that word goes back to at least 1481. The definitions included to shirk work, a division of ships and a name given to many parts of the body, The word was originally spelt as colompne, colum, columpna and in many differerent forms. I add that was before dictionaries were invented. I was after a newspaper column. Eventually, I found something in my big dictionary’s pages of material. The name was given to one inch of a newspaper column or a thin piece of brass used to separate columns of type. That was in the old days of newspapers. I only know of one newspaper that uses this method, and I had better not mentioned it in case it has caught up. John Ayto in his Dictionary of Word Origins mentions extremity, included in other dictionaries, but then he mentions that the word in printed material goes back to the 15th century. I asked myself why I had so much trouble finding it, but then it said a weekly newspaper column was only a 20th century development. So I looked in the dictionaries. All mentioned the greater length than thickness. But the Macquarie said “a journalistic department devoted to short articles or an entertaining kind” and so on. The Collins said a column was writing in a newspaper by the same person “or is always about the same topic”. That would become boring. Webster says a column is a special department of a newspaper furnished by a particular writer. Heinemann says a column is a short newspaper article, usually written by the same person. It adds a column is a formation of troops or vehicles following one after another, Did you know that the word culminate comes from column? I thought I would throw that in. Michael Quinion asks why the letter n is at the end of column, but is never pronounced. The letter was once pronounced. It was brought into English, via French, in the 15th century. Quinion says that William Caxton, the first person to print books with movable type in England, dropped the n from the ending. The n was reintroduced by classically educated scholars who wanted to match the spelling of its Latin original. So, if you consider yourself to be a classically educated scholar, it’s your fault. Laurie Barber’s weekly column has entered its 23rd year and has not missed a week and is now published in regional newspapers throughout Australia and NZ. Visit my word and works at lauriebarber.com or email me at [email protected].

<urn:uuid:15a84aef-5304-4810-9eca-654edd6ce7c4>

Every morning begins the same way here at The Discovery Center: wake-up at 7:30, breakfast at 8:00 followed by Morning Congress and Morning Aerobics. After our morning routine students began their cycle of academic lessons. Each team of students participated in two lesson blocks before lunch. Today’s academic lesson spotlight: Progressive City Planners: Working together in small groups, students get to design and create a simulated city. Students must identifying where they would like to place the grocery stores, shopping centers and major roadways as well as jails, garbage dumps, polluting businesses and so on. Students explore the concepts of social justice and environmental racism: when certain groups of people, based on the color of their skin and the amount of money they have, live in polluted and toxic areas that can be harmful to their health. After lunch we watched a thought-provoking documentary entitled, Mighty Times: The Children’s March. This film shows the true story of how the young people of Birmingham, Alabama braved fire hoses and police dogs in 1963 in protest of racial segregation during the Civil Right Movement. Their heroism led to discussions about the ability of today’s young people to be catalysts for positive social change and participate in civic involvement. The afternoon was full of team-building and Diversity activities. At The Discovery Center we know that in order to be successful in school and beyond it’s important to have the skills necessary to work effectively with people from a variety of different backgrounds. Our activities are specifically designed to help foster open dialogue, healthy approaches to conflict, and the value of individual and group differences which will lead to more productive and inclusive environments. We did a little more dancing after dinner and then… CAMP FIRE! The camp fire is a favorite activity for staff and students alike. We gather around the fire, share stories, sing songs, enjoy skits, roast marshmallows and make s’mores. It was a great way to end the night before our night time procedure and lights out!

<urn:uuid:39d6b909-ef10-4558-ad6f-60c5bca1b4ac>

One of the mysteries of the English language finally explained. Either of two peptide compounds occurring naturally in the brain, related to the endorphins and having similar physiological effects. - ‘For example, it enhances production of naturally occurring morphine-like substances called endorphins and enkephalins that moderate pain.’ - ‘Endorphin and enkephalins are released, creating a euphoric effect.’ - ‘Pleasant diversion and vigorous exercise help as they increase the inborn production of pain killers called endorphins or enkephalins.’ - ‘Belief and expectation, cardinal components of hope, can block pain by releasing the brain's endorphins and enkephalins, thereby mimicking the effect of morphine.’ - ‘Within a few years, researchers had isolated two classes of peptide molecules, the enkephalins and the endorphins.’ 1970s: from Greek enkephalos ‘brain’ (from en- ‘in’ + kephalē ‘head’) + -in. In this article we explore how to impress employers with a spot-on CV.

<urn:uuid:fc819f2e-68ef-4840-8066-9378ce0d72d4>

Site provides quizzes with instructional explanations of challenging word usage and grammar. Take the Entrance Exam to become a Word Police Officer and issue Grammar Citations. There's even a diploma you can display (and print) when you pass the test!! Need to know more about spelling, grammar, punctuation, capitalization, and related stuff? Webgrammar answers your questions. Covers common errors in spelling, grammar and usage; provides clear explanations and examples. Also, check out The Busy Person's Guide to Basic Business Grammar. Each section features all new weekly worksheets, provided free for teachers and parent-teachers to copy for their kids. Especially suitable for upper elementary and middle school skill levels, as well as enrichment and remediation. Reading Comprehension and Reference Skills sections are also available. This site presents authentic language in meaningful real-life contexts and helps develop English language skills by integrating listening, speaking, reading, and writing; available in both English and Spanish. The English Institute's Preliminary Grammar Book provides information about usage and structure for different parts of speech, sentence structure, word order, etc. Particularly useful for those learning English as a second language, or those needing to review grammar and sentence construction. CyberStory is devoted to uplifting, feel-good stories that will bring a smile to your face, inspire you, offer you a new perspective or get you thinking about how you too can make a difference in someone's life. If you've got a great story to tell, why not share it with the world. Submissions are welcome: Why not make your story a CyberStory! The International Library of Poetry will award 250 prizes totaling $58,000.00 to amateur poets in the coming months. Anyone can enter the competition simply by submitting ONLY ONE original poem, 20 lines or less, any subject, any style. All poets who enter will receive a response concerning their artistry within seven weeks. GOOD LUCK!! The Twelve-Step Guide to Producing Literary Scholarship describes in exacting detail the steps to creating a no-muss, no-fuss scholarly work; if you dread writing papers, this approach may serve you well. Jeff Hooks' Home Page provides a wealth of other resources, as well, including Five Tools for Writing Timed Essays much of which applies to all academic writing. Learn American Sign Language (ASL) -- many options included -- provides instruction and practice for all levels (you can even set a cookie to keep track of your current settings and exercise set). This exceptional resource is easy to use and you'll have so much fun you won't realize you're actually learning, too. Also available: Read an excerpt from Karawynn Long's novelette (included on the 1996 Preliminary Nebula Ballot); this work provided the seed for her first novel (now in progress), which will be a broader look at the same subject: essentially, the effects future technology will have upon Deaf people and Deaf culture. It is as yet untitled, but you can read a more detailed synopsis of this novel-in-progress. You are also invited to help with research (there's even a mailing list for discussion of the novel and related topics which you may join). Provides a definition of the word you enter (select either an exact match or an approximate match). Words in the resulting definition are hypertext linked back into the dictionary, allowing you to use your mouse to access the definition of those related (and unrelated) words. You can obtain a list of words with a specific prefix, also. As I understand it, this whole brouhaha started with a bad puzzle - "Angry and hungry are common english words that end in 'gry'. What is the third word that ends in 'gry'? It is a common word that you use every day and if you were listening closely, you've already heard it". The answer is hungry - the third word of the puzzle that ends in Here is an entire FARQ (Frequently Asked Reference Questions) page on the topic. Includes: WORD-ONLINE , with links to general language dictionaries available free online (including both mono- and multi-ligual dictionaries); TERM-ONLINE providing links to glossaries from a wide variety of fields (e.g. computing, medicine, pharmacology, etc.); Online Acronym and Abbreviation Dictionaries. A Frames Version is also available. Anita Nuopponen Department of Communication Studies, University of Vaasa, Finland See how many words YOU can form in three minutes. For a more realistic Boggle! game, try Boggle Jumbled! in which the letters are not necessarily all right-side up. For a greater challenge, try Boggle for Fingerspelling! in which the ASL signs for each letter are shown. The clock starts as soon as the game finishes loading (full instructions are provided below each game). If you enjoy wordplay you'll LOVE this site! This is THE place to "feast on the English language. Ours is the only language in which you drive in a parkway and park in a driveway and night falls but never breaks and day breaks but never falls." Note: The embedded link above will take you to the correct URL via this permanent pobox forwarding address: The Foreign Language Teacher's Guide to Learning Disabilities would be useful to any educator, parent, etc. who wants information about effective techniques for use with a variety of learners. Sections include: The Gateway provides easy access to high quality Internet lesson plans, curriculum units and other education resources by linking to over 1300 resources on 12 Internet sites. Conduct full-text, subject, keyword, or title searches, then select desired grade or education level and submit the search.

<urn:uuid:44a8b791-8ecc-4f92-9788-0a108b766762>

Clouds fascinate yet, surprisingly, they have rarely featured as the main subject of an exhibition. The Leopold Museum is the first museum to present a comprehensive exhibition dedicated to cloud depictions from 1800 to the present. Featuring more than 300 works, including top-quality loans from Europe and the US, the exhibition »Clouds. Fleeting Worlds« traces a wide arc from the »invention« of clouds around 1800 to the present and surprises with its many facets. Divided into twelve themes, the exhibition is curated by the Director of the Leopold Museum, Tobias G. Natter, and Curator of the Collection Franz Smola. Clouds are of existential importance for the wellbeing of mankind. The multitude of shapes they can take on and the way they refract light also makes them highly esthetically pleasing. However, we usually dont spend much time contemplating clouds, but rather take them for granted. We also know from experience that they are subject to constant change, that no two clouds look the same and that they are always in motion. This ephemeral and ever fleeting quality is not only a characteristic of cloud depictions, but also dominates the perspective of the exhibition »Clouds. Fleeting Worlds«. Tobias G. Natter points to Charles Baudelaire who in his 1863 essay »Le peintre de la vie moderne« already defined the temporary, transitory and short-lived as hallmarks of Modernity. CLOUD DEPICTIONS AS AN ARENA OF MODERNITY On the concept and aim of the exhibition, Leopold Museum Director Tobias G. Natter remarks that »the exhibition is about paintings in which clouds feature not only in the background, but in which they are either the main protagonists or even the sole pictorial theme«. Works from 1800 to the present illustrate how artists have not only been inspired by clouds, but have made them the central theme of their creations and have used them as purveyors of different emotions and messages. In the exhibition, signs of poetical lightness and romantic interpretations are juxtaposed with bizarre constructs, mysterious celestial phenomena appear as portents, light-filled cloud studies are shown alongside industrial clouds, natural disasters are confronted with nuclear fallout and fiction meets reality. AN EXHIBITION IN TWELVE CHAPTERS The exhibition »Clouds. Fleeting Worlds« at the Leopold Museum offers the first systematical overview of cloud depictions from the past two centuries. Divided into twelve often surprising chapters, the presentation explores the different interpretations and manners of representation of this theme from the early 19th century to the present. Franz Smola: »The exhibition begins with the proverbial invention of clouds in art and science around 1800«. Before that time, they had been regarded as elusive, fleeting and random. It was only then surprisingly late that they became objects of scientific study and received their names and classifications that are still valid today. During this time, artists also adopted a new approach to the subject. Therefore, this period was chosen as the starting point for the exhibition. ON THE »INVENTION« OF CLOUDS, »THE IMPRESSIONISTS SKY« AND »CLOUDS AS ORNAMENTS« Around 1800, artists began to take a remarkable interest in meticulously realistic depictions of clouds. Among the most groundbreaking painters of this subject were the outstanding English landscape artists William Turner and John Constable, who was arguably the most important cloud painter of all time. Both feature prominently in the exhibition, along with Caspar David Friedrich, the main exponent of German Romanticism. They set the sophisticated tone for this exhibition. In a separate chapter, the exhibition shines the spotlight on the light filled »Impressionists Skies« with masterpieces by Claude Monet, Vincent van Gogh, Paul Cézanne and others. The chapter »Clouds as Ornaments« further expands on the exhibitions theme. Through stylization in the sense of an esthetically refined Secessionist art, clouds were first depicted as ornamental arabesques, followed by formal reductions and geometrical reinterpretations. This artistic development is illustrated with works by Ferdinand Hodler, Kolo Moser and other Secessionist artists from around 1900. The curators Tobias G. Natter and Franz Smola both wanted to reserve an important place in the exhibition for the medium of photography which emerged around 1840. After all, photography revolutionized the possibilities of capturing nature and its phenomena. While the earliest cloud studies from around 1850 feature particularly prominently in the exhibition, the presentation also focuses on Pictorialist works from around 1900 which lead the way for the 20th and 21st century works throughout all chapters of the presentation. Early photography from its inception until 1900 can be regarded as a groundbreaking new medium. Never before has the Leopold Museum shown examples of early photography of such quality and diversity, including works by Ansel Adams, Henri Cartier-Bresson, Hugo Henneberg, Heinrich Kühn, Edward Steichen and Alfred Stieglitz, among others. In the exhibitions contemporary art section, the medium of photography is expanded to include videos and installations, featuring works by Six & Petritsch, Olafur Eliasson and Ernst Wegner. ABOVE THE CLOUDS METAMORPHOSIS The early 20th century brought new perspectives with the first sky scrapers rising up into the sky and above the clouds. Originally, this view had been reserved for fearless mountaineers who were able to look down into misty valleys from vertiginous mountain peaks. The revolutionary technology of aviation, along with the constant development of photography, meant that images of clouds from an aerial perspective soon became popular. Surrealist artists took a particular interest in clouds because of their confineless intangibleness and their floating, dream-like and surreal character. The metamorphosis of clouds can be described as the interplay between bizarre alienations and the triumph of the unpredictable. It can be experienced in the exhibition through extraordinary examples of Surrealist art by René Magritte, Conroy Maddox and Herbert Bayer. DARK CLOUDS AND PORTENTS In varying weather clouds dominate the sky in different ways, serving either as the crowning glory of harmonious evening atmospheres or as a projection surface for highly romantic sunsets. A darkening sky covered in clouds, however, can herald the onset of a threatening thunderstorm. A perfect example of this is Klimts landscape »Approaching Storm« from the Leopold Museum. Man-made cloud formations, such as billows of smoke from industrial chimneys and steam rising from locomotives or cooling towers, are testaments to a new era in which clouds can be interpreted as symbols of tireless industry, but also of the destruction of nature. Curiously affecting are images showing natural disasters, such as ash clouds accompanying volcanic eruptions. Pictures of smoke clouds during wildfires and after military operations as well as of atomic mushroom clouds seamlessly complete this chapter. CLOUDS REVISITED: FICTION AND REALITY The exhibitions penultimate chapter is dedicated to artistic cloud interpretations from Pop Art to contemporary art, featuring video works, installations and animations, among other genres. Through individual mythologies, the theme of clouds is addressed in a highly fictional, yet surprisingly concrete manner, for instance in Andy Warhols »Silver Clouds« which float above visitors heads in the Leopold Museum. With his kinetic room installation, Warhol intended numerous helium-filled air cushions to float freely through the room. His silver clouds not only look like sparkling merchandise products, but can also be touched and moved. Thus, beholders are put into the role of consumers. Gerhard Richters cloud depictions are essentially abstract artworks. His paintings look like accurate cloud images, even though they are not based on particular photographic templates. The artist wanted to explore how an abstract painterly process can produce results that allow for associations with natural phenomena, in this case clouds. This part of the exhibition also features works by Cory Arcangel, Anselm Kiefer, Alexander Ponomarev, Eva Schlegel, Studio ++ and many others. CLOUD BAND & SOUND CLOUD: RECORD COVERS A band of display cases winding its way through the entire exhibition constitutes the twelfth and final chapter. Appearing like a band of clouds, it represents the idea of a sound cloud. The display cases contain record covers on the subject of clouds. Early on, record sleeves were carefully designed in order to visualize a »sound track« audible only by means of technical apparatuses. With all musical genres, the covers were meant to visually correspond to the music. While this may appear to be a somewhat unusual emphasis for an exhibition, the covers, which represent music from Richard Wagner to John Lennon and Pink Floyd, surprise with extraordinary inventiveness and unexpected solutions

<urn:uuid:52d6b355-9102-4519-977e-4b4365f41032>

It has been acknowledged that even though countries are increasingly adapting to climate change at the local level, there are considerable limits and barriers to adaptation, which can hinder a society from dealing with climate change effects. The aim of this report is to provide resources for municipal officers and experts to deal with the barriers to adaptation. The report provides a background to the topic by introducing the potential barriers to adaptation and explains how to involve stakeholders to help support progress in climate adaptation. The report also presents a method to identify the most important barriers at local adaptation work, as well as provides various resources to facilitate overcoming those barriers. This document is prepared as a part of the CASCADE1 project and supplements the Guidelines on Integrated Climate Change and Disaster Risk Response Management. The guidelines aim to support a common understanding, integrated and complex approach to risk management measures with the inclusion of climate change adaptation aspects for local-level public administrations.

<urn:uuid:26f274b7-e236-41ee-bea4-0a586b04949f>

PMEL in the News Arctic caught a break in 2013, as long-term warming continues The Arctic caught a bit of a break in 2013 from the recent string of record-breaking warmth and ice melt of the last decade. But the relatively cool year in some parts of the Arctic does little to offset the long-term trend of the last 30 years: the Arctic is warming rapidly, becoming greener and experiencing a variety of changes, affecting people, the physical environment, and marine and land ecosystems. Shrinking Arctic Sea Ice Means Scorching US Summers Thirty years of shrinking Arctic sea ice has boosted extreme summer weather, including heat waves and drought, in the United States and elsewhere, according to a study published today (Dec. 8) in the journal Nature Climate Change. Arctic ice may help alter hurricane paths A hurricane hunter aircraft sent to the Arctic to study ice formations returned this month with critical data that might explain why an increasing number of tropical storms seem to be taking irregular paths. Scientists say as climate changes, odds increase for deadly storms Research Meteorologist Nick Bond said the group is trying to find out what is happening in the marginal ice zones along the shores. He said diminishing ice is creating more open spaces that could lead to warming temperatures and changes in the normal global weather flows. One theory is that disruption may have redirected Hurricane Sandy toward the Atlantic Coast last year. Global Warming likely to intensify El Niño say climate scientists El Niño is likely to become more intense with climate change, and produce drier conditions for Australia and the Western Pacific, with increases in rainfall in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific in the mid to late twenty first century, according to new research.

