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- A Feeling for the Organism: The Life and Work of Barbara McClintock by Evelyn Fox Keller Freeman, 235 pp, £13.95, July 1984, ISBN 0 7167 1433	- A Feeling for the Organism: The Life and Work of Barbara McClintock by Evelyn Fox Keller Freeman, 235 pp, £13.95, July 1984, ISBN 0 7167 1433 7 - A Slot Machine, A Broken Test Tube by S.E. Luria Harper and Row, 229 pp, £12.50, May 1984, ISBN 0 06 015260 5 Eureka! Scientific discoveries, as everyone knows, are made by those flashes of insight in which the mind of a scientist perceives some previously hidden truth about nature. The deeper truth, occasionally alluded to but seldom pursued, is that scientists as individuals have little importance in scientific discovery.
Gardening Articles: Health :: Health A Spoonful of Sugar Helps the Broccoli by Susan Littlefield Former President George H. W. Bush famously remarked, "I do not like broccoli." Perhaps he'd have liked it more	Gardening Articles: Health :: Health A Spoonful of Sugar Helps the Broccoli by Susan Littlefield Former President George H. W. Bush famously remarked, "I do not like broccoli." Perhaps he'd have liked it more if he ate it sprinkled with sugar. While a spoonful of sugar might help the broccoli go down, it turns out it may also help the broccoli itself become more nutritious. Researchers in China discovered that addling sugar (as surcrose) at low concentrations to the water used to irrigate broccoli sprouts significantly increased the levels of Vitamin C, sulphoraphane, and anthocyanin, the naturally occurring compounds that account for much of the health-promoting properties of broccoli. The researchers concluded that "These results indicate that sucrose treatment could improve the nutritional value of broccoli, and the sprouts growing under adequate concentration of sucrose could benefit our diet by producing more health-promoting compounds." To read more about this research, go to Science Direct.
SAN JOSE, CA, February 17, 2013 - Calendars are useful tools. However, they sometimes create more confusion than clarification over dates designated as holidays. Holidays are good, but if one does not really know what the celebration	SAN JOSE, CA, February 17, 2013 - Calendars are useful tools. However, they sometimes create more confusion than clarification over dates designated as holidays. Holidays are good, but if one does not really know what the celebration is about, can such a special day be truly appreciated? An excellent example of such confusion is the present day remembrance of George Washington’s Birthday. The third Monday of February has legally been designated by the United States’ Congress as a day to remember the birthday of George Washington and some calendars will accurately designate it so. However, other calendars depict the third Monday in February as “Presidents Day” and others reference the day as “Presidents’ Day.” To make it even more confusing, there are yet other calendars that refer to this day as “President’s Day!” It should not be that difficult to sort out the simple recognition of George Washington’s Birthday. So, what’s the big deal? Well, for one thing, English punctuation is important and it sends messages to those able to decipher the subtle distinctions. If U.S. citizens are celebrating “Presidents Day,” they are in fact celebrating or honoring all the other presidents of the United States along with good old George Washington. This is because without any apostrophe, the “s” at the end of the word presidents designates a plural reality. This means to the careful reader that the holiday is a celebration of all forty plus former presidents and the current occupant of the White House. Even with an apostrophe at the end of the word presidents(‘), which designates possession as well as plurality, the word implies that at least more than one president is being honored; and in all likelihood, it is perhaps all of the presidents who are fully entitled to be honored on this day. Most people seem to accept that it is primarily a federal holiday to honor the two most famous presidents born in the month of February: Abraham Lincoln and George Washington. It would seem to be a bit of a stretch to include the likes of Millard Fillmore, Chester A. Arthur, or Grover Cleveland in such a holiday. On the other hand, regarding the punctuation, if the illusive apostrophe is placed between before the final “s” in presidents (like so: President’s) it designates individual ownership that would mean the day is for one and only one of the U.S. presidents. This suggests that the day is meant to honor the Father of the Country. This recognition may bring one back full circle to the original intent of the holiday, which was to maintain the holiday that honored the very first president. So, the question is simply this: Why not call the holiday George Washington’s Birthday? Yes, indeed, it may be too simple to call it what it is. George Washington’s Birthday was celebrated in a public way even while he was president. Years later, the holiday became an official federal holiday in 1885. On February 21st of that year, President Chester Arthur, in one of the last public ceremonies in which he participated before leaving office, dedicated the Washington Monument. Later in 1885, he signed a Congressional bill which expanded the earlier Congressional Act of 1879 creating a federal holiday for Washington’s Birthday for the government workers in the District of Columbia. The 1885 legislation essentially transformed Washington’s birthday into a legitimate federal holiday, giving holiday benefits to all federal employees. This holiday was the first federal holiday to honor an American citizen. It was originally celebrated on what was considered Washington’s actual birthday of February 22nd. However, George Washington was not really born on that day. When Washington was born on Pope Creek’s Farm in Westmoreland County, Virginia, it was February 11, 1731! This can be blamed on another inaccurate calendar, the Julian Calendar, which was still used by the British Empire until 1752. Although the Gregorian Calendar was utilized by most of the Catholic world from the date of the papal bull of Pope Gregory XIII which w
New Java objects are allocated using a class instance creation expression, e.g.: new Type (... ) The same syntax is used in C++. The main difference is that C++ objects have to be explicitly deleted; in Java they are automatically deleted	New Java objects are allocated using a class instance creation expression, e.g.: new Type (... ) The same syntax is used in C++. The main difference is that C++ objects have to be explicitly deleted; in Java they are automatically deleted by the garbage collector. Using CNI, you can allocate a new Java object using standard C++ syntax and the C++ compiler will allocate memory from the garbage collector. If you have overloaded constructors, the compiler will choose the correct one using standard C++ overload resolution rules. java::util::Hashtable *ht = new java::util::Hashtable(120);
Beneath a football stadium in Tucson, Arizona, a 6.5-metre telescope mirror, the largest ever cast in the US, is gently cooling in an oven that slowly spins, once every two minutes. The mirror blank (as	Beneath a football stadium in Tucson, Arizona, a 6.5-metre telescope mirror, the largest ever cast in the US, is gently cooling in an oven that slowly spins, once every two minutes. The mirror blank (as it is called before polishing) is now rigid and this week, engineers at the University of Arizona succeeded in applying a support to the centre of the mirror. Without the support, all the weight of the mirror would rest around its edge and the mirror could crack during the rest of the cooling period. 'Things could still go wrong,' says John Hill, who has been in charge of the casting. 'The mirror could still cool too fast. The computer controlling the rate of cooling has to be watched 24 hours a day. But we are confident that the casting will work at the first attempt.' At the end of June, when the mirror blank has... To continue reading this article, subscribe to receive access to all of newscientist.com, including 20 years of archive content.
Healthy, Wealthy, and Wise: Living Ethically in the Light of the Bible Matthew 18:15-20; Acts 27:27-44; Psalm 49; Leviticus 10-11 Levitic	Healthy, Wealthy, and Wise: Living Ethically in the Light of the Bible Matthew 18:15-20; Acts 27:27-44; Psalm 49; Leviticus 10-11 Leviticus 11 gives us the first extensive description of cleanness and uncleanness. The idea is mentioned briefly in Genesis 7 and a few earlier verses in Leviticus, but the next few chapters give much more detail. In Leviticus 10:10, the Lord declares that th
RECORD: Wallace, Alfred Russel. 1860. On the Zoological Geography of the Malay Archipelago. Communicated by Charles Darwin. Journal of the Proceedings of the Linnean Society: Zoology 4 (Read	RECORD: Wallace, Alfred Russel. 1860. On the Zoological Geography of the Malay Archipelago. Communicated by Charles Darwin. Journal of the Proceedings of the Linnean Society: Zoology 4 (Read 3 November 1859): 172-184. On the Zoological Geography of the Malay Archipelago. By ALFRED R. WALLACE, Esq. Communicated by CHARLES DARWIN, Esq., F.R.S. & L.S. [Read Nov. 3rd, 1859.] In Mr. Sclater's paper on the Geographical Distribution of Birds, read before the Linnean Society, and published in the 'Proceedings' for February 1858, he has pointed out that the western islands of the Archipelago belong to the Indian, and the eastern to the Australian region of Ornithology. My researches in these countries lead me to believe that the same division will hold good in every branch of Zoology; and the object of my present communication is to mark out the precise limits of each region, and to call attention to some inferences of great general importance as regards the study of the laws of organic distribution. The Australian and Indian regions of Zoology are very strongly contrasted. In one the Marsupial order constitutes the great mass of the mammalia,—in the other not a solitary marsupial animal exists. Marsupials of at least two genera (Cuscus and Belideus) are found all over the Moluccas and in Celebes; but none have been detected in the adjacent islands of Java and Borneo. Of all the varied forms of Quadrumana, Carnivora, Insectivora, and Ruminantia which abound in the western half of the Archipelago, the only genera found in the Moluccas are Paradoxurus and Cervus. The Sciuridæ, so numerous in the western islands, are represented in Celebes by only two or three species, while not one is found further east. Birds furnish equally remarkable illustrations. The Australian region is the richest in the world in Parrots; the Asiatic is (of tropical regions) the poorest. Three entire families of the Psittacine order are peculiar to the former region, and two of them, the Cockatoos and the Lories, extend up to its extreme limits, without a solitary species passing into the Indian islands of the Archipelago. The genus Palæornis is, on the other hand, confined with equal strictness to the Indian region. In the Rasorial order, the Phasianidæ are Indian, the Megapodiidæ Australian; but in this case one species of each family just passes the limits into the adjacent region. The genus Tropidorhynchus, highly characteristic of the Australian region, and everywhere abundant as well in the Moluccas and New Guinea as in Australia, is quite unknown in Java and Borneo. On the other hand, the entire families of Bucconidæ, Trogonidæ and Phyllornithidæ, and the genera Pericrocotus, Picnonotus, Trichophorus, Ixos, in fact, almost all the vast family of Thrushes and a host of other genera, cease abruptly at the eastern side of Borneo, Java, and Bali. All these groups are common birds in the great Indian islands; they abound everywhere; they are the characteristic features of the ornithology; and it is most striking to a naturalist, on passing the narrow straits of Macassar and Lombock, suddenly to miss them entirely, together with the Quadrumana and Felidæ, the Insectivora and Rodentia, whose varied species people the forests of Sumatra, Java, and Borneo. To define exactly the limits of the two regions where they are (geographically) most intimately connected, I may mention that during a few days' stay in the island of Bali I found birds of the genera Copsychus, Megalaima, Tiga, Ploceus, and Sturnopastor, all characteristic of the Indian region and abundant in Malacca, Java, and Borneo; while on crossing over to Lombock, during three months collecting there, not one of them was ever seen; neither have they occurred in Celebes nor in any of the more eastern islands I have visited. Taking this in connexion with the fact of Cacatua, Tropidorhynchus, and Megapodius having their western limit in Lombock, we may consider it established that the Strait of Lombock (only 15 miles wide) marks the limits and abruptly separates two of the great Zoological regions of the globe. The Philippine Islands are in some respects of doubtful location, resembling and differing from both regions. They are deficient in the varied Mammals of Borneo, but they contain no Marsupials. The Psittaci are scarce, as in the Indian region; the Lories are altogether absent, but there is one representative of the Cockatoos. Woodpeckers, Trogons, and the genera Ixos, Copsychus, and Ploceus are highly characteristic of India. Tanysiptera and Megapodius, again, are Australian forms, but these seem represented by only solitary species. The islands possess also a few peculiar genera. We must on the whole place the Philippine Islands in the Indian region, but with the remark that they are deficient in some of its most striking features. They possess several isolated forms of the Australian region, but by no means sufficient to constitute a real transition thereto.