<urn:uuid:fd5fe14b-560f-4158-90ab-89c2854963b3>

World's shortest laser pulse to shed new light on quantum mechanics By Brian Dodson September 15, 2012 Since first invented, the effort to make lasers that can produce shorter and more powerful pulses of light has been a very active one. One driving force is that if you want to take a picture of something occurring very rapidly, you need a very short pulse of light to prevent the image from blurring. The first ruby laser produced microsecond pulses of light, but more recently femtosecond optical pulses a billion times shorter have become common. Still shorter pulses belong to the attosecond regime - the regime wherein a University of Central Florida research team is creating optical pulses sufficiently brief to stop quantum mechanics in its tracks. An attosecond is a millionth of a picosecond, or 10−18 of a second. Light travels 0.3 nanometers in an attosecond, which is roughly the spacing between atoms in a solid. To put this another way – an attosecond is to a second as a second is to twice the age of the Universe. A one attosecond pulse of light would mostly be made of x-rays, as less energetic photons have wavelengths too long to fit in the pulse. Despite these amazing properties, University of Central Florida Physics Professor Zenghu Chang has managed to develop methods and apparatus for generating attosecond pulses of light one at a time. His shortest pulse is a mere 67 attoseconds. So fast that Prof. Chang needed to create a new sort of camera just to measure the pulses. The key to attosecond technology is extremely nonlinear optical interactions. When a noble gas atom is hit by a laser pulse having an electric field strength of about the same magnitude of the atom's own field, an outer electron is removed, leaving an ion and a free electron. The free electron is then accelerated by the electric field of the light. As the direction of the light's electric field oscillates back and forth, so too the electron will move back and forth in response to that field. First the electron moves away from the ion, and then returns to the ion as the electric field changes direction. When the electron recombines with the ion, the resulting atom is in a very highly excited state, owing to the kinetic energy the electron gained from its interaction with the electric field. The atom then emits its excess energy as a photon. Because of the acceleration of the electron, however, the photon emitted has far more energy than does a photon from the incoming beam. In Prof. Chang's work, attosecond pulses are generated by interacting intense femtosecond lasers with noble gases, typically krypton. His laser forms pulses of light with a wavelength of 800 nm having a duration of 35 femtoseconds (1000 times longer than an attosecond) and an energy of 11 mJ per pulse. This corresponds to an optical power of about 0.3 gigawatts, which is more than enough to power nonlinear optical interactions. The shortest pulse generated in Chang's lab has a duration of 67 attoseconds, corresponding to a length of some 20 nm. The pulse contains photons having a range of energies from about 55 to 130 eV, which means the attosecond pulse contains photons having energies more than 100 times those of the original photons. Once you have created a brief pulse, it would be nice to know just how short it is. To accomplish this Prof. Chang created a very fast camera, the Phase Retrieval by Omega Oscillation Filtering (PROOF). The PROOF technique is highly complex, made difficult by the need to characterize pulses whose bandwidth is greater than their peak frequency. It requires further refinement, but the figures above demonstrate that PROOF is more accurate on such pulses than conventional streak camera methods (labelled CRAB). “Dr. Chang’s success in making ever-shorter light pulses helps open a new door to a previously hidden world, where we can watch electrons move in atoms and molecules, and follow chemical reactions as they take place,” said Michael Johnson, physicist and Dean of the UCF College of Sciences. “It is astounding to imagine that we may now be able to watch quantum mechanics in process.” A large proportion of the quantum mechanical phenomena that control our world, such as electrons moving to form or break chemical bonds, occur at extremely short time scales, as small as 100 zeptoseconds (a zeptosecond is a thousandth of an attosecond). To see what is going on, you need a flash short enough to freeze the action. Prof. Chang is confident that his methods can be extended to generate zeptosecond pulses with an energy of a microjoule, yielding a power of ten trillion watts. This means that Prof. Chang's research is quickly approaching the point of directly observing phenomena which we have only understood from indirect evidence, an exciting prospect for scientists, engineers, and the rest of us who will benefit from new opportunities opened by attosecond instrumentation. Source: University of Central FloridaShare - Around The Home - Digital Cameras - Good Thinking - Health and Wellbeing - Holiday Destinations - Home Entertainment - Inventors and Remarkable People - Mobile Technology - Urban Transport - Wearable Electronics

<urn:uuid:95a18028-83ce-4e24-878d-32d8a310ad50>

- The existence of contradictions on secondary details does not invalidate the main story a source is trying to tell. For example, Roman histories are full of contradictions. The four accounts of Caesar's assassination are one example. Historians do not reject his assassination based on disagreements in the sources on details. In the same way, disagreement on the secondary details surrounding the death and resurrection of Christ does not invalidate his death and resurrection altogether. - Disagreements on the details of an event are routine in our lives. News articles sometimes provide slightly different information than other news articles. Eyewitnesses of car accidents often report conflicting details. This is another reason that disagreements on minor details does not in any way cast doubt on the larger story that is being reported. - Many supposed contradictions in the four Gospels are really not contradictions. They can be classified as differences between the accounts. Differences take place when there is no explicit disagreement between two sources, but one source omitted certain details that the other included. - For the difficult passages, many attempts at harmonization have been made, with a great deal of success. Some apparent contradictions can be resolved with relatively simple explanations. - Sometimes, existence of contradictions in secondary details actually serves to prove the larger story really happened. Contradictions in the details prove that the sources are somewhat independent, and are not conspiring to create false stories or rumors.

<urn:uuid:02d87d69-dffa-4061-930f-96f1a39e930a>

Leafy or True Mistletoe SCIENTIFIC NAME of causal agent: Phoradendron tomentosum Mistletoe are commonly found on many hardwoods such as oaks, pecans, elms, and hackberries. SYMPTOMS: The characteristic sign of mistletoe infection is the presence of the evergreen plant growing on the branch of a tree. The flowering mistletoe plants have small round leaves, thick green stems, and pearly white berries. Most mistletoe plants reach a maximum size of 12 – 18 in. diameter. At the point of attachment of the mistletoe plant to the branch, there will often be a swollen area on the branch. Rarely, the branch will die back at the swollen area, usually during periods of stress such as extreme drought. Most trees do not exhibit any other symptoms of infection. BIOLOGY: Leafy mistletoes are not complete parasites because they only withdraw water from their tree hosts. They are spread when birds eat the sticky berries and deposit the seeds in their droppings as they perch on other branches and trees. The berries may also stick to their legs or beaks and be wiped off on different branches. The seed then germinates and penetrates the bark of the tree to initiate the new infection. For 2 – 3 years, a specialized root system grows in the branch, followed by emergence of a new mistletoe plant. The evergreen nature of mistletoe led ancient cultures to believe it had magical powers and made it the focus of traditional lore. MANAGEMENT METHODS: The most effective control for leafy mistletoe is to prune the branch on which the plant is growing. The pruning cut should be made at least 12 in. below the point of attachment to be certain the internal root structure of the plant is removed completely. Simply cutting the plant from the branch will lead to rapid and vigorous proliferation of a new plant at the same spot. A growth regulator, ethephon, may be used to temporarily kill the shoots of the mistletoe plant, but the effect is temporary and the same location will need to be retreated within a few years. A thorough, community-wide effort is needed to effectively reduce mistletoe infections in a neighborhood or similar population of trees. Authored by Dr. David Appel, Professor & Extension Specialist

<urn:uuid:2f035496-e37c-457e-8e72-3855b6a0bd5a>

In order to limit global temperature rise to 1.5°C, over 80 per cent of known fossil-fuel reserves simply cannot be burned. As political systems fail, Danny Chivers writes about the social movements are targeting mines, rigs, infrastructure and investment to keep carbon in the ground. Illustrations: Jason Ngai. Nearly 30 years after eco-rebels sent mining company BCL fleeing from Bougainville for wholesale environmental carnage, it is planning its return to the mineral-rich island. But, as conflicts of interest and intrigues develop, locals are less than pleased. Ian Neubauer reports. With the Great Barrier Reef and climate targets under threat, Tom Anderson and Eliza Egret explain why this mega mine matters to all of us. After concerted campaigning, the Chilean government has turned down a proposal for two open-pit copper and iron mines – that would have sat right next to the nature reserve sheltering the endangered Humboldt penguin. Lydia Noon reports. |Article title||From magazine||Publication date| |Life after coal||How to avoid climate breakdown||May, 2019| |World in motion||How to avoid climate breakdown||May, 2019| |India: into the darkness||Building a new internationalism||March, 2019| |Fracking haunts sceptred isle||The next financial crisis||July, 2018| |This land is my land||Public ownership rises again||May, 2018| |Women against mining – and for the good life||Black Lives Matter||March, 2018| |Farewell to the big village||Black Lives Matter||March, 2018| |Making Waves: Gina Lopez||What's left for the young?||January, 2018| |Reasons to be cheerful||Clampdown! Criminalizing dissent||December, 2017| |While the world’s largest coal mine gets the go ahead…||Clampdown! Criminalizing dissent||December, 2017| |Happy feet for Chilean penguin campaigners||Humans vs robots||November, 2017| |Nigeria: No slick deal||Brazil's soft coup||October, 2017| |When the police are paid by the mine||Bad Education||September, 2017| |The downside to electric cars||African village||January, 2017| |‘We are slowly being killed by this mine’||Peace in Colombia? Hope and fears||November, 2016| |Coal’s hidden ‘double whammy’||Paris Climate Talks - COP21||December, 2015| |Reasons to be cheeful||The transgender revolution||October, 2015| |Under-mining Vedanta||The transgender revolution||October, 2015| |King coal up in smoke||Syria’s good guys - Inside a forgotten revolution||September, 2015| |Sámi's diamond win||Fundamentalism - Power, politics and persuasion||June, 2015| |Displaced by blood and fire||Democracy in the digital era||January, 2015| |Mine shafted||NGOs - Do they help?||December, 2014| |Norwegian fjords at risk||Big oil RIP?||November, 2014| |Troubled waters in Australia||Cuba||October, 2014|

<urn:uuid:fff6bcfd-e88d-4d62-aaae-d1cee65be030>

There are several legal ways, how to collect and process data. The article describes the legal regulation of the use of anonymous data under the Directive 95/46/EC (find full text here, referred to as “Directive 95/46/EC”) and Directive 2002/58/EC (find full text here, referred to as “Directive 2002/58/EC). The issue is more complex than it might seem. The term “anonymous” data The concept of “anonymous” data usually depends on national legislation. Most of the time, it is not expressly defined and is derived from the definition of personal data. Such method is also used in the regime of the Directive 95/46/EC. The Article 2(a) of the Directive defines “personal data”: any information relating to an identified or identifiable natural person (‘data subject’); an identifiable person is one who can be identified, directly or indirectly, in particular by reference to an identification number or to one or more factors specific to his physical, physiological, mental, economic, cultural or social identity. The important term is “identified or identifiable” natural person. If data cannot identify natural person, then the Directive 95/46/EC does not apply and the data processor or collector does not need to satisfy the specified criteria. It represents a possibility how to avoid the requirements of consent, notification, etc. Accordingly, under this concept, data, that are not identified or identifiable to a natural person, are anonymous data. Principles of the use of “anonymous” data resulting from Directives As noted above, the term “anonymous data” does not have an explicit definition in either of the Directives. However, the term is used several times in recitals, important in the interpretation of the articles of the Directives. Pursuant to the Recital No. 26 of the Directive 95/46/EC, “the principles of protection shall not apply to data rendered anonymous in such a way that the data subject is no longer identifiable.” The recital confirms the principle that anonymous data can be used without restrictions specified in the Directive 95/46/EC. Minimization of the use of personal data The recitals of the Directive 2002/58/EC include another principle. They stress the minimization of the use of personal data. For instance, pursuant to the Recital No. 9, “(t)he Member States (…) should cooperate in introducing and developing the relevant technologies where this is necessary to apply the guarantees provided for by this Directive and taking particular account of the objectives of minimising the processing of personal data and of using anonymous or pseudonymous data where possible.” Based on these provisions, it is possible to argue that one of the goals of the data protection is to minimize the use of personal data. That’s why, in the analysis of the purpose of the data processing or collection, it is always necessary to take this principle into consideration. The principle of erasing data or making them anonymous after their use Recitals 26 and 28 of the Directive 2002/58/EC develops the minimization principle: Recital no. 28 describes “(t)he obligation to erase traffic data or to make such data anonymous when it is no longer needed for the purpose of the transmission of a communication (…)”. Furthermore, the Recital no. 26 states, that: “(t)raffic data used for marketing communications services or for the provision of value added services should also be erased or made anonymous after the provision of the service.” Article 6 of the Directive includes the obligation: Traffic data relating to subscribers and users processed and stored by the provider of a public communications network or publicly available electronic communications service must be erased or made anonymous when it is no longer needed for the purpose of the transmission of a communication without prejudice to paragraphs 2, 3 and 5 of this Article and Article 15(1). The Directive deals with the term “traffic data”. According to Article 2(b), (b) “traffic data” means any data processed for the purpose of the conveyance of a communication on an electronic communications network or for the billing thereof. Even though the Directive regulates traffic data, these provisions support the principle of minimization of the use of data in general. European legislation introduced the principle to erase data or make them anonymous for traffic data, which include any data processed pursuant to the Article 2(b) of the Directive 2002/58/EC, either personal or anonymous. If the European law requires the application of the principle for some anonymous data, which represent a lower thread to personal protection, it is legitimate to argue that the principle applies for all personal data. However, the interpretation needs to be addressed by relevant authorities, in particular by the decision of the European Court of Justice. Anonymous data and the new Data Protection legislation The Proposal of the General Data Protection Regulation (find the full text here, referred to as the Proposal) lacks the definition of the term “anonymous” data. Its only appearance is in the Recital No. 23, which repeats the principle that anonymous data can be used without restrictions specified in the Directive 95/46/EC or in the Proposal. The overview of principles Pursuant to these Directives, and in accordance with similar principles referred to in the Article 6 of the Directive 97/66/EC (find the full text here) or in the protection of human cells in the Article 14 of the Directive 2004/23/EC (find the full text here), there are several principles associated with anonymous data. Firstly, if data are anonymous, they can be used without restrictions specified in the data protection legislation. Secondly, there is a principle of the minimization of the use of personal data. Finally, data should be erased or made anonymous when they are no longer needed for the specific purpose. Conclusion and future discussion These principles raise several further questions. It is argued that anonymity is “the main form of protection of the rights of the subjects whose data are processed” (Gutwirth, S. et al., p. 91). However, in the brilliant analysis written by the cited authors, they analyze the “anonymization” of data from both legal and IT point of view. There are several important problems, such as the role of third parties, the decrease of the quality of data, the criteria used for the determination of the possibility to identify data to a specific natural person, etc. Moreover, the procedure of the “anonymization” of data raises many privacy issues. Data collector collects data with an intention to make them anonymous and use them accordingly. However, at the time of the collection, they were personal. Does the data collector need data subject’s consent? What if there is a breach of data before their anonymization? As many other articles in this area, these questions do not have exact answers. They are open for discussion. Feel free to comment or share your experience in this area here. Gutwirth, S. et al 2013 European Data Protection: Coming of age. Dordrecht : Springer. Note: This article is intended as a summary of issues. Its purpose is not a to provide legal advice or create an attorney-client relationship between you and the author of this article.

<urn:uuid:e4a05075-ea26-4251-bc0d-9122f5c43319>

By Le Thi Hong Phuong, PhD candidate and Prof Tran Duc Tuan The context and history of the project sites in Vietnam case study The T-learning research project in Vietnam is situate in the Mekong Delta. Located in southern Vietnam, the Mekong Delta is the biggest agricultural region of the country. According to General Statistic Organization (2010), there are 13 provinces with a population of around 17 million 80% of which is involved in agricultural farming. The Mekong Delta is located at the southernmost tip of Vietnam and is the site at which the Mekong River empties into the South China Sea. It encompasses an area of 39,200 km2 and accounts for 12% of the national area of Vietnam and 5% of the entire Mekong Basin area (Käkönen, 2006). Twenty-two percent of the population of Vietnam lives in the Mekong Delta and the population density of the Mekong Delta is 412 persons per km2. Agricultural land constitutes 75% of the Mekong Delta, most of which is dedicated to rice paddies. The Mekong Delta is considered as one of the three deltas most affected by climate change across the world. In the delta there are challenges arising from the nexus of climate change – water – food – energy – social justice. However there are also examples of initiatives (germ cell activities) which present possibilities of moving towards sustainability, T-learning potentials (Tuan, 2016). Two case study sites in Mekong Delta in Vietnam for the ISSC project on T-learning were identified after field visits in 2015 and 2016. The sites are are Can Tho city and Kien Giang Biosphere Reserve. We have chosen Can Tho city and the Kien Giang Biosphere Reserve in Mekong Delta as two case study sites of T-learning, because they present all nexus issues, and provide insights into challenges of learning for sustainability. The sites also which meet the two basic kinds of learning: instrumental and communicative learning. Instrumental learning focuses on learning through task-oriented problem solving and determination of cause and effect relationships. In this blog, we emphasize the co-defining matters of concern in Mekong Delta, Vietnam: case study in Can Tho city. We selected the My Khanh community to explore the T-learning in Can Tho city because of three main reasons. Firstly, My Khanh is a typical rural community of the suburban district in Can Tho city. This community is in the process of transforming agricultural mechanics towards sustainable livelihood development in the context of climate change. Secondly, the My Khanh community has appeared, maintained, and been on the process of expansion and development of sustainable livelihood models to adapt to climate change. In several sustainable livelihood models, the VACB model is a practical and an effective solution for farmers to deal with climate change. Thirdly, the VACB model has been locally promoted and spread to other areas in Can Tho and some provinces not only in the Mekong Delta such as Bac Lieu or Hau Giang provinces, but also in the central provinces such as Thua Thien Hue or Quang Binh provinces. The initial processes of engagement with the communities to co-define the matters of concern The initial processes of engagement with the communities in Can Tho city were not easy because our main researchers did not live and work in the Mekong Delta. However, we have found the best way to engage with the communities by establishing one team including the researchers and key informants (local authority and the “scientist farmers”) who are living and working at Can Tho. The participants of this team comes from Can Tho University and have more experience, knowledge and understanding of the culture and lifestyle and hold good relationships with the communities at the My Khanh community. We communicate with this team via email and skype to exchange information. In order to build a relationship towards co-defining the matters of concern of the communities, we and the Can Tho his team spent time in the community, joined the community meetings and extension club meet ings exploring the root of problems. In addition, we have organized a workshop, a survey, held in-depth interviews, engaged in informal conversation and participant observation with people in the communities that we have conducted the T-learning research. These activities have begun to form relationships through which we begin to understand the matters of concern. This has created the emotion, the belief, trust, and deeper understanding of the culture, motivation, and needs of the communities. We see the existing relationships between us and the communities as the friends, neighbours, learners, or teachers. The process to scope the matters of concern with the communities Before we started discussions with the communities to co-define as well as scope the matters of concern, we conducted a quick review of the literature about the needs and matters of concern of Can Tho authority and the people at Can Tho city. Recent studies in Can Tho have indicated that climate change leads to more extreme weather and therefore causes affecting the food supply, use and supply of energy and fresh water as well as impact on social justice. In addition, the in-depth interviews the researchers in Can Tho university and leaders in Can Tho authority gave us the a picture about the matters of concern in Can Tho. We started the initial interaction with the communities after we had the overall picture about the matters of concern in Can Tho via informal conversations with the key informants in the communities and local authority. We raised the large scope of concerns by the question “What was your main concern with regards to ensuring your livelihood in present and in future?”. Most of the key informants mentioned the economic aspect (income of family). In their mind, the income of their family is critical and the main matter of concern for now and future. However, the next question for them was, “Why did your family consider the economic aspect the most important?”. In their answers and explanations, the environment, climate, food security, energy, learning, social cohesion as well as cooperation among members in the communities were also significant concerns. Therefore, the local authority and key informants in the communities identified that the VACB model (V-garden/orchard, A-fishing farm, C-livestock farm, B-biogas) has been an important model for their sustainable livelihood in the context of climate change and the environmental and social conditions in the communities. The origin of the VACB model appeared in Vietnam in last decades of the twentieth century under the technical and financial support of the Rural Development Project based on the clean development mechanism funded by JIRCAS, Japan. In addition, the VACB has received the support from the authorities at all levels in Can Tho city through the sustainable development policy in agricultural production. During exploring process, the local farmers explained that “in the last 20 years, the garden-pond-barn-biogas project arose from collaborations between farmers and scientists and has contributed towards household economic wellbeing”. Their main income has come from the pig production, fruit from garden, and fish cultivation. They have experienced through the good environment around their communities, diversified income sources, reduction in energy use, and the ability to harness the bi-products of some production system to support other production systems (for example farmers use manure from livestock production for manure in crop production). However, in the recent years (since 2014), this model (the VACB) has faced several challenges including rapid urbanization, climate change impacts, social issues and especially, the fluctuation of market conditions that lead to having several matters of concern. These matters of concern have been confirmed with other farmers in the communities via workshop and survey (structured interviews). The main question that arose was “How to cooperate in learning, sharing, producing (inputs) and selling agricultural products to adapt to the uncertainty they are currently experiencing?”. This has been main matter of concern for now and in the future of farmers and local authority in the communities. Identifying the potentials for expanding learning with the communities in discussion the matters of concern Continuing the previous story, farmers and research participants have been concerned about the cooperation issues between members within the communities and advisors outside the communities. Farmers in the communities have also started applying some adaptation measures to adapt to change of climate and market conditions. However, these adaptation measures have been conducted based on their experiences, habit, and spontaneous responses. These farmers have been very active in learning and self-exploring to solve problems that have arisen in their production process. Therefore, this leads to several potentials for expanding learning and learning interactions within the communities in the climate change context and uncertainty of market conditions. During the data generation (participatory observation, group discussion, structured interviews, workshop, informal conversations, in-depth interviews), we have identified several learning ways among and between farmers in the communities. There were three main kinds of learning: self-learning and self-thinking, community learning, and training. Every farmers has learnt via self-learning such as self-reading books, newspapers or technical handbooks, self-watching television, listening to radio, self-enrolment training, self-reflection through personal experience. Several farmers have learnt via community learning such as their everyday activities, neighbors, community meetings, extension club meetings, successful pilot demonstrations or mass media (commune loudspeakers). Some farmers have learnt via training from university and institutes such as training courses, visiting tours, supporting of extension workers or researchers. These learning ways/channels play an important role in enhancing capacity of farmers in the communities to respond to climate change impacts and the fluctuation of market conditions. Findings from the initial survey indicated that three main kinds of learning have been important to take forward. Informal or self-learning are significant ways in which farmers work towards solutions to the concerns that matter for them. Formal learning (courses from university and institutes) has provided the basic and science knowledge for key informants/key farmers who are the most important actors for expanding learning in the communities. Social networks via community learning are also the important to provide the foundation for learning together and learning from each other. However, in order to take forward these kinds of learning, it needs to have an appropriate mechanism and principles for sharing and learning in the communities. The needs of the communities include how to connect and collaborate with a diversity of actors for collective actions, particular coordination with mass organizations, community-based organizations, the attention of local and higher governments, and the support of the scientific agencies. It also needs to clarify roles, responsibilities, accountabilities, and benefits of various stakeholders in the processes of T-learning development or social learning activities.

<urn:uuid:6999be1c-6e3a-4fec-90be-cb565d93e353>

When I was in medical school, admittedly eons ago, our pharmacology professor taught us that certain substances, such as nicotine and caffeine, were habit-forming, not addictive. The difference was in the withdrawal symptoms. Stop smoking, and you could experience symptoms similar to those of a bad cold, lasting a few days. Stop using cocaine, morphine, or alcohol, and you might convulse, hallucinate, or even die. In any event, you’d be SICK!!! For that matter, you could experience the same sort of addiction withdrawal symptoms upon stopping, say, Valium. I recall a patient telling me she had become addicted to the stuff, and had to be hospitalized, with severe withdrawal symptoms, upon attempting to rid herself of the addiction. On the other hand, we all know people who gave up smoking, and not one of them, to my knowledge, suffered any severe consequences. Well, that’s all changed. No, it’s not pharmacology. It has more to do with litigation than physiology. A new definition of addiction is: a disease process characterized by the continued use of a specific psychoactive substance despite physical, psychological, or social harm. Notice the absence of any reference to withdrawal symptoms. This is because, according to one author, many new addictive drugs do not cause severe withdrawal symptoms. (Of course, in my day, we would have said they weren’t addictive, for that very reason Addiction seems necessary for legal reasons. In other words, if a person injures someone or damages someone’s property because he has deliberately ingested some mind-altering substance, he could be sued. Big deal. But if he was acting under the influence of some substance that rendered him virtually helpless to resist — was addictive — then the maker of that substance might be sued. Hence, if the tobacco companies were to be taken to the cleaners, it was necessary that tobacco be addictive, whether or not it really was. All that was required was a change in the definition of addiction. And so be it! Let’s hope the trial lawyers never discover the statistical connection between colon cancer and the use of toilet paper. Look out, Mr. Whipple! In any event, the "addictive" nature of tobacco has proven to be a puff of good luck to the trial lawyers. Two legal firms, one in St. Louis, and the other in South Carolina, have billed 1.8 billion in legal fees regarding a case in Madison County, Illinois, which yielded a $10.1 billion judgment against Philip Morris. That works out to a little more than $13,000/hour. That’s thousands more than I made in my first year in practice. I was struck, to say the least, by the differences between the medical and legal professions. Most of my patients are elderly, and thus on Medicare. Even though I am not a "participating physician" (meaning I’ve entered into no agreement with Medicare) I am still expected to follow Medicare rules, including the fee schedule which Medicare distributes each year. I recall once being chastised by Medicare for absent-mindedly charging last year’s fee — I think it was around $67 — instead of the then-current $63 for a certain service. Medicare informed my patient that I’d overcharged her, and demanded that I send a refund check to the patient, with a copy of the check (both sides!) to Medicare, or face civil penalties. Gosh! To be sure, a retired Illinois appellate court judge, testifying in support of the $13,000 hourly fee, admitted it raised some eyebrows. But it was not his job, he declared, to verify the hours worked. "It’s basically an honor system. I don’t have any way of knowing if he worked those hours." By contrast, there’s no honor system for doctors. Medicare will pay for the checkups a glaucoma patient receives if they are no more frequent than every six months. If the patient’s pressure seems to be going out of control, and additional medicines are prescribed, prudence dictates that the effect be assessed before another six months rolls around. In such a case, the physician had better take steps to prevent himself from being called on the carpet by Medicare, and made to explain why the interval between visits was only six weeks, or two months. If I were younger I’d dump medicine and become a trial lawyer. I bet Mr. Whipple has deep pockets — and I could charge astronomical fees, knowing that it’s "basically an honor system," and nobody would have any way of knowing if I actually worked all those hours. If what’s sauce for the goose isn’t sauce for the gander, maybe it’s time to become the fowl that’s getting the better sauce!

<urn:uuid:dfc227ad-8dee-457b-9c45-5a6533bbfb2d>

There are a number of changes you could make to your home or business premises to reduce the impact of extreme weather events and the longer term changes in our climate. Heatwaves & Drought Temperatures are likely to rise and we are likely to have more heat waves. The hot temperatures can affect our health, particularly young and elderly people. - Read How to stay cool in a heat wave - Create an area of shade in your garden where you can sit to cool off. - Remember hot weather can affect transport networks, making it difficult to get around. Roads frequently melt and train tracks can over expand causing buckling of the tracks. - Close the blinds and curtains throughout the day to shade rooms on hot summers days to keep the heat out - Do you have shutters or awnings to provide shading over your windows? - Do you have fans or air conditioning? Be aware using these can increase your energy use and carbon footprint. Read 8 Low Tech Ways to Keep Cool. - Do you use fans to move air around rooms when the air is cooler inside rather than opening windows? - Do you have plants in your house? Plants help to clean the air by removing carbon dioxide, which improves the quality of the air in a room. - Do you choose plants for your garden which do not need daily watering? Watering plants in the early morning or evening ensures the plants are able to take up and keep more water than if you water them during the middle of the day, which also helps them to survive hotter, drier weather. - Do you collect rainwater and use recycled water in your garden and toilets? - Do you try to limit your activity during the hottest part of the day? - Do you clear leaves and debris from your gutters and drains? - Do you fix leaks and check for reasons for damp in your walls or ceilings? - Do you make sure you ventilate your rooms after wet weather to reduce condensation and help prevent damp problems? - Does your drive let rainwater drain through instead of being tarmac, e.g. do you have a drive made of loose gravel or with grass sections? - Do you have planted areas and grass areas in your garden to help sock up rainwater? Storms and High Winds - Do you make sure you remove dead branches and manage trees and large plants in your garden? - Do you check your roof tiles are secure and ensure any repairs are made? - Do you have insulation in your loft and walls? - Do you use draft excluders and thicker curtains in winter to keep the cold out? - Do you keep your radiators and thermostats at a set level during the winter, rather than changing the setting regularly? Changing the radiator temperatures regularly means the boiler will be adjusting to try to get back to a constant temperature in the house, which uses more energy. - Do you use salt or clear your drive of ice and snow? Be aware of the impact the weather may have on you, people you know and the community. Things to consider: - In a heat wave wear sun screen and a hat and drink plenty of water. - Snowfall and icy weather can make people more prone to falls so take care. - Weather can affect transport networks, making it difficult to get around. - Services may be disrupted in times of extreme weather, winds can bring down power lines and water pipes may freeze during cold periods. - Be aware of vulnerable members of your community they may need extra help. - Be aware of the needs of any elderly or sick relatives. - Have a list of emergency contacts and numbers. - Be prepared for an emergency have a plan and an emergency kit bag. It is important to identify: - What the risks are - Who is most vulnerable - Have a plan of action ready

<urn:uuid:357bf3fa-e9cc-4ec2-8cd8-1332bbc89e59>

The United States is one of the world’s largest users of propane gas, according to need.org. Nearly six million American homes, mostly in rural areas without natural gas, use propane as their major energy source for heating. It’s also a vital energy source for businesses in the manufacturing and agricultural sectors. But how much do you really know about propane? These three facts will help you understand more about this valuable gas and responsible usage. You Can Get Propane Delivered Image via Flickr by jasonwoodhead23 American propane users often bring their empty propane cylinders or tanks to local propane dealers. While there are more than 100,000 propane dealers across the country, this system isn’t always convenient. Propane cylinders and tanks can be heavy, especially once they’re full. The ailing and elderly may be unable to lift them safely. Bringing an empty cylinder or tank is optional, but if you don’t have one you’ll pay at least twice as much for your propane. Despite the vast network of propane dealers, some people may struggle to access them, such as people living in remote areas or people reliant on public transport. Many people don’t realize that propane can be delivered instead. Propane delivery services help you access the propane you need at home with a lot less fuss. The internet can help you find a propane delivery service near you. Propane Gas Tanks and Appliances Need Regular Maintenance Just like HVAC systems, propane gas tanks and appliances need regular upkeep. Tanks should be serviced regularly to ensure they’re safe and effective. Call a licensed professional to service your propane gas tank each year. Your service professional will check for leaks and other problems. When buying a house with propane gas, ask for evidence of regular servicing. If the homeowner can’t provide any, it could be a sign that this maintenance was neglected. Propane gas appliances should also get regular leaks. They should burn with blue flames. If the flames turn yellow or flicker irregularly, your appliance likely needs cleaning. Propane appliances should be cleaned monthly to prevent soot and debris build-up. If any propane appliance stops functioning as expected, contact a certified service technician or the manufacturer. You Can Buy Propane Detectors to Stay Safe While propane usually has a rotten egg smell, it might lose this distinctive odor — like when your propane tank or cylinder contains rust, water, or air, or if your leak is underground. People without a sensitive nose could simply miss the sign of a leak. You might also miss a propane leak in a room of your house that’s rarely used. If you’re worried, you can install propane detectors. Similar to a smoke alarm, a propane alarm will monitor the air for propane and sound an alarm if it detects the gas. Installing several propane detectors can offer real peace of mind. It might play second fiddle to natural gas, but propane is still a vital energy source for the households and businesses that rely on it. Learning about propane can help you understand more about this important gas and how to use it responsibly.

<urn:uuid:6074fba2-125e-4621-a732-c3ca34d3ae1a>

Is Chandigarh a smart city and what is implied by this most-used phrase in the context of cities over the past six months or so? The single most important criterion emerging out of the public discourse on the issue is that increased energy-efficiency is critical to smartness. Considered from this perspective, the tricity has a long way to go before it becomes smart. We have the highest number of vehicles per capita in the country and it becomes imperative for us to adopt technologies that are kind to the environment, while boosting growth. Businesses, of course, love the smart city idea and see a huge opportunity to expand their footprint. However, policymakers and other stakeholders would like to balance growth imperatives with sensitivity towards environmental concerns. Even as there can no debate that growth is needed to create jobs for our youngsters, it has to be done in the right manner and the tricity, in many ways, could be the trendsetter. While there is a suggestion from some quarters that new cities is the answer to all concerns, there is evidence to suggest that significant, small changes in the way we live can be enough to bring about a transformation in the use of energy, resulting in increased efficiency, and hence smarter cities. These lifestyle changes would have to be made for the betterment of future generations. In some cases, these would seem like a regression, but are nothing more than little shifts in routine, like bathing at a particular time when dependent on solar panels for hot water. At a recent conference in the city on this subject, policymakers and industry representatives deliberated on the way technology and the increased need for energy-efficiency can come together to create better cities. The way new cities can be built and conceptualised was also discussed. The fundamental way in which we can contribute to a smarter home is by making small changes to its design. This is not easy, but doable. “We must install solar panels and use this energy, whenever possible, in our daily chores. Public transport remains the key and in some of the new construction projects in the city, complexes need to be integrated to encourage people to walk. Some of the rules enforcing a ban on mixed land use must go,” said a participant at the conference, who runs a design consultancy firm. He added that 20,000 homes were being constructed in 14 cities as a pilot project in association with the National Housing Bank, a RBI-owned organisation. He claims that the cost of a new 800-square-feet home goes up by less than 5%, if the dwelling was to be smart, based on design parameters. Some of the design norms include studying the shading requirement of the location, top-floor roof insulation, cross-ventilation and minimal use of glass in construction. Important businesses in the region like dairy could also be made more energy-efficient and smarter by process analysis and the benefits outweigh the cost by a large multiple, experts have been saying for long. The question is, how many will take the plunge and pledge to be smart?

<urn:uuid:932ae144-60a1-4784-8a05-fe7768ad9922>

CLIMATE CHANGE VEHICLE AIR CONDITIONING The European Union's F-gas Regulation No 842/2006 became law on 4 July 2006. This imposes obligations on "operators" of this equipment from 4 July 2007 that you should know about. F-gases include HFC`s, which are the commonest refrigerants in use today. The Regulation aims to minimise emissions of these gases, which affect global warming if they escape into the air. "Operators" are defined as the people or organisations that have actual power over the technical functioning of the equipment. The legal responsibility for compliance with the Regulation lies with the operator. For further details of the definition of the operator see the F Gas Support website. Any equipment small enough to plug in rather than have to be permanently wired is likely to be excluded from the requirements, other than an overall requirement to prevent leakage and to repair any leaks as soon as possible. For stationary refrigeration, air conditioning and heat pump units over 3 kg charge (6 kg if hermetic), operators must · Prevent leakage, and repair any leaks as soon as possible · Arrange proper refrigerant recovery by certified personnel during servicing and disposal · Carry out leak checks to the schedule shown below · Ensure that only certified competent personnel carry out leakage checks · Maintain records of refrigerants and of servicing For non-stationary equipment (e.g. mobile units on trucks) and any other products containing F-gases, operators must ensure that appropriately qualified personnel are used to recover gases, as long as this is feasible and not excessively expensive. Leak checking schedule The leak checks must be carried out according to the procedure laid down by the Commission in October 2007 (Industry guidance is available from the Institute of Refrigeration or you can download the full text of the leak check regulation ). The schedule for leak checks varies depending on the amount of refrigerant in the system, as follows: · At least annually for applications with 3 kg or more of F-gases (unless the equipment is hermetically sealed and labelled as such, in which case the threshold is up to 6 kg). · At least once every six months for applications with 30 kg or more of F-gases · At least once every three months for applications with 300 kg or more of F-gases · Leakage detection systems must be installed on applications with 300 kg or more of F-gases, and when these are in place, checking requirements are halved · If a leak is detected and repaired, a further check must be carried out within one month to ensure that the repair has been effective Maintenance and servicing records Operators of all stationary systems containing 3 kg or more of F-gases must maintain records including · Quantity and type of F-gases installed, added or recovered · Identification of the company or technician carrying out servicing and details of the Operator · Dates and results of leakage checks, specifically identifying separate pieces of equipment containing 30 kg or more of refrigerant It is the operator's responsibility to ensure that the relevant servicing personnel have obtained the necessary certification, which shows that they understand the regulations and are competent.

<urn:uuid:f6ad8a25-bfec-452c-b70e-460754f2a26a>

An Interactive Worktext for Beginning Spanish Deana Alonso, Esther Alonso, Brandon Zaslow Invitaciones tells a story through the episodes of the dramatic video series and throughout the lessons of an interactive worktext. Every phase of each lesson follows the lives of six Spanish-speaking college students, whose stories invite students to share their own lives. Ideal for introductory Spanish, two self-contained worktexts provide students with adequate time to assimilate vocabulary and forms, as well as ample opportunities to use Spanish in meaningful communication. Features include: What can you expect in each lesson? Check out all the themes below. For more details, download a Table of Contents. Primera parteSegunda parte Invitaciones Primera parte Invitaciones Segunda parte This episodic video follows a group of Spanish-speaking students attending college in the U.S. The video provides comprehensible input as it puts the language in action in real-life contexts. Like watching the news delivered by young citizen journalists in their own countries, these videos are all about the local culture. Vocabulary and grammar from the text is incorporated, while still providing a controlled amount of unknown language. See what we mean by integrated technology. Our Supersite offers a wealth of online tools, media, and resources for both instructors and students. Find the best ways to teach and learn—for you. Visit the Supersite Demo to explore all resources.

<urn:uuid:0ee8d363-9eeb-45eb-a349-8dda923306ac>

In math we talked about ways to solve addition and subtraction problems. We made a list of strategies and practiced using them during our math stations. We played two new games called Close to 100 and Close to 0. In literacy, we wrapped up our mystery unit. We also learned about nouns! 2C made common noun and proper noun flip books. They will be on display in our hallway. Be sure to look for them next week. In science we read Around One Log by Anthony D. Fredericks. We discussed the question: Is the log alive or dead? Students shared and recorded ideas. Math: story problems Science: motion stations Social Studies: Ghanaian flag and Ghanaian names. A sign up genius was sent out for spring conferences. During these meetings, progress reports will not be given to families. Progress reports will be mailed in June. *2C is looking for any donations of cardboard egg cartons and cylinder shaped containers (coffee cans, oatmeal cans etc.) we will use them for a few projects during our Ghana unit. Friday, April 3rd: No school Early Release Days: April 7th, 15th, 28th, May 6th. *Dismissal is at 12:40 Monday, April 20th-Friday, April 24th: April Vacation ** There will be no reading log or word study next week due to the short week. Have a great weekend!