\|Collaborationist state of Nazi Germany\| "Travail, Famille, Patrie" "Work, Family, Fatherland" The Song of Marseille (official) Maréchal, nous voilà! Marshal, here we	\|Collaborationist state of Nazi Germany\| "Travail, Famille, Patrie" "Work, Family, Fatherland" The Song of Marseille (official) Maréchal, nous voilà! Marshal, here we are! (unofficial) \|Capital\|\|Vichy (de facto) Parisa (de jure) \|Chief of the French State\| \|President of the Council of Ministers\| \|Historical era\|\|World War II\| \|-\|\|End of the Battle of France\|\|22 June 1940\| \|-\|\|Pétain given full powers\|\|10 July 1940\| \|-\|\|Southern France occupied\|\|11 November 1942\| \|-\|\|Liberation of Paris\|\|25 August 1944\| \|-\|\|Liberation of France\|\|June – November 1944\| \|-\|\|Capture of Sigmaringen\|\|22 April 1945\| \|a.\|\|Paris remained the formal capital of the French State, though the Vichy regime never operated from it.\| \|b.\|\|Although the French Republic's institutions were officially maintained, the word "Republic" never occurred in any official document of the Vichy government.\| \|Part of a series on the\| \|History of France\| Vichy France, officially the French State (l'État français), was France during the regime of Marshal Philippe Pétain, during World War II, from the German victory in the Battle of France (July 1940) to the Allied liberation in August 1944. Following the defeat in June 1940, President Albert Lebrun appointed Marshal Pétain as premier. After making peace with Germany, Pétain and his government voted to reorganize the discredited Third Republic into an authoritarian regime. The newly formed French State maintained nominal sovereignty over the whole of French territory as defined by the Second Armistice at Compiègne. However, Vichy maintained full sovereignty only in the unoccupied southern Zone libre ("free zone"), while retaining limited authority in the Wehrmacht-occupied northern zone, the Zone occupée ("occupied zone"). The occupation was to be a provisional state of affairs pending the conclusion of the war in the west, which at the time appeared imminent. In November 1942, however, the Zone libre was also occupied, with Germany closely supervising all French officials. Marshal Pétain collaborated with the German occupying forces in exchange for an agreement not to divide France between the Axis powers. Germany kept two million French soldiers in Germany as forced laborers to enforce its terms. Vichy authorities aided in the rounding-up of Jews and other "undesirables". At times in the colonies Vichy French military forces actively opposed the Allies. Much of the French public initially supported the new government despite its pro-Nazi policies, often seeing it as necessary to maintain a degree of French autonomy and territorial integrity. The legitimacy of Vichy France and Pétain's leadership was constantly challenged by the exiled General Charles de Gaulle, based in London, who claimed to represent the legitimacy and continuity of the French nation. The overseas French colonies were originally under Vichy control, but it lost one after another to de Gaulle's Free French movement. Public opinion turned against the Vichy regime and the occupying German forces over time and resistance to them increased. Following the Allied invasion of France in June 1944, de Gaulle proclaimed the Provisional Government of the French Republic (GPRF). Following France's liberation in summer 1944, most of the Vichy regime's leaders fled or were put on trial by the GPRF and a number were executed for treason. Thousands of collaborators were killed without trial by local Resistance forces. Pétain was sentenced to death for treason, but his sentence was commuted to life imprisonment. Only four senior Vichy officials were tried for crimes against humanity, although many more had participated in the deportation of Jews for extermination in concentration camps, abuses of prisoners and severe acts against members of the Resistance. - 1 Overview - 2 Ideology - 3 Fall of France and establishment of the Vichy Regime - 4 State collaboration with Germany - 5 French collaborationnistes and collaborators - 6 Relationships with the Allied powers - 7 Creation of the Free French Forces - 8 Social and economic history - 9 French colonies and Vichy - 10 German invasion, November 19
Sponsored by Arthur and Helen Baer Foundation and the Missouri History Museum Sunday, October 13, 2013 - 1:00pm Kopolow Federation Building 12 Millstone Campus St. Louis, MO A	Sponsored by Arthur and Helen Baer Foundation and the Missouri History Museum Sunday, October 13, 2013 - 1:00pm Kopolow Federation Building 12 Millstone Campus St. Louis, MO A documentary film, produced and directed by Gary Hochman. Introduction by Dr. Richard Freund, Maurice Greenberg Professor of History at the University of Hartford and Director of the Maurice Greenberg Center for Judaic Studies at the University of Hartford. This is the story of one man's attempt to understand what happened to his family during the Holocaust. The documentary chronicles the work of Yoram Haimi, an Israeli Antiquities Authority regional supervisor and a graduate student at the Ben Gurion of the Negev University, who during the last decade has made an attempt, using archaeology, to uncover more information about his uncles who perished at the Sobibor extermination camp in Poland. The sub-surface camp was extensively mapped using state of the art technology, including ground-penetrating radar, to insure that the burials of the victims who died there would not be disturbed. The excavations have uncovered the artifacts of the victims in their original locations along the walkways, the buildings and installations used in the extermination of the nearly 250,000 Jews brought to the site and who never returned. The camp is being systematically excavated and the documentary shows how technology, conventional field archaeology and the testimonies of the survivors can be used together to uncover this history of the Holocaust that was nearly hidden for all time. AIA St. Louis Society
Cranial CT Scan Alternate Names : Computed Tomography, Brain, Computed Tomography, Head, CAT Scan, Brain, CAT Scan, Head, CT Scan, Brain, CT Scan, Head, Computerized Axial Transverse	Cranial CT Scan Alternate Names : Computed Tomography, Brain, Computed Tomography, Head, CAT Scan, Brain, CAT Scan, Head, CT Scan, Brain, CT Scan, Head, Computerized Axial Transverse Tomography, CATT Computed tomography, also called CT, of the brain is a noninvasive imaging method that combines X-rays with computer technology. X-ray beams from several angles are used to create a series of detailed cross-sectional images of the brain. Who is a candidate for the test? CT is an excellent method for viewing the structures of the brain. It can provide detailed images of several types of tissue including bone, soft tissue, and blood vessels. For this reason, it can be used to: provide feedback on brain and central nervous system diseases such as encephalitis and general paresis diagnose brain tumors gather data on head injuries guide radiation therapy A cranial CT scan can help a doctor diagnose and treat the following and other abnormal brain growths brain damage after head injury bleeding in the brain after a stroke diseases of the inner ear such as Meniere disease ruptured or leaking cerebral aneurysms How is the test performed? Before the test, the doctor will ask the person if he or she: has any drug allergies or history of allergic reaction to medicines is allergic to shellfish or to foods with added iodine such as table salt has ever had claustrophobia, which is a fear of enclosed or small spaces. If this is a problem, mild sedating medicine may be given. A woman will be asked if she might be Often, a urine pregnancy test will be done on females of childbearing age before the CT scan. The person having a CT scan will first need to remove items that can interfere with the images, such as wigs, hairpins, clips, and removable dental hardware. The person lies on a flat platform with his or her head on a special pillow. This pillow provides comfort, which helps to limit movement during the scan. Next, the table slowly moves into the donut-shaped machine. When the table is in the right position, the device delivers X-ray beams through the person's brain and skull from Often, a special substance called a contrast agent is used to enhance internal brain structures and improve the quality of the final images. Typically, the contrast agent is injected into a vein in the arm. Most CT tests take between 10 and 45 minutes. The scanning process is painless. To make sure the final images are clear, the person must lie still during the whole exam. The contrast agent may cause mild nausea in some people. Flushing, itching, and a metallic taste in the mouth are often described in patients who receive an injected contrast agent. Most of these feelings go away within a few minutes. After the test, the person will be asked to wait until the pictures are looked at to see if any more are needed. The person will be observed for any delayed reactions to the contrast agent. To help rid the body of the contrast agent, he or she may be asked to drink extra fluids.
Paving the way for recovery of bluefin tuna - an example for EU fisheries reform “We never lost faith to save the most hopeless fisheries from collapse. Seeing what we see today means that all our efforts are finally paying to give a future to	Paving the way for recovery of bluefin tuna - an example for EU fisheries reform “We never lost faith to save the most hopeless fisheries from collapse. Seeing what we see today means that all our efforts are finally paying to give a future to the Atlantic bluefin tuna. WWF would like this recovery to become a case study for sustainable fisheries management in the World and calls the EU to follow this example for its ongoing reform of the EU Fisheries policy” concluded Dr Sergi Tudela, Head of Fisheries, WWF-Mediterranean. Since 2001, WWF has worked hard to influence the management, trade and consumption patterns of Atlantic bluefin tuna in order to move towards a sustainable approach and to allow this species to avert collapse and fully recover. “This year is a turning point in the story of bluefin tuna. The assessment of the East Atlantic and Mediterranean stocks by scientists detected for the first time in the last decade, signals of a population increase. In addition, politicians and decision-makers are now following scientific advice, so we have good reasons to believe we are on the right track to the recovery of one of the most amazing fish in the world”, said Dr Sergi Tudela, Head of Fisheries, WWF-Mediterranean. Why is it important to ensure bluefin tuna survival in our oceans? The bluefin tuna is a large predator species that plays a significant role in marine ecosystem by shaping the oceanic web of life in the Atlantic and in the Mediterranean. Its unique biology and migratory behaviour makes it connecting areas as distant as Norway and Libya, as well as supporting a millenia-old fishery. However Atlantic bluefin tuna has been heavily exploited for decades and the victim of widespread overfishing and illegal fishing – especially in its main spawning grounds across the Mediterranean – coupled with the pressure of relentless global trade led by the main consuming country, Japan. Why has bluefin tuna been so overfished in the Mediterranean? Atlantic bluefin tuna has long been valued in the Mediterranean, where it provided food for numerous civilizations and created wealth. This is in stark contrast to North America, where prior to the 1960s it could only be sold for pet food! By the 1970s, attention switched to giant bluefin tuna for the Japanese market, where the bluefin had become a highly sought-after delicacy for sushi and sashimi. Longliners, harpooners, and purse seiners all targeted the giants, driven by the high prices paid in Japan - which consumes the majority of catches and where a single bluefin has sold for over $ US 736,000! These fleets have used ever-more sophisticated means to find the tuna, including spotter planes and new-generation sonar equipment. Most of the fisheries happen in the Mediterraneans where industrial purse seine fleets target the tunas a