<urn:uuid:b96aa722-f604-444c-b3c8-c9214f75102e>

An experimental study from University College London has found that people tend to become paranoid around those who do not share the same political beliefs or social status. The researchers found that this paranoia may cause the actions of others to be misinterpreted. Paranoia is characterized by an inclination toward fearful thoughts of being harmed. This mental condition can also induce anxiety over the motivations of others, and the research team has found that this tendency spikes during interactions with people of a higher social status or opposing political beliefs. “Being alert to social danger is key to our survival, but our results suggest social difference alone encourages us to think that the other person wants to harm us,” said study senior author Professor Nichola Raihani. “Intense paranoia is also a symptom of mental ill health, and is more common among people who perceive themselves to have low social rank. We believe our findings could shed light on why paranoia is more common in those who are struggling on the social ladder and excluded by society.” The investigation was focused on over 2,000 volunteers as they engaged in an online experiment where they were designated a partner and a specific sum of money. Prior to the experiment, the participants had filled out a questionnaire that could be used to assess their normal levels of paranoia. The survey was also designed to measure the social status and political affiliations of the individuals. The participants were partnered with someone from a higher, lower, or similar social status, or with someone who had similar or opposing political beliefs. One person out of each pair was assigned to decide whether to split the money in half or to keep it all for themselves. The other person was then asked to rate how much they thought the decision was motivated by self-interest, and how much the decision was likely motivated by perceived harmful intent, or the desire to deprive their counterpart of any prize. In a second round of the game, the roles were reversed with a new sum of money. People who were paired with someone of a higher social status or with different political beliefs more frequently assumed their partner’s decision had been motivated by harmful intent. On the other hand, social differences did not affect how often participants attributed their partner’s decision to self-interest. Interestingly, the study also revealed that the unrealistic perception of harmful intent occurred at the same rate, regardless of whether participants had heightened levels of paranoid thinking before the experiment. “Our findings suggest that people who struggle with high levels of paranoia are equally well-tuned to social difference despite sometimes seeming that they misperceive the social world,” said study co-author Dr. Vaughan Bell. “This research may help us understand how exclusion and disadvantage fuel some of the most severe mental health problems.” The study is published in the journal Royal Society Open Science. By Chrissy Sexton, Earth.com Staff Writer

<urn:uuid:78fa8de2-2e30-4c07-9e84-20f11a30aae4>

You are now entering the Jewish Currents archive. by A.D. Paul THE TORAH’s attitude to horses reveals a range of perspectives, based on the different experiences of the ancient Jewish people. Unlike the pig and the dog, which are not only forbidden as food but are widely scorned throughout the Torah, the horse, also forbidden as a food, often symbolizes great strength and courage, as well as spectacular beauty. After the excruciating suffering that has befallen Job, for example, he asks God the perennial question, Why do innocents suffer? In a series of awesome examples of how God’s power and glory are displayed in the animal world and other phenomena of nature, Job realizes the lesson that he is but dust and will never be able to comprehend the unfathomable mysteries of God. The breathtaking description of the horse’s immense power include: Do you give the horse his might? Do you clothe his neck with a mane? Do you make him leap like the locust? (Job 39:19-20). In the Song of Songs, the spectacular beauty of the horse is used as an image to portray the comeliness of the beloved. The bejeweled Egyptian mare was by then well known to the Jews, resulting in this encomium: I compare you, my love, to a mare among Pharaoh’s chariots (Song of Songs 1:9). The theme of the great strength of the horse is also orchestrated in Isaiah, when the prophet remembers the Mighty Hand that led Israel from Egypt through the river Nile: Who led them through the depths? Like a horse in the desert, they did not stumble (Isaiah 63:13). Sometimes a horse is an image of nobility and prosperity, in keeping with the prevailing attitude of people around the Mideast. In Judea, for example, only nobles and those in wealthy circumstances rode horses. Similarly, the Parthians and Persians reserved the right for the use of horses only for their nobles; commoners had to go on foot. This verse in Ecclesiastes associates the horse with nobility: I have seen servants on horses, and princes walking like servants on the earth (Ecclesiastes 10:7). In Isaiah’s inventory of articles that denote wealth and majesty, horses are referred to a number of times: Their land is full of silver and gold, neither is there any end of their treasures. Their land also is full of horses . . . (Isaiah 2:7). Horses are also used frequently in the Bible as images of inordinate passion. Adulterers are often thought of as similar to horses in their excessive libido, an idea found in Jeremiah and expressed very forcefully to bring out the unbridled nature of fornicators: They were as fed horses roaming at large; everyone neighed after his neighbor’s wife (Jeremiah 5:8). A similar image of the horse as a lecherous creature is forcefully employed by Ezekiel as an indictment of Israel for associating with its unholy neighbors, especially the Egyptians. The prophet’s own vituperative language itself borders on bawdy: She doted on their paramours, whose flesh is as the flesh of donkeys, and whose issue is like the issue of horses (Ezekiel 23:20). Often an individual horse is portrayed as an example of stupidity, dullness, and recklessness. In this sense, the horse is synonymous with a mule, a donkey, and a human fool. A horse is presented as the opposite of a person who governs himself or herself by willing submission to God’s law; it is by nature wild and unbridled and has to be subdued with sustained training. The Psalmist echoes this idea when he says: Do not be like the horse or the mule, which have no understanding but must be controlled by bit and bridle or they will not come to you (Psalms 32:9). The Book of Proverbs orchestrates the same motif: A whip for the horse, a halter for the donkey, and a rod for the backs of fools (Proverbs 26:3). THE EXODUS experience that we anticipate at Passover altered the Biblical image of the horse dramatically. The crossing of the Sea of Reeds, with the God of Israel leading the people with a “mighty arm,” etched in the psyche of Israel the unreliability of horses and chariots compared to divine power. This caused Jews to look at horses with some derision, and several taboos relating to horses were incorporated into Jewish law. The Book of Deuteronomy, in no unequivocal terms, forbids the use of horses: Only he shall not multiply horses to himself. (Deuteronomy 17:16). To counterbalance the use of horses by Israel’s enemies, Joshua did to them as Yahweh told him. He hamstrung their horses and burnt their chariots with fire (Joshua 11:9). The idea that the magnificent edifice of Egyptian military power, based on their horsemen and chariots, crumbled as the waters of sea engulfed them, resulted in derision towards everything that the Egyptians prized. So, in the Psalms, the horse is a vain hope for deliverance; despite all its great strength it cannot save (Psalms 33:17). The prophet Isaiah, too, expresses scorn for horses: Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, and rely on horses . . . (Isaiah 31:1). For military reasons, however, this derision could not endure. The efficacy of the horses in war was a foregone conclusion, and with neighboring nations arming themselves with cavalry and chariots, it was necessary for Israel to fall in line with them. David was the first to say farewell to the taboo of horses for military use and to organize a cavalry. The horse thus emerged as a majestic creature again. After David defeated the King of Zobah and recovered his border at the river Euphrates, he reserved the horses of the defeated king for a hundred chariots. The rest he hamstrung as a remnant of the traditional Jewish taboo towards horses. King Solomon systematically equipped himself with more horses. The proliferation of chariots and horses by King Solomon is a recurring theme in the Book of Kings: And Solomon had forty thousand stalls of horse for his chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen (1 Kings 4:26). Solomon not only used horses for military purposes, but also sent his merchants to buy them from Egypt and run a lucrative trade in horses. The derided quadrupeds became the pride of Solomon’s military might as well as the source that filled his coffers; the vain hope of the Psalmist in the passage of time became the bastion of ancient Israel’s strength. A. D. Paul is a retired principal of a college. He is from the the state of Kerala in South India, where he runs an English language training center called EXODUS and writes on culture, history, literature and religion. He last appeared here with “Mirrors in the Bible and Jewish Tradition.”

<urn:uuid:20b6cc8d-7b19-46be-93f7-99fead0dc76f>

(Last Updated on : 16/09/2010) There are a number of churches located in Kottayam District. The churches are the major pilgrimage centres for the Christians. In Kottayam, he churches are constructed keeping in mind the tradition and the history of India. Some of the churches are traced by the regular visitors and the tourists from all corners of India and abroad as well. Vimalagiri or Ankathattu Palli is the cathedral of the district of Vijayapuram. In 1956 the foundation stone of the church was laid and the construction was completed in 1964. This cathedral flaunts the architectural excellence of the era when it was constructed as it was fabricated in the Gothic style. The main tower has a height of 172 ft. that is considered as the highest church tower in the State. The name of the main deity is Vimalambika and this is worshipped by all with reverence. The main celebration is in December. As Kottayam railway station is located near to this church so that the communication is easy from here. Another most important church of Kottayam is Valiyapally located at Palai which is about 30 Km away from Kottayam town. It is commonly thought that this church was built in 1002. This church is named after St. Thomas. It was destroyed by the Muslim invaders in 17th century A.D. and was again reconstructed in the next century. 'Rakkuhthirunal' is the important festival of Valiyapally church and this festival is celebrated during the month of January every year. Bharananganam Church, also known as 'Anakkallu Palli', is an important pilgrim center in Bharananganam Church Kottayam district. This place is also known for preserving the mortal remains of Sister Alphonsa. This church is also known internationally now. She died on 28th July 1946. Thousands of devotees reach here on that day every year to observe her death anniversary at this date. Bharananganam is situated at 5 km away from Palai. In addition to these churches, a church at Mannanam is located in Kottayam. This church is known by the name of St. Joseph and is reckoned as one of the major pilgrim centres of Kottayam. This church is the restorer of the mortal remains of Fr. Chavara Kuriakose Elias. A flock of travelers visit to pay their gratitude and prayers to the tomb. This is regarded as sacred place for the Christian. Cheriya Pally is St. Mary's Church and is considered as one of the very few earlier churches that are still in existence in Kottayam. Cheriya Pally literally means small church. But as a matter of fact it is much bigger than Valiya Pally or big church, which is located nearby. Moreover, Good Shepard Church is said to be the first church of Diocese of Vijayapuram. This is located at the back of the civil station at Kottayam. Constructed in 1882 and then restituted in 1964, the church is made of Italian style. The local Rajah built this church in 1579. It is interesting to see the Christian and the Hindu synthesis in the design of this church. The front wall of the church seems to be influenced by the Portuguese with galleries, pillars, pediments and cornices. Being the oldest churches in Kerala , St. George's Church located at Aruvithura was built by St. Thomas and was reconstructed in the 16th century A.D. Celebration of the feast of Aruvithura Church was arranged in April every year. Manarcad Church is another important pilgrimage centre of Kottayam. This church is known for the Ettu Noympu feast that is celebrated for eight days. During this time, a huge mass of pilgrims come to celebrate the festival here. The St. George's Orthodox Church, Puthupally is said to be the construction of the Kings of Thekkumkur during their ruling tenure in Vennimala. This church is situated at the centre of the temples of Kadamuri, Iravinelloor, Vennimala and Vazhakkulam. Ahuge mass of people and pilgrims come to enjoy the feast during the month of May. Another ancient church of Kottayam is Athirampuzha dedicated to St. Mary. This church was constructed in 1080 A.D. The statue of Sebastian is established here in the church and it is the five day feast of Sebastian for which a huge mass gather here. The festival is celebrated with great merriment with the lightning of fireworks. Valiya Palli church, located at Palai was built in 1002. During the Muslim invasions in 17th century, the church was destroyed and renovation was made in the later century. The festive season in this church is celebrated during January every year. Churches of Kottayam district are the pilgrimage centres for the people of India and abroad as well. Moreover, the festivals celebrated every year attract a flock of people to these churches.

<urn:uuid:9b86917b-f036-4984-8932-c424974c7aab>

Protocols, operating practices, and other market operating rules in our electric energy markets are not static; they change in response to new technology. They are also constantly evolving to make markets more efficient. A stakeholder process introduces initiatives to make these adjustments and changes in most markets. Market participants discuss, propose, compromise, and eventually form a consensus on new approaches It is hoped the changes eventually made have positive consequences for the market and its participants. Such is the case for improving the Responsive Reserve Service (RRS) in the ERCOT market. RRS is a type of ancillary service required to maintain grid reliability and is also commonly known as Spinning Reserve. Since the RRS debuted with the original ERCOT Zonal market, there have been many changes in technology, then continued with the transition to the Nodal Market in December of 2010. As a result, in early 2018, a major update to the service was proposed with Nodal Protocol Proposed Revision Request (NPRR) 863. Let’s look at what this revision sought to improve and where it stands now. Why is responsive reserve service used? Many know of RRS as an ancillary service that provides 10-minute energy deployment in response to significant generation losses of resources on the system. For decades, the ERCOT market was dominated by thermal generating resources (nuclear, coal, natural gas), balancing demand on a minute-by-minute basis. The loss of a major coal or nuclear unit on the system was a major risk to keeping frequency deviations in a safe range. ERCOT calculated the RRS needed to provide this reliability and procured it daily from generators. Loads ultimately bore the costs of this service on a load ratio share basis. Generators offered RRS into the Day-Ahead Market. Those selected to provide RRS were paid the Market Clearing Price for Capacity (MCPC) for RRS, denominated in dollars per megawatt per hour, for each hour the unit will be carrying the RRS obligation in real-time. If RRS was deployed in real-time, this capacity was released to deployment, and the unit earned the Real-Time Market Clearing Price for Energy (RTMCPE) for energy thus generated, in addition to the MCPC. Many don’t know that all online thermal generators, whether providing RRS or not, are required to provide Primary Frequency Response (PFR) to the grid. The turbine/generator set must demonstrate its capability to respond to changes in frequency within a specific range (Dead-band) and changes to voltage (Droop) to inject power into the grid within moments of a large frequency perturbation. This process was to help “prop up” frequency after a major unit trip while the 10-minute RRS energy ramped up. This format is different from Up-Regulation Service (URS), which is used to fine-tune frequency within a narrow band. A trip of a primary power unit can cause such a significant frequency perturbation that URS cannot arrest the decay quickly enough. What’s the issue with RRS and primary frequency response? As mentioned, all online generators must provide PFR whether carrying an RRS obligation or not. There are testing and reporting requirements for PFR and reliability compliance implications should a unit fail its PFR requirement. In addition, generator owners must invest capital into the systems to keep them up to date, and maintenance expenses are incurred in maintaining their compliance. Therefore, PFR was seen as an uncompensated service provided to the grid with financial costs and compliance risks. Since there were no financial incentives not to use PFR to help regulate frequency in the grid, it was essentially a “free service.” With all things that are “free,” it tended to be overused. Market participants argued rightfully that over-reliance on the “free” PFR tended to affect how pricing for other ancillary services was formed. Finally, the RRS/PRS requirement proved to be a barrier to entry for new technologies in the market, specifically loads wishing to provide RRS. Many can meet the 10-minute energy requirement but not the PFR service. What solutions were developed to improve RRS? In February 2019, the ERCOT Board approved a protocol revision to address the RRS issues. This new protocol provided several changes to the market, including: - It established a new Ancillary Service, ERCOT Contingency Reserve Service (ECRS). This service essentially separates some of the 10-minute Responsive Reserve into a separate service with no PFR requirement. ECRS can be provided by loads and is intended to complement and reinforce the frequency-triggered RRS provided by units capable of doing so. - The protocol revision allows generators not actively providing RRS to widen their PFR Dead-bands to lower maintenance costs and compliance risks. The changes to a unit’s Dead-band must be accomplished by updating its Resource Registration data. - It changed technical requirements such that any unit operating in synchronous condenser fast-response mode can qualify for RRS (not just hydro units). This requirement is intended to make the service more technology agnostic. When will the protocol revision be implemented? The introduction of ECRS and associated changes required adjustments to over 65 other sections of the ERCOT protocols, ranging from adjustment to Fast Frequency Response, Load Frequency Control, operations in the Day-Ahead Market, and many other areas. These changes involve developing and testing software and management processes and impacting ERCOT control systems and the systems operated by market participants. When the ERCOT Board first approved the changes, it called for the implementation of the FFR-related language no earlier than Jan. 1, 2020, and the ECRS language no earlier than Jan. 1, 2022. As a result, much work has been done at the ERCOT and the market participant levels to prepare. How will the ERCOT protocol change affect the market? This change to the ERCOT protocols will have wide-reaching effects: - Improved reliability: With the introduction of ECRS, it is expected that more resources, both on the load and generation side, will participate in the RRS ancillary service market, effectively increasing the ERCOT reserve margin. - Price formation: The move away from using PFR to supplement frequency control in favor of services for which the price is determined in the open market results in cleaner, more transparent price formation. - Clear economic signals: The economics related to investments in controllable loads will be improved since these resources can efficiently provide this ancillary service. This process will result in a better investment climate for new demand-side resources such as Distributed Energy Resources (DERs) and Virtual Power Plants (VPPs). As mentioned initially, market rules must adapt and change as technology improves and electricity markets change and grow. The new rules for ECRS in ERCOT are an example of this evolution. The result will be lowering entry barriers to the market for new technologies, reducing compliance risk for some generators, improving price formation for ancillary services, and better tools for ERCOT to use for managing its 75 GW region. If you’re interested in other ERCOT-related topics, check out my blog post, Energy Storage Integration in the Texas Power Market.

<urn:uuid:719b8842-6ef1-4c3c-86e4-219672d239d3>

As a database consultant, you're constantly facing new challenges. You must keep abreast of new technologies in order to meet those ever-changing expectations from clients and users. That means most consultants no longer have the luxury of claiming an expertise in just one or two systems. Now, the consultant that knows enough about several systems will keep clients returning. It isn't easy, and one way to keep ahead of things is to let software do as much of your work as possible. Something as simple as connecting to a database can become a time-consuming glitch if you don't know just the right arguments and values to make the connection. For instance, ActiveXDataObject (ADO) has become one of the most popular libraries for manipulating and transferring data. With all that flexibility comes a lot of options—too many to memorize even if you're using them all on a regular basis. In this article, I'll show you a quick and simple technique that uses a Windows dialog box to supply all the necessary components of an ADO connection string. In 30 seconds, you can have just the right connection string for the situation at hand. A connection overview There's more than one way to connect to a data source. Open Database Connectivity (ODBC) specifies the database and connection information in what's known as a System Data Source Name (DSN), which refers to a program-specific driver to connect and translate instructions. OLE DB is newer and faster, and the main difference as far as coding is concerned is that OLE DB connections are specified right in the code. It also tends to be a bit more difficult to put to use than ODBC (for most of us). Although both methods require most of the same connection information, ODBC does a lot of the work for you via dialog boxes and options—Windows holds your hand through the process of creating an ODBC connection (a DSN). On the other hand, the OLE DB connection requires special code, and you just have to memorize and retain all the necessary arguments or at least have a good reference. The most common object you'll work with is the ADO Connection object—it represents the connection to the data source. Listings A and B contain generic code for both situations, respectively. Listing A: Explicit Dim cnn As ADODB.Connection Dim rst As ADODB.Connection Set cnn = New ADODB.Connection Set rst = New ADODB.Recordset Set rst.ActiveConnection = cnn Listing B: Implicit Dim rst As ADODB.Recordset Set rst = New ADODB.Recordset connectionstring is a text string that includes all the relevant connection information. To open an explicit Connection, use the Connection object's Open method in the form: connection.Open [connectionstring][, userID][, password][, options] Or, open an implicit Connection object using the Recordset object's Open method in the form: recordset.Open datasource, connectionstring As you can see, either way you have to deal with a rather complex connection string, which can contain several optional arguments in the form: Provider=value;File Name=value;Remote Provider=value;Remote Server=value;URL=value; While all of the arguments are optional, you must specify the Provider, the File Name or the URL. Table A defines all five arguments. Sometimes, you can omit many of the arguments, and establish a connection by identifying just the provider and the data source. If the data source is secured, include the user ID and password. When this is the case, composing connectionstring isn't so difficult. On the other hand, most OLE DB providers support a large number of arguments, some of which I've listed in Table B. The reality is that often this argument is much more complex because it is so very flexible. When in doubt, turn to Windows Memorizing every possible connection string argument and value isn't necessary if you use Windows to create a connection string. Specifically, the Windows Data Link Properties dialog box allows you to select connection options to provide a complete and accurate ADO connection string for just the provider and source you specify. You can probably fill in the Data Link properties quicker than you can look up the appropriate values in any reference. To use this method to create a connection string: - Open the Windows Explorer and right-click any window. - Select New from the resulting shortcut menu, and then choose Text Document, as shown in Figure A. |Specify a text file.| - Save this new (and as yet empty) document using the file extension .udl. When Windows warns you about changing the extension, click Yes to continue. - Open the Data Link Properties dialog box by double-clicking the new .udl file. - Click the Provider tab in the Data Link Properties dialog box. - Select an OLE DB provider, as shown in Figure B. You'll choose the provider that's most appropriate for your data source. I've selected SQL Server. |Select an OLE DB Provider.| - Click the Connection tab and identify the server instance and/or the data source as shown in Figure C. (The options will be appropriate for the Provider you specify.) Click the Test Connection button to make sure your options specify an available data source on an available server. |Specify the connection's data source.| - Under the Advanced tab, specify the specific permissions the user(s) identified in the Connection tab should have. - The All tab gives you an immense amount of flexibility over the specific connection because you can alter the connection's property settings. To do so, simply highlight the property, click Edit Value, and enter the new value to change the defaulting setting. Figure D shows how you might change the encryption default (but don't actually change the value right now). |Change default values for specific Provider settings.| - Click OK when you're done. - Using a text editor, open the .udl file. As you can see in Figure E, the text file contains a connection string that represents all of the options you just selected. Paste this string into your code. |Open the .udl file to find a completed connection string that's just right for your particular connection specifications.| A wise consultant A wise consultant doesn't know everything about every system; rather, he or she knows where to go for help. Don't try to become a human reference for every system you use. Instead, take advantage of the many utilities and tools at your disposal to do as much of your work as possible. Susan Sales Harkins is an IT consultant, specializing in desktop solutions. Previously, she was editor in chief for The Cobb Group, the world's largest publisher of technical journals.

<urn:uuid:b3edea26-875e-44dd-8fb4-bc871198aa94>

The Danish language has long been an influential Scandinavian languages, thanks to Denmark’s intriguing history of political power and influence. Even today, Danish is still considered significant among the Scandinavian languages. It serves as one of the official languages of the European Union, is a working language of the Nordic Council, and is also a requirement in the school systems of many other Scandinavian countries. Classification and Early History of the Danish Language The Danish language is classified as part of the East Scandinavian branch of the North Germanic languages, from which most of today’s Scandinavian languages developed. Although the Scandinavian languages were all quite similar at one time, the Danish language began to develop distinct characteristics around AD 1000. Having initially developed from the Old Norse language disseminated throughout Northern Europe by the Vikings, early Danish utilized a runic alphabet. The oldest Danish records written in runic date from circa AD 250. The first manuscripts written in a distinctly Danish language are believed to date from the 13th century. Copenhagen: The Early Center of the Danish Language By the 14th century, Copenhagen was considered to be the cultural and political capital of Denmark. The first printed Danish-language books were based on the standardized Danish language of the royal chancery in Copenhagen. This written form of Danish was held as a high standard and not based on any particular dialect. As a result, many spoken forms of Danish at the time were eliminated to meet this standard. Even some of the dialects spoken by the aristocracy were deemed vulgar in comparison. Consequently, a push was made in the upper classes toward a standardized form of spoken Danish which would match the standards of the written language. Danish Language Distinctions from Other Scandinavian Languages Most linguists agree that the Danish language has undergone more significant changes than any of the other old Scandinavian languages. Due to contact with Hanseatic traders in the Middle Ages, the Danish language acquired many words, prefixes, and suffixes from the Low German language. It also lost the old case system of the Norse language, combining masculine and feminine into a single gender. Reforms in the 18th century worked to create a purer Danish language, as many French-origin loan words were replaced by their Danish equivalents. By the 19th century, written Danish was being used by many authors of Denmark and Norway. The Danish Language in England Denmark’s historical influence goes beyond other Scandinavian countries. The Danish language once was widely spoken in the northeast areas of England, due to colonization efforts by Danish Vikings. The Danish settlement of Jorvik, for example, existed in what is now the city of York. Although the Viking influence in England was long ago, the Danish left their linguistic mark on the area. A number of modern regional terms in northeastern parts of England have roots tracing back to the times of Danish settlement, such as the word "gate" (gade, in Danish) for street. Other English words believed to have developed from the Danish language include "knife" (kniv) and "egg" (aeg). Modern Danish Language Reforms The modern Danish alphabet closely resembles the English language alphabet; however, three important letters are added: æ, ø, and å. The letter å – which is also used in the Norwegian and Swedish languages – was incorporated with a 1948 spelling reform intended to replace the letter "aa." The spelling reform of 1948 also changed the spelling of a number of everyday words, allowing the written Danish language to more closely resemble the spoken form. Another aspect of the reform resulted in all nouns being written in the lower case, instead of being capitalized as they were until that time (and still are in the German language). Dialects of the Modern Danish Language Modern standard Danish is based on the dialect spoken around the area of Copenhagen, Denmark’s capital. As the intellectual and business capital of the country, the Copenhagen-area dialect has long served as the basis for the standardized form of the Danish language. Although Copenhagen has somewhat of a cultural, political, and linguistic monopoly in Denmark, alternate dialects still flourish in other areas of the country, especially in more rural regions. The Danish language is divided into three dialects: Eastern Danish, Jutlandic, and Island Danish. It is generally agreed that Island Danish is the dialect most resembling the standard Danish language spoken in the Copenhagen area. The Danish Language Today Today the Danish language serves as the official language of Denmark, where it is spoken by more than 5 million people. It also is spoken and taught in schools in Iceland, Greenland, and the Faroe Islands. In addition, approximately 50,000 Danes residing in Northern Germany also speak Danish. The Danish language has produced many influential writers, including the fairy tale author Hans Christian Andersen, Nobel Prize laureate Johannes Vilhelm Jensen, and existential philosopher Søren Kierkegaard. The Powerful Influence of the Danish Language Due to Denmark’s political power throughout history, the Danish language has exercised a significant amount of influence on other Scandinavian languages, including Swedish, Icelandic, and Norwegian. Notably, the union of Denmark and Norway in the 14th century resulted in the development of the Dano-Norwegian, or Norwegian Bokmal, language. Despite a surge of nationalism after Norwegian independence and the development of a distinctly Norwegian language, known as New Norwegian or Norwegian Nynorsk, Dano-Norwegian retained its status in Norway and remains one of the official languages of the country to this day. The historical links between Norwegian and Danish are still evident, as the two languages use an almost identical writing system. Although the languages remain very closely related in the written form, the Norwegian language and Danish language differ more significantly in the spoken form. Danish Quick Facts Alternate Names & Spellings: Dansk, Central Danish, Sjaelland Language Family: Indo-European, Germanic, North, East Scandinavian, Danish-Swedish, Danish-Riksmal Spoken by Approximately 5,300,000 people Also Spoken In: United States Learn About Other Languages Spanish (Latin America)

<urn:uuid:607520dd-3cd2-4db8-857c-01c1fc7214fd>

A pregnant woman’s body goes through many changes throughout the pregnancy. The physical and emotional changes may have an impact on how she feels about herself, her family, and her everyday life. Due to this, she may experience depression during pregnancy. The chances of developing depression are higher for first-time mothers, teenage mothers, single mothers and women who have experienced gender-based violence. It is important to recognize depression and get help. Without treatment, depression can cause complications during and after your pregnancy. In this article, we will look at the causes of depression during pregnancy, how to manage it and how to prevent it. We have also included information on how to get help for depression during pregnancy. Do all pregnant women suffer from depression? Not all women will develop depression during pregnancy, everyone is different, but it is more common than you might expect. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), two out of every ten pregnant women experience significant changes in mood and anxiety during pregnancy. Many people have milder symptoms of poor mental health. These conditions can last up to a year after giving birth or terminating a pregnancy. Why should pregnant women be concerned about their mental health? According to medical experts, the symptoms and disorders that are likely to appear when a woman becomes pregnant such as severe anxiety, mood swings, loss of appetite, and guilt can cause long-lasting harm to mothers, babies, and families if not addressed properly. Pregnant women who experience depression might not have the energy to take care of themselves, including going for ante-natal clinics, eating healthy foods, and exercising. Depression can also get in the way of you bonding with your unborn baby There are health facilities inside and outside the refugee camps that treat depression during pregnancy and after childbirth. What factors contribute to depression during pregnancy? According to American Psychiatric Association, depression is a mental illness that negatively affects how one feels, thinks, and acts. It is characterized by feelings of sadness and/or a loss of interest in previously enjoyed for more than a period of 2 weeks. During pregnancy, women’s bodies undergo biological changes, including changes in hormones. These changes can influence brain chemicals and contribute to a pregnant woman getting depression and anxiety. A woman with a personal or family history of depression, is more likely to develop it during pregnancy. The following are some internal and external factors that may contribute to depression in pregnant women. - An unexpected pregnancy and feeling ashamed or guilty about it - A history of depression during pregnancy, either in the family or for the mother, during past pregnancies - Losing other pregnancies before the current pregnancy, either through miscarriages or during delivery. - Being inadequately prepared to receive and care for the baby - History of chronic illness during pregnancy, e.g., Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Tuberculosis. - Relationship issues resulting in divorce and separation during pregnancy - Previous history of having stillbirths or delivery of children with congenital disorders such as Down’s Syndrome, club foot, cleft palate, and cerebral palsy, among others - Teenage pregnancies – young women and girls who get pregnant often face challenges such as stigmatization, forced marriage, and rejection by their families. Some due to cultural issues might be seen as outcasts. All these might result in them feeling hopeless and hating themselves. - If the pregnancy was caused by sexual abuse. - Where a pregnancy resulted in a job loss - Fear of giving birth because of potential pregnancy and delivery complications External factors that contribute to pregnancy depression and anxiety - Relationship or marital issues, including being in a strained relationship, having an unsupportive partner, or having a difficult relationship with in-laws or separation - Domestic violence such as being violently abused by a partner including any behaviors that frighten, intimidate, terrorize, manipulate, hurt, humiliate, blame, injure, or wound pregnant women. - Having social phobia, which is the fear of being scrutinized or judged while performing a task in the public - Financial constraints in the family - Natural or man-made disasters such as wars and floods during pregnancy - Lack of social support, or having few family members and friends who can be there for you in time of need - Loss of a loved one while pregnant Symptoms of depression and anxiety during pregnancy A pregnant woman may experience or show the following symptoms of depression and anxiety: - Spending time away from people, including family members - Inability to sleep (insomnia) or sleeping too much - Mood changes such as intense irritability and anger, severe anxiety, guilt, hopelessness, reduced or lack of interest and pleasure in previously enjoyed activities, severe mood swings, and panic attacks - Excessive fatigue or energy loss - Weight gain or weight loss - Concerns that they will not be a good mother, and thoughts of terminating the pregnancy. - Increased episodes of sickness and hospitalization - Self-neglect- neglecting basic hygiene tasks such as brushing teeth, combing their hair, and showering. - Smoking, drinking alcohol or using harmful drugs such as marijuana. Graphic 1: Some common signs of depression in pregnancy [Source: Julisha.Info] What to do if you are depressed during your pregnancy Get plenty of rest. Sleep is necessary for both physical and mental recovery. In addition to resting, also do the following: - Accepting that you are depressed is an important step to overcoming it. - Speak with someone about what you are going through and seek help. It can be a family member, a partner, a friend or a professional (counsellor, healthcare provider) - To avoid being alone or isolating yourself, engage in physical interactions with others - Take care of your health and nutrition - eat healthy and satisfying meals, drink plenty of water and talk walks - Attend antenatal and post-natal clinics What support is there for women who experience depression during their pregnancy? In addition to maternity health support from a hospital or maternity clinic, family members or trusted people close to the pregnant mother should help her in overcoming depression. They have a role to play in ensuring the mother and the baby’s safety. Family members can help in the following ways: - Help with household tasks to allow the mother more time to rest when she is pregnant - Talk to her instead of criticizing her to help her accept what she cannot change - Remind her to visit the Antenatal clinic (ANC) - Ensure she eats a balanced diet, sleeps well, and gets enough rest - Help her with getting items from the shops or market - Allow her to cry or vent without judging her when she is feeling down - Support her throughout the pregnancy - Keep an eye on her in case she requires counseling - Connect her with a mental health specialist. Graphic 2: Helpful tips for pregnant women to handle depression pregnancy [Source: Julisha.Info] Where to get help [The contact details below focus on serving refugees in different camps in Kenya. Please contact your nearby hospital if you are not in refugee camps.] If you feel you might be experiencing depression or anxiety during your pregnancy you can reach out to the following organizations, discuss how you feel with them and work out the next steps. |Danish Refugee Council (DRC)||PCEA Eastleigh Church||Phone: Toll-free number 0800720309 to book an appointment.| |Refugee Consortium of Kenya (RCK)||Haki House, Ndemi Road.||For counseling support – Call 0716391412 or 0703820361| |National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK)||Jumuia Place, Lenana Road||Phone: 0704873342| Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society (HIAS) Kenya 1. Eastleigh Office 2. Kayole Office 3. Kawangware Office Health and Social Economic Development (HESED) Africa |Eastleigh Section 3 Biafra|| |AIC Health Ministries|| Nalemsekon Dispensary: 0702637769Naregae Dispensary 0745330015 |International Rescue Committee (IRC)|| Kaapoka Health Centre (Main Hospital) - Kakuma 1 Lochangamor Dispensary (Clinic 4) - Kakuma 1 Hong-Kong Dispensary (Clinic 2) - Kakuma 1 Nationokor Dispensary (Clinic 6) - Kakuma 3 Ammusait (General Hospital)- Kakuma 4 IRC Mental Health Helpline:0792067135 |Danish Refugee Council (DRC)||DRC Helpline: 0800720414| |Kenya Red Cross Society (KRCS)||Ifo Refugee Camp||Phone: 0701494904| |International Rescue Committee (IRC)||Hagadera Refugee Camp||Phone: 0704600513| |Doctors Without Borders (MSF)||Dagahaley Refugee Camp|| If you have any questions, please write to us via the Julisha.Info Facebook page, or chat with us on WhatsApp (+254110601820) Monday through Friday from 08:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

<urn:uuid:dbb40d11-cea6-47b3-9be1-455135f7701a>

or Fie! An exclamation indicating that what is reproved is dirty or indecent. The dung of many animals, as the boar, wolf, fox, marten, and badger, is called fiants, and the “orificium anale” is called a fi, a word still used in Lincolnshire. (Anglo-Norman, fay, to clean out; Saxon, afylan, to foul: our defile or file, to make foul; filth, etc.) The old words, fie-corn (dross corn), fi-lands (unenclosed lands), fi-mashings (the dung of any wild beast), etc., are compounds of the same word. “I had another process against the dungfarmer, Master Fifl.” — Source: Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, E. Cobham Brewer, 1894 More on Fi from Fact Monster:

<urn:uuid:e220751a-0c5f-4b98-b185-29c6ff4d8b3a>

What they don’t say in this report is that tap water is full of chemicals like fluoride. Google fluoride conspiracy… Environmental groups have for years claimed that bottled water is less safe than tap water — and now the federal government has stepped in to say that’s true. Food and Drug Administration safety and consumer protections that apply to bottled water often are less stringent than comparable Environmental Protection Agency regulations for tap water, the Government Accountability Office found. In a new report, the GAO says “state requirements to safeguard bottled water often exceed FDA’s, but still are often less comprehensive than state requirements to safeguard tap water.” Not only is it disturbing that the FDA’s standards apparently are low regarding consumer safety of bottled water, but also that consumption has skyrocketed. Over the past decade, per-capita consumption of bottled water in the U.S. has more than doubled. Reports estimate that use equates to 200 bottles per year, per person. And, as the GAO points out, with this increase have come several concerns in recent years about the safety, quality and environmental impacts of bottled water. Those concerns now obviously are borne out.

<urn:uuid:e075fc1d-50c3-4cf0-9791-77e54ff3b479>

Benedetto Croce and Italian Fascism Benedetto Croce and Italian Fascism provides a unique analysis of the political life of the major Italian philosopher and literary figure Benedetto Croce (1866-1952). Relying on a range of resources rarely used before in Croce studies – including police documents, archival materials, and the private edition of Croce's diaries, the Taccuini, published in recent years – Fabio Rizi paints an evocative picture of Croce in the fascist era. Rizi reconsiders Croce's contribution to the struggle against fascism, and demonstrates that Croce's anti-fascist resistance was not passive, as most critics have argued, but rather active in both the political and cultural arenas. Throughout the book, he shows the interplay between Croce's intellectual activity and the political events of the time. His extensive research reveals Croce's own close contact with the key players of the underground movements, and the fact that the fascist authorities regarded Croce as an enemy of the regime. Tracing Croce's life from his birth in 1866 to his death in 1952, this elegant biography sustains a consistent scope throughout: to clarify former misunderstandings and to better appreciate Croce's contributions to the cause of freedom. Well-documented and well-written, Benedetto Croce and Italian Fascism offers a critical and engaging contribution to Croce studies. - World Rights - Page Count: 333 pages - Dimensions: 6.0in x 0.7in x 9.0in Author InformationFabio Fernando Rizi was born in Italy and received his Ph.D. from York University. He was President of the Dante Society of Toronto for several years, and worked for the Toronto Public Library until his retirement. His first book, Benedetto Croce and Italian Fascism, is also published by University of Toronto Press PrizesHelen and Howard R. Marraro Prize - Winner in 2003 Subjects and Courses

<urn:uuid:ffa00788-cf2d-4935-9022-b052aec100dc>

Is the Commute Making You Sick? Commutes can be hard on your body, is yours have a negative impact? The average commute for Americans is 26 minutes to and from work each day, adding up to 200 hours per year. For some, a commute can be over an hour each direction in highly populated cities such as New York. Whether you’re traveling by car, bus, train, or subway, research has found that stressful commutes are associated with a wide range of health problems that impact us physically and mentally: - Increased blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar from traveling and long days. Solution: Ask your boss to work from home at lease one day a week, or consider working four longer days, with a three-day weekend. - Weight gain due to increased snacking, eating on the go, and more time spent sitting down. Solution: Get up from your desk every hour, stretch, and move around. Take healthy snacks to work, and take a walk on your lunch hour. - Higher risk of anxiety and depression and a lack of sleep due to elevated stress levels. Solution: Ensure you get sufficient breaks, and adequate rest (at least 8 hours of sleep per night), and try to lift your mood by exercising regularly. - Increase in colds and viruses from traveling in close proximity to other people on trains, buses, and subways. Solution: Keep sanitizing wipes in your pocket and be sure to wash your hands regularly. Drink lots of water, which can help detoxify the body. - More aches and pains, especially in the back and neck areas. Solution: Try stretches designed specifically for desk jobs. There is a handy website with videos like “best stretches for office workers.” Tired of your commute? Check out these homes for sale! Sorry we are experiencing system issues. Please try again.