How Profits Are Measured To earn money and succeed, a business — whether it’s a service company, a retailer, or a manufacturer — needs to create profits. To generate profits, companies must make sales to customers that exceed however much	How Profits Are Measured To earn money and succeed, a business — whether it’s a service company, a retailer, or a manufacturer — needs to create profits. To generate profits, companies must make sales to customers that exceed however much those sales cost. The three key components of profits are revenues, the cost of sales, and other types expenses. Companies use this information to compute net income. Revenues, a component of profits Revenues are inflows from customers. They’re the actual amounts that your customers give you or, in some cases, promise to give you. The term sales is a synonym for revenues. For example, an airline’s revenues come from selling tickets (and charging baggage fees, handling fees, boarding fees, carry-on fees, and late-arrival fees). A clothing retailer’s revenues come from peddling clothing to customers. A bakery’s revenues come from getting tasty treats to hungry customers. One caveat: A company obviously can’t record revenue until it knows the actual price and feels assured that the customer will pay. For example, if Michelangelo’s contract requires a team of evaluators to judge a completed work in order to set its price, he can’t record revenue until the actual price is set. Revenues come only when you sell whatever you usually sell to your customers. If you sell a product you normally don’t sell (say, your delivery truck or the naming rights to your building), you record the inflow as a gain or loss rather than as a revenue. The cost of sales as a component of profits Cost of sales is the cost of buying or making the products that you sell. For example, suppose that a soft-drink bottler sells a can of cola for $0.50. Consider what goes into that can of cola: Now, given all these (inexpensive) ingredients and costs, consider how much it probably costs to produce a can of cola. Would you say $0.15 per can? Because they don’t manufacture the goods themselves, when retailers measure cost of sales, they base it on the amount of money they paid to purchase the goods from a supplier. Many manufacturers and retailers use the term cost of goods sold instead of cost of sales. This point often confuses students, so don’t be alarmed if your head is spinning a little. Just know that regardless of the name, these two concepts are largely the same thing. Don’t confuse the accounting treatment for cost of goods sold with the cost of unsold goods. When buying or making goods, companies record the cost of unsold goods on the balance as inventory — an asset. Then, when the goods are sold, their cost is taken out of inventory and put into cost of sales, which is subtracted from revenue on the income statement. Say you own a convenience store that sold 1,000 bags of chips last year. The chips cost you $0.50 per bag, for a total cost of $500, but you sold them for $0.95 per bag, for total revenues of $950. Use this information to construct the beginning of an income stateme
Early Mortality Risk Reduced Up To 40 Percent Through Increased Physical Activity And Sports Even though previous studies have been shown the link between regular exercises and improved health the exact dose-response relation remains unclear. Guenther Samitz, researcher in physical	Early Mortality Risk Reduced Up To 40 Percent Through Increased Physical Activity And Sports Even though previous studies have been shown the link between regular exercises and improved health the exact dose-response relation remains unclear. Guenther Samitz, researcher in physical activity and public health at the Centre for Sports Sciences and University Sports of the University of Vienna has investigated this relationship with a meta-study representing more than 1.3 million participants. The research project was carried out in collaboration with public health scientists and epidemiologists of the Universities of Bern, Switzerland and Bristol, UK. One week is 10.080 minutes, already 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity per week protect against chronic diseases and premature death according to the recommendations of the World Health Organisation (WHO). A research group around Guenther Samitz of the Centre for Sports Sciences and University Sports at the University of Vienna investigated that link between increased levels of physical activity of different domains (occupation, daily living, transportation, and leisure) and all-cause mortality. The investigators also assessed to what extent current WHO recommendations for physical activity decrease the risk of premature death in adult populations. 80 studies with 1.3 million study participants The study was conducted as a systematic review including multiple meta-analyses. Meta-analyses combine the results of individual studies that address a set of predefined research questions. In Public Health and Medicine the evidence from meta-analyses is often used to update or revise recommendations and guidelines for prevention and therapy. The researchers identified about 7,000 potentially relevant reports, of which a total of 80 cohort studies with more than 1.3 million study participants from Europe, Canada, United States, and Asia fulfilled the strict inclusion criteria. At study onset participants had to be free of cardiovascular disease, cancer and other chronic conditions. Study participants were followed up by a median of 11 years. ‘The results of the included studies were combined and controlled for other potential influential factors, e.g. cigarette smoking, alcohol uptake, body mass index, blood pressure, nutrition, education and social factors,’ explained Guenther Samitz. Women benefit more tha
\|Skip to navigation\| About Soto Zen The essence of the Existence of Soto Zen can be sum up as comprises of two main aspects. The first is the direct transmission of the True Law from teacher to disciple in continues unbreak	\|Skip to navigation\| About Soto Zen The essence of the Existence of Soto Zen can be sum up as comprises of two main aspects. The first is the direct transmission of the True Law from teacher to disciple in continues unbreakable process from Buddha until our present days. When Buddha reached Enlightenment 2500 years ago, he have made it possible for all human beings to reach similar enlightenment and fulfil to the fullest the real potential of the human beings. Danny Waxman calls Buddha's enlightenment Dogen write about this in Bendowa: According to Soto Zen tradition, the true law was transmitted from Buddha to 27 generations of True teachers in India (Buddhas), until it was transmitted to Bodhidharma, who was the 28 generation of Buddhas in India. Bodhidharma was the teacher that brought the true law to china. Dogen write in Bendowa that the name 'Zen sect' was given to Bodhidharma followers because they viewed him sitting in Zazen, and didn't understand the deepness of his practice beyond the mere posture. What Dogen and all Soto Zen teachers emphasized is the importance of true transmission and correct and true teaching in India, China, Japan and everywhere, and they have made all their efforts to maintain this true transmitting and teaching going on till our days. Bodhidharma was the first Zen Patriarch of China, and the true law was transmitted to other five generations of Zen teachers who developed Zen in china. After the fifth patriarch, Hung-jen, the Zen sect was divided to Southern school of abrupt enlightenment leaded by Hui-neng, and Northern school of gradual enlightenment. The Southern school has flourished and in late Tung era, few generations after Hui-neng, five major Zen schools have emerged. One of them was Rinzai Zen and another one was Soto Zen. In his book Zen in daily life, Prof. Masunaga write about the origin of the sect name, and its development in Japan. Nyojo (Ju-tsing), the great Chinese Soto Zen teacher transmitted the law to Dogen, and Dogen transmitted it to Koun Ejo. He and Tettsu Gikai were Keizan's teachers. In the Soto Zen tradition Dogen and Keizan are considered as the two wheels that carried the carriage of the Soto Zen in Japan. In his book The Soto approach to Zen, that was written in the sixties Prof. Masunaga wrote: The two biggest Soto Zen centers in Japan are Eiheiji that was established by Dogen, and is situated in Fukui-Ken area; and Sojiji that was established by Keizan, situated in Tsurumi near Yokohama. Most of the administrative activities of the Soto Zen in Japan are generated from those major monasteries. You can refer to about learning Zen in Japan for more information. In the twenty century Soto Zen was spread to North America and Europe as well to other parts of the world. Pioneering Zen teachers like rev. Shunryo Suzuki and rev. Deshimaru helped to create Soto Zen centers for practicing Zazen, and western Soto Zen teachers emerged. The Soto Zen administrative in Japan keep on supporting the spreading of Soto Zen in the west by sending teachers to various parts of the worlds. You can refer to Interesting Links for farther surfing opportunities and information about Zen centers around the world. Some thoughts about the possible future of Soto Zen in the 21 century Prof. Masunaga's vision was that real combining and unifying of the best from East and West cultures and real humanism can and will stem from the roots of practicing Zazen. Zen in essence is not pushy or missionary, but a question still remain. How can a major amount of people in the West (as well as on other places) enjoy and benefit from learning Zen and practicing Zazen? Prof. Masunaga emphasized three important aspects of Zazen training. What Prof. Masunaga and Danny Waxman want to explain is that continuity of training is more essential than the length of the time we devote for sitting Zazen. In our modern times, when everybody is so busy, many can not find half an hour for themselves. But 5-10 minutes everybody can find and those moments of silent practice can make a difference in our life. Another point is that you can belong to Christianity, Judaism, or to the Islam, you can also be Atheist and still practice Zazen. You don't have to change your religious life or your habits in order
THE WELSH IN THE DIFFERENT STATES The Welsh in South AustraliaWith the discovery of copper at Kapunda in 1843 and at Burra in 1845, the newly founded colony of South Australia attracted substantial numbers of Welsh	THE WELSH IN THE DIFFERENT STATES The Welsh in South AustraliaWith the discovery of copper at Kapunda in 1843 and at Burra in 1845, the newly founded colony of South Australia attracted substantial numbers of Welsh miners and smeltermen, increasing the Welsh-born population from about 300 in 1846 to 900 by 1851. By the late 1840s Burra had its own Welsh quarter named Llwchwr, with street names such as Llanelly, Llysnewydd and Penclawdd. By 1859 there were two Welsh chapels in the town, one Baptist and the other Independent (Congregationalist)-early symbols of the denominational diversity that marked Welsh religious life. Later discoveries of copper at Moonta and Wallaroo greatly swelled the numbers of Welsh miners and their families, and it is possible to recognise the outline of a Welsh community in these northern South Australian towns in the 1860s and 1870s. One of the Welshmen working in the Burra Burra copper-mines by 1849 was 21-year-old William Meirion Evans (1826-83) of Llanfrothen in Merionethshire. Although not an ordained minister at this stage, he is credited with being the first person to hold religious services in the Welsh language on the Australian continent when he preached to his compatriots in Burra in 1849. In later years he became the prime mover in establishing the Welsh Calvinistic Methodist Connexion in Victoria. Under its auspices, he was also the founder and editor of two Welsh-language periodicals-Yr Australydd (the Australian) in 1866-72, and Yr Ymwelydd (the Visitor) in 1874-76. Published in Victoria, these two monthly journals, which were circulated throughout the Australian colonies and New Zealand, acted as a focus for the widely dispersed Welsh population and kept them in touch with developments in Wales. Victims eventually of what the editorials ceaselessly condemned as the apathy of the Welsh community, they nevertheless served for a number of years as the voices of a Welsh network in the colonies. Replete with detailed accounts of the numerous events in the Welsh religious calendar, especially the numerous Eisteddfodau (musical and literary festivals) and Cymanfaoedd Canu (hymn-singing assemblies), they provide an invaluable insight into the cultural and social milieu of Welsh Australia in the second half of the nineteenth century. The Welsh in VictoriaIt was the discovery of gold in 1851 that first brought the Welsh to Australia in significant numbers. The Welsh-born population of Victoria consisted of only 377 people in 1851; in 1854 it stood at 2326, and by 1861 it had reached 6055. Over the next decade it rose slowly to a peak of 6614 in 1871. Thereafter, the number of the Welsh-born declined in Victoria but increased in the other colonies, totalling 12 000 throughout Australia by the turn of the century. The sharp increase in the Welsh-born population was due largely to emigration directly from Wales. Motives for emigration were of course varied-some came looking for adventure, while others were enticed by utopian descriptions of colonial life that were periodically placed in the Welsh press by the emigrant agencies. Occasionally, private correspondence reveals the attraction of the Australian climate, especially to the many miners and quarrymen who suffered from respiratory disease. Overriding all other factors, however, was the need to escape the hardships of upland farming or the degradations of industrial life. The promise of the goldfields was, of course, doubly attractive, since sudden wealth could also mean the prospect of a quick return home. Many of those who came to look for gold were single men or men who had left their wives and families in Wales. As late as 1881 the proportion of males amongst the Welsh of Victoria was still much higher than for other national groups from Britain. By the late 1850s there were clusters of Welsh settlers throughout the gold-mining districts of western Victoria, with the heaviest concentration in the Ballarat-Sebastopol area. Invariably, the main cohesive influence was the Nonconformist chapel. The earliest of these were often canvas constructions which served the needs of a transitory population. Later, more permanent stone or brick structures (exact replicas of the innumerable 'Zions' and 'Bethels' of Wales) were built. Their foundation dates are useful markers of the Welsh arrival in various areas-Forest Creek, 1853; Ballarat, 1854; Se