<urn:uuid:d56b4bd2-9680-472e-956c-9fa7d861f010>

The use of alcohol to address acute pain has a long history. Watch a couple of old Westerns on television and you are bound to see a character cope with a snake bite or a bullet wound by taking a swig of whiskey. The fact is that alcohol is readily available, and effective pain medication sometimes is not. Unfortunately, people tend to try to medicate chronic pain with alcohol as well, and this can be extremely dangerous. An estimated 25 to 28% of people use alcohol to alleviate pain, whether it is the acute pain of an abscessed tooth or chronic pain from arthritis or an injury. Why People Self-Medicate Pain with Alcohol One reason people often self-medicate pain with alcohol, aside from the fact that it is so easy to obtain, is that they see alcohol as also a way to manage stress, and chronic pain and stress frequently go together. Though alcohol does not have any direct pain-relieving properties, it can affect the central nervous system in such a way that pain is not perceived to be as bad. Drinking enough alcohol to “relieve pain” can mean drinking to the point of blackout, and this is an exceptionally unhealthy way to deal with pain, whether acute or chronic. Dangers of Combining Pain Medications and Alcohol Many over-the-counter and prescription medications carry warnings not to take drugs with alcohol. In fact, alcohol can interact badly with a number of medications. For example, drinking alcohol while taking acetaminophen (Tylenol) raises the risk of possibly deadly liver failure. Drinking alcohol while taking aspirin increases a person’s risk of gastric bleeding. Mixing alcohol with benzodiazepines is also dangerous because alcohol has an “agonist-like” effect (in that it initiates a physiological response) when paired with benzos like Xanax. Pairing the two increases risk of cardiac or respiratory problems, as well as increasing the risk of alcohol poisoning. The combination of alcohol and opioid painkillers can be deadly, with alcohol increasing the risk of serious respiratory depression with opioids. These risks are higher in older people. In other words, the warning labels on prescription painkiller bottles to avoid alcohol are far more than mere suggestions; they can be life-saving. Chronic Drinking Ultimately Makes Pain Worse Alcohol use, which is not that good at addressing chronic pain anyway, ultimately makes the pain worse. When a person withdraws from chronic alcohol use, pain sensitivity is often increased. Sadly, this can motivate some to continue drinking or to drink even more. Additionally, prolonged, excess consumption of alcohol can actually cause small fiber peripheral neuropathy. This type of neuropathy causes symptoms like pain, tingling, “pins and needles” sensations in the extremities, or altered sensations, especially in the feet. Whatever short-term relief from pain alcohol may provide (at least at first), it is far outweighed by more pain over the long term. Effectively and Safely Addressing Chronic Pain With the opioid epidemic in America, and the dangers of trying to address pain with alcohol (including the danger or serious alcohol addiction), how is a person expected to deal with chronic pain? There is no single correct answer. A recent study found that increasing the dosage and duration of opioids for chronic pain was associated with worse outcomes. The National Institutes of Health and the Institute of Medicine have called for more evidence-based behavioral strategies for managing chronic pain. Cognitive behavioral therapy is of particular interest, as well as mindfulness meditation, which can increase tolerance of pain and reduce perceived pain intensity. Effective long-term pain relief requires the help of both physicians and behavioral health specialists rather than just one or the other. Of course, patient commitment is essential. There are countless reasons why alcohol use is an ineffective and dangerous approach to coping with chronic pain. Alcohol addiction can result, while pain ultimately fails to get better. A comprehensive approach to the treatment of alcohol addiction, which considers chronic conditions like chronic pain, is necessary for effective treatment of both. The input of medical professionals and behavioral experts in a therapeutic, compassionate environment is essential to developing a personalized, long-term plan for recovery from alcohol addiction and effective strategies to address pain. If you are struggling with alcohol addiction, with or without chronic pain, we encourage you to contact us at any time. Reaching out is the first step to recovery. Hovaguimian, Alexandra, and Christopher H Gibbons. “Diagnosis and Treatment of Pain in Small-Fiber Neuropathy.” Current Pain and Headache Reports, U.S. National Library of Medicine, June 2011, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3086960/. MI., Linnoila. “Benzodiazepines and Alcohol.” Journal of Psychiatric Research, U.S. National Library of Medicine, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/1980691/. Morasco, Benjamin, et al. “Higher Prescription Opioid Dose Is Associated With Worse Patient-Reported Pain Outcomes and More Health Care Utilization.” The Journal of Pain, U.S. Association for the Study of Pain, 17 Dec. 2016, www.jpain.org/article/S1526-5900(16)30356-X/abstract. Odell, Rochelle. “Do You Use Alcohol to Relieve Chronic Pain?” Pain News Network, Pain News Network, 29 July 2017, www.painnewsnetwork.org/stories/2017/7/29/do-you-use-alcohol-to-relieve-chronic-pain. Medical Disclaimer: The Recovery Village aims to improve the quality of life for people struggling with a substance use or mental health disorder with fact-based content about the nature of behavioral health conditions, treatment options and their related outcomes. We publish material that is researched, cited, edited and reviewed by licensed medical professionals. The information we provide is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. It should not be used in place of the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider.

<urn:uuid:1447b88e-9259-4e3c-8f84-e924f709610d>

Bronze Statue of Andrew Curtin - Gettysburg, PA N 39° 48.451 W 077° 14.114 18S E 308657 N 4408784 Quick Description: This beautiful, heroic-sized statue is one of 8 statues of historic Civil War figures featured at the Pennsylvania State Memorial. It stands in a niche especially designed for it at the front entrance, west side, to the right of the stairs. Location: Pennsylvania, United States Date Posted: 7/26/2011 8:51:28 AM Waymark Code: WMC51T The Pennsylvania Memorial, in the center of a triangular lawn at Pleasonton and Hancock Aves., is the largest monument on the battlefield. A four-arched, granite structure, it was erected in 1910 to honor the 34,530 Pennsylvanians who participated in the battle. Bronze statues of Lincoln, structure, it was erected in 1910 to honor the 34,530 Pennsylvanians who participated in the battle. Curtin, and Pennsylvania generals adorn the sides of the monument; bronze plates bearing names of all the officers and enlisted men encircle the base. --- Pennsylvania: A Guide to the Keystone State, 1940; page 232, 234 This standing portrait of Andrew Curtin is one of eight bronze sculptures installed in the niches that flank the four archways of the massive granite Pennsylvania State Memorial. The Pennsylvania State Memorial and the Curtin statue are located on Hancock Avenue. Construction on the memorial began in the summer of 1909. However, at the time of the dedication on Sept. 27, 1910, the eight portrait statues Cottrell (architect W. Liance Cottrell was selected amongst artists who submitted designs) envisioned for the niches on either side of each archway were missing due to the lack of funds. In the year following the dedication, an additional $40,000 as appropriated to create the statues, and the Van Amringe Granite Company as given the contract. The statues were cast at the Gorham Manufacturing Company and were installed in April of 1913. The artists involved in this massive undertaking were: Schweizer, J. Otto, 1863-1955, sculptor, Cottrell, W. Liance, architect, Harrison Granite Company, fabricator, Van Amringe Granite Company, fabricator, Gorham Manufacturing Company, founder. The sculpture is about eight feet tall and of course is of bronze. The statue can be described as Curtin standing erect or at attention as though he is listening to the Lincoln Address at the dedication cemetery for the National Cemetery in November of 1863, his right hand is clutching some kind of cloth or handkerchief. Look at the real life picture of Curtin HERE and you will see the same thing in his same hand. Perhaps this picture was the model for the statue? Perhaps the Lincoln address has moved the PA governor to tears. He actually sat on the platform with Lincoln for his address. Curtin is wearing a long jacket or overcoat with three buttons just like the Lincoln statue. He wears what appears to be a full suit as well. A nice touch is the clothing has wrinkles and creases looking like the real thing, just like the Lincoln statue. From the SIRIS site: In 1907, $150,000 was appropriated to erect a suitable memorial to honor all Pennsylvanians who participated in the battle at Gettysburg. The design submitted by architect W. Liance Cottrell was selected and the Harrison Granite Company was chosen to execute the design. Construction on the memorial began in the summer of 1909. However, at the time of the dedication on Sept. 27, 1910, the eight portrait statues Cottrell envisioned for the niches on either side of each archway were missing due to the lack of funds. In the year following the dedication, an additional $40,000 as appropriated to create the statues, and the Van Amringe Granite Company as given the contract. The statues were cast at the Gorham Manufacturing Company and were installed in April of 1913. The total cost for the memorial was $200,000. The statue of Abraham Lincoln is the only one of the eight that depicts a non-Pennsylvanian. SOURCE Andrew Gregg Curtin (April 22, 1817 – October 7, 1894) was a U.S. lawyer and politician. He served as the 15th Governor of Pennsylvania during the American Civil War. Curtin was very active during the Gettysburg Campaign, working with Major General Darius N. Couch and Major Granville O. Haller to delay Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia and prevent it from crossing the Susquehanna River. Major General George G. Meade, a Pennsylvania officer whom Curtin had recommended for brigadier general and command of one of the Pennsylvania reserve brigades in 1861, defeated Lee in the Battle of Gettysburg. After the Battle of Gettysburg, Governor Curtin was the principal force behind the establishment of the National Cemetery there. Through his agent, David Wills, Curtin procured the attendance of President Abraham Lincoln at the dedication of the cemetery. Governor Curtin was sitting with Lincoln on the platform on November 19, 1863, when Lincoln delivered his Gettysburg Address. SOURCE

<urn:uuid:8bfc1597-79e0-4e43-8443-831734772520>

Learning Resources® Super Magnet Lab Kit, Pre-K To Grade 5, Set Of 224 Pieces Item # 727424 Thank you, you will now be redirected to comparisons. Just a moment while we prepare the page Check In-Store Availability Hands-on learning helps make exploring science fun - 224-piece kit includes 100 magnetic chips, 100 magnetic paper clips, 10 marbles, 7 magnetic wands, 2 metal ring magnets, 2 mini metal horseshoe magnets, one 5" plastic horseshoe magnet, 2 metal bar magnets, a teacher's guide and a storage box. - Kit is designed to offer a hands-on learning experience for up to 25 students. - Designed for students in pre-k to grade 5. |age recommendation||4 - 10 years| |brand name||Learning Resources| |grade||pre-k; kindergarten; 1st grade; 2nd grade; 3rd grade; 4th grade; 5th grade| |size||9"H x 5 3/4"W x 3 1/4"D|

<urn:uuid:704c76c1-ae40-41bc-8a31-1f29b56cb490>

Computer avatars play a part in dementia detection Diagnosis of dementia is made via cognitive function tests such as the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and medical imaging systems at hospitals, a fairly large system for the purpose. As the population ages, an increasing number of people are developing dementia. Thus, easy-to-use dementia detection tests are sought after. In previous studies, diagnoses were made mainly using neuropsychological questions, so habituation to the same questions lowered performance in detecting dementia. A joint group of researchers from Osaka University and Nara Institute of Science and Technology demonstrated that it was possible to detect dementia from conversations in human-agent interaction. This technique has been realized through machine-learning: a machine learns characteristics of sounds of elderly people who answered easy questions from avatars on a computer. The researchers proposed machine learning algorithms for detecting signs of dementia in its early stages, developing a dementia detection system using interactive computer avatars. They created a model for machine learning based on features of speech, language, and faces from recorded dialogues with elderly participants. Through machine learning, a computer came to able to distinguish individuals with dementia from healthy controls at a rate of 90 percent in 6 questions (2-3 minutes per question). The team prepared fixed questions based on neuropsychological tests and random questions not based on specific tests, recording interactive data of spoken dialogues with avatars from 12 participants (individuals diagnosed with dementia by a psychiatrist according to the diagnosis criteria Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM)-IV) and 12 healthy controls. They extracted speech, language, and image features from the recorded data, creating a model for detecting dementia and enabling a computer to learn for itself to detect dementia. As a result, the computer was able to distinguish between healthy controls and individuals with dementia with an accuracy of 92%. It was found that dementia could be distinguished with high accuracy by combining features of dementia, such as delay in response to questions from avatars depending on the content of questions, intonation, articulation rate of the voice, and the percentage of nouns and verbs in utterance. Source: Read Full Article

<urn:uuid:6b42a8ec-a4a8-4183-a3a5-26b47b801ff6>

The 'Requirement Diagram' supports two unique diagram constructs: a 'Requirement' and an 'Entity.' This construct is used to represent a physical or functional capability necessary of the system being modeled. In the system model, a Requirement entity is used to represent a 'Requirement' construct. Innoslate's default database schema includes labels to specify the type of this Requirement entity as a(n) Environmental Requirement, Functional Requirement, Interface Requirement, Performance Requirement, Reliability Requirement, Safety Requirement and/or Verification Requirement. In the diagram, this construct is represented as a rounded block with two sections. The top section which contains the name of the 'Requirement' and the bottom section contains the identifier, text and rationale of the 'Requirement.' EntityIn the system model, an entity of any schema-based class can be used in the 'Requirement Diagram.' The purpose of this ability is to derive relationships between the entity and the 'Requirement' constructs. In the diagram, this construct is represented as a rounded block which contains the name of the entity.

<urn:uuid:fd7416c0-75ee-418c-bb48-66900880a45e>

Light from tiny galaxies more than 13 billion years ago played a larger role than previously thought in creating the conditions in the universe as we know it today, according to a new study by researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology and the San Diego Supercomputer Center (SDSC) at the University of California, San Diego. Ultraviolet (UV) light from stars in these faint dwarf galaxies helped strip interstellar hydrogen of electrons in a process called reionization, researchers said in a paper published this week in the journal Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. The epoch of reionization began about 200 million years after the Big Bang and astrophysicists agree that it took about 800 million more years for the entire universe to become reionized. It marked the last major phase transition of gas in the universe, and it remains ionized today. A view of the entire simulation volume that shows the large scale structure of the gas distribution in filaments and clumps. The red regions are heated by stellar UV light coming from the galaxies, highlighted in white. These galaxies are over 1000 times less massive than the Milky Way and contributed nearly one-third of the UV light during reionization. The field of view of this image is 400,000 light years across, when the universe was only 700 million years old. John Wise, Georgia Institute of Technology. Astrophysicists aren’t in agreement when it comes to determining which type of galaxies played major roles in this epoch. Most have focused on larger, more luminous galaxies. However, this latest research, based on computer simulations, indicates scientists should also focus on the smallest ones. Specifically, these new simulations show that these tiny galaxies – despite being 1000 times smaller in mass and 30 times smaller in size than the Milky Way – contributed nearly 30 percent of the UV light during this process. Reionization experts often ignored these dwarf galaxies because they didn’t think they formed stars. It was assumed that UV light from nearby galaxies was too strong and suppressed these tiny neighbors. “It turns out they did form stars, usually in one burst, around 500 million years after the Big Bang,” said John H. Wise, a Georgia Tech assistant professor in the School of Physics who led the study. “The galaxies were small, but so plentiful that they contributed a significant fraction of UV light in the reionization process.” The team’s simulations modeled the flow of UV stellar light through the gas within galaxies as they formed. They found that the fraction of ionizing photons escaping into intergalactic space was 50 percent in small (more than 10 million solar masses) halos, or spheroidal collections of dark matter which is the site of galaxy formation. It was only 5 percent in larger halos (300 million solar masses). This elevated fraction, combined with their high abundance, is exactly the reason why the faintest galaxies play an integral role during reionization. “It’s very hard for UV light to escape galaxies because of the dense gas that fills them,” said Wise. “In small galaxies, there’s less gas between stars, making it easier for UV light to escape because it isn’t absorbed as quickly. Plus, supernova explosions can open up channels more easily in these tiny galaxies in which UV light can escape.” The team’s simulation results provide a gradual timeline that tracks the progress of reionization over hundreds of millions of years. About 300 million years after the Big Bang, the universe was 20 percent ionized. It was 50 percent at 550 million years. The universe was fully ionized at 860 million years after its creation. “That such small galaxies could contribute so much to reionization is a real surprise,” said Michael Norman, distinguished professor of physics at UC San Diego and one of the co-authors of the paper. “Once again, the supercomputer is teaching us something new and unexpected, something that will need to be factored into future studies of reionization,” said Norman, who also is the director of SDSC, an Organized Research Unit of UC San Diego. The term ‘reionized’ is used because the universe was ionized immediately after the fiery Big Bang. During that time, ordinary matter consisted mostly of hydrogen atoms with positively charged protons stripped of their negatively charged electrons. Eventually, the universe cooled enough for electrons and protons to combine and form neutral hydrogen. They didn’t give off any optical or UV light. Without the light, astrophysicists aren’t able to see traces of how the cosmos evolved during these Dark Ages using conventional telescopes. The light returned when reionization began, allowing experts such as Wise to pinpoint the youngest galaxies and study their features. The research team expects to learn more about these faint galaxies when the next generation of telescopes is operational. For example, NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope, scheduled to launch in 2018, will be able to see them. In addition to Wise and Norman, the research team included Vasiliy G. Demchenko and Martin T. Halicek (Center for Relativistic Astrophysics, Georgia Institute of Technology); Matthew J. Turk (Department of Astronomy, Columbia University); Tom Abel (Kavli Institute for Particle Astrophysics and Cosmology, Stanford University); and Britton D. Smith (Institute of Astronomy, University of Edinburgh). The research was supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF) under award numbers AST 1211626, AST 1333360, and AST 1109243. Jan Zverina | Eurek Alert! Introducing the disposable laser 04.05.2016 | American Institute of Physics New fabrication and thermo-optical tuning of whispering gallery microlasers 04.05.2016 | Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST) Graduate University Using an ultra fast-scanning atomic force microscope, a team of researchers from the University of Basel has filmed “living” nuclear pore complexes at work for the first time. Nuclear pores are molecular machines that control the traffic entering or exiting the cell nucleus. In their article published in Nature Nanotechnology, the researchers explain how the passage of unwanted molecules is prevented by rapidly moving molecular “tentacles” inside the pore. Using high-speed AFM, Roderick Lim, Argovia Professor at the Biozentrum and the Swiss Nanoscience Institute of the University of Basel, has not only directly... If a person pushes a broken-down car alone, there is a certain effect. If another person helps, the result is the sum of their efforts. If two micro-particles are pushing another microparticle, however, the resulting effect may not necessarily be the sum their efforts. A recent study published in Nature Communications, measured this odd effect that scientists call “many body.” In the microscopic world, where the modern miniaturized machines at the new frontiers of technology operate, as long as we are in the presence of two... Researchers from the Max Planck Institute Stuttgart have developed self-propelled tiny ‘microbots’ that can remove lead or organic pollution from contaminated water. Working with colleagues in Barcelona and Singapore, Samuel Sánchez’s group used graphene oxide to make their microscale motors, which are able to adsorb lead... Neutron scattering and computational modeling have revealed unique and unexpected behavior of water molecules under extreme confinement that is unmatched by any known gas, liquid or solid states. In a paper published in Physical Review Letters, researchers at the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory describe a new tunneling state of... Honeycomb structures as the basic building block for industrial applications presented using holo pyramid Researchers of the Alfred Wegener Institute (AWI) will introduce their latest developments in the field of bionic lightweight design at Hannover Messe from 25... 27.04.2016 | Event News 15.04.2016 | Event News 12.04.2016 | Event News 04.05.2016 | Physics and Astronomy 04.05.2016 | Physics and Astronomy 04.05.2016 | Materials Sciences

<urn:uuid:9980be90-df18-4b10-8459-d7909900857c>

Top 10 UDL Tips for Assessment In CAST’s Universal Design for Learning: Theory and Practice, assessment is defined as “the process of gathering information about a learner’s performance to make educational decisions” (Salvia & Ysseldyke, 2009). Universal Design for Learning (UDL) encourages “assessment by design,” but what does that mean specifically for educators? How can you use the UDL framework to design and reflect on assessments? Click on a tip below to get more information about it. 10. Build communities of practice that support curricular modifications from assessment data 9. Reflect on summative assessments for future lesson design 8. Involve learners in their learning progress through assessment data 7. Use and share rubrics to clarify expectations 6. Support learner variability through flexible assessments using UDL Guidelines 5. Eliminate unnecessary barriers in assessments 4. Include frequent formative assessments Formative assessments are ongoing and frequent ways to measure learners’ progress toward the targeted learning goal. Data from formative assessments should influence instructional decisions. Examples of formative assessments might include reflection questions on exit tickets, “do now” questions, portfolio collections, journal entries, or quick polls with individual whiteboards or Plickers. Formative assessments can be used to determine which learning environments are effectively supporting learners towards achieving the intended goals. Ask yourself: • How do I use information from formative assessments to adjust future instruction? • If my learners are not achieving the intended goal, how will I redesign my instruction? 3. Assess engagement as well as content knowledge Assessing student engagement in the learning process can support metacognitive reflection about students’ own learning. Engagement is essential for the learning process, so learning how to use resources strategically towards given demands in a task can encourage resourceful, goal-driven, purposeful learning. Consider a resource such as the Mood Meter to build vocabulary and reflection around emotion and engagement. Ask yourself: • How have I assessed student engagement during the learning process? • What strategies or supports helped a learner persist through a challenge to engage in the learning?

<urn:uuid:4783681f-207f-4a89-91b4-329c4c03fd6a>

Scala Turns Ten Today Ten years ago today, Michel Schinz announced the first implementation of the Scala programming language. When announced, it was describe as "a language that smoothly integrates object-oriented and functional programming" and which "is designed to express common programming patterns in a concise, elegant and type-safe way." The original announcement reads: We'd like to announce availability of the first implementation of the Scala programming language. Scala smoothly integrates object-oriented and functional programming. It is designed to express common programming patterns in a concise, elegant, and type-safe way. Scala introduces several innovative language constructs. For instance: - Abstract types and mixin composition unify ideas from object and module systems. - Pattern matching over class hierarchies unifies functional and object-oriented data access. It greatly simplifies the processing of XML trees. - A flexible syntax and type system enables the construction of advanced libraries and new domain specific languages. At the same time, Scala is compatible with Java. Java libraries and frameworks can be used without glue code or additional declarations. The current implementation of Scala runs on Java VM. It requires JDK 1.4 and can run on Windows, MacOS, Linux, Solaris, and most other operating systems. A .net version of Scala is currently under development. Although the .net version is no longer being maintained, the goal was to provide a common language that would run on both VMs and allow portability between operating systems. However, advances in the JVM's JiT and an increasing dependence on the Java bytecode meant that the .net version was discontinued when Scala 2.10 was released. Scala has brought functional programming to mainstream JVM languages, and directly stimulated Java 8's upcoming inclusion of lambdas (often incorrectly called closures) and default methods for interfaces. Both of these have been available in Scala since the early days via functions and traits, and their acceptance provided new ways of programming in more concise and testable ways. With Scala's success came its complexity, as the language features can be used for both great and poor readability. By allowing any Unicode identifiers to be used as method names and functions (including symbolics) the standard Scala library has grown to include emoticons functions such as :\ amongst others. Scala's trade-off is to improve writeability at the potential cost of its readability. Finally, Scala still sees itself as a research language, trying out new features and deprecating older functionality (such as the original Actors package, which brought it fame similar to Go's coroutines). The generated bytecode varies from release to release, which means there is limited open-source projects compiled for anything but the current release of Scala, and although 2.10 has been available for over a year, the transition between major Scala releases is often a painful one. With this year's release of Java 8 bringing a subset of Scala features to the JVM it will be interesting to see what Scala adds next. Binary compatibility would bring stability to the language but seems as far off now as it did almost a decade ago, but time will tell. Where do you think Scala will go in the next ten years?

<urn:uuid:a0ae0186-6846-476e-a1c5-7996a1df3c92>

If you’ve been staying on top of natural health trends, you may have heard of black seed oil. This multipurpose oil has a time-tested reputation for treating many health issues and ailments. Black seed hails from Nigella sativa, a flowering shrub that grows abundantly in the Middle East, Eastern Europe, and parts of Asia. The seeds are a traditional Middle Eastern spice used in a range of recipes, including bread and salads. The tiny black seeds can also be pressed to extract their liquid fat. The history of black seed oil For more than 3,000 years, black cumin seeds and their oil have been used for cosmetic, medicinal, and culinary applications. They were applied as herbal remedies, used as recipe ingredients and condiments, and prescribed as treatments for aches and topical irritations, including bites, sores, inflammation, and rashes. According to historical sources, it is believed that Black Cumin Seed Oil was first used by the Assyrians of ancient Egypt, where it came to be used by renowned royal figures, such as Cleopatra and Nefertiti, who used it in their skincare routines, beautifying baths, and medicinal applications. In Northern Africa, it has been used traditionally for thousands of years to treat headaches, asthma, bronchitis, rheumatism, fever, cough, influenza, and eczema. In Ayurvedic medicine, Black Cumin Seed Oil has been used in a wide range of applications, mainly for its stimulating, warming, and tonic properties, as well as for its uplifting effect on the mood. Greek physicians in the 1st century used Black Cumin Seeds to address toothaches, headaches, nasal congestion, and intestinal worms. Many of these ancient uses have been proven by modern science, thanks to studies that have analyzed the properties of black seed oil. So how exactly does this wonder remedy work? How black seed oil works Many active components have been isolated from black cumin seed, including thymoquinone, thymohydroquinone, dithymoquinone, thymol, carvacrol, nigellimine-N-oxide, nigellicine, nigellidine, and alpha-hederin. These unique compounds are believed to act on bodily systems to create a myriad of health benefits. In particular, thymoquinone has been extensively studied and shown to possess pain-fighting and anti-inflammatory effects. Here is a brief list of some of the most amazing benefits you can get from black seed oil. Black Seed Oil Benefits Black seed oil fights cancer & shrinks tumors The crude oil and thymoquinone extracted from black cumin seeds have been found to be effective against many types of cancer, including leukemia, lung, kidney, liver, prostate, breast, cervix, and skin cancer. Studies show that black cumin seed treatment is well tolerated and generally safe. The molecular mechanisms behind this anticancer activity are still not clearly understood; however, some studies have revealed that thymoquinone induces cancer cell death and activates anti-cancer pathways in the body’s immune system. One study showed that thymoquinone selectively attacked brain cancer cells without damaging healthy ones. Black seed oil boosts your immune system Black seed oil is said to boost the immune system and help fight infections. The compounds in the oil have direct antibacterial and antiviral effects, and they also work to improve the function of the immune system. Black seed oil reverses the signs of aging With its historically acclaimed moisture-retaining qualities, black cumin seed oil keeps skin elastic and fights damaging free radicals that cause wrinkles and fine lines. It tames redness and soothes irritation. The anti-aging function of black cumin seed oil is likely thanks to its excellent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Black seed oil prevents diabetes Black seed oil has long been known to benefit the metabolism, and recently a scientific review reported that black seed oil might have anti-diabetic properties and improve blood sugar levels. Black seed oil is excellent for heart health & blood pressure An extract from black seed has been shown to possess heart-protective qualities, which help in curbing damages associated with heart attacks and boosting overall heart health. Several studies have demonstrated its ability to reduce harmful cholesterol, moderate inflammation, and stabilize blood pressure levels. Black seed oil enhances liver function This wonder oil can help protect other important organs too. According to a 2013 study, black seed oil may reduce liver and kidney disease complications and improve organ structures. Black seed oil relieves arthritis pain Black seed oil may aid in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, according to a study that found patients had lower blood levels of inflammatory markers and reduced swelling in their joints after one month of taking black seed oil capsules daily. How to use black seed oil Now that you know all about the benefits of black seed oil, you’re probably keen to start using it in your daily life. But what’s the best way to take this strong-smelling, bitter oil? When eaten, black seed oil has a flavor that’s reminiscent of cumin, pepper, and oregano. Its robust flavor means that most people won’t be using black seed oil as a go-to for dressing or stir-fry, but rather using it in small doses to flavor dishes from eastern cuisines. Start slow until you are used to the taste. The seeds can be used to flavor curries, pickles, and bread similarily to cumin or oregano. The recommended daily dose for black seed oil is 1 to 2 teaspoons daily. For optimal freshness and to prevent rancidity, keep your bottle of black seed oil in a dark, cool place away from heat and direct sunlight. The oil is also available in capsules making for a convenient option for those who prefer to avoid the flavor. You can also apply black seed oil topically to benefit the skin, hair, and nails. One alternative is to add the oil to massage oils, shampoos, and skin-care products. Try incorporating a small dose of black seed oil into your daily health regimen to fend off many common health concerns and diseases.

<urn:uuid:8c5fc577-772e-4bac-b63e-2f7ab0f645b1>

Your credit score plays a major role in your life, impacting your ability to rent an apartment, buy a house, get a credit card, and even how much you pay for auto insurance. These three-digit numbers, graded on a scale that resembles the SAT, have become more accessible to consumers due to recent changes in law, technology, and business. Credit scores are clearly impactful in the lives of Americans, but are they being created accurately, fairly, and with proper regulatory oversight? Is there a better way? Credit scores are built on credit reports, files kept on most Americans by several large credit reporting bureaus. What are these reports and scores made of? How accurate are they? Who ensures they are fair and accurate? On December 7, the Center on Regulation and Markets convened a group of experts to discuss these questions, following opening remarks from Rep. Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), and get to the core of the issue: Are credit scores and credit reports the right method for society to allocate credit? If so, how can they be improved? If not, what should replace them? Viewers submitted questions for speakers by emailing [email protected] or via Twitter using #CreditScore.

<urn:uuid:0eedb947-5a7d-46a1-8d7e-3ad47bc0282e>

Over the past several decades, controlling wood pellet quality for foreign and domestic residential heating markets has been very challenging. For nearly as long as there have been residential wood pellet burning appliances, there has been the knowledge that not just any pellet will yield the best performance of the appliance. Wood pellet burning appliances require fuel that is very consistent in properties such as moisture content, density, and dimensions such as length and diameter to yield well-balanced combustion for a clean and consistent burn. In addition, the pellets must be low in fines and durable to prevent the creation of fines in handling. It is also critical that ash content be as low as possible to assure ease of maintenance and that the pellets are free of contaminants that can corrode the appliance. Over the years, there have been numerous efforts to control the quality of wood pellets for residential use. In the U.S., the Pellet Fuels Institute developed its first standards in the early 1990s. Remnants of this original standard can still be seen today in the form of a guaranteed analysis block displayed on the bags of many manufacturers. This early standard provided guidance for properties such as moisture content, fines and ash. Several other countries also developed residential wood pellet standards between the late 1990s and the early 2000s. These include standards such as the Austrian Önorm, the German DIN and the Swedish Svenska standards. These early standards provided guidance for physical and chemical properties of the fuel, but they did not provide any guidance for quality management to achieve the standards and there was no enforcement of the standards. By the early 2000s it became obvious that more was needed to control the quality of the wood pellet supply for the residential heating markets. As a result, various quality management schemes have now been developed that include very robust guidance on chemical and physical properties, quality management, and third-party enforcement. The quality management schemes currently available and their primary areas of use are as follows: Established in 2002, DINplus was the first wood pellet quality scheme to enter the market. It was established by DIN Certco in Germany and gained much popularity in European heating markets. It was based on the German DIN wood pellet standards, which gave it a very regional emphasis, but has since adopted the European Union standards for wood pellets (EN 14961-2) and is now also referencing the newly developed ISO wood pellet standards (ISO 17225-2). DINplus is still used throughout Europe and Russia. The PFI Standards Program was first published in 2008 as a voluntary consensus-based program, but was revised in 2011 for use within the U.S. EPA's residential wood heating standard. The PFI Standards Program has since become the primary quality management scheme used for the domestic heating market, as it covers about half of the wood pellets produced and sold within the U.S. for home heating. To date, the adoption of this program has been largely market driven, however, with the recent prepublishing of the EPA's updated New Source Performance Standard for Residential Wood Heaters, it is anticipated that the PFI Standards Program will be much more widely adopted within the U.S. ENplus was established in 2011 as a collaborative effort by several European countries under the Pellcert project and is overseen by the European Pellet Council. ENplus is based on the European Union standard for wood pellets (EN 14961-2) and is anticipated to reference the newly developed ISO wood pellet standards (ISO 17225-2) with the next draft. ENplus is largely based on the needs of the European markets and now covers around 60 percent of the European production for residential heating. In addition, several U.S. producers have also certified to ENplus in order to sell production into the European residential heating markets. Canada has also developed a wood pellet quality scheme called CANplus. The CANplus quality scheme is essentially the same as ENplus in that wood pellet producers first certify to ENplus and then apply to the Wood Pellet Association of Canada for CANplus certification. The primary difference between ENplus and CANplus is that the CANplus quality mark makes use of the Canadian red maple leaf. In addition, both ENplus and CANplus have also been referenced in the U.S. EPA's prepublished NSPS for Residential Wood Heaters making it possible for producers that rely on these quality management schemes to also gain recognition within the U.S. markets. While controlling the quality of the residential heating wood pellet supply has been long in coming, we can finally rest assured that highly robust quality management schemes are finally in place. They have gained significant recognition within their intended markets and are now even supported by regulation, at least within the U.S. As such, all entities that operate in the wood pellet sector, both foreign and domestic can finally have a high level of confidence in the quality of fuel that will be available for their use provided they make use of the fuel produced under these various quality management schemes.

<urn:uuid:065b6820-7cfc-4c33-af05-6a93a141757d>

First published on February 05, 2006. In mammals, apart from visual photoreception (that is, image formation), there is also non-visual photoreception. The receptors of the former are the rods and cones that you all learned about in middle school. The receptors for the latter are a couple of thousand Retinal Ganglion Cells (RGCs) located in the retina in each eye. Each of these cells expresses a photopigment melanopsin (the cryptochrome challenger apparently lost the contest about a year ago after several years of frantic research by proponents of both hypotheses). The axons – nerve processes – from these cells go to and make connections in three parts of the brain. One is the brain center that controls pupillary reflex – when the light is bright the pupils constrict, while in the dark the pupils dilate. The second is the brain center involved in the control of mood. There is still a lot to work out about this center, but that is probably the place where exposure to light helps alleviate regular, i.e., non-seasonal depression. The third place where these RGCs project is the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) – the main circadian pacemaker in the mammalian circadian system. The first light of dawn perceived by the eyes tells the SCN that it is day. Likewise, at dusk, the gradual decrease in light intensity perceived by these RGCs signals to the SCN that night is about to start. Much of the work on seasonal depression (SAD) suggests that it appears in response to the changes in daylength – the photoperiod. While other aspects of the weather, e.g., brightness, temperature, etc., may modulate the response, the basic mechanism appears to be the same way other mammals time their seasonal activities, including breeding, migration, molting and hibernation. Recent studies indicate that other mammals also suffer from winter depresssion, which is triggered by long night and short days (that last link is to a really cool study – perhaps I should write a separate post just on that!). What is important to keep in mind is that total amount of received light, its intensity and quality, do not matter in photoperiodic response in mammals. What matter is the duration of the night AS PERCEIVED BY THE SCN. One can fool the SCN by, for instance mimicking a long summer day with skeleton photoperiods (a light pulse in the morning and a pulse in the afternoon) – the clock perceives only two pulses of light (a total of a couple of hours of illumination), yet interprets is as a long day. The output of the SCN, among else, is a projection to the superior cervical ganglia (SCG) in the upper neck region, which are part of the sympathetic (autonomic or vegetative) nervous system. The SCGs, in turn, project their axons onto the pineal gland where release of nor-epinephrine controls the synthesis and secretion of the pineal hormone melatonin. So, whenever the SCN ‘thinks’ it is night, the pineal secretes melatonin into the bloodstream. During the day, the SCN inhibits the secretion of melatonin. The duration of melatonin secretion is the signal for the duration of the night. This signal is then read and interpreted by other parts of the brain that trigger changes in development, morphology, physiology, reproduction and behavior in a seasonally appropriate manner. So, it is the duration of exposure to melatonin, not any direct hormonal activity of melatonin, that is the key to seasonal phenomena. Such profiles are very important for fitness (survival and reproduction) in hamsters, sheep, deer and most other mammals. Humans are not so strikingly seasonal – we breed throughout the year – but our distant ancestors certainly were. Some traces of the seasonality of our ancestors can be seen. For instance we crave different foods in different seasons, put on or lose weight seasonally, etc. The best evidence for the human seasonality is the existence of Seasonal Affective Disorder – SAD. Just like other mammals, we get slow, grouchy, and in severe cases, clinically depressed during the winter (yes, I know, there are some rare people who are opposite – depressed in summer, but they are seasonal, too, and their SAD is also due to photoperiodic time measurement). How does exposure to bright light alleviate SAD? Most humans have an inherent freerunning period (tau) of their circadian clock somewhat longer than 24 hours – around 25, actually. Thus, the two figures I drew above are idealized – very few people have profiles exactly like that. We tend to wake up some hours after dawn. We sleep indoors in relatively dark rooms, perhaps under covers, with our eyes closed. The RGCs do not perceive the first light of dawn at the time of dawn but some time afterwards. Thus, the SCN entrains to the environmental light-dark cycle with a slight delay. Most humans are mild “owls” in this respect. And even when we get up, we expose ourselves only to the relatively weak artificial light, or the dim light of a dark and dreary winter morning. In the evening, most people do not go to bed at dusk, but switch on the lights (curse you, Edison!) and go to bed much later – often around midnight. We phase-delay our clocks with our daily behaviors. Yet, the artificial light is not sufficiently intense to shut down the secretion of melatonin. What you get is something like this – an artificially lengthened night and even longer duration of the melatonin signal than what the actual duration of night warrants: By exposure to very bright light (a ‘light-box’ that you can buy online) in the morning, we phase-advance our clocks every morning, just enough to place ourselves into a more normal phase. High intensity is needed as the speed and size of phase resetting is dependent on light intensity. This way, we reduce the perceived duration of the night to what it really is (instead of the artificially lengthened night), thus alleviating some of the mood-related effects of short photoperiods. “Larks” are people whose clocks run with a period at or shorter than 24 hours and who are, thus, somewhat phase-advanced in relation to the environmental light-dark cycles. The strategy for “larks” is to expose the RGCs to bright light in the evening, thus phase-delaying the clock and, again, reducing the perceived duration of night to the actual duration of night, hopefully eliminating mood-altering effects of long winter nights: Melatonin supplements are often used in treatment of clock-related disorders. Melatonin has been suggested to treat jet-lag, effects of night-work and shift-work (“shift-lag”) and various clock-related insomnias. But beware – melatonin is also a signal of season. I have not seen a study of this, but here is something that, in theory, can happen. If you are an extreme night owl, i.e., phase-delayed and try to reset your clock by taking melatonin earlier in the evening than your normal (i.e., very late) bed-time, what is going to happen? Even if you do this in the middle of summer, the melatonin supplement will prolong the nightly melatonin signal (exogenous melatonin in early night + endogenous melatonin during late night). Your brain will interpret this as an abrupt onset of very long winter nights. If you are susceptible to winter depression (and if I remember some studies correctly, owls are more susceptible to SAD than larks), you will artificially trigger SAD in the middle of the summer. So, beware! Now, you may understand why are people who live in very high latitudes chronically depressed. After all, they are exposed to a continuous night that lasts for several months! One wonders if the reindeer are depressed, too. What I outlined here is just the very basic mechanism of SAD – the textbook version. There are, as one should expect, many more details, complications and strange data out there. Those are, frankly, outside my domain of expertise. I am a bird kind of guy, after all. So, if you want more details, or medical advice, you will be better off to ask somebody who does research on (and clinical work with) human subjects, or at least on mammals.

<urn:uuid:2aabba10-245e-4af9-b5a9-098402cc7fce>

Systematics and Evolution (HA) Computer identification tools for Australian Orchid Genera Australian Orchid Genera: An Information and Identification System presents the current status of orchid taxonomy in the form of an illustrated interactive key. All 192 genera of Australian orchids are included, capturing the results of recent revisionary treatments affecting Australian Orchidaceae. This powerful tool ensures an easy-to-use means of identifying an orchid to generic level using whatever information is available to you. The 127 characters cover morphology – floral parts, fruit, leaves, stems and pseudobulbs – and geographic information. Interpretation of characters is assisted with help notes and images. Identification is assisted using a page of annotated images illustrating unique flower structures. A comprehensive, easy-to-navigate fact sheet for each genus includes a simple summary of the genus, detailed botanical description, and geographic, biological and ecological information, as well as distinguishing features and a list of references. This information is complemented with high quality images and a distribution map. This product is also an information package, and includes an illustrated introduction to orchids, the Australian Orchid Name Index, a list of current Australian species, recent generic name changes and common names. Australian Orchid Genera is a complete information and identification system for Australian orchids. It has been designed for many users, from professional researchers to those with basic plant knowledge and a love of orchids. Try the online sample

<urn:uuid:e9e07c88-2b37-4a39-a21c-927783e48dbe>

I am a new weaver, and I would like to know how to measure the length of fabric I have already woven. I have searched all of the weaving books I have on hand and no one seems to mention this. Once you have wound the fabric onto the beam, how do you know how much you have? One of my recipes says that one repeat will measure 5 inches. I think that would be only in a perfect world. Please help, and thank you! You have to measure the fabric as you weave it and keep track of the measurements as you go. There are a great many different ways to do this, including pinning a tape measure to the cloth. I like to use little gold safety pins instead (no tape or anything pinned to the cloth). I usually pin them 20” apart along one selvedge, though the 20” distance depends on the length I’m aiming for (that’s about as much as I can measure before winding the cloth on the beam). Then I just count the safety pins to know how many sets of 20” I have. To place the pin, I measure with the warp under tension, knowing that there will be some loss in length when the tension is released (the amount will depend on yarns and weave structure). I find measuring under tension is more consistent than measuring with the tension released (and easier to measure accurately). When you release the tension, the warp starts relaxing. Depending on several factors, it will keep relaxing, so you might get a different measurement after two minutes than you would get after five minutes. This variable (which I did experience as a negative when I was measuring coverlet panels that had to match) made me choose always to measure under tension.