Hunting climate clues in Antarctica Brown geologists are braving subfreezing temperatures for three months to visit “the oldest ice on Earth.” Their goal? A better understanding of our planet’s climate history – and current conditions on Mars. A	Hunting climate clues in Antarctica Brown geologists are braving subfreezing temperatures for three months to visit “the oldest ice on Earth.” Their goal? A better understanding of our planet’s climate history – and current conditions on Mars. A team of Brown University geologists is going to extremes to learn about past climate on Earth and the present climate on Mars. Seven faculty, postdoctoral researchers, and graduate students are in Antarctica to collect rock samples and study a region that holds climate clues dating back millions of years. For three months, the geologists will toil in the rugged Antarctic Dry Valleys, a region of freeze-dried gullies, ridges, and slopes. To move camp, they’ll need to call for a helicopter. For nourishment, they’ll rely on frozen food, crackers, and granola bars. They will melt snow for drinking water and cooking. And they’ll shiver a lot, burning calories as they try to stay warm against temperatures that during their summertime stay won’t stray above freezing. “I expect to be about 30 pounds lighter when I get back,” Michael Wyatt, assistant professor in geological sciences and one of two faculty on the trip, said without a hint of amusement. Located in the central Trans Antarctic Mountains, the Antarctic Dry Valleys (also called the McMurdo Dry Valleys) lie between the East Antarctic Ice Sheet and the Ross Sea. (See map, below.) The valleys, each about 50 miles long and nine miles wide, are mostly ice free, a fortunate turn of geological events considering that 98 percent of Antarctica is permanently covered with snow or ice. The expedition is funded through a $470,000 grant from the National Science Foundation. The money covered research in Antarctica during the 2008–2009 austral summer season as well as this trip. Team members will detail their experiences in periodic dispatches from their camps, which will include photos and other graphics. Taken collectively, the valleys comprise a unique ecosystem that holds clues to very important questions, said James “Jim” Head III ’69 Ph.D., professor of geological sciences, who is making his fourth trip to the continent. For one, the valleys have entombed volcanic ash up to 8 million years old within cracks in the terrain that geologist call polygons. The ash, which has fallen periodically through those millions of years, has remained essentially unchanged ever since, making it an ideal source to date periods in Earth’s climate history. “It’s probably the oldest ice on Earth,” said Head, who along with Boston University geologist David Marchant wrote a paper two years ago detailing the Dry Valley’s unique characteristics. Brown postdoctoral researcher Gareth Morgan and Brandon Boldt, a graduate student studying with Head, are part of a Boston University team that will plunge drills up to 40 meters deep in debris-covered glaciers to extract ice cores they hope will yield information about past atmospheric gases such as carbon dioxide, temperature and the types of life that existed at various geologic intervals. The group also hopes to find evidence for ancient bacteria and other signs of past life. “This is a challenging activity, but it may help us to better understand our own planet’s climate history,” Morgan wrote days before he left for Antarctica. Another group including Head, Brown research analyst James Dickson, and Laura Kerber, one of Head’s graduate students, are studying the geological processes that formed the Dry Valleys. Moving inland from the coast, scientists have identified three distinct climatic zones in the valleys. Each of these “microclimates” has distinct signatures that can be interpreted by studying how rocks have been altered by wind, temperature, water, and chemical reactions. The researchers will gather rock samples at dozens of locations, marking precisely the spot at which each sample is gathered. By analyzing the mineral composition of the rocks, the scientists can “see how they’ve changed, how they’ve been altered in these different climate zones,” Wyatt explained. In addition to painting a picture of Earth’s past, the Antarctic rocks will present a vivid picture of Mars’s present. Scientists like to say that Antarctica is the closest that one can get to Mars’s environment. The climates are similar – hyper-arid, windy, and frigid. Just as important, Antarctica has landforms, such as polygons, gullies, and debris-covered glaciers that are strikingly similar to regions on Mars. So, the thinking goes, by studying rocks from the Dry Valleys, scientists can get insights into the geology of Mars – and help answer the elusive questions of how much water exists on Mars and what it has been doing there. “If we’re able to map the minerals here and compare it to minerals we also see on Mars (through data gathered from orbiters and landers) … we are setting a minimum limit for how much water you need to produce the same alterations that we see in the Dry Valleys,” said Wyatt, who will team with graduate student Mark Salvatore on that aspect of the research. “It’s totally exciting,” added Head. “You can sit in your office
Definition of Marasmus Marasmus: Wasting away, as occurs with children who have kwashiorkor. Also called cachexia, is usually a result of protein and calorie deficiency.Source: MedTerms™ Medical Dictionary Last Editorial Review	Definition of Marasmus Marasmus: Wasting away, as occurs with children who have kwashiorkor. Also called cachexia, is usually a result of protein and calorie deficiency.Source: MedTerms™ Medical Dictionary Last Editorial Review: 8/28/2013 Medi
Charles Martel (1860-1945) was the architect of the Library of Congress Classification System. He was born on March 5, 1860 making today the 150th anniversary of his birth. Martel began his career at	Charles Martel (1860-1945) was the architect of the Library of Congress Classification System. He was born on March 5, 1860 making today the 150th anniversary of his birth. Martel began his career at the Library of Congress on December 1, 1897 shortly after the opening of the magnificent new building now known as the Thomas Jefferson Building. Martel worked under J. C. M. Hanson, head of the newly created Catalog Division of LC. The sequence of events leading to the creation of the Library of Congress Classification System is well documented in the Martel entry in the Dictionary of American Library Biography which was written by James Bennett Childs and John Y. Cole. Herbert Putnam was appointed Librarian of Congress in 1899. There was little doubt at that time that the classification system used by LC was inadequate, but Putnam felt that it was desirable to use an existing classification system as its replacement. Melvil Dewey was approached about expanding his decimal system but he was not interested in adapting it for a large library like the Library of Congress. Martel and Hanson convinced Putnam that
All items included are from the Rare Books Collection, Monash University Library A Rare Books exhibition on the history of the book This exhibition is a celebration of the book over six centuries. Rare Books collects books about books and representative items to show	All items included are from the Rare Books Collection, Monash University Library A Rare Books exhibition on the history of the book This exhibition is a celebration of the book over six centuries. Rare Books collects books about books and representative items to show the historical development of book production through the ages. Originally, this was to support librarianship, history and literature studies at Monash. Now it supports the Arts Faculty generally and research by the Centre for the Book. The examples in the exhibition were chosen for representativeness, uniqueness as artifacts, personalisation, and style. The exhibition can be seen from 14 June - 7 September 2012 at the Rare Books Exhibition space, Level 1, ISB wing, Sir Louis Matheson Library, Clayton campus, Monash University. Dr Patrick Spedding, Lecturer in the School of English, Communications and Performance Studies, Faculty of Arts. The curators of this exhibition have chosen a provocative title: 'Books never die.' The 'death of the book' was pronounced by Jacques Derrida forty-something years ago but Derrida himself is now dead: the book has outlived the prophet of its doom. Of course, Derrida was referring to books as self-contained, self-explanatory texts, but his phrase has long been used—as Monash's Ali Alizadeh wrote—by 'the ebullient advocates of the ebook' and other new technologies, to suggest that the printed book was about to die, or was already dead. But the book is not dead. Readers continue to read and publishers to publish, and they do so in ever-increasing numbers. Not only is the book not dead—as a communications tool, an art-object, or anything else—the books that have already been printed and distributed are not dead either. Every copy of every book ever printed is a physical embodiment of a moment in the history of culture, ideas, technology. But it is also a witness to its own existence, its own unique history. Some readers have books on their shelves (or held in memory) that constitute an essential element of their self-identity, and some readers can be're-constituted' from the books no longer on their shelves. So even if it were possible for books to die in the techno-utopian sense, 'the book' would still not die in this personal or scholarly sense. Serious academic interest in 'the history of the book'—meaning the history of books as physical objects, as manufactured artefacts and as an evolving information technology—is relatively recent. And serious academic interest in 'print culture,' 'the history of reading' and 'the sociology of texts' is even more recent, only becoming well established in the last three decades. This exhibition demonstrates how it was possible for Monash University staff and students to establish the 'Monash School' of bibliography and book history, and how it has been—and will continue to be—possible for staff and students to sustain their pre-eminent position in this field in future: Monash University Library has an excellent collection of books which well represent the long history of books as physical objects. The Monash collection is particula
Novomer, a Cornell University spin-off, has devised a method for making biodegradable plastics from the common gases carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide. The company on Wednesday announced that Physic Ventures and Flagship Ventures have invested $6.6	Novomer, a Cornell University spin-off, has devised a method for making biodegradable plastics from the common gases carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide. The company on Wednesday announced that Physic Ventures and Flagship Ventures have invested $6.6 million, which Novomer will use to commercialize its technology. The plastics it intends to make could be used in a wide range of applications, including supermarket packaging, computer cases, plastic bottles, or foam to insulate buildings, said Novomer president Charles Hamilton. The company joins a growing number of green tech start-ups that are investing in bioplastics and other environmentally friendly materials. "People have long dreamed about using carbon dioxide in this way but it's very hard to make it react chemically. That's why we put it in fire extinguishers," he said. "That's the breakthrough we have--to make it react without having to put a lot of energy into it." Research behind the technology, patented by Cornell, was aimed at finding a catalyst that could combine carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide to make polymers. The process, so far demonstrated on a small scale, calls for mixing a liquid metal with carbon dioxide or carbon monoxide in a reactor at low pressure. The end product contains about 50 percent of carbon dioxide by weight. Depending on the feedstock and catalyst, Novomer can vary the output. For example, it may want to produce a more flexible plastic or one that doesn't decompose for a long time. The company is still testing how biodegradable its plastics will be. It knows that the polymers made by other companies with carbon monoxide--called PHA (polyhydroxyalkanoates)--take about six months to decompose. Some of the plastics made with carbon dioxide have shown similar biodegradability, Hamilton said. Initially, the company is pitching its plastics as a greener alternative to petroleum-based products. In the longer term, it expects to bring down the price so that the products are cheaper and better overall, Hamilton said. Right now, Novomer is using gases that it purchases in tanks. But its plans call for constructing an eco-plastic facility at a spot that generates a lot of carbon dioxide or carbon monoxide, such as a cement plant, a facility that produces hydrogen, or a gasification facility. "You can't have a cheaper feedstock than carbon dioxide. You actually get paid to use it," Hamilton said.