<urn:uuid:efa7eaee-d35e-4623-bc3a-129b6752a7b9>

In 1891 the Société des Gens de Lettres commissioned Rodin to create a monument to Balzac, who had died in 1850, for the Palais-Royal in Paris. Rodin made numerous preparatory studies. As the head evolved from a lifelike portrait to the huge, craggy, masklike face of the final version, Rodin made several trips to Tours, where Balzac had lived. There, he hoped to find men with facial characteristics similar to those of Balzac to serve as models for the author's portrait. This original terracotta represents one of the models, a man named Estager, whom Rodin identified as the "Conductor of Tours." The final version of the monument, finished in 1898, depicts Balzac wrapped in the monk's robe he liked to wear when he was writing. More of a symbol than a portrait, the statue shocked the Société and they rejected it. The first cast in bronze was erected in Paris in 1939, eighteen years after Rodin's death, at the crossing of the boulevards Montparnasse and Raspail.

<urn:uuid:88784c32-bc1c-4288-b579-bdd96a1d055f>

Children with food allergies often learn to say "no" when they're offered tempting cupcakes or cookies that may trigger rashes, wheezing or land them in the emergency room. And they grow used to bringing their own treats to class celebrations or birthday parties. But the necessary precautions can leave them feeling alienated, said "Food Allergy Mama" Kelly Rudnicki, who transformed her family's diet after her oldest son, John, was diagnosed with a severe dairy, egg, peanut, tree nut and legume allergy and asthma. "Most children want to be like any other kid, to not feel different," said Rudnicki, who blogs at foodallergymama.com to raise awareness and increase funding for food allergy research. "That's why treats are so important; it's a chance for them to feel included." An estimated 6 percent of children have a food allergy, or a reaction triggered by the immune system. The vast majority of food allergies are caused by eight foods: tree nuts, peanuts, milk, eggs, soy, wheat, fish and shellfish. But children can also suffer from food intolerance or sensitivity, when food triggers unpleasant symptoms but the immune system isn't involved. The signs can include reactions such as a runny nose, hives, a chronic cough or life-threatening breathing issues. Though dairy and nuts are the most common triggers, some parents deal with multiple allergens, which makes buying prepackaged food nearly impossible. Fortunately, several books offer appealing dessert options for children with special diets. If your child doesn't have a food allergy, consider making allergy-free treats for a class party or Valentine's Day celebration; that way the child with the allergy will feel like one of the group. Gluten allergies and intolerance: "The Ultimate Gluten-Free Cookie Book," by Roben Ryberg (Da Capo Long Life, $16.95) Gluten-free baking can be frustrating because gluten is the protein that holds the dough together. The beauty of Ryberg's approach is that she mimics glutinous cookies by embracing everyday ingredients. Most of the cookies use brown rice flour or sorghum; no complicated rice blends are required. Ryberg, author of several gluten-free cookbooks, also offers egg- and dairy-free cookies and recipes with single flours. Nut-, egg- and dairy-free recipes: "The Food Allergy Mama's Baking Book" by Kelly Rudnicki (Agate Surrey, $19.95); Rudnicki targets three of the most common food allergens — nuts, egg and dairy — and offers advice on how to deal with classroom festivities and birthday parties. For class celebrations, Rudnicki suggests decorating her sugar cookies with allergen-safe icing and sprinkles. "The cookies double as a cookie-decorating activity," she said. For birthday parties, vanilla cupcakes with vanilla frosting are her go-to dessert because "kids never suspect they're allergen-free," she said. Multiple allergens: "My Kid's Allergic to Everything Dessert Cookbook" by Mary Harris and Wilma Selzer Nachsin (Chicago Review Press, $16.95). What do you do when your 4-year-old child is allergic to wheat, eggs, dairy, soy, corn and nuts? The authors, who both raised children with multiple food allergies, have compiled more than 100 recipes for sweets that can be slipped into lunchboxes or served at holiday dinners. The book also has recipes for those who must limit sugar intake or avoid gluten.

<urn:uuid:1317279d-caf4-4693-8321-c8bd6a382a12>

By Tom Randall A half-hour later, Alexander was sitting at a table in the dean’s office with researchers, lawyers, administrators and campus security officers, he recalled in an interview. The stricken colleague, Malcolm Casadaban, a 60-year-old genetics and cell biology professor, had checked into a hospital five days earlier and died within hours. Lab results were positive for the plague, and the university’s “biosafety fire alarm” had been triggered, Alexander said. “The first question was: Do we think this is real,” Alexander, chief of infectious diseases at the university’s pediatrics department, said yesterday in a telephone interview. “The answer was yes. So the onus was upon us to do two things; to notify the health infrastructure and act as if this were a worst-case scenario.” That meeting on Sept. 18, 2009, began an investigation into the medical mystery of Casadaban’s illness that concluded with a report detailing the events, published yesterday by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta. Casadaban was conducting laboratory research on the bacterium that causes the plague when he became sick. The germ was genetically weakened and considered harmless to humans. It was considered so safe, Casadaban’s work with the live plague bacteria wasn’t noted when he fell ill, according to the CDC. A professor at the university for 30 years, by all accounts he had followed the proper safety protocols, the report said. Casadaban’s research focused on describing the chain of cellular events that occurs as a person is sickened by the plague bacterium, called Yersinia pestis. Scientists suspect that Casadaban may have harbored a previously unknown vulnerability to the laboratory plague strain that was revealed only in his death. An autopsy found the researcher had a medical condition called hemochromatosis, which causes an excessive buildup of iron in the body, according to the CDC report. The disorder affects about 1 in 400 people and goes unnoticed in about half of patients. Casadaban’s illness is important because of the way the plague bacterium had been weakened. Yersinia pestis needs iron to survive. Normally it gets this iron by stealing it from a host’s body with proteins that bind to it and help break it down. To make the bacterium harmless, scientists genetically stripped it of the proteins needed to consume iron. ‘So Much Iron’ “It’s like having a lion, where we took out all its teeth and all its claws,” Alexander said. “But in the case of Dr. Casadaban, the lion didn’t even need to have teeth. There was so much iron that it was freely available and easy to get.” Plague infects more than 2,000 people worldwide each year, according to the World Health Organization in Geneva. Early detection and treatment with antibiotics are important, and about 90 percent of reported cases survive. About 5 to 10 cases occur in the U.S. each year, passed through rodents and the fleas that feed on them, the CDC said. The last time a scientist was sickened by the plague was in 1959, the CDC reported. The hemochromatosis that contributed to Casadaban’s fate has been credited with protecting people from strains of plague that circulate in the wild. Sharon Moalem, an evolutionary biologist and author of “Survival of the Sickest,” posited that the disorder shifts iron from certain white blood cells, where it is typically sought by the plague bacterium. People of European descent are twice as likely as the rest of the population to have hemochromatosis, according to previous studies. That’s because people with the condition were more likely to survive epidemics of the bubonic plague that killed millions of people in medieval Europe and pass the hereditary condition to their descendants, according to Moalem. The day plague was diagnosed in Chicago, researchers tested the strain to make sure it hadn’t mutated. By a second emergency meeting that afternoon, high amounts of iron had already been discovered in Casadaban’s liver, adding credibility to the early hypothesis of hemochromatosis formed by his colleagues. The CDC later confirmed the tests with mouse experiments that proved the strain that killed Casadaban was the same that has been safely used by hundreds of scientists doing similar research. The agency is now studying animals to learn how hemochromatosis may increase susceptibility to infection by bacteria with weakened iron-acquiring abilities. Casadaban’s death shows that no matter how a germ has been hobbled, some people may always be vulnerable, Alexander said. While research with viruses, bacteria and vaccines that employ weakened strains should continue, scientists must take precautions and be aware of hidden vulnerabilities, he said. “I’m sure that if Dr. Casadaban had had one comment for us as we sat around that table it was: ‘Listen guys, I’m trying to teach you something, and you better damn well learn it,’” Alexander said. “And I think we did.”

<urn:uuid:44c2af5d-4a5a-4833-bc5e-dd298851b30b>

© 2021 Wayne Health. All rights reserved. © 2016 - 2021 Healthwise, Incorporated. This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Wayne Health’s highly trained urologists have expertise in diagnostic and therapeutic Endourology, minimally invasive procedures using small instruments such as scopes and lasers to treat tumors, blockages or abormalities of the bladder, ureter and kidney. One of the more common such conditions is a kidney stone. A kidney stone is a small, hard mineral and uric acid salt deposit that forms inside your kidneys and may affect any part of your urinary tract. When passed, kidney stones can cause severe pain. Most kidney stones can be treated without surgery, but in cases of persistent pain or infection, it may be necessary to remove the stone from the urinary tract. Wayne Health urologists use the latest minimally invasive techniques to treat kidney stones in the upper and lower urinary tract, including extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL). What is Endourology? Endourology refers to the use of minimally invasive techniques using small instruments to diagnose and treat kidney stones and other conditions. Stones may be extracted or broken up by inserting tiny instruments through natural body channels, such as the urethra, bladder or ureter. In addition to removing stones, our doctors evaluate the cause of kidney stone development and identify methods to prevent further stone formation. Thin, flexible instruments, including lasers, graspers, miniature stone retrieval baskets, special scalpels and cautery devices, can be advanced through scopes insert into the body to perform surgery without creating any incisions at all. The majority of endoscopic procedures can be done on an outpatient basis. What increases your risk for kidney stones? Several things can affect your risk for getting kidney stones. These include: Your age, gender, and whether you have a family history of kidney stones can also affect your risk. But these things are out of your control. How are kidney stones diagnosed? Kidney stones may be diagnosed when you see your doctor or go to an emergency room with pain in your belly or side. Your doctor will ask about your symptoms and examine you. Your doctor may do tests to help diagnose kidney stones and see where they’re located. Tests include: An abdominal X-ray (KUB). This creates a picture of the kidneys, the bladder, and the tubes that connect the kidneys to the bladder (ureters). Wayne Health specialists use the most advanced diagnostic procedures to identify and diagnose urologic disorders. These include: Wayne Health’s fellowship-trained urologists are skilled in treating virtually all types of kidney stones and other upper urinary tract disorders using endourologic techniques, incision-less procedures performed through an endoscope. State-of-the-art devices, such as endoscopes, surgical lasers, ultrasonic lithotripters and intraoperative imaging, are used to achieve the best patient outcomes. Endourologic approaches are also used in the treatment of various prostate and bladder disorders. For more complex cases, Wayne Health urologists perform minimally invasive surgeries, making small (keyhole) incisions through the abdomen or flank, and inserting a sophisticated camera-lens system to visualize the inside of the abdominal cavity or organ and guide the surgeon’s use of specialized ultrasonic, laparoscopic or robotic instruments. Endourologic and minimally invasive surgical procedures improve outcomes, enhance quicker recovery and shorten length of hospital stay. Wayne Health physicians and researchers are also faculty at Wayne State University School of Medicine who conduct basic, translational and clinical research. This makes the latest treatments and clinical trials available to you sooner than other providers without a medical school affiliation, and before FDA approval or commercial availability. For more information, please visit the links below at the WSU School of Medicine.

<urn:uuid:b4923aef-1974-4759-b6db-04d8b062f654>

: Rev. Thomas J. Herron. Clement of Rome's First Epistle to the Corinthians is a supremely valuable historical document. It is one of the very few Christian texts that have survived from the first century. The early Christians took utmost care to preserve the letter, copying it out by hand and even risking their lives in order to hide it from persecutors. Some local churches kept it for proclamation as part of the New Testament. The Church Fathers indicated that Clement was a direct disciple of the Saints Peter and Paul. Modern scholars, however, called this into question, arguing that he lived and wrote many decades after the martyrdom of the Apostles. Msgr. Thomas Herron's painstaking research led him to conclude that the Epistle to the Corinthians was composed very early indeed before 70 A.D. He was not the first scholar to argue for an early date, but he was the first to undertake a thorough study of the matter. His methods are rigorous. His writing is clear and honest. His tone is modest. Nevertheless, his conclusions are stunning. He argues persuasively for the earlier dates and then proceeds to sketch out the significance of the early dating for history, theology, and apologetics. Clement's Epistle stands as an early example of the exercise of hierarchical and Roman authority in the Church. It is a disciplinary letter addressed with confident authority to a distant church.The current USA price is $12.00. Our Canadian prices fluctuate along with the exchange rate. See our exchange rate policy for complete details.

<urn:uuid:90545b5a-8919-4ffc-b3bf-f2340569b62c>

What's Really In Your Shower Water? Water treatment facilities add chlorine to the water to kill viruses & bacteria naturally found in freshwater sources, but that doesn't mean you should shower in it. HARMFUL EFFECTS: Exposure to chlorine and its byproducts have been linked to: dry hair, dry skin, skin irritation, birth defects, increased asthma and cancer risk. Heavy metals enter into our water system in two ways; firstly through industrial, municipal and urban run off and secondly through seeping into underground water and supplies. HARMFUL EFFECTS: Exposure to heavy metals have been linked to: learning difficulties, memory impairment, damage to the nervous system, and behavioral problems such as aggressiveness and hyperactivity. Want to find out exactly what contaminants are in your water? Step 1: Click here to visit www.EWG.org/tapwater Step 2: Then type in your zip code and you'll see your water supplier and an up to date list of contaminants History of Chlorine Use Here's what you need to know about chlorine and its uses. Experimental use of chlorine in drinking water began in the 1890's to combat water-borne diseases such as Cholera and Typhoid. Chlorine quickly gained wide acceptance because of the low cost and high efficiency it had in killing just about everything hazardous in the drinking water. The use of chlorine allowed population centers to appear and thrive without any epidemic outbreaks. Today however, we know more about chlorine and why it is so important to remove it from our water before we drink it, cook with it, or shower in it. Chlorine is a known poison and the safety of drinking this poison over a long-term period is highly uncertain. We now know that chlorine reacts with water-borne decaying organic matter like leaves, bark, sediment, etc. to create a family of other chlorinated organic compounds, which may be highly toxic. The major expansion of worldwide production of chlorine in the mid-20th century followed discovery of a multitude of diverse and beneficial applications. Some (e.g. the pesticide DDT and PCBs, widely used as lubricants and coolants in electrical equipment) were originally praised as major health or industrial advances, but later aroused environmental concerns and are now banned. Excerpts from Studies and Reports “Taking long hot showers is a health risk, according to research presented last week in Anaheim, California, at a meeting of the American Chemical Society. Showers, and to a lesser extent baths, lead to greater exposure to toxic chemicals contained in water supplies than does drinking the water. The chemicals evaporate out of the water and are inhaled. They can also spread through the house and be inhaled by others. House holders can receive 6 to 100 times more of the chemical by breathing the air around showers and bath than they would by drinking the water.” “Conservative calculations indicate that taking a shower exposes you to the equivalent of consuming an additional two liters of chlorinated water each day. Inhalation and skin absorption of chloroform and chlorine by-products is greatest in the shower, where these gases are vaporized.” “The National Academy of Sciences estimate that 200 to 1000 people die in the United States each year from cancers caused by ingesting the contaminants in water. The major health threat posed by these pollutants is far more likely to be from their inhalation as air pollutants. The reason that emissions are high is that because water droplets dispersed by the shower head have a larger surface-to-value ratio than water streaming into the bath.” “Epidemiological studies suggest a link between ingestion of toxic chemicals in the water and elevated cancer mortality risks.” “Showering is suspected as the primary cause of elevated levels of chloroform in nearly every home because of the chlorine in the water.” “While the purity of our drinking water is of primary importance, contaminants and chlorine byproducts also enter our bodies through the skin via the water in which we bathe. Also, our lungs absorb toxic fumes from the gaseous chlorine byproducts that are released in a steamy shower. Chlorine in shower water can strip protein from our hair and skin causing dry, irritated eyes, itchy skin, and dandruff.” “The total inhalation exposure (summation of the three scenarios; shower, pre- and post-cooking activities and cooking) was found to be comparable with that for direct ingestion, indicating that inhalation is an important pathway for THM exposure from drinking water.” “Although ingestion is commonly considered to be the primary source of exposure to chloroform from tap water, inhalation and skin absorption exposure concentrations were found to be even higher.” “Skin absorption of contaminant has been underestimated and ingestion may not constitute the sole or even primary route of exposure.” Benefits of filtering your shower water Chlorine and other chemicals in tap water can damage the skin. Men and women agreed their skin felt more youthful & less dry after just 4 weeks of use with the AquaYouth 2.0 shower filter. They also reported increased skin hydration and an improved evenness of skin tone. The same damage that occurs to your skin, also occurs to your hair. Men and women agreed their hair felt less dry and had a more natural shine after just 4 weeks of use. They also reported less dryness and an increase in hair volume. Showering in tap water in the can even compromise your health. 3 out of 4 homes in the US have tap water containing contaminants that exceed safe water limits. According to a recent article in National Geographic Magazine, "Depending on the source of contamination and the exposure, health effects include neurological problems and developmental disabilities in children (lead), interference with hormones (perchlorates), and increased risk of cancers of the skin, bladder, and kidney (arsenic).” Rhea Suh, National Geographic." Introducing the AquaYouth 2.0 Shower Filter Certified & Trusted Performance: In an industry saturated with unvalidated and exaggerated performance claims, you can rest assured knowing that AquaYouth has invested in third party testing and certification by the water filtration industry's leading authorities, NSF International, in order to prove our performance. The Reviews Are In: Over 1,000+ five-star reviews from customers just like you. Powerful Multi-Stage Water Filtration: Very effectively targets chlorine, heavy metals, rust, sand, bacteria, and other sediments for superior water purification. Superior Design: AquaYouth's modern, sleek, and durable design is built to last and will improve the aesthetic of any shower. The design also makes for easy filter replacements. Quick & Easy Installation: Attaches to your existing shower configuration in just minutes with no special tools required. Shop AquaYouth 2.0 Products Below - Anderson, I., “Showers pose a risk to health”, New Scientist, 1986 Aug. 18. - Archer, Jonn. The Water you drink: How Safe is it? Pure Water Press, 1996. - Raloff, J., Toxic showers and baths, Science News; 130:190. - Duff, Conacher and Assoc. “The Nader Report-Troubled waters on tap”, 1988 Jan. Center for Study of Responsive Law. - Wallace, L., Environmental Protection Agency. - Water: The Ultimate Cure. - Lin T.F. & Hoang S.W., “Inhalation exposure to THMs from drinking water in south Taiwan”. Sci Total Environ, 2000 Jan 31; 246(1). - Kuo, H.W., Chiang, T.F., Lo, I.I., et al. “Estimates of cancer risks from chloroform exposure during showering in Taiwan”. Sci Total Environ, 1998 Jul 11; 218(1):1-7. - AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH, Vol. 74-1984

<urn:uuid:4136ed10-c0ad-4029-9155-bf05d762651d>

Summary and Info This multi-authored book is edited by an expert in the field and includes chapters from international contributors. It is fully cross disciplinary relating green principles to the food industry, covering legal and policy issues, engineering, food processing and food science. It addresses the alternatives to conventional food processing that have reduced energy requirements or solvent use and how they affect final food quality. Initially, the principles of green chemistry and technologies are outlined to provide a justification and basis for the processing methods that are addressed. This is followed by a discussion of legal and policy issues in both the EU and the US which provide further justification for the need for such technologies and the constraints and benefits of current policies and regulations. The major green technologies available to the food industry are discussed, outlining the main principles and applications of each. The degree to which they are already in commercial use and developments needed to extend their use further are also covered. More About the Author John H. Jones (January 1857 – July 23, 1934) was an American politician in the state of Washington. He served in the Washington State Senate from 1889 to 1891. Review and Comments Rate the Book Alternatives to Conventional Food Processing (RSC Green Chemistry) 0 out of 5 stars based on 0 ratings.

<urn:uuid:6e58435f-9e69-4746-91cb-d2c4f8e4e52e>