From Online Dictionary of Crystallography Structure OD (Fr); OD struktur (Ge); Struttura OD (It); OD構造 (Ja). OD structures consist of slabs with their own symmetry, containing coincidence operations constituting	From Online Dictionary of Crystallography Structure OD (Fr); OD struktur (Ge); Struttura OD (It); OD構造 (Ja). OD structures consist of slabs with their own symmetry, containing coincidence operations constituting a diperiodic group (layer group) only within individual slabs. For the entire structure these coincidence operations are only local (partial), i.e. they are valid only in a subspace of the crystal space. The ambiguity (= existence of more than one equivalent possibilities) in the stacking of slabs arises from the existence of this local symmetry, which does not appear in the space group of the structure. The resulting structure can be "ordered" (periodic) or "disordered" (non-periodic), depending on the sequence of local symmetry operations relating pairs of slabs. The set of all the operations valid in the whole crystal space constitutes a space group; by adding the set of all the operations valid in a subspace of it, one obtains a space groupoid. In the OD theory, a central role is played by the vicinity condition (VC), which states the geometrical equivalence of layer pairs. The vicinity condition consists of three parts: - VC α: VC layers are either geometrically equivalent or, if not, they are relatively few in kind - VC β: translation groups of all VC layers are either identical or they have a common subgroup - VC γ: equivalent sides of equivalent layers are faced by equivalent sides of adjacent layers so that the resulting pairs are equivalent. If the position of a layer is uniquely defined by the position of the adjacent layers and by the VC, the resulting structure is fully ordered. If, on the other hand, more than one position is possible that obeys the VC, the resulting structure is an OD structure and the layers are OD layers. VC structures may thus be either fully ordered structures or OD structures. All OD structures are polytypic; the reverse may or may not be true. Equivalency depends on the choice of OD layers and also on the definition of polytypism. The notion of family All OD structures, even of different substances, built according to the same symmetry principle, belong to an OD groupoid family. The notion OD groupoid family may be compared with the notion space-gro
Armenia has a Constitution that provides for the separation of powers; however, the directly elected President has extensive powers of appointment and decree that are not balanced by the legislature or an independent judiciary. The President appoints the Prime Minister, who is	Armenia has a Constitution that provides for the separation of powers; however, the directly elected President has extensive powers of appointment and decree that are not balanced by the legislature or an independent judiciary. The President appoints the Prime Minister, who is in charge of the Cabinet. Robert Kocharian was elected President in a multi-candidate election in 1998 after former President Levon Ter-Petrossian was forced to resign by his former political allies in the Government and Parliament. There were flaws and substantial irregularities in both rounds of the 1998 presidential elections. Although marred by irregularities, the May 1999 parliamentary elections and several 2000 by-elections, showed continued improvement over past elections and Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) observers categorized the former as a relevant step toward compliance with OSCE commitments, but stated that they still failed to meet international standards. The majority in Parliament is made up of a coalition called Unity, which includes the two parties which gained the most votes in the May 1999 Parliamentary elections: The Republican Party and the Peoples' Party; however, due to political differences between the Republican Party and the People's Party, the Unity coalition during the year largely ceased to function. The legislature approves new laws, confirms the Prime Minister's program, and can remove the Prime Minister by a vote of no confidence. Both the Government and the legislature can propose legislation. The Constitution provides for an independent judiciary; however, in practice, judges are subject to pressure from the executive branch and some are corrupt. The Ministries of Internal Affairs and of National Security, jointly are responsible for domestic security, intelligence activities, border controls, and the national police force. Members of the security forces committed human rights abuses. According to unofficial statistics the country has a total population of approximately 2 million persons (official estimates dating back 10 years were 3.4 million). The transition from a centralized, controlled economy to a market economy continued to move forward, although the industrial sector did not function at peak capacity and its output remained low. Unemployment remained high, and there is a high degree of income inequality, but reliable figures were not available; unemployment was approximately 10 percent according to the Government; however, other sources estimated the unemployment rate to be approximately 40 percent. Women account for approximately 60 percent of the unemployed. A significant amount of economic activity, unofficially estimates between 40 and 60 percent, is not captured by government accounting or taxation. The per capita gross domestic product (GDP) increased approximat
Scientists are getting very close to creating an actual invisibility cloak, as separate research teams over the past week have revealed significant advancements in the area. From an invisibility cloak scaled up to be able to hide a person to a quantum invisibility cloak	Scientists are getting very close to creating an actual invisibility cloak, as separate research teams over the past week have revealed significant advancements in the area. From an invisibility cloak scaled up to be able to hide a person to a quantum invisibility cloak that can hide objects in time, there is no better moment for fans of H.G. Wells and the Harry Potter franchise than this one. The invisibility cloak that uses time was designed by Purdue University scientists. Unlike the spatial cloak we all saw in Harry Potter, this device uses time cloaking, a relatively new concept based on the idea that in some places in time, the things that happen are not picked up. Since nobody can tell that these things occurred, it’s like they never happened. The concept still has a long way to go before it turns into reality, although scientists have been able to cloak small electrical signals so far. The technology may be difficult to grasp, yet researchers think that if successful, it will be a major breakthrough in making quantum information computing and storage very successful. Another research team, meanwhile, detailed how to make an invisibility cloak to hide large objects, including a person. The New York University of Rochester scientists used a conventional arrangement of lenses and mirrors to drive the light around the area they want to hide from view. The human-scale cloak also manages the impressive feat of hiding items across the entire optical range. But it still faces one major problem: that is only works in one direction, which means the hidden object becomes visible if the viewpoint changes. Nonetheless, this large-scale cloak could be successfully used to hide satellites in orbit and other huge objects. And a Shanghai-based team of researchers unveiled another invisibility cloak which they claim can be adjusted to make items invisible from any line of sight. The scientists demonstrated the cloak by making a pet goldfish and a cat disappear. According to the Chinese team, the device may have important applications in security, surveillance and entertainment. With all the new ideas and research, it seems we will see an actual invisibility cloak in use very soon. What do you think of this technology? What would you do if you had your very own invisibility cloak? [Image via Mental floss]
Groundwork: Falling for fall The importance of autumn as a growing season in the fruit and vegetable garden cannot be overstated. In the mid-Atlantic, it is our way to be Northern gardeners and to enjoy what our brethren in New	Groundwork: Falling for fall The importance of autumn as a growing season in the fruit and vegetable garden cannot be overstated. In the mid-Atlantic, it is our way to be Northern gardeners and to enjoy what our brethren in New England, or Old England for that matter, take for granted. That is, the capacity to grow cool season veggies to perfection. Fennel is an excellent example. Valued for its anise-flavored, feathery foliage and bulb, it grows happily in colder climes. But as a spring plant here it will steadfastly refuse to form its coveted bulb. Spring offers a tight window. Because fennel is frost-sensitive, the gardener toils to start fennel from seed in early March and puts out the transplants in mid-April, hoping the spring will stay mild and tempered. But it does not. The heat arrives for a few days in May and that’s the end of it. The foliage is okay, sort of, but the swelling at the base of the plant simply doesn’t happen. Fall is another story altogether. Start fennel from seed in late August, put it out in mid-September and watch it thrive. By October the bulbs have begun to form, and they get to a fair size by early November. You will never get the hefty bulbs of the boreal garden, but you will have your fennel orbs to play with in the kitchen, around Thanksgiving. We are grateful for that. Bronze fennel is a decorative plant, worthy of the flower border. But it seeds like nuts, won’t bulb under any circumstance and it probably is best avoided, unless you like weeding. At Green Spring Gardens in Northern Virginia, the fennel is doing just fine. This is also a choice moment for harvesting late summer-sown carrots, cabbages and beets and putting in your garlic cloves. In the former tomato beds, the gardeners have set a series of garlic bulbs. Put them in pointy side up, completely buried an inch or two, and space them six inches apart. Cindy Brown and the gang at Green Spring have planted a series of fancy cultivated varieties, including California Early White, California Late White, German Extra Hardy, German White and Elephant garlic. The last produces huge bulbs with a mild flavor, and in the onion sisterhood is closer to the leek than the garlic. This is useful to know if you’re worried about vampires. In my garden, I just put in cloves from the supermarket, and they have sprouted already. Autumn is also the time of the persimmon. The native persimmon, dreadfully astringent until a good frost, is really not found in supermarkets, but the plumper Asian versions are. Some are astringent turning sweet, while others are sweet all along. As an ornamental tree, the Asian persimmon is a champ, and should be used much more in the garden. This picture is of a persimmon in my garden in Alexandria, a non-astringent variety named Fuyukaki (most often referred to in shorthand, as Fuyu). I think it took four years to bear, but doesn’t need a partner to fruit and is free of pests and disease. The fruit is so heavy and prodigious that it causes the branches to bend after August. The fruit sells for $3 a pop in the grocery store. Lesson: What are you waiting for? I’m waiting for Cindy to tell me what to do with the fennel and the persimmons. -- Adrian Higgins Fennel, Persimmon and Pomegranate Salad 6 first-course servings This salad showcases fall’s freshest ingredients. It is light and refreshing, yet flavorful enough to sit comfortably on the Thanksgiving table with the stuffing, gravy and turkey. Because the fennel is a digestive, it's nice to have this salad at the end of a meal. 1/3 cup freshly squeezed orange juice 1 teaspoon sugar 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil 1 large or a few small fennel bulbs, with stalks attached 1 medium head radicchio, cored and cut into thin slices 2 Asian persimmons (such as Fuyu), peeled and cut into bite-size pieces 1/2 cup chopped hazelnuts, toasted (see NOTE) 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds (sold in packs in the produce department), for garnish Whisk together the orange juice, sugar, salt, pepper and oil in a large bowl until emulsified. Trim any fennel stalks flush with bulb, reserving some of the leafy fronds on the stalks to garnish the salad; discard the stalks. Cut out and discard the core of fennel bulb(s), then cut the bulb(s) lengthwise into thin strips to yield about 2 cups. Add the persimmon cubes, fennel strips, chopped hazelnuts and radicchio slices to the bowl; toss to coat evenly with the dressing. Garnish with the fennel fronds and pomegranate seeds. NOTE: To toast the hazelnuts, spread them on a rimmed baking sheet and bake in a 300-degree oven for about 8 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally to promote even (yet light) browning. Per serving: 340 calories, 3 g protein, 19 g carbohydrates, 31 g fat, 4 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 218 mg sodium, 5 g dietary fiber, 10 g sugar November 23, 2009; 7:00 AM ET Categories: Groundwork, Recipes \| Tags: Adrian Higgins,
Kitchen fats include lard, shortening, butter, hard margarine and cooking oils. Are you using the best ones?What Makes Fat So Bad? All fats are high in calories. But this isn’t the only problem with fats. Many	Kitchen fats include lard, shortening, butter, hard margarine and cooking oils. Are you using the best ones?What Makes Fat So Bad? All fats are high in calories. But this isn’t the only problem with fats. Many fats we eat contain saturated fat and trans fat. Saturated fat and trans fat are bad because they raise the “bad” LDL cholesterol in your blood and can lead to atherosclerosis—the build-up of fatty material (plaque) in the inner walls of your arteries. Saturated fat is usually found in meat and dairy foods (e.g., butter, whole and 2% milk and dairy products, such as cheese, yogurt, etc.). Commercially baked and fried foods often contain trans fat, as well as hard margarine, vegetable shortening and other foods that contain partially hydrogenated vegetable oils. To keep arteries healthy, use liquid fats (oils). The best ones are olive, canola, corn and safflower oils, because they contain the least saturated fat. How To Use the Good Oils You can use olive, canola, corn or safflower oil just like any other cooking oil. For example, use them: - To make your own salad dressing - To grill, sauté or stir-fry foods - To prepare recipes that call for oil Both butter and hard margarine have drawbacks. They both contain a lot of fat and calories. They also contain some of the worst types of fat, both saturated fat and trans fat. Butter has a high amount of saturated fat and some trans fat, while many hard margarines are made with partially hydrogenated vegetable oils” so they contain a high amount of trans fat in addition to saturated fat. Both of these bad fats can raise your blood cholesterol and contribute to atherosclerosis. The best choice for your health is a liquid margarine, or a soft margarine in a tub. These are made with less partially hydrogenated fat than hard stick margarine. Look for margarines that are free of trans fat. Goal 4 to Eating Healthy Learn more about fats and oils: - Fats: Know Your Fats - Fats 101 - Fats and Oils: AHA Recommendation - Fat Substitutes - Kitchen Fats Quiz - Fats and Sodium Explorer - Cholesterol Quiz This content was last reviewed on 01/10/2013.
The Industrial Revolution has sometimes been regarded as a catastrophe which desecrated the English landscape and brought social opporession and appalling physical hardship to the workers. In this book, however, it is presented as an important and beneficial mark of progress.	The Industrial Revolution has sometimes been regarded as a catastrophe which desecrated the English landscape and brought social opporession and appalling physical hardship to the workers. In this book, however, it is presented as an important and beneficial mark of progress. In spite of destructive wars and a rapid growth of population, the material living standards of most of the British people improved, and the technical innovations not only brought economic rewards but also provoked greater intellectual ingenuity. Innovation is therefore seen by Ashton not just as an economic course but as a social and cultural process influenced by factors such as war and peace and the framework of law and institutions. Lucidly argued and authoritative, this bookplaces the phenomenon of the Industrial Revolution in a stimulating perpsective. A new Preface by Professor Pat Hudson outlines the results of recent research precipitated by Ashton's themes: the t
'New frontier' of Antarctic lake exploration When a Russian drilling team reached Antarctica's Lake Vostok last week, they were able to claim a world first. No one had previously penetrated one of the continent's sub-glacial lakes, prompting	'New frontier' of Antarctic lake exploration When a Russian drilling team reached Antarctica's Lake Vostok last week, they were able to claim a world first. No one had previously penetrated one of the continent's sub-glacial lakes, prompting Valery Lukin from the Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute (AARI) in St Petersburg to liken his team's achievement to the Moon landings in 1969. Whatever the comparison, it represents a remarkable feat. Over 20 years of stop-start drilling, the Russian team ground their way through 3.7km (2.3mi) of solid ice, working in one of the most inhospitable environments on Earth. The Vostok project is one of several similar ventures being undertaken in the world's last wilderness. In West Antarctica, the British Antarctic Survey (Bas) is hoping to begin its effort to drill into Lake Ellsworth, while the American Wissard project is targeting Lake Whillans. More than 350 sub-glacial lakes - kept in liquid form by pressure from above and the Earth's heat below - have now been identified across Antarctica, and many others may lie undetected. Together, they form a huge and only partially connected network. Some that may have remained completely isolated could host life forms new to science: cold-loving micro-organisms that have been left to their own evolutionary devices for millennia. "We've got this vast continent, but we've never really sampled the terra firma," said Montana State University's John Priscu, lead investigator on the US project. He said the "new frontier" beneath the ice sheet could hold an entire ecosystem of microbial life. "There's lots of melt under there... I have called it the planet's largest wetland." The projects are of particular fascination to astrobiologists, who study the origins and likely distribution of life across the Universe. Conditions in these Antarctic lakes may not be so different from those in liquid water bodies thought to exist under the surfaces of icy moons in the outer Solar System such as Jupiter's Europa or Saturn's Enceladus. But just how isolated each lake has been will affect the prospects for finding any novel life. The water within the lake at Vostok is expected to be younger than the lake's age of 14 million years; despite the lake's isolation, water can still get in and out. A process of melting and freezing at its uppermost regions recycles the water every 10,000-15,000 years. But it is about 800m to the bottom of Vostok, and Prof Priscu said the water there is probably stagnant and could be millions of years old. By contrast, Lake Ellsworth is steep-sided, and much smaller - roughly the size of England's Lake Windermere. Because of its reduced volume, water here is recycled on hundred-year timescales. America's target, Lake Whillans averages just 10m-15m in depth. Satellite data suggest the lake water is flushed out on a cycle of just three to 10 years.Faster method Just how the frontier is being explored will affect what is found as the three teams aim to retrieve water and sediments from the lakes. At Vostok, the team is using techniques familiar from the process of gathering cylindrical samples called ice cores, punching through the ice and using kerosene as an "anti-freeze". The Ellsworth and Whillans programmes will use a drill of pressurised water at 90C to melt through the ice at a rate of 50-100cm per minute - much faster than coring. Some scientists are worried about the potential for the Vostok team's approach to contaminate both the lake and any samples brought up for analysis. Prof Martin Siegert, from Edinburgh University, heads up the Lake Ellsworth project. He told BBC News that ice-coring "doesn't really work as a viable technique to do long-term, clean access and exploration of sub-glacial lake environments - because of the issues with cle
Pesticides are among the most widely used chemicals in the world. In fact, every Canadian carries pesticide residues in his or her body. The David Suzuki Foundation released The Food We Eat in Fall 2006. As part of the Healthy Environment	Pesticides are among the most widely used chemicals in the world. In fact, every Canadian carries pesticide residues in his or her body. The David Suzuki Foundation released The Food We Eat in Fall 2006. As part of the Healthy Environment, Healthy Canadians series, this 34-page report evaluates three areas of government activity related to pesticide use, and offers eight key recommendations to reduce the use of those pesticides that are most hazardous. Starting with a comparison of Canada's pesticide regulations with similar standards in the United States, Europe, and Australia, this report presents compelling evidence that Canadian regulations are among the weakest in the industrialized world when it comes to governing the use of pesticides and the potential impact of pesticides on food and health. In June 2007, the David Suzuki Foundation released Northern Exposure: Acute Pesticide Poisonings in Canada. The report found that thousands of Canadians are acutely poisoned by pesticides each year, with children under 6 at the most risk.
TOKYO—For those wondering where Japan’s intense interest in humanoid robot research is headed, look to the night sky. On 3 April, a government advisory group suggested sending a bipedal robot to explore the moon by 2020	TOKYO—For those wondering where Japan’s intense interest in humanoid robot research is headed, look to the night sky. On 3 April, a government advisory group suggested sending a bipedal robot to explore the moon by 2020. The group has left details such as the robot's capabilities and the cost of such an endeavor to further study. Robotics watchers have been intrigued by recent progress in humanoid robots in Japan. A female-looking humanoid (left in picture) with the slender proportions—though not quite the grace—of a fashion model debuted on 16 March. A week later, it (she?) shared a catwalk with the real models that inspired its development by researchers at the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology in Tsukuba. (Press release in Japanese, video one, two, and three.) Then on 31 March, researchers at Advanced Telecommunications Research Institute International showed how someone wearing a helmet studded with sensors to monitor neural electrical activity and cerebral blood flow can control the movement of Honda Motor Co.'s Asimo humanoid just by thinking. Think of raising a hand, for example, and Asimo raises its (his?). (Press release in Japanese.) A moonwalking robot would be a natural, if extraterrestrial, progression. The advisory group that recommended sending an android into space is under Japan's Strategic Headquarters for Space Development, which was set up last September to further Japan's space-related scientific and technological achievements. The group would like to increase use of domestical
Brain atrophy is the partial or complete wasting away of the brain. This is a process which occurs naturally in cognitively healthy individuals however this rate of progression is enhanced in those with mild cognitive impairment and even more so in patients suffering from Alzheimer	Brain atrophy is the partial or complete wasting away of the brain. This is a process which occurs naturally in cognitively healthy individuals however this rate of progression is enhanced in those with mild cognitive impairment and even more so in patients suffering from Alzheimer’s disease. Evidence has suggested that raised homocysteine levels have been associated with an increased risk of brain atrophy. The homocysteine level in the body is largely determined by certain B vitamins such as folate, Vitamin B6 and Vitamin B12. A recent randomised, double blind placebo controlled trial from the Oxford Project for Memory and Ageing was conducted in which 168 individuals with mild cognitive impairment were either supplemented with the active treatment of folic acid (0.8mg/day), vitamin B6 (20mg/day) and vitamin B12 (0.5mg/day) or the placebo (dummy pill) for 24 months. The change in the rate of brain atrophy was measured via MRI scans taken both at the beginning and the end of the study. A significant difference in the mean rate of brain atrophy in the active treatment group (0.76%) and in the placebo group (1.08%) was noted. The response was greater in those with high initial homocysteine levels with the rate of brain atrophy in some cases being >50% lower for those on the active treatment. Hence this study concluded that the accelerated rate of cognitive decline in mild cognitive decline can be slowed by treatment with homocysteine lowering B vitamins. B vitamins such as folate (pulses, green leafy vegetables), vitamin B6 (baked potatoes, bananas and pulses) and vitamin B12 (meat, poultry and fish) are found in a wide range of foods and should be taken in quantities of 200ug, 1.4mg and 2.5ug respectively. It is worth noting that the supplement in the above study contained extremely high doses of the aforementioned vitamins, around 300 times greater than the RDA for vitamin B12 and 4 times greater for folate. These are amounts not accessible from the normal diet and should not be taken unless under medical supervision. Some studies suggest that such high doses of folate may fuel the growth of early stage cancer. Folate is involved in DNA repair; hence in high doses it may cause damage in excess of ongoing DNA repair. Similarly certain medicines such as methotrexate used for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis are also thought to be folic acid antagonists, hence the side effects of methotrexate are similar to that of folic acid deficiency. There is certainly evide
The benefits of direct volume rendering in scientific and medical visualization are well known. Because the technique involves mapping all of the volume elements in a given dataset directly into the image plane, it enables the visualization of inner structures of solid objects, as well as	The benefits of direct volume rendering in scientific and medical visualization are well known. Because the technique involves mapping all of the volume elements in a given dataset directly into the image plane, it enables the visualization of inner structures of solid objects, as well as the accurate representation of amorphous phenomena, such as clouds, fluids, and gases-none of which can easily be achieved using traditional surface-rendering tools. However, the fact that direct volume rendering takes advantage of all of the volume elements in a dataset is not only its primary advantage, but also its chief disadvantage. The huge amount of data places a significant burden on computational re sources, so although "all" of the information for a given volume dataset is theoretically available, the processing requirements limit the practical use of the information. Because of this shortcoming, researchers are seeking ways to exploit the value of direct volume rendering while minimizing the pro cessing overload. One such promising effort comes out of the Vienna University of Technology, where researchers Jirí Hladuvka and Eduard Gröller have devised a technique for automatically identifying objects of significance in a volume dataset. The resulting subset of the original dataset can then be displayed and explored at a fraction of the computational cost. The automated saliency-identification technique is not the first to define a subset of a volume for display and interaction. A number of methods exist, for example, that identify boundaries of structures within a volume dataset by looking at changes in the intensity of the signal gradient (gradient magnitude). Such information is useful for locating edges in an image, but it is difficult to compute and results in a still-large dataset. Other techniques extract isosurfaces from the original dataset, but this requires that the user specify which aspect of the data he or she wants to look at. In such cases, salient information can easily be overlooked. And still other approaches sample data randomly for reduction, with no eye toward the quality of the data being sampled. \|A lobster is volume-rendered using conventional gradient-magnitude techniques (left) and a new method for identifying salient structures (right). From top to bottom, the images show results using 2, 4, and 6 percent of the total dataset.\| The Vienna researchers have taken a different approach. "The problem addressed in our work is 'how' to select the voxels to determine which ones from the volume should be chosen in order to have an interpretable result after visualization," says Hladuvka. The answer they've come up with is a two-stage process in which a filtering technique identifies boundaries and narrow structures within a dataset, and a "saliency" function analyzes the data to identify the voxels that meet a predefined standard in terms of satisfactory content for visualization. The filtering technique is conceptually similar to the gradient magnitude methods mentioned above, but instead of representing objects by computing both the internal and external sides of its boundaries, the new algorithm represents objects using only the internal side of their boundaries, effectively halving the number of necessary voxels. The saliency of the resulting data is gauged using a specialized matrix that prioritizes the voxels based on their intensity relative to a predefined standard. Both the boundary filter and the saliency function are computed without user interaction. During the display, the only external query refers to the amount of voxels to be shown. "This number depends on the bottleneck of the visualization system, or the bandwidth of the network," says Hladuvka. Another benefit over the gradient method is the ability to preserve detail while using a smaller percentage of the overall dataset. By identifying the salient features and giving priority to their representation, says Hladuvka, "we're able to represent a data set using 6 percent of the volume." Taking further voxels, he says, produces few changes in the information that can be gleaned from the visualization. One of the drawbacks of the technique is that the pre-processing step is 2.7 times slower than the gradient method. To speed up the computation, the researchers are looking into hardware acceleration, as well as more efficient saliency-assessment algorithms. Hladuvka envisions a range of commercial opportunities for the new technology. One of the most promising areas, he says, will be in the visualization of volume data over the Internet. The new technique is particularly well suited to progressive transmission over networks, as a server could be programmed to deliver the most salient voxels early, followed by voxels of progressively less saliency. In addition, he says, as Web-based repositories of multi-dimensional scientific data continue to grow, so does the need for content-based retrieval of the data. This technique could be invaluable for enabling fast 3D previews for data in a remote archive. Research on the salient volume representation technique is ongoing. More information is available on the project Web site, at http://www.cg.tuwien.ac.at/research/vis/vismed/SalientRepresentation/. Diana Phillips Mahoney is chief technology editor of Computer Graphics World.
- having fun with inference and prediction - Welcome to my page on inference riddles. It includes my free Inference Riddle Game that you can play right now on your computer. You will also find information on my expanded activity featuring 101 In	- having fun with inference and prediction - Welcome to my page on inference riddles. It includes my free Inference Riddle Game that you can play right now on your computer. You will also find information on my expanded activity featuring 101 Inference Riddles. If you already have access to the expanded activity, please click here! Inference Riddle Game Successful readers make guesses based on what they read and what they already know. The object of this game is to infer what is being described by the clues you read. 1) Press the "Show a Clue" button below. Notice that the clue is describing someone or something. 2) Press it again to read another clue. 3) When you think you have figured out what is being described, type it in the "Make a Guess" box and press "Check!". 101 Inference Riddles Phil and his son, David, have developed an expanded version of their popular Inference Riddle Game. It is designed to provide students with a fun and engaging activity to practice inference and prediction at a variety of skill levels. If you already have access to the expanded activity, please click here! Riddles are an excellent way to practice interpreting figurative language, idioms, and homographs. Yet, for many students, this interpretive process can be hard to grasp, particularly if they are working with difficult material before they are ready. In the “101 Inference Riddles” activity, your students progress through a graduated sequence of riddles, with riddle #1 being the easiest, and riddle #101 being the most difficult. They are gently introduced to similes, metaphors, homographs, and idioms, and are provided multiple clues to guide them as they practice and reinforce their interpretive skills. Through this process, your students are able to work at a level that is appropriate for them, and develop confidence making inferences and predictions. “101 Inference Riddles” is a web-based application that is available to use on your computer, smartphone or mobile device. After purchase, you simply enter your email address to use the activity, wherever you are! To purchase access to the “101 Inference Riddles” web activity, click the “Buy Now” button below. Web Design by DT Tech
To be sure, there’s nothing inherently wrong with being nice. The world is a better place with more kind hearted and generous people. At the same time, it’s important to be nice in way that’s healthy for everyone involved (especially	To be sure, there’s nothing inherently wrong with being nice. The world is a better place with more kind hearted and generous people. At the same time, it’s important to be nice in way that’s healthy for everyone involved (especially you), so that you’re not consistently holding the short end of the stick. Below are seven keys to gaining appreciation and respect. 1. Practice Self-Respect ― Know Your Individual Rights Many researchers (Lefcourt, Ng et al.) state that having a sense of internal locus of control over our own lives is one of the important conditions for mental health. A healthy sense of control comes from exercising your right to set your own priorities, say “no” without feeling guilty, protect yourself from harm, choose healthy relationships, get what you pay for, and create your own happiness in life. At times, it’s simply wiser to take good care of yourself first, so you can in turn be better (and truer) with others. If your life is your own to choose, then with each moment you have the power to make a good decision. No one can take this power away from you unless you allow it. Know your individual rights, and practice self-respect. 2. Change Your Attitude About Having To Be Nice All The Time “The difference is too nice - Where ends the virtue or begins the vice.” ― Alexander Pope There’s a big difference between being nice because you want to, versus being nice because you have to. The first comes from your heart, while the second feels like a burden. “Nice” people often associate not doing something for someone with erroneous negative thoughts and emotions. For example: Negative Thought #1: “I’m selfish if don’t help my friends all the time. “ Negative Emotion #1: Guilt Negative Thought #2: “She won’t like me if I don’t go along with what she wants. “ Negative Emotions #2: Fear of rejection, fear of negative outcome. For “nice” people, it’s important to know that no one should be expected to be nice all the time. It’s neither reasonable nor real. If negative thoughts and emotions arise as a result of you being selective about your niceness, simply talk back to them with self-confirming responses: Self-Confirmation #1: “If I allow myself my own time, I can take better care of myself as well as others.” Self-Confirmation #2: “If I treat myself with respect, I will attract more respectful relationships in my life.” Whenever reasonable and appropriate, practice self-confirmation when you feel obligated to be nice. Each time you do so, you remind yourself that YOU ARE IMPORTANT TOO. 3. Distinguish Being Kind To People From Having To Do Things For Them There are two ways to be nice: Being friendly and courteous to people, and doing things for them. We can practice the first with just about everyone, as long as they don’t violate our boundaries. As the saying goes, “A smile costs nothing but gives much.” While we’re courteous with people, we can at the same time be selective about what we want or don’t want to do for them. In communication we call this being soft on the person, and firm on the issue. Steve Jobs reminds us: “Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life.” Distinguish being kind to people from having to do things for them. Choose your giving wisely. 4. Don’t Try To Please Everyone, And Don’t Try To Please Any One Person All The Time No one can please everyone all the time, so please don’t even try. People who receive your thankless and unreciprocated giving on a regular basis are also more likely to take it for granted. There’s power that comes with exercising your right to set boundaries and say “no.” While there are many ways you can say “no” diplomatically (see tip #5 below), you’re saying “no” nonetheless. With my private coaching to clients learning assertiveness, I often remind them that it’s more important to be respected than to be liked. Nice people often don’t get the respect they deserve, while those who are respected have the luxury to be nice. Again, there’s power in saying “no” and setting your own priorities. Gain respect first, so that your generosity, when you do offer it, is truly appreciated. “At home I am a nice guy: but I don't want the world to know. Humble people, I've found, don't get very far.” ― Muhammad Ali 5. Know How To Say “No” ― Gently But Firmly To be able to say “no” gently but firmly is to practice the art of communication. Effectively articulated, it allows you to stand your ground while keeping the peace. For more on how to utilize this skill, see my article “Seven Ways to Say No and Keep Good Relations.” “It's only by saying no that you can concentrate on the things that are really important.” ― Steve Jobs 6. Know That You’re Not Responsible For Other People’s Feelings Sometimes we feel obligated to do things for others because we don’t want them to feel bad, even when it’s
Tibet and the Occult 2004, Germany, 53 min. This German television (ZDF) documentary explores the 1938 expedition to Tibet led by Ernst Schäfer, with the support of Heinrich Himmler	Tibet and the Occult 2004, Germany, 53 min. This German television (ZDF) documentary explores the 1938 expedition to Tibet led by Ernst Schäfer, with the support of Heinrich Himmler. The expedition sought to find proof for some of the more far-fetched mythic theories about Aryan origins. These theories held that the Nordic master race was descended from former inhabitants of Atlantis who survived and ended up in Tibet. The scientists embarked on a series of racial investigations of Tibetans involving examining and measuring their heads and facial features. Their research was to be used by Himmler's "Ahnenerbe," a department for ancestral heritage, which used history, anthropology and science to find intellectual justification for Nazi expansionism. The film includes footage of the expedition shot at the time. In the 1930s, Adolf Hitler's Germany presented a glittering surface sheen of technological modernity. At the annual Nuremberg rallies, fleets of sleek bombers roared over the upturned faces of the Nazi Party faithful. A system of autobahns carried traffic at speed the length and breadth of the Reich. In Berlin in 1936, a magnificent stadium housed the Olympic Games. But beneath the tread of marching feet and the rumble of tanks on Nuremberg's Zeppelin Field, there pulsed the rhythms of a different and much older set of beliefs, a philosophy that animated the Nazi Party's early ideologues and, crucially, the man who stood behind Hitler himself - Heinrich Himmler, chief of the SS. These beliefs were anything but technological. They were a curious mixture of ancient Teutonic myth, Eastern mysticism and late 19th-century anthropology. Whether Adolf Hitler took them seriously is open to debate. But Heinrich Himmler certainly did. They lay at the heart of the SS Empire he created and which became the most dreaded arm of the Nazi state. They were also the mainspring behind a Nazi expedition to sec
By increasing the block size, we get better compression. However, there is a tradeoff between compression and the speed of term lookup. For the eight-term dictionary in Figure 5.6, steps in binary search are shown as double lines and	By increasing the block size, we get better compression. However, there is a tradeoff between compression and the speed of term lookup. For the eight-term dictionary in Figure 5.6, steps in binary search are shown as double lines and steps in list search as simple lines. We search for terms in the uncompressed dictionary by binary search (a). In the compressed dictionary, we first locate the term's block by binary search and then its position within the list by linear search through the block (b). Searching the uncompressed dictionary in (a) takes on average steps, assuming each term is equally likely to come up in a query. For example, finding the two terms, aid and box, takes three and two steps, respectively. With blocks of size in (b), we need steps on average, more. For example, finding den takes one binary search step and two steps through the block. By increasing, we can get the size of the compressed dictionary arbitrarily close to the minimum of, but term lookup becomes prohibitively slow for large val
the Four Cs Of Diamonds When it comes to grading diamond's, the "Cut" is a grade of the diamond's reflective qualities -- not the diamond's shape. The diamond industry uses the word "cut" in two different ways. First	the Four Cs Of Diamonds When it comes to grading diamond's, the "Cut" is a grade of the diamond's reflective qualities -- not the diamond's shape. The diamond industry uses the word "cut" in two different ways. First, it's used to describe the shape of a diamond (for example, an "emerald cut" diamond). The second way "diamond cut" is used is to describe the reflective qualities of a diamond. The reflective quality of the diamond is determined by how well the diamond was cut. This second usage (the reflective qualities) is the one that is graded and gets a score on diamond certificates. The quality of the "cut" does make a difference in how a diamond looks. Diamond cut is perhaps the most important of the four Cs, so it is important to understand how this quality affects the properties and values of a diamond. A good cut gives a diamond its brilliance, which is that brightness that seems to come from the very heart of a diamond. The angles and finish of any diamond are what determine its ability to handle light, which leads to brilliance. (See Diamond Anatomy for an explanation of the terms used in the next paragraphs.) As shown in the images below, when a diamond is well-cut, light enters through the table and travels to the pavilion where it reflects from one side to the other before reflecting back out of the diamond through the table and to the observer's eye. This light is the brilliance we mentioned, and it's this flashing, fiery effect that makes diamonds so mesmerizing. In a poorly cut diamond, the light that enters through the table reaches the facets and then 'leaks' out from the sides or bottom of the diamond rather than reflecting back to the eye. Less light reflected back to the eye means less brilliance. Good Proportions are Key Most gemologists agree that the best cut diamonds are those that follow a set of formulae calculated to maximize brilliance. These formulae can be seen in a diamond's proportions, most importantly how the depth compares to the diameter, and how the diameter of the table compares to the diameter of the diamond. If you opt to buy a diamond without an AGS or GIA certificate, spend some time looking at certified diamonds (where you know the Cut Grade) and train your eyes to identify the better cuts (by their "sparkle"). Cut does make a difference to the outward appearance of a diamond. However, the variance in the proportions between an Ideal Cut and a Poor Cut can be difficult to discern by the casual observer. Because cut is so important, several grading methods have been developed to help consumers determine the cut of a particular diamond. In general, these grades are: Which Grade of Diamond Cut Should I Buy? Selecting the grade of cut is really a matter of preference. To make the best selection, you need to understand the various grades. Please note that the descriptions below are general guidelines. This cut is intended to maximize brilliance, and the typically smaller table sizes of these diamonds have the added benefit of creating a great deal of dispersion or 'fire' as well. Ideal quality diamonds are truly for the person who enjoys knowing that he has one of the finest things that money can buy. This category applies only to round diamonds. In the case of round diamonds, many Premium Cut diamonds have cuts that are the equal of any Ideal Cut diamond, though they often can be purchased at slightly lower prices than AGS Ideal Cuts. They are intended to provide maximum brilliance and fire. Like the Ideal Cut, these are also for the person who enjoys knowing that he has one of the finest things that money can buy. These diamonds reflect most of the light that enters them, creating a good deal of brilliance. With these diamonds, the cutters have chosen to stray slightly from the preferred diamond proportions in order to create a larger diamond. The result is that these diamonds fall slightly outside of some customers' preferences in terms of, for example, table size or girdle width, though, in many cases many of the parameters of diamonds in this range will overlap with certain parameters of diamonds in the Ideal or Premium ranges. Generally, the price of these diamonds in slightly below that of Premium cuts. Diamonds that reflect much of the light that enters them. Their proportions fall outside of the preferred range because the cutter has chosen to create the largest possible diamond from the original rough crystal, rather than cutting extra weight off to create a smaller Premium quality diamond. Diamonds in this range offer an excellent cost-savings to customers who want to stay in a budget without sacrificing quality or beauty. Fair & Poor A diamond graded as fair or poor reflects only a small proportion of the light that enters it. Typically these diamonds have been cut to maximize the carat weight over most other considerations. Wondering what on earth is the diamond's pavillion? Table? Culet? The graphic and supporting text below explain the various "parts" of a diamond. The width of the diamond as measured through the girdle. This is the large, flat top
Sights & Activities Localities • Places Good Travel Faqs Sicily's Top 12 Hotels • Planning Maps of Sicily Weather • Climate Nature • History • People Food • Wine • Dining	Sights & Activities Localities • Places Good Travel Faqs Sicily's Top 12 Hotels • Planning Maps of Sicily Weather • Climate Nature • History • People Food • Wine • Dining Arts • Literature • Culture Contact • Follow Dine in a rustic restaurant, or enjoy rural lodging, hiking, wine tastings, cooking classes and more. Visit our working winery near Alcamo and Camporeale in the hills of Sicily's enchanting wine country. Visit our site for more What's in a name? The inclination to identify Marsala's name with the wine produced there is understandable, but wines are usually named for places, not vice versa. This city on Sicily's western coast was founded as a Carthaginian colony in 397 BC (BCE) following the destruction of the nearby settlement on the island of Mozia (Mothia) by the Syracusans. Earlier, the region had been populated by the indigenous Sicanians. Lilybaeum, as it was then known, soon emerged as an important naval base. Its position was ideally suited for that purpose, and the Carthaginians used it as the site for their landings in many of their attempts to conquer the island. Lilibeo was the only major city of Sicily that was not completely Hellenized. The Romans conquered it in 241 BC following the great sea battle that also led to the conquest of Drepanum (Trapani). The Romans called it Lilybaeum. Lilibeo covers a large square area only partly bordered by the sea; the sides facing the mainland were defended by a deep moat and fortified towers. Lilibeo managed to defend itself against the attacks of the Syracusan tyrant, Dionysius I, in 368 BC and then Pyrrhus, in 277 BC. According to the historian Polibius,, Lilibeo was the stronghold that enabled the Carthaginians to maintain their control of western Sicily during the First Punic War.Throughout years of siege and effective naval blockade, Lilibeo resisted Roman conquest and the Carthaginian troops were evacuated only after the peace treaty ending the war. Under the Romans Lilibeo was the seat of one of a pair of questors in charge of the government of the entire island. Cicero held this post, and in 75 BC, described it as a "splendid city." Due to its strategic position along the commercial maritime routes between northern Africa and the Roman province (Italy) Lilybaeum's economy flourished. Not surprisingly, the sea around Marsala has yielded many ancient treasures. With Rome's decline, Vandals attacked and virtually destroyed Marsala in AD 440. It was already becoming a centre of Christianity. The city maintained its place as a crucial maritime port under Byzantine, Arab and Norman rule. To the Arabs it was Mars el'Allah, literally "Port of Allah (God)," hence Marsala. Sicily's wine country lies to the east. The region was always known for its fine grapes, but it was the Englishman, John Woodhouse, who introduced the fortified wine business here in 1796, having already developed a similar product (Port wine) in Portugal. The early years of the nineteenth century saw the arrival of thousands of British troops in Sicily to bolster the armies of the King Ferdinando I during his exile from Naples in view of the Napoleonic occupation of the Italian mainland. Many were based at Marsala. This experience was more than sufficient to encourage other firms to follow Woodhouse's example. Ingham, Good and Whitaker had soon founded wine businesses of their own. The Florio family set up a firm in 1831. The grape-growing region extends westward toward Salemi, Segesta and Sciacca. This is Italy's largest contiguous viticultural region, and also one of the largest such areas in Europe. Domesticated grapes were cultivated here long before their introduction (by the Romans) in France and northern Italy. On a medieval note, the Norman-era cathedral's dedication to Saint Thomas Becket seems appropriate in view of Marsala's English connections. It was probably the first church, in Sicily or anywhere, to be dedicated to this saint, who is commemorated in a mosaic icon in Monreale's cathedral. (Becket's family obtained refuge in Sicily during his exile from England.) The structure itself has been extensively modified, though certain medieval features are still visible. The cathedral museum boasts some beautiful Flemish tapestries
Coin Walk - Walk Down(211k) \|Description\|\|This trick involves making a coin walk across the back of the hand, starting on the index finger and finishing on the pinkie finger.\| \|Start\|\|The hand position for most Coin	Coin Walk - Walk Down(211k) \|Description\|\|This trick involves making a coin walk across the back of the hand, starting on the index finger and finishing on the pinkie finger.\| \|Start\|\|The hand position for most Coin Walk tricks is with the palm down, fingers curled into a loose fist with the first phalanx fingers parallel to the ground. Only the first phalanx of the fingers Start with a coin held between the tip of the thumb and side of the first phalanx of the index finger. Heads facing the thumb. first moving the coin from one finger to the next will be fairly clumsy and slow. You will find that you are using a fair amount of effort to pull down with one finger and push up with the other finger to get the coin to flip over. As you gain more experience with the trick you will find that you can make use of the coins momentum and gravity to make the moves much faster, smoother and mroe effortless. You tilt the hand down so a small movement with the two fingers will cause the coin to fall with the assistance of gravity over onto the next finger. The coins momentum will then carry it over to the next finger and so on. At this point the fingers arent pushing or pulling the coin from one to the next, they are simply guiding the coins motion so that it doesnt get out of control. This isnt a simple skill to pick up though. While it may only take you a few days practice to get the basic moves working, it can take hundreds of hours of practice to make the trick look as smooth and effortless as in the videos shown here. When you are doing Steps 2 and 3 make sure you only grab a tiny part of the coin with the middle and ring fingers. If you grab too much of the coin then it tends to not roll completely over onto that finger, or it falls down through te gap beteen the fingers. On the other hand for Step 4 you need to grab as much of the coin as possible with the pinkie finger so that you can pull the coin down below the hand. Make sure the fingers are kept curled during the first 4 steps. One common mistake is to keep the fingers straight which gives less control when moving the coin from one finger to the next. Another one of the problems when first learning this trick is that the coin tends to slip off the knuckles. This may be due to an incorrect hand position or just inexperience. You can reduce this problem by wetting the back of the fingers. This will cause the coin to stick to the fingers more than normal and prevent it slipping off. When moving the coin underneath the hand there are two options: Once you get better you should start practicing the Thumb Balance method. It is harder but has several advantages. It is a lot faster and can make the entire trick look a lot better and smoother. Also if you use the first method you have to straighten the fingers during the sliding motion which tends to make it look a little worse. Finally if you are going to worm on walking multiple coins then the Thumb Balance method is essential as you will be moving one coin under the hand while walking another on top of the fingers so you cant really use the Slide method as it will interfere with the fingers. Like other tricks of this nature the pinkie finger will cause problems when first learning. You can skip that part at first by just peforming Steps 1-3, grabbing the coin with the other hand and repeating. This allows you to learn the basic walking technique and avoiding the more difficult pinkie finger and thumb transfer parts. You can then move onto the full version once you are comfortable with the first three steps. \|\|This video shows the Walk Down done on both hands at once.
FREE SHIPPING BOTH WAYSON EVERY ORDER! Because Knetbooks knows college students. Our rental program is designed to save you time and money. Whether you need a textbook for a semester, quarter or even a summer session, we have an option for	FREE SHIPPING BOTH WAYSON EVERY ORDER! Because Knetbooks knows college students. Our rental program is designed to save you time and money. Whether you need a textbook for a semester, quarter or even a summer session, we have an option for you. Simply select a rental period, enter your information and your book will be on its way! Chapter 2: The Philosophical Context Chapter 3: The Physiological Context: Early Research on the Nervous System Chapter 4: Wundt and German Psychology Chapter 5: Darwin's Century: Evolutionary Thinking Chapter 6: American Pioneers Chapter 7: Structuralism and Functionalism Chapter 8: Applying the New Psychology Chapter 9: Gestalt Psychology Chapter 10: The Origins of Behaviorism Chapter 11: The Evolution of Behaviorism Chapter 12: Mental Illness and its Treatment Chapter 13: Ps... MORE
Poland is a parliamentary democracy based on a multiparty political system. Free and fair presidential elections were held in October, resulting in the re-election of President Aleksander Kwasniewski. Executive power is shared by the Prime Minister, the	Poland is a parliamentary democracy based on a multiparty political system. Free and fair presidential elections were held in October, resulting in the re-election of President Aleksander Kwasniewski. Executive power is shared by the Prime Minister, the Council of Ministers, and to a lesser extent, the President. The Parliament is bicameral (Senate and Sejm). The Government formed after free and fair elections in 1997 was a two-party coalition composed of the center-right Solidarity Electoral Action (AWS) party anchored by the Solidarity Labor Union and the Centrist Freedom Union (UW), also with origins in Solidarity. The majority government dissolved in June when UW withdrew and five of its ministers resigned; AWS is now a minority government. Parliamentary elections are next scheduled for fall 2001. The judiciary is independent but inefficient. Internal security forces and the armed forces are subject to effective civilian control by the Government. Since 1996 the civilian Minister of Defense has had clear command and control authority over the military chief of the general staff as well as oversight of military intelligence. Civilian control was reinforced further by a restructuring of the Ministry of Defense and general staff undertaken as part of the country's entry into NATO in April. After several years of strong growth in the mid-1990's, the economy slowed starting in 1998 as a result of the Russian financial crisis and economic slowdown in the country's largest export markets in Europe. Gross domestic product (GDP) growth dropped to 4.1 percent in 1999 and stayed at this level in 2000. After dropping steadily through the last decade, inflation began increasing again in 1999, climbing as high as 11.7 percent in the summer but dropping to 8.5 percent in December 2000. The ongoing process of restructuring, and increasing numbers of youths entering the labor force, have increased unemployment in recent years. The official unemployment rate was 15 percent at year's end. Since 1989 most small- and medium-sized state-owned enterprises have been privatized, and the Government has launched privatizations of major state-owned enterprises such as insurance, telephone, airline, power generation, petroleum refining, steel, coal, and banks. Significant reforms are underway in other areas as well, including pensions, health, decentralization of government, and education. Still to be addressed are the agriculture sector, a major part of the economy (employing more than 25 percent of the labor force), and lagging development in rural areas. The Government generally respects the human rights of its citizens; however, problems remain in some areas. Prison conditions are generally poor. A cumbersome legal process, poor administration, and an inadequate budget hamper the court system. Lengthy pretrial detention occurs occasionally. Court decisions frequently are not implemented, particularly those of the administrative courts, and simple civil cases can take as long as 2 or 3 years. As a result, public confidence in the judicial system is low. Many poorly paid prosecutors and judges have left public service for more lucrative employment. The threat of organized crime has provoked legislative responses that raise questions regarding the right to privacy. The Government maintains a large number of wiretaps without judicial review. There are some marginal restrictions in law and in practice on freedom of speech and of the press. With few exceptions, the Criminal Code provides protection for journalists' sources. Spousal abuse continues to affect many women. Women continue to experience serious discrimination in the labor market and are subject to various legal inequities as a consequence of paternalistic laws. Child prostitution is a problem. There were incidents of desecration of graves in both Jewish and Catholic cemeteries and anti-Semitic graffiti on Jewish buildings. The Government has worked constructively toward resolving issues of concern to the Jewish community. There is some societal discrimination and violence against ethnic minorities. Although the right to organize unions and bargain collectively largely was observed, some employers violated worker rights provided for by law, particularly in the growing private sector. Trafficking in women and children in, to, and from the country is a problem. RESPECT FOR HUMAN RIGHTS Section 1 Respect for the Integrity of the Person, Including Freedom From: a. Political and Other Extrajudicial Killing There were no reports of political killings. In January 1998, a police officer was charged with the beating death of 13-year-old Przemek Czaja following a basketball game in the Baltic coast city of Slupsk. The officer was sentenced in May 1999 to 6 years in prison. In December 1999, the appeals court increased the sentence to 8 years. The defendant has lodged an appeal to the Supreme Court. At year's end, the defendant was still free on appeal. On March 7, the District Court in Koszalin decided that the defendant should be examined by psychiatrists from the Szczecin Medical Academy. A police officer indicted in connection with the shooting deaths of two unarmed civilians and the wounding of another in Brodno, a suburb of Warsaw, was sentenced in December 1999 to 7 years in prison. His appeal was pending at year's end. On October 30, the Lublin Appeals Court sentenced the former Lomaz police chief to 41/2 years in prison (originally he was sentenced to 15 years in 1998, but he appealed the decision). The October verdict is final. Trials related to extrajudicial killings during the Communist period continued in 1999. A